Wednesday Weigh In: Week Three

So this post I need to start with an apology. Last week, I didn't post at all since I was done with some type of flu.  Every day I suffered headaches, stomach upset and a low grade fever.  That meant that I wasn't exercise, wasn't paying much attention to my diet and it was difficult to make it through a work day, let alone write an update.

But despite being sick, I still managed to lose 2.2 pounds and I have lowered my weight down to 228.80.  I am officially in the 220's, which is great to see.  I did fall off the challenge wagon so I am restarted the buns, guns and abs challenge today.  I am just going to do one challenge each month as it can be very difficult to do both, especially when the numbers get high on the reps.  The other problem is that missing a day or two when you get sick really adds on number of reps you have to do, which can be next to impossible to do.

In addition to the challenge that I have restarted, I am going to be doing the couch to 5k training for the summer. This is three days of exercise, 30 minutes each day and goes for 9 weeks. Obviously you can do it longer but this is all about starting those habits. I am not big on jogging but I am looking forward to this.  If you want more information on the couch to 5k, go to this link http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml.

And that is all for this week. Still losing and feeling much better than I did last week.

Getting to Know Me

Although I have been focusing on the weight loss for much of this blog, this blog was started to find myself.  While losing weight is very important for me right now, it is not the only focus that I have.  I want to find the things that I enjoy and to find time to explore other things that I have an interest in.

One thing that I have found over the years is that I put myself last.  The order in my house goes like this:

• Kids
• Husband
• Work
• Pets
• Household Chores

and then somewhere way down the list is me.  I will avoid buying clothes if the kids need something, avoid getting my hair cut if someone else needs one too. I look at the price of things and think, "Oh, I shouldn't spend that money on me."

When it comes to things to do for myself, I put it to the side and think, tomorrow.  I have already mentioned this in a past post but I have found that this aversion to do things for myself is more than just an aversion to exercise.

So I thought I would start another challenge (geeze this woman loves challenges).  One I want to start next month is a photo a day challenge. I love to take photographs and I think I would like to explore that more in July.  I also like to scrapbook so that is another thing I will try to dedicate more time to...I do, after all, have to find a way to share those photos.

This challenge, however, is not about photographs but about exploring me.  I won't do it daily to keep the blog posts to a minimum but every few days, I will add a few of the days that I have done.  If you would like to join me in the challenge, I would be happy to do it with you.

For today, however, let's start with days 1 and 2.

Day One:

A few basic things about me.  I was born in British Columbia and I have a very complicated family. I was adopted by my aunt and through the adoption, I have one sister and two brothers.  On my biological mother's side (who is my aunt's sister), I have two sisters and a brother.  On my biological father's side (who I met at 16), I have two brothers.  I call my aunt my mom to this day and she is.

I met my husband when I was 16 (it was a busy year), and moved to Ontario when I was 18.  We were married when I was 21 and I had my first son at 24.  I graduated college in the field of early childhood education a few months before my son was born.  I was in the top 1% of my class and graduated with honors and several awards.  My second son was born when I was 28 and I left the field of ECE in 2007 when he was three.

Since then, I have been a writer/ghostwriter and editor.  I live with my husband, two kids, a senior (and still energetic) Labrador Retriever, my beautiful, English Mastiff and a grumpy old cat.

So that is a few basic things or rather me in a nutshell...but I have to warn you, I think the nutshell is cracked.

Day Two: 

Ten things I like:

1. My family (always number one)
2. My pets
3. Animals, my favorite animal is the wolf
4. Sunsets
5. Playing in the rain
6. Swimming
7. Listening to the rain at night
8. Halloween
9. Reading
10. Hiking through forests

Ten things I don't like:

1. People who lie
2. People who knock others down
3. Any and all types of seafood
4. Spiders (not afraid of them but don't like them)
5. Hot, humid summers
6. Driving in the snow (I rolled my car once driving in the snow)
7. Getting up early (But I still get up early every day, even though I hate it)
8. June Bugs! (I hate...and I mean HATE...June Bugs.  When I first moved to Ontario, they had a really bad year for June bugs. First time I had ever seen the bugs and I almost moved back to BC simply because I didn't want to see another June bug.  They are quite a solid bug when they hit you or land in your hair...makes me squirm just thinking of them.)
9. That my kids are growing up.  It is bitter sweet.  I love seeing the people they are becoming but it is sad that they are growing up so fast.
10. Insomnia (I suffer from it off and on, and have since I was a child.  I would love to not have it at all.)

So there are the first two days. Feel free to share yours or you can share your blog address in the comment section.

Wednesday Weigh In: Week Two

Here we are again. It is Wednesday and this morning I hopped on the scale to find out if I had gone down again this week.  I always weigh myself in the morning as soon as I get up and before I eat or drink anything.  I also try to do it at the same time each week so I can get an accurate view of how my weight is going down or up.

This week was a bad week for me in regards to what I was eating.  People were over so we made cheap, easy meals. You know, things like hamburgers and hot dogs.  Chips for snacks and so on.  Still, even with all that junk food, I did manage not to eat a lot and I did see a loss.  This week it is back on the no junk food diet to make up for last week.

One thing that I want to mention is that I am not actually dieting. I have cut out foods that are unhealthy, outside of a few things, and I have limited my snacking to fruits and vegetables.  Meals have more vegetables and less processed foods.  The reason why I am not dieting is because diets do not work.  Sure, you can lose weight but it always comes back the minute you stop dieting.  This time around, I am changing my lifestyle and eating habits.  Change that will have a lasting effect on my overall health, not just a short term one.

And with that, we should get down to the numbers.  This week, I lost .66 pounds.  Not quite a pound but still a loss.  So my official weight today is 230.34.  I am a bit disappointed as I wanted to be in the 220's this week but I will just reach it next week. I keep reminding myself that a slow and steady weight loss is better and I will be more likely to keep the weight off this way.

In addition to weighing myself, I also did my measurements.  I lost a total of 9.2 inches overall in the last week.  I even managed to lose on one of my difficult areas, my hips.  I have PCOS which makes it difficult to lose weight on the abdominal area.  It was only an inch but I was so happy to see that loss.  The other area that I was happy to see a loss in was my chest.  I am very top heavy.  I won't give you exact cup size but let's just say that I left H cup...and I...and...and... behind a long time ago.  So seeing a loss there has been a pleasant surprise.

So while I was not happy with the number on the scale, I was very happy with the measurements and the inches lost.  Feel free to share your own weight loss numbers in the comments and have a great day.

Meal Recipe: Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps

One of the changes that I have been making is what we are eating during the week. We have cut out a lot of the processed foods and now my cupboards are often bare because the fridge is what is full.  The kids have some school snacks, we have cereal and then a few odds and ends but the main focus on our grocery shopping is the outside edges of the store, which happen to go into the fridge and freezer.

If you haven't heard of that, it is important to shop around the edges of a store. The majority of processed foods, which are the unhealthy foods, are in the center aisles.  Fruits and vegetables, dairy, and meats are on the outer edges.  During the summer months, I shop primarily at a farmers market, with the exception of dairy products, however, in the winter, I follow this advice for shopping.

So with all those fresh veggies, I have to find different recipes to make those veggies interesting every day.  One of my favorite is the chicken Caesar salad wrap. These are pretty fast to make and while I do use a pre-made Caesar salad dressing, I don't use a lot of it.  These taste delicious and they are very filling.  You do not need more than one to feel stuffed and I have a hard time finishing one when I make them.

Ingredients:

• 2 Chicken Breasts (I tend to use 3 since the kids eat the wrap as a separated meal, not as a wrap)
• 1 Romaine Lettuce
• 1 Caesar Salad Kit (I use the light Caesar Salad kit)
• 2 Large Carrots, peeled and shredded
• 1 Cucumber, peeled and sliced into long sticks
• 5 Radishes, shredded
• 1/2 cup of cheese (optional)
• 1 Tomato, diced
• 1/4 onion, sliced
• Tortillas (I like to use spinach tortilla) 

Directions:

1. Grill the chicken breast until it is cooked thoroughly. I like to spice mine with garlic to add flavor.
2. When the chicken is cooked, slice into thin strips. Set aside.
3. Wash the lettuce thoroughly and then tear into bite sized pieces.
4. Dry the lettuce to remove the excess water.
5. Make the Caesar salad kit.
6. Toss the salad.
7. Wash, peel and cut the remaining vegetables.  Put onto individual serving plates.
8. Shred the cheese.
9. Warm the tortillas slightly.
10. Serve the meal.  

The best thing about these wraps is that you serve it buffet style at the table. People build the wraps with the vegetables that they like.  I make mine with everything except the cheese, tomatoes and onion.  The main part should be the salad with 2 to 3 slices of chicken, depending on the thickness of the chicken.  Then the rest of the vegetables are filling.  You can also add different veggies such as zucchini slices, green peppers, avocado, etc.

So enjoy this recipe and tomorrow I will be back with measurements and Wednesday weigh in.  

Photo credit: © Dennis Owusu-ansah | Dreamstime Stock Photos

Week One of Challenges...DONE!

It is with a scream mixed with pain and delight that I have finished week one of the monthly challenges.   Delight because I am done the week and pain because my body is aching and right now, it is not a good ache.  Not every day is a bad ache but due to an unexpected house guest, I actually had to double up the days so I was still on track.  I was fine up through the 90 leg lifts but at the end, when I was doing the 40 sit ups, I felt like I was going to throw up.  And there will be more tomorrow.

But after a shower, I feel much better.  Water is a huge part of me. I love water, thrive in water and I swear, I spent 90% of my free time during pregnancy standing in the shower.  When I feel at my lowest, I just need to stick my body into some water and I feel all the pain, worry and anything else bothering me just wash away.  So yes, water was a big part of the challenges this week both for exercise (swimming) and for healing (warm showers).

When I signed up for the challenge, I didn't look at the end of the challenge, I focused only on the beginning.  After the first day, I looked through the month and my first thought was, "Oh my god, how am I going to do the last week?"

That first day, I was lucky if I could do five sit ups without needing a rest.  I hurt in ways I didn't realize I could and I struggled through each exercise.  A ten second plank made my body shudder as I tried to stay in position.  I felt completely deflated the first day but I shrugged and said, "It is only day one Sirena, you can't expect to be in shape on the very first day."

Thankfully, I didn't give up and instead, I kept at it for the entire first week.  And you know what?  I actually learned a few things over the last week and thought I would share them.

1. Giant breed of dogs are quite annoying when you are exercising.  I have an English Mastiff who feels the need to snuggle up nice and close when you are doing leg lifts.  I have since begun shutting her into a different room when I work out...and I get to listen to her whining at me because of it.
2. I can do anything when I put my mind to it.  Yes, it is hard but I have the ability to take control and keep working for it.
3. It does get easier...but at the same time it gets harder.  One week in, I can do 25 sit ups without needing a rest and I can do a 30 second plank without the fatigue.  I can also do 20 crunches, 10 push ups, 35 leg lifts and 25 squats without feeling too bad.  Of course, the numbers are now above those numbers so that is why it does get harder.  It is still challenging, even with seeing the improvement.
4. I can see the improvement.  Weight wise, I don't think I have lost much this week but I can feel the tightening of muscles that I long gave up on. I can also feel that I lost some inches.  I was hoping to go another 10 pounds before picking up some clothes but it is more than apparent that I have to go very soon (my pants will not stay up...which can be quite embarrassing).
5. Cats are equally annoying as dogs when it comes to working out. My cat Charlie likes to target me when I am in the middle of the plank.  He will run his body up one side of me and down the other before crawling under my chest and rolling over to look up at my face.  I would put him in a different room but he hides out of sight until I am at my weakest. I want to believe it is encouragement but when he starts licking my feet, I know he is doing it to be a butt head.
6. I feel better about myself.
7. My kids and husband are proud of me. I never realized how important it was to my kids for me to workout.  They used to bug me weekly about joining Kung Fu with them but I thought it was because they just wanted me to be at every class. I have realized this week that it had nothing to do with the class and had everything to do with wanting me to be healthy...As they say, from the mouth of babes.
8. It is a bit embarrassing having my kids be proud of me.  Not that I don't enjoy it but when they come into the room, sit down on the floor beside my head as I am panting through the 40th leg lift and they start chatting, their eyes sparkling with happiness, I feel a little embarrassed that I am so out of shape.  It is also very hard to discuss Pokemon while you are trying to keep count of your crunches. But I don't send them away, I simply work through my embarrassment and it is very cute when they start doing sit ups...or laps...or leg lifts with me.   

As you can seen, I learnt a lot this week and I am actually looking forward to the challenges next week.  At the beginning of last week, my least favorite thing to do was the crunches but now, it is definitely the sit ups.  I am sure that by the end of next week, it will be something different that I hate doing...possibly the leg lifts, but I will keep doing the challenge.  

On Wednesday, I will be measuring the inches lost when I do my weekly weigh in.  Please feel free to share your own journey on here as I love hearing from everyone.

Finding Time

I am late putting up this post for a number of reasons but the main one is time.  Today was one of those days that I was running from 7am until 4:30pm.  I had enough time to relax long enough to write this post and do the two challenges that I have done.  After that, it is running to a few chores, dinner and the like.  I am probably going to be slipping into the pool sometime after 8pm but that is okay, I am going to need the water.

But that comes to finding time.  Let's face it.  Many people don't have the time to work out or pursue an activity that they enjoy.  There is always work, errands, chores, family and if we are lucky, we tumble into bed for a few short hours.  I often find myself saying, I don't have the time, but the reality is that I do if I actually look for it.

When it comes to taking care of myself, both physically and spiritually (which includes mentally, emotionally and socially), it is easier to go to the stand by of tomorrow.  Today is for everyone else...I promise, tomorrow will be for me.  But the truth is, there never is a tomorrow.  It is always today and today is just too busy for little ol' me.

One thing that I had to do was to buckle down and repeat, "I am worth a few minutes."  Those few minutes are being spent on exercise but I am building up those few minutes to a half hour and then maybe an hour...heck, I could probably give myself a few extra hours a week that I wouldn't normally give myself.

How do I find those minutes now?

It really is difficult.  Trust me, old habits die hard but I have found them during my lunch hour where I would spend it doing things for others.  I have found it in the minutes that I waste checking my emails for the hundredth time or surfing facebook.  I find the minutes when I say, "Maybe tonight I won't fold the laundry or maybe tonight we will have cereal for dinner so I don't have to spend an hour making it."  I sneak in the minutes when I am waiting for water to boil while I make dinner or for something to finish cooking.

Finding time isn't about just exercising, it is about rediscovering the things that I used to enjoy doing such as devouring an entire novel in one day.  If I sit down and read while my husband takes the kids fishing, the world is not going to end.  My kids won't have bad memories of their mom not coming on a fishing trip one time when she goes 99 other times.  Finding time is more about giving myself a pass every once and a while and it is something that I recommend everyone do.

Find the time by looking at your daily habits and cutting out those time wasting habits.  Give yourself a break if you can't do everything in a day but make sure you take twenty minutes...and not twenty minutes where you are hiding in the bathroom.  Do something you enjoy and if your family can do it with you, all the better.  I know my kids love being in the woods as much as I do...they love learning as much as I do so it gives me plenty of opportunities to do something for myself while still spending time with them.

And that is about all the time I have today.  I finished day 5 of the challenges and feel sore. I was going to not do it since I had such little time but I fit it in...I fit me in and it is important that you fit yourself into your day as well.

Photo credit: © Sherry Tetens Long | Dreamstime Stock Photos

Wednesday Weigh In: Week One

Okay, this isn't the first official weigh in as I have had weigh ins since the end of January but it is the first weigh in for this blog.  So how did I do on the numbers, I have managed to lose 1.76 pounds making my weight 231 officially.

Every number lower is a boost but I was actually expecting a higher number this week as I am exercising more. With more exercise comes muscle and muscle weighs more than fat so it is not uncommon to see a weight gain while you are building muscle.

But I am down and I have just finished day 4 of my challenges.  Yesterday was a tough day and I didn't get my laps in until late, around 8pm.  After going through my day, taking the kids to their activities and getting through dinner (which hubby made for me), I was exhausted.  My body hurt and my mind just wasn't in it.  I was going to make the day my official "rest" day for swimming.

Finally, at 7:30, I decided that if I gave myself a rest day, I wouldn't go back to doing it tomorrow.  So instead of resting, I slipped on my bathing suit and got into the pool. The kids came with me and for half of my laps, they swam laps with me before they started playing in the shallow end.  I pushed myself a bit harder than the first two days and did 25 laps before my limbs were starting to scream at me to stop.  I pushed a bit harder and finished up at 30 laps completed...or about 0.34 of a mile.  My goal is to reach a mile without having to stop by the end of the month.  Three days in and I am over a quarter mile, which is great!

One thing that I realized is that the times when I need to push the hardest are the days when I want to give up or go into "resting" mode.  Today, I plan on doing 30 laps and then adding a long walk into my regime for my rest day.

Another thing that I realized is that it is important to push myself but not too far.  Yes, I probably could have done 40 or even 50 laps but pushing too far, too fast will only cause me to crash and that is the farthest thing that I want to do.

And finally, I realized that my kids are overjoyed that I am working out.  My oldest is doing a 30 sit ups each day for 30 days (his choice, not mine) and I heard them both talking about how great it is to see me exercising.  My youngest says he will do swim laps with me every day until the end of summer.  I noticed that they have started to challenge themselves when it comes to staying active because they are watching me.  So thankfully, it seems that we are building healthy habits together.

How are you doing on your own goals?  Please share some of your successes or things you have realized as you take a journey towards healthy living.