I have a bit of a routine when it comes to blogging. I have purposely chosen to not blog on the weekends. There is just too much going on for me to sit down and collect my thoughts and then put them down. Then there are Mondays.... They are on the go and busy but this is the day that I usually start thinking about what to write about. Tuesdays on the most part are the day that I get to regroup at home for most of the day and really get things done. I try to protect my Tuesdays as much as possible. Thus, today is blog day!
Yesterday, I starting the thinking process. Really the past week has been busy but I kept my head down and kept pushing forward. Really nothing spectacular or out of the ordinary. Just doing life. Things are not off the charts amazing but they are good. I am in a good place. I feel good. Life is busy but I am making time to get done what needs doing and still taking time for myself. It is good.
Last night I sat down to write in my prayer and gratitude journal. It is something that I do every night (yes, one of my personal requirements). Lately I've struggled to find anything really new to write about in my gratitude journal. Things are good, I have lots to be grateful for but I struggle to see new things. Then I started in on my prayer journal. Honestly, many of my entries are very self focused but last night my heart was heavy for so many people in my life. There are so many who are sick, injured and or struggling mentally. Many have loved ones who are struggling with serious health issues and they are trying to care for them. A sweet friend lost her father-in-law yesterday. Sunday would have been my friend's 35th birthday if she had not lost her own battle. Many are struggling with lack of work and how they are going to support their families. Last night my heart was focused on those around me.
My conclusion to all of this is that my life, although it may seem utterly unremarkable right now, is so utterly blessed. Today I am going to cherish that things are good and that they are just ticking along. Today I will embrace the unremarkable as special gift.
Tuesday, 20 September 2016
Tuesday, 13 September 2016
Choosing My Fuel
The last meeting was a fantastic time of sharing filled with inspiring stories to fill our buckets. I look at where Mr. Kirkman is right now and how hard he is working to feel a part of the team. I can relate to his struggles because less than a year ago, they were my struggles. Then Mr. Kohut's story about his health. Wow! I was on the verge of sharing where I was at, but seriously who can top that one!
So where am I at? I remember at one of the very first meetings I ever attended in this program, Sifu Brinker asked us if we were in the best shape of our lives. Not many hands popped up. Mine was definitely not up. That was one of the reasons I had joined the IHC. I was ready for change. The ride has been bumpy and riddled with learning experiences. I have had setbacks to climb over and through which caused me to constantly change my approach. Finally, this summer I was feeling like I was in a place to jump in with both feet for the first time since week 2 of my sheep year. I decided the kick off would be bootcamp. I was terrified but decided that this was what needed to happen so off I went. It was the perfect kick off. Many of the seminars where directly in line with the plan that I was putting into place. Sifu Beckett's cut out the sugar, fix your portions and eat your fruit and veggies talk was in the works. Sifu Lindstrom's get your butt moving at home talk was in the works. Sifu Rybak's chat about different ways to view self defense were totally wrapped up in the plan.
After bootcamp, I went home exhausted, sore, but ready. I have cleaned up my eating habits significantly. I have been so much more active than in the past. I am feeling the best that I have felt in years. I am not in the best shape of my life but the journey is definitely heading in the right direction.
So then the meeting took an unexpected twist. Sifu Brinker announced a 30 day vegetarian challenge. I must say, this caused a great deal of inner conflict. I am all for the idea of making positive changes - that is why I joined the program in the first place. When I opt out of a challenge, I do not do so lightly. To maybe understand my situation, a little back history may be helpful.
When my son was four years old, we were dealing with some new diagnoses and it was suggested that his diet could be a great help in supporting him. We visited a naturopath and found out life changing news. We removed wheat and most dairy from his diet. We found out he holds onto heavy metals in his system so over the years we have done chelation. The behavioural changes were unbelievable in the most amazing ways.
While this was all going on we were expressing concerns to our medical doctor about our daughter. She was eating ravenously but had stopped growing or gaining weight. She was falling off her growth curve - from 50th percentile to the 5th. I kept being told it was because I am little person and this was just her way of ending up where she should be. We took her to the same naturopath. Another blood test similar to Way's but different results. The diagnosis was early leaky gut. Want to scare the pants off yourself, do a little research on that one and then think that your sweet 2 year old has it. More diet changes - no wheat, absolutely no dairy, no eggs, limit her grains, serious rotation of foods plus horrible drinks to heal her guts. But heal they did. She started to gain weight. She started to grow. Within four months she was back up to the 50th percentile.
So for ease of the universe, we all went gluten free. Back then it was not as easy as it is now. Regular grocery stores did not carry the food it does now. You could not buy the bread and buns without going to the city and then the options were very limited and extremely expensive. I bought all these crazy flours and tried mixing them this way and that way trying to feed my kids. The harder I tried to feed them properly, the worse I was feeling physically myself.
At the worst of it, I would feel not too bad until about 11am on a good day but then things would quickly fall apart. I was either in the washroom or lying in my bed in agony. This would carry on for most of the day and then repeat the next day. I was trying to raise to kids. My husband was working out of town. Finally I broke and went to the doctor. He diagnosed me with IBS and suggested that I reduce my stress. Yup! That was it. I looked across the room at my kids, who had on rubber gloves and were taking turns shoving tongue depressors down each other's throats and asked which one he planned to take off my hands. It was then that I decided it was my turn to visit the naturopath.
I did the same blood test that my kids did. The results were different in many ways but similar in others. Many of my favourite foods were on the do not eat list. I resolved then and there that I would give it a try because of the success we had seen in the kids. Within four day, ALL of my IBS symptoms were gone. They stayed gone provided I stuck to not eating the list of foods that the blood test had said my body could not handle. I have maintained that list to this day and when I feel tempted, my body is quick to remind me of why I just should not go there.
So what does this have to do with the vegetarian challenge... Well my do not eat list has items such as most dairy, eggs, rice, beans, lentils, sweet potatoes... I can see the merits and the arguments of the vegetarian side of this, but I just struggle with how I will ever be able to eat a sustaining vegetarian diet safely without some of these protein staples. I look at how great I am feeling right now and I don't want to lose the ground I've made just to follow the group.
I have asked myself if these limitations are an excuse or a reason. This is a theme that has come up over the past year and I wanted to put this to the test in this decision. I have decided at this time, it is very much a reason. I am not afraid to make changes to my diet that I feel will be helpful. I know that 30 days is really a very short time to go without something that you desire. I just look back at how sick I was and I just can't jump in full bore and risk that. I will continue the diet changes that I implemented only 6 weeks ago. I am still in the process of taking those from a challenge sort of mindset to a lifestyle mindset. One of the things that I have learned over the years is that we are each beautifully yet individually crafted. There is not one diet that the whole world can eat and be healthy. Each of us being individual, must find our own best way. That does take experimenting and education. I will be watching for recipes that will work for me and my family and will give them a try. Please share!!! Finally, I will be on the sidelines cheering those of you on this journey on along!
So where am I at? I remember at one of the very first meetings I ever attended in this program, Sifu Brinker asked us if we were in the best shape of our lives. Not many hands popped up. Mine was definitely not up. That was one of the reasons I had joined the IHC. I was ready for change. The ride has been bumpy and riddled with learning experiences. I have had setbacks to climb over and through which caused me to constantly change my approach. Finally, this summer I was feeling like I was in a place to jump in with both feet for the first time since week 2 of my sheep year. I decided the kick off would be bootcamp. I was terrified but decided that this was what needed to happen so off I went. It was the perfect kick off. Many of the seminars where directly in line with the plan that I was putting into place. Sifu Beckett's cut out the sugar, fix your portions and eat your fruit and veggies talk was in the works. Sifu Lindstrom's get your butt moving at home talk was in the works. Sifu Rybak's chat about different ways to view self defense were totally wrapped up in the plan.
After bootcamp, I went home exhausted, sore, but ready. I have cleaned up my eating habits significantly. I have been so much more active than in the past. I am feeling the best that I have felt in years. I am not in the best shape of my life but the journey is definitely heading in the right direction.
So then the meeting took an unexpected twist. Sifu Brinker announced a 30 day vegetarian challenge. I must say, this caused a great deal of inner conflict. I am all for the idea of making positive changes - that is why I joined the program in the first place. When I opt out of a challenge, I do not do so lightly. To maybe understand my situation, a little back history may be helpful.
When my son was four years old, we were dealing with some new diagnoses and it was suggested that his diet could be a great help in supporting him. We visited a naturopath and found out life changing news. We removed wheat and most dairy from his diet. We found out he holds onto heavy metals in his system so over the years we have done chelation. The behavioural changes were unbelievable in the most amazing ways.
While this was all going on we were expressing concerns to our medical doctor about our daughter. She was eating ravenously but had stopped growing or gaining weight. She was falling off her growth curve - from 50th percentile to the 5th. I kept being told it was because I am little person and this was just her way of ending up where she should be. We took her to the same naturopath. Another blood test similar to Way's but different results. The diagnosis was early leaky gut. Want to scare the pants off yourself, do a little research on that one and then think that your sweet 2 year old has it. More diet changes - no wheat, absolutely no dairy, no eggs, limit her grains, serious rotation of foods plus horrible drinks to heal her guts. But heal they did. She started to gain weight. She started to grow. Within four months she was back up to the 50th percentile.
So for ease of the universe, we all went gluten free. Back then it was not as easy as it is now. Regular grocery stores did not carry the food it does now. You could not buy the bread and buns without going to the city and then the options were very limited and extremely expensive. I bought all these crazy flours and tried mixing them this way and that way trying to feed my kids. The harder I tried to feed them properly, the worse I was feeling physically myself.
At the worst of it, I would feel not too bad until about 11am on a good day but then things would quickly fall apart. I was either in the washroom or lying in my bed in agony. This would carry on for most of the day and then repeat the next day. I was trying to raise to kids. My husband was working out of town. Finally I broke and went to the doctor. He diagnosed me with IBS and suggested that I reduce my stress. Yup! That was it. I looked across the room at my kids, who had on rubber gloves and were taking turns shoving tongue depressors down each other's throats and asked which one he planned to take off my hands. It was then that I decided it was my turn to visit the naturopath.
I did the same blood test that my kids did. The results were different in many ways but similar in others. Many of my favourite foods were on the do not eat list. I resolved then and there that I would give it a try because of the success we had seen in the kids. Within four day, ALL of my IBS symptoms were gone. They stayed gone provided I stuck to not eating the list of foods that the blood test had said my body could not handle. I have maintained that list to this day and when I feel tempted, my body is quick to remind me of why I just should not go there.
So what does this have to do with the vegetarian challenge... Well my do not eat list has items such as most dairy, eggs, rice, beans, lentils, sweet potatoes... I can see the merits and the arguments of the vegetarian side of this, but I just struggle with how I will ever be able to eat a sustaining vegetarian diet safely without some of these protein staples. I look at how great I am feeling right now and I don't want to lose the ground I've made just to follow the group.
I have asked myself if these limitations are an excuse or a reason. This is a theme that has come up over the past year and I wanted to put this to the test in this decision. I have decided at this time, it is very much a reason. I am not afraid to make changes to my diet that I feel will be helpful. I know that 30 days is really a very short time to go without something that you desire. I just look back at how sick I was and I just can't jump in full bore and risk that. I will continue the diet changes that I implemented only 6 weeks ago. I am still in the process of taking those from a challenge sort of mindset to a lifestyle mindset. One of the things that I have learned over the years is that we are each beautifully yet individually crafted. There is not one diet that the whole world can eat and be healthy. Each of us being individual, must find our own best way. That does take experimenting and education. I will be watching for recipes that will work for me and my family and will give them a try. Please share!!! Finally, I will be on the sidelines cheering those of you on this journey on along!
Wednesday, 7 September 2016
System Rebooted
So what to blog about when you have no idea what to blog about... This is where I am at this week.
We are in full back to school mode. Last week was fantastic. Just three days of school to ease us all in plus no evening activities. This is normally one of my favourite weeks of the year. It is almost like New Year's - an opportunity to start fresh. This year was actually such a change of pace that I crashed. When you live a life of go, go, go... sometimes when you stop to readjust, everything seems to just stop. That is exactly what happened on Friday. I was not really sick, just completely exhausted to the point of not being able to function. Lots of rest and sleep over the weekend and this has passed thankfully because this week is full out.
This week has four days of school, a fiddle lesson, piano lessons, orthodontist appointments, massage, kung fu classes... Back into the full swing. It really is a pace that keeps me hopping and requires me to be constantly on my game.
With the attempted return to having a schedule, I have also attempted to get my numbers going again. I was nailing things pretty good last week until my system crashed. The past few days have been better again. Still striving for consistency. The reality is that my numbers are not impressive for how late in the year we are but I can work hard to make that change. I have taken a good look at my goals and where I am at and where I said I wanted to be at the end of the year. Not sure that the full numbers are truly obtainable (they may be provided I have no more crashes and life does not happen ;) ). In the meantime, I have where I want to be by the end of September in front of me and I am doing what I can to take consistent action to get there.
We are in full back to school mode. Last week was fantastic. Just three days of school to ease us all in plus no evening activities. This is normally one of my favourite weeks of the year. It is almost like New Year's - an opportunity to start fresh. This year was actually such a change of pace that I crashed. When you live a life of go, go, go... sometimes when you stop to readjust, everything seems to just stop. That is exactly what happened on Friday. I was not really sick, just completely exhausted to the point of not being able to function. Lots of rest and sleep over the weekend and this has passed thankfully because this week is full out.
This week has four days of school, a fiddle lesson, piano lessons, orthodontist appointments, massage, kung fu classes... Back into the full swing. It really is a pace that keeps me hopping and requires me to be constantly on my game.
With the attempted return to having a schedule, I have also attempted to get my numbers going again. I was nailing things pretty good last week until my system crashed. The past few days have been better again. Still striving for consistency. The reality is that my numbers are not impressive for how late in the year we are but I can work hard to make that change. I have taken a good look at my goals and where I am at and where I said I wanted to be at the end of the year. Not sure that the full numbers are truly obtainable (they may be provided I have no more crashes and life does not happen ;) ). In the meantime, I have where I want to be by the end of September in front of me and I am doing what I can to take consistent action to get there.
Tuesday, 30 August 2016
Discipline, Willpower and Habits
Discipline - when one uses reason to determine the best course of action regardless of one's desires.
Willpower - a combination of determination and self-discipline that enables someone to do something despite the difficulties involved.
Habit - a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.
I am currently reading a book called The ONE Thing - The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller. The chapters I've been reading the last few days deal with the lies we tell ourselves and the impact that they have on our ability to succeed.
This seems like an especially relevant topic after listening to the recording of the last meeting. Based on what I could tell, a high number of the team is struggling with their numbers - I am one of those people. As part of the IHC we all have very defined goals that can easily be measured. We all have the ability to succeed or not at these goals over the year. That is truth.
As I struggle, I personally tell myself that I need to have more self-discipline. I don't particularly like working on some of my requirements (yes, push ups really aren't a fan favourite). That is irrelevant though. I have agreed to do everything in my power to reach 50,000 in a year and that takes daily progress if I'm going to have any hope in reaching that goal.
Then you look at the definition of willpower - so interlinked with discipline. Willpower is amazing when it is firing on all cylinders, but the reality is that this is not how life works. Willpower ebbs and flows - sometimes it is there and sometimes it can't be found anywhere in this universe.
So we sit down and look at our goals. We know we need to correct the path we are on. We determine how we are going to go after that. We use discipline to chase these goals until that passion that fired this change dwindles (willpower). Then we are back where we started. Round and round we go.
This book addresses this vicious cycle. Yes, to make a change we will need discipline and we will be greatly aided by willpower but not to the level that we believe we do. The author emphasizes that we need to use our willpower and self-discipline with the focus of building good habits. Success is not built by doing everything right all of the time - this is really an unobtainable situation. Success is built by doing the right thing. If we work to build these habits that are hard to give up, then reaching our goals is not going to be the same issue. Now the caveat he gives is that these habits need to be built one at a time. We can't go from zero to sixty and rebuild habits in every part of our lives all at once. We not posses the discipline that would take and our willpower can't sustain it long term.
I personally have not built many habits over the past couple years. I do log my numbers most nights, that is until I forget for a week and then need to reboot. That really is the story on many fronts. I find that Monday, I start firing on all fronts and then by Friday - nothing. Then I tally up the week's numbers and Monday I nail it again. Round and round. Not ever fully off but not ever fully on long enough to build a true habit. My numbers are growing each week but not at a pace that will meet my goals.
It is time for me to really look at my goals and start to build some real consistent habits!
Willpower - a combination of determination and self-discipline that enables someone to do something despite the difficulties involved.
Habit - a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.
I am currently reading a book called The ONE Thing - The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller. The chapters I've been reading the last few days deal with the lies we tell ourselves and the impact that they have on our ability to succeed.
This seems like an especially relevant topic after listening to the recording of the last meeting. Based on what I could tell, a high number of the team is struggling with their numbers - I am one of those people. As part of the IHC we all have very defined goals that can easily be measured. We all have the ability to succeed or not at these goals over the year. That is truth.
As I struggle, I personally tell myself that I need to have more self-discipline. I don't particularly like working on some of my requirements (yes, push ups really aren't a fan favourite). That is irrelevant though. I have agreed to do everything in my power to reach 50,000 in a year and that takes daily progress if I'm going to have any hope in reaching that goal.
Then you look at the definition of willpower - so interlinked with discipline. Willpower is amazing when it is firing on all cylinders, but the reality is that this is not how life works. Willpower ebbs and flows - sometimes it is there and sometimes it can't be found anywhere in this universe.
So we sit down and look at our goals. We know we need to correct the path we are on. We determine how we are going to go after that. We use discipline to chase these goals until that passion that fired this change dwindles (willpower). Then we are back where we started. Round and round we go.
This book addresses this vicious cycle. Yes, to make a change we will need discipline and we will be greatly aided by willpower but not to the level that we believe we do. The author emphasizes that we need to use our willpower and self-discipline with the focus of building good habits. Success is not built by doing everything right all of the time - this is really an unobtainable situation. Success is built by doing the right thing. If we work to build these habits that are hard to give up, then reaching our goals is not going to be the same issue. Now the caveat he gives is that these habits need to be built one at a time. We can't go from zero to sixty and rebuild habits in every part of our lives all at once. We not posses the discipline that would take and our willpower can't sustain it long term.
I personally have not built many habits over the past couple years. I do log my numbers most nights, that is until I forget for a week and then need to reboot. That really is the story on many fronts. I find that Monday, I start firing on all fronts and then by Friday - nothing. Then I tally up the week's numbers and Monday I nail it again. Round and round. Not ever fully off but not ever fully on long enough to build a true habit. My numbers are growing each week but not at a pace that will meet my goals.
It is time for me to really look at my goals and start to build some real consistent habits!
Thursday, 25 August 2016
Vacation, Lessons & Perspective
Last week we were on vacation. The first day was pretty nuts. Forgot the life jackets so had to come back home to get them. Way had an allergic reaction to something and ended up with a late night trip to Rocky. Then we settled in. The next three days were pure bliss. We hung out as a family. We played crib, UNO and I have to say some very interesting games of Trouble where we embraced the spirit of the game. We sat by the fire. We walked and walked and walked. We went out on the boat. Chad took the kids for a full day. They fished and then drove into the bush to do some target practice with the .22. I walked Guiness and read.
I love camping. I love the total change of pace. I find so much peace in just being away. Did I mention, I love camping!!! I had planned to write a whole blog on that and trying to figure out how to live in my crazy world while feeling just like I do when I am gone.
Then Monday hit along with a very unexpected typhoon. We had no idea about the forecast when we went to bed on Sunday night. Packing up our campsite was horrible. The drive home was unsettling. Unpacking the trailer in the pouring rain and trying to find ways to dry out everything was enough to completely undo all of the peace that I had found in the previous three days. I was a cold and grumpy camper and my whole family knew it.
Utterly disappointed with how quickly the glow of vacation had faded, I woke up Tuesday with a serious funk fueled by anxiety. Thankfully I also had an appointment with my neuropsychologist that day as continued follow up from my concussion. I took my anxiety and disappointment with me. She imparted some wisdom that goes along with a constant theme in IHC conversations - being completely present and mindful.
Her lesson was in about changing my perspective. Vacation is fantastic. The peace and joy are fantastic. When I am blessed with these moments, I am to fully recognize and appreciate them. I can't always live on vacation. If I actually succeeded in always being on vacation, it would eventually lose it's sparkle and shine. I am to be thankful for the recharge and then accept that life is life and it is much crazier when I am not hiding out in the bush. By being mindful of where I am and what I am doing I can find that joy in my day through accepting life as it comes. I was moving through my mess but my mind was not present, it was still trying to hold onto vacation mode. These two things do not work together very well and as a result I was grumpy and resentful. Not a pretty picture.
Since that appointment, I have still struggled with letting go, accepting life as it comes and being mindful but it is a something that I am working towards.
I love camping. I love the total change of pace. I find so much peace in just being away. Did I mention, I love camping!!! I had planned to write a whole blog on that and trying to figure out how to live in my crazy world while feeling just like I do when I am gone.
Then Monday hit along with a very unexpected typhoon. We had no idea about the forecast when we went to bed on Sunday night. Packing up our campsite was horrible. The drive home was unsettling. Unpacking the trailer in the pouring rain and trying to find ways to dry out everything was enough to completely undo all of the peace that I had found in the previous three days. I was a cold and grumpy camper and my whole family knew it.
Utterly disappointed with how quickly the glow of vacation had faded, I woke up Tuesday with a serious funk fueled by anxiety. Thankfully I also had an appointment with my neuropsychologist that day as continued follow up from my concussion. I took my anxiety and disappointment with me. She imparted some wisdom that goes along with a constant theme in IHC conversations - being completely present and mindful.
Her lesson was in about changing my perspective. Vacation is fantastic. The peace and joy are fantastic. When I am blessed with these moments, I am to fully recognize and appreciate them. I can't always live on vacation. If I actually succeeded in always being on vacation, it would eventually lose it's sparkle and shine. I am to be thankful for the recharge and then accept that life is life and it is much crazier when I am not hiding out in the bush. By being mindful of where I am and what I am doing I can find that joy in my day through accepting life as it comes. I was moving through my mess but my mind was not present, it was still trying to hold onto vacation mode. These two things do not work together very well and as a result I was grumpy and resentful. Not a pretty picture.
Since that appointment, I have still struggled with letting go, accepting life as it comes and being mindful but it is a something that I am working towards.
Monday, 15 August 2016
Making Some Changes
Change can be hard... Change can be scary... Change can be hard to maintain... Change can end up being down right disappointing...
That is why I am hesitant to blog on this topic, yet one of the things we all promised was to live out our year publicly. So here it goes...
For the past two years I have had the goal to get down to a healthier weight - one recommended by my doctor. I would love to say that he is being completely unreasonable when he chose the number he gave me but that would not be true. Not only is it reasonable, it really is obtainable but only with a ton of hard work.
I started off my weight loss journey last year strong. Even blowing out my ACL did not slow me down much. The specialist was actually shocked when I told her that I had not gained any weight during my recovery from my failed flying kick. Then the accident happened... Even in all that was going on, I managed to maintain the weight loss that I had achieved earlier in the year. That is until the neuropsychologist put my flat on the couch for the better part of six weeks and the emotional lows set in. Every ounce of progress was lost (or I guess gained is a better word in this instance).
I found this hard. I found it hard to get face the truth. I found it hard to find the motivation to do much about it. I found it hard to say no to all the wrong foods. Then at just the right moment, a sweet friend from Texas popped me a message. It truly is all about timing sometimes... She was trying to pull together a group of people who wanted to make positive changes in their lifestyles and lose weight in the process. Yes!!! Pick me!!!
With fear and trembling, I agreed to do it. She was using the 21 Day Fix through Beach Body. The package showed up the first week of August even though the official start date as not until the 8th. The first few times I tried the exercise videos - they were so hard. I could hardly walk for days leading into bootcamp. The eating plan also looked tough. I had to give up many of my fav foods or find healthier (not quite as yummy) alternatives. Also, did I mention that I am a serious creature of habit. I have eaten pretty much the same thing for breakfast for so many years it is a standing joke around here. That needed to change...
As the start date approached, I wondered what I had gotten myself into. Then bootcamp hit. The seminars on nutrition and home fitness tied perfectly into the changes I was about to embark on. It was almost like they knew... Yet, I was afraid to say too much in case I wasn't able to follow through. Change is hard... Change is scary...
So now I am a full week in! This change has not been as hard or as scary as I had anticipated. I have had some not so fabulous breakfast moments trying to figure out the best fruit mix to use to naturally sweeten my oatmeal. My kids have both wrinkled their noses up and question how anyone can give up processed sugar. The eating plan really is just that - cut out the junk food (bad fats and sugar), eat a boatload of veg & fruit, learn what a proper portion actually looks like and have those starchy carbs done by the end of lunchtime. The videos are still hard but they are getting easier each day. I feel great and I have more energy than I have had in a long time. And the bonus - my scale is starting to not tip quite so far.
I still have a long way to go but I have a plan that is working.
That is why I am hesitant to blog on this topic, yet one of the things we all promised was to live out our year publicly. So here it goes...
For the past two years I have had the goal to get down to a healthier weight - one recommended by my doctor. I would love to say that he is being completely unreasonable when he chose the number he gave me but that would not be true. Not only is it reasonable, it really is obtainable but only with a ton of hard work.
I started off my weight loss journey last year strong. Even blowing out my ACL did not slow me down much. The specialist was actually shocked when I told her that I had not gained any weight during my recovery from my failed flying kick. Then the accident happened... Even in all that was going on, I managed to maintain the weight loss that I had achieved earlier in the year. That is until the neuropsychologist put my flat on the couch for the better part of six weeks and the emotional lows set in. Every ounce of progress was lost (or I guess gained is a better word in this instance).
I found this hard. I found it hard to get face the truth. I found it hard to find the motivation to do much about it. I found it hard to say no to all the wrong foods. Then at just the right moment, a sweet friend from Texas popped me a message. It truly is all about timing sometimes... She was trying to pull together a group of people who wanted to make positive changes in their lifestyles and lose weight in the process. Yes!!! Pick me!!!
With fear and trembling, I agreed to do it. She was using the 21 Day Fix through Beach Body. The package showed up the first week of August even though the official start date as not until the 8th. The first few times I tried the exercise videos - they were so hard. I could hardly walk for days leading into bootcamp. The eating plan also looked tough. I had to give up many of my fav foods or find healthier (not quite as yummy) alternatives. Also, did I mention that I am a serious creature of habit. I have eaten pretty much the same thing for breakfast for so many years it is a standing joke around here. That needed to change...
As the start date approached, I wondered what I had gotten myself into. Then bootcamp hit. The seminars on nutrition and home fitness tied perfectly into the changes I was about to embark on. It was almost like they knew... Yet, I was afraid to say too much in case I wasn't able to follow through. Change is hard... Change is scary...
So now I am a full week in! This change has not been as hard or as scary as I had anticipated. I have had some not so fabulous breakfast moments trying to figure out the best fruit mix to use to naturally sweeten my oatmeal. My kids have both wrinkled their noses up and question how anyone can give up processed sugar. The eating plan really is just that - cut out the junk food (bad fats and sugar), eat a boatload of veg & fruit, learn what a proper portion actually looks like and have those starchy carbs done by the end of lunchtime. The videos are still hard but they are getting easier each day. I feel great and I have more energy than I have had in a long time. And the bonus - my scale is starting to not tip quite so far.
I still have a long way to go but I have a plan that is working.
Sunday, 7 August 2016
I More Than Survived....
First of all I want to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone who was involved with yesterday's boot camp - for the organizers, the instructors and the participants! What an awesome day!
So, yesterday was my first boot camp. Honestly, I was terrified to go. I kept hearing how awesome they always are but in my mind I couldn't get past the 14 hours ending with the black belt fitness test.
When I joined the IHC team originally, I told Sifu Brinker that I was done with living afraid. I was done living telling myself that I couldn't do something simply because I thought it was impossible. I have spent so much time living within self imposed limitations. Boot camp definitely fell within those limitations as a no go zone.
This year, with much fear and trembling, I signed up despite how I was feeling. I did my best to not think about what I had gotten myself into leading up to the event. That is until I hit the pillow Friday night and that was all I could think about... The alarm went off ridiculously early and off Way & I went - both severely lacking sleep and a bundle of nerves. My goal at this point was to just survive.
The day was fantastic. The people were amazing. The seminars were packed with new things to work on. Then the fitness test hit. Let's face it, we all want to go in and totally smoke it out of the park. There were some participants who totally rocked the test. Seeing their success and determination were so inspiring. I, on the other hand, struggled big time with nearly every single part of the test. Honestly, by the time we hit the 2 km run at the end I was feeling extremely discouraged.
I started off that run feeling like I had less than nothing in the tank. After 13.5 hours of kung fu, perhaps that is an understatement... I was not able to run much of it. I just did not have the energy to ensure that I was properly engaging all of my muscles in my legs to keep my weaker knee safe. I had a choice to make. I knew that I could never walk it in the acceptable time limit but I chose to not quit.
While I was out walking at the back of the pack I reflected on where I was and what I was doing. I thought about the last year and it nearly brought me to tears. The last year has been brutal. First the ACL on my knee and then the car accident. For 2 months this winter, I was supposed to lay flat on the couch with my eyes closed. By February I was allowed to move but I had to keep my heart rate under 120 or all of my concussion symptoms hit full force. Slowly I was able to push that up so that by April, I no longer had any restrictions. It has been a long hard process trying to work myself back towards any semblance of shape.
Yesterday, when I thought about it, was a total win. I tried everything that was thrown my way. I did not quit. I had my heart rate up as far as 158. I spent 30 minutes in the peak zone. I spent 4.5 hours in the cardio zone. I spent nearly 12 hours in the fat burning zone. I burned over 5000 calories according to my Fitbit. I had no symptoms!!!!! To think of where I was just a short time ago and what I managed to do was very emotional. I am not where I want to be but I am working on that.
That said, from the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has been with me through this past year. It has been quite the ride. Thank you to everyone who was there at the finish line last night cheering me on. I more than survived!
So, yesterday was my first boot camp. Honestly, I was terrified to go. I kept hearing how awesome they always are but in my mind I couldn't get past the 14 hours ending with the black belt fitness test.
When I joined the IHC team originally, I told Sifu Brinker that I was done with living afraid. I was done living telling myself that I couldn't do something simply because I thought it was impossible. I have spent so much time living within self imposed limitations. Boot camp definitely fell within those limitations as a no go zone.
This year, with much fear and trembling, I signed up despite how I was feeling. I did my best to not think about what I had gotten myself into leading up to the event. That is until I hit the pillow Friday night and that was all I could think about... The alarm went off ridiculously early and off Way & I went - both severely lacking sleep and a bundle of nerves. My goal at this point was to just survive.
The day was fantastic. The people were amazing. The seminars were packed with new things to work on. Then the fitness test hit. Let's face it, we all want to go in and totally smoke it out of the park. There were some participants who totally rocked the test. Seeing their success and determination were so inspiring. I, on the other hand, struggled big time with nearly every single part of the test. Honestly, by the time we hit the 2 km run at the end I was feeling extremely discouraged.
I started off that run feeling like I had less than nothing in the tank. After 13.5 hours of kung fu, perhaps that is an understatement... I was not able to run much of it. I just did not have the energy to ensure that I was properly engaging all of my muscles in my legs to keep my weaker knee safe. I had a choice to make. I knew that I could never walk it in the acceptable time limit but I chose to not quit.
While I was out walking at the back of the pack I reflected on where I was and what I was doing. I thought about the last year and it nearly brought me to tears. The last year has been brutal. First the ACL on my knee and then the car accident. For 2 months this winter, I was supposed to lay flat on the couch with my eyes closed. By February I was allowed to move but I had to keep my heart rate under 120 or all of my concussion symptoms hit full force. Slowly I was able to push that up so that by April, I no longer had any restrictions. It has been a long hard process trying to work myself back towards any semblance of shape.
Yesterday, when I thought about it, was a total win. I tried everything that was thrown my way. I did not quit. I had my heart rate up as far as 158. I spent 30 minutes in the peak zone. I spent 4.5 hours in the cardio zone. I spent nearly 12 hours in the fat burning zone. I burned over 5000 calories according to my Fitbit. I had no symptoms!!!!! To think of where I was just a short time ago and what I managed to do was very emotional. I am not where I want to be but I am working on that.
That said, from the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has been with me through this past year. It has been quite the ride. Thank you to everyone who was there at the finish line last night cheering me on. I more than survived!
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