Weigh In Day! Officially 50 lbs down!

Good afternoon,

Today's weigh in marked an important mile-stone for me: I have officially lost 50lbs.  This week was a total of 1.4. Together, Jon and I have lost 102 lbs. This is important to me for multiple reasons:

1. Every time I have lost 50lbs, I have gotten pregnant, thus gaining the weight back. No pregnancy for me this time (permanent prevention will ensure this!).

2. This is the lowest weight I have been since I got pregnant with Hailey (7 years ago).
3. I bought a pair of shorts in the same size I bought my freshman year of college (and I cried a little in the dressing room!).

Here's the unfortunate part of this milestone (for right now). I lost part of my weight before joining weight watchers so they only consider the 30lbs I have lost with them. I have missed the last several meetings and have been meeting hopping. I wanted to celebrate the important milestones with my leader (on Sundays) so I have not gotten my 10% key ring yet even though I earned it a while ago.  I really would like a 50lb charm from them...but I suppose I am 20 pounds away from that, according to WW! Anyway, since I officially hit the 50lb mark, I am putting up a new progress pic. I will add this pic to the progress pic page.

On another note, for our 10th wedding anniversary (last month), I gave Jon a bundle of envelopes with 12 pre-planned dates (1 per month). He opens the envelope on the last day of the month before, we read the date, and mark it on the calendar immediately. This month was Putt-Putt golf, just like we used to do! We took a few pictures and Jon commented: "wow, we're a good looking couple!" I thought it was pretty cute of him to say. We had a lot of fun; we always have fun together but I am loving our new healthy, energetic relationship. We have gone through so much together in the last 10 years of marriage, and nearly 14 years of being a couple, that this road to health has been quite a "fun" adventure. I love seeing us revert to the youthful couple we were when we first started dating.

Not much of an insightful post tonight; I just really wanted to update on progress since it was a weigh in day!

Working our way to fit as a family,

Kati

Family Fitness spreads...

Good morning,
Yesterday was my rest day, and I thoroughly enjoyed a night off running! I still did Emma's mile with her though. Since we set out to do a mile a day; she has not missed one. Yesterday, I drove Emma up to Kentucky where we met my mom and aunt. Emma is spending the week with my family. Because of the drive, Emma had to run in the morning yesterday. I took Abbi out to Jon's car to put her in her car seat and give her some loving. When I came back in the house, I couldn't find Emma. She had taken it upon herself to go change her clothes and get ready for her run. She had to wait on me to get ready; I am so happy she is taking the initiative on her own!

With Emma spending the week in Ohio, we had to make sure everyone was on board with her exercise plan. Aunt Jess will be running with her and mammaw and pappaw will be walking with her as well! Its a multi-generational plan for Emma :)

I received a message from a reader asking about what happens if Jon and I are not on the same page with diet/exercise. I think this is a common problem. Right now, Jon and I are totally on plan together but there are times when we aren't. Its much more difficult to be successful, but its not impossible.

If I look back over the last several months of Weight Loss, I can tell you exactly when Jon and I were not on the same page. In November, Jon gained the entire month and I lost the entire month. I was clearly on plan; Jon was not. Through out the last couple of months there have been weeks where I was frustrated and wanted to give up or just got tired of counting points (those weeks were either gains or no losses). It is much more difficult to stay on plan when your significant other is enjoying a greasy cheeseburger or a large ice cream. However, keeping your goal insight is key. Ultimately, this journey is an individual journey. Is it better to have someone working with you--absolutely--but you can't let your partners choices deter your goal. I am so grateful that Jon and I are both dedicated at this point. When one of us is having a crisis (not wanting to exercise, eating a gallon of ice cream) we can talk to each other about it and know that the other person can talk us off that ledge. Prior to our journey, if I wanted ice cream, Jon would go to Kroger and buy it. If Jon wanted ice cream, I'd yell "get me some too" as he headed out the door!

Communication is key in this situation. I have asked Jon to support my goals and he has asked the same as me. If I am about to binge, he will ask in a non-threatening, non-mean tone :"how many points is that?" There was a time when I would have been angry at him ("you're saying I'm fat and can't eat this???") but now I appreciate the support. I know he is only doing what I have asked. My advice for the person that is struggling to stay on plan because your partner is not dedicated to being healthy is to communicate your goals and ask for support, but keep your individual focus. Ultimately, you will feel better and perhaps your healthy eating and exercise will be contagious and your partner will join you!
Best of luck and thank you for the message!!!
Working our way to fit as a family,
Kati

ABBI-MONSTER strikes again...

This morning, I planned to do a 45 minute workout before the girls got up. They have their well visit appointments today so I wanted to get my workout in before our day began. Abbi had different plans for us.

Abbi earned the nick-name Abbi-Monster when she was kicked out of the nursery her first night after she was born because she was waking up all the other babies. When we call her Abbi-Monster, we mean it with affection and she giggles and "roars" at us. Last night, not a lot of giggling happening in my house! Abbi COULD NOT sleep from 3-6. She was up at 9:30 when we went to check on her (we put her down to sleep at 8:00. She must have dozed off sometime after 9:30, but then at about 11:00 came begging to sleep in our room. We built her a pallet on the floor because she is very difficult to sleep with. She tosses and turns and moans cries. Its quite insane. Anyway, at about 3:00 she asked me if bed time was over, I told her to go back to sleep and she began flipping and flopping and spinning in circles on the floor "trying to get comfortable" . Unfortunately, this is a relatively common occurrence for Abbi. She doesn't sleep all the way through the night very often. She typically wakes up several times at night. I am going to speak to the doctor about this today because after 3 year of this, I would like some solid sleep (and I am POSITIVE Jon feels the same way!) ETA: Her pediatrician reccomended we try melatonin with her... started 1/2 dose tonight.

When our alarm went off this morning, Jon slowly sat up on the side of the bed (we were both exhausted from Abbi). I said, "ugh, this is the type of morning that will tempt you in to an evening workout." He sat there for a second and asked if I wanted to work out this evening instead. I replied some sleepy sort of yes, so we went back to sleep and actually got a solid hour of sleep from 5-6 until Abbi woke up for good. Don't 3-years-olds need more sleep that a few non-consecutive hours? I konw for a fact that 32 year-olds do!

For the last few days, I have been trying out a new ap called "Moves."

A friend introduced it to me and I LOVE IT. Its like a pedometer but it tracks all your movement (running, wiking, biking) it can distinguish when you are traveling in a car and it goes in to batter saver mode when you are inactive. The first day I downloaded it, I cleaned the house for several hours. My phone sat on the charger, or on the counter, or on the dresser. I earned 139 steps... I realized I needed to make a point to keep my phone on me! Saturday, I earned 2,960 steps (again, most of the time at home, I didnt keep my phone on me.).  Sunday back to 192 steps ( a whole day at home, a whole day phoneless!). Yesterday I made a point to keep my phone on me with a goal of 10, 000 steps. I hit 10, 249 walking steps which, according to the ap is 1 hour 36 minuties of walking or 4.4 miles. I did not realize it would track running separately so most of my workout yesterday my phone sat on the treadmill. I picked it up to see if it would count my steps, so i actually earned 0.5 miles running (984 steps in additiona to my 10, 249).

The ap is cool because it shows you how much time you spent each place all day long. The only problem I have with  (aside from my problem of leaving my phone laying around) is it does tend to drain the battery quickly. It is supposed to last all day on one charge, but I guess I am using some other battery hogging aps as well. I find that whenever I am not moving, I need to plug my phone in! Not a huge deal, but just need to charge a little more often than I used to.

And for an update on Emma's "marathon" training. Today she ran a mile with me in 14:40. She shaved 4 minutes of her time and did not complain about running once. It was cooler today and I think the idea of running for a long time scared her. I told her day two would be easier and it was. She said tommorow she was going to run her mile in 5 minutes. If she does, this mamma won't be able to keep up with her!!!

As always, working my way to fit,
Kati

Family Fitness and cleaning things up:

Good morning blog family,
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I had a great time celebrating Father's Day with wonderful husband. He really is the best dad; my girls are truly lucky to have a dad like him.

I too, have a wonderful dad, and even though I did not get to spend the day with him yesterday I thought of him often. He sent me a picture of himself holding the gift we mailed him (a gift card for new clothes since he has lost so much weight!). I don't have his permission to publish the picture so I will have to ask him if I can add him to a future blog post! He just looks so fantastic; the 40+ pounds he lost took about 10 years off of him; he looks like a baby! I am proud of you dad and I am proud to be your daughter! Hope your Father's Day was fantastic.

One thing I have discovered on this fitness journey is that the goal to get healthy begins to expand beyond just weight. Both Jon and I have different attitudes; we've realized that negative factors in our life just aren't worth the negative energy. It's been really refreshing to just have a more positive mindset and to enjoy life more. Part of that enjoyment of life has been coming up with ways to manage our time better.

When we cleaned up our budget (Thanks Dave Ramsey!), and cleaned up our diet/exercise, we realize that the patterns we are setting are life long lessons for our girls. This week, we initiated a new "chore chart".  We each have one that will hang in the kitchen. Each one is a fun color and there are spots for stickers for completed tasks. The end of the week will earn the girls extra money in their commission jars. We started implementing the new chore chart on Friday of last week (after I had worked hard to do a deep clean of the house.) So far, it has been great and we didn't spend our entire weekend cleaning. It feels great to be in control.

I think before we really began to focus on our fitness there was a certain level of apathy in our lives. We didn't always clean up the dinner dishes at night, or sweep the floor, or make the kids pick up their toys. But then, on the weekend, it would take us a long time to clean up the mess from the week. I've realized that if we stay on top of things, we had a lot more freedom on the weekend. It's only been a few days, but I think this new routine will be one that stays for the long haul. 

 The last new development is that Emma has decided that she wants to run a "marathon." (Really, I will sign her up for a kids fun run 1 miler and work her way up from there! But any race she says is a "marathon.") She is very in to art and doesn't really put a lot of effort in to playing/exercise. When we are outside, while Abbi is running around like a crazy person, Emma would much rather get her sidewalk chalk and draw. This has bothered me for awhile, not that she loves art, but that she does seem to want to be active. Her interested in running a "marathon" was my chance to get her in to running and exercise and build a little mother/daughter time in as well. I took her on several walks last week while waiting for my teeth to heal (and they are feeling much better!) but I didn't really stress the running part. Today, we went for our first "run." There were a few tears because it was hot and muggy (Emma HATES hot weather) but overall she did great. We did a full mile (she ran parts of it). Her pace is an 18 minute mile right now. I think, had we gone earlier in the morning before the full sun was blasting on us, she would have run more and not gotten upset about the heat! Tomorrow morning, we will go much earlier. Anyway, our goal is a mile a day until she runs the whole thing. We will still do our bike rides and fun play time, but this little running venture gets Emma some alone time with me and also helps her build up some endurance. She wants to play soccer again in the fall, so the extra running is just all in all beneficial. Plus, I get an extra mile in (I did a 5k at 6 this am at Planet Fitness so the extra mile outside was welcome!). Here is a pic of Emma post-workout. She immediately took her shoes off because she hates sweaty feet!

I hope you all have a happy Monday!

Working our way to fit (as a family!)

Kati

Umm, excuse me? Come again? Did you say a GAIN???

Hello friends!
Today, I was driving to my WW meeting envisioning a post that I had been waiting to write. There is a benchmark that I want to hit, and I am was 1.6 away from hitting it. It was one of those days when I could not wait to get to my weigh in so I could text Jon and some friends/family that I always update to share my excitement about this milestone. So, what happens??? I GAINED 0.6. WTF??? A Gain??? Seriously? My goal this week was to lose two, but I pep-talked myself that if I lost 1.6 I would be excited and not disappointed. When the lovely receptionist said, "you're up, but only 0.6. Not a problem at all; you'll have that off next week," I literally wanted to cry. Yes, 0.6 is a small gain but I had goals to not gain for this entire 16 week cycle. I also was on a streak of several weeks in a row with no gain. I also did not expect the gain. Am I over reacting? Probably. Will acknowledging that I am over reacting change my reaction? Definitely not!  And, if I am going to have a gain, I want to be able to eat some crappy food, dang it, and earn that gain!!!

Okay, to focus on some positive things. I have a couple of non-scale victories to share. First of all, this week my girls and I worked hard to give Jon a very clean house for Father's day. We still have a couple of things to do, but overall the house looks great. I was carrying cleaning supplies up the stairs, and my "house-cleaning-shorts-that-shall-not-be-seen-in-public" started falling down. Emma grabbed my shorts and held them up and we walked up the stairs together giggling the whole way. She said, "mom, if you are going to keep getting healthy we might want to buy you some new house cleaning shorts!" It was a cute moment and those shorts are ones from my college days; one of two pairs of WC shorts that I still have! I don't want to let them go (but I am feeling pretty proud that my college shorts are too big!!!)

Today we went to a yard sale of a friend of mine. I bought a 3 piece suit (skirt w/jacket and undershirt),

a dressy tank top, a cute date-night dress, and several workout tanks all in a smaller size than I have worn in years!!! The suite is too tight right now, but I will get into it! The other items fit great. I also scored some brand new Kate Spade sun glasses! (See pic!) My jaw line is still pretty swollen (thank you dry socket!) so ignore my chipmunk cheeks!!! It was a successful trip, and really the first new (or new to me)clothes I have bought myself since I started losing weight!

My final non-scale victory is all the love and support I have. Today, before 7 am, I heard from two friends/family members that are also working on getting and maintaining fitness levels. I am so proud of them and to hear from them so early in relation to working out made me smile (thanks to my girls, I was awake!) During the later morning, I also heard from another friend who hit a great personal mile-stone with her running level. I have gotten several pinterest hits, facebook messages, emails, etc. from other friends and family. For the first time in many weight loss attempts, I feel like this is the time that I am not stopping. I've gone public with my goals and with all of our circles of communication, you all are not going to let me forget it!!!

All in all, I feel pretty good about today and pretty good about this week. I am definitely disappointed in my weight in, but weight watchers posted this picture on FB today  and I feel like it hit home.  Really, in the grand scheme of my weight loss, this small gain this week does not deter from the progress I have made. In thinking of my week, I definitely did not get the fresh fruit and veggies in that I usually get. I had more carbs than usual (I ate toast, rice, chicken noodle soup. Popsicles, fudge bars, and smoothies) in order to accommodate my very sore mouth. Though I counted points, my body is used to much more protein and no so many carbs. I also got in less high intensity miles than I am used to this week. I will chalk this up to a focus on non-scale victories and be ready to celebrate on the scale next week.

As a side note, I bought some Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter. I learned about this from another blogger and I found it delicious! (I get no endorsements or anything for blogging about this product). I just wanted to share this with my Weight loss friends because this fudge like PB is only 5 points plus per serving (our regular PB is 6) and it has enough chocolate in it that it will curve a sweet craving for me. Now to see if I can control myself with this in the house...chocolate and PB lovers should give this a try!!! I think it will be great with apple slices. I am excited to give it a try on toast this week.

Holy Hills and Humidity

You know I was all revved up to go run yesterday; I had my mental muscle ready to fight my own negativity. I was ready to tell my self to shut-the-eff-up, I had running to do. Well, in all my insight I decided to run (dramatic pause) OUTSIDE (dramatic pause) because I wanted to prove my own progress. Running outside isn't really a big deal; I love to run outside. However, I chose to run outside for the first time since I had my wisdom teeth taken out (and my pain problem was/is a dry socket), in 100% humidity, in 88 degree weather, and through my exceptionally hilly neighborhood. There was a whole lot of genius happening when I made those plans.

So, the run was not as terrible as I make it sound, though I was not pleased with my time on my mile splits:

My overall time was 44:41 for 3.14 miles. That's not entirely accurate since I stopped to stretch and did not turn off the GPS--so my real time was like 42:00 or so.  I learned a few things about myself and running with this trip. First off, Running in the air conditioned Planet Fitness with a steady treadmill (even at an incline) is a lot easier that the heat and humidity and hills. However, I like running outside so I plan on mixing my treadmill and outside running.

I also learned that last year when I started running, I had little mental milestones that I hoped to hit (I hope I can run to the end of this street before I walk). I was "running a 14 minute mile and walking a 17 minute mile). Last night, I found myself hoping to hit the same length benchmarks in my intervals; however, I had trouble pacing myself. I found myself looking at my running ap and realizing I was running at a 9 min/mile. So those distances were reachable, but they were more challenging than I anticipated. My most consistent pace right now is between a 10:30 and 11 min/mile. I need to practice running outside more and get myself use to pacing what I know feels good. Obviously, I was pushing to fast and then not able to keep up the endurance to go beyond my little benchmarks.

I can say that I broke through some of my mental barrios using some of the techniques in Runner's World, but in all fairness I need a trip to Planet Fitness where I can pace myself more accurately and beat my own mental roadblocks that I have stopping me. I think on less humid days, I will do my running outside, it was a nice change. I also have some new baseline times to beat--you know me, I am all about competition with myself ;)

Until next time,
Working my way to fit,
Kati

Mental Muscle: Now I get it

One of my favorite magazines has become Runner's World. This months issue has a lot of dedication to Boston, which I very much appreciate. However, tucked in between there is an article entitled Mental Muscle. It was literally like this article was written directly to me.

As positive as I try to be, I am the WORST at negative self-talk during a run. I start telling myself its okay to walk, I negotiate my goals, I remind myself of my progress (which could be positive, but I use it as a crutch). There is no earth shattering advice in this article; in fact, most of it is common sense that once I read I though 'Duh, I DO that!" It is the simple matter of bringing the problem to the forefront of my mind and addressing it.

Reading this article has me inspired for tonight's run. I am going to employ a few of their techniques to get over my own mental road blocks and just make it through my goals. I am pretty excited about it actually. All it took was someone calling me out on something that I do quite frequently, and now I know to watch for it.

Have you ever had something like that?  A road block that was seemingly simple, yet it just took someone calling you out to make you confront the issue?

Wish me luck tonight on my run; I am going to beat my mental negativity.

Working my way to fit,

Kati

That really HURTS!

So I am not typically one to complain about pain; I have a high pain tolerance and when I do finally complain about pain, its usually bad (as in I need medical intervention quickly). I was nervous about having my wisdom teeth taken out because I had heard all kinds of horror stories. I also heard from several people that they were "fine the next day."  I SO VERY BADLY wanted to be in the "fine the next day" category. Alas, I was/am not.

On Saturday, I was feeling okay so we did a 2.2 mile walk with the kiddos. When I woke up Sunday, the swelling on my face was worse than the day before. I ended up needing more pain pills, so my goal of working out was thwarted. Yesterday, Emma and I did lots of organization and cleaning. Between Ibuprofen and ice, I was able to tolerate my mouth pain most of the day. When Jon arrived home though, I took another pain pill and went to sleep with ice on my face.

Today, 3/4 of my mouth feels fine. I feel like I could go easily run if it were just those three teeth that were extracted...and then there's the bottom left  that is KILLING me! I go back to the doctor tomorrow; I feel like something has to be not right about the way its healing. It is significantly more painful than the rest. Honestly, the others are still a little sore and a little bruised, but my goodness it feels like he left a scalpel down in my jaw on the left side.

My plan for the rest of the day is to finish organizing the spare bedroom with E and then go through E's drawers to clear out some of the clothes she has out grown. I am trying to keep myself active during the day so as to get some activity points.

Walking is a great exercise and I am going to try  do a bit of a walk today with E; its better than nothing!

Here's hoping my next post is done without mention of pain!

Working my way to fit,
Kati

Loss of Wisdom...teeth, that is!

Good evening blogging family,
Its been a couple of days since I last posted because we went through some changes in our household. First all, we changed cable/Internet providers. My last post was right before the installation man came out and installed the new "stuff." For those of you that know me, you may remember how unpleased I was with our first company and that I got tired of fighting them over price, so I dropped them. It was a comical scene, but essentially I refuse to speak with anyone from that company at this point. We switched to a new provider and were relatively happy, but then some salesmen came to our door and offered a pretty decent savings for switching companies, so Jon signed on. I wanted to drop cable completely, and just use Internet. Anyway, we now have a new company and today is the first day I have had the opportunity to set up the lap top with the new information.

In my last post, I spoke of my goal for National Running Day was to be able to hit 4.75 miles in 60 minutes. I DID IT! I actually hit 4.83 miles which is an average of an 12.25 minute mile. Since I do interval training, I actually know that my walk is at a 15 or a 14.45 minute mile and my run is between an 11:00 and 11:30 minute mile. I looked back at Map My Run and saw that I was averaging a 16-12 minute mile back in July of 2012, so I have knocked about 5 minutes off my time. I am liking those results and my goal is to get down to a 10 minute mile. In every interval run, I do the last part of my run at a 6 (10 minute mile). I am getting there!!!

On Thursday, I was pretty sore from my longer run the day before, so I just did a quick 5k. I ran the 5k in 36 minutes, but I did a total of 45 on the treadmill.

I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed on Friday and thought I'd get out for a long walk today. Unfortunately, a trip to the grocery store did me in and I needed a long nap. One of my teeth was a little complicated because of the way it had grown in, so there is some extra swelling and extra bruising around that tooth. The Doc said I could get back to exercising on Monday, but my goal is to get a short walk on Sunday. I don't want to cause any unnecessary new bleeding. Edited to add: The girls wanted to take a walk (after my post) so we went on a family walk; we did 2.2 miles in 41 minutes. I was not in any extra pain, and I was proud of the entire family for getting out and walking.

The good news: this should be the last of my surgeries for a while. :) Two surgeries in a matter of three weeks is enough for me!

I hope you are all having a good weekend, I am off to check out some of my other favorite bloggers!

As always, working my way to fit, (but today, I am lounging my way to recovery!)

Kati

Believe it. Be it. Weekly weigh in and National Runners Day

Last night, baby sister and I went to Planet Fitness to work off a delicious dinner out. I decided I wanted a longer burn, so I set the treadmill for 60 minutes. I was trying to pace myself because I knew that I would run out of steam early. I made it 4.63 miles in interval running/walking (5 minute warm up and cool down) so really, 4.63 miles in 50 minutes. I am pretty pleased with this and it was a new record for me.

With today being National Running Day, something I learned from a life-long friend, I wanted to celebrate my new length record. I found this national running day bib here and had to think long and hard before I came up with a reason that was significant enough for me. I run for a lot of reasons, but most importantly, running is a vehicle on my road to fitness and health.  Tonight, my goal, will be to hit 4.75 miles :)

During my run at PF last night, I avoided my usual Ipod and music and plugged in to the tv because Extreme Weight Loss was on. The person on the show yesterday had a tattoo that said "Believe it, Be it, 155" written across her stomach. In one year, she went from 413lbs to 155lbs. I was amazed watching her run and exercise and so very proud of her accomplishment. I love the idea behind "Believe it. Be it." I have been looking for a short quick little mantra to recite to myself when I am plagued with self-doubt and I think I will keep the "Believe it. Be it." as something to remember.

You all know that I made some food choices beyond my normal routines this week with the party, the emotional eating, etc. I still was not worried about my weigh-in today because I knew that I had tracked every bite and that I was well within my total weekly allowable. At today's weigh-in, I was down -2.8!!! Woohooo!!!

As long as all goes well on Friday, I will be back to WW on Sundays from now on! I am looking forward to it; I miss my meeting leader and the friends I have made during my Sunday weigh ins.

Another shout-out to my newest runners who completed day 3 today. I am SO VERY PROUD of you!

Working my way to fit,

Kati

Food is not a cure-all...

One important lesson I have learned, and am still learning in this journey is that there will be hiccups. Just because I have decided I want to be healthy and fit, does not always mean the emotional side of my brain will listen to the logical side of my brain. Sometimes, emotions will run high, and the desire to turn to food for comfort or turn to food to fill a need (other than hunger) will arise. I am currently in the midst of one of those times. It will be short-lived, and I will not falter, because even now as I am writing, I am gaining the confidence that I will not let this hiccup derail my progress.

This is going to sound childish, but I am trying to be non-specific. Essentially someone hurt my feelings within the last couple of days. Instead of confronting the issue immediately, I let it fester then I saw lots of little things that continued to hurt my feelings. Yesterday, at work, I was a little bored. Not because I don't have a ton to do, but because most of the work I need to do is office work. I enjoy working with children and I like a nice mix of office work and working with kids.

Essentially, here is the UGLY equation:

Festering Hurt Feelings + Boredom+ left over party sweets= potential for disaster.

On the way home from work, I convinced myself that I "needed" chocolate. When I got home, I indulged. At this point, I was still within my points-plus, so it was fine. By the end of the night, I had gone in to some of my weekly allowable; I did not binge on sugar (though, I very easily could have). 

What I should have done was go to planet fitness, but I wanted my three workout days to fall Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday since I am having oral surgery on Friday. In retrospect, I still should have just gone and gotten out of the house and away from temptation. I always feel better after workout, and I certainly don't want to waste points after I just worked my tush off!!!  

The point of this post is that this morning, I still had the desire for unhealthy eating. Enjoying some chocolate yesterday did not make my issues go away. My feelings are still hurt, and I am still battling some deep rooted insecurities. This fitness journey is not just about eating healthy and exercising, there is a mental and emotional side to eating as well. Until we confront and address those issues, the temptation to turn to food for comfort will always be there. 

The good news is that I am able to recognize the problem and not allow myself to go crazy. Even yesterday, I tracked every bite. Today, I am just going "cold turkey" and not allowing my-self any additional sugar. I am not "waiting for Monday" to restart. I never really stopped. I hit a bump, I recognize it, and I am readjusting. I am also still fully expecting a loss at my weigh-in because I have been well within my weekly allowable points and I did not even touch my exercise points.

I get daily inspirational quotes in my email and the picture above was yesterday's. It couldn't have come at a more needed time. I have the optimism and I have the hope. I am working on the confidence.

On a totally different note: there are a couple of people that I care deeply about that have taken the last couple of days to really start a new exercise and eating program. I am immensely proud of them and hope to continue to receive updates. Here's a shout out to you (if you read my blog!) Keep it up!! I am proud!!

Party Recap: Cupcakes, Icecream, and Krispy Kreme Donuts

I shared with you on Friday that we were heading to Ohio for the kid's birthday party and that being in Ohio was always a struggle for me. Going home to comfort food and snacks; it CAN be a weight watcher's nightmare...but this time, it was not. I am really proud of the choices I made while at home this trip. And, of course, traveling can always be difficult because of the lure of snack food. A trip with no snacking was not only healthier, but it was also cheaper. :)

To recap the weekend, our counseling crew went to lunch on Friday to a place that we had never been. The food was fresh and it was delicious. I definitely ate more points than I planned on, but the food was so fresh that I enjoyed it and did not regret it. On Friday night, as we were traveling, we stopped at a restaurant of Abbi's choosing (for her birthday). I went for the tilapia and steamed rice with a caesar salad. All in all, I ended up using some of my "weekly allowable 49 points" but I was pretty happy with my food choices. I ate out twice in the same day without going crazy.

On Saturday, (party day) I knew it was going to be a high point day. I started the day with a run; I did

between 3.1 and 3.5 miles total. Its hard to know exactly because we were running on a loop at a park and there was no good mile marker. We were told the loop was right at a mile, but based on my pace, I think its a little less than actual mile. I went 4 loops; Jon went 5. We warmed up together, ran one entire loop at my pace and then cooled down together. It felt great exercising with him. It also felt great being able to completely run the loop 2 times with no walking. I did interval walking on the 3rd loop. (The 4th loop was our warm up/cool down and a little running to finish out the time). Overall, it was a great 40 minute workout.

In anticipation for the party, I only ate a protein bar after my run. At the party, I kept portions small (or normal) and stayed within my points range. I ate one cupcake and one scoop of ice cream. For "dinner" i had one serving of veggie chips. I ended party day with only using 1 "weekly allowable."

Sunday was travel day; traveling as a weight watcher is much cheaper than traveling as a snacker! My big problem came when we got home. Allowing myself a cupcake on Saturday, and a cupcake on

Sunday with lunch, my body was craving sugar. Little sister had a box of krispy kreme donuts at my house when I got home and I gave in and ate 1. Just 1. But on top of the cupcake from earlier, my "not used to sugar" body rejected that donut! I was sick during my run Sunday night. I still made it 3.3 miles, but it was not a happy 3.3 miles.

Overall, the weekend went very well. The party was a success; I got to see and vist with lots of family that I had not seen in a while. I also got to meet my life-long friend's new baby :) She is such a sweet sweet baby.

I am going to weigh in this week on Wednesday morning, but then its back to Sundays. My weekends have been a little crazy lately, but I see things settling soon. I was able earn 49 activity points last week, so I am hoping to hit 50 this week.

Hope you all had an enjoyable weekend.
Working my way to fit,

Kati

Non-scale Victories

Non-Scale Victories (NSV) are important to acknowledge because there are times when the scale doesn't reflect the hard work that we have put in. There are also times, even when the scale is reflecting hard work, that NSVs can add a bit of excitement. I have a couple NSV's to share from this week. 

First of all, I started a sticker chart for both Jon and I back in November when we first re-joined weight watchers. Each sticker equals a pound loss. I also have a picture of my girls right by our sticker chart to remind us that we are setting habits for our children that are lifelong. Between the two of us, there are 99 stickers hanging on my refrigerator.  The average weight for a 12-13 year old girl is 95-105. We have lost a 12 year old!!!

This sticker chart, along with my girls pic, hanging on my fridge is an anchor that keeps me steady when I want to head in for my evening snacks!

Another NSV to celebrate is a moment between Jon and I yesterday. We were having a conversation, and I went to hug him. We were standing there talking, and Jon had his short arms wrapped all the way around my waist and his hands were linked together. This was a HUGE deal for me, but I didn't even notice at first. We were just chatting in that position, and then it hit me, "Are your hands linked together!!!" We both started giggling because its been a long time since we could stand like that. I guess, when you remove 100 pounds out of the hug, hugging gets easier!

Last night I was packing to go to Ohio for the weekend and I was trying on clothes. I was 'shopping' in the small section of my closet. I tried on two shirts that I have not worn in years. Both fit very nicely! They are also the smallest shirts in my closet so I am to the end of my own closet shopping! I will be wearing one of the two shirts on Saturday at a family function.

My last NSV to celebrate today is the demise of a "favorite" shirt! I had this shirt that I bought at Lane Bryant that fit nicely, it was black, and I wore it often with jeans. Last time I wore it, I thought it looked sloppy because it was too big now. However, I refuse to buy new clothes right now, so i am continuing to wear these clothes. Well apparently, my laundry skills are lacking because I bleached my "favorite" shirt. I couldn't even be sad about it because I really shouldn't be wearing it any more!  

This weekend we are heading to Ohio for a family function. This is always a challenge for me but my parents have been doing calorie counting as well. In fact, my dad has lost 40 pounds and won a biggest loser challenge. Mom has lost 30--I am very proud of them both! I plan to stay on track and stay focused, even with the upcoming challenge.

Until next time, working my way to fit,

Kati

Early morning #3..

Quick post today because I am in a bit of a hurry. This morning was #3 of going to PF prior to starting my day. The last two mornings, I have arrived by 4:45 (EEEEEEK). For some reason, today was rough and I did not get a full run in. I did my normal warm up, started to run at a 5.5 pace and EXCRUCIATING pain radiated from my middle two toes. I hopped off the treadmill, stretched, jumped on my toes, and decided to try again. It was still hurting, though not as bad. I decided to just do a fast walk instead. I walked a 4+ pace. I ended up doing 2.6 miles in 40 minutes. After walking all day on my foot, it feels much better. I am not sure what the problem was this morning.

I will say that I learned that three mornings of working out equals a day of feeling HUNGRY all day. I emailed Jon to tell him I was ready to eat my arm! I stayed on point though; I snacked with two apples and an orange. (Normally, I only need one snack during the day and its usually an apple!). 

Tonight is Emma's final soccer party so we are going to a pizza place. I have enough points for two pieces of cheese pizza and a shared Caesar salad. I'm planning ahead so I keep true to my program.

Have a great night! Thanks for reading--I enjoy all of the messages I have gotten :)

As always, working my way to fit,

Kati

Weekly Weigh in and Addition of Progress Pics

Today was the last day of school for teachers! It feels great to be ending another school year. I have one full week of work and then its SUMMER TIME for me! Honestly, in ten years of being in education, I have never just taken a summer off. Usually, I am going to work shops, lesson planning, doing committee work, etc. This summer, I am truly taking OFF! And, I am looking forward to it. I am going to focus on my health and my family so that when I go back to school I will be revitalized and rejuvenated, and hopefully several pounds lighter.

Speaking of pounds, I went to Weight Watchers today to weigh-in since I missed on Sunday. I lost 2.6 this week :) I earned my 25 pound trinket (26.6 total, 46 grand total!). I am feeling pretty satisfied about this loss.

I realize that for many many weight loss blogs, there is always a section of progress pics. I decided to add mine here: Progress Pictures. I don't notice a huge difference yet in my pics, but I can see my face starting to slim down. It will be fun to look back at these pics as I continue to lose.

Today was the big 4:30 am date with Planet Fitness and it actually felt pretty great. I did a 5k in 36 minutes, my lowest time yet. I actually ran at a 11 minute mile pace for 18 solid minutes and then walked at a 4mph for 4 minutes and then resumed running. On work days, I am going to stick to around 3.1-3.5 miles and then plan for longer runs on non-work days.

 I have 6 points plus left so I am ready to see what kind of yummy snack I can find and then I'm off to watch "So You Think You Can Dance" with the hubs.  An odd show for us to like since we are both non-dancers, but after watching this show for so many seasons I really do "think I can dance" just not to be seen by anyone over the age of 5 :)

Happy Tuesday to you all!
Working my way to fit,
Kati

Early Morning workout (Just like Jon)

 Good morning!

This morning I attempted my first run since my surgery. Originally, my surgeon told me it would take about 2 weeks before I could return to running as usual. On Saturday, I did 30 minutes at a 15 minute mile pace. It was a brisk walk, but I felt pretty good after.

I am really trying to focus on the above picture. Its important, but I need to share why I am going to try to switch my workout routine to the morning. Jon has really embraced the 3 days on, one day off and he is literally melting before my eyes. I am trying hard not to be in competition or compare myself to him. We are a team and in this together; but, my goodness, he is looking good! (Sorry for the digression!) Anyway, I believe part of his success is because he is doing he is fasting during his daily cardio. I've read a lot about pre-workout and post-workout meals. It seems that cardio in the morning is exceptionally beneficial for fat burning.  It is REALLY hard for me to workout in the morning because I leave for work about 6:15 am. However, kids are no longer in session, which means, I can show up a little later. This morning, I am off work for the holiday and decided to give the morning workouts a chance.

I actually felt pretty great during my workout. Previously, I had dropped my warm up to a 3 minute walk. This morning, I needed the full five minutes to get my muscles really ready. I had originally set the treadmill for 60 minutes. My plan to begin with was to do some interval training for the first 30, then to walk for the rest. Slowly, work my way back to running. Mission failed. I actually started feeling really great and did a full mile at a 11 minute mile pace. Took a couple minutes for a walk, then hit a second mile at a 11 minute mile pace. Ultimately, I did start feeling a little sore, so I divided the 3rd mile with more intervals. I did a 3.1 miles in 37 minutes and then followed with a 3 minute cool down. I stopped at 40 minutes because I knew that I pushed myself a little and I do want to be able to run tomorrow to. So far, no major ill effects for running earlier than scheduled ( a few minors things that I will not share in a public post!).

Overall, I am glad I tried the AM workout. I am proud of my 37 minute 5k time. 

Oh..and for an update on my weigh in... well, it didn't happen!!! I am so frustrated because I KNOW I had a pretty decent loss this week. We were in an appointment and I was watching the clock like crazy, hoping I would still make it to WW. By the time we were close to the WW center, it was already closed. I am going to try to go today for an open weigh in (not sure if they are open). If not, then I will stop on my way home tomorrow and weigh in after work. I would like to stay for a meeting, but I definitely need to get my weight recorded so I can keep up my progress!

As always, working my way to fit,

Kati

Motivational Moments

Motivational moments can come in places you don't expect. Saturday evening, I went to Planet Fitness because I NEEDED to get back to exercising.  I was still a little unsure about running too early post-surgery, so I decided to do a fast walk. I did 30 minutes at a 4 which equated to 2 miles. Back when I started this progress, a 4 was a 'run' for me. Now, its a speed walk.

Anyway, as I was leaving planet fitness, I passed by a woman on the treadmill and I was so inspired by her. She was walking at a 2.4 and had already walked over a mile. She was large enough that she had to have assistance getting on the treadmill. Yet, she was still there, in a gym, at 9:00 on a Saturday night.  I am so proud of her for getting out to PF and making progress. I have no idea how far along she is in her journey, but I was literally moved to tears by her. I hope to see her more often.

Instagram, facebook, and blogs have become popular platforms for weight loss documentation. When I wake up, the first thing I do is check my phone for updates on my favorite blogs. Katie at Runs for Cookies has become one of my favorite "go to" blogs. She's funny, she's "real" and she has lost over 125 lbs. I feel like she had similar goals to what I have started with, and she used running and weight watchers as a way to get there. I am still a little new to actually blogging, but I stumbling upon her blog was one of the best things I have done!!! Check her out--she's awesome!

Emily, over at Blogging Runner, has become another one of my "go to" blogs. I have realized that running really is a sport that I can get in to and reading about how much others have gotten out of running has really helped me. Emily also used weight watchers as well as running to lose her weight. She is fantastic and another blogger you should check out if you need some motivation!

Today is a weigh in day for me, so I will be updating again later. I just really wanted to share my store about the lady at planet fitness last night, because even after I woke up this morning, them image of her working so hard has stuck with me.

Until later,
Working my way to fit,
Kati

Photo credit: http://www.sheismynutritionist.com/12-funny-weight-loss-cartoons/

Another one bites the dust

I can not believe the end is here. Today is our last school day for students; while I still have to work, there is a different pressure once students are gone! I have been thinking a lot about my goals for this summer; I really want to boost my weight loss efforts with more increased exercises.

I was reading a weight loss blog post about doing a 3 days on, 1 day off workout routine. Jon and I discussed it and that was the routine we were to start following. Jon has done AWESOME! He is slimming down and he has really embraced the 3on1off. I, however, have not. It seems like there is always something stopping me. This week, it has been recovery from my surgery. Last week, it was an insane schedule of soccer games and practices.

Starting this weekend, our lives seem to settle down a bit. My goal is to hit PF tonight, Saturday and Sunday for my 3 on. I will take Monday off. Then, I hope to be able to go to PF before work on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of next week. Since students are not in school, I won't need to be as early as I have been.

Working out in the evening is a challenge because more appealing opportunities arise. I am really hoping that by trying to incorporate morning workouts, I will get in a nice rhythm by the time next school year starts.

As a fun side note: I started the C25K program last June and struggled to "run" two miles in 35 minutes. In fact, I remember thinking "running" 3 minutes in a row was HARD. Now, I am doing interval training runs for 50 minutes and am hitting over 4 miles. I am pretty proud of the progress I have made in a year. I still have a long way to go, but isn't that the point of the weight loss journey? There is always room to do better!

Have a happy Friday!

Working my way to fit!

Kati

Long time, no post!

I was shocked to check back at my blog and realize that it has been since February since my last post! Life got busy and blogging got put on the back-burner. I follow so many wonderful blogs that I found I would rather spend my time reading what those authors were writing than taking the time to write my own post. However, now that summer is approaching and life is settling down, my goal is to get back to writing. Since it has been so long since my last post, I am going to post a few updates.

Weight loss: I have been going strong and faithfully following the weight watchers program. I am currently at a total loss of 46 lbs. We have a new leader that I like a lot and I have found that tracking is key. As long as I am tracking, I am losing!

Exercise: Exercise has been more sporadic than I would like, but I have reached some new personal records. I did interval training with Jon for 4.56 miles; my goal was to hit 4 miles, I never dreamed to him 4.56. Now, my next goal is 5 miles.

Other health: I had my first of two surgeries this week. Because of this week's surgery, I have not been to Planet Fitness this week at all. All went well with the surgery and I am feeling much better.  I hope to be back at PF by this weekend! My oral surgery (wisdom tooth extraction) is scheduled for June 7th.

I am hoping to be more diligent about journaling my weight loss journey. I have been so inspired by the weight loss blogs and running blogs that I follow; I want to keep this blog as a documentation of my journey.

Until next time,
Working my way to fit,
Kati

Habits/Routines and Challenges

Weight Watcher's new 360 program is all about routines--so I am trying to be very reflective of healthy routines that I have established, and unhealthy routines that I have continued with. One habit that I am going to work to change in to a more healthy routine is that "after school snack."

I am sure this habit goes back to kindergarten--when we get home from school, we have a snack. Unfortunately, lately, as I get the girls' snacks together, I end up making unhealthy snack choices for myself. Its frustrating--yet I still find myself doing it! I count the points, so I know I am okay with my daily allowance, but I would like to make better choices at this snack time.

Here is my plan for my new routine:
1. Take everything in the house, as per usual, and get the girl's milk and snack.
2. Get myself a healthy snack
3. Stay the "H" out of the KITCHEN until time to make dinner.

Its #3 that I have a problem with so I am going to try some things to overcome #3. On nice days, I am going to take the kids outside so that we can play and I can stay away from temptation. On not-so-nice days, I am going to go upstairs and start working on scrap booking and schoolwork binders for the girls. I have found that staying on the same level as the kitchen is just too tempting! I know that if I start a new routine for a couple weeks, it will become a habit. Here's to developing a new routine!

Anyone else have this struggle? What do you do to overcome the "after school snack" temptation?

Working my way to fit,
Kati

I survived...and so did my weight loss

So, I made it through the toughest part of the year for me. The combination of mine and Hailey's birthdays are usually quite rough. Its usually about a two week period that I am just NOT myself.  I love to celebrate my own birthday, but its been hard since Hailey; those days are just so close together.

I approached these days with a plan:

1. Do not turn to food for grief
2. Maintain my excerice
3. Allow myself 2 pounds gain without being upset

Sounds like a great plan--here is what actually happened.

1. There were days that I did make unhealthy food choices, but I did not go "crazy" as I would have in the past. I did not just sit and eat chips and feel sorry for myself, but I did indulge in some unclean food that I have not allowed myself to have (because I don't trust myself to stop once I start).  I ate the meal, but counted the points. I went over on my points, and used my weekly allowable, plus some. But I was still conscious of what I ate instead of just blindly eating crap.

2. I did not maintain my excerice like I would have wanted too. Instead of hitting the gym, I did lot of play time with the kids, spent some time on my treadmill (not as much as I like), but mainly focused on positive energy with the family.

3.  Weight gain without being upset... So I tried to use the plan that our leader talked about over Holidays. Give yourself a limit and do not be mad if you gain within that limit. I decided two pounds would be it.

Week 1: Gain 4.6 (GASP) okay, I can be mad because I certaininly went over that two pound limit. I got myself a little more under control. Concentrated a little more on tracking...

Week 2:  Loss 4.4. Overall, I had a gain of 0.2, which is well within my two pound allowance.

So, I made it through my "dark" month with only a minimal gain, a few days of tears, and lots of successes. I am beyond blessed with great friends and a great family. I am so excited that spring is approaching and am looking forward to being "me" again.

So, long February!
Working my way to fit,
Kati

Eye-Twitchingly stressful week

Hi long lost friends!!!
While I have certainly dissapeared from the blogging world for the past week, I assure you I am still here and conscious about getting fit!

This past week, not only was I exceptionally busy at work, but it was also the last week of a class I was taking. Between being on the computer at work, and being on the computer to finish my homework, being on the computer for blogging was just out the window!!

Weigh-in on Sunday was a little dissapointing. I only lost 0.4, however, being that I went out to dinner with my family on Saturday for a birthday celebration, I expected to not lose much at all. Never a good idea to eat a heavy meal the night before a weigh-in, even if I had the 49 weekly allowable points to spend on the meal.
Good news: I am at 39 total pounds lost!!!

Bad news: This week has been insane--and I am not getting quality sleep, and my EYE is TWITCHING from stress!!! I have missed a couple workouts, and I just feel terrible overall. This stress is really getting to me right now. I know that a good workout will make me feel better, but I am already exhausted and on nights I work out, I end up staying up until 11. I can't tell you how ready I am for Friday. I plan on hitting PF on Friday and on Saturday. I also plan on recovering some much needed sleep on Saturday and Sunday so I can start next week with the energy I need!

I do not plan on posting again until Saturday because I plan on going "off the grid" for Valentines day. My husband deserves my full attention!  And, I am hoping to go to bed EARLY on Friday... so, with that... Have a happy Valentine's day! Do something fun that does not require eating unhealthily!!!


Working my way to Fit!
~Kati

LT3

Little
Things
To
Try
LT3! This week my new interim WW leader challenged us to try a new little thing and to make it a routine. This month's WW routine is to plan for exercise. So my LT3 was to plan my exercises and follow through with them. On Sunday, I sat down and wrote down my exercise days on the calendar. Today, I had a bit of a rough day at work. I got home and played with the girls, and before I knew it, it was bath time. Jon commented that he didn't really want to work out today. It would have been very easy to just skip exercise and snuggle on the couch watching our DVRd shows (<---- this would attribute to our weight gain of the past!). Anyway, my calendar said it was a work out day--my co-worker and friend asked before I left work if it was a work out day--every thing was screaming at me: IT IS A WORK OUT DAY.

Guess what??? To Planet Fitness I went and I rocked it! I went 3.5 miles and shaved 5 minutes off my normal time!!! That's a huge gain for me. The circuit was pretty full, so instead of adding a circuit, I hit the stair stepper for an additional 30 minutes. My friend Sam and I say that we know its a good workout when our eyelashes are sweating.. and mine definitely were today!

Even though I was not so motivated to hit the gym tonight, I stuck to my plan and I feel great. Fat me would have preferred to eat chocolate and ponder my stress with a book and TV. Fit me kicked stresses booty at the gym. I am loving this new me!
Jon also killed it at his workout tonight all--he added an extra mile to his workout: 5 miles in 50 minutes. I'm loving the new us!

Thanks for all the continued love and support.
Working my way to fit,
Kati

Weigh In Day

Routines and habits: the new focus of WW 360 program. Sunday is a day filled with routines for me. I wake up, do laundry, feed the girls and Jon a breakfast of waffles (because its Sunday breakfast) while I enjoy my egg beaters because eating a heavy Sunday breakfast before weighing in seems CRAZY to me :) Then, I head off to weight watchers where I happily step on the scale and my favorite WW leader, Jon, encourages me to keep up the good work. Jon is an awesome leader--the best leader I have ever had. In fact, when I rejoined WW I actually switched meeting days because I enjoyed his meetings so much.

Cue dramatic music: duh duh duh...

Today, JON WAS NOT THERE! And, to make matter's worse, Jon is not coming back to Sunday meetings!!! WHAT??? I liked our leader today; she was great, but she was not Jon! She is just a sub for this month, our new Sunday meeting leader starts in March. As I have learned recently, a change in leadership can be good. But, through all of my weight watcher leaders (and I have had many), Jon has been my favorite. I am sad to see him go. Regardless, I will keep on trucking through this weight loss and I will keep going to my Sunday meetings because I like the routine I am in. I am hoping that my new leader will be fantastic, but if she's not, I am going to keep working hard to earn those stickers!!!

Today's results: -3.6 for a WW total of -20.8 or a grand total of -38.2 :) I am a pretty happy camper! My goal for the next 5 weeks is to lose 2 per week. That will put by 16 week total at WW at 30.8.

The bad news (not really bad) is that with my new weight, I lose a point. I am okay with that--I actually usually have to find a snack at the end of the night to finish my points anyway.

I am off to go finish watching the Superbowl. Went to a Superbowl party this evening and ate relatively healthy. One small desert, but I am positive that I did not veer over my weekly 49.

Have a great week!
Working my way to fit,
Kati

My own dragon...

Welcome February.
February is usually my dark month; a month that I mourn the loss of the daughter that I only got to hold for two short weeks while I smile and attempt to celebrate her life. Those closest to me know that I put up a good front, but the weeks leading to Hailey's birthday are usually the hardest of the year for me.
As I am spending a lot of time focusing on getting healthy both physically and mentally, I welcome February.

I will reflect and blog my way through my "dark" month, and perhaps I will realize that there is a lot of light to be shared. Hailey's life was about celebration, and in this darkness, I will find the celebration that she gave to us. For this post, I am going to celebrate my husband...

Today started with some self-doubt: this is part of my weight loss journey that I have to face full on. Every time I find success in weight loss, I have a personal dragon I have to face--and its a BIG one.  I was hurt by someone a long time ago, and every time I start to feel confident and start to like the way I am looking; this dragon rears his ugly head. This week I have done well and I look forward to weighing in, but I can feel that dragon burning on the back of my neck.

This dragon, my own self-loathing, pulls at the very core of my own insecurity and usually sends me down a path of self-sabotage. .

Today, in my own "dark" mood, I made a self-deprecating comment that somehow  had Jon agreeing with me, but not intentionally. It was like I purposefully worded my own dislike with my body in a way that trapped him in agreement. Once he realize what he had agreed to, he put a lot of effort in to restating his comment and explaining why he loved me so much. As I reflect on this incident, I realize that I have really married the most perfect man in the world for me. He is truly my best friend and he knows how to bring light to the darkest moments. He has seen me in best, and in my worst, and in all of that--he loves me unconditionally. There are times, when his unwavering faith in me leaves be breathless and I wish I could steal just a portion of that faith in myself. I am proclaiming that this time I will beat this dragon. With Jon by my side, I can conquer anything the world throws at me...and right now, its throwing my own personal dragon.

Please bare with me as I take February one day at a time, and sometimes one moment of a time. After all, Hailey taught us to enjoy every moment.

Working my way to fit~and this month its an emotional fitness that I am working on as well as a physical fitness~
Kati  

STRESS and the importance of finding something to ground me

Stress is such a trigger for me to want to over eat. There are several factors in my life right now causing more negative stress than usual, and I just keep thinking about wanting to go and eat some comfort food. Luckily, I have an excellent support system and a wonderful husband that is reminding me of my goals. I think by writing this post, I am actually talking myself off that ledge--you know the one that keeps calling me to the kitchen for a snack.

As a counselor, I practice de-escalation techniques with students most days of the week. One of the things I encourage my students to do is to focus on something that will keep them calm. In practicing what I preach, I want to share a new moment in my life that is helping keep me grounded.  Rachel of the Hands Free Mama blog, shared something she does call the Heart Beat Check. I LOVE THIS--and have started doing Heart Beat Checks with my girls every night. Tonight, Abbi was squiggly and wiggly and I did not get a good listen. Emma told me that her heart was a little grumpy and that's why she wasn't a good listener tonight. When I leaned my ear in and listened to her heart, I told her I heard a happy heart that was just a little too tired. It was a sweet moment that brought me to tears.

This journey to get healthy is not just about physical health; its holistic health. There are things working in my life right now that are beyond my control, turning to food won't solve those problems. However, a little heart beat check can put me back on the right track to having the mental stability to deny those food cravings and handle those stressors one at a time.

How do you handle stressors? What keeps you grounded?

Working my way to fit,
Kati

Finding Peace in Chaos

Roid Rage in Planet Fitness today really put a damper on my work out. There were two people that were just insanely confrontational and trying to start a fight with intimidation tactics which included blocking some of the machines in the circuit training. The directions are clearly posted and it was a super busy night at PF, so there were several people in the circuit. One of the members made a comment about people not following the directions; unfortunately, that member tapped me on the shoulder and made the comment specifically to me. While I was annoyed by the two not following the workout correctly, I was just minding my own business trying to push myself for my own workout. Well, the confrontational people continued to make comments, blocking the machine to where I couldn't get to my phone and water bottle, and then followed me to the locker room and to the door. If they would have followed me outside, I would have had to say something to the manager. If they are there again, and continuing to get in the way of my workout, I will say something to the manager. I was so frustrated that I was fuming by the time I got home. I explain the situation to Jon, who agrees the people were ridiculous. Really, I just wish the other member would not have made her comment to me because it looked like I was part of the conversation.
Regardless, there is a lesson to learn here:
PF is my place of solace; I feel great when I am there and I feel proud after my workouts. I belong there; I need to be there. No one, including myself, will get in the way of my workout. I let myself get worked up over people who don't know me. People who don't know my journey. My focus is on my journey. I will not be intimidated about going back; perhaps, if confrontational couple is there I can talk to them about the circuit and how it works in a friendly way. The goal is for a healthier life-style for all of us. Maybe they were intimidated by how things work. It doesn't really matter why they acted like they acted. I can not control their actions, I can only control my own. I earned my 16 exercise points for 64 minutes of exercise. I accomplished a longer run, a higher incline, and heavier weights. Breathe in, breathe out, and keep at it. There's much to be grateful for, and there is peace in my heart knowing that my hard work is paying off...

Working my way to fit,
Kati

Weigh-In day

I find it odd that I am excited to go to Weight Watchers for weigh-in days and my weekly meetings. Interestingly enough, the topic of the meeting was sharing the excitement that we have for getting healthy with others around us. Similarly, we can gain inspiration from other's excitment. This week's meeting hit home,

Two times at the gym this week, someone told me I was motivating them to work harder! I'm loving this!!! Saturday night, I hit 2.5 miles in 30 minutes and burned 502 calories on the treadmill. From the treadmill I hit the circuit training section. Nikki and Tiffany (new members) were in there and unsure how to use some of the machines. I showed them a few things and then continued my workout. Nikki told me she was watching me to see what to do--she said "oooh girl, you are inspiring me to work harder." Of course, I was then inspired to work harder! At the end of the night, I had 65 minutes of a workout, more than 500 calories burned and 15 exercise points earned. I am a former athlete, and I am having fun finding my athletic self again.

My goal this week was to lose 2.8 because I would then be in a new "10". I know its a lofty goal, and 2.8 is a lot to lose in one week after being on program for 10 weeks. Still, I like a challenge and I like to have something difficult to shoot for. Anyway, I fell a little short of my goal with a 2.6 lb weight loss. I am not disappointed at all! I am super excited that I hit 2.6! For this week, my goal will be 2.8 again. For no other reason than the fact that I want to hit that number!

This week, we are supposed to hit 70 degrees one day. I look forward to being able to take my kids out to play. I am noticing that my "trouble" time is immediately when I get home from school. I find the need to snack, so I am hoping by immediately going outside, or involving myself in some other activity I can replace the after school snack. Anyone have any suggestions for those trouble times during the day?

Looking forward to another great week! Hope yours is wonderful.

Working my way to fit,
Kati