Hard Work Pays Off

Those of you that have been reading my blog for the last week, thank you! I know I'm just another girl, blogging about issues that many people don't care about, so I appreciate the time you take out of your day to read my ramblings. It has been my goal since I started this blog, to help myself really think about what I have been doing to my body and what I'd like to be doing not to it, but for it from now on. Making the conscious decision to better yourself and create a healthier lifestyle is not something that is easily done. This last month has been not only frustrating and challenging, but also eye opening and wonderful. After discussing a trending lifestyle, known as the paleo diet, a.k.a. the caveman diet (which I'll talk more about a different day) I asked my husband last night if he thought I was crazy. He said, "Not yet, but you're getting there." I just smiled and let out a little laugh. If striving towards a healthy lifestyle is crazy, so be it!

So, yesterday I told you all that I would let you in on some of my results. Obviously I've shared thoughout my previous posts some of the changes I seen, but have never said whether or not I've lost any extra weight. On the morning of January 1st I weighed in at a whopping 152.2 pounds. This was not a proud moment for me, as I learned that the effects of my lazy and unhealthy lifestyle had taken it's toll on me. For those of you that know me, I'm a short girl; only 5 feet 3 inches in stature. My BMI (body mass index) was a staggering 26.96, which falls in the Overweight category. I am happy to say that after a solid month of taking care of myself emotionally, physically, and every other way that I could, I weighed in this morning at 144.2 pounds. This is a BMI of 25.54 and still in the Overweight category; however, I am very, very close to being in the Normal range (18.5-24.9). In 31 days I had lost a total of 8 pounds, and I'm sure several inches, though I never bothered to measure myself. I DID NOT starve myself or work out excessively. I gave in to my cravings at times, I went out to eat, and I still consumed alcohol. The difference now is that I did all these things in moderation.

My goal now is to continue on my healthy path because I'm not just doing this for the weight loss. It is a part of it, but my overall health is more important to me than a number on the scale. As I continue to blog, I plan to share tips, things I've tried, how I'm feeling and whatever else I feel like. I hope you continue to make my writings a part of your day and that you find some kind inspiration from what I have to say. Comments are welcomed! Now, it's time for this girl to head to the gym. It's not too late today for you to do something active either :)

Step Five: Get Moving

The final big step that I've taken towards a healthier lifestyle is exercise. I've always considered myself a runner. Before I moved in with my husband a couple years ago, I was running everyday, rain or shine. It was just my habit to get off of work, go home and put some running shoes, and head out the door for anywhere between 2-6 miles. Now, I no longer live inside town limits, but out in the country. This alone has been my biggest excuse for not running. I don't feel safe on our gravel road because it is quite busy and I'm honestly too lazy to drive to town to run there. I had gotten into the habit of coming home from work, literally putting on my pajamas and turning on the television. That dang Netflix has been a bad influence on me becuase it's so addicting! The most exercise I was getting was laundry, dishes, cooking, and other daily housework. Meanwhile, since I was at home, I was constantly snacking for lack of anything better to do. But, enough was enough...

Since the new year, I'd been working out as often as I could get someone to let me in the school weight room. That wasn't working out so well, so I eventually just bought my own key so I could go in any time I wanted. This is perfect because I no longer have any excuses. I aim to get to the gym four times a week and put in roughly an hour of work. I typically spend most of my time running on the treadmill and doing a lit bit on the eliptical machine. I have been seeing some great improvements in my ability to run. I started off finishing four miles in 45 minutes. I can now do it in 39 minutes. Rather than focusing on speed, my goal is endurance. I'd like to be running six miles in about an hour...so long as I don't have to stop to power walk, I will be happy.

The important thing is keeping my heart rate up high enough. I wasn't doing one dang good thing physically for my body and I've had to suffer the consequences. Weight gain, fatigue, headaches, depression, and overall unhappiness with my self image. Am I doing as much now as I want to when it comes to exercise? No. I wish I could motivate myself to start strength training, something which I've ALWAYS hated. And, I've always wanted to try yoga. I feel like it'd be a great self-calming tool, and make me more mellow overall. Something I think my husband would appreciate.

Tomorrow I will share with you where I am now. The end of my first month calls for some results, right? Until then, I encourage you all to get out there and get moving. I heard a long time ago that you burn twice as many calories standing up as you do sitting down. Let that thought be your starting point...

Step Four: Hydration

I can remember a time in my life, not too long ago, when I would go a week without drinking any water. Heck, there were days where the only liquid I consumed was beer. I've never been what I would consider, well-hydrated. I don't get thirsty very often, and when I do, a couple ounces is plenty for me. I very rarely drink pop. The only time I crave it is when I'm eating Casey's pizza or when I'm at the movie theater with a big ol' bucket of buttered popcorn. Cherry Coke? Yes, please...a large if you don't mind, thank you. I probably drank more alcohol than I should. I love beer, and wine is like candy to me. I can always go for another glass. I've never cared much for either juice or milk, so, about the only other liquid I drank was coffee with a splash of milk, unless it was Starbucks, then I went all out. I've always known that I needed to make a change when it came to hydrating myself, and that's exactly what I did.

I am proud to say that I drink water like it's going out of style. I religiously carry a bottle with me wherever I go. To work, the gym, when I'm eating, if I'm travelling, when I go to bed. There is always water by my side, and I make it a point to sip on it all day. Not only does it fill you up, drinking cold water, especially right away in the morning, helps to speed up your metabolism (I've heard up to 14% in some women). Drinking it also helps to flush out the toxins in your body. Sounds good to me.

Another new habit is drinking a least one glass of brewed green tea a day. Right now my favorite is Lipton Green Tea with Orange, Passion Fruit & Jasmine. I know it may sound a little funky, but I've really learned to love it. I would almost feel lost if I didn't have my cup of green tea every day after work. There's something comforting about it that I can't exactly explain. Plus, we've all heard that green tea does great things for your health, such as give yourbody antioxidants.

Now, I must admit, at first I thought that I could limit myself to two drinks when I was out for supper or at the bar with my husband or friends. When I realized I couldn't hold up that commitment, I decided to change what I was drinking. I typicaly drank Bud Lite and probably an average of five beers, roughly (depended on the night and what was going on). Each But Lite contains 110 calories; totaling 550 calories just in beer. What a waste. I wanted something that gave me a great beer flavor but cut out all the excessive calories. So, I started drinking Bud Select 55. Each beer contains only 55 calories, duh, and about half the alcohol content. So not only can I drink almost guilt free, but I can drink without getting drunk or tired too quickly. Wish I would have done this a long time ago!

As I said earlier, I've never been a huge fan of pop, but if I ever do get a craving for something sugary, I drink half a bottle of zero calorie sparkling water. A friend introduced me to Sparkling Ice (sold at Target, Hy-Vee and Walmart so far that I know of), which is a zero calorie sparkling water that comes in several yummy flavors and contains healthy B vitamins. It's a great alternative to pop and diet pop if you are looking for of pop-like fix.

So, have I noticed any differences since I've made these changes? Yes. I'm not as hungry throughout the day because the water helps to fill me up. The green tea seems to be giving me more energy and focus. I can't even begin to explain the calming effect it has on me as well. I'm instantly in a better mood when I'm drinking my tea. And the low calorie beer makes me feel less bloated and weighed down.

Properly hydrating our bodies is as much important as eating a variety of healty foods. Take a long look at what you drink daily and see if you, too, can stand to make a few changes. Watch what you drink!

Step Three: Taking a Break for Breakfast

I LOVE breakfast food, but hate eating breakfast! Eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage, waffles, toast, hashbrowns, the list continues for awhile... Just the smell of these foods gets me excited to eat, but if it's any earlier than 10:30 in the morning, I want nothing to do with it. When my alarm goes off, I need to get ready for work and brew myself a cup of coffee. I don't usually leave time to do anything else, let alone make breakfast. I think I've always had this strange idea about breakfast. Like, if I don't eat it, it's okay because I don't have to worry about the extra calories. And, why would I want to eat when I don't feel hungry to begin with? It all sounded so stupid to me. Of course I've heard, like I'm sure most of you have, that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It does things like speed up your metabolism and give you energy to jumpstart your day. Blah, blah, blah. I didn't care. But, since I decided to change my lifestyle, I thought I better try eating breakfast. Here is what I found...

Eating breakfast really did speed up my metabolism. Even if I don't work out for three or four days, don't judge me...I already explained earlier that I can't be perfect all the time, when I eat breakfast I don't gain any weight back! Not only that, but by the time lunch rolls around, I'm not at all starving. I can eat a healthy sized portion and not feel like I want or need more.

So, what do I eat for breakfast, you ask? Fruit. Lots of different fruits. I haven't eaten this much fruit since...never. It isn't that I never liked fruit before, I just never 'made time for it.' I would eat something else instead, but now fruit comes naturally. I crave it. But, fruit isn't all I eat for breakfast. I vary between foods such as, whole wheat toast with peanut butter, hard boiled eggs, cheddar cheese and saltine crackers. Basically, I try to get in at least a half a piece of some kind of fruit and some sort of protein to go with it. Protein, as we all know, helps to fill you up. It's a win-win.

For years I've heard of the importance of breakfast, but never cared enough to test it out for myself. I was afraid that by eating it, it would actually make me gain weight. I can't believe how dense I was being. What it does, instead, is keep you from over eating the rest of the day. If you make conscious, healthy decisions about what you eat and how much for breakfast, then you can't lose. If you are not a breakfast eater, I dare you to try it for yourself and see if it changes the way you think about the most important meal of the day. Until next time...

Step Two: It's a Process

Processed food will not be the death of me. Hot dogs, Chef Boyardi, box dinners, frozen meals. Since when did this become a typical meal for people all over the world? As I type this, I cannot wipe the look of disgust off of my face. I had been living on that junk for years and didn't think much of it. We all know it isn't good for us, and the additives in some of these foods have been linked to several different health problems, but we continue to consume it day after day. I knew that I wouldn't be able to quit all of these food completely cold turkey, mostly due to the fact that they all contain products that our bodies have learned to crave, so I told my husband that I was giving up frozen pizza. Yes, frozen pizza...one of the easiest, fastest, and delicious processed meals ever created. It has always been our go-to meal when we felt too lazy to make anything else. But, have you ever looked at the calorie content on them? Most frozen pizzas contain 1500-2500 calories for the entire pizza. Don't forget to add in the calories from the ranch dressing that you have smothered piece after piece in. I have been known to consume the entire pizza by myself in one sitting. That is enough calories for two days for a female with low activity...in ONE meal. Are you grossed out yet?

At this very moment, my husband has decided to cook himself a frozen pizza. The smell of it alone has me cringing. He has no idea that I am talking about the very thing in which he is intending to eat...vigorously...smothered in ranch dressing and Frank's hot sauce.

When I decided to cut out the infamous frozen pizza, I didn't realize how easy it was going to be to cut out other processed food as well. My cravings have diminished to the point where I feel no temptation whatsoever to eat them. This is a glorious feeling. I challenge you to give up your favorite processed food. I believe it will motivate you to give up more of the things that are literally weighing you down. Happy eating!

Step One: Smoke Out

The memory of my first cigarette is about as clear to me as my first drunken night. Needless to say, it's a bit blurry. I do remember that I was a junior in high school, so either 16 or 17 years old, and I was with two of my girlfriends. We were driving around in one of their cars, just scooping the loop as we used to say. When one friend got them out and 'peer pressured' me into trying one, I thought, ok, I can do this. When in actuality, I had no idea what I was doing. I didn't know how to get it lit, I was afraid to put it in my mouth and puff on it, basically I thought I was going to die...or at least go to hell for trying them. After that day, I picked up the nasty habit because I truthfully thought that it made me a little bit more cool. All of the popular kids were smokers and I hoped that by sharing something with them, maybe they'd like me. In the end, I realized that I never really liked myself, so it didn't matter whether other people cared for me or not. But, that's another story...

I've never considered myself a smoker, even though I've been doing it off and on for around 9 or 10 years. I typically go through phases where I'll smoke for a year then take the next year off. The fact that I was able to quit whenever I felt like it without going crazy seemed to justify my idea that I wasn't really a smoker. My latest smoking frenzy started in March of 2012. I had recently been promoted at my previous job, and the stress of it began to really take it's toll on me. Many of my co-workers were also smokers, so it was nice to take a break at work and bitch about the day's events. I didn't intend to start smoking all the time, was just going to do it at work. But, if you're like me, if there are smokes in my car, I will smoke them. There's no stopping me. I have no self control in that situation. I sound like an addict...

I had been wanting to quit pretty much since I started up again, but with planning a wedding, changing jobs, and dealing with day to day stress, I just wasn't fully committed to the idea of stopping. I wasn't ready yet, I guess. When I'm smoking, I can tell. My body hates me for it. I get tired all the time, and feel out of breath just walking to my car. Granted, I could stand to lose 10 pounds, but that had nothing to do with it. I was killing my lungs once again, and needed to stop. On New Year's Eve I was going on a party bus with friends and knew that I would want to smoke. I bought a pack that day, smoked maybe 6 cigarettes through the course of the night, then gave away the rest of my pack, something I've never done before. I've been smoke free since the start of 2013 and have loved every minute of it. I have more energy, and best of all, I don't feel out of breath walking to my car anymore!

My decision to quit smoking is just one aspect of the healty lifestyle I am trying to maintain. Do I fear that I will smoke again? Yes, but right now I am committed to being the best me I can be. What are you willing to give up to be the best you can be?

Resolution Revolution

New Year's Resolutions are stupid. Granted, I only call them stupid because I've personally never been able to stick with them. I tend to come up with about ten different resolutions, which is clearly way too many to even have a fighting chance of adhering to for even a mere day or two. It's my own fault I guess. I overshoot and I completely miss. This year, I again decided to use the New Year holiday as an excuse to try kicking a few of my bad habits; however, I'm not calling them resolutions anymore. This is my Resolution Revolution. I'm not even sure if that makes sense, but I'm going with it because in my head I understand what I mean. I think this is why I've made it to almost the end of January and I've been able to stick to them for the most part. I say for the most part because face it, we can't all be perfect all of the time. Even if you think you are...you're not. Get over it.

These habits that I'm trying to break are all part of my new happy, healthy and free lifestyle. Haven't you ever just wanted to let go of everything and just be? Be in the moment, be content, be yourself, be meaningful, be thoughtful, be worthwhile. I've been wanting that my whole life, but have never figured out how to do it. I know it doesn't happen over night...that's why this time I'm giving myself three months...just kidding! We all look for the quick fix to our problems and our shortcomings, and then when we don't see the results we want, we become discouraged and give up before really even beginning to try. Is it human nature to be that weak? I don't think so. That's why I'm not ready to give up the fight. Because when I think about it, it's not a fight at all, but a journey we all take and some are longer than others. Each day is another step. Tomorrow I'll begin to tell you about mine.

One Step at a Time

Have you ever, at some point in your life, felt like your life was lacking something? I think I've always felt that way, to be honest. It's like no matter what happens, good or bad, I am always looking for more. More of what, I'm not sure, but I just know it's has to be something amazing! Maybe this sounds silly or stupid, but I guess this is why we all dream. Dream of new homes, happy relationships, babies, marriage, weight loss, perfect jobs, money, best friends, beauty. The list goes on and one. Some of us are looking for just one of these things, and others look for all of this and more. When can we ever, truly be happy? Content. I'd like to be content. I thought that I was, but I think I've been in denial. Up until now, I've sort of let life 'get in the way.' I've realized that life doesn't just happen...you make it happen. And it's time for me to start really living my life. This is my quest to become Happy, Healthy & Finally FREE!

To begin, I guess I should share a little about myself. I'm at the ripe age of 25, recently I married my best friend, I work at a mediocre job that I'm thinking I might be content with, I'm in somewhat decent shape physically, and I'm a total nerd. That's the short and condensed version of me. Of course there are all sorts of different facets to my life, and I'm sure through the course of this blog I will touch on many of them, but I don't want to bore you, or myself as I type this, too early on in this journey. One step at a time. Tomorrow we will delve deeper. Until then, do something that makes you smile :)