It was a good weekend

I went back in.

Husband came home from work early today so that I could go to the gym he could check on croup boy.


I got all ready to go, and when I got to the gym I chose my torture equipment treadmill and started running.
And then, honestly, I lost steam and started walking. and then running. and then walking. You get the idea. I had told husband I was going to do 3 miles on the treadmill, and that is exactly what I did, not an inch more. 


When I was done on the treadmill, I had promised myself 10 minutes on the stair machine. You know, the one where the stairs get fed to you and if you don't keep climbing you fall off the equipment. ( Which may or may not have happened to me in the past ). 


Well all of the stair machines were full. Occupied. 
And since I didn't feel like waiting around for anyone to finish, (since, after all, I have a sick kid at home) I decided to leave and go home. 


I had unlocked my car and sat down in the passenger seat. I was just about to put the key in the ignition. And then I saw one of the people that had been climbing stairs get in his car and drive away. 


I thought to myself ,"Nobody will ever know if I just go home. I've already left the gym anyway. What will the front desk person think when I walk back in? I have the perfect excuse since I have croup boy waiting for me at home."


And then I thought to myself, "Go back in. Who cares what the person at the front desk thinks? You promised yourself 10 minutes of stair climbing. You will be so disappointed in yourself if you go home now. You can do this. You have to do this."


And I went back in. 


I know the story was totally anti-climatic. 
I know that most of you are thinking, "And...". 
But for me, that is a big deal.
I actually chose something besides the easy way out. 
And I actually did 12 minutes instead of 10, just because I can.

Seriously?

(Kay. Two posts in one day. I couldn't contain myself.)

I usually try to keep my opinion to myself on things that can seem kind of controversial. I prefer to not get  in to arguments, because honestly, I just don't feel like fighting.

But today I was totally enraged by something that I read, and I had to share it with you to hear your opinions.

I read this article over at Marie-Claire today, and was left completely speechless.

I, personally, have never watched the show, so I can't say whether or not it is a good show. But why is it that just because the characters are fat they are not allowed to do what every one else is doing on TV these days? Apparently, they are not allowed to even kiss in public, because...

"I'd be grossed out if I had to watch two characters with rolls and rolls of fat kissing each other ... because I'd be grossed out if I had to watch them doing anything." 

Now, to be fair, I'm a total prude, so I'm uncomfortable watching anyone kiss in public. But at least I'm not biased against people kissing just because they're fat.

You know that if she would have written something this derogatory about a black person, or an asian person, or anybody else for that matter she would have at least been fired from her job, if not shot on the streets. And then her contrived apology is supposed to make it all just go away! How does one get by in life being so extremely hateful?

The author of this article should be fired from her job, and I will never buy a Marie Claire magazine again. Go read the article. Let me know what you think. I'm so mad I can't even get my words out right.

The Best Way to Lose Weight

A lot of stuff has been going around the blogging world about the best way to lose weight.


And as far as I'm concerned, the best way to lose weight is to do what works for you. It may be calorie counting, or just making better choices and exercising more, or you may choose Weight Watchers, or Jenny Craig, or you may have chosen Gastric Bypass Surgery or the Lap Band Procedure.


The bottom line is, what works for some does not work for others. So make a choice to get healthy, and do what you've got to do to get there. Whatever that means for you. Because this is your journey. And your life. And your choice.

Do the Work

I recently got a daily devotional from Proverbs 31 entitled "Do the Work". It totally struck a chord with me, as only God can really do...


And since then, it is all I have been hearing, in various ways.


So I will continue to do the work, because even if I don't see the results on the scale that I want to, I know that I'm getting results in other ways. I feel better, I sleep better, I'm in a better mood, I eat better. Everything is just... better.

Missed Weigh In

I missed my weigh in this week.


So I have no new updates as far as official weight is concerned.


But I missed it because I was running a 5K, so I kind of think I deserve a free pass.


Husband signed us up for this 5K a long time ago, and the date snuck up on me so fast, I almost didn't remember!!


I was super tired from a really busy day at work on Friday, and the kids had spent the night at Grandma's house Friday night, so I really had tons of excuses to not get out of bed and go run. But I did it anyway.


And I am so glad that I did! I had tons of fun running, and ended up improving my 5K time by 7 minutes!! I don't have the official time back yet, but I don't really care at this point. I know that I made a huge improvement over my last 5K, and I actually really enjoyed myself. However, please don't get me wrong, I was still really slow. 


My next goal is to do some speed work and see if I can get to running a little bit faster. I just kind of feel like my workout schedule varies so much right now that it is hard to figure out a really good time schedule. Some days I get up early to run, sometimes I run/walk with the boys in the stroller, sometimes I do classes at the gym. I guess all that really matters is that I'm doing something!


Wanna see my pic from after the race?

Please don't laugh at my frizzy hair sticking out from behind the headband. It was totally drizzling.

Any ideas for speed work?

One at a time

The class that I took at the gym last night is alternating 3 minutes of cardio, with 3 minutes of strength exercises. Love. it.

Anyway, at one point, I found myself thinking, "just one more minute, you can do it". And then I thought to myself, if I can do this for one more minute, why can't I do something for just one more... whatever.

Because kids grow up one milestone at a time.

You get to the freeway one stoplight at a time.

So, I can totally do this one choice at a time. One day at a time. One week at a time. One pound at a time.

And then it doesn't seem quite so overwhelming.

I'm Grateful

I know that I totally come across as a Debbie Downer.

I am sorry. My life is not that bad.

So I decided to let you know some things that I am grateful for.

My husband, who put the kids to bed tonight, so that I could go to the gym.


The fact that I can even go to the gym.


The 23.8 pounds that I have lost.


My kids. Who put up with being put in the childcare at the gym, and tell me that they're proud of me when I get back from my morning run.


My crock pot. So that I can make Santa Fe Chicken, or just chicken with a jar of spaghetti sauce when other dinner plans don't quite work out.


Bananas. They have become a staple snack as of late.


My husband again. Because he puts up with my rants and raves far more than even you guys do.


And all of you, who keep reading, even when I 'm totally Debbie Downer.

Beauty is Only Skin Deep

I have been struggling lately with feeling beautiful. 
I know that this is not new. 
I know that it is not a revelation. 


I look at myself in the mirror, and I see that I am overweight. 
That I have stretch marks. 
That I will have extra skin when I eventually reach goal.


And I wonder if I will ever feel beautiful.
Because I know that I can feel proud.
And I know that I can feel different.


I don't doubt the person that I am inside.
I know that I am all of the things that I want my daughter to be.
Compassionate, thoughtful, generous, responsible, loyal.


But the outside is, and will always be the issue.
I see women come in to work all of the time with complications from cosmetic surgery. 
Some women do it after losing large amounts of weight.
Some to prevent the aging process.
But they all take big risks to make their bodies look different. To look beautiful.


I've always thought that the wrinkles on my face and the stretch marks on my body tell my story.
They are a part of who I was, who I am, and who I will be.
But they are also a huge part of why I just don't feel beautiful. 
Because I raise my arm, and they are there. Staring right back at me, as if they are belittling my accomplishments and reminding me of my mistakes.
Reminding me that I was here to begin with.


So I guess I sit here and wonder if it is possible to ever feel beautiful on the outside. 
With stretch marks, and extra skin, and wrinkles.
Because when I see them on other people I think they are beautiful.
They tell stories. They add character. They make people unique.
So why do I not feel the same about myself?

Monday Motivation

And...

Down 1.4 at weigh in this weekend. Finally moving in the right direction.


It was the kind of weekend where you get to wear jeans and long sleeves, which is my favorite kind.


We did have to forego the pumpkin patch because it was just too wet, but we found ways to have fun anyway.


How was your weekend?

Food Finding Friday?

So I kind of had an idea about a link up party. It was inspired by Julie over at Joy's Hope. I'm new to this whole technologically savvy stuff, so I'm not quite sure how it will all work out, but let's give it a try.

I love food. Good food. However, I have found that since I am trying to eat healthy, a lot of recipes are hit or miss in the yum department. Here's where you come in. Let's share our yummy healthy recipes. If the response is good, maybe I'll make it a weekly thing and we can have a ton of variety. Sound good?

Just link up below with a delicious recipe to share. Then hop around and enjoy!!

Here's mine.

Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya

1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 bell peppers, any color, diced

2 onions, diced

1 pound reduced-fat turkey kielbasa, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tsp paprika

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne, or more to taste

5 cups water

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 cups long grain white rice

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the peppers, onions and kielbasa and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, oregano, salt, and cayenne and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

2. Stir in the water, tomatoes, rice, and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, covered, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.

3. Add the shrimp and cook, covered, until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Per serving (1 1/2 cups) : 308 cal, 4 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat, 117 mg chol, 837 mg sodium, 46 g carb, 3 g fiber, 21 g protein, 78 mg calcium.

Weight Watchers "Eat! Move! Play!" page 178

Serves at least 10 people, so have company over and enjoy!!

And I live in Southern California, not the South, so I'm not quite sure about authentic, but it sure did taste good.

Motivation

I recently just posted about how I'm back.


About how I found motivation to keep going and all that stuff, and it's true.


I feel better when I eat right.
I feel better when I exercise.
I feel better when I set a good example for my littles.
I feel better when I do the right thing or make a good choice.


But then I step on the scale. On a non-weigh-in day. And it does. not. move.
And I get frustrated, because here we are like 10 weeks in to this stinking plateau. And I have changed up my exercise routine, and stuck to my daily points allowance, and yet... no change.


I don't intend on quitting.
I've come too far for that.
And I actually kind of like my new lifestyle.
But this is really frustrating.
23 weeks. 23 pounds. (and yes, I know that a pound a week is completely acceptable)


So I have a couple of questions.


If you follow Weight Watchers... Do you eat all of your activity points? 
Because I haven't been eating them, and that's not getting me anywhere.


Any plateau busters that you might suggest? 
Giving up Diet Coke didn't work for me, so we won't be going there again. =)


And I know that I'm like the link queen or something lately, but if you haven't read this guy's story or this post about motivation, please do it. If that's not motivating, I just don't know what to say.

Blog Awards

A couple of weeks ago, I was given a couple of blog awards. I was too busy preoccupied at the time to accept or say thank you. I know. Bad blogger etiquette. I'm sorry. I was dealing with the whole, my house has no electricity, please feel sorry for me situation.


Anyway, Kaye and Jennifer were kind enough to think of me and bestow awards upon my blog, so I graciously accept! Thanks ladies!!

Now with the answers to the questions.

Describe your blog in 5 words.

Easy.

Getting Healthy. Slow and Steady.

What would you change about your life?

If I could change anything about my life, it would be where we live. Orange County is not for me. But being close to family is priceless, and so we stay.

Ten things people don't know about me:

1. I used to work at Disneyland. On the Jungle Cruise. Yes, I know the jokes are bad. They're scripted. Don't hate.

2. I moved to Washington DC when I graduated from college, only to move back about a year later.

3. I have a cookie problem. Actually baked goods. All of them.

4. I have one sister, who I don't see enough of. Life gets in the way.

5. I swore I would never drive a minivan. I do. And can not imagine my life without it.

6. I have always wished that I was a gymnast.

7. I have a really hard time listing ten of anything. Let alone things about me. If you haven't noticed, I'm usually pretty direct and to the point. It's one of my biggest faults.

8. I can't decide if I want more kids. Some days yes, some days no. Prayers needed please.

9. I recently started to sew, and wish that my kids would spend more time napping so that I could finish some projects.

10. Is it horrible to wish that your kids would spend more time napping? I kind of think that's mean. Wow. I'm a mean mom.

Now I guess 4 places you should visit.

I have lately really enjoyed Audra, over at Rediscovering Domesticity.

And Losing Brownies is always good for a laugh.

Check out this post and how amazingly brave it is.

And Katie's positive attitude is super motivating!! I'll have whatever she's having.

Brilliance

I had a brilliant idea this morning. At least I thought it was brilliant at the time.

 

Preschool is about a mile away from our house, and yet I have been loading the jogging stroller in the back of the van, driving to school to drop off Mallory, and then going for a walk/run with the boys in the jogger from the parking lot at school.

 

Well, the hatch on the back of the van no longer stays up automatically. You have to manually lift it, and then if you let go, it slams back down, meaning it would be next to impossible for me to get the jogger out of the van by myself. Cause the 3 year old is tall, but not tall enough to hold up the hatch for me.

 

So, I decided to walk the kids to school, and then go for a walk/run with the kids in the jogger. Sounds great in theory. Until you do the math and realize that 3 kids do not fit in a double jogging stroller. Which means that the 6 month old, who weighs at least 20 pounds, was strapped in the Baby Bjorn, while I pushed the other 70 pounds of kids in the stroller.

 

Now, I have lost over 20 pounds. But strapping the kid back on, thus strapping back on the approximate amount of weight that I have lost, made the walk SO HARD. I knew that the first half mile would be uphill, as it is part of my morning run, but I didn't realize how hard it was going to be pushing and carrying all of that extra weight!!

 

I was dripping sweat by the time I got Mallory to school, only to find out that my Nike + didn't log any of the mileage that I had just completed. Boo.

 

But I destrapped tank baby from my chest, and he took the other spot in the stroller. So off we went. I reset the Nike + and left my HRM running as we went the rest of my usual running route. I hardly ran at all, which I'm kind of disappointed about, but I'm having a hard time getting coordinated while running with my stroller. It feels really  awkward for some reason.

 

All in all, it turned out to be a great workout, with almost 700 calories burned in just under an hour. But I don't think I'll be walking to school again any time soon. Unless for some reason tank baby finds a new way to travel.

Uniquely You

It's Friend Makin' Monday again over at Kenz' house!! Join in the fun!! Copy and Paste the questions below in to your own post and then answer them. Make sure you link up!   1) Do you prefer talking or texting? Texting. Easy. Then the other person can not hear my children yelling in the background. Plus, I can take as long as I want to respond. 2) Do you make your bed everyday? I wish that I could say yes, but embarassingly, no. It is a good day when it gets made. We haven't had very many of them around here lately. 3) What sounds do you hear right now? The air conditioner, the noise machine in the boys room, and the TV.   4) List three things that you always carry with you: my cell phone and a chap stick are the only guarantees. 5) What are your favorite TV shows? Grey's Anatomy, The Office, The Big Bang Theory, and One Tree Hill ( which I almost didn't admit to ). But I also can't get enough of The Amazing Race.  6) Is there a hobby that you'd like to devote more time to? If so, what is it? Sewing. I would love to be able to sew whenever I wanted to.   7) What is your favorite drink? Diet Coke. There is nothing better than an ice cold Diet Coke. At any time of day, but preferably first thing in the morning.. 8) Share a couple of cool facts about your family: My Dad was born in Indonesia, and didn't come to the states until he was in grade school. He learned to speak English by watching TV. 9) List one thing that you will do for yourself today: I went for a run this morning. So I think my "me time" has already happened.   10) Share something that you're thankful for today: For God's provision. For His faithfulness. For His forgiveness. For His mercy. For His grace. For His sacrifice.

Victory

Imagine being in a world where 5 workouts and 2200 calories burned, all while sticking to your daily Points allowance, results in a gain of 0.4 lbs.


Now imagine me, not throwing my usual pity party and splurging all weekend, but instead, stomping my foot, crossing my arms, proclaiming the unfairness of the situation and moving on.


Because splurging for me this weekend meant adding cheese to my 6" subway (gasp), and ordering a chocolate chip cookie to go with it.


It did not mean indulging in the free bagels that were so graciously brought to work for us this weekend. 


It did not mean inhaling the pad thai and peanut sauce that someone provided for us at work.


It did mean picking up a meal at McDonald's on my way home from work. But those points are accounted for.


So while I was obviously not victorious on the scale this weekend, I did find victories elsewhere.


Which, for me, is kind of a big deal.

I'm Back

I'm back.


And more than just from yesterday's baseball watching, baby snuggling hiatus.


I have once again found the motivation to keep going on this journey, due mostly to all of you. The supports that I have found in this blogging world has been kind of crazy, and I am so grateful for all of it.


I've also found motivation through so many of you. Some obvious, some unexpected. So here's some of my faves as of late.


Adrienne and Sara recently completed triathlons. Totally crazy. At this moment I have no desire to compete in a triathlon, but I'd be lying if I said that it didn't peak my interest. It seems kind of crazy that I would even have the ability to do something like that, let alone the motivation.


Sheryl (aka b*tchcakes) recently made goal at her Weight Watchers meeting, and listening to her talk about how long it took her to get there really struck a nerve for me. (Not to mention that she's totally adorable and super fun to read).


I read this post about food and control, and got a total slap in the face and kick in the pants at the same time. And since I'm kind of Type A and really enjoy control, it kind of helped me out a little bit.


And the last place I will make you jump is to Keelie. She recently wrote this post about perseverance. And I realized that I am a quitter. When things get hard, or don't go my way, I quit. I walk away. But I'm a big girl now, and that won't get me anywhere. So all that I can do is keep going. Keep moving. Keep running.

I'll Be Back

There was no napping at my house today. To make a long story short, the 3 year old decided she didn't need a nap today, so she woke up the 2 year old, who woke up the 6 month old. That was fun.

 

Needless to say, I didn't have time to catch up on my bloggy friends, nor did I have the time to write what I was intending on posting tonight.

 

And then this evening, I spent time snuggling with this guy.

 

And watching this.

 

Sorry.

 

Be back tomorrow.

I Think I Got My Mo-Jo Back

Husband and I recently decided to re-join the gym after a pregnancy related hiatus.


He started going early in the morning with a buddy from church to lift some weights, and I really enjoy the group fitness classes.


So today I tried BodyPump. And tonight I can. not. walk. My legs are so sore that I can hardly walk down the hall, let alone down the stairs.


Have I ever mentioned that I hate have absolutely no love for lunges? If there was one exercise, EVER, that I would rather not do, its lunges. And I think we did about ten thousand of them today. At least that's what it felt like.


And then, I didn't quite feel like I got a good cardio workout, so I decided to run a mile on the treadmill before I picked up the littles. Um, also cannot stand not the biggest fan of the treadmill. Oh, the monotony of the treadmill. The sound, the pounding... But, I did it, and wow, do I feel great!


After hitting the gym, I came home to my new almost favorite lunch. Ground turkey with fat free cottage cheese and fresh salsa. I know. But I promise it tastes better than it sounds. Especially if you flavor the turkey the right way.


We had homemade sloppy joes for dinner, which are kind of a staple around here. The recipe is from an old Weight Watchers cookbook that I have, and they are super easy and really tasty.


AND, I think that I may have re-located my motivation. Largely in part to all of you, who comment here and let me know that I am not alone in this. And to those of you who have given me blog awards, they have not gone unnoticed, nor unappreciated, I promise. I will pay it forward. 


And the fact that Husband has joined me on my journey sure does help a lot too.

Monday Motivation

Big Things

Big things happened this weekend.

The first thing is, I lost 1.4 lbs!!! Yay!! I guess that working out zero times in one week totally works for me. That doesn’t mean I’m going to make it a new habit or anything, but it worked for me this week. And I’ve actually already lost that pound before, and then gained it back, but this is the first time on this journey that I’ve reached a total of 23 pounds. So that’s cool.

The second thing is, not only did I let Husband take a full body picture of yours truly, but I’m going to post it here on the internet for all to see. Here it is. And yes, my 2 year old has a pencil up his nose. Typical.

Lastly, I just finished my first work out of New Rules of Lifting for Women. I probably won’t be able to walk tomorrow, or lift my arms up over my head. But that’s okay. I only need to take the littles to gymnastics, so that should be easy.