Learning to Lean in 2017

In 2015 I decided to forgo resolutions and just set goals. In 2016 I decided to center those goals around a single word for the year. 2016’s word was Restoration. I have been putting a lot of thought into what word I would need to focus on this year. When I felt led to Restoration, I had no idea how that word would take on valuable meaning as major life events unfolded in the latter half of the year.

 After some quiet time, I believe the Lord has lead me to the word I will focus on this year:

Lean

The dictionary has multiple meanings for this word. However, the one that struck an immediate chord with me was “to rely or depend”. The verse that I am focusing on this year accompanies this word and its definition in its entirety.

The last half of 2016 has taught me more than ever that I need to learn to lean. I am acutely aware at how inadequately I do this in my day to day life. I am a fixer. I am a planner. I do not do surprises well. I thrive under pressure and I enjoy routine. That is me. All of these personality traits tend to go against the meaning "lean".

It should not come as a surprise that I am hesitant to embrace this for the year, but I truly feel led to allow it to be the word that defines 2017.

Over the last year I have experienced indescribable heartache and lingering grief. I have had my best laid plans scattered in the wind, only to be amazed by God’s provision and order. While I know accepting to learn to lean is necessary, I also know it will be challenging.

I’ve been trying to gauge what this will look like for me this year and I have chosen some areas to really focus on this year. Some are similar to last year, but with a new word, there will also be new outcomes. While I could never foresee all that God has in store for me and my family, I know His plan is perfect. I know His actions are good. I know as I learn to truly lean on Him that I will grow my relationship with Him.

Learning to Lean in 2017

My Family

-depend on my husband more (give up more of my need to control)

-rely on God for wisdom in raising and making decisions for our children

-relying on God to grow our family how and when He chooses

Health

-relying on God to lead me to the right doctors and professionals

-depending on God to help me get back on track with eating and exercise

-relying on God to help me recover completely, both physically and emotionally

Home

-relying on God’s provision

-depending on God to direct us to the perfect plan and resources for our new home

Work

-depending on God to give me wisdom, patience, and endurance

Interpersonal

-relying on God to show me ways to strengthen relationships

-trusting God to bring those that I need into my life

-seeking God’s will for my friendships

-trusting God to help me develop relationships with others that I can help

It may seem like I have a lofty list, but the majority of these areas are intertwined. If you notice, the word lean is full of action. I know my shortcomings, but they do not define me. God will do a great work with me this year as I learn to lean into Him. It is my hope and prayer that I will be able to pay it forward through this season of growth and leave the lives I encounter better than they were before.

What will you be aiming for this year?

Linking up with Mommy Moments

Finding Grace in My Weight Loss Journey

Highs and lows. A typical weight loss journey is filled with them. I find this especially true when it's not just the weight that needs to be changed, but the lifestyle. I've been hitting major walls since the end of July when my family and I took our vacation. I have had a really difficult time getting back on track and while not all of my choices have been bad, I feel the poor choices outweigh the good ones.

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I've also learned that during this journey I must allow myself to experience some grace. Giving myself grace has not always been something I've allowed. I beat myself up emotionally and I trash talk the face looking back at me in the mirror. Our words are meant to edify. We are meant to build each other up. That goes for ourselves as well. Talking down to myself only made me feel worse. It did the opposite of motivating me. That's where grace comes in.

But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

Acts 20:24

Through my Christian walk, I've learned a lot about God's grace. He shows favor upon us and carries us when we cannot carry ourselves. If we are supposed to strive to be Christ-like, it only seems logical that we should offer ourselves the same grace that we offer others and that which is offered to us by God. I've been thinking on this a lot lately, and quite frankly, it has allowed me to free up a lot of mental space. I no longer drag myself down as much as I was. I try to find quotes and scripture that motivate. I look for positive qualities in myself. I take great joy in the small victories. I've also been reminded that caring for my body in a healthy way is what I am called to do. By calling on God throughout my battle with weight loss I am not only building my testimony, but I am showing others His goodness. I am able to share my love for Him and His goodness in my life through the tests I overcome.

In order to make a lifestyle change of this magnitude and maintain it, we have to be willing to let go of our mistakes. We have to focus on what we are doing right and look for ways to continue to better ourselves. It's not just a change of mind, but a change of heart.

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I've realized the importance of connecting with others on similar journeys. I've found this to be completely true in my battle with infertility and I am finding it follows suit with my weight loss. My two major focuses this week are connecting and meal prepping. I've done pretty well with the meal prepping but I need the accountability. A sweet friend has agreed to share the load on this journey as she and I both move forward with our Low Carb way of life. She may be miles away, but her encouragement overcomes the distance. I am thankful.

So, while I continue to battle these 7-10lbs that keep fluctuating and keep me from my first 30lb goal, I will take into account what I am doing right and offer myself some grace when things don't go as I had hoped. I've made a lot of progress and I know I can do better. I will do better. I will meet my goals and I will love myself. The only one that can make these changes is me...but some grace and good friends along the way make the ride a little more pleasant.

Monthly Weight Loss Update June 2016

Here I am, 4 months in to this new WOE. I can honestly say, that despite the occasional challenges, I am honestly liking. I like how I feel. I like how I am beginning to look. I like the food. I like that I am not hungry.

This is truly a way of life for me.

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This month was a little slow going in the way of weight loss, but overall, I am still pleased with what is taking place. I had a few more splurge days than normal and I know that is where my downfall lies. I'm still trying to master eating out...and even though we do not eat out often, it remains a challenge for me. I also struggle some when we go to the homes of friends or family to eat. Because what I am doing has nothing to do with allergies, people aren't as aware of what is best for me to eat. I make due and if I am able to contribute to the meal, I try to ensure that I bring something that I know I can enjoy without exceeding my carb limit.

This month did result in some changes...

I am down 3.8lbs from last month which puts me at a total loss of 23.8lbs. I'm down a total of 5.5 inches overall. I can tell this primarily in my chest and waist.

I continue to experiment with different recipes. I always try them out with my husband and daughter, and thankfully, most of them have been family approved. This is very important considering I am making this a lifestyle.

Over the last month or so, I have had a couple of friends/family members jump on board. I love having the support. We share recipes, frustrations and successes. I really encourage you to find the right kind of support if you are going this route. My goal is to have my husband join me on this journey but I have not quite convinced him to do so yet. Fingers crossed.

I am continually reminded that when this change is hard, I am doing it for a better quality of life. My God has already numbered my days, but I want to care for myself and make each one of those count. I'm learning how not to allow my "messy days" to take over all the good I've accomplished. A couple steps back will not keep me going backwards. Thanks again to all of you who continue to walk this journey with me and encourage me along the way.

Linking up for Mommy Moments

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Monthly Weight Loss Update May 2016

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Another month has passed and although I have had multiple setbacks this month, I am still proud of my success thus far.

I have lost a total of 20lbs!

I've lost a total of 7 inches.

A lot of my clothes are actually appearing to be too big on me.

I'm down a total of 3 notches on my belt.

I feel good (minus this weekend's hit with the GI bug).

I am looking forward to having the summer off with my kids. I am counting down the days. I am also hoping to add more exercise into my routine. One thing I know I need to do to better myself is to not treat the weekends like I'm on a free-for-all binge eating party. I have had a real issue with just letting myself go on the weekends. I don't feel well after eating like that and I know it is not good for me.

Self control.

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So...here's a toast to more progress. I am so close to my 30lb goal!

Linking up for Tuesday Talk

Monthly Weight Loss Update April 2016

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Getting healthy is no joke. I have a ton of reasons why I want to do this for myself and for my family and I'm using all of those reasons to keep me encouraged when things get tough. I've made it through about 3 months of low carb eating and I can honestly say that I do not really miss those things that I was missing last month...such as pasta, bread, etc. I still struggle some with sweets, but nothing like I did in the beginning. I can't take all the credit to my weight loss this month. I had a couple episodes of health issues that led to me not feeling so well, which in turn led me to not wanting to eat as much as I normally do. I hope all of that is on its way out and I'll get back to feeling 100%.

In the past month I have lost 9 lbs.

That makes a total of 19.4 lbs.

I'm over half way to my first goal of 30lbs.

I'm now fitting into clothes that I could not wear 2 months ago.

I went down another notch on my belt.

I can literally walk out of some of my pants because they will not stay up without a belt.

The biggest challenge I now face is getting into an exercise routine. Life is crazy, no matter how I try to slow it down and it just does not seem like I have time. I'm looking forward to June when I'm out of school and I can have a little more time to focus on me and exercise.

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I'd love some tips from other working women and/or mothers on how you incorporate exercise into your daily routine.

My Weight Loss Journey

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Weight Loss Journey Update March 2016

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I remember starting this journey in 2011. I wanted to feel good and be healthy. I tried various weight loss techniques that included watching what I ate and exercise. I was diligently training for a 5k at the time. It took me a whole year to lose 25lbs. I could not understand why I wasn't closer to where I wanted to be considering all the time and effort I was putting in. I was diagnosed with PCOS later that year, which explained a lot. My body was working against me, not for me.

My weight loss came to a halt when we became pregnant in 2012. After struggling with infertility, this was a welcomed surprise. I jumped on the "get healthy" wagon again soon after G was born. Once again, the progress was SO SLOW! It took me about a year to lose and maintain the loss of 20lbs. We faced our infertility issues once again and we were hopeful that the weight loss would help. It didn't but we at least knew where to start and I became pregnant in the fall of 2014.

All of that brings me to this. It's time to really get healthy and to find a lifestyle change that truly works for me. With my PCOS diagnosis, it's no surprise that weight loss is even more of a challenge. I've never known how to really work my diet outside of exercise, calorie counting and portion control...until now. I've read multiple articles and various medical findings that suggest a low carb way of eating. A few weeks ago a friend of mine suggested that I give it a go. She has lost substantial weight with this type of eating. I was slightly skeptical so I looked into it.

Some people tend to go a little overboard in my opinion and I'm in awe of the ability to eat so few carbs that some people have. My friend currently allows herself 20 carbs a day, along with no sweets. Whoa. I'm still amazed. I've also learned that by only focusing on carbs, you can quickly become over saturated with sodium. I for one have to watch my sodium intake, so while bacon has little to no carbs, I can't eat it repeatedly for the sake of my sodium levels. It's all about finding a happy medium.

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I have decided to learn how to eat low carb. I chose to lower my carb intake to 100g or less a day. I feel comfortable with this level and it is often the level used in clinical studies (like this one) for PCOS patients participating in a low carb/high fat way of eating. The exciting news is that a lot of women with PCOS discover that their symptoms lessen or even go away completely...including infertility issues. For me, this is a win-win all the way around, even if it does not result in fewer infertility issues.

So, here I am. I began this new way of eating on February 29th. One month later I have seen some exciting changes.

I have lost 10.2 pounds.

My wedding rings are looser.

I moved one notch on my belt.

I was told that my face looked thinner by someone who is unaware of my attempts at weight loss.

I've met my first two mini goals!
I'm still trying to decide on a reward for hitting 10lbs but I got this beautiful bead for my pandora bracelet. The color represents PCOS Awareness and it is a reminder that I can overcome the challenges of my diagnosis.

This type of change in diet is not for the faint of heart. To those who said I would not miss pasta or bread...I'm calling your bluff. I do miss those things but I'm working on ways to substitute them. For the record, I am not the 'no carb police'. I allow myself a cookie now and then or a taco shell. However, I do include those things in my count. Those types of things have truly become treats.

Needless to say, the first two weeks were certainly the hardest. Things have become easier as I go along. I consider this a life style change and I refuse to live my life hungry. It's been a lot of trial and error as I try to discover what will meet my dietary needs as well as make and keep me full. I am determined to do this. I'm actually looking forward to meeting with my doctor this summer. I hope she's pleased with my progress.

If you have been doing LCWOE, I'd love to hear any suggestions in the way of snacks and recipes that you love for Low Carb eating. I believe I'm in this for the long haul.

Linking up for Mommy Moments

Bouncing Back After Baby - Post Baby Goals

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I'm 2 months post birth and I'm still not feeling 100% myself. N's pregnancy was much more difficult and his labor was 2 times longer than that of his sister's. Let's just say my body feels like it has been through a war. I'm still healing and the various issues I've had since his birth have not been as easy to deal with at times. There have been multiple doctor/dentist visits and quite frankly, I'm over it. I want to feel good again.

Prior to his conception,  I had lost 20lbs. I only gained 17 during his pregnancy and lost that pretty immediately. However, just as before, there were things that made it difficult to breastfeed and after a couple weeks, I was unable to do so any longer. Some of the weight creeped back on. ::sigh::

We've been asked if we're done having kids and to that I don't have a solid answer...but I can say I have goals until then. These goals are meant to carry me over the next couple of years and mini goals will be implemented along the way. I don't want to rush my body but I don't want that to stop me from moving forward.

Goals

1. Lose 30lbs. I am actively using FitnessPal again and I'm eager to see some change. I'll be once again blogging about my progress soon.

2. Put our house up for sale. We have a few projects left prior to officially putting the house on the market but we're well on our way.

3. Get reconnected. The last few months have been difficult in the way of personal relationships and my relationships with friends, family and Christ have suffered. It's time to get more involved again and fix what can be fixed and find closure with what can't.

4. Build our forever home. I desperately long to build our new house. Our land is just begging to be settled upon. We can't begin that venture however until our current home is sold. It's so close and yet so far...

5. Survive financially over the next 12 months. My maternity leave is cutting my pay by several hundred dollars each month for the next year. We've been saving, making cuts and trying to just prepare ourselves all the way around. This next year will be super tight and we are trusting in the Lord's provision. He's never failed us.

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6. Live intentionally. As of late I have known or read about too many people passing away unexpectedly and it really gets you thinking. I want to make memories, live fully, overcome my fears and anxieties and show my children what an amazing life the Lord has blessed us with.

7. Date my husband. I have a really hard time leaving my kids. I admit it. After being gone from them all day, all I want to do is be with them. However,  this doesn't grow my relationship with my phenomenal husband. I need to let go and let others help us more. I need to go on dates with my husband minus both kids and relax. (Can you sense my type A personality?)

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8. Revamp my teaching style. I love what I do as a teacher. Every year I say there are things I want to do or change and rarely do I do them. It's time to fix that.

What goals do you have?

Linking up for Mommy Moments  and Waiting on Wednesday

10 Weeks to Go!

We no longer need fingers AND toes to count down our due date. I can hardly believe that we're almost in the single digits! We have so much to do and that is not an exaggeration. We've got pieces of the nursery in various parts of the house and that does not include the current state of our home...chaos. As many of you know, we've been trying to pack things that we won't need in the near future in order to make progress towards putting our home on the market. Whew.

30 weeks

My husband has been sensing my urgency. I've gently reminded him that our daughter's nursery and the deep cleaning of our home were finished while we were in the hospital with our firstborn. She came a week and a half early...I'd like to be ready this time around. This remains a point of discussion regularly, at least until our appointment on the 15th. At that point we'll have a better idea of what my delivery will include based on the placement of my placenta. It has not been cooperative up to this point.

Back to this "sense of urgency"...We made a pit-stop at Lowes on Saturday and picked up paint for the nursery. My darling hubby has taped off the hallway and has plans to repaint it and install the new light fixture this week. The bathroom and nursery will hopefully be next...at this point the order isn't really important as long as it gets done. Eventually we'll finish up a few things in the kitchen and leave the rest for after when Baby Boy gets settled at home.

I've been trying to get little things done that make me feel accomplished. I completed my baby shower invite list for the sweet friend who will be throwing a shower for our sweet boy. I coaxed my hubby into installing new blinds in our bedroom. We dropped off several bags at Good Will and I'm steadily filling boxes and bags that will work their way out of our home for good.

I'm also making a conscious effort to savor these fleeting moments with my daughter. I love to stare at her face and brush back her hair as she drifts off to sleep in the evenings. I love watching what are still firsts for her...like blowing bubbles, counting, recognizing colors, etc. There is an ache in my heart that yearns for these moments to stay. I'm not ready to give them up. I am struggling to be okay with my two-year-old working her way into true childhood. Her infancy was fleeting. Her first year of life whipped by. Her second year of life was but a vapor. I keep grasping but yet end up with empty hands. This reality increases my desire to make the most of my time with just her while I can. It also makes me acutely aware of how quickly things will go when our little guy arrives.

 

 

God has made my life so full and I want to take complete advantage of all He has given. I am humbled by His choice to make us parents to these two little lives and will continue to strive to point them to our Savior.

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March 2015 Goals

I’ve been revisiting my February Goals and I’m very pleased with our success. The only room that did not get completely purged was the kitchen. We’re still working on that. There are also a couple little odds and ends in each room (primarily deep cleaning tasks) that we’re still working on. I want to keep the momentum going so we’re adding some new goals for March.

March Goals

Week 1-2: G’s room

While we’re in this house, G’s room will also serve as the nursery. The baby will be with us until he’s sleeping most of the night so that she’ll have fewer interruptions at night. We’re hoping for the same success that we had with G. She was moved into her own room at a month old (trust me, we all slept better…) and she was sleeping through the night by 2 months old. With that being said, I’m  trying to decide what to do about decorating, painting, etc. The walls are currently a pretty spring green color with white trim. I’ve found an adorable theme that I’m longing to use but I’m not sure if it will be worth it considering we don’t know how long we’ll be in this house. While painting would not be a major undertaking, we’re just trying to decide if it would make a huge difference when it comes time to sell. Thoughts on the matter would be appreciated.

I plan to finish going through her closet and add any unnecessary items to the upcoming consignment sale. Everything will be dusted and wiped down and miscellaneous decorations and keepsakes will be boxed up. I want to get her room down to the basics.

Weeks 3-4: Master Bedroom

This will undoubtedly be a labor of love. I plan to go through ALL of our clothes and rid our drawers, closets and tubs of clothing that we no longer wear. I already have two full garbage bags. Our room will need to be repainted and the closet needs to be finished. The closets in our home were not finished when we moved in. Oddly enough the house was built in the late 60’s and apparently closets were not a big deal. They were nothing but rafters and exposed roofing. We insulated, dry walled, painted and put in flooring into the other bedroom closet. We just haven’t gotten around to ours…but now it is time. I want to try and sell or donate any furniture that we’re not planning on taking with us in the move.

It’s hard not to become overwhelmed in the process. Our goal is to have the house up for sale at the beginning of April. Some of the other things that we would like to have done or need to have done prior to doing so are…

-painting the hallway

-painting the stairwell

-finish repainting the ceilings

-wash the windows inside and out

- basic landscaping

-removing miscellaneous items from the back of the property

While my pregnant brain is already on overload, I’m trying to stay focused and do what I can. My husband has been a huge help and, while we have a lot left to do, we’re pushing on. We’ve been praying about this decision for a long time and we feel we’re doing what we should at this point (despite expecting a baby in about 4 months). God’s timing will be perfect. Part of our prayer is that the Lord is preparing the right family for our home. We know that we’re doing what we can with our budget and time and we believe that the right family will look past whatever flaws there may be and see the true country charm, stable foundation and beautiful setting that comes with our house.

Linking up with Andrea for Monthly Goals

Goodbye Stuff

Have you ever stood in your house and just looked around…only to find that every room is a mess? I mean every room. Well I did and it was a little overwhelming. We’ve had an entire week home because of the snow and you would think that my house would be spotless! You would think…In my defense, I have a toddler who “helps” in the  most unproductive of ways and I’ve been working diligently on my monthly goals.

The goals are meant to help us purge the house of anything we’re not using and/or do not want to take with us when we move. I’m also trying to begin boxing up things that we aren’t using now but will want to use in our new home. This is quite an undertaking. Our home consists of my life and his life combined, many, many things that were in the house when we moved in, objects that we’ve acquired in our almost 7 years of marriage, and of course all of the things that have been given to us as gifts or hand-me-downs. Yikes! 

Currently I have 2 bags of clothing/stuffed animals and two huge boxes ready to donate. I have a huge pile of little girl clothes on hangers ready to be tagged for an upcoming consignment sale, as well as multiple other items that I still have to enter, prepare and tag. No wonder my house is a mess. I suppose all of these things just make the dishes in the sink seem more than what they are and the laundry more content in the basket. One thing is for sure, when I look past the dishes and the unfolded laundry I still see that we still have entirely too much stuff.

Dictionary.com defines stuff as “material to be worked upon or to be used in making something.” I’ve begun applying this definition to the things that are in our home. If it is something that still needs to be worked upon (and hasn’t been touched in the last 3-6 months) it’s out. If we have not used it in the last year (clothing included) then we’ll part ways. If the item does not help to make our house a home in beauty or function, then out it goes. Using these guidelines I’m finding it much easier to let it go. I’ve even made a simple print out to hang or place in the room I’m working on. It helps by my husband and I stay focused on the task at hand.

So far we’ve successfully purged the living room and the dining room. I’ve also gone through all of G’s clothes (newborn to 24 months). I had some that were ruined, so they were trashed or will be reused as dust rags. I ended up with a decent size box full of donation items and then a slightly smaller pile that I will be cosigning (and what does not sell will be donated.) I was also thrilled to discover that I had a very small selection of gender neutral clothing items (and then of course random firefighter items) that I’ll be able to use for our sweet boy that’s due in July.

There are only two real issues that I’ve encountered during this process:

1. I’m still on moderate bed rest so my lifting has to be limited (not to mention how a growing belly impacts one’s ability to do certain things.)

2. My husband seems to have much more attachment to items in our home than I do. Don’t even get me started on his t-shirts.

It’s been hard to work around the lifting since my husband worked a 72 hour shift (Monday-Wednesday) and worked another 24 hour shift on Friday. Saturday was filled with his volunteer fire departments annual dinner fundraiser and then of course Sunday had us snowed in from another 7 or so inches of snow on top of what we already had (and it's our designated day of rest). Overall though I’m pleased with our progress and whether it’s the nesting phase that I’m hitting early or the realization that April will be here before we know it, I’m on a roll and I’m trying to keep the momentum. As we prepare our home for sale, I’d love to hear any other words of wisdom or advice for this current phase of our lives.

Linking up for Mommy Moments

Monthly Weight Loss Update

If you remember in my last post, I didn't have any thrilling news...which is okay. You win some and lose some and while I wish I was losing more than what I am, I'm proud of small victories. I gained a few pounds last month and it was my goal to get them off. Of the four pounds that packed themselves on I have lost 3 of them. That puts me back at a 20lb loss.

Even greater still are the discoveries I made this past week. I decided that with school starting, and since I have not bought new clothes in ages (I am currently still wearing clothes that I bought after graduating collage), a little shopping trip was in order. Having lost 20lbs, many of my clothes do not fit like they once did. This is a good and bad thing. Some of my pants now fit as they should while other pairs literally fall off of me.

Now, when it comes to pants, I've always had a problem buying a pair that fits just right. This is simply because those that make pants must assume that women with my waist size have hips to boot. I do not. There is nothing "hippy" about me. How does this relate to my discovery?

Well, I ventured into Old Navy to purchase a couple of tops. They were having a sale on their khakis. The pair that I had bought last from ON fit fine prior to the weight loss. They now require a belt if they are to be worn. While these pants originally fit better than most, I still looked like I had wings where my invisible hips were supposed to be.

My first discovery was the Diva Everyday Bootcut Khaki pants. Love! They are designed for the souls like me with straighter figures. (Don't get me wrong, I have curves. They are just in the wrong places.) I love how they hug me in all the right places.

My second discovery was the size. I could wear a size smaller!!! Talk about an embarrassing happy dance! I was so excited! While to some this is nothing, to me this was a huge accomplishment! I have not put on a pair of pants this size since high school.

This got me excited and I added a couple more pieces to my work wardrobe (pardon the pictures. I'm horrible at selfies.)

This has given me a new sense of motivation. I'm making a few food choice changes. I've been reading through The Low GI Guide to Living Well with PCOS (again) and I have decided to get back on track with a diet that includes more PCOS friendly foods. Remember, when I say diet, I'm not referring to starving myself. I am referring to the types of food I eat.

I've made a few changes to my menu that include low glycemic foods, which means less dairy, more whole grains, fruits, veggies and lean proteins. There is a balance and I am working towards that. Low glycemic foods break down more slowly, leaving you feeling fuller longer, and helps reduce the surge of insulin that is often produced with starchier foods. You can view a pretty comprehensive list of Low GI foods here.

The final discovery I made while perusing the good ol' internet, is the Food Swap tool by the Glycemic Index Foundation.

You can also find more resources on my Living with PCOS board.

So here's to hoping for good things in August.

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Monthly Weight Loss and Pictures

I won't even pretend that I've given a praiseworthy attempt at losing weight or accomplishing my goals this month. In fact, since I'm being completely honest, this month I hit a wall. I've been facing a weight loss plateau and I let it get the best of me. Curse this back and forth sway of 1-2lbs. I lost focus. I got caught up in the traveling, and while wonderful, I didn't eat like I should, nor exercise, during those times. I allowed being away from home to be my excuse for extra snacking and high calorie food options. I was on vacation!

We've also been facing some personal matters and I've found myself settling into old habits. More than once I caught myself turning to food for comfort. Remnants of my Emotional Eating surfaced but I refused to let them stick around.


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I've tried not to be too hard on myself...that would only crush what motivation I have left. While this last week has held many wonderful things, it has also held it's share of stress, anxiety and disappointment, but I did my best to not allow these feelings overrule my better judgment. I've gotten in a little more exercise this past week and I'm feeling better about greeting July (if you don't count the fact that half of my summer will be over ::tears::)

So while I wish I had amazing results to share with you this month...I do not. I know in order to move forward that I can't focus on "what I should have done."

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I did, however, have a memorable moment...my hubby and I took our first "real" date since the birth of our daughter over a year ago...and I wore "the dress". This dress has not been worn in almost 3 years. It fit better now than it ever has...I consider that a major accomplishment.

With all that being said, I've decided to take a step back from social media for a while. I feel that I need to be devoting myself more to some of my relationships and health and I need to get myself going forward in full motion again. I'll still be blogging, but maybe not as often and as for Facebook...don't be offended when I look clueless if you tell me about something you posted. More than likely I will have missed it. As much as I love reading updates, I have some updating that I need to do outside of the technological realm. God bless and I hope all of you are enjoying your summer!

 

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Monthly Weight Loss with Pictures

I cannot believe the month of May is almost gone! I've entered into my last week of school and with that comes even longer days, less family time, mounds of paper work and overly rambunctious children. We'll have the student Field Day, First Grade Fun Day, the Spring Awards program, Fifth Grade Graduation parade...and I know I'm forgetting something(s). Now is also the time of year when people begin making comments about how teachers get the summer off, it must be nice not to work, etc. Trust me. It only looks that way on our contracts and, while I can only speak for myself and fellow co-workers, the summer is filled with prep work for the upcoming school year. Our work is never done and it always manages to come home with us to some degree. I'll stop there and save this soapbox for another time.

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For now, I'd like to share with you this month's progress. We've been dealing with a few things personally and in the midst of trying to find ways to make our dreams reality and finish up half started projects around the house, I've been trying to make some weight loss progress. Stress levels have been a little higher this month (which good things can be stressful too) and our mornings, days and nights have been filled with things that keep us busy. I've not been able to work out like I'd hoped but I've tried to maintain at least some type of activity almost every day.

I had also gotten down on myself over not meeting my 20lb goal. I was really struggling with the plateau that I had hit. I had to do something. I wanted to reach that goal!

I had gotten out of the habit of "honestly" tracking my food. I might put in a few things each day but I had stopped entering in everything I was eating. I am still amazed at how quickly I lost sight of healthy eating. My snacking had also become an issue. Instead of keeping healthy options on hand I went for quick, high calorie grabs. I refocused my attention to healthy choices. Here are some examples:

It all boils down to poor eating choices this month. These past two weeks I've really tried to get back on track.

To build some momentum, I've decided to throw in some mini goals for June. This could be a little tricky with some traveling that we have in our plans, but I'm determined.

In June I will...

1. Make SMART snacking choices

Satisfying-it fulfills the craving and tames the hints of hunger
Managable-it can easily go with me and/or doesn't require a lot of preparation
Appetizing-it tastes good (duh!)
Right size-caloric intake is worth the serving size/portion control
Thrifty-on sale or inexpensive

2.At least 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week

3. Create a motivation collage. I had one of these in college and it really helped my motivation to see some of my goals and words of encouragement each day. I had mine hanging on the refrigerator.

Now that I've got my goals before me, it's time to take a look at the numbers from this past month. I've lost another inch in my waist (that's a total of 2 inches since I began tracking March)...and since December 2013...drum roll please...

 

I feel like I'm finally starting to see a difference, not just feel it.

 

While the numbers are always exciting, it is also important to identify some of the non-scale victories that I've also accomplished.

-I completed a 5k with my daughter (you can catch all of the fun here!)

-My bra size is smaller (don't tell my hubby)
-I need a belt for almost every pair of pants I wear
-A couple pairs of my pants literally fall off as I walk or climb the stairs. I've put those to rest, hoping to never go back to them.
-I'm fitting into clothes that I couldn't even wear pre-baby...some of which are now almost too big!

With this month's weight loss, I've reached my 20lbs goal...and this means I get to splurge on a goody! When I began this journey, I created a Weight Loss Goals board on Pinterest to keep me encouraged. I'm so excited about purchasing this water bottle. I would not typically spend this type of money on a water bottle, but that's what makes it special right? I really want to dive into a dozen donut holes, but a water bottle will be much more beneficial. Here is the water bottle I'll be enjoying in the very near future!

Tervis Whimsical Owl Water Bottle

If you struggle with your weight, you are not alone. I had to change a lot of my weight loss perceptions and set realistic goals. I've had to rely on my own inner strength, the encouragement of others and the power of my God to push through. I am almost to my 30lb weight loss goal. It can be done. I've had to look at it this way...I'm losing weight to get healthy, not skinny. As I become healthier I add quality to my life and that is more important than the size of pants I wear. Every pound counts. Every exercise minute matters. I am worth it!

 

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Run Baby Run!

I thought I'd go ahead and share the results of this weekend's 5k. This coming week is slammed and it is unlikely that I'll have time to fit it in otherwise.

My day began at 5:30 4:00a.m. when G decided she was ready to greet the morning. We eventually made our way downstairs and began collecting everything we'd need for the day. Today was a big day. It was an important day. G was participating in her first 5k ever and I was participating for a very special cause.

I made this onesie for G

It was not just the important purpose behind The Baby Run 5k (that you can revisit here) but I was participating in honor of a very special family, the Dennis Family. Please read their story. Their lives are living testaments of God's goodness even in the most bitter and pain drenched moments of life.

G and I headed out about 7:00a.m. We drove about an hour to the registration site. Upon arriving, we made our way to the registration table where we were greeted by some very enthusiastic volunteers.

Side note: This race was dreamed up and facilitated by a local high school group as their end of year service project. This service project also included a couple of car washes and some other events to raise money for the BRPC. I was so impressed by their organization and attention to detail. The course was mapped out perfectly and their enthusiasm was contagious.

As I sifted through my packet, I found some great information, a handmade prayer bracelet, and...a voucher for a free t-shirt!!! I had planned on purchasing a t-shirt at the event, but I ended up being one of a lucky few who won a free one.

After hanging out with some of the participants, the race began. This was the first time I have ever pushed G in a race...and it may quite possibly be my last. The course was SO HILLY! It was quite a struggle to make it up some of those hills pushing my one year old...fortunately, around the 1.5 mile marker, one of the teens caught up with me and we chatted for the remainder of the race. She definitely helped me keep my momentum.

We finally made it across the finish line, grabbed a banana and rested in the grass as they presented the awards. This was definitely my worst time (about 51 minutes) on any given course, but considering the constant elevation increases and pushing a toddler, I haven't been too down on myself. I at least finished. I had hoped to stay within the 30ish minute range but pushing the stroller definitely added a good 5-6 minutes per mile to my time.

After leaving the race, G and I headed to town to grab some breakfast. She entertained guests nearby as she insisted on using her fork to eat. After breakfast, we dropped by the Strawberry Festival at a local elementary school. We were both so tired that we didn't stay long.

We came home...and napped.

We then headed out to the elementary school closest to our home for their Backyard BBQ event. We grabbed dinner, talked it up with some friends, and then returned home to call it a night. We were both exhausted...in a good way. I cherished every moment of the Mom and Me kind of day.

Watching the big kids play

Soaking up what was left of the evening...