Good bye 2014, Hello 2015!!

Hi All, welcome to 2015!!  My year went off like a BANG!..my baby got engaged on Dec 20 and with her sister visiting for the holidays we were out dress shopping on Dec 26.  Venue already picked, dress bought...and a CD released for my husbands band.  Requiring all my time when I pledged to get going as soon as 2015 hit!  I didnt mean get going with so many festivities...I meant get my life back!! but its all cool...

So on the health front...first off...the FEET...my feet have been a problem since April of 2013, so severe that I was barely able to walk a block without excrutiating pain.  As many know it put me in a downward spiral and I confessed to becoming depressed.  I was so active with hiking exercise and was so thrilled about my weight then everything fell apart.
As we begin 2015 I am proud to announce that I have not had a shot since April 2014 and my feet are on the mend.  I would say I am close to 80% better, a lil weary and afraid of relapsing but I can even walk barefoot without pain now!  I thank Merrell for their fine line of shoes as once I got rid of my $400 orthotic and started wearing nothing buy Merrrell's everything started improving...(no matter what a doctor says you know your body best)

I called my daughter, Michelle, the nutritionist and said I needed help!  I needed to get back on the right path.  For some reason I couldn't do it on my own!!
My daughter set me up with an extensive plan, similar to the "Fast Metabolism Diet".
My frig was now full of green, orange and yellow, it was time to get my mojo back!!

I woke up on January 12, 2015 to "the scale"...

"Well, hello again...are you ready...I'm going to put my feet on you now...please please please don't let me go into shock when you light up and tell me what damage I have done to myself".  Honestly, different numbers have been going off in my head now for months, along with the lack of motivation, eating right and simply feeling sorry for myself, I was ready for any number over 200 pounds.  I could see where I had taken myself, every selfie my cheeks were puffy, every time I put on my pants it was a tug and pull, and so many of my favorite clothes were collecting lint hanging for so long in my closet. So it was time to face the dreaded truth....no drum roll...but my heart..yes it was making its own music within my chest as I laid one foot, then the other on that dreaded scale.  It didn't disappoint me, it told me what I already knew...yes...that first number was a 2...can I tell you I was actually grateful when I noticed the next two numbers were 0's.  So here I sit on January 12, 2015 knowing I am 60 pounds over weight!  A whopping 200 pounds.  SMH...that is shaking my head...it was time for change!  So now my rude awakening was going to push me in the right direction and I was sure fired ready for change.

First step, no coffee till after I eat breakfast. Unlike Fast Metabolism Diet,
 which doesn't allow for any coffee... my daughter allowed me to have my morning cup but after breakfast.  I spent the next week doing my best to follow the schedule which required eating all the time!!  Well it felt like it, with eating every 2 to 3 hours.  It was extremely hard for me to juggle it on my gig nights, where I brought my own food with me to eat in the middle of my gigging.  All in all I spent the entire week hating with every inch of my being this damn plan!!  Between Monday and Tuesday it was exercise days...only 45 mins necessary and could be done in one shot or within the two days.  Tuesday was the day for me to exercise.  I first went on my Cross Fit for 5 minutes and when I noticed a bit of a pull in my heel I got off and moved to my stationary bike for the next 40 minutes.  Wow, first time back exercising and the endorphins started kicking in and reminding me of a feeling that I always loved.  After a long hiatus with exercise you know this was a huff and a puff and a definite struggle to do, but I let The Bachelor (mindless TV) entertain me while I pedaled.

Wednesday and Thursday were the worse days for me, I hated the meal plan (different than the first 2 days) and I had to get to the gym for the first time since October 2013, as they reminded me when I entered the gym needing a new pass key.  It was time for 15 mins of arms and 15 mins of leg strength training. OMG...okay...this was my wake up call...as I pushed the pin in on my weights and tried to lift the bar, I found I had to lighten the weights a few times to were a child would be lifting.  That really did it for me.  Its terrifying to think you could go so weak in a few years, and yes I am sure the fact that I became a senior citizen in 2014 doesn't help my case.  I am a weakling!! I'm an OLD weakling!!!   Well this is not going to suffice, damn it!  I refuse to let the aging process win, and I can be the me I want to be...and this is going to change NOW!!!!  My 30 mins of strength training were over and I was headed home with a definite feeling of change within me.




The weekend was much easier however, I ignored the must relax, meditate or get a massage part of the plan.  I was rushed to finish my husbands website so we could start selling his CD's online.  I worked till 9PM Sunday night and pushed it aside to relax a little before bedtime.  Morning was nearing and after a week of containing myself from looking at the scale I was about to do so in just a
few hours.....



This is lengthy so...I am going to stop now and start another post shortly to continue...
In closing...

What are your 2015 goals?  Are you going to be healthier than 2014?  Are you going to find a way to make good things happen?  And as you read this, have you done something positive for yourself?
Anyone care to guess what the scale said on January 19, 2015?

Welcome to 2015 everyone, I'm back!

Cat Litter Ephiphany

First off, I would like to say WOW...7 months have now passed since I wrote on my blog...maybe its the YOYO of my life and not wanting to write about it.  Reading how I climbed up the scale ladder...then came down...yada yada yada...in a nutshell...I can reflect on those months by remembering....events like in July, I did not like how I looked for Alan's birthday...check, I must have been up on my weight...September, went away to Florida for my birthday...again weight was up...Halloween, I remember squeezing into my costume...oh weight was up then too....I had spent the time between my birthday in September and late October trying something new, but it failed me, I wasn't losing weight although I was definitely on a decent regimen. But I wasn't stopping I had a wedding coming up on New Years, and I was the mother of the bride!  I went back to Cinch, now called S.A.S.S. and lo' and behold I lost just enough weight to feel good at my daughters wedding.  But being honest with myself, I pledged wearing a sleeveless dress to her wedding, back in February of last year, and although I did wear a sleeveless dress, I sported a small jacket hiding my unsightly arms.  As soon as the wedding was over, I enjoyed my food as we spent another week in Florida.  It was vacation, and I was now going to enjoy what I ate!....and there being the story of my life....rewarding myself after the fact...but was I rewarding myself or actually punishing myself?  Afterall, the day was going to come where I hopped back on my scale...heck I didn't even need to do that, my clothes said it all...so did my mirrors.  When the day came I let my feet touch the cold glass top of my scale, I weighed in at 188.  A whopping 9 pounds up from the wedding day!  GEEEEEEZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ....am I ever going to learn?  Seriously?  What is it going to take?  I am not getting any younger!  If I haven't figured it out in the 54 years I have been on this earth, was I really ever going to get it?  And now at my ripe age of 54, I have major feet problems, so exercise is painful at this point.  So what now?  What to do?  Where to head...what direction.....awwww...then it hit me!

I call this my kitty litter epiphany!  This bag of litter is so extremely heavy, and although I can lift two 20lb weights at the same time, I really didn't expect this to be such a heavy bag.  From getting it into my cart, into my car, then into my house...it was awkward and heavy.  In fact, I asked my husband to get it out of my car and to the cats room.  He actually was shocked at how heavy the bag was.  Yes, and when I thought of this bag I started thinking about that extra weight on my body, which is totally there!  And then my feet, which remain a major issue starts coming to light.  Okay, so I am wearing orthotics, but still my feet are in pain.  Still I have pains when I exercise, how am I suppose to heal?  How am I suppose to get healthy?  Every single day, that bag comes to my mind.  It is what I wear on my body.  God knows my feet will start feeling somewhat better if I am not carrying that extra weight!  

That epiphany came to me 2 weeks ago, which is when I decided it was time to embrace my weight and figure out how to solve my issues forever!  I can not do the YOYO anymore!  I can not think a reward is stuffing my face with a days supply of calories in a single meal!  And then, my wise daughter is shrieking in my head...."mom stop counting calories!". Hmmm...I don't get it?  How????????  Then it comes to me, I have spent 54 years on this earth, yet doctors and scientist continually change the way we think about eating. Hopefully you know, its not FAT that will kill you its SUGAR.  Worrying about your cholesterol?  Stop the sugars, eat the fats.....well if that doesn't raise questions for you...or this one...the food pyramid is all wrong!

So about 2 weeks ago, I started the no calorie counting lifestyle.  I no longer care at all how many calories I am eating, but instead what I am eating.  I have chosen to avoid carbs after 2PM for at least 5 days a week.  I eat whatever I want 1 day a week, meaning, I will go to dinner and have carbs, even a dessert, just not a full size dessert, maybe 1/2 of one.  Or I will drink one night a week, vodka, club soda and a splash of cranberry is my drink of choice.  I have been actually planning new carb free meals for me for dinner time, and have been sharing it with the family.  Leftovers however, are for me, packed away in my freezer for days I have no time.  I have made amazing meals, like cauliflower pizza crust pizzas, broccoli cheese soup, zucchini lasagna, and just last night I made white bean and cauliflower mash potatoes with a carb free meatloaf, subbing the bread crumbs with carrots, mushrooms and zucchini and my gravy was bouillon cubes and arrowroot to thicken.  I'm no longer on a diet, because the meals I am making are better than the ones I was eating, and they are great for me!  I finally get it.   

Before 2PM, I reach for a lot of fats, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds (in low sodium shells), olives, dark chocolate with a touch of peanut butter is a yummy, mind you they are great evening foods too!  I am not one to want to cook a lot so I reach for 

yogurt and throw a tablespoon of chia seeds in it for fiber.  I have cheese here and there as well...but I don't count calories at all. Smoothies, eggs, and pretty much anything I want, that is NOT processed of course. I am finally on track eating to have a fitter tomorrow, one that makes my feet happy and gets the kitty litter off!  Yes this is my goal.  Today I type you after a 6 pound weight loss since I started this way.  I feel good, I am not deprived, and its working.  Yes no more counting calories, I can do this!

I pledge to share recipes and keep posting my success, because I really do see a skinny me with happy feet in my future.  I am never dieting again, I am living!

Here's To Leaping!

Here I sit, workout clothes on, sneakers tight on my feet, pony tail behind me.  Soon, I will make the trek for day two at the gym.  I finally plunged back into a gym workout, yesterday.  I have been battling feet issues for months now.  In the process, my weight goes up and down within 5 pounds due to my inconsistencies.  I have done low calorie and low carb dieting for months now.  One thing is for certain, I am sinking in my own personal quick sand.

My feet started hurting on a daily basis, making it difficult to walk for more than a 1/2 mile without pain.  It takes me back to my heaviest days, when the idea of walking or hiking sounded treacherous.  I can not go back, I must move forward.  Granted I have added poundage to my body since my Biggest Loser Resort days, in fact, I am about 20 pounds heavier than the day I left the resort.  What has happened since I left is disturbing.  My feet in almost constant pain has sent me to the podiatrist where the doctor had no answers for me.  He figured I had some sort of stress pain, caused from a prior injury.  He couldn't wait to shoot me up with steroids.  Immediately, it was a fail and I chose not to return to him.  At least I knew my foot was not broken, no arthritis or bone spurs.  I decided I would take matters in my own hands, well, feet which has been an extreme fail.  Many nights I ice my feet in hopes to rid me of the pain, but it remains.  The only conclusion I have come up with is I must get the extra weight I am carrying off my feet!
Hence me rejoining the gym.  As I stepped up to the gym entrance yesterday, I felt fairly good about my decision.  Its a month to month membership so if my feet don't let me do it, I can always quit.  Only, I know for sure if I quit, I will be out of options.  To know me is to know I refuse to give up!  My weight has been an issue my entire life, and I am not going to stop striving for a better healthier life now.  So, I will go to that gym, and I will heal!  I climbed the stairs yesterday to sign up, and inside I was almost doing a crazy laughter because the stairs annoyed me!  Unbelievable, a flight of stairs to climb to get in the gym!...what? is this really me????? When did I stop looking at those extra stairs as a good thing, extra work out, more calories burned?  I did not want to be that person again, I remember a life hating stairs and climbing...but I have been climbing mountains now, this is NOT who I am!  I am on the edge of being very unhealthy if I give up, so I won't!

I use to think those that went to the gym and stayed 30 minutes were strange, what kind of work out are they really getting anyway?  Well it took the girl at the counter about 30 minutes just to sign me up, and by the time I got my start, I was ready to go home.  Due to my feet issues, I must avoid my usual treadmill, the bending of my feet is a problem.  So immediately I went to the elliptical.  After 15 minutes, I was ready to get off of it.  I then moved on to the bike, which again I was finished with in 15 minutes.  I also spent a short time doing some arm exercises with their equipment.  Honestly, I would have stayed longer but I ran out of water and wanted more for more cardio.  Regardless, I was not hard on myself and I began to understand those that do not stay in the gym very long.  At least they made an effort...at least I made an effort.
The rest of my night my feet were in horrible pain, and I concluded that doing stretching with my feet made them worse not better.  Today as I sit her typing, my feet already hurt, but I am heading to that gym anyway, this time with more water in tow.
I am going to tackle this foot problem, and help it out by taking off some of the weight my feet have to carry daily.
As I profess to you now, we may fall off our good intentions, but we can all get back to it, we just need to take the leap.
Here I leap!

Breaking My Barriers

Its hard for me to come forth and admit to all that I have been failing lately.  I have had the time, but not made the time to get a move on.  I have made time for other things, but not my exercise.  I have felt my age for the first time, and it has scared me!




I am sluggish and exhausted and do NOT want to exercise.  The winter blues play a part, but I believe that my exhaustion has been brought on by my laziness and some food choices. I have lost focus on loving myself.  There is no reward for my behavior, instead there has been this sluggish feeling gripping me and weighing me down.

The thought of exercise itself was sounding exhausting to me.  I was becoming exhausted just living.  I am pushing passed my barriers now, and making the right things happen.  I want the rewards of good eating and exercise.  The endorphin's have kicked in today, and I have gone from wiping my sweaty brow to typing my honesty to you.




I have decided I want to do the Biggest Loser Marathon in August since its just a 6 hour drive.
I will make this my goal, to be able to jog a half                                               marathon, yes, it is my goal!!!
Anyone wanting to join in, please find me on my group we are looking
for some more participants, as they want groups of 25.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/catssupportstation/
Also we share on the group, so feel free to join!!



What really got me moving today was an advertisement for a new gym, it made me reminisce my hard workouts and how much I LOVED that endorphin kick I received.  It literally made me get on some work clothes, update my bodybugg and head to my treadmill.  I was ready for a small start of about a 1/2 mile walk, but I ended up with a 2 mile walk and jog.  It felt amazing and I feel amazing!  I drank much needed water, which I also have been slacking on, and I am ready to tackle the world today.  I already feel a year younger. (giggle fit)
I feel those bricks chipping away from the wall and getting me motivated to keep moving.  I am claiming back my life this day and moving forward with a great attitude ready to get to that marathon this summer.
If you are reading this and haven't moved today...do something to forge forward, maybe just stand up and sit down 20 times, your heart rate will rise and you can say you did some extra moving.  Push through your own barriers no matter what they are, and LOVE yourself!
Thanks for letting me confess..and now I am off to make a lentil and squash soup! Yummy!

Sugar, oh! honey honey!

Last year, I had a complete physical to make sure all is good.  One thing noted was my cholesterol was elevated.  When my doctor said avoid carbs, I was completely confused...huh? what?  Wait a minute!  I thought I was suppose to avoid fats!  I was so confused.

Its not to say I haven't technically been in confusion my entire life about what to eat and what not to eat.  I concluded, if it taste good it's probably bad.  But once again I was having to re-examine the foods I was eating and try and understand that the way to heart disease is through carbs, not fats!!

I am reflecting on it today, because I saw a teaser of a TV show and it reminded me of what my doctor had told me.  The main cause of heart disease is INFLAMMATION!!!



Sugar is the #1 culprit of causing inflammation.  Sugar damages arteries, raises your blood pressure, and ages your organs.  When I think about sugar, I am not surprised of some of the damage is causes to the body, when you have a cut in your mouth, you salt it, add sugar and just watch how long that cut takes to go away.  When I eat too much sugar, I feel like I have a hangover the next day.  I am sluggish and lacking energy.  Okay so it makes sense that it is hurting me.



Of course we are being educated today on the way we end up with sugars in our body...refined carbs are HUGE in the sugar department.  Also, high fructose corn syrup, is playing a major role in foods we buy today.  Most ingredients with the ose on the end are also sugars.  And these days, its becoming really hard to identify sugars on packaging, because manufacturers are disguising it with new names.



I can only conclude, whole foods is the way to go...this is not to say I will completely remove sugars from my life, but I will consider that sugary treat a occasional visitor.

I would like to share this article with everyone, please read, it may change your life and even save it!

As always, thanks for reading and come join Cat's Support Station on Facebook where we can all interact.


http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/healthscience/2012/october/cholesterol-myth-what-really-causes-heart-disease/

Reflections....

Reflection...You can look at this word in 2 ways...like when you see your reflection and you question why you are not thrilled with what you see, and secondly, and for me this past week, most importantly....

Reflection...why is it NOT working? What am I doing wrong? What is stopping me from succeeding? Yes that is what I did last week, I reflected on what was causing my problems recently and I concluded, my number one is NOT willpower, I can be strong...no..my number one is timing of eating. I am a horrible on the run kind of eater and it makes for horrible food choices. So I went to the store last week and stocked up on the things that will help me to be on-the-go and healthy.





So...
R*E*F*L*E*C*T and try and pinpoint the exact problem you have with making your commitment and sticking with it.







come interact at the newly formed group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/catssupportstation/

Hump Day

The temperature this morning is 14 degrees and I am reminded how much I dislike Winter!  As with everything in my life, I try to find the positives in things.  So my number one positive has always been I love boots!  So when it gets cold I get to wear them!!  Yep its true when I can think of anything else, that is the one thing I can be happy about...its boot time!

Truth is, there is a few things that make winter acceptable beyond being fashionable in my boot collection.  Another thing I like about Winter...well really the Fall to Spring season is SOUP.  I find it an amazing way to get my vegetables as well as fullness when I need a little extra somethin-somethin!
For those that have been to the Biggest Loser Resort you know we had soup with every lunch, which was so comforting!  Especially after a chilly hike!!  I try and have soup ready to go in my refrigerator, which keeps me from reaching for the wrong thing when I'm hungry.  So many soups require no dairy at all, which keeps the fats away.  I fell in love with a squash soup recipe in the fall and I continue to use it for all types of squash, including butternut squash!  I don't really like butternut squash soup recipes but absolutely love using this squash recipe for all my squash soups.

Here is a recipe I found and use often:
Squash Soup (use with all squashes)

2-3 squashes (creamier soup with 3)
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
1 apple, cored and chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. dried ginger
1/4 tsp. dried sage
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (adds nice amount of heat)
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
4 cups vegetable stock (organic is preferable)

Directions

The first thing I noted, it is much easier to get the squash out of its skin if you roast it in the oven.  In a 400 degree oven place seeded halved squash on foil lined cookie sheet. Roasting time is around 40-50 minutes, check with fork for tenderness. When cooled you can easily scoop out the insides and throw out its outer skin.

In a soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add carrots, apple, shallot and onions and saute until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Once tender, add salt, ginger, sage, cayenne, allspice, squash and vegetable stock. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Remove pot from heat and puree mixture.  Calorie in a cup are about 75.  Of course I always have at least a 2 cup serving!  YUMMY

Another variation of this soup is to add beans such as pinto beans adding protein to the equation!  In fact, next batch of my soup will have beans in it.  Note to all I am NOT a bean person at all, do not like the texture, but it will be puree'd in it and I won't even notice!!

Lastly, although winter does make it hard to go outside, it definitely makes for indoor exercise to be cooler.  And Fall and Spring are the best time for outdoor hikes!  So these are the things that keep me accepting of cold weather.  

So me and my popsicle toes will get warm with some comforting soup and indoor cardio today.  

Hmm...I think its time for some soup!