Being Sick really SUCKS!

So this is a little late in the game to be posting about, but I just had to do it.  I'm healthy again and it's been 3 weeks since I've recovered from whatever the heck I had.  And I know that I've posted about being sick with a cold before, but this one was not just a cold and it really threw me for a loop. 

I'm talking about 5 weeks straight of being sick!

 

 

And it really sucked big time.  First it was just a cold...bleh!  But it was an energy-stealing, no-appetite, life-sucking thing that supposedly was just a cold.  Then it turned into what it always turns into for me...a sinus infection.  Yay!  Now for the antibiotics...and as these antibiotics ran their course, somehow my cough got worse, I started to lose my voice and apparently got hit with cold #2.  Woo Hoo!!!!  Yeah...not.

 

So for basically 5 weeks straight I struggled to keep my nutrition in tact and to get in some workouts when I could, because as I've said before, you have to find a way to keep going.  And I tried, I really did.  But overtime, the old cravings came back and the excuses with them.  My metabolism, which had been getting pretty high before, was holding me through this.  Yay!  I wasn't gaining any weight back!  But now that I am 3 weeks out of finally feeling better...guess what?  It's not holding me any more. 

I am still having trouble staying consistent with my workouts.  I am still having trouble staying consistent with eating healthy.  But I am still trying.  Have I gained some weight back?  You betcha!  Am I happy about it?  NO WAY!  Am I going to get up off my butt and do something about it!  HELL YEAH!

 

So why am I even bothering to write all of this?  Who cares if I got sick and then sort of screwed up big time?  Well, I figured you might.  You, who are out there wondering what the heck you are going to do now that you've gotten sick and blown your workouts and eating to smithereens.  I just thought you might like to know that you are not alone, and that we all have to face these little "Life Challenges" sometimes.  And it is hard to get going again.  But I CAN do it.  I just have to keep going until I get consistent again.  And that means you can do it too.

As my own coach recently told me, everytime we face one of these life experiences, we have the CHOICE to react in the way that we are used to, or we can CHOOSE to react differently and make a change. 

I'm going to make a change.

What is the deal with Shakeology?

What is this Shakeology that everyone keeps talking about?  Can't I just get some protein powder?  Won't it do the same thing?

Well, the answer is that it is not just protein powder and no it will not do the same thing.  Yes, Shakeology has protein in it, but it is also a full meal replacement shake.  I know you are thinking, "Big deal, I can get a meal replacement shake anywhere."  Not one like this you can't!  Shakeology is the whole package!

Shakeology is a great way to start the day.  First of all it fills you up.  And it keeps you full for hours!  (I've never had a protein shake keep me full for more than an hour, but that's just me.) 
After a few days on this shake, most people will notice a decrease in their cravings for junk food.  Have you ever heard of a protein shake cutting your cravings?  Yeah, me either.  But this shake does.

There are so many nutrients packed into this one little meal!  It helps support a healthier body and immune system.  It acts as a gentle cleanser for your digestive tract that is safe to use everyday.  And by doing that it helps your body to better absorb the nutrients it needs from all your meals.  It contains prebiotics and probiotics to help support healthy digestion.
And my favorite part is that it contains 70 heathy ingredients from around the world!  These ingredients are grown and harvested in their natural environments so that they don't lose any of their inherent goodness.

Ok, so let's get down to the nitty gritty.  You may be thinking, "Blah, blah, blah, Shakeology is so great!  But it costs so much!"  Well, that's kind of true.  It is one of the most expensive shakes out there on the market.  And here's why.  Remember back there when I explained that the ingredients come from all over the world?  Well, that costs a lot more than if we were to grow all these ingredients here.  But the makers of Shakeology don't want to do that because it would literally ruin the benefits all those ingredients have from growing where they are meant to be grown.  All the different types of soils in various places have different naturally occuring nutrients in them and there is no way to fake that while trying to grown the stuff here.

But let's also take a look at the breakdown.  One bag of Shakeology costs $120.  If you break that down over the 30 days that this bag will supply you with, it costs $4 a day.  That's really not so bad.  Are you really going to tell me that you don't spend that much on yourself for some of your meals during the day?  Do you get a fancy coffee every morning?  I bet it costs more than $4.

And can you really say that it isn't worth $4 to eat the healthiest food out there?  To feel healthier and more energized through your day?  To cut out the cravings for your unhealthy foods?  To lower your cholesterol?  Don't you think you're worth it?  I think you are.
Believe me, I'm not made of money and I don't have one of those trees in my backyard either, but I decided after spending weeks of researching this shake that it was definitely worth it. 

Like what you see? To get even more info or to order go here: I WANT IT!

Still not sure?  For more information: http://www.shakeology.com/web/shakeology/the-blog  And read the entry from Sept. 14th "Why Should I Drink Shakeology."

You know what else you get when you order Shakeology?  A free coach!  Me!  "Hello...Bonus?  Speaking!"
So what are you waiting for? 

How do I drink all this water?

First of all, you should know that you need a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day.  That's 64 oz. of pure, crystal clear, no flavorings added water.  Now I know what you're thinking, "I don't really need that much.  I'm fine with what I drink."  Or maybe you're thinking, "Well, I drink that much fluid.  Coffe and soda count right?" 

WRONG and WRONG!

Here's the thing.  Your body is made up of about 70% water (we all learned this in junior high right?)  And when you keep yourself hydrated properly, your body doesn't have to work as hard on a cellular level to do all the things it needs to do.  But when you don't hydrate properly, your body will start to fall out of balance.  You will end up with more salt and sugar than you need, and the ratios get all thrown off.  And when this happens, your body will start to hold on to the water you do give it, and store it!  So how many pounds of water do you want to carry around with you everyday?

When you drink enough, this is what water can do for you:

So now we get to the nitty gritty.  How the heck do you get all that water in your body each day?  I won't lie to you, some days it is really hard to do, and other days it's not so bad.  The first thing you want to do is get a good water bottles (or a few) and know how much water they hold.  Plan to use these every day.  Fill them up each morning, and make sure you get through them by the end of each day!  See?  So simple! 
Ok, maybe it's not that simple.  So here are a few ideas to help you REMEMBER to get in all your water each day.

**Mark your water bottles at every 8-16oz. and write the time of day you need to finish that amount by (or plan to chug it at that time).  Here's an example:

**You can also set an alarm on your phone to go off every couple of hours to remind you to drink down another glass.   BEEP  BEEP  BEEP  BEEP!  DRINK YOUR WATER!
**When you are home, you can keep an extra bottle in your bathroom (I know, it's a little weird, but it works).  And every time you use the bathroom, chug 8 oz. before you leave.
**Depending on how many times a day you are eating (3-5), you can chug 8-16 oz. 30 minutes before each meal.  That ends up being 5 of your galsses if you are eating 5 meals a day, and 6 glasses if you are eating 3 meals.
**Leave a bottle on your nightstand at night and when you wake up in the morning drink 8-16 oz. first thing.

Enjoy your water!

NUTRITION BOOTCAMP!

Nutrition Group
Bootcamp!

We will be starting on Monday October 22nd, going for only 4 weeks, and finishing in time for you to have all the tools you need to get through the holidays this year!  The goal of this group will be to help you learn how to eat correctly for life.  Already know how to eat correctly and cleanly?  Great!  Need a little or a lot of help in this area?  I'm your girl!  And this group can really help you!  And this group will be a more intense version of my normal nutrition group, so be prepared to learn a lot.

Have you been working out and can't seem to get rid of the weight?  Or are you stuck on those last 10 to 15 pounds?  This is the group for you.  Exercise is great, but nutrition is what helps you really get the weight off.

I hope you will join me in this group.  It's going to be fun and informative.  You will learn so much.  For more information check out the Nutrition Challenge Group Tab at the top of the page, or click HERE!  I can't wait to see you there!

Making Time to Workout

Ok, so a lot of us have busy lives.  We work, we have to take care of our loved ones, we have to keep our homes in reasonable order and cleanliness, we have to eat, go to the bathroom, sleep, etc.  We are BUSY!  I feel this way most days.  So how do we find time to take care of ourselves and workout?  Well, you don't.  You MAKE time.  It's not always easy, but it's always worth it.  ALWAYS!

"But I really don't have time..."  But you do.  Do you have 10 minutes?  Maybe 10-15 minutes at least 3 times a week?  Are you really going to tell me that you can't make time for yourself for 10 minutes?  It's only 10 minutes, but it can mean the world.  In ten minutes you can go for a a short walk, do a bunch of jumping jacks, squats, push-ups, run up and down your stairs, or you can do a program like 10 Minute Trainer.  So can you scrape out 10 minutes a day?  And can you commit to it for just a week?  I think you can.  I KNOW you can.

So now what?  You've committed to 10 minutes a day for a week (or at least 3 times a week.)  So now you know you can do this.  Can you add 5 more minutes?  Can you add one more day?  Can you commit to doing THAT for another week?  If you can, and you do, you will see that this snowballs.  Somewhere along the way you will find that you are doing 30 minutes a day maybe 5 or 6 days a week.  Go you!  You see, you don't have to start big, you just have to start!

So, maybe you will only ever do 20 minutes 3-5 x's a week.  It's still better than what you are doing now, right?  And that's fine.  If you want to do more, great!  If this is all you can commit to right now, great!  It doesn't matter.  What matters is that you give yourself this time.  It is a gift from you to yourself.  Don't you deserve it?  I think you do.  I KNOW you do.

The Importance of Support

So here's the thing.  The beginning of any new journey starts with you.  No matter what kind of journey you are planning, weight loss, getting fit, eating healthier, whatever.  You have to decide what that journey is going to be.  You have to decide where you are trying to go.  And ultimately, YOU have to decide that you are going to take the first step.  But once you make that decision, you don't have to travel it alone.  Unfortunately though, so many people just don't seek out the support tools that are available.  They get excited to start their journey, they plan it all out, and then they go it alone.

           I can do it all myself!

The beginning is great!  When you have all that excited energy, it is easy to keep going.  And you can continue to feed off of it for a while.  But the longer you go, the more challenging the journey can become.  And there's more you have to handle.

So after a little time, what happens?  You start to stumble, you get a little lost and you end up feeling like you can't do it anymore.  You end up frustrated, and eventually feel like it is too much to handle alone.  And many people who get to this point just give up and quit.

What happened?  Well, when you try to take on too much by yourself, sometimes it just ends up being too much.  But what you forgot is that you don't have to do it all alone.  You have lots of tools you can use to help you get through it.

You can join a group, work with your friends, use message boards to ask questions and get answers, and work with a coach.  Even professional athletes have coaches, trainers, health professionals, family and fans helping them on a daily basis.  So why do you think you have to do this alone?

Let me put it another way.  If you've been following my blog, you know that I had a rough patch last week.  I almost had my old friends Ben & Jerry over for a little pity party.  This has become an ingrained habit for me when I am feeling low.  But I didn't really want to ruin everything that I've been working toward, so I used the tools that were available to me.  I talked through some of it with a great friend, talked it through some more with my husband, and later in the day when I was at my worst, I sent a mesage to my coach.  Within 5 minutes I got a message back.  She spent the next hour with me working through what was going on in my head, and what the results of my choices would/could be. And did I mention that she was trying to make dinner for her own family at the time?  And she has a toddler? 

THIS is why she is an amazing coach, and has become a very good friend too.  But you see, if I hadn't used all the tools available to me, I might have eaten that ice cream.  And yeah, I might have gotten over it the next day because nobody's perfect.  And I may have still done my workout.  And I might have had to work off all the sugar that I jammed into my system, and the weight that came with it for the next week.  This was not what I wanted, and I was very grateful to have had so many ways to work through what was happening and so many support tools at my disposal.

So you see, this journey is something that you do have to start alone, but it doesn't have to be lonely.  I hope that one day I will be able to be as amazing of a coach to my customers and friends as mine is to me.  But that is part of my journey right now too.  And guess what?  I'm not walking that one alone either...

You take the first step, and I'll help you with the rest.

Emotional Blows

So you're trudging along, doing your workouts, eating heathy, and feeling pretty good about yourself.  "Look at me!  I'm doing great!  I'm losing weight, my clothes are fitting better, and I have more energy.  Woo hoo!"  You're reconnecting with friends, going out more, happy with the way things are going and then, BAM!  All of a sudden some huge emotional bomb goes off!

Maybe you have a fight with your spouse.  Maybe you lose a friend.  Maybe your parents are driving you crazy.  Whatever your emotional bomb, it takes a huge toll on what you've been working toward.  So how do you get through it?  Do you give in?  Do you go get that food you've been craving and let old habits take over?  Do you stop exercising?  Do you let life pass you by until you get through your crap?  Well, yeah, you could do that.  I almost did.  But it doesn't HAVE to be that way.
I lost a good friend this past week (and no, luckily he did not pass away), but it still sucks.  We'd known each other for a long time and had been close with each other's families.  Anyway, something got in the way of our friendship, and now it is non-existant.

So there I am, just sitting there after finding out, and I'm pissed!  I mean Furious!  LIVID!  Ready to go POSTAL on the person behind the issue.  But I can't.  It won't help anyone.  And as much as this sucks for me, I have to respect what my "friend" needs to do.  So now I am resigned. 

"This too shall pass." 

Well that's what they say right?  I talked to a good friend while it was happenening, and that kind of helped calm me down.  So I'm going on with my day, and...

AGAIN!  What the!?!?  All of a sudden, it really hits me.  I'm standing in the middle of my kitchen, and the tears just start pouring down my face.  In retrospect, these are some of the normal stages of grief, but no one died, why am I crying?  Well, I guess a good friendship just died, so I was grieving the loss of that.  I called my husband and told him what was going on.  He was great!  Sympathetic and kind, and he said all the right things.  He even made me laugh a little.

So I'm feeling a little better, but still sad.  And about an hour after that, I realize just how much this has impacted me.  I was supposed to workout, shower and then go to an appointment.  I did not feel like working out.  Ok, no big deal, I can do it later, and if I don't one day is not going to kill me.  (I've already talked about this one in "I've Missed Another One?!?")  So I'm going to get through this hellish day, and move on.  Tomorrow will be better.  I grab a protein bar on my way out and move on with my day.

In the afternoon, I realize that I'm not very hungry.  Uh-oh!  I just got finished with my cleanse, I just got my hunger signs back on track, what is going on?  Well, if you've read my story, you already know that I have a history with anorexia and over-eating.  So here I am, it's getting close to dinner time.  I'm not hungry becuase I am so upset.  But I should eat because, well, I just should. All I've had to eat was my morning Shakeology and that protein bar.  But I realize that in this moment, I have some old friends hanging around on my shoulders.



This is Skinny ED (Eating Disorder).  This is the guy that whispers in my ear that I should just forget it and not eat.  "You're so upset...don't worry about food right now...you don't need it."  And unfortunately, I used to think that maybe he was right.





This is Fat ED.  He sits on my other shoulder and tells me it will all be ok.  "Eat the ice-cream, it will make you feel better.  It's soothing and you need some soothing.  Maybe you should put some chocolate syrup on that...it will make it even better."  Obviously, I have listened to this guy in the past as well.



So now what?  Not only am I upset, but I haven't worked out and all my old bad behaviors are threatening to come out.  I even called my husband and asked him to bring home some "old friends."
UGH!  So I wrote a message to my coach.  She wrote me back.  We talked through all the crap going on in my head, and she helped me get past it.  I ended up eating a mostly healthy dinner, and then had green tea for the rest of the night.

Now I'm not going to say this was easy.  And it didn't just vanish the next day.  But I brushed off my shoulders (bye-bye Eds) and I made myself eat healthy and do a short workout the next day.  So for now, the Eds are gone again, and I'm working my way back up to full exercise mode. 

Going through a tough emotional experience is different for everyone.  But I shared my story to let you know that you CAN make it through.  And it is possible to do it without falling back into old bad habits. 

Not easy, but possible. 

The Quick Cleanse

This past weekend I did a quick 3-day Shakeology cleanse.  Going into it I was thrilled.  Three days of not having to plan my meals, three days of no cooking, and three days of (hopefully) watching the scale go down.  And I love Shakeology, so easy peasey!

The first day was the easiest.  I was still riding high on all the excitement and all the food I had eaten the day before.  I got up in the morning and all I had to do was follow the plan.

It was simple.  Make a cup of green tea and drink it.  Make a shake and drink it.  Then go about my day.  About 2 hours later I had an apple.  Yum!  Later, another shake and more tea.  Ok, you can see the plan right there.  I don't need to bore you with a play-by-play.  But I will add that I still had plenty of energy the first day, so I did part of my scheduled Turbo Fire workout.  I got through the rest of the day with no problems, I drank all my water, and I wasn't tired or hungry.  Great day!

I got on the scale the second day and was down 2 pounds!  What?  Awesomeness!!!!  I was thrilled.  However, my coach had warned me not to workout too much or I would go into "overtraining" mode.  This works pretty much like starvation for those of you who haven't heard the term before.  So on day 2 I did not workout.  I did do some normal household stuff.  I did not get really hungry or tired on this day either.  But I did get tired of having to pee every 15-30 minutes all day long. 

Ok, so my body has always liked to hold water.  When I got pregnant with both of my kids, the first thing my body did was add 10 lbs of water weight in the first 2 weeks after finding out.  And no, I did not start eating more, it was just water weight.  Even since then, I have noticed that my ankles will swell if I sit in a chair (like at dinner) for too long.  It is so annoying!  I think that maybe I was a sponge in a past life.

Anyway, lots of trips to the bathroom that day.  Apparently I had a lot of stored water that still needed to be flushed out.  I thought I got rid of most of it when I finally started to eat healthy all the time, but I was obviously mistaken.

So the third day was the hardest.  At this point I was tired of drinking shakes all day and wanted some real food.  I also got on the scale that morning and saw that I was only down 0.2 lbs.  I should have been ok with this because I had lost 2 lbs. the previous day.  But I was only kind of ok with it.  I think I was starting to get tired and crabby and run down.  However, I told myself that this was the last day and then it would be over.  So I followed the program. 

I did go out and mow my lawn, while my husband and kids helped with raking up sticks and sweeping the patio.  I just needed to do something and my backyard was starting to look like a jungle.  As a reward, we all went to the pool when we were done.  And this is when I started to really feel it.  I told my daughter I would go on the slides with her, and oh man was it hard to climb up all those steps to the top.  I work out, I've been building up my muscles, but by the time we got to the top, I thought my legs were going to collapse.  And since I have the best 6yr-old daughter in the world, she completely understood when I said I could only do that one more time...and after a little break!

By the time we got home, I was exhausted.  I felt useless and I wasn't even hungry.  So my family had dinner without me, my husband gave my kids a bath and got them tucked into bed, and I tried to choke down my last meal of the day.  I felt like a lump.  The only thing that kept me going was the fact that it was the end.  No wonder you shouldn't do this for more than 3 days.

Now that the cleanse is over, I can say that it was totally worth it.  I got on the scale this morning and found that I was down another 1.8lbs which makes a total of 4 lbs. for the weekend.  I fit into my next size down jeans.  And I can eat again!!! 

I also discovered that my natural hunger drive is back in working order (it was a little screwy before).  And my natural thirst is back...I haven't had that for years!  So I am really thankful to my coach for suggesting this, and to the wonderful friends that I went through this with.

If you'd like to do this too, I can help you through it.  And you know where to find me!    Press Here!

Healthy Eating

Oh man is it hard to make the chageover to healthy eating.  And all the time!  This is still something I am working on.  The hardest part for me is not even cutting out the junk.  It's learning to like new foods and planning for meals in advance.  It's also hard to find the balance for when to eat, when to exercise and how to work that all into my day when I have other things to do.  Like I have nothing better to do than figure out what to eat and when, right?  So this is what I am focusing on right now.  Plus I'm actually having trouble getting in enough calories per day.  Who would have thought I'd ever say I was having trouble eating enough?  Not me!  But it is HARD to eat a lot when you are only eating truly healthy foods.


What do I eat?  Mostly...NO JUNK!  (Just kidding around here.)  But seriously,  I'm working on my proportions and my types of foods.  Every meal should have an equal amount of proteins to carbs, and the rest should be filled in with vegetables.  Really?  I'm good with the protein and carbs, but I really don't like veggies.  So I'm learning to like them.  It is not easy...because I REALLY don't like them.  But I am sticking with the few that I can deal with, and trying a couple new ones each week.  As my coach Rachel once said to me "You don't like vegetables?  Suck it up and eat them anyway!" So I am.  I also spend time looking for interesting recipes to make the veggies taste better.




As for other types of food...the proteins should be lean. (It's not that fat is bad, but animal fat is not really that great - high in LDL's.)  Unfortunately, there are not many proteins I like either.  Seafood is out, and unlike with the vegetables, this is not one I'm willing to learn to like (which is unfortunate for me because fish can be a great source of protein and Omega-3 fatty acids).  So that leaves me with lean meats, chicken, turkey, eggs and dairy.  I look for a lot of these recipes too because the same thing gets boring after a while. I also eat protein bars and protein shakes when I need to fill in, but it is better to eat the real foods when you can.  (Although I still drink Shakeology everyday.)

And as for carbs...oh boy!  I am so happy that I'm learning how to eat the right kinds of carbs.  After spending so much time cutting them out (and missing them tremendously), I am thrilled so say that I eat them again.  But that doesn't mean I just eat any old bread or pasta.  It's important to get stuff that is whole grain.  And not just whole wheat, but whole grain.  This means stuff like brown rice, quinoa, whole grain breads, and whole grain pastas.  Yum!  But really, you can barely taste the difference, and it makes you feel so much better.  Why are whole grains better than regular stuff?  Well the whole grains have more natural fiber, which helps regulate your gastrointestinal system, and slows the digestion of carbohydrates which in turn helps your body maintain steadier blood sugar levels. (source-goaskalice.columbia.edu)  Also, because the grain hasn't been broken down and separated by milling, it retains more of its natural nutrients. (source-mayoclinic.com)

So this is how I am learning to eat.  I have spent the last 4 weeks on it, and have discovered that it is an ongoing learning process.  I have found more vegetables to enjoy, and I am still trying new ones all the time.  As I find more new recipes, I will be sure to put together a Recipe Page to share my favorites.  So keep checking in! 

If you have a healthy recipe that you like, please share.  And good luck on your own journey toward healthy eating!

I Missed Another One?!?

So I missed a few workouts this week.  I ended up getting a cold (yes, in the middle of summer), but I'm not going to let it derail me.  In the past it always has.  I miss a few workouts, and I start to slide down that slippery slope into "No Workouts, Eat Crapville."  But not this time.  Sometimes it just happens that we end up missing workouts.  We are human, not perfect.  Whatever the reason for missing, the most important thing to do is not beat yourself up over it.  And to keep going.

I'm sick, so I have less energy right now for jumping all over the place and kicking my own ass.  But that doesn't mean I'm going to stop being healthy.  In the last three days that I've missed, I still had my Shakeology for breakfast every day, drank all my water, and ate healthy otherwise.  And it's not easy to eat healthy when all you want is ice cream for your sore throat, or any other comfort foods that you used to rely on when you feel crappy.  But it is possible.

So here's my unsolicited advice for how do deal with a missed workout, or even a few missed workouts.  "Get back on the horse!"  And as soon as you can, depending on what your reason for missing, schedule in that next workout.  And DO IT!

This may actually be harder than when you first started.  When you started, you were all gung ho and ready to take your life back.  Now you might be feeling kind of crappy because you missed some workouts, or you ate something that you shouldn't, or whatever.

KNOCK IT OFF!

Life is a challenge.  So challenge yourself to start over.  Plan that workout and get it done.  This one will be hard, but it will be worth it.  After that, the next one will be easier.  And then before you know it, it will be like you never missed. 
In the big picture, a few days of missed workouts is nothing.  So I've scheduled my workout for tomorrow, and I plan on doing it.  How about you?

My Insanity

Insanity is the hardest fitness program ever put on DVD.  This is no joke.  When you decide to do this program, you will work harder, be sweatier, and more sore than you have ever been your life.  But if you do it, you will be rewarded.

What is Insanity?  It is a program where the creator Shaun T. has flipped interval training upside down.  A lot of workouts have you working at a decent pace and then have you go all out for a minute before returning to normal.  Insanity is the opposite.  You will be going all out for 5-10 minutes, and then get 1 minute to get yourself back together.  And then you know what?  You get to do the same 5-10 minutes again, but HARDER!  And every workout is 45-60 minutes.  But it's only for 60 days!  Who can't commit to trying it for 60 days?  And you know what?  It's AWESOME!  Crazy Awesome!  Insanely Awesome!

He is NOT kidding!

So how was Insanity for me?  Well if you've read my history, you know that this is the first Beachbody program I did.  I started the program at 216 lbs.  And since I'm short, when I put on weight, it is dense.  So I put in the first DVD and MOVED!  I kicked, I bounced, I jumped...and I almost passed out!  Well, not really, but it was really intense.  I made it through the first workout and thought, "Ok, that was REALLY hard, but I did it.  I can do this.  I can keep going."  So I did.

And then I did the first Plyo workout.  Oh MAN!  Seriously?  You want me to do WHAT?  Lots of crazy jumping and not just for one set.  Ok, I can do this, right?  Right.  So I did.  Yeah yeah, I keep saying that and this is getting boring, but you just wait.  When you do this workout, you will see that there is a whole lot of talking yourself into continuing.  But you do it!

Anyway, the soreness set in during the first week. I felt like I had lifted weights with my entire body.  But it felt good to know that I had worked so hard.  The second week it got better and I started to lose weight.  It was amazing!

After 2 weeks, things got a little sketchy for me.  I know this won't happen to you, but you can still learn from my experience.  At this point I was dealing with some major emotionally zapping issues.  I didn't want to give up on Insanity because I told myself I was going to give it my all.  And I did as far as the workouts were concerned.  Even when my knees hurt, I kept pushing.  However, I fell off the meal plan and started to eat whatever I wanted for the next 2-3 weeks.  I will say this though, because of Insanity and how intense the workouts are, I did not gain any weight while eating all that crap!  But I didn't lose any either.

So I went into the second month with a better focus on what I should eat, but to be honest I wasn't perfect.  I kind of figured that if I was working this "f"ing hard, I should be able to have a little treat here and there.  I was kind of right and kind of wrong.  I still lost weight, but would have probably lost a lot more if I had really stuck to the meal plan.  When you do Insanity, the meal plan is just as important as the workouts!

So where does that leave me.  In 60 days, I lost 8 pounds.  Would I have liked to lose more?  You bet!  I had friends on the Beachbody message boards who lost 20-30 lbs.  But that's not the whole story.  The rest of the story is that I gained a ton of muscle, gained a LOT of flexibility (this is no joke, Shaun's stretches are serious!), and I lost 20 inches off my body!  If you don't really know what that means, picture a 20 inch diameter ball, and remove it from your body.  That's huge!  In fact, 8lbs, 20 inches is a pretty average size for a human baby.  I lost a whole baby!  And I look like I did too!  LOL!

Here are my before and after pictures.  They kind of make me cringe, but since I know I'm still shrinking, I'm going to share them with you.

                                               BEFORE:                                                                   AFTER:

So, are you ready to try the toughest workout ever?  Are you ready to give it your all?  I know you can!  In fact I know you can do even better than I did!  And I can help you through it!  I'm even planning on doing again! (when I'm done with Turbo Fire)
                                            Click here when you are ready...INSANITY
Be ready though, because as Shaun T says, "That $#!T is bananas!"  And it really is!  (It's my favorite Shaun T quote, I had to include it!)

Depression is NOT a 4-Letter Word

Mental health has as much to do with phyical health and fitness as a healthy diet and exercise regimen do.  Therefore, you get to read my thoughts on depression:
 
Ok, this is a serious issue for many people, so there will be no funny pictures or "making light of" in this post. (Well, who knows, I might try to lighten the mood halfway through, but probably not.)

Depression is an illness. It is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. It is usually a lack of enough seratonin, or lack of enough seratonin receptors. (source: www.webmd.com)

Why am I writing about this?  Well, for a long time I thought there was something wrong with "me."  Why can't I just be happy?  Why do I let everything get to me?  Why am I so mad, sad, upset, etc. all the time? And then I would be fine for  months.  Sometimes I thought I was going crazy (and I had a friend who used to say that about me when I was younger.)  Well, he was kind of right, I was a little crazy, but I didn't know it.  And, it took me a long time to figure out that it wasn't my fault.

All my life I have had mood swings.  And sometimes the downswings lasted for a while.  I didn't know what they were because as far as I can remember, they started when I was 11 yrs old.  Most of the time I was a regular kid, teenager, and then young adult.  I was happy.  I had a bunch of friends.  I had a loving family.  I went out and did fun things.  But every once in a while, something would set off "the mood."  Sometimes I didn't even know it was coming on.  In high school I remember that there were quite a few times when one of my friends would look at me and ask me what was wrong.  I would say nothing, and I meant it.  They would tell me I just looked sad.  So I would shrug my shoulders and move on with my day.  However, usually by the end of the day, 3 or 4 other friends would have asked the same thing, and then of course I was sad. Who wants a bunch of people telling them that they look sad when they think they are in a good mood all day?

There were many times that I would hit these low points.  And it's hard to explain unless you've been there.  But you feel kind of blah, kind of stuck, and you feel like no one really understands you. So you tend to pull away, and then you feel isolated.  I remember that there were a few of these times that it just seemed easier to end things.  I never really decided to do that, and I'm really glad that I never did.  But this is one of those things that comes along with the downswings, so I thought it important to mention.

Anyway, I didn't get officially diagnosed until I was 31 yrs old.  I had my first child the year before.  It was rough.  I had a rough C-section recovery.  My baby did not like to sleep, and he definitely did not like to nap.  But this is some normal new parent stuff.  You get used to it and you move on.  Well, at around 9 months old he stopped nursing.  Well, I was not ready for that.  And it wasn't gradual.  He just stopped in the middle of the day.  WHAT!?!  I didn't know what to do...well, he pretty much stopped eating anything else the next day.  Long story short, he ended up being fine.  He was diagnosed with Silent Reflux and treated, but that is a whole other story.
I spent the next 2-3 months pumping all the time and watching the amount go down, down, down.  I tried everything I could think of to get him to nurse again, but it didn't happen.  This is when the BIG DEPRESSION set in.  I kind of think it was like I had post-partum depression 9 months later, but who knows.
I basically spent the next 6 months going deeper and deeper into this depression.  I was sad all the time.  I was apathetic.  I would cry for no reason.  I would just sit and stare at nothing.  Basically I felt like I was in this deep hole with no way out.  I asked a friend of mine if she thought I was depressed.  She said she'd been telling me for months to go talk to the doctor about it.  You see, I didn't even remember her telling me that.  So that was it.  I went to my doc and was diagnosed right away.  I came home with medicine and noticed a huge difference by the end of the week.

The story doesn't really end here though, but I'll go through the rest more quickly.
- I got pregnant with baby #2 a month later and stopped my meds.
- I had baby #2 8.5 months later.
- I was nursing baby #2 for 3 months when I realized I was starting to lose it again.
- I got a lot of conflicting info about nursing mothers and anti-depressants
- I decided to suck it up so I could finish nursing without possibly hurting my baby. 
But this time I was more aware of what I was facing.  And I went to talk therapy so I could get out all the crap with an unbiased outside person.  So I made it through, but it wasn't pretty.  Good thing my husband is a saint!

Basically after all that, I had a number of months that were good, but eventually I realized that all the talk therapy in the world wasn't going to fix the depression.  So I went back to the doctor and went back on medication.  I have been on "meds" for 6+ years now.  And I have been able to work on finding better coping mechanisms, be more aware of my moods and what may be causing them, and work with my doctor to modify my dose to what works for me.  I've even had to switch medicines a few times. 

Anyway, the biggest reason for posting this here on my blog was to explain that depression is NOT a four letter word.  But I get it.  You've read my story now and you know what I've been through.  You probably now know a lot more about me than most of my friends did for years.  Because I also thought of depression as something I should have been able to control.  I was embarrassed that I had to go on medication to be able to be happy.  I mean, why can't I just be happy?  Because my brain just doesn't work that way.  And no matter how hard I try, or what I do, I CAN NOT make my brain create more seratonin just because I want it to.

So I'm not embarrassed any more.  But it took a long time to realize that it was nothing to be embarrassed about.  Diabetics need insulin, should they be embarrassed?  No, and depression is the same.

I've included a list of symptoms and some quotes from other sites.  I hope you found this helpful, and if you think you or someone you know is dealing with this, please consult a physician about it.
And remember, DEPRESSION is NOT a 4-letter word.

"The signs and symptoms of depression include
loss of interest in activities that were once interesting or enjoyable, including sex;
loss of appetite, with weight loss, or overeating, with weight gain;
loss of emotional expression (flat affect);
a persistently sad, anxious, or empty mood;
feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness;
social withdrawal;
unusual fatigue, low energy level, a feeling of being slowed down;
sleep disturbance and insomnia, early-morning awakening or oversleeping;
trouble concentrating, remembering, or making decisions;
unusual restlessness or irritability;
persistent physical problems such as headaches, digestive disorders, or chronic pain that do not respond to treatment,
and thoughts of death or suicide or suicide attempts."
(source: http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2947)

"Mental illness is frequently seen as a moral issue or an issue of weakness," Arias explained. "It is a condition no different from cancer or other chronic diseases. People need to accept the difficulties they are having and avail themselves of the resources that are available."
(source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/medical/health/medical/mentalhealth/story/2011-09-05/CDC-Half-of-Americans-will-suffer-from-mental-health-woes/50250702/1)

"Clinical depression is not a temporary case of the "blues." People with depression may experience recurrent episodes of depression that can last anywhere from a few hours to a few months."
(source: http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=050CDCA2-C158-FBAC-16ACCE9DC8B7026C)

Unexpected Visitors

Ok, so I'm not perfect.  Nor do I ever expect to be.  (That was something I learned after having kids.)  So the last 3 days have been hectic.  I'm following a specific workout program (Turbo Fire).  I'm working on eating all the right foods at all the right times.  I'm trying to figure out my time management issues.  I'm working on building up my new coach business.  And people want me to make plans with them.  Like I don't have enough to do with taking care of my family and myself?  Kidding here, it would be a pretty boring life if I didn't make time to see friends and have plans outside of the all the health stuff.  But it did throw me off this week.  I am a creature of habit and I tend to get thrown off when the usual schedule changes.

So what does this mean?  It means, I didn't work out for 2 days and almost skipped yesterday too.  I was definitely bummed about that.  And while I tried to stay focused on the fact that it's ok to miss a few days, and that I'd been eating really heathy for those days, it still affected my mood all of yesterday.  When I was finally ready to get back in it yesterday, my kids needed me.  One wanted to cuddle and the other needed help fixing his Legos...and he was ready to cry about it.  So I'm just supposed to say, "Sorry honey, get over it.  Mommy has to work out now."  Yeah, like that was going to happen.  Nope!  I spent the next 45 minutes helping him, while cuddling the other one.  Then I looked at the clock and realized how late it was getting.  I went outside to take a few deep breaths and decided, "Screw it!  I can not do everything!"  So, this is when I decided to do something that probably wasn't the best idea.  I came back in, turned to my husband and said, "Would you mind running out for something?"



So this is what I sent him to get.  My "friends"  Ben & Jerry came for a visit.  And boy did I have fun with them.  See that pint up there?  Yep, the whole thing is gone now.  Ate the whole thing.  Hello 800 calories.  Hello sugar, I have missed you (and you are so much sweeter than I remembered!)  However, I will say that I was glad that I had him get the Fro-Yo version because at least there is a little more protein in it.  (Like it really matters with all that sugar, but at least I tried to make it better.)

So I did manage to get in a quick Core workout.  And I could actually tell that I had missed my other workouts.  But I did it.  And from now until a time far, far into the future, these guys

                                      are banned from my house.  I love them, but they will no longer be welcome here.  And if I need somthing sweet to eat I will make something myself that has all the right kinds of healthy ingredients in it.  Or I'll just freeze some chocolate Shakeology and eat that!



Time Management is not my Friend

Ok, so this blog is all about balance.  Well, I'm still working on it.  After missing my workout for 2 days in a row, enough is enough.  I mean, I'm a stay-at-home-mom...you'd think I have all the time in the world to get crap done.  Nope.  I lost my ability to manage time when my first baby came into the world.  So now that my kids are getting bigger (8 and 6), I should finally be able to get my life in order.  So far that is not happening.

I have a tendency to ignore what is a problem, and focus on something I would prefer to do.  I mean who wouldn't rather go for a walk with their dogs instead of doing laundry or cleaning the toilet.  But you know what, if you don't get those things done you end up naked with a dirty toilet! 

I've been focusing a lot of this summer on what to eat, and when to work out and then how to fit all the other things I need to do into the mix.  And I've been trying to keep it all in my head.  No more!  It's time I give in and go get some kind of day planner.  You know, the ones that have room for you to schedule every hour of the day.  And I'm going to spend some time this weekend filling it in for the next week or so.  I will SCHEDULE my workouts, I will SCHEDULE my meals, I will SCHEDULE the stupid laundry and house cleaning, and I will SCHEDULE when to plant the flowers that have been sitting in my backyard for weeks waiting to be planted.

So if you are having trouble getting in all the things you want to do with your day, follow my lead and we'll figure it out together!  And feel free to let me know how it's going or even offer suggestions for me!