Can Don'ts versus Can Do's

'I'm not pretty enough. I'm not smart enough. I'm not healthy enough. I'm not thin enough. I just can't do it! That person is better is than me. He/she has way more talent than I ever could'  Those thoughts constantly run through my head. The list actually goes on. I am famous for making excuses for why I can't do things in life. I am my own worst critic. I know this. We all are. We look in the mirror everyday and we judge ourselves. We make excuses why we can't get to where we want to be in life. Such constant negative thoughts run through our head everyday. Half the time we don't even realize it.

 

“It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.”-Unknown

I need to stop focusing on the can not's and focus on the can do's. Yes, some things may hold me back in life, but there are other ways to get to the goal I want to reach. My husband reminds me of this constantly. We are complete opposites. We think and see the world completely different. So there are many times he will point things out that I never thought of and also help me realize that I don't need certain things to accomplish what it is I want. Drives me crazy when he is right! lol

After I dropped the kids off to school yesterday ,I needed to workout. Yes it was a need and not a want. I was feeling feisty and just had to get out a lot of cooped up energy from being sick. My youngest went beebopping around playing with toys so I turned up the music and did some Zumba. It wasn't enough. I wanted more. I worked on my abs and used my hand weights. I was then reminded of a suggestion a friend had made for me to look up on youtube. Plyometrics. I watched a few videos and found one I liked. After watching it two times, I decided, I was just going to do it. Why not? Trust me, I had the excuses, but I just went for it. There was such a fire lit in me I just had to. I had a hard time keeping up and I didn't last the entire length of the video. I chickened out on one of the moves. But I did try something new. I did it for fun and I did actually enjoyed it. I am sore. Not going to deny it. But it was a challenge that I am so glad I went for and didn't let the I can'ts or fear take control.

I am not the bestest, the fastest or the greatest. I am just me. I don't know it all or claim to. I know what I know and I seek out more to fuel the fire that is lit in me to be a better me. Thinking all the can'ts won't get me anywhere. It won't get you anywhere. What is it that you keep saying you can't do? What is it that you are holding back from? Challenge yourself and DO IT! You may be surprised at what you can do, when you put you mind to it. And how much further you can go the next time and the next time! Out with the negative and in with the positive! You CAN do it! You are everything you need to be to acheive what you want to be!

Breaking Habits

I haven't written a blog entry in over a week. It's funny how easy it is to fall out of habits, and yet so hard to pick them back up and stick with it. It happens with many different areas in my life. From organizing to cooking to being a parent to even taking vitamins consistantly. And let's not forget tracking! When I track I am awesome. I am diligent. When I slip up, it's so hard to get back into it. Even with leaving clues around like the little weekly tracker books lying around, leaving the WW site up so everytime I hit the computer during the day I see it as a reminder, and having the ap on my mp3 player on the opening screen I still fail. I get in the I will do it later or when the kids go to bed mode. Then a few days go by and it hits you! I often find myself doing a facepalm at the oddest times to when I remember. Like in the middle of the grocery store or in the school yard waiting for the boys. Usually when I don't have an opportunity to catch up.

But as much as I keep falling off, I always find my back on. I have never really been one to stick with things as I get bored, especially when I don't see results or if I don't feel good about what it is I am doing. With WW though, I do feel good and I do see the results. Even when I fail at tracking, I still have that little voice inside my head when I prepare food or get ready to eat out telling me to make good choices. PPV's start dancing in my head and measuring cups and spoons come out to play like it's just second nature. Things are sticking and that is good! It makes it easier to jump back on and to also know, I will be able to maintain once I reach my goal!

Challenging week...but it's a new start!

I love Saturday mornings! It's the start of a new week for me on this weight loss journey. A clean slate! Starting fresh! Out with the old...in with the new! Get the idea yet? ;)

This week was challenging for me. Lots of cravings for all the bad carbs....soft pretzels, chocolate, scones and so forth. Also had quite the dairy day. It was driving me nuts I could not resist nor control myself. It wasn't to horrible as I managed to not gain anything during this what seemed to be like a binge week. For that I am grateful. However, it really messed with my mood. I hate the way I feel when I eat like that. The root of the problem is unknown. I think it was a combination of things like a really bad low on Saturday that sent me on a spiral to most of my bad decisions the next 24 hours, my hormones and just the way I had been feeling.

Going to today's WW meeting truly helped me. It does every week. I get remotivated, recharged and leave feeling happy and empowered. I will do this. Just take it one day, one meal at time.

Fall Favorite gets a Makeover

It's fall! And on top of me loving Pumpkin, I also have a favorite fall dish. Apple cider pork chops. MMmmm! It's heavenly! But with my new healthy lifestyle, I needed to try and give it a friendly figure recipe makeover. My old recipe used lots and lots of butter and oil and sugar and cider. I think I have a few clogged arteries just typing it! I can't believe how much butter I used to cook with. I was like Paula Deen....probably worse! I used to go through a few boxes in a month. Now one package lasts about 3 weeks in this house. Not a bad change if you ask me!

So for my figure friendly version I used a pork roast instead of chops. Figured it would hold up better in the crockpot! (I love my crockpot!) I sliced up a large onion and one granny smith apple. I layered them at the bottom of the crockpot and put the roast on top. I added salt, pepper and Thyme to the roast then I measured 1 1/2 cups of apple juice and  1/2 cup of apple cider vinager. I put it one high for 4 hours and it came out just AWESOME! I would have to say even better than my original recipe. I made garlic smashed red potatoes and mixed in some cauliflower too! Love sneaking in other veggies when the kids don't look! :) It was fantastic! I need to go get some more Pork now so I can make it again...soon!

Excuses

They seem to come out of the wood work like no one's business. I have a headache. I don't have time. I am not in the mood. I am congested. The kids are all over the place. I just ate a big meal. I don't want to drive to the gym. I don't want to work out alone. I have to much to do. Well a friend of mine put up a status today. I played around with a pic of sneakers I had and added that status. I need to get some ink so I print it out and put it in a few spots of my house. It's so true. No matter how many excuses I come up with. Nothing can beat that feeling when you are dripping with sweat but have a smile on your face because you know you just did your mind and body right!

Rough weekend...but a new day!

Talk about rough weekends! Sheesh! It wasn't rough emotionally or anything. My body was just craving mad carbs. Bad carbs. Like soft pretzels and scones! Crackers and breads! I don't know what came over me. Was it my blood sugars acting all crazy? I had a wicked bad low on Saturday. I haven't had one in eons it seems. But it really sent me for a loop and I am wondering if that is what sent me down the path to carb destruction? I don't know. But here it is Monday and I need to get it together and get back on track with better decisions. I was smart...I tracked! I will continue to track...and throw in a few extra activity points! :)

I want to be.....

Walking home from dropping off the boys to school, I couldn't help but stare at my shadow. I was really drawn to it and quite honestly, I just liked how it made me look. Tall and lean.

Oh to be tall.  If I were tall I would not require the use of chairs or step stools to reach above the refridgerator. I would probably feel more comfortable playing sports like volleyball or basketball. I wouldn't have to stand on my tippy toes to kiss my husband. I would be able to walk as fast as my husband! My oldest son would have years to catch up to my height instead of months. But I am not tall. I am short. And that is okay. I am closer to my children. I can play hide and seek easier. I don't require a lot of leg room on an airplane. :D Jealous?? You should be!

Oh to be lean. If I were lean I would not be so self conscious in the fitting rooms. I would not care what people thought of me. I would not have to work as hard as I am now on my health. I would be a positive role model to my boys and their friends. I would be happy. But I am not lean.

STOP! Hear the screeching of the brakes??  I know I am not lean yet. But when I do get lean, I am pretty sure I will still feel self conscious in the fitting rooms. I would still care what people thought of me. I would have to work just as hard, if not harder to maintain my health. I already am a positive role model for my boys and their friends because I am working on being healthier better me.  And happy...pft...I am already happy.

I think overweight people have the common misconception that all problems magically disappear in their life once they are skinny. When in fact it can't be further from the truth. I used to have that mentality. 'When I get skinny, my life will be so much better. I won't get picked on or made fun of. I'll have a boyfriend. I'll have this and I'll have that. I will be popular.' Blah blah blah!  Did I ever get skinny with that mentality? Well no. Why? Because I wanted what some else had and I was trying to achieve it for all the wrong reasons. I was seeing what society wanted me to see instead of looking at it from a healthy perspective.

I can't speak for the skinny/lean people of the world as I have never been one. But I do have a lot friends that are and they seem have the same self conscious issues I do, just from a different perspective. I used to roll my eyes and get mad everytime I would hear someone smaller than me say they are fat. My husband is famous for that. But they have their own perspective on what suits them. On how they choose to be healthy.

We all are made up of the same ingredients we just end up being shaped differently. It isn't a bad thing. It's a beautiful thing. Be proud of who you are and show confidence in what you have. Life doesn't get better when you get leaner or if you are trying to get curvier. It gets better because you make the choices in life to make it better. You have the power and you have the control to make your life and your body what you want it to be. Me... I want to be the best ME that I can be! I want to be healthy and a good role model for my children. That's what it comes down to for me. Not the dress size or the ability to wear a bikini. Just an all around good healthy positive role model for my three boys.