Happy Easter Week!

I can hardly believe we are 3 months through 2013 already!

The Lenten season has always inspired me to be more reflective on my life and try to re-focus on the messages that get lost throughout the daily life journey. I have done that to some extent, but I am also guilty of letting the negatives we are dealing with, take over my entire mental state some days. I HATE being the negative, depressed girl, and I try hard not to be. I am well aware that as bad as I think things are, yes, they could be worse, yes, there are many people in way more dire situations, and I am extremely blessed to have a good support system of loving family & friends.  That still doesn’t make it easier to deal with and sometimes I just want to wallow!

This past month, I have been reading the blogs and posts of friends taking vacations or Spring Breaks—yes with some envy. However, due to our tight family finances we won’t be doing that anytime soon. However, I have taken quite well to a few Sundays completely “OFF” from the world. Just unplugged and away from everyone and everything! I think it’s helping me keep my sanity as we deal with our life struggles. People will and DO understand! We can’t attend every gathering, see everyone, and be everywhere, it’s not realistic and it’s just not feasible for us. I have learned, my friends are still there, I still communicate with them, and I can still offer them support for whatever they may be dealing with also! Amazing right?

This year has also brought me to a more heightened awareness of my health and what makes me comfortable in my own skin. Overall I am currently down 15lbs, which I am very happy about. I also know I can work harder. I know when I am exercising regularly, I deal with the other stressors better. I struggle daily with eating junk food, getting in workouts, DESPITE knowing how good I can feel. It’s easy to give in and enjoy unhealthy foods or flop on the couch after work. There have been a couple instances where I wanted to skip out on a workout, but ended up going—of course I was so happy I did afterwards! I do not know why any of us struggle against things we KNOW are good for us, especially as we gain positive results. Yet, the battle continues and I for one am still in the fight! I started this year looking for motivation, and I am learning I find it at many random times from a wide variety of sources! I am surrounded by positive, encouraging people on a daily basis. I find that if I look to those sources every day, I am often able to rebound out of my mental funk (that is ever-so-easy to sink into) when life tries to keep me down! Life is always going to throw us challenges, there’s no need to kill ourselves making it more difficult! The real challenge is handling those challenges and leading a good and happy life! After all, isn’t that what it’s all about? J

Day 30 of #Whole30

It is amazing how fast 30 days can fly by. Thirty very hectic days I might add! Some people live fairly quiet, uneventful lives…I am not that person! All my life, I’ve been one of those people to which things just happen- some good, some bad, some great! Either way, I am never bored and hopefully never boring!

Changing my eating habits for 30 days has definitely been a challenge. The thought is to create ongoing change for the better, so there is not really a pass/fail to following the #Whole30. Of course, in our society, that is not how we REALLY think, right? Tomorrow, yes, I will hop on the scale and see what the numbers say, but I can tell you now that I’ve lost weight, I’ve certainly lost inches, and I am definitely feeling great! I bought new jeans this week in a size I haven’t been in in YEARS-comfortably, not squeezed on just to say I’m in a certain size! However, I did have a few so-called “cheat” days---four in 30 days, but instead of thinking of it as failure, I just kept forging ahead, as this is supposed to be a lifestyle habit, hence need to change your mindset too.  I think you set yourself up for instant failure if you consider every setback, no matter how small, a complete failure. I KNOW I’m going eat some sugary treats in the future, I KNOW I’m going to drink adult beverages with my friends...I also know that if those are exceptions rather than the rule, I’m going to feel better, sleep better, perform better and basically not get swallowed up in guilt.

Marching In!

Almost 2 weeks since my last blog - life is so chaotic sometimes! My #whole30 journey while not a complete FAIL, definitely hit a few roadblocks. On the 11^th day I had a couple cocktails (Nicaraguan rum & coke zero) with a friend after the ball game got rained out. However the next day, which was a Sunday, rather than just chalk up a total failure, I just continued on and still treated it as Day 12. That is not what the program plan suggests, but seemed the best option for me. It seems to me that to just keep trekking on is better than nothing. By the 15^th day last week, I was really feeling pretty good, my clothes getting ridiculous baggy, so that was a good sign. However, with a rough week emotionally on the work and personal front, and crappy weather, by Saturday which was Day 18—I had only got in two decent workouts during the week and a lot of long hours with various projects, I was feeling depressed and cranky so I did do some pre-game tailgating Saturday---still far from getting drunk or anything, but 3 adult-drinks are definitely not on the program. Nor were the onion rings I had at dinner, but overall didn’t really experience any ill-effects from that. I also managed to say NO to birthday cake of a friend--fully aware was already having alcohol--and enjoying it! :-)

So here I am at Day 21*—still sleeping well, the heartburn and upset stomachs are virtually gone. With all the other life stressors, workouts been totally slacking though—fearful my 5K this weekend will not be much faster than the last one, but again, just getting it done is half the battle for me right now. Just keep truckin’ right?

The day21* equals: taken with a grain of salt since there was actual “cheating” but I still feel like moving forward better than going to square one since I am still feeling good effects. Some food choices I know am not likely to revisit in the future, but I can embrace others. I miss milk—it will make a re-appearance in my life.  I can live without most processed foods though with barely an afterthought. Three weeks has taught me that I can mostly control emotional eating, that I can feel the positive side effects of not having so much crap in my system, and that people will support me, no matter what!