10 Pounds Gooooooonne!

It seems like it has taken forever...ever been there? It's really only been 52 days. But, I can now officially say that I have lost 10 pounds. The first 7 pounds was easy. The last 3, not so much.

Oddly enough, the thing that has helped me out the most in the last few weeks has been the movie Moneyball. If you love baseball, Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, or if you can breath, you''ll love this movie. It has absolutely nothing to do with losing weight (although if you caught a glimpse of Jonah Hill at the 84th Annual Academy Awards you can see he's dropped a few pounds!). It does have to do with perseverance and most importantly the mathematics of success. There are certain thing in life that if you do the math, it HAS to work!

I dropped the first 7 pounds in 2 weeks. The last 3 have taken 5 weeks to lose! Now, I will admit there were a few moments where I consumed some no no's. I had a little too much fun with some homemade rice krispie treats a few weeks back. But, instead of giving up and falling into the belief that I just can't weigh less, or it's not worth all of this hard work, I keep doing the math. Remember, losing a pound is worth about 3,500 calories. Whenever I give some up, or burn some off, and when it adds up to that magic number, I'll be 1 pound more successful.

And that's exactly where I'm at right now. Right now my goal is to lose 1 pound. Not 13 more like I'd eventually like to. Just one. I can do that. It might take me a week, or 2 weeks, but I can do that.

Amazing Meatless Monday!

Grab the weekend shopping list and add a couple items!

Although "Meatless Monday" certainly isn't reserved for just the first day of our work week, it's a catchy way to remember a concept that can be beneficial to you and everyone around you. The last 2 1/2 weeks for me have been meat free and I have discovered a delicious, super satisfying, one of my new favorites, recipe.

Besides expanding my food pallet, I have been reminded that "Going meatless once a week may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel." For those interested in finding our more, click on the link below!

http://www.meatlessmonday.com/why-meatless/

So, here is my new culinary concoction:

Barley Mushroom and Sweet Potato Soup

1 Package of Streit's Barley Mushroom Soup mix
(Kosher and no meat or dairy)
(I found mine in the international aisle at Super Target)
2 Large Sweet Potatoes (peeled and diced, 1 inch)
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Follow the directions to make the soup. This will take about 45 minutes, which is mostly boiling and simmering. This is a very hands off meal preparation, so you'll definitely be able to leave the kitchen while you cooking! As the soup is simmering, prepare the sweet potatoes. Peel and dice and mix together with 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil. Bake at 425 degrees for 40-50 minutes (depending on whether or not you like the potatoes browned). Make sure to turn them every 15 - 20 minutes. By the time the sweet potatoes are done the soup will be finished!

A 1 and 1/3 cup serving of soup has 213 calories, and about 10 grams of fiber AND 10 grams of protein. Garnish with about 3/4 cup of baked sweet potatoes and you are adding 100 calories, 4 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein. Top that will a full belly and very satisfied taste buds!

Although I have craved meat and sweets over the last 18 days, I haven't felt unsatisfied or hungry. I have walked or run 39 miles and have not felt weakened or fatigued. I have also lost 8 pounds (that actually happened on day 16)! So, I am back to where I made it to before I went on vacation in August. 5 months of sabotaging my body, all fixed with less than 3 weeks of hard work...that honestly wasn't all that hard.

Start Your Weight Loss With a Bang!

I keep referencing my blog to see how long it took me to lose 3 pounds, 4 pounds, now up to 5.5 pounds. Yes, that's right, I have lost 5.5 pounds in 11 days! During the summer it took me almost 3 weeks to lose 5.5 pounds. So, what's the difference?
I would have to attribute the speedy weight shed to the fact that I am not eating certain foods right now. The same day I restarted my devotion to losing those 20 pounds, I began a fast. Now, this fast happens to be a spiritual one, but whether or not you are a spiritual or a religious person, fasting can be a great way to kick a habit, learn a new way of eating, or take a break from certain foods. The physical part of my fast is to cause me to think about the foods I'm putting in my body. A reminder of what I should be focusing on eating most of the time. For a period of 21 days I'm not eating any unnatural sugar, meat, hard cheeses, chips, and most processed foods. And believe you me, I have had a hankering for chocolate!
If your looking for that extra boost to taking off some weight, consider cutting out certain foods for a period of time. It doesn't have to be 21 days. It could be 1 week. It doesn't have to be all bread and pasta, but consider only eating 100% whole wheat products that are full of fiber and have less sugar. Speaking of sugar, cutting out sweets for a few days is a great way to start! Think about it...

I'm Tooting My Own Horn.

Yes, that's right. I said it. I would say that I am a pretty modest person. I generally don't want to draw unnecessary attention, but there is something
I need to point out: This blog on losing weight is really, really helpful!

I have been reading my own writing for the last week to inspire me. If you haven't already, or if you haven't in a while, I encourage you to go through the previous entries in my blog. They have encouraged me, reminded me, and given me direction once again.

I would also encourage you to somehow, whether it's through blogging or keeping a journal, to record your thoughts, your milestones, your recipes, all those little pieces of information that are helping you to become healthier. You never know when you might need them again,
or when someone else might benefit from them.

By the way, I'm also bragging that I am down 4 pounds in one week!
Good job Sara, good job :)

It's Been 5 Months Since My Last Post...

Ever since August I have experienced some major life adjusting. I started working full time for the first time in 8 years. Now couple that with being a personal assistant to 4 very important little people, and you'll understand my 5 month hiatus. I'm just getting over being exhausted.

I clearly fell off the wagon (BOOMER SOONER - had to interject that) and completely sabotaged all my hard work from the summer. Add in the holidays and a surprise 4000 mile road trip, take away the consistent exercise, and that completes the equation. I didn't gain it all back, that's the good news. But, I was close.

So, this week I put some action to my resolve and started up again. Counting calories, exercising, and cutting out foods I know are bad for me. I found a new tool I really like too: MyFitnessPal http://www.myfitnesspal.com/.

I have only been at this for 4 days and already I am seeing results! I feel so much better.
Today is all about encouraging you. If you've just started working on your overall health, or if you are restarting your plan to become a smaller and healthier you, know that you can do it! Don't allow your faults or your failures to stop you from trying. Surround yourself with an no-fail environment and people that will lift you up and you are sure to succeed.

Vacation is Over

For the last 10 days I have been enjoying what is as close to a vacation as I get these days. Anyone with small kids knows that you never really get the mental or physical break from attending to your children's every need. I did enjoy a trip to see old friends in Gettysburg, a week off with Jason, and some priceless smiles and squeals from my kids . But, what you are really wondering is if I stuck with my healthy eating this week, right?
I seriously debated on whether or not I was going to strictly adhere to my eating plan or just vacation from all aspects of my life. I opted for the latter, with the assumption that I would enjoy eating with everyone else. I loved the fact that we all ate together and that I wasn't the annoying "dieter" out of the group. That was about it though. I really didn't love, no less enjoy, much of anything I ate. True, at this point of our life eating out consists of pizza, burgers, and Mexican fast food, so it's not exactly a sophisticated pallet.
I had two or three disciplined days thrown into the mix simply out of desperation. There were some days I felt so drained from eating so much processed, sugary foods. The moral of the story for me...vacationing from my healthy eating wasn't worth it! The end result: I added on two pounds. I'm pretty sure it will come off quickly. But, if I had stuck to my calorie restrictions and healthy food choices I would probably be down another pound or two.
Next time I'm faced with the question of whether or not to vacation from healthy eating I need to remind myself of how I felt last week. How it wasn't worth it. If I'm going to break the bank with calories I need to make sure it's really worth it. It needs to be something a little more fabulous than pizza and nachos.

Body Types

Maybe it’s your thighs, your stomach, or your upper arms. Regardless of where it is, many of us have at least one area that makes us feel self conscious because it isn’t as lean and toned as we’d like it to be – a problem area where stubborn fat gathers and stays.
When we try to lose weight we tend to focus on our problem areas and sometimes we get frustrated that we haven't seen a change. It seems we lose weight in every spot but the one we notice the most. Is it really possible to target those fat gathering locations and lose weight in one particular area of your body?
Here's what I found out: It is a myth that it's possible to cause your body to lose fat from only a certain area. You can tone a specific area with exercises, but you cannot cause your body to burn fat in one specific location. When we lose weight, we lose it all over. Fat comes off gradually from all over our body, not just a few selected spots.
Imagine with me. Remember when I used the analogy that a pound of fat is like a pound of butter? Well, every time I walk and am sweating I imagine the fat is melting off all the parts of my body, just as a stick of butter would melt. As the stick of butter melts it gets smaller, but it always retains its original shape.
Under all our layers of fat, whether it's 20 pounds or 10o pounds, we have a shape. My shape happens to be a rectangle. That means when I put on extra weight it gets focused from my thighs to my shoulders in a geometric shape that offers no rooms for waistlines and curves. It also means that when I finish losing weight I still will not have a waist line...bummer!
Keep your body shape in mind as you are losing weight so you don't get discouraged. I guarantee that as you lose weight over your entire body you will be happy with the results! You can't change your body type, but you can change the size and tone of your body. And to all the other rectangles out there...here's to wide belts!

Goodbye Size 10

Hello size 8! I have lost another pound, which makes the grand total of my weight loss 9 pounds. 5 weeks ago when I put my foot down and decided that I was going to finally lose 20 pounds I did a little research. How many pounds do you really need to lose before you drop a dress size?
I don't know why a woman's size is still measured by dresses, but I do know that the information seems to be pretty accurate. If you are currently wearing a size 12 or under, you need to lose 8 to 10 pounds to go down a notch. If you are a size 14 or up you would typically need to lose about 25 pounds. That seems pretty unfair to me, but part of the reason is because starting at 14 there is a 2 inch difference between sizes, as opposed to a 1 inch differential in sizes 12 and under.
So, now that I've lost enough weight I can actually comfortably wear most of my wardrobe! I just have to laugh at myself for buying those jeans that really didn't fit me in the hopes that it would encourage me to lose weight. Has anyone else ever done that? Bad idea!
The last time I weighed the same as I do now was in August of 2004. It was almost a year after I had Colin and Liam and I was very determined to lose weight. I was also in the wedding of a dear friend which was fantastic motivation! Notice the picture, I'm the third one from the front.
I'd encourage you all to come up with a timeline, or an "event motivator" to spark your weight loss or keep it going. My next motivator is starting back at work full time. In 3 weeks I rejoin the work force and I would love to lose 2 more pounds for my first day. What big events or milestones do you have coming up that will encourage you to get serious about shedding your unwanted pounds? A pound here, a pound there, and before you know it you're down a dress size!

Lose 8 Pounds in One Month

You can google this topic and immediately dozens of links will appear. Some of the results are dieting gimmicks or advertisements for the latest "supplement" you can buy to increase your metabolism and burn fat. Often, the solutions to losing your excess weight include a very restricted calorie intake and NO room for fat, or real life in my opinion.
For those of you who live in the real world with me, I would like to happily report that in one month I have lost exactly 8 pounds! If you've been following this blog for any amount of time you probably know that my strategy includes cutting my calories, exercising, eating healthy food, and leaving room for carbs and even an occasional treat. Well, so far so good. The best part is that when I have reached my goal and am done losing weight I can just maintain by doing the exact same thing...but with more calories. That sounds so good!
My total weight loss goal is 24 pounds, which means I am 1/3 of the way there. I still have 2 or 3 months of hard work ahead of me. But the nice thing about losing weight is that it is a process that can be measured in more than just pounds. Last night when I was getting my PJ's on my husband walked in and screamed you look so thin! Very good! In about another pound I will be down a size. Even better! I am also very close to hitting a new tens place on the scale - it's too bad my first ones place number was a 9. These are all little accomplishments that make me want to keep working hard.
And you all make me want to keep working hard too. There is not much better in my life than to encourage someone to reach the potential that they were created for. That is why I love to record my progress and share it with you. In the hopes that you will get inspired, encouraged, and reach your goals. When you are feeling good about yourself and walk in confidence, the sky's the limit. If you want to you can lose 8 pounds in one month too!

Taking Off the Baby Weight

I decided I would encourage some of my friends who are about to have or who have just had babies, in honor of Jude's 3rd birthday. I have been amazed how quickly the transition back to my pre-pregnancy size can take place, and I have been discouraged with how tedious and unreachable this challenge may seem.
Here's the story:
Surprise! It's twins: with Colin and Liam I only gained 23 pounds. I started at a higher weight and had them 8 weeks early. After they were born I lost 33 pounds from my highest weight. It took me about 10 months and I attribute it all to smarter eating and lots of walking thanks to the double stroller.
When I was pregnant with Ethan I gained 40 pounds...yikes! I ate terribly during this pregnancy and I ate everything. I remember near the end of it I was so excited to start losing weight! I lost all 40 pounds in about a year. That was also thanks to walking. I had the coolest triple stroller ever invented and I thank Mountain Buggy for my sanity!
The last time around with Jude I gained 37 pounds. I started out a few pounds heavier, and the big guy decided to stay inside 3 extra, L-O-N-G days. Three must be his favorite number because that it also how many years, yes I said years, it has taken me to lose all the weight I put on with him. Again, I attribute the loss to exercise and eating well.
I must say that life after Jude was born has definitely been the most stressful and included lots of big changes, like selling a house and moving 1/2 way across the country, having surgery on my legs, completely leaving our family and many friends behind, adjusting to a new culture and climate, and starting a new church from scratch. Did I mention I have 4 young kids? Although it has been the hardest time of my life it's been one of the most learning and growing seasons I've been in. I'm pretty sure the next year is going to be one of the best and most exciting times in a while...I can feel it!
We all have things going on, stresses in our lives that rob us of reaching our goals. Don't let discouragement win, because if you are determined enough to lose weight YOU WILL DO IT!
It might take longer than you thought. That's okay. No two people are alike. Just because your friend loses all their baby weight in 3 months doesn't mean you will. That's okay. You might even gain a few pounds back. That's okay...just start over again!
My motto is, happy mom = happy kids. You need to take the time to enjoy your life, even if it comes in 1 hour chunks. You need to allot resources to enable you to exercise and eat right. I am happiest when I feel like I've accomplished something and when I feel confident, and my family reaps the rewards of that.
It's been a great 3 years little Jude, and I love you more than ever.

Calorie Cycling

You may not be into hopping on a stationary bike, but you might be all about this kind of cycle!
If you are trying to lose weight you have probably noticed that at some point your body seems to stop responding to the fact that you are eating less calories. You stop seeing results quickly and it seems that you just can't lose a pound. At this point you've hit the proverbial plateau.
I'm trying to avoid hitting this plateau, and so far so good. I've armed myself with some tricks to keep my metabolism going strong. The first rule: don't eat too little calories in a day; the second rule: eat negative calorie foods every day; the third rule: zig zag my calories by calorie cycling.
it's not a new concept, just a catchy name. Calorie cycling simply provides same amount of calories per week, but "tricks" your body by constantly changing daily calories. This helps to prevent or break plateaus. Now, let me tell you that I haven't been sticking to these cycles as a guide for my daily calorie consumption. I've just been using this idea as a base for my eating. I try to vary my calorie intake every few days and include 1 big calorie consumption day every week. My cheat day.
Everyone is different though, so I thought this information might be just the trick someone else needs to get their weight loss moving in the right direction again. Below is the information that is specific for my weight, height, age, and gender. After you're done reading this, click on "7 day calorie cycle (zig-zag)" and the link will take you right to the page where you can find out your own suggested results!

Maintenance:	2005 Calories/day
Fat Loss:	1604 Calories/day
Extreme Fat Loss:	1296 Calories/day
7 day calorie cycle (zig-zag)

	Ex Fat Loss	Fat Loss	Maintain
Monday	1296	1604	2005
Tuesday	1296	1296	1604
Wednesday	1556	1925	2406
Thursday	1296	1604	2005
Friday	1296	1444	1805
Saturday	1426	1765	2206
Sunday	1296	1604	2005

My Favorite Jeans

I mentioned earlier that I thought this was going to be my hump week. I was right. It's been a challenge to stay on track with my goal to lose that extra 20 pounds I've been carrying around. Actually I changed my goal to 24 pounds.
I've been working hard at cutting my calories by 300-500 a day, and I've been walking and running about 20 miles a week. I'd be a fool to not be pleased with my progress. After all, I've lost 7 pounds in 25 days! I'm just a little bored with the monotony of it all.
I do have a new milestone to report: I fit into my favorite jeans (see Sacrifice Vs. Maintainence, June 30th). I bought these jeans almost 5 years ago. I got pregnant a year after that and it's hard to believe that since then I have been unable to wear these. It's amazing to me how comfortable I was, weighing too much for so many years. I wasn't comfortable as in I loved how I felt and looked. I was comfortable in the fact that I didn't want to put the effort into changing things.
We live in a society where immediate gratification and high speed everything is so common. We praise the situations that we can contribute as little effort as possible. I think that's why this week has needed some extra internal motivation. Although I prefer the speedy results of the hare, I know the tortoise is the victor. Slow and steady wins the race!
I have been bolstered by the reports of others being inspired to lose weight because of me sharing what I'm going through. I have genuinely smiled each time I see a that someone has lost pounds, or those who simply decided that it's time for them to make a change too. That has been a major influence in my determination this week. So, here's a huge THANK YOU!
Let us keep up the good, and sometimes tedious work, and continue toward our goals. Just over 3 weeks ago I couldn't fit into these jeans. I'm hoping that in another month or so I'll have to give up my favorite jeans for good.

Crazy Food Dreams

Let me tell you about last night. First of all, this wouldn't have even been an issue if yesterday was my cheat day. However, my weekly splurge has been reserved for Saturday since we are celebrating Jude's 3rd birthday then.
I will set the stage. We were taking a lovely friend to dinner before she moves away. I said, "you pick the place." She picked Buffalo Wild Wings. I was thrilled with this choice as my kids have been to this restaurant and they love it because of the Pac-Man, claw, and elk hunting arcade games. This makes my night easier already! Then I started researching the nutrition information and reality hit me hard. This is going to be a challenge.
I opted for the Honey BBQ Chicken Salad. Left out the cheese and dressing. Basically I was eating lettuce, pico, and grilled chicken with BBQ sauce on it. My guess is my modified salad came in somewhere around 450-500 calories. It was good, but it didn't fill me up physically or mentally. We chased down Wild Wings with a trip to Braum's - a glorious regional ice cream and burger joint. Ice cream never looked so good to me, and as everyone was enjoying it all I could think about was my morning cup of coffee. Fast forward time, please!
Obviously, I felt left out and unsatisfied. I even had a dream that I ate a humongous ice cream cone and 2, yes 2 full size apple pies. Waking up this morning I'm not very hungry, hmmmmm?
It is amazing to me how much we think about food. How important it is to us, not just physically, but especially socially. Thoughts about food even control our subconscious! And, I think food is supposed to be that important. Food is a gateway to friendship, to recreation, to special family memories. The problem is that a lot of times we let food become more important than people. The main "people" often times is ourselves.
Next time you are in a situation where food is the catalyst for friendship or family time, whether it's a birthday party, family picnic, or work lunch, remember that the food comes secondary to the people. The relationships, memories, and fun you are creating matter way more than what you are eating.
That's what got me through last night. I stuck to my commitment because I was determined to make the night about my friend and not the food I was eating, or not eating. Remember too, that losing weight is just temporary if you do it right. At some point in the near future I will be able to enjoy that ice cream cone because I'll just be maintaining my weight. Until then I'll stick to my midnight fling with all sorts of luscious treats ...even if only in my dreams.

The Dreaded Bloat

Here's the scenario: You're doing fantastic watching what you eat, and exercising. You've even dropped a few pounds over the last 3 weeks. All of the sudden, out of nowhere...you gain a couple back. How can this make sense? Is it really worth all of this hard work for your scale to jump up for absolutely no reason? Looks like a setback.
Then you realize there is a reason...oh, yeah...it's that time again. Ladies, you know what I'm talking about! And guys, don't stop reading. Take notes, because you can be very helpful and encouraging for a friend or significant other during a time like this.
I kind of forgot about this issue, to be honest. You see, I don't feel bloated. I've just noticed that in the last 2 days I've put on 2 of the pounds I got rid of. After taking a look at my calendar I now realize why. So, I did some research, and here's what I discovered: I'm not alone, and neither are you!
The average weight gain a woman experiences before and during her period is from 5-7 pounds! Wow! There are even extreme cases where gaining 10-15 pounds is not uncommon. There are several physiological theories for water retention that I won't bore you with. The bottom line: for almost a week out of the month you will be heavier than you expect.
There is good news though! A light at the end of the tunnel! A reason for not giving up and stuffing your face to relieve your anguish! You will lose that water retention weight by the end of your period. And, if you do really well with your eating and exercising during this week, you should even lose a little extra!
I just told Jason last night that I think this is my hump week. If I can make it through this week staying positive and continuing in the habits of drinking lots of water, watching my calories, and exercising, I'll make it the whole way. Now that I'm armed with the knowledge that I'm completely normal and there is a reason for the increase in the scale, I'm okay. It's not a setback after all.

Your High School Weight

This photograph was taken almost 17 years ago. This is my senior picture that was taken on August 4, 1994 - holy BIG hair! If you were born sometime in the 1970's, chances are pretty good that you have a few pictures like this too. Don't ask why I remember what day it was. I just remember weird information about the past. Something I also remember about this day is how much I weighed.
I was all set on celebrating the loss of another pound in a day or two by talking about how I reached the weight from this landmark day. However, I ran into a problem. You see, when I weighed myself this morning...I skipped right over that number...yeah, way to mess up my plans. I didn't believe it, so I weighed myself about 10 times. Did I really lose 1.5 pounds? Yes sir, I believe I did.
Now, before you get all envious about me being at my high school weight let me explain something. I've been pretty much the same size my entire adult life. I was never one of those skinny minnie high school girls. In fact, the last time I saw size 1,3, or even 5 was before I hit puberty and "developed". Sorry if I'm bringing back some painful memories!
I think the reason we remember things like how much we weighed, or how it felt to be thin, isn't so we can get depressed or think that the best years are behind us. It's so we can have some motivation and something to drive us to becoming even better. Now, my body doesn't look exactly the same as it did in high school. I can thank my kids for that! But, I do feel thinner and healthier than I did 18 days ago when I became quite serious about losing that extra 20 pounds.
I must be doing something right because I have lost 6.5 pounds in under 3 weeks just by eating a responsible amount of healthy food and exercising...no gimmicks. I hope that this can be the inspiration someone needs to get started at losing weight, or to continue in your efforts. And when you hit a landmark weight, celebrate with others, and keep your next milestones in mind.
I have 3 more in my pocket, and some great pictures to go with them!

Negative Calorie Foods

Did you know there are foods that burn more calories than they contain? Your body has to work harder to convert these foods into energy and this gives them an excellent fat-burning advantage over many other types of food you normally eat.
You might be surprised to learn that this list consists of more than just celery and grapefruit. It includes several things you are probably already eating. If not, just add a few into your food portfolio every day to speed your weight loss along! Ladies and gentlemen, may I present...your negative calorie foods:

Fruit: apples, apricots, berries, grapes, grapefruits, kiwi, oranges, strawberries, tangerines, and watermelon. (love all of these =bonus!)

Vegetables: asparagus, beets, broccoli, cabbage, celery, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, hot chili peppers, lettuce, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, yam, beans, and zucchini. (Shredded red cabbage has been one of my new favorites to add to salads and wraps!)

Protein: salmon, almonds, lentils, turkey, chicken, tuna, and sirloin. (all lean and without skin)

Whole grains: oats, barley, and brown rice. (high fiber burns more calories)

Don't forget to enjoy some skim milk, green tea (I like to brew mine and then ice it), and water!

Make sure negative calorie foods aren't the only foods you're eating. Your body also needs calories that it can process slowly. So, eat a slice of watermelon and chase it down with a cup of ice cream! You need to treat yourself or you will go crazy, right?

You Might Need New Sneakers If...

Let me share some feelings I have toward new sneakers: I love how you feel taller when you get a new pair because you haven't squished down the inside yet; they look so sharp, and I feel like a little kid expecting everyone to notice and comment on my new kicks; new sneaker smell makes me smile, period.
I think that sneakers are the most important part of your workout wardrobe. They really determine whether or not you are going to hit the gym or get outside. You don't have to spend a lot of money on them, but you do need to make sure you like the way they look and that they fit your foot right. I think that if you like your running shoes, and they feel comfortable, then you are much more likely to exercise. Just sayin'.
I logged 247 miles with my last sneakers (I use tally marks on my calendar to keep track) before the air pocket popped. It seemed a little premature to me, so I researched how often you should get new pair. Here are some suggestions:

• You should get new sneakers every 250-500 miles depending on your weight, the running surface, and your weekly mileage. For instance, someone who runs or walks 20 plus miles a week will need to replace them about every 3 -4 months (now it makes sense that mine wore out).
  

• If your lower back, ankles, feet, shins, or heels hurt, or if you have blisters that just won't go away, it's probably time to go shopping (sometimes simply purchasing new athletic socks will fix the blister issue).

• Don't just look at the outside of your shoes for wear, the inside of your shoe usually breaks down first. If you can twist your shoe your mid soles are worn and it's time for a new pair.

I think a lot of times the upfront cost of a new pair of sneakers can delay their purchase. We have a very tight budget, so I get it. But, this is one of those purchases that you need to find the money for! After all, we're not just talking about style. We're talking about healthy living. Speaking of, I'm down another pound...that makes 5 pounds total!

Excuses

It's too late...
My sneakers broke...
We have friends over...
I have blisters on my feet...
It's too hot (yes, 106 is too hot)...
I only got 4 hours of sleep last night...
These are all excuses I tried using last night as to why I shouldn't exercise. I was having conversations with myself all afternoon and evening. I could have skipped out and I had plenty of decent reasons. But, if I'm going to do this thing, then I'm going to do it!
I ended up starting my routine at 8:45pm and didn't finish until after 9:30. My neighbors watering their lawns must have been laughing at me as I ran and walked the same 1/4 mile stretch of my street...it was so dark out that I didn't want to risk being too far from home.
I've been around the block with exercising and losing a few pounds to know that if you allow excuses to work a little, they will end up working a lot! Of course, there are times when you really do have a reason for missing out on your routine. I think it's a great idea to take a day off every now and then to give your body an extra rest. But, before you decide to take a pass ask yourself if it's an excuse or a valid reason.
I felt so energized and satisfied after I finished my workout last night. I slept really good too! I feel pretty optimistic about today and I am determined to try really hard to knock the scale down another notch. The best part about today: I get to buy new sneakers!

Budgeting for Weight Loss

I've often said, "anybody can do anything for a little while." Usually it's in terms of having a second job, or cutting out unnecessary expenses so you can save a chunk of money or pay off debt. It's almost always in reference to finances. I started thinking about this yesterday in the midst of my stuck-ness.
So, how long do I really need to do this? How long to I need to stick to cutting my calories? I thought that if I was asking myself this question for a money issue, I would certainly come up with a budget or a forecast...so that's exactly what I did!
I calculated that I would be collecting 700 calories a day, between cutting them out of my diet and burning them through exercise. A pound of body fat equates to approximately 3,500 calories. Divide that by my 700 calories, and it means I should be losing a pound just about every 5 days. I estimate I'll be needing to stick to this for a total of 100 days.
It seems like a lot until I think about how many more days I plan on being alive after that, which is like 80 million. If I can stick to this hard-core for about 3 months I can just work on maintaining my weight indefinitely. I can do that!
You've heard the phrase, "numbers don't lie." So, let's come up with some numbers. First, you need to figure out how many calories you should be shooting for to lose weight. I like the daily calorie counter on www.prevention.com because it includes your height, sex, activity level, and age into the formula. Your results will tell you how many calories you should be eating to maintain your current weight. Figure out how many calories your cutting and how much you're exercising (just google for calorie estimates for specific exercises), and you come up with your daily number. Divide 3,500 by your daily number and that's how many days you should lose a pound in. Multiply that number by how many pounds you want to lose and you have just figured out how many days you need to stick to this to get to your goal.
The great thing about losing weight is that you get to see results. It may come slow at times, but changes...good changes are still happening. I finally got un-stuck this morning and am celebrating that another 1/2 pound has vanished! That's 4 pounds gone and never coming back. I want to hear your celebrations too!

S-T-U-C-K

I've finally reached the stuck point. I knew going into this that the first week of change in diet causes the body to shed some pounds quickly. I said goodbye to 2.5 of them last week and that's great. I haven't seen the scale move since. Now pair this with the fact that I am an emotional eater and it will explain why yesterday was such a battle. Ever been here before?
It was the perfect storm of a battle of wills, and screaming, and cleaning up pee, and whining, and hitting, and a less than desired grocery shopping experience. I had enough and my first instinct was to slam down the rest of that darn pie from July 4th. Why would I want to eat something "bad" for me and why it would make me feel so good? Did I mention we were having friends over for dinner and Jason was bringing home ooey, gooey, greasy pizza too?
I just wanted to give up because it seems like all this hard work is for nothing. It's so much easier to eat what everyone else is having, to not plan what you're going to eat, to not count calories. Eating greasy pizza and pie tastes so good too...
But, it doesn't taste as good as being thinner feels. Even though the scale hasn't moved in days I can feel a difference in my body. It's a little more sculpted.
Then I thought about a pound of butter, how big that is. It's a block of lard that is about 5 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. It's a pound of fat! That is what helped me get through yesterday. The fact that it's not just about the numbers, but about taking that fat off my body. It's a slow process that is measured by more than what you weigh.
I was really hoping that since I made it through yesterday I would be rewarded by seeing another pound gone today...not so. But, I know it will happen soon. Keep trying, and working with me, and remember that the taste of your favorite guilty pleasure is momentary, but healthy eating can feel good for the rest of your life!
Who knew butter would be such an important part of losing weight?