The Past Few Months

Hello my dear friends!!! 

It's been way too long. I definitely plan to change that and will be posting more often.  I've just come through a very, very busy season and I can see things leveling out enough to be able to post regularly.  That's why I love Rosalie so much - she posts every day regardless of what she has going on!! 

I plan to weigh-in and post my meals every Sunday like I use to. I love that accountability and it really seems to help. I've tried writing my meals down but it's not as motivating to me when no one else is looking at it.  So here we go.  Starting this Sunday, I'll post what I ate this week. Feel free to give me any feedback or ask any questions that you might have.

So - you're wondering how I'm doing with my weight loss, right?  Yikes!! I'm embarrassed to say that I've actually gained weight!!  Yep. It's sad but true.  Actually, I have learned even more about what worked and what didn't.  Let's just get the number out there, ok - This morning I weighed 149.4. 

I hate posting that number - but it's the truth. Now let me tell you how I got there and what I plan to do about it.

If you recall, we took a cruise in May. I actually lost weight on it because I had 24-hour access to grilled fish and chicken and lots of veggies. I had already been eating clean for 4 months so these were the foods that I desired!  Mentally, I never struggled to stay away from the desserts.  That was never, ever an issue for me.  If I remember correctly, I think I took a bite or two of a dessert once or twice and had a piece of cheesecake the last night, but that was it.

Then we took a driving trip through the Midwest.  I still did very well considering eating out every meal for a week.  I gained about 2 lbs. and weighed in at 140.  I wasn't really concerned much about that. I continued working out and eating clean and then got ready for our next vacation.  This time, we drove to my parents house in California stopping at the Grand Canyon on the way.  This trip is what spiraled me out of control. Let me tell you how and why.

I use to fear trips.  I mean really fear them. I hated the weight gain that always seems to come with them for me.  I not only use to go on vacation from our home, but also would take a vacation from eating well.  Know what I mean? So, before I took the cruise, I mentally prepared for it.  Instead of focusing on the desserts and unlimited food, I was going to continue eating clean and just view it as enjoying someone else cooking the same foods for me. It worked!  Then we took a driving trip and ate out for a week.  I still did pretty well because I continued to order grilled meats and veggies when eating out. 

Our third trip was different yet again, because this time we were staying with my parents.  I realized on this trip that's it's really, really hard to lose weight when I'm staying at someone else's house.  My mom and dad are totally accommodating and would never mind if we bought our own food and ate what we wanted.  That works for breakfast and lunch but not for dinner. I can't go to my mom's and make a separate dinner.  I would feel rude doing that.  Therefore, we eat what everyone else is eating.  Hot dogs, goulash, etc..   My mom did always have the fixins available to make a salad but I was totally lacking in protein.  In fact, when I eat grilled chicken, fish and lots of veggies, my body does so well and the weight drops off.  Needless to say, I gained over 5 lbs on this trip.  I came back at 146 - ugh!! (and that's from being gone for 12 days)!! :(

I'd held steady at that weight for the past 10 weeks.  I re-committed to working out again and went to the gym last week. I am so sore I can barely move - but I know it's a good thing.  I just wish I hadn't quit working out but it was really hard to do this summer (that will be another post).  I even wanted to participate in a few online challenges but it was harder this summer being gone so much so I didn't end up doing them.

Anyways, whenever I start working out again, I always gain a few lbs.  Then, the next week, it drops back off and those muscles start firing up my metabolism. I'm so ready for that again and I'm feeling very positive about my weigh-in this coming Sunday.

I wanted to share that about a month ago I realized that I wasn't craving the good, healthy foods any longer. A few months ago, I loved eating my grilled meats and veggies and that's where I need to get back to. I had no cravings for sweets and carbs. I actually craved the good stuff.  Now I'm craving the carby, starchy foods.  There has definitely been a mental change in me. I think the 12 days on vacation when we didn't really eat well, was just long enough to break my good habits.

I allowed the processed, high-carb foods back in ad thought that I'd get back on track when I got home---- but it was just long enough that it was too hard to get back on track for me. School was starting two weeks after we got home so I told myself it would be easier than but it wasn't.  Let me tell you that homeschooling was far, far easier (for me at least) than sending the kids to school.  I mean, back-to-school nights, paperwork, homework, meeting with teachers, fundraisers, more homework, pre-ordering lunch, and more homework - then add on the sports, student council, NHS, birthdays, company in town, homecoming, doctors appointments, a broken dryer for over a week, etc... I could go on and on.  Needless to say, it has been a rough past 10 weeks and I never got back on track - until now.  I think I was afraid to start and then get side-railed from the get go. I had to wait until things settled down a little bit and I could exhale. Last week I hit the gym and I am so excited to get back into shape.  I (and you) can do this.  If you are looking to get back on track, let's do it together - TODAY!!!

Who's in??   Let's get over the hump together and get back on the road to good, clean eating.  The first step is the hardest, right?  I know I'm going to hate today and tomorrow, but come Wednesday or Thursday, I bet I'll be feeling better. I'm prepared to feel a little tired as my body detoxes but that's a good thing too.  I'm determined to not cave so I may have to complain for a day or two here to get it out!  If I can do this (and I know I can), so can you. I will let you know how I did and felt tomorrow, okay?  I'll just have to fake it until I make it - but I just know I WILL make it!! :)

If you're looking for something to get started, I have always loved the Body for Life program. That's what I did this May when Heather's program ended. You can do it at home.  Just go grab yourself a few different size weights.  I have done this program completely at home with just my weights and a weight bench.  If I didn't have a weight bench, I'd figure something else out.  I think the concept really works.  Let me know if you do it and have any questions and I'll try my best to help you out.  I'll share with you this week, which program I'm going to be doing for the next 12 weeks.

In the meantime, please go visit my friends on the sidebar who have lots of wisdom and good information to share.

I'll leave you with a few photos of what we've been up to the past few months (they're not in the exact right order but I couldn't move them for some reason):

My Dad, Mom, Sister, Me & my Brother :)

 

First Day of School for Morgan, Ryan, Tanner & Grant (Brooke starts pre-school 2 weeks later)
 

Morgan's Sweet 16th Birthday slumber party with 21 sweet girls
 

Low-Country Boil - Dad and Mike made this for Dad's birthday
 

Celebrating Mom's birthday with homemade pizza

Happy Birthday Nana!!
 



Took this picture the weekend that we (Colorado) got all of our rain and flooding.  The kids were getting cabin fever and had to get out of the house since all the roads out of our town (except one) in every direction were closed.

 

Grant getting ready to play some flag football
 

Brooke's 1st Day of Preschool

At the Grand Canyon

My Mom and Brooke on the teacups at Disneyland (I can't do this ride - it makes me too sick)

Dad blowing out the candles at his birthday party :)

 

The kids standing by my brother and his surfboard