Labor of Love
August 29, 2007The Out-of-Office reply is set on my work e-mail account. My voice mail message reminds you that I'll be back on Sept. 5. The dog is at the kennel, the bags are packed and I'm ready to JET out of here for a while.
Before I go, though, I wanted to at least say that this Labor Day holiday won't be a holiday from my weight-loss efforts. I've heard the horror stories about gaining 15 pounds in ten days, and I don't want any part of that!
I plan to hike a few easy-to-moderate trails in the mountains and climb a 700-foot sand dune in Great Sand Dunes National Park. We're going to a lake, and if it isn't too cold, I hope to swim! There will be plenty of healthy and nutritious meals for us out of our trusty cooler at roadside parks, so we save money and calories during our morning and noon meals.
Successful weight loss efforts are all about fitting small, positive changes into YOUR life. Unless you remain flexible and open to all options, it will be hard to find that goal weight at the end of the rainbow!
It's still hot outside, so activity outdoors isn't so much fun quite yet, but there is PLENTY you can do inside to stay active over the long weekend. Clean your house, play with the kids/pets, go to a gym....the possibilities for activities are ENDLESS!
Make your exercise fun and watch the "labor" part of it melt away, along with the pounds! And please, watch the Telethon or attend events this weekend around the city in support of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Many families are affected by muscular dystrophy and a cure could only be a few years away. Enjoy your active lifestyle and while you do, think of those who are less fortunate than yourself-what a great motivation to keep moving!
Posted by Stacy Johnson at 5:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
School Daze
August 28, 2007For many, school is back in session, and the more I hear from folks who are starting classes this week, the more envious I am of their shiny new school supplies, their fresh books and their new back-to-school outfits!
Just because you're back in class for a majority of the day doesn't mean you should quit your summer activity habits. You might have to alter when you exercise, or what activities you do, but you can keep up the momentum and continue with fitness goals after class, or even before you go in the morning!
Why not try out some playground equipment, like monkey bars, as a fun way to get back in the swing of school and for some calorie burning? Sounds like fun, huh? Then run to the slide a few times and you won't even know you're working out! I love slides, as long as I don't get stuck on them! What a great way to relieve some stress!
One serious thing I'll suggest to kids who probably don't want to hear this-please eat breakfast! You WILL do better in school, you won't be near as hungry at night and you'll thank me later for the advice. I know, I know, my dad told me to eat breakfast all the time and he got a lot of eye-rolling in return for quite a few years but now, I have to say, he was right all along. Which I'm sure he LOVES to hear!
If you're skeptical, just do a simple experiment for me. Tomorrow, don't eat breakfast. Jump up and run off to class. At 10 a.m., jot down how hungry you feel on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being not hungry at all and 5 being famished. The next day, eat breakfast and then write down how hungry you feel at 10 a.m. You'll see what I mean. I used to say I didn't feel hungry in the morning, but once I got in the habit of eating breakfast, I started waking up hungry! And by breakfast, I don't mean a full spread with pancakes, bacon, eggs and grits. I'm talking about a piece of fruit (bananas and oranges are the original fast food), a toasted cinnamon-raisin English muffin spread with two tablespoons of low-fat peanut butter, and a glass of fat-free milk or a small container of low-fat yogurt. It takes about 10 minutes to prepare and eat, and it saves you from eating a LOAD of calories at night.
Good luck, and be sure to improve your body as well as your mind this school year!
Posted by Stacy Johnson at 3:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Love the one you're with
August 27, 2007As I am leaving soon for a few days in the Rockies, I was at a clothing store over the weekend looking for some long-sleeved shirts and jackets to keep warm at the near-10,000 foot elevation where I'll be staying. I am happy to report I'm now in smaller shirt and pants sizes!
So, like any warm-blooded woman cheered on by success, I was happily making my way through the store picking out exciting and cute things to try on. I rounded a corner and overheard something that made me stop and really think about how outlook affects your weight loss efforts.
Two women were browsing and I heard one say "I'm so mad at myself for gaining weight, but the crazy thing is, I am just so hungry all the time that I can't stop eating."
I wanted to run over and talk to them, happy as I am with my own success so far, but I didn't want to look like a nut jumping out at them from behind a rack of clothes. So I kept my mouth shut and kept walking. But if I had been more cheeky, I would have told them a few things.
First, getting mad at yourself, beating yourself up or any other type of negative self-speech is not only sad, but also quite detrimental to success. You wouldn't tell a friend you're mad at her for gaining weight, I thought to say, so why tell yourself those kinds of things?
Second, by saying she's so hungry she can't stop eating, the woman is basically making such a huge problem that it is obviously out of her control.
Take the big problem and figure out a way to break it down into more manageable pieces that you can solve. First, journal your food intake for a week. Write down when, where, what and how much you eat. Then look at it and see if you are depriving yourself at one time during the day (for many of us, it's the first meal of the day) and overindulging at another time. Maybe you need to eat six small meals each day. Maybe you just need to start eating breakfast. Whatever it is, journaling is an easy, small step you can take to start fighting the battle against overeating, because it makes you aware of your actions, and puts you in the driver's seat instead of being a passenger on the food superhighway.
The bottom line is, negative thoughts and failing to act combine to become hopelessness for many of us, quite often stopping us from achieving the results we seek. You've got to love yourself and want to change your actions for the better, and you've got to know you can. So, faithful readers, this week, give yourself a mental "hug" by telling yourself you are worth it, you are good enough. Try to quiet the negative voice in your head. Once you do, you'll find eating less and moving more only natural, because you are well worth the effort!
Posted by Stacy Johnson at 9:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Best of the Best
August 24, 2007I wanted to start by commenting on the recent article in Texas Monthly about the Coyotes football program-I'm a second-generation 'Yote (Class of 1999) and I was so proud to see my alma mater featured as THE BEST high school football team of ALL TIME in the state. To all the current and future Coyotes out there-You've got some big shoes to fill, but I know you can make us all proud. Remember, WFHS has always been a place where you can excel both on the field and in the classroom. Enjoy your time, work hard, play hard and have fun. Hold your head high, even though some might label you as "inner city" or "underprivileged". We know in our hearts that we are number 1, and now we've got a state-wide title to back us up!
Secondly, on my way in to the Downtown Y this afternoon for my daily walk/jog on the treadmill, I was greeted by several HHH bike riders-to all of you who might be checking in today, welcome and good luck! It was fun to watch all of the folks hustling and bustling in the lobby at the Y with their bikes while I did my three miles-it made for some great people watching time!
Which brings me to my Question for the Masses-When you exercise, do you listen to music, watch T.V., read or do other activities? I find that if I'm alone, my iPod does a great job of keeping me motivated and on the go. When I'm with my exercise buddy, I like to chat to gauge how hard I'm working out. Leave me a comment and let me know how you get into the groove when you're on the move!
This weekend, cheer on some bike riders, volunteer at a rest stop or host some riders at your home. The HHH is a great event for Wichita Falls, but it's only as great as the folks who make it happen. I've been all over the world and people everywhere know Hotter'N Hell! I'll be at the Mile Marker 88 Rest Stop, be sure and come visit if you get a chance!
Posted by Stacy Johnson at 3:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
The first 20
August 23, 2007Well, I've decided to dedicate this blog to healthy adventures, and I've got a milestone to celebrate already!
I hit the 20 pounds lost mark last week, and I feel great! The post-workout aches and pains are pretty much a thing of the past now that I have gotten into a regular routine. This just goes to show that if you keep working at something, you will see results.
A favorite piece of advice I've gotten along the way so far has been from my dietitian, Ann, who said "As long as you make more good decisions than bad decisions, you will succeed in the long run."
Ann knows me better than I know myself. She pointed out that I am a perfectionist, and as such, I expect my weight loss efforts to go flawlessly, without pitfalls. In the past, when I did hit a roadblock, I would say "Oh, well, I gained two pounds back, I might as well quit because I obviously can't do this right!"
But now I realize that if I do gain two pounds, so what. I'll just keep trying, make some good decisions like exercising daily, and hope for the best.
In other news, pictures were released recently of Vladmir Putin, president of Russia, on vacation-and he's TOPLESS! Surprisingly enough, the man is actually in good shape for a leader of one of the world's most powerful countries. I guess he isn't hitting the caviar and cigars-he is known as a fitness fan. In the story I got from the International Herald Tribune, Putin is quoted as saying "Sport has helped me form my own personal point of view on the world, on people, and on my approach to them." He apparently enjoys judo and downhill skiing.
I'm not endorsing the guy for his politics. But you have to admit, any world leader willing to go bare-chested in his vacation photos is confident with his own physique.
Speaking of vacation, I'm anxiously awaiting my trip to Colorado next week. I hope to get in some good hikes in the Rockies and relax at some hot springs, as a reward for my hard work over the last three months.
Feel free to leave me comments about your weight loss milestones, I'd like to blog about anyone finding success in her own fitness journey.
And I've even got a long-term goal in mind for next year-ride in the HHH!
Posted by Stacy Johnson at 9:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
