Our bodies don't always need as much food as our mind tells us. #fact

It's amazing. I'm doing something that I let myself believe wasn't possible to do again.

It's been a little over three weeks since I radically changed my diet and focused on only eating clean, whole foods, and eating with portion control being top of mind.

The first couple weeks we're pretty tough. I was tired and got a little "hangry" around 5pm everyday. It wasn't my body that was hungry though. It was my mind. I was so used to stuffing myself full of fatty, sugar filled sweets and heavy caloric pastas and breads that I would literally go into a food coma every night. Similar to a drug or alcohol addiction I needed those bad foods to "feel good."

Well... I've finally broken free of that mentality.  At first my body was in total shock. "What the hell are you doing to me?" Then week three rolled around and my workouts got easier, my skin was glowing, and I'm waking up every morning to a delightfully decreasing number on the scale! I can hear my body thanking me every minute of every day and I respond with a swift, "you're welcome!"

I've had so much support over the past three weeks. From friends, family, and my husband. I'd even say that my dog, Google, is happier because that little girl has been getting a lot of leftover chicken and apple slices. She seems to have no problem supporting me in my weight loss journey.

I'm sharing because my mission and goal in life is to help people understand that they can have/do/be anything they want. I probably overuse this but almost 4 years ago I couldn't run a mile and now I'm training for my 5th full 26.2! I've lost 30lbs before and I can do it again. In fact, I'm DOING IT NOW. As of this morning I've lost 20lbs from clean eating and portion control. I'm getting sexy back, people!

Our bodies don't always need as much food as our mind tells us. #fact

diet overhaul...

Honestly, I'm feel pretty darn great!

It's been 8 full days since I cut out sugar, grains, and dairy. I'm still alive and functioning! I've lost 12lbs! It's incredible to see how grateful my body is to be fueled by healthy, whole foods. I'm lighter, I'm more confident, and my clothes are fitting me again! I'm waking up feeling more energized than ever.

The toughest part for me, aside from the 5 o'clock tired spells I get everyday, is being in social situations.

Exhibit A:
Last Thursday, I went to a happy hour with friends. They we're drinking margaritas and eating fried food. I chugged 10 glasses of water to keep myself from launching across the table and ripping food from their hands. I ended up leaving early because it felt like torture. But when I got home, I realized what a success it was for me to be there and not cheat on myself.

It hit me like a brick... I'm in control. What?! Yes. Samantha, you are in control!

Exhibit B:
Friday night, I attended a "Beer WOD" at my CrossFit gym. It is pretty much exactly what it sounds like... workout + beer drinking. I had originally planned on participating before I got fed up with myself and started cutting out the crap. I chose to stay above the line and spectate, and cheer on my rad friends and workout buds. The event was insane, and I ended up getting sweaty!

Exhibit C:

Saturday night, Brett and I went to see Florence and the Machine live in the Woodlands. The show was EPIC. Her voice is soulful and always gives me goose bumps.  They completely rocked the venue.  Normally, I would have slammed 3 or 4 over priced beers but I didn't. I wanted to.... but I didn't. I stuck it out...

It wasn't that bad.

(see her perform live! #doitnow)

So here I am today, still committed as I was a week ago. Loving my new outlook on food as fuel. I've got a support system stronger than steel and I'm ready to keep taking it one day at a time.

What can you do TODAY to make yourself better? Let me know! I'd love to support you.

s

weighty issues...

Alright, so I declared I would lose 50lbs by December of this year. I gave you my word. I put it out on the table for everyone to see. So, how am I doing?

I’ve lost 15lbs but I wouldn’t say I’m on track. Why is losing weight so hard? It shouldn’t be. Eat healthy, eat light, exercise, right?

I’ve got to find a new approach and stick with it. Here is what I’m changing this week:

1.       Rating my hunger on a scale 1-10 every time I eat.

2.       Eat 3 meals and 2 snacks on an “as close as I can get to a schedule” schedule.

3.       Ask myself am I eating to fill a biological need or a psychological one? Eating to solve an emotion void is deadly…

4.       NORMAL PORTIONS. While, I’d like to focus on only eating “really” healthy foods, that’s not really my problem. It’s the AMOUNT of food I’m eating. So first things first, get a grip on that.  

Unlike an addition to drugs or alcohol, food is kind of unavoidable for a human. I have to learn to coexist and learn to eat to live, not live to eat.

I’ll let you know how it goes. Planning to title my next weight loss related post “20lbs down!”

easier said than done...

How am I doing?

On this weight loss journey, I’ve encountered ups and downs. My first post (my realization that I’ve let myself go) was in January. It’s May and I’ve only successfully fought off 10lbs.  I’ve had several moments of failure but with every failure I have a learning that I can put in my back pocket for the next time.

So losing weight is simple, right? Burn more calories than you eat. EASIER SAID THAN DONE! Here are a few essentials that are must haves for successful weight loss that can make loosing weight a bit more tangible:

1.      Eat right

      Choose foods that fuel your body and make you feel good. How many food hangovers have you had? They are awful, right?

       ***Experiment! (warning: involves eating junk food!!)***

       1. Eat something healthy and nutrious- something you'd be proud to say you ate. After you eat, take note of how your body (and mind) feels. You’ll probably experience feelings of happiness, success; maybe feel a bit lighter.

       2. For lack of a better term... eat something shitty. French fries, pizza, a taco bell 10 pack!You may feel anxious, depressed, sluggish… I could go on forever… I’m really familiar with this feeling.

      3. Decide how you want to feel every day

2.      Exercise daily (OK, maybe almost daily)

       You don’t have to train for a marathon but a jog may help. Even just walking 20 minutes a day has its benefits. I like to switch up my workouts weekly, even while training for marathons. Spin class, pilates, boot camps, CrossFit, barre classes, hot YOGA!

3.      YOGA

       It’s in its own category for me. Yoga keeps you flexible, gives you peace of mind, and presents a challenge every practice. It’s called a “yoga practice” not “yoga perfect” so don’t be intimidated if you’ve never tried it.

4.      Don’t take it personal

       Food is not out to get you. Your friends, family, and co-workers want you to succeed in your weight loss goals. If someone brings cupcakes to work they are not trying to sabotage you. If your partner asks if you want to cook in vs. eat out one night they are not saying you’re fat. Stop taking things in life so personally. GET OUT OF YOUR OWN HEAD.

5.      Small bites

       I mean this literally and figuratively. Surprise! You’ve heard it before but slow down your eating by taking smaller bites and chewing slowly. Don’t try to lose too much weight too fast. It won’t stay off. Create “baby steps” in 5lbs increments.

6.     Motivation

      What will it take for you to commit to living a healthy lifestyle, and living a life you love? No one is judging you. Maybe your motivation is to fit into your pre-baby Paige jeans. Maybe you’ll reward yourself with a trip to a tropical beach destination. For some it may be that they want to be around when their kids have kids and those kids have kids. #toowordy?

I’m not a doctor or nutritionist but I am a hell of a motivator. If you’re struggling keep your head held high and don’t keep it to yourself. Talk to someone. I’m available J

Until next time…

you are whole, perfect, and complete...

I’ve been a goal setter now for 3 years and today I realized I’ve been going about it all wrong.

Instead of putting down on paper what I WANT for my life I’ve been writing goals from the perspective of NEEDING to make myself better, change myself. Now, to an extent, yes, that is the point of goal setting (to better oneself) but one of my most recent goals is a great example of how I’m not living as if I am whole, perfect, and complete.

My goal to lose 50lbs is great but my reasoning isn’t. Yes, I want to be healthier but am I unhealthy right now?I run marathons, I practice yoga multiple times a week, and I make fresh pressed juice at home! Maybe some of my eating patterns aren’t perfect but let’s get real… I really want to lose weight because I feel like I should. I work with a lot of girls with beautiful long legs, and rock hard abs and until recently hadn’t let that get to me. My struggle for the past year hasn’t really been about the weight, but more about how I’ve fallen out of love with myself.

So, now I’m ready to change that. I am whole, perfect, and complete. What the scale reads doesn’t matter. What size lululemon pants I buy doesn’t matter. I’m not afraid to go to a workout because I’m slower than the rest. I do not compare myself to other women.

So, I have a little extra baggage right now. So, what!? Maybe when I stop obsessing over it things will change and I’ll be a little thinner, run a little faster. But in the mean time I am going to recognize and celebrate who I am. I am no longer ruled by the number on the scale. I am beautiful, curvy, and sooooo badass.

If I could change one thing in the world right now (aside from war and hate crimes, duh) it would be to take out the piece of every woman’s brain that tells her shes not “good enough.”

Sisters (and brothers), we are good enough.

recovery is a b*tch...

Where Have I been? Oh, just out sabotaging my weight loss goal every day. No big deal. BUT REALLY… it is!

A couple of contributing factors:

1.)    My in-laws visited my sister and her kids visited and we ate, and ate, and ATE. I have just got to learn how to control myself while eating out in public. There is no need to HAVE to order a sandwich and fries. I could have ordered a salad?

2.)    My job transfer. After 2.5 years at my store I’m transitioning into one of our newer stores nearby starting today. I’ve used the past couple of weeks to celebrate with wine, beer, and spirits J Extra calories, y’all!

3.)    I thought I knew it all- “Oh, I’ve lost 13lbs I got this! I’ll keep doing what I’m doing. I can indulge a little here and there and it won’t affect my progress.” YEAH RIGHT! In yoga, I go to each practice with a fresh, beginners mind. This is the thought process I need to adapt with my eating habits as well.

So, after gaining 8lbs back in two weeks I’ve hit my 2^nd low point. I am committed to reversing this. And here is how:

1.)    Reading- I’m re-committing to continuing to read Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman to gain a better insight into how to fuel my body the RIGHT way and cutting out the JUNK.

2.)    Sticking to my calorie goal- I will not exceed my 1200 calorie a day intake (exceptions being that I’m able to eat a bit more on days where I complete an intense workout-not to exceed 500 additional calories) I’ll be hitting up My Fit Foods (www.myfitfoods.com) later today to stock my fridge with low cal, well rounded meals.

3.)    Diversifying my workouts- This week begins my training for my next marathon in June! Wahoo! I commit to running 4x a week, taking 1 restorative yoga class, 1 hot yoga class, and a strength class at DefineBody & Mind (www.definebody.com) or CrossFit (www.bayoucitycrossfit.com) to strengthen my running muscles, tone my arms, find my abs, and rev my metabolism.

Have you watched the television show Intervention? Well, I’m in recovery and I just experienced my first relapse. Overeating and filling your body full of junk is not much better than an addition to alcohol or other drugs. It may not kill you in the short term but in the long run you’re still taking years off your life. While I remain extremely positive and inspired to reach my 50lb weight loss goal I know I’ll hit more bumps in the road. Recovery should be shared and that’s why I’m sharing with you about my journey week after week.

Next week, I’m committed to sharing this week’s success with you.

building confidence...

I have a friend named Stacey. She is RADICAL. Nothing about her is ordinary. She started doing something a while back that I HAVE to share. She would wear red lipstick whenever she wanted to bring out her sassy side. I view her act of self expression as a way to exude confidence. Confidence… something I WANT!

So this past Monday I went out for a jog on the TC Jester bike path. It was HOT. Texas is heating up…as usual. I was wearing shorts and a tee shirt and felt unusually hot. Too bad I’m not in good enough shape to shed my shirt! ::insert laughter:: Uh-oh. I just told myself I couldn’t do something because I’m not good enough. This is one of my trigger phrases. Whenever I hear it I absolutely want to DO it to prove a point. Shit… I have to take my shirt off in public.

It was around mile 2 and I still hadn’t taken it off. The voices in my head we’re pulling me in both directions. Do it, don’t do it, do it, don’t do it. Finally, I hit my breaking point and I stopped and ripped my shirt off, Incredible Hulk style! I ran .4 miles in just shorts and a sports bra. The feeling of wind on my sweaty skin was freeing. Confidence was creeping in. I let a cyclist pass me... That was enough for the day. I put my shirt back on and ran home. What sounds like a tiny step was actually BIG for me.

This little exercise reinforced my weight loss goal and gave me the confidence I needed to stay on track. 

What could you do for yourself that would push you out of your comfort zone? The results could be surprising. You will realize you probably won’t die if you do it (Yes, I feared death if I took my shirt off in public)

New goal: I run a full 3 mile loop at memorial park in shorts and a sports bra by August 2012.

complicating the choices i make to reach my goal

Do the following exercise out loud (seriously):

1.       Spell STOP

2.       What do you do at a green light?

1.       Spell JOKE

2.       What is the white part of an egg called?

Aha! Did I get you? Do you see what mistake you made? Why do you think you answered the second part incorrectly? It’s OK. Most people do. YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Let’s analyze it for a moment. Our immediate answers were wrong because we didn’t take the time to think it through. As humans, we often walk around on auto-pilot. We don’t mean to be oblivious but we are. Have you ever driven someplace and arrived at your destination and been like “uhhh, how did I get here?” Or gone through your work day and come home to “Hunny, how was work?” and you have no response? My favorite is reading a single page in a book five times and still not knowing what the hell it said.

I can easily apply this to the way I’ve been eating for the past year. I don’t slow down to think about what I’m putting in my body. I mostly eat for instant gratification. If you ask me what I ate for lunch yesterday I may not even remember, which tells me I probably didn’t think much to plan it out or care at all about the product I was consuming. Instant gratification is what got me to where I am now. My goal is to feel in control of how I am taking care of my mind and body, but how can I do that if I’m not conscious of the decisions I make?

Moving forward from this day, in regards to food I am committing to “feeling whole” by making the right food choices for my body. This means I will need to complicate my thought process and slow it down by asking myself “is this going to get me into my skinny jeans?” “Will this make me feel whole and satisfied?” By tripping myself up and slowing down before I decide to eat or drink something I’ll make it harder for myself to eat unhealthy.

Making smart food choices + exercise= weight loss and that is NOT a complicated thought.