What do you surround yourself with?

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This photo showed up in my Facebook feed yesterday.  I think it is absolutely perfect.  I think we can all agree that it's easy to fall into the trappings of negativity.  What happens if we reverse that?  If we get rid of the naysayers and negativity in our lives?  My husband did something crazy (at least to me) and got rid of Facebook because some people were making him crazy.  Yet, I continue to read the page and get angered by the comments.

I know that in some areas of my life I have made changes to do this - to surround myself with the dreamers and the doers and the believers and it has made a world of difference.
Instead of thinking I couldn't be a runner I found myself making friends with runners.  Some of them are my best friends who encourage, inspire and push me in ways that I don't think I can do things.  But they have faith in me until I can start to believe in myself.

I think this is true no only in activity but weight loss as well.  From time to time I feel the need to, at least temporarily, get rid of certain foods because they either don't fill me up or I just continue eating them.  It doesn't mean I'll never eat them again but I have to surround myself with the things that will help me reach my goals.

What are you going to surround yourself with to make your journey easier this week?

Pre TRI thoughts...

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While going through my "One day in time" memories on Facebook I came across a post from 2011 (not even a year after I'd joined Weight Watchers and obviously still very obese) where I said that I was thinking of completing a triathlon.  At the time I didn't even know how to swim so that was quite the proclamation.

My inspiration to always be active

Last year as I cheered on my friend, Diane, as she biked past me like a mad woman I began to wonder if this was something that I could do.  However, since I still didn't know how to swim I put it out of my mind.  A few months later, during my half marathon from Napa to Sonoma I started having some significant ankle/foot pain.  When I visited the podiatrist I was told that I most likely had a stress fracture and running/biking were off my activity calendar.  Coach B advised me to take up pool running and Diane suggested I check out the pool at Centegra Health because with a doctor's note I could join for cheap... So I did.  That's when I met a swim instructor and this whole dream of a triathlon came back full force.

I have absolutely loved the training, though admittedly I didn't follow the plan I had exactly but more as a guideline.  Some of the terminology I wasn't familiar with and felt embarrassed to ask anyone.  A few days before the race I'm kind of cursing myself on that choice, in case you were wondering.

I'm nervous about the race.  I mean, I'm not nervous about drowning (I can swim now!) and I'm not nervous about the distance.  What I'm scared about... the thing I'm always scared about before a race is that I'll disappoint someone.  That I won't swim or bike fast enough and that I'll stop to walk during the run.  I thought that by not really talking/blogging about my race (if you've read this blog for any length of time you might remember that I used to blab about every detail of training and my pre-race goals, etc...) that I wouldn't feel like this because this race would be JUST FOR ME.

The truth of the matter is that I don't want to care about how long it takes me to cross the finish line.  How do I make my brain and my heart actually believe that?

Focus

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Me:  Nervous as hell
Mark:  Chill as can be

Back in 2012 at a family reunion my cousin Mark and I were talking about the upcoming Las Vegas Half Marathon.  Shortly after that I got a message from him that he'd entered and was going to run it as well.  So, we bonded over that and hung out together at the start line.  I was a mess of emotions.  Mark was as cool as they come.  Anyway, a few days after the race we traded messages again and I admitted I was disappointed in my performance and he gave me a pep talk that I will never forget.  I had the pleasure/honor of having another one of those memorable conversations with him on Saturday.

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We were talking about weight loss and I recalled a story that my friend Diane has told me a few times.  After Diane reached Lifetime status she asked our leader, Karen, if the journey ever got easier.  Karen replied that it didn't.  This is one of the few times that Karen and I disagree.  As I was telling this story I said that I think if we focus on the things that we shouldn't have (or the portion sizes that we shouldn't have) then of course it remains difficult because that's all we want.

Mark replied that whatever you focus on will grow.  I couldn't get this thought out of my head and
knew that I wanted to write a blog post about this.  I truly believe that if we focus on the good things -- like being able to run a half marathon then the journey becomes easier.  I'm not saying that it won't be difficult to stare down a pan of brownies or cookies but I'm also not saying that you have to avoid the brownies or cookies completely either.  In fact, I say have them.  Just not as much as you would have before and then focus on something else to get your mind off the temptation.

What will you focus on to get you closer to your goal?

Let's Celebrate!

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Taken about two weeks after I joined Weight Watchers
July 2010

It has been a year since I reached my goal weight and I am so proud and excited to have maintained a 215 pound weight loss.  This is not something that I ever thought possible - in fact I never thought I'd be a Weight Watchers member more than six months.  You see, I had done Weight Watchers before.  In 2001 while a bunch of my co-workers were attending "At Work" meetings I joined as an online member.  I sort of wanted to join the meetings too but it was too far to walk!  When I followed the on-line program I lost a bunch of weight but I figured I could continue doing this on my own and I quit.  I was wrong. I gained back all that I had lost and more.

Eleven months and 104 pounds later
June 2011

I had been thinking for awhile that something needed to change but I had no idea what that change needed to be.  Every week I kept saying (to myself because I was afraid of admitting it to anyone else) that I was going to start a diet but I never committed to it.  When my friend, Sheri, called me and asked me to join with her I was reluctant.  I am tremendously thankful that she was so persistent!  When I joined I found out that I could still eat and drink my favorite things.  This was extremely important to me because I needed to learn how to cook, portion control and even eat out all while staying on plan.
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The group that I joined was also a huge part of my success.  There was one member, Diane, in particular that really kept me motivated.  We joined Weight Watchers on the same day and we both had over 100 pounds to lose.  I used Diane hitting milestones as motivation -- if she could do it then there was no reason I couldn't.  As much as I always wanted my weight loss to be a downward trend I realize that my weight gain never was and that I needed to learn my weight loss lessons.  Those lessons included learning what triggered unhealthy eating and drinking and finding ways to manage that.

Half Marathon #5 - April 2014

In addition to those lessons I also needed to learn about activity.  I always shied away from activity because of my weight.  When I was in 7th/8th grade I played basketball and hated that I was always the slowest one on the team.  I hated P.E. (Physical Education) class because I'd almost instantly start sweating and my face would turn red.  Except I knew that now was the time to get active.  An encouraging call from my sister to start training for my first 5K was exactly what I needed when I needed it to get the ball rolling.  That seems like ancient history because in the nearly four years that I've been a Weight Watchers member I've completed numerous short distance races (5K, 9K, 10K, 15K) and SIX FREAKING HALF MARATHONS!  I'm finally comfortable working out in front of other people (most of the time) regardless of whether my face is beet red or I'm sweating profusely.  I've learned that with activity I can just go out and have fun.

Seriously - this medal is ENORMOUS.
And Heavy.
I (obviously) love it so much!

Now, if you think that reaching your goal weight means you get to relax a little bit you might be slightly delusional.  Early on in my journey that's exactly what I thought but as I got closer and finally got to maintenance I realized that it is just as hard as losing the weight.  However, I realized that one thing that made weight loss (and maintenance) hard was focusing on the things that I used to eat rather than all the things that I've developed a serious passion for over the last four years.  This is another one of the reasons that I think gradual weight loss is so beneficial because it gives you the time to figure out what you like so you can truly enjoy it.  I also think that as we reach our goal weight and maintenance that we celebrate less.  There are no more milestones to reach or goals to hit so we have to celebrate other things.  Like getting giant medals!  Being able to celebrate our accomplishments certainly keeps me going and gives me something to look forward to!

What about you?  How do you celebrate?

In the name of celebrating, one of my most favorite companies in the whole world is letting me give away some fantastic products!  Have you seen/tried the wonderful products from Bondi Band?  The prize pack that we're giving away includes 3 headbands and a pair of compression socks.  Go, register now!  And tell all your friends!!

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My "Why To"

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We spend a lot of time talking about the "how" of weight loss.  In the Weight Watchers meeting rooms we're exposed to new routines and we try to build new, healthy habits.  Some of them are easy to adopt - Pack a Snack?  Yes, please.  If you've been around me for more than a couple of hours you know that I likely have an apple (and probably a granola bar) in my bag, just in case.  Slowing down while eating by putting my fork down and sipping water between bites?  That one is a little trickier to adopt, though I keep trying.

The topic this week seems to bring things full circle though by asking us to think about the "Why To" side of the question.  Why to lose weight...  I mean, obviously I want to be healthier than I was before I started Weight Watchers but the truth of the matter is that I'm overall just happier.  Was it hard to change my habits?  You bet, change IS hard, but it gets easier.  But you know what's even harder?  Staying the same and being unhappy and missing out on doing things that you want to do.

Considering all of the temptations we'll have in front of us not only this week but in the coming weeks I thought I'd share my list and see what you guys have come up with?  Do you keep your list somewhere close by to remind you why you're doing this despite all of the temptation we face?

A moment to reflect

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Nearing the finish line - Dec 2012

On Sunday some of my Team Challenge Family took to the streets of Las Vegas in the race and city where I made my half marathon debut!  As I saw Tweets and Facebook posts with pictures I got a little jealous that they were running this race and I wasn't.  I mean, this race wasn't on my race schedule for this year and I wasn't trained but there is a part of me that really wished I'd been on the team flight, at the hotel and hanging out with some of my most favorite people.

Nearing the finish line - November 2013

But I wasn't.  I was at home and using social media to stalk the people I knew who were running the race when it hit me about how far I've come.  I've come a long way when it comes to running, to weight loss and to just changing my life for the better in the last few years.

I mean, can you believe that this is the same person in both of these race photos?  When I was getting close to the finish line in Las Vegas last year I could barely run.  I made the effort seen in this photo because Coach B told me that I had to run or at least look like I was running for the photo op.  This was not that last time she's told me that, but I digress!  When I ran in Lake Mills earlier this month I walked through my water stops and for about a half mile closer to the end but I had an absolutely amazing race.

Maybe it's the time of year (as we close in on Thanksgiving) that I feel the need to reflect and I feel eternally grateful for all the people who have helped and supported me along the way of this crazy journey.

Have you made any realizations about how far you've come on your journey?  Well.... share it with me!

Woah...

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When I began this journey back in 2010 I started reading healthy living blogs.  When I began most of the blogs I read were focused on healthy eating.  As I got active I started looking for blogs that talked about being active.  One of my favorite blogs, Losing Weight in the City, covered both.  Theodora, the blog creator, lost 50+ pounds and is a repeat marathoner.  I find her tremendously inspiring and love following her journey.  As I read her blog posts she talked about training for races and referenced her half marathon (or marathon) race pace.  I always got a little jealous of that and wondered what my half marathon race pace would be.

A new favorite photo
Dan and I before the Tyranena Beer Run
Dan PR'd the 1/6th Barrel Race
I PR'd the half marathon

The other day I was talking to Dan about an upcoming 5K that we're both going to run.  He told me that he wanted to run a certain pace and that he needed to train so he could maintain it.  At one point I asked him if he wanted me to pace him and he immediately dismissed the idea saying that he thought I would want to run faster.  After a little more discussion his opinion changed and he thought maybe that would be a good idea.  He said that he wanted to run a 10:00/mi and wondered if I could do that?  I said, sure, that's my half marathon race pace.

And then I screamed, "OH MY GOD I HAVE A HALF MARATHON RACE PACE!"

I don't always seem to maintain it throughout the half marathon but I'm certainly getting better at it.  And to be honest, this journey is all about progress and not about perfection, right?

I am making progress in the weight loss arena as well.  I was pretty happy to step on the scale and have lost 4.2 pounds this week.  I'm still above my goal weight but I'm working on it.

Have you realized that you now "have" something that you never thought you'd have?

RACE RECAP: Tyranena Beer Run 1/2 Barrel (Half Marathon)

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We drove up to Lake Mills, WI yesterday (Saturday) morning.  It's about a two hour drive and since we could only pick up our packets the morning of the race and the race didn't start until 11:30 am we had plenty of time to eat a healthy breakfast, pack up and get on the road by 7:45 am.  Soon we were pulling into the Kwik Trip in Lake Mills to grab some more water and then we headed over to Tyranena Brewing Company.  We parked, picked up our packets and beer and walked back to the car to get everything ready that we needed for our races.  I was running the half marathon and Dan ran the 1/6 Barrel (aka 4.37 miles) race.

Dan and Me
Pre-Race

I had packed a peanut butter sandwich (since it'd have been a few hours since we ate breakfast) to snack on pre-race as well as a banana and I enjoyed those while we sat in the warm car.  Shortly after that my sister sent me a text message to let me know they were there so we gathered up our stuff and headed to the tent. It wasn't long and they were calling for runners to come to the starting line.  Either people didn't want to come out of the tent or no one wanted to be up front so I stood toward the front and had plenty of room to warm-up while we waited for the official start.  We sang the anthem, got last minute starting instructions and were off.

While running these hills I was suddenly thankful
that I'd run hills in Idaho and at our weekly
fun runs in Deer Grove!

Going into almost any race I'm nervous.  I'm nervous for a number of reasons and so I sent a text message to my running friends (Coach B, Naomi & Kim) and received a massive outpouring of support and what they sent me is what stuck in my head the entire race.  I'd trained for this day and I was prepared.  This, no matter what the course was like, is what I'd spent months training for.

I'd reviewed the elevation chart last week so I knew there would be hills.  This was one of the bits of advice that Coach B gave me.  To run strong up the hills because I was trained for them and she was right.  There were a few that made me doubt whether I'd be able to run all the way up but I kept reminding myself that I was just out for a fun run and that I had trained for this.

I think I spent a lot more time enjoying the scenery of this race than any other I'd run before.  The leaves were in full color change making the views positively spectacular!   While we ran through the town of Lake Mills there were spectators here and there but once we left the city and headed out on the country roads the course support got more sparse.  I think my one actual complaint about the race had to do with the first two water stations - they seemed woefully understaffed and had no cups filled as I ran past.  I was thankful that I was carrying my own water at those moments so I could just keep trucking along.

Best damn cheer squad
L-R:  Paula, Mark & Brenda

I remember feeling really good up through mile 8 or 9 where I saw my sister cheering on runners.  I was happy to report that I'd been running the entire time except for the few breaks I'd taken to drink from my water bottle and eat the dates I brought for fuel.  Just after I saw her I came up to the last water stop.  I stopped to refill my water bottle to ensure I'd have enough to get me through the finish.  At this point I realized that I'd started slowing down... I went from a sub 10:xx/mile average to 10:2X/mile average but I knew I was still far ahead of my PR pace and I rationalized that if this pace felt good that I should continue at this pace so that I'd be able to run the entire race.

On the elevation chart it doesn't look big but my toes (which always hurt after about 8 miles) hurt, and my knee was bothering me and I just .... I don't know.  I just felt the need to walk a little bit.  At first I told myself I'd only walk two minutes and before I realized what had happened I'd walked about a half mile.  I knew I had to start running again or my muscles would continue to get tighter and I wouldn't be able to run.  So, I ran.  Slowly.  And suddenly these crazy people on the sidewalk screamed my name.  It took me what seemed like forever to realize they were my cousins Mark and Paula!

I was so tempted to walk a bit again but knowing that people I knew were watching me made me keep

The runners
L-R:  Alex, Kristi, me, Dan

running.  I got about a quarter of a mile up the road and I thought about walking again and then I saw Kristi who told me that the finish was just up around the bend.  And now I couldn't walk because there was someone else watching me!  As I turned the corner I could see the finish line.  Then I saw Dan and Brenda.  As I made the final turn I saw the finish line and I'm not sure where the burst of energy came from but I hauled it across the finish line.  I saw the clock as I crossed and as my feet hit the timing mat the tears hit my cheeks.  I had just hit a HUGE personal record.

My previous PR was 2:28:24
My new PR is 2:18:23

That's a full TEN MINUTES off my previous time!  I'm still shocked.

So, as far as my goals... let's review:

• Run the entire race
• So close... but not quite.  
• Begin Slow
• Yes!  I definitely consider this a success.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
• Yes!  While I fueled appropriately I still felt dehydrated at the end of the day but I also realize that I ran a half marathon so that's to be expected.

I consider this half marathon to have been a complete success.  I truly appreciate all the advice and support I got from family, friends and fellow runners.  You all have no idea how much your words carried me through the miles and built my confidence.  I loved every single minute of this race and will definitely run this race again.

Who's in for next year?

Sometimes I'm a moron

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I know how much you guys love to hear my stories about how stupid I can be so here is one to chalk up to the old "duh" category.  For those that don't know I have been hired by Weight Watchers as a Receptionist and Leader.  A couple of months ago my Territory Manager (aka my boss) asked if I'd ever done the Simply Filling technique.  I told her that I hadn't and she strongly encouraged me to give it a try so I promptly went home and looked up some Power Foods.

For those that don't know the Simply Filling technique is a program where you eat Power Foods (fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables, lean protein, fat free dairy, etc..) until you are satisfied and then you stop. Any indulgences are subtracted from your 49 Weekly Points Allowance.
The trick with this program is that you have to listen to your body signals.  I believe that this is a skill I've never truly mastered and one of the reasons that I needed Weight Watchers in the first place.

When I started looking at the list of Power Foods I was amazed at the Whole Grain/Reduced Calorie breads that are listed as Power Foods.  As I was following the PointsPlus Plan I'd eat a maximum of one serving of bread per day, usually for breakfast.  When I started following the Simply Filling technique I decided that my indulgences would be whole wheat english muffins with a little honey (oh goodness they are delicious, aren't they?) and soon I was eating at least one or two more servings of "bread" every day.  When I track my PointsPlus values 3 PointsPlus per english muffin seems like an indulgence (4 PointsPlus with a little honey) so I'm not sure why I thought I could/should eat this every day.

After a few weeks of Simply Filling and watching the scale climb I decided to go back to tracking my PointsPlus values and I lost the weight, again.  However, I don't like being defeated so I'm trying the Simply Filling technique, again, but being smarter about what (and how much) I'm eating.

Have you tried Simply Filling?  Any thoughts?

Refocus

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I've been going through a new (to me) pattern lately.  I'll gain weight for a few weeks and show a big loss at the scale.  While I still consider this to be maintaining it is psychologically exhausting.  I knew when I started this journey that I'd never be done with weight loss/maintenance but I didn't realize how hard maintenance would be.  I realize that this sounds all "woe is me" but it's hard.  Like, finishing my first half marathon hard.

Throughout my journey people always talked about how great I looked and how great things were going for me but I don't recall anyone saying anyone ever mentioning how hard maintenance would be.  I know I'll get it together and I think that starts with admitting that I have been having a problem keeping it in check.

The last couple of weeks I've been following the Simply Filling technique which has been pretty wonderful.  I've been able to enjoy a number of foods that I'd previously avoided in favor of lower PointsPlus alternatives.  I'm guessing that my new "indulgences" is what has been getting me into a little bit of trouble as well as the fact that I'm probably not listening to my body cues as well as I should be and eating past being satisfied.

Which do you prefer - Simply Filling or Tracking?  Why?  Any advice?

What is success?

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This week at our meeting our leader asked us how successful our week was on a scale of 1-5 (1 = not good, 5 = best) and most people responded based on what the number on the scale said.  I responded 4 - both because of what the scale said but more importantly I was pretty happy with the level of activity and that I pretty much stayed on plan.  On Sunday after doing some shopping with Jen I stopped at Trader Joe's to pick up a few things.  In my bag:  tri-tip Asada, reduced guilt pita chips, pink lady apples and hummus.  Historically I'd have gotten to the car and ripped open the bag of chips and eaten them on the way home (or I'd have purchased something else specifically so that I could eat it on the way home) but this time I was excited to tear into the bag of apples.  I thought to myself that for several months that has generally been my snack on the way home from running errands - even grocery shopping.  I'd grab a banana or apple out of the recently purchased goods.

So when Karen asked how we felt about our progress last week that was the thought I had.  Instead of reaching for the salty, crunchy snack I wanted and craved an apple.  I like this habit and don't mind having an apple or banana in my bag with me whenever I leave the house.  It makes me feel better about being able to take the edge off my hunger without throwing off my eating for the day.

Do you relate how you feel about your success with just the number on the scale or do you base it off other things?

My name is Jen

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And I have a food addiction.  Over the weekend we went to a St. Patrick's party thrown by our friends.  There was so much delicious food and drink.  Oh so much food.  That I couldn't stop eating.  Or drinking.  By the end of the evening I was so sick to my stomach.  On the way home Dan kept commenting on how good the food was and it nearly made me throw up.  Just the thought of food was too much for me at that point.  I certainly hated how I felt after eating all of that.  I got on my home scale on Sunday morning and I knew I'd be up (and I was) but it was over and done with so I could only move on.

When I got on the scale at weigh in today I was a little surprised that I was exactly the same weight as last week.  Neither good, nor bad.  Just.... the same.  My friend, Melany, asked if I ate corned beef over the weekend (uh... duh?) and said that I was likely still salty.  Who knows... what I do know is that I really need to get the social eating under control.  When we eat at home or even at restaurants I am able to control what, and more importantly how much, I eat by ordering what I want/need.  When the food is available in a more buffet like setting I have no control.  I definitely need to find some control in that situation.

Question:  Have you found situations that surprised you?  Workouts you loved more than anything?  Food situations that make you wonder WTF?  Have you mastered the buffet?  If so, how?

Choose your hard

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The scale can be a bitch.  Honestly the last few weeks have been really difficult to deal with.  Seeing the scale creep down and then leap back up is frustrating when I've been mostly good about measuring, tracking and getting in activity.  A few weeks ago during the Weight Watchers meeting one of my favorite members, Diane, recalled a conversation with our leader, Karen.  Diane asked Karen if weight loss ever got easier and Karen responded that her leader once said "you choose your hard".  (That's what she said).

This quote has been rolling around in my brain for the last few weeks probably because it's so true.  It was hard being nearly 400 pounds.  It was hard just being.  It was hard to lose 200 pounds.  It was hard always being sick from either not eating healthy or from Crohn's.  It was hard to undergo abdominal surgery (twice) because I was obese.  It was hard to start walking.  And, guess what, it was really hard to start running.  So, what am I stressing about to lose another 26 pounds?  For the first time in my life I choose easy.

I choose to eat healthy.  I choose to run.  I choose to live in the body that I never thought I'd have.  Most importantly, I choose to be happy.  Even if I don't lose another pound.  I choose this life.

Planning helps...

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This past weekend was spent at a hotel for a scrapbook retreat.  In the past this has usually spelled disaster for me at the scale.  Spending time in a hotel, eating out for most meals, and snacking... oh the snacking.  I planned to be prepared this time so that I couldn't use the "I had to eat what was there" excuse.  I baked egg cups (egg beaters with peppers, mushrooms and hot sauce) and packed bread, egg salad, greek yogurt, fruit, clif bars (in case of emergency) and one serving of graham crackers.  When I saw the assortment at the hotel breakfast I was relieved that I had my portion controlled and PointsPlus friendly breakfasts!

The other meals were so-so.  I tried to eat on plan and continue to hydrate but somewhere I went wrong.  I actually felt dehydrated for much of the weekend, regardless of how much water I kept drinking.  I also knew about the change in the amount(s) of protein that I was eating because I also felt hungry.  I'm not entirely sure if that was related to the dehydration or the fact that I was actually hungry.  At this point I still feel hungry - like I'm trying to catch up but I can't.  So I'm really trying to focus on good amounts of protein with all my meals and snacks.

The scale apparently didn't like somethings that I did but at least it wasn't worse.  I gained this week and was, again, reminded that perhaps the weight loss portion of my journey is over.  Two of my friends at the retreat were asking about my goal weight and if I'd reached it.  When I told them I hadn't they were surprised and told me they thought that the extra skin was making up the remainder of the amount of weight I need to lose.  I don't think that I am going to stop trying to lose weight.  Part of me REALLY wants to be in the healthy BMI range... though part of me knows that might never happen.

What did you do this weekend?  Do you normally pack your own food to take with you?

Changing it up. Again

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When I started on the Weight Watchers PointsPlus program I had a daily points target of 49 - which seemed like a lot at the time.  Actually, now that I think about that number it still seems like a lot!  I remember eating and (more likely) drinking whatever I wanted.  As I lost weight I lost daily points and now I'm all the way down to 26 points.  I've bounced around between 26-28 points for a couple of months now trying to figure out how/what to eat to stay satisfied without going over my daily target.  Back when I started I had so many points that eating my weekly and/or activity points seemed excessive so I didn't and I still try not to, but that is just me.  To do that I was really relying on the free fresh fruits/vegetables.  However, I generally still felt hungry.  Hungry between meals, hungry even after a meal.  Seriously, this can't be normal.

So I started adding more protein to practically everything I ate.  Instead of just eating fruit as a mid-morning snack I started eating fruit with some lean protein.  Same for the mid-afternoon snack and even my post-dinner snack/desert.  Everything has to have a protein.  It seems to be working because I don't feel quite so "pull your hair my hair out because I'm so freaking hungry" all the time, which is nice.  For me and those around me.  Some of my current favorite proteins to add to snacks:

• Dried venison (seriously this is DELICIOUS)
• String cheese
• Yogurt - preferably Greek
• Better 'n Peanut Butter
• belVita biscuits

In fact, one of my all time favorite snacks is:

• 2 Tbsp Better 'n Peanut Butter Chocolate
• 2 Tbsp Fat Free Cool Whip
• 10 grams of Honey Maid Li'l Grahams
• Apple
• Banana

I mix the peanut butter and the cool whip in a small bowl and use it as a dip for the graham crackers and fruit.  It is delicious and can be as big/small of a snack/meal as you  need it to be depending on what you pair with it.

What is your favorite snack?

Suck it up, Sally

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Yes, it's really just time to suck it up.  Last week I wondered how much more weight I could lose and whether I should just thank my lucky stars that I've come as far as I have and begin figuring out how to maintain the weight that I've lost.  The comments I've gotten were amazing and I appreciate every single one of them and I want to THANK YOU for them.  I think the messages you guys shared about focusing on body fat percentage are correct and that the weight will either fall in line or not but that I need to stop focusing on what the scale says.

I listened to a podcast from halfsizeme.com that featured my Twitter friend, Kelly, and we are about the same amount of weight away from goal (actually she's closer than me but whatev...) and she's not stopping.  She's focusing on getting healthy and hitting her goal.  Why can't I?  Kelly was one of the people who posted that changing up my routine would be a good thing.

I also spoke with my beloved Coach Barbara, who gave me (another) Gibbs like headslap (for those NCIS fans out there) when she reminded me that routines need to vary or our bodies will get used to them and become more efficient in dealing with them and so the body doesn't have to work as hard.  At which point I practically slapped myself!  Seriously, it was a full on 'duh' moment.

This is advice that I'd given to friends and fellow Weight Watchers members so why wouldn't this apply to me?  Well, it does and there is no better time to really put this into practice than with half marathon training.  After the half in December I would just run and never had a plan so it was just random miles.  If I felt like 3 miles I'd run 3 miles if I felt like 6... well, you get the idea.  I tried to do one longer run per week and a few shorter ones but there was very little variation to the schedule and I basically stopped strength training.  With the cold and the wind it was also easier to run more days a week than it was to bundle up and get back on the bike to ride on the cross training days.

So the pity party I was having for myself ends now.  I have a half marathon training program and I'm going to follow it.  Including heavier strength training, good cross training (even if it means I have to do it indoors) and planned/solid running miles on the days I'm supposed to run.  I'm also going to start taking measurements again.  I used to do it all the time but then stopped and I think it's going to be even more important now since there are more likely measurement changes happening even if the scale isn't moving.

New Year for You

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I went to my Weight Watchers meeting on Tuesday and it was great to be back (I'd missed my regular meetings because of Christmas and New Years days) and to see all the regular Tuesday meeting peeps.  It was also nice to see a lot of new faces in the crowd.  I've also seen a lot of people posting on blogs and twitter in the past few days about restarting Weight Watchers or starting a new healthy living program.  I've previously posted that I am going to be at my Weight Watchers center to celebrate One Amazing Day on Saturday.  All of these things have made me think about the things that helped me be successful with weight loss.  I thought since I was already thinking of them that I'd share them with you.

Make small changes:

• Set small, but achievable, goals.  If I'd have looked at the fact that I needed to lose 227 pounds when I started Weight Watchers I would have quit at the first sign of trouble because that's what I've done every other time!  Instead I focused on hitting losses in 10 pound increments.  It was hard enough to work at it but they came quickly enough so that I didn't get discouraged either.
• If you're new to working out I'd suggest starting that slowly too.  Begin walking 10 minutes or 20 minutes rather than trying to incorporate an hour.  When I started walking I started at 20 minutes on the treadmill and increased time or speed every few days.  This made it seem less daunting and more fun to see the improvement that I could go farther/faster.
• If you're new to tracking you can start by always tracking one meal - do that for a few days and then add in another meal or snack.  In a few weeks you'll be tracking everything like a pro!  Don't forget the good health guidelines - they will really help you feel full and satisfied all day long.  Perhaps the small change is to focus on getting in the good health guidelines for a few days before focusing on PointsPlus.  

Work toward progress and not perfection:

• I think it is important to focus on making healthy choices but don't let one unhealthy choice or meal derail all the hard work you've done.  Make healthier choices now than you would have before - instead of a second helping of something how about a glass of water with lemon first?  Then see if you're still really hungry for that second helping. 
• If you do make a choice that you feel is less than stellar don't let that completely derail until next week.  Get right back on track at the next meal.  That was the mentality I used over the holidays.  Before the party I calculated and tracked everything and got in some good activity, then I allowed myself to relax a little at the party but the minute we left I was back plan.

If you feel comfortable with it (I didn't at first) tell people what you're doing:

• Making any kind of changes like this are 100% easier when you have friends/family who are supporting you.  Whether it be helping to prepare meals or joining you when you decide to work out the encouragement and support you get will be amazing.  If you don't feel comfortable telling people around you (I didn't tell anyone at work for months and months - in fact I'd lost almost 75 pounds before anyone even realized!) then check out healthy living blogs for inspiration.  There is an incredible amount of support on Twitter for those of us trying to get/be healthy.

In other news for any local readers - I'll be at the Weight Watchers center on Saturday to celebrate ONE AMAZING DAY - a day long event with success stories, refreshments, prizes and more!  I've been asked (along with a few other amazing people) to share my success story!  If you're in the area feel free to stop in and see me and the new Weight Watchers center on Saturday, January 12 from 11 am until 2 pm. The center is located at 205 S. Randall Rd, Algonquin, IL. I hope to see you there!

Reality Check

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Since the last post I've had some time to think.  During the half marathon while I was walking I swore that after the race I wouldn't be disappointed about the race.  My mentor tried to convince me that I'd finished the half marathon but I didn't really want to hear it at that moment (sorry Run-stine).  After I got home and spent more time thinking about it I realized I wasn't disappointed I was angry at myself for not finishing stronger.  Until I talked to Mark (my cousin who ran the same race) and he reminded me that it wasn't all about the race.  He sent me this quote:

The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure.
These qualities are so much more important than the events that occur.
-Vince Lombardi

He also told me that he signed up to run the race so that he could be there to celebrate the journey with me.  We'd traded email/text/phone calls during our training and the messages were pretty similar.  We couldn't believe how far we'd come.  It should come as no surprise that we were both astonished at how well we did during our 10 mile runs.  Prior to 8-10 months ago we weren't runners.  At all.  The fact that we've come this far is an amazing journey.  When the going to rough we didn't quit - even on race day when everything hurt I didn't stop, I didn't wait for the sag wagon to pick me up.  I covered the distance and that is remarkable.

I'm sure you're wondering why I'm telling you this?  Well, it's two-fold really.  For one, people don't necessarily talk about how hard a half marathon will be.  There is talk of how great it will be and you'll feel so great when you cross the finish line.  That's all true, don't get me wrong, but the big part is that it doesn't matter HOW you cross the finish line that matters.  Whether you run, walk or crawl the fact that you did it all is the part to celebrate!

The other reason I'm sharing this is because the theme at the Weight Watchers meeting is about routines.  It seems easier to adapt a new routine (e.g. pack a snack) than to stop being so hard on myself about things that I think don't measure up.  So that's the routine I'm going to work on (see how this all comes back to what I learned at Weight Watchers this week?) to try to be better to myself.

What routine do you want to work on?

What motivates you?

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After I posted about the debacle last week at the grocery store my sweet cousin, Mel, asked me where I got my motivation.  Thinking about the question now I should have responded that I picked it up at the grocery store before being called a big lady (insert laughing here).  Anyway, the question came up again during the meeting because we were celebrating my loss.  This is great question that deserves more than a funny answer.

Either seeing myself through someone else's eyes or seeing an old photo (pre-WW) is enough to kick me into high gear to eat well and work out.  It goes farther than that though.  I want to be healthy more than I want the food that is calling my name.  I never thought that I would be able to walk/run a 5K and now I know it can be done (for walking) and I see that possibility (for running).  I know people like my sister who has battled her own weight and is now running half marathons.  I see the hard work that people in my meeting group put in and see them succeed and that is so inspirational to me.

For more time than I care to admit I thought that I would always be an obese person.  I thought that because my family has a history of weight problems that no matter what I did I would follow in those foot steps.  It wasn't until I started this program and I saw other people being successful and started experiencing some of my own success that I started to get the confidence I needed to continue on.  The confidence and desire to succeed is stronger than my desire to fail.  I know that I don't have to be perfect and some weeks aren't even close to being perfect but I have to at least try and that is way better than when I started.

So what motivates you?  Do you have a mantra?  Do you have an idol?  What keeps you going?

PS - I want to say a special CONGRATULATIONS to Pat who hit goal.  What a fantastic achievement!!  I'm so proud of you!

My motivation

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Originally, I wasn't going to post because I just posted it on Sunday.  In case you missed the "news", I walked my first 9K!!  But I was asked a question last night in the meeting that I thought was important and it made me want to blog again.  So, here we go...

During the celebrations portion of the meeting Karen celebrated my 9K and asked me how it felt.  Amazing, and exhausting and fabulous (of course).  Karen asked if I'd share my weight loss total (there were a few new joiners in the room) so I said I joined in July of 2010 and I've lost 131 pounds (which is apparently wrong after I calculated it last night) and one of the members asked me how do I stay motivated?

Now THAT is a really good question that I answered during the meeting but then thought about it some more... and wanted to kind of answer it again.  Before I started Weight Watchers I would read food blogs - people taking pictures of all kinds of rich and glorious food?  Yes, please!  I'd also been reading a blog called Carrots 'n Cake (CnC) which has quite a lot of food pictures and recipes but it is also filled with information about fitness (the author is a marathoner and regularly writes about running and strength training).  I really started leaning towards reading CnC rather than the other food blogs because Tina's recipes were healthier and generally after posting a recipe or picture of food she talked about working out which always reminds me that you can have good food (and drink) as long as you also get in the activity.  I've mostly done away with the other blogs that only sported the high calorie/no activity posts in favor of something healthier.

The ultimate reason to stay motivated, and one that I mentioned in the meeting last night, is that I don't want to be defined by my weight anymore.  I've spent my entire life being overweight and being limited to what I can do, what I can wear or where I can shop and frankly I'm tired of it.  I want to be able to do things without having to think, I can't do that cause I'm not in shape for that.  For example, next year I'll be married to the most awesome man for five years and we're going back to Alaska (we were there on our honeymoon) and one of the things I want to do is hike a glacier.  We kind of did it last time but had to stop and rest about a hundred times on the way up and we never made it to the edge of the glacier.  These are the kinds of things I want to be able to do.

Oh, and maybe do the Hustle up the Hancock.  I'm still thinking about that one.

One more thing to note... this year has been a whirlwind and I'm going to end it with a bang!  I'm doing a 5K on December 3 which will support the Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Center in Oshkosh, WI.  I set a fundraising goal of $500 but would love to raise even more than that.  Please consider donating through my fundraising page to help raise money for this great charity.  Your contribution is tax deductible because this is a 501(c)3 charity.

Here is the full link, if you want to spread the word to help me raise more money:  http://www.active.com/donate/raceforthelight/JMcElro85

Here is some information about the Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Center:

Launched in 1984, Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services, Inc. (CADASI), is a 501 (c)(3) not for profit agency serving individuals and families in Winnebago and Green Lake Counties who are struggling with the devastating effects of domestic abuse. The agency also educates the community on the dynamics of abuse and how it can help in the fight against domestic violence. It is the only agency providing comprehensive domestic violence programs and services to communities in both counties.
Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services is committed to ending the cycle of violence by providing safety, support and advocacy to all abuse victims, as well as cultivating community awareness through collaborative education and prevention programs.
Our agency's vision is to reduce the incidents and the effects of domestic abuse in the communities we serve and create a long term and lasting difference in the lives of families affected by abuse.