Healthy Lifestyle Challenge 2014

Christmas is over. Whew! Santa's arrival sure takes a lot of preparation on the part of the parents. Still, it was all worth it, the kids shaking with anticipation, the squeals of excitement, the joy of a dream realized. Even if that dream only involves Star Wars Legos. So, a job well done. But a job that left me a bit on the grouchy side. I hadn't exercised for five days.

Christmas made things difficult I didn't prioritize exercise - I hadn't been to the gym since last Friday - and when I tried, it just didn't fall into place. But now? I. feel. good. Isn't it amazing how exercise can turn a frown upside down?

The streak was broken last night when I got myself to the gym despite feeling tired and not in the mood to exercise. I started with a 3 mile run on the treadmill, in 29:29, and then did legs/shoulders/PT exercises. I could feel my body working, and it wasn't easy. I reviewed my workout log and saw I hadn't done legs/shoulders in 10 days (the last time I tried to jump-start my exercise routine before getting sidetracked by Christmas).

I knew that meant I'd be sore today (and tomorrow) for sure. I could avoid being sore by cutting back, scaling things down so as not to tax my muscles but I don't feel like doing that, I'm fine with being sore. It's a good kind of sore anyway, right?

I made it to the gym again today and the trip was powered by my two legs. I rode my bike, starting with a 50 minute loop around town that ended at the gym, followed by back/biceps/PT exercises, and then the 15 minute bike trip back home. It felt so good to be doing what I love. On the way to the gym I opted to ride up this super steep hill, one I avoided for years. As I was riding up I wondered how many people could get up that hill on a bike. Not many I bet, and more importantly, not me for most of my life. It was a good reminder that despite being off my best mark, I'm still way ahead of the fitness game.

But yes, I'm off my mark. And I have an uncharacteristic plan as to how to deal with it. I'm enrolling in a Healthy Lifestyle Challenge, a 28-day challenge through my gym. I know, I'm generally against this sort of thing but I've decided to give it a try for a variety of reasons.

First, I feel like I could use some serious focus in the eating department. This challenge involves journaling my food and exercise daily for 28 days. That's attention, alright. Second, I've been curious about the whole gluten-free thing. I don't think my body has a problem with gluten but I'm constantly hearing how much better people feel when they don't eat it so yeah, I'm curious. Third, I'm carrying a good 5 pounds of pure fat that I gained over these past few months and I wouldn't mind a jump-start to help them mosey along and off my body.

So, clean up the food intake, check out the gluten free things and lose a bit of extra fat. What's not to love? Well, I have an answer for that too. What's not to love is it may be a way of eating that I can't maintain for the long-term. And normally I am against any eating plan that is not sustainable. But I'm going into this with the knowledge that I may not keep this up past 28 days, but I have no doubt that I'll pick up some new, healthy knowledge, re-build some of my healthy habits that have weakened over the past few months and I'm planning to segue the motivation and positive energy I'll feel by having completed this into my ongoing normal maintenance routine.

Ok, so I mentioned gluten-free and you might be wondering what else this challenge involves. It's based on the Paleo Diet but it's not a strict observance of that. I know the challenge includes no alcohol and no caffeine. Wait, what? No caffeine? I can give up alcohol, but coffee? The jury is still out on that one. Yep, I'm planning to make this challenge fit my reality. And why not? It's my challenge, for me, not for anyone else, so I will tweak it as I see fit knowing my results may be impacted as a result. The biggest problem I have is I think I'll have to drink my coffee black. Ouch!

Ok, here's the rest of the deal:

• Weigh in prior to January 5th (Can be emailed or a weigh in can be scheduled).
• Keep a food and exercise log daily. This log will be part of a shared Google Doc and should include all food and drink with approximate amounts as well as workouts completed. Keeping a detailed journal keeps you accountable and will assist you in understanding your body’s needs.
• Each participant will agree to do at least 3 workouts per week (either with a coach or on your own).
• Final weigh-in must be documented by February 8th

So, want to join me? Since it's all done online you don't have to be a member at my gym or live locally to enroll. I'll be posting every day in January (I started that last January and really liked it) and I'm sure I'll post plenty of what I'm eating pictures. Since I have to log my food anyway I'll probably post that here too. If you want to join the challenge with me you can call the gym at (415) 883-9353 to register.

By the way, I don't have an investment in you doing this, it's not like I get a cut of your enrollment fee, but I thought there might be someone out there that would want to do this with me. You can share your progress/struggles/etc here or on my FB page and we can support and encourage one another. And, most importantly, make transitioning after the program a big part of the discussion. I won't be coaching you or running the program, I'll be a participant just like you.

Mark - Before/After, 65 pounds lost

Who will be running the program? None other than Mark, the owner of my gym. Yep, the same guy who featured me in one of his ads. I told you about his being inspired, at least in part, by me, to lose the weight (and who even blogged about it) and did it - he's lost 65 pounds and is keeping it off! Obviously I'm a fan.

Ok, that's all I have on this for now. Feel free to email me if you have any thoughts, questions, etc. I'm happy to kick the idea around with you if you like, funez.michelle@gmail.com.

Merry, Merry One & All!

From our family to yours...best wishes for a wonderful Holiday and a bright and festive new year!

Rolling Toward 2014

Happy Winter Holidays!! I am very excited for my children to experience the wonders of the holidays like no one else but children can.

I am continuing to do what I can, baby steps here and there. The scale has reflected this by inching back under 145 to 144.8 pounds as of this morning. To give you an idea of how I've been eating lately - I had macadamia nuts for dinner last night. Yep, 100% macadamia nuts. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Exercise was rolling, and kind of slowed with the big day drawing near. I admit, I've drifted off to January in my exercise/eating well mind. Not my normal style but this is not my normal life so I'll just roll with it for now. Maybe I'll get a run in after work today. Or maybe I won't.

In any case, I'll be preparing for Santa's big arrival, likely staying up until the wee hours making sure his cookies don't get stale and his milk stays cold.

Enjoy the day, and remember, when it comes to celebrating, it's really only 1 day, maybe 2 depending on how your family celebrates, but it's not two weeks, that I know for sure. Indulge, enjoy, stay present, and then get back to your routine. That's my plan. Kind of.

I'll close with a bit of the good: On Friday I got to the gym MUCH later than planned. I almost skipped it and went shopping instead. But then I realized, how much shopping can I get done in an hour? Hardly any. But in an hour I can run 2 miles and then shower and get ready for the party (that I was going to that evening). Yep, good stuff.

And the not-so-good: Yes, that's a picture of no less than SEVEN empty Lindt mint chocolate truffles, eaten yesterday while driving around from client to client. And yes, I am responsible, solely responsible, for all seven of them. I promptly gave the rest of the bag away to the very next person I encountered. He was happy to receive them and I was happy to unload them. Win-win. Well, more like Lose-Win-Win. But a win in the end so it's not all bad.

Perfectly Imperfect

Ask Yoda

It's Thursday Friday already?! How is this happening? Does time go into hyper-speed in December? Is this happening to anyone else? I feel like the days are zooming by. Of course, of course it's happening to everyone, I can hear it in their frenzied, distracted voices on the phone. And in my own. This isn't the peaceful, mindful lifestyle I'd like to be living but I'm also striving for acceptance of what is so I'll not judge, just accept. Zooming it is. For now.

So Wednesday was a day home with the kids. Those days are numbered, by the way. I am very sad to report that come January I will no longer be working a 4-day workweek. My lovely employer has decided it is best to have everyone working 5-days a week. What century is this? But I'm not in a position to fight this fight right now so I just have to accept it. There it is again, acceptance. I'm doing so by putting my head in the sand and pretending it's not happening. Losing my day with the kids is breaking my heart right now. But uh, well... excuse me while I re-insert my head back into the sand.

Yesterday I went to the gym after work. Glen's spin class was underway so I quickly changed and joined in. When all was said and done I got about 30 minutes of the class, which was perfect. I was short on time so I skipped the post-spin stretching and went to do weights. Arrive late and leave early, what a student.

Weights were chest/triceps/core. Tough stuff there. The pushups are feeling a bit more manageable but the core and tricep work was a challenge. Of course I muscled through (tee hee) and then ran to pick up the kids.

My eating is off-again, I haven't been tracking either. I did so for about 1.5 days and then, blip, I was off. Not sure what to say about that. Nothing to say at this point really. Except that I'll just keep doing what I'm doing, and never give up.

Because of my personal life issues there's been a tape of negative self-talk playing in my head for weeks on end. And it's quite harsh. There is no harsher critic than ourselves and the judgments have been heavy and ever-present. I know it's not helping with the food stuff. And don't get me started on my confidence, suffice to say, it's low. But each workout is like a moment of salvation, a ray of light shining through a hole in the clouds. It's a break from the melancholy that says, "In this moment you are strong and healthy and all is right in the world."

I got on the scale this morning. 145.8 pounds. I am now officially above my goal weight. My pants are a bit snug - nothing you'd notice but I can feel it. And I'm avoiding the pants that were quite fitted a few months ago. But you know what? All is right in the world. In this moment, too, things are good. So much to be grateful for. I will continue to strive, continue to put one foot in front of the other. If, during this time, I take a few steps back, I can accept that as long as I continue to move forward over time. I am imperfect and in that imperfection, I am exactly as I should be.

Fast is the Old Slow

Blog makeover!! What do you think? My Facebook people have given it a big, meh, mostly because they preferred the picture that used to be up. But I was ready for a change so here we are. I have to admit, I kind of miss the picture too though so we'll see. I'm going to sit with it for a while and see how I feel.

Anyway...Tuesday already? Day two of the workweek brings two days of exercise. Yesterday (Monday) I went to the gym after work and started with the treadmill. I ran 3 miles (for the first time since my return) at 6.0 and 6.5 mph intervals. I made the mistake of looking up my prior interval pace, 6.5 and 7.5mph. That means my current "fast" pace is my previous slow pace. Ah well, that's how it goes when you fall off the wagon for a bit.

After the treadmill I did legs/shoulders/core. Surprisingly I did my whole normal workout without too much pain. It's a good thing I managed the occasional workout during my sick/slump episode, I'm sure it saved some of the muscle in my legs. Wrapped up with some stretching and then met a friend for dinner. I had a glass of wine and pasta with ricotta for dinner. Plus a little bread in olive oil. The food choices were not the best but I was good about portion control.

Oh, before I forget! I got on the scale yesterday morning and...dun, dun, duunnn...144.8 pounds. Yes, folks, I am a mere .2 pounds from my red-light weight of 145. Eek! So I decided to start tracking, just to raise my awareness a bit on the food intake. So far it's been helpful, though the wheels fell off tonight at my work holiday gathering. We met at a Mexican restaurant and I made the mistake of arriving hungry. Chips, cheese enchiladas and a whole lotta refried beans later and my points took a major hit. Track it and move on, right? Even tracked the sugar cookies, dinner roll and M&M's I ate at home. Yeah, not a stellar second half of the day. But tomorrow is a new day.

There's good news too, so let me close with that. A bit of balance was achieved with a solid workout. I started with 25 minutes on the upright bike, level 8 - I was doing level 9 pre-sick/slump - it was a challenge but I got through it by way of self-cheerleading during the last few minutes. Then I did back/biceps/core for strength training. I was pressed for time so I had to hustle but I managed to do most of it. I skipped the assisted pullups, again. I think I'm going to just drop them altogether for a while. Lord knows I hate doing them so why not, right?