Sarah's perfect post

I think that Sarah and I need to confer more on our blog posts.  After reading her post from last night, I believe that we may be the same person.  I guess that's what happens when you spend 3+ hours a week running together and obsessing over various things via email during the day :-) 

Since she already wrote the intro, I am going to provide the answers to some of the questions that I get daily:

Q:  Don't you starve on Weight Watchers?  Aren't you hungry?  What do you eat? 
Well, if you consider not eating a 2 flatbread sammie combo from Quizno's every day as starving, yes.  But, no - I definitely do not starve on Weight Watchers.  I actually feel like I eat all day long.  The Weight Watchers Points Plus system is great.  You can eat all the fruit and most veggies for 0 points plus values.  The program also encourages you to eat more healthful, filling foods (they call them power foods).  I can still eat anything I want, I just have to be prepared.  Every evening, I put my planned food into the WW tracker and pack my lunch.  It works for me.  Yes, I did order Girl Scout cookies this year.  In case you were interested, there are 16 Thin Mints in each sleeve - that is 4 servings.  I can totally eat just 4 cookies now, whereas in the past I would down the entire sleeve.

Q: Doesn't running hurt?  I can't run because it hurts (insert body part here).
I am not gonna lie - running can hurt.  But, the pain is temporary if you keep at it.  When I started running on Saturday, July 24, 2010, I thought I was going to die.  As soon as we were done, I went home, showered, sat down on the couch to "rest for a few minutes", and slept for nearly 4 hours.  Mind you, on our first run with NCRC, we did 1 minute walk/1 minute run intervals for 1 mile - that was definitely a wake up call to how out of shape I really was.  The next day I hurt, Monday I couldn't walk, and Tuesday I went back out there.  Other than an injury that sidelined me for about a month, I haven't stopped.  Does it hurt now?  No, so long as I do what I am supposed to do (stretch, eat properly, etc.).

You say you can't run?  Really?  Do you have something wrong with your legs?  Did your doctor say that you can't run?  OR, it is that you are scared, concerned, worried, etc.?  No one ever said that you had to take off running like the Road Runner or Speedy Gonzales.  The key is moving.  Get out there and get moving.  If you want to run and you train appropriately, it will come in time.

Q:  How do you find the time to run/exercise?  It takes a lot of time to get ready to go run, etc.
I find the time to run and exercise because I make it a priority.  My work schedule is such that I leave at 4:30 each afternoon.  The trail that Sarah and I run two times a week is right on my way home from work, so I have no choice than to pass it.  I bring my clothes to work, change into them before I leave and stop by the greenway for a quick run after work.  I am always intrigued by people that say it takes a lot of time to get ready to run.  Really?  I think it takes me 5 minutes to change out of my work clothes and get my running clothes on and shoes laced up.  I also try to get out of my office during the day at least twice a week for a walk or run in the middle of the day.  Yes, I sweat and no, I do not smell like roses.  I clean up the best I can and move on with my day.  My biggest help with this has been having a buddy and the hubs.  I am committed to run because I have at least one other person that is expecting me to be there.  My husband also keeps me accountable by asking what I am doing after work, etc.  It works for me because it is important to me. 

Go read Sarah's tips for getting started with running and Weight Watchers.  She is totally right on!  Here are a few more from me:

• Make running/fitness/health type activities appointments on your calendar.  In this day in age, it seems like everyone has a Blackberry/iPhone/smart phone - use it.  They all have handy-dandy little calendars on them.  I put my healthy lifestyle activities in my calendar in a special color, etc.  Would you miss your annual gyn visit or dental appointment?  No, probably not - so why would you skip an appointment to lengthen your life?
• Try new foods!  This is so very important!  Through running, Weight Watchers, and the change of mindset about food, I am not eating things I have never eaten before.  If you asked me 2 years ago if I would eat parsnips, I would have said "What the h*ll is a parsnip?" - same thing with quinoa.  I spend my evenings combing through message boards, recipe websites, etc. finding yummy new things to try.  It is fun, gets the hubs involved, and generally turns out to be a food we will enjoy and put in our favorites list.
• Celebrate!  (Sarah mentioned this, but I couldn't help adding it.)  You must celebrate every single success.  Tracked every day?  Awesome!  Exercised 4 days and earned activity points?  Great!  Signed up for a race?  Rock it!  Went out to dinner and enjoyed every minute of it, without overindulging?  Yes!

You can do it!

Looking at the bigger picture



My chart for the last 24 weeks (highest weight on chart was
204 on October 27; current is 178.8)

This morning, I went to my weekly weigh-in at WW.  I am always a little "out of sorts" on Tuesday morning.  I have a routine that I follow and all I want to do is get the weigh-in over as quickly as possible.  Today was no different...
Last week I lost 3 pounds, the week before that I lost 2 pounds, and 2 weeks before that I lost 2.6 pounds.  I should have known better than to count on losing like that again.  Today, I weight exactly the same as last week.  Disappointed is not the appropriate word to describe how I initially felt.  I felt defeated, upset, sad and was about to cry. 

It didn't take long for me to tell several people about my being on the road to being discouraged.  They all offered the same advice - you are doing great, this is a journey, keep up the good work.  When I was sitting in my car, thinking to myself that I had "failed", I didn't think of how far I have come.  Since October 27, I have lost 25.2 pounds; since November 29, I have lost 18.8 pounds.  There is something to be said about that!  Obviously, that didn't happen without my changing my behavior.

The more I thought about it, they are absolutely right!  If you are in the same boat as me and sometimes get a little discouraged, etc., please make sure you step back and take a look at the bigger picture.  Yes, I want to lose weight.  However, losing weight isn't the only important thing in this journey.  Weight is only a very small piece of the journey to a healthier me.  Each step I take in selecting healthy foods to eat or to exercise is helping me gain muscle mass, gain endurance, and become a healthier me!

Some things I will be changing:

• No more sneaking on the scale.  The hubs and I do not have a scale in our home.  I learned many years ago that I tend to be obsessed with the number on the scale versus how I feel and how my clothes fit.  There are two scales in the bathroom on my floor at work and a scale at my gym.  I have been sneaking on the scale "just to see".  I will now only weigh at my WW meetings.
• Changing up the cardio.  I have been beating the demon monster machine using the Arc trainer for the past few weeks.  I love the calorie burn and feeling that I am really doing something.  I know that I need to change it up though.  I will be rotating between the Arc trainer at the stairmill more.
• Reminding myself that it is a journey.  This is definitely a journey.  If I said I gained the weight overnight, you would know I was lying.  Allowing myself to think that I will lose the pounds in a short period of time is just lying to myself. 

Every food choice, day of exercise, 5K/8K/10K race, or other choice I make is a victory.  Sometimes you just have to be reminded to look at the bigger picture.

Weekend recap

First things first!  Happy Daylight Savings Time!  I know there are some people that love to grumble about DST, but I am not one of those.  DST means a few things - it will not be pitch-black when I wake up in the morning; there will soon be a time when I can get a run in before work without being scared to death on the greenway; I can get a long run in after work if I can't get it done on the weekend.  Who would have ever thought that two of my three reasons to like daylight savings time would revolve around running...

Friday:
The hubs and I went to Natty Greene's for lunch with Erin.  He took vacation for the afternoon so that he could watch basketball (crazy Carolina fan).  I knew that I would never be able to get him to leave the pub in the middle of the game, so I left hubs at Natty Greene's and went grocery shopping.  I couldn't bear the thought of hearing him yell at Carolina for 2 hours in public.

Later on the in the afternoon, Sarah and I went for a walk at the NC Museum of Art.  I didn't even realize the trails existed.  Not only do you have trails that connect with the other Capital Area Greenway trails, there is beautiful art along some parts and some unpaved trails.  I think I have found a new favorite Sunday walking spot.  

On Friday evening, the hubs was pretty pre-occupied with basketball.  We relaxed at home and had a great new recipe (Asian Grilled Chicken) for dinner.  While he stayed up until some ungodly hour watching basketball, I spent the rest of the evening watching mindless TV before drifting off to sleep (earlier than I would care to admit).

Saturday:
Our Saturday morning run was the first official long run of the half marathon training program.  My running buddies and I met at 8:30 for a 6-miler.  Sarah and I have been talking a lot recently about how we are so focused on pace.  In an effort to be less obsessed focused on pace, I decided that I would  no longer wear my Garmin.  I will check our routes online to find the turn-around point before we go and leave the timing up to Sarah.  I have to say that running without my Garmin beeping after each mile to tell us our pace was very liberating.  We needed to slow our pace down in order to continue toward the distance we wanted to accomplish and this seemed to work just right.  We finished our 6 miles in 1 hour and 20 minutes (~13:20 mile).  I think Sarah and I did a pretty decent job of planning out the half training.  We'll do 6.5 miles next Saturday, 7 miles the next, then we're off to the Cooper River Bridge Run the first weekend in April.   

On Saturday afternoon, Sarah, Sarah's Dad, Alisha, and I went to see Spring Awakening at Memorial Auditorium.  I have heard a lot about this musical/production, but didn't realize it was even in town until Sarah told me.  She was able to get us some pretty darn good seats for a good price.  When we got into the auditorium, Sarah told her Dad to charm the female usher on the lower level to see if we could get better seats.  Thanks to him, we were able to sit very close in some seats that probably would have cost us $70 each otherwise.  We're going to have to recruit him to go on more adventures!

Sunday:
Today has been pretty easy-going.  I spent the early part of my day sitting in the recliner under a blanket, piping hot cup of coffee in hand, while watching CBS Sunday Morning.  I swear there is no better way to spend Sunday morning. 

The rest of the day was filled with going to the gym in an effort to avoid being a home listening to the hubs scream at the TV burn off some calories.  I did 60 minutes on the Arc Trainer and 20 minutes on the bike.  Felt so great!  The rest of the afternoon/evening has been spent doing things around the house and preparing to go back to work tomorrow.  

Here's to a great week! 

101 Ways to Deal with Stress and our dinner tonight

My therapist emailed me a great list today.  It is called "101 Ways to Deal with Stress".  I am going to make a concious effort to try at least one means of reducing stress each day as a way to curb my anxiety.  Hope this list helps you too!

Get up 18 minutes early • Prepare for the morning the night before • Avoid tight fitting clothes • Avoid relying on chemical aids • Set appointments ahead • Don’t rely on your memory... write it down • Practice preventative maintenance • Make duplicate keys • Say no more often • Set priorities in your life • Avoid negative people • Use time wisely • Simplify meal times • Always make copies of important papers • Anticipate your needs • Repair anything that doesn’t work properly • Ask for help with the jobs you dislike • Break large tasks into bite size portions • Look at challenges differently • Unclutter your life • Smile • Be prepared for rain • Tickle a baby • Pet a friendly dog/cat • Don’t know all the answers • Look for the silver lining • Say something nice to someone • Teach a kid to fly a kite • Walk in the rain • Schedule play time into every day • Take a bubble bath • Be aware of the decisions you make • Believe in yourself • Stop saying negative things to yourself • Visualize yourself winning • Develop your sense of humor • Stop thinking tomorrow will be a better day • Have goals for yourself • Dance a jig • Say hello to a stranger • Ask a friend for a hug • Look up at the stars • Practice breathing slowly • Learn to whistle a tune • Read a poem • Listen to a symphony • Watch a ballet • Read a story curled up in bed • Do a brand new thing • Stop a bad habit • Buy yourself a flower • Take stock of your achievements • Find support from others • Ask someone to be your “vent-partner” • Do it today • Work at being cheerful and optimistic • Put safety first • Do everything in moderation • Pay attention to your appearance • Strive for excellence NOT perfection • Stretch your limits a little each day • Look at a work of art • Hum a jingle • Maintain your weight • Plant a tree • Feed the birds • Practice grace under pressure • Stand up and stretch • Always have a “Plan B” • Learn a new doodle • Memorize a joke • Be responsible for your feelings • Learn to meet your own needs • Become a better listener • Know your limitations and let others know them too • Tell someone to have a good day in Pig Latin • Throw a paper airplane • Exercise every day • Learn the words to a new song • Get to work early • Clean out one closet • Play patty cake with a toddler • Go to a picnic • Take a different route to work • Leave work early (with permission) • Put air freshener in your car • Watch a movie and eat popcorn • Write a note to a far away friend • Go to a ball game and scream • Cook a meal and eat it by candlelight • Recognize the importance of unconditional love • Remember that stress is an attitude • Keep a journal • Practice a monster smile • Remember you always have options • Have a support network of people, place and things • Quit trying to “fix” other people • Get enough sleep • Talk less and listen more • Freely praise other people • P.S. Relax, take each day at a time... you have the rest of your life to live.

I have highlighted 15 items in pink.  I am going to work very hard to follow through with these.  I think having certain items to focus on will make the journey that much easier...

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Tonight, we had Broiled Salmon with Rosemary and Quinoa and Black Beans.  The hubs normally doesn't like salmon because it is too "fishy".  He actually seemed to enjoy our dinner tonight - whereas, I didn't eat all my salmon. 

I was a little frustrated when I left work today.  I felt like I really needed to run, but the weather was crap-tacular - it was sideways raining, blowing a gale, and just crappy.  Sarah and I had agreed to just go to our respective gyms.  As much as I was looking forward to working out, I was annoyed that I couldn't run outside.  In an effort to make the gym visit less torturous seeming, I challenged myself - 60 minutes on the Arc Trainer (strength profile, level 6), followed by 20 minutes on the bike (random hill profile, level 8).  I was certain that I was never gonna survive the Arc Trainer after the first 15 minutes.  I "opened"  my new book (Women Who Run) on my iPad and trudged on.  In celebration of accomplishing my gym goal, I enjoyed a nice Bad Penny beer with my dinner.  I don't think Big Boss had in mind to pair this beer with salmon, but it worked for me!



Isn't she (the Bad Penny) lovely?



Anxiety

I have been dealing with anxiety off and on for years.  I have been pretty good about hiding it.  I rarely let people know that I was feeling worry about something because most of the time I had no clue what I was worried about.  I did not want people around me to think I didn't have it all under control or that I wasn't capable of something.  There have been times that this fear/stress/worry/anxiety has gotten the best of me.  In August of this year, I had one of those moments.  I absolutely blew up and pretty much let my anxiety control me and caused a lot of hurt. 

After the incident in late August/early September, I made the decision to start talking with a therapist again.  If I was truly going to transform my whole self, I was going to have to get some assistance with understanding how to cope.  I got several recommendations and proceeded to make an appointment.  I felt immediately at ease with my therapist, even before I met her the first time.  My first appointment was an absolute disaster - at least in my mind.  I cried uncontrollably for most of the appointment and could not get my thoughts together at all.  It was so frustrating that I could not tell her why I was there, why I was upset, why I was confused, and on and on. 

I went to see her every week for almost two months.  We spent a lot of time talking about my day-to-day activities, how I approach situations, etc.  Through our talks, I really came to see how many things in my life were controlled by my anxiety.  I always chalked up my behavior to being a perfectionist, type-A, control-freak - all of that is really anxiety in disguise.  Each one hour session with my therapist helps me to understand why I get anxious and how to cope with the anxiety, without getting into a full-blown anxiety attack.  At the recommendation of my therapist and in consultation with my doctor, I am also back on medication for my anxiety.  While I hate the thought of being medicated, the thought of letting anxiety control me is worse. 

I went to my therapist today and the entire session was devoted to talking about several recent situations that have caused me to have severe anxiety.  After talking through the situations and understanding circumstances, she encouraged me to use my blog to gather more coping strategies. 

Some of the ways I cope include:

• Take deep breaths.  As silly as it sounds, the suggestion to "smell the cookies (deep breath) and blow out the candles (deep breath out)" really works. 
• Be active.  If I feel like I am having an "off" day, I make sure that I do some type of physical activity.  It could be as simple as going for a walk around the block at work or going for a long run.  Just move - it makes a difference.
• Let go of perfection.  Perfection is an unattainable goal.  No one has ever been or will ever be perfect.  I work very hard every day to tell myself to let go of perfection - it is still a struggle, but one day I will let it go.
• Get support/Ask for help.  I haven't talked to a lot of people about my anxiety, but those people that are closest to me or I know have their own anxiety issues have been a great resource for me.  When I am in a situation where I am beginning to feel anxious, I let someone around me know that I need to change the environment/circumstances.  It is a lot easier to just say what you need than to hold it all in.  I have realized that it is ok to ask for help/make yourself vulnerable.  Most people really are supportive and want nothing but the best for you.

So, what do you do to cope with situations that cause anxiety/stress?

Happy Birthday!



Daddy watching me have pictures taken
on my wedding day (May 6, 2006)

Happy Birthday to my Daddy!!!
Today is my Daddy's 65th birthday!  I am going to take time to write a little blog post in his honor, even though he will probably be slightly annoyed with me. 

I love both of my parents for all they have done for me, but there is just something special about my Daddy.  I guess the quote "Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a Daddy" is the best way to describe our relationship. 

My Daddy was born in Raeford (Hoke County, North Carolina).  He is the oldest of six children (4 boys, 2 girls) born to my very hard-working grandparents.  After graduating from Hoke County High School, he joined the Navy and soon ended up serving on an aircraft carrier in VietNam.  After getting out of the Navy in 1969, he ended up in eastern North Carolina (Carteret County), instead of heading back to Hoke County.  He worked for Carolina Telephone and part-time at a hang-out on the beach.  He swore he would never get married, but he met my Mama and they were married in 1974.  I am the only child my parents had, born in 1980.  I think this provided me some definite advantages...  Being an only child was lonely at times, but it allowed me to have lots of time with each of my parents.  I have awesome memories of activities that I participated in with both of my parents. 

Some of my favorite childhood memories with my Daddy:

• Saturday mornings - When I was little, we spent nearly every Saturday morning doing something together.  We usually would go to Hardee's or Mike's Restaurant on Front Street.  After breakfast, we would sometimes go walk on the Beaufort boardwalk.  I have very vivid memories of getting in a lot of trouble during our Saturday morning boardwalk trips with my Dad.  If you have ever been to Beaufort, you know that there are lots of high price yachts during the summer.  I used to think it was funny to throw rocks at the yachts.  Needless to say, that didn't go over very well.
• Riding bikes to watch softball - The home where I grew up is just up the street from the local ballfields.  From the time I was old enough to ride a bike, I remember going down to the ballfields to watch my Dad's friends play softball.  I never really paid attention to the game, but it was fun to be there with him.
• "Working" - My Daddy owns a small telephone installation and repair business.  He's been doing side jobs probably since he left Carolina Telephone to go to MCAS Cherry Point.  Sometimes, he would let me go to work with him.  Most of the time, I was probably more trouble than anything, but it was always a good time.  I remember making "plugs" for his key systems - there were probably 25 color-coded wires that had to be placed in certain spots, etc.  For some reason he trusted me to do this.

There are way more memories than the three I listed above, but those are the ones that always come back to mind first.

So, Happy Birthday (once again) to my Daddy!  I don't think I could wish for a better Daddy than you!  You named me - a unique first name in 1980 (Regan) and after your sister (Emily-Marie).  You taught me (and continue to teach me) that life isn't always perfect, but if you work hard you will succeed.  While we may not always agree (in fact, we probably disagree more than we agree), we are willing to listen to what the other has to say and try to respect the other's opinion as best possible.  

I LOVE YOU!

KD Shamrock 'N' Run and Run Green 8K



Sarah and I before the race
in our FleetFeet gear


KD Shamrock 'N' Run 5K - On Saturday, February 26, Sarah and I did the KD Shamrock 'N' Run.  I got lucky when I found out about the race.  We didn't have a February race and we were having difficulty finding one, when I found out about this race from a family that I met when I first moved to Raleigh.  The family has two daughters in the Kappa Delta sorority at UNC Chapel Hill.  We got to Chapel Hill around 8:20 a.m. for the 9 a.m. start.  I don't think that Sarah and I were really prepared for how cold it was and how long we would have to wait for the start.  The course was so hilly.  We knew it would be, but weren't quite prepared for it.  The KD girls were all on the course and served as great cheerleaders.  Their cheers must have helped because we finished in 37:50/12:12 pace - a 5K race PR!  I think I will definitely add this to my list of races that I have enjoyed and would definitely do again!

Sarah and I before the Run Green 8K - in our sport kilts!

Run Green 8K - Yesterday, Sarah and I did the Run Green 8K in downtown Raleigh.  This was Sarah's first 8K and my second.  No matter what, both of us would set an 8K PR :-)  The course left from downtown Raleigh, near Tir Na Nog, and went around the Oakwood Cemetary and the Oakwood neighborhood.  I am kinda glad that I didn't run or drive the course ahead of time, because I may not have done the race - it was extremely hilly.  By the time you got done with one hill and got your breath back, another one came.  We finished in 1:04:25/12:57 pace - an 8K PR.  The day concluded with a free Natty Greene's Old Towne Brown Ale, a few more beers and dinner with friends.  Nothing better!

ABCs of Regan

For some reason, I love blog "quizzes" of any kind.  I think it is so interesting to learn about other folks and they are quite fun to fill out :-) 
A. Age: 30
B. Bed size: Queen
C. Chore you dislike: Emptying the dishwasher and folding laundry!
D. Dogs: None :-( - Still trying to convince the hubs.
E. Essential start to your day: Coffee!  I seriously need to cut down on the coffee consumption, but at least I now do 1/2 regular and 1/2 decaf.
F. Favorite color: Pink
G. Gold or silver: white gold
H. Height: 5’4" on a very good day
I. Instruments you play(ed): I played clarinet, trombone, and bells/mallets through middle school and high school.  If I was forced to play one of those to earn my dinner now, I would starve.
J. Job title: Senior Executive Assistant
K. Kids: None, and don't play to have any - I am a great "aunt"
L. Live: Raleigh
M. Mom’s name: Teresa
N. Nicknames: Oh lord...There are too many, but they do bring back the memories - RayRay (childhood nickname from friends), Ray-gie (what my Nanny called me because of her children/grandchildren/great-grandchildren had nicknames), Downtown Regan Brown (for some reason I got this nickname in high school.  I have no clue where it came from), "Mama" Rae-Dawg (college friends gave me this nickname because I was definitely the Mama of the group) 
O. Overnight hospital stays:  A few, but they were in middle school and college
P. Pet peeves: People that don't answer questions when I ask them
Q. Quote from a movie: I have no clue!  I love quotes, but totally can't think of one right now.
R. Righty or lefty: Righty
S. Siblings: I am an only child that also married an only child
T. Time you wake up: On weekdays, the clock goes off at 5:40 a.m. 
U. Underwear:  Totally a question that I am too much of a prude to answer
V. Vegetables you don’t like: I am willing to try any vegetable once.  I like tomatoes, but not when they are in big chucks or slices - something about how they feel in my mouth
W. What makes you run late: My husband!
X. X-rays you’ve had:  Oh my....Way too many that I care to mention
Y. Yummy food you make:  I am not overly confident of my cooking skills, even though everyone else says I cook great.  I do love to make pumpkin bread and Toll House pies to share with others.
Z. Zoo animal favorites: I have had a thing for the stinky, ugly warthogs since I was a kid.  I think they need some love because who would ever say that the warthog was their favorite?!?


So, that’s me!  Hopefully, I will be motivated to write something more interesting this afternoon.

Wonderful reality check

Yesterday afternoon, just before my personal training appointment, I had an awesome reality check.   I know that I have been losing weight and inches, but this I finally saw the real changes.  While Rick was doing my measurements yesterday, he would measure, look at our tracker, and then re-do the measurement.  I, of course, wondered why he was re-doing them.  I had the worst in mind - I thought that the numbers were going up (Why do we let our minds do this to us?) He just kept saying "You'll see...."  After looking at my sheet, I realized that he was as shocked as I was with the results.

Look here...

	July 20, 2010	October 27, 2010	November 23, 2010	December 29, 2010	February 1, 2011	March 1, 2011	Change
Weight (pounds)	203	204	197.6	188.4	188	183.8	(19.2)
Left Bicep/Arm (inches)	13.5	13.5	13.5	13	13	13	(0.5)
Left Thigh/Leg (inches)	28.5	26	26	26	25.5	24.5	(4.0)
Waist (inches)	40	39	37	37	36.5	36.5	(3.5)
Hip (inches)	48.5	42.5	42	41.5	41	39.5	(9.0)

The proof is in the puddin' baby :-)  I have lost almost 20 pounds since October.  I have lost 9 inches off my hips since July 20.  I started running on July 24 - and I have a feeling running has helped a ton with that measurement!  (Needless to say, I still have a lot of "junk in my trunk" if anyone wants some of my big butt.)

I used to think that weight was the sole measure of success.  This is not true.  I strongly encourage you to have your measurements done on a regular basis.  My trainer does mine once a month and it takes less than 5 minutes.  It is so worth it!

At some point it just "clicks"

My friend, Beth Anne, and I had lunch several weeks ago.  As much as I would love to have lunch with her every, single week it just isn't possible.  However, the conversation is always so great - we pick up right where we left off. 

During our most recent lunch, one topic we talked about was how I have been working out, losing weight, etc.  She asked me what was different this time, and I told her that this time it just "clicked".  My mental and physical health and well-being is the most valuable thing I have.  I realized that no one else could care for my those things better than I. 

How'd I get to this point?  Most of the back story can be read on the "About" page of my blog.  Long story short is that in May 2010, I was done.  I was tired of not feeling good, both physically and mentally.  I decided that I was going to join a new gym, start working out with a trainer, and modify my eating.  The part about joining a new gym and working with a trainer was relatively easy.  Yes, my trainer kicked my ass, but he also taught me that I am capable of doing anything I set my mind to do.  It took until November 2010 to figure out how best to modify my eating.  I am now recommitted (for the last time) to Weight Watchers.  I feel like I am having great results. 

I feel better, both inside and out.  Thank God that it finally "clicked".

Packing food for the workday

While preparing our food for tomorrow's workday this evening, I realized something.  I hate to prepare all of the various foods, but I am so thankful for them during the workday. 

This is a hard thing to reconcile for sure.  I spend between 30 and 45 minutes each night preparing food for the next day.  This time doesn't include the time I spend entering the information into my Weight Watchers Points Plus Tracker. 

The benefits of packing lunch far outweigh the "inconvenience":

• I spend a lot less money.  I tend to purchase items on sale or make big batches of soup or leftovers for lunch.
• I know how to track the Points Plus values of foods I pack.  When I eat in restaurants, I have to guess how many servings, how many teaspoons/tablespoons of sauce, how many ounces of meat, etc.
• I actually eat a serving, versus several servings, as I measure carefully when packing my lunch at home.
• I save a lot of time.  If I am eating out at work, I have to decide where I am going, get there, wait in line/be waited on, and get back to work. 

My normal day:

• Breakfast (usually have 2 clementines or 1 banana with one of the choices below)
• Quaker Butter Flavored Grits; Cabot Mini Cheddar Cheese and/or 4 slices Hormel Natural Choice Honey Ham (4-5 points +) 
• 2 slices Nature's Own 35-calorie wheat bread with 3 ounces Boar's Head 47% reduced sodium deli turkey, 1 slice 2% milk Sharp Cheddar cheese, and less than 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard (5 points +)
• Better Oats Oat Revolution, Maple and Brown Sugar or Cinnamon and Spice (5 points +)
• Snack (will sometimes add a piece of fruit if I am feeling overly "munchy")
• Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars - Oats 'N Dark Chocolate; Maple Brown Sugar; Cinnamon; Oats 'N Honey (5 points +)
• Kellogg's Fiber Plus bar - Caramel Coconut Fudge (tastes almost like a Girl Scout Samoa cookie!) or Chocolate Chip (3 points +)
• Oikos 0% fat Strawberry Greek Yogurt with 27 grams/0.5 cup of Kashi GoLean Crunch mixed in (it's like a party in your mouth!) (4 points +)
• Lunch (if I didn't eat fruit with morning snack, I normally have it with lunch - watermelon, apple, banana, strawberries, grapes)
• Homemade Brunswick Stew, Homemade Chili, or other soup with a sandwich (above; 10-13 points +)
• Homemade Brunswick Stew, Chili, or other soup with cheese toast (9-12 points +)
• HUGE salad with 4 ounces sauteed shrimp, 0.5 cup black beans, 0.25 cup 2% milk Sharp Cheddar shredded cheese, and 3 tablespoons of Kraft Light Done Right Balsamic dressing (7 points +)
• Leftovers (6 to 12 points +)
• Snack
• BIG salad with 4 slices Hormel Natural Choice Honey Ham, 0.25 cup 2% milk Sharp Cheddar shredded cheese, and 2-3 tablespoons Kraft Light Done Right Balsamic dressing (5 points +)
• Oikos 0% fat Strawberry Greek Yogurt with 27 grams/0.5 cup of Kashi GoLean Crunch mixed in (4 points +)
• Cut veggies with 4 tablespoons of Trader Joe's Hummus (3 points +)
• Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars - Oats 'N Dark Chocolate; Maple Brown Sugar; Cinnamon; Oats 'N Honey (5 points +)
• Kellogg's Fiber Plus bar - Caramel Coconut Fudge (tastes almost like a Girl Scout Samoa cookie!) or Chocolate Chip (3 points +)
• Dinner - some of our current favorites are below (7-13 points + with side(s))
• Shepherd's Pie, Lightened Up
• Turkey Cutlets with Parmesan Crust
• Chicken Piccata
• Chicken Parmesan
• Dijon Pork Cutlets
• Polenta Tamale Pie
• Baked Ziti with Spinach
• Baked Ziti
• Brown Rice and Black Bean Casserole
• and MANY MORE!

So.... Here's the question:  Do you ever grow weary of planning and/or packing meals?  How do you move past it?  I need some inspiration from all of y'all!

Trying something new - Quinoa and Black Beans

From Love Antiaging

Several times during our runs and discussions of menus, etc., Sarah has mentioned quinoa.  I hadn't really heard about this food item many times before meeting her.  When I did hear about it, I tended to just smile and continue about my business.  I guess growing up in a small, southern town predisposed me to eating rice, pasta, potatoes, and such with my dinner.  While I will never lose my love of rice and potatoes, I think I may have found a new favorite! 
The past few months, the hubs and I have worked hard to find new foods, new recipes, and new methods for preparing our old standbys.  I spend a lot of time searching websites, food blogs, and asking friends for recipes.  Every week, I try to throw at least one new recipe into the mix.  While we eat dinner, we talk about the things we like and/or don't like about the new item, ways we can tweak it to make it better/different, etc.

Tonight the star of the show was quinoa and black beans.  I came across this recipe on AllRecipes and saved it to my recipe box on the site.  When seeking inspiration for a side dish for our grilled chicken tonight, it seemed to be just the right thing.  

From left:  Quinoa and Black Beans; 1/2 Grilled Chicken Breast;
Green Giant SteamFresh Italian Blend veggies

From AllRecipes - "Whether you're trying quinoa for the first time or just trying a new recipe for quinoa, this mixture of quinoa, black beans, corn, and spices will make this dish a new favorite." 

The hubs and I totally agree!  This quinoa recipe has earned its place in our regular side dish rotation.  We are looking forward to trying more quinoa recipes soon!



What's your favorite way to prepare quinoa?

Thank you - it is the small things

According to my handy-dandy half marathon training calendar, today is a crosstraining/2 mile run day.  When I was packing my things for work, I decided to pack workout clothes that would be appropriate for a run or just going to the gym.

Around 11:30 this morning, I started getting jumpy.  I needed to get out of the office, but I wasn't really in the mood to go to the gym.  I found a route that would take me toward Cameron Village and back (about 2.5 miles).  I donned my shorts, t-shirt, jacket and Kinvaras and headed out.  Several of my coworkers looked at me like I was crazy, but oh well.

The run started off great.  I didn't realize how hilly the neighborhoods around Cameron Village were though (have I ever mentioned how much I hate hills?).  I was able to stay on the street most of the run.  Thank goodness for that because the sidewalks are all rooty and broken in that area.

As I was returning, I passed Wiley Elementary School.  I thought the worst at first - I thought "...Those kids are gonna laugh at me... They probably walk faster than I run...."  Why did I care what a bunch of elementary school kids thought of me?  I have no clue.  But what happened next is even better....

I saw two girls, probably in third or fourth grade, as I approached the fence at the edge of the playground.  One of the girls was slightly chubby with long blonde hair; the other was tall, skinny as a rail and had a cute little brown bob.  (I don't know why those details were important, except that maybe it reminds me of Margaret and me when we were younger).  They were walking laps around the playground.  As I got closer, we began our little encounter:

Tall, skinny girl:  "...Aren't you cold?"  
Me: "No.  I am good.  I am almost done."
Chubby girl:  "How long have you been outside?  It's cold."
Tall, skinny girl:  "Yeah, I want to go in."
Me: "I have been out for about 20 minutes and I'll be done in about 10 minutes.  If y'all run your laps quick, I bet you can go back inside."  (Chubby girl and tall, skinny girl start running)
Me:  "Good job!  See!  You can do it!" as I pass the edge of the playground and they continue to run

So, to the two girls on the Wiley Elementary playground -- THANK YOU!  You will never know how much our little talk meant to me today.  Keep running girls - maybe I'll see you on a lunchtime run again soon!

My thoughts on body image



My cousin and me (November 1999)

I have always struggled with my body.  I wasn't ever the pretty, skinny cheerleader type.  I was the average girl.  I was friends with everyone and didn't really fit into any of the cliques in my small-town school. 

When I was morbidly obese, I daily suffered with knowing that I had huge rolls everywhere and just looked plain dumpy.  When you are pushing 340 pounds at age 19, it is hard to feel good about yourself.  It was a struggle to get dressed; it was a struggle to go to class; everything was a struggle. 

Of course, when you do lose weight, it is extremely hard not to always see the image of your old self.  It seems like a vicious cycle, and it is.  You have to find a way to free yourself from those thoughts, no matter how hard it may be. 

Every single day of the week, I have to deal with thinking back to where I was and still seeing the image of my body at its highest weight (May 2000).  I see extra skin, dimples and ripples in my legs, and stretchmarks every time I look in the mirror - the battle scars of having been obese and losing weight. 

Over the past several months, I have tried to look in the mirror each day and think about something positive with my body.  Now, I see those sections of extra skin, dimples and ripples, and stretchmarks as success.  Over the past 11 years, I have managed to lose a whole, average-sized, healthy person in body weight.  Along with shedding pounds, I have shed bad habits, destructive behaviors, and I am working daily to build more and more confidence in my body. 

Is there more work to do?  Yes, absolutely.  There are more pounds to be lost, but I will not let those pounds keep me from focusing on the good things.  I will continue to look at my body as a place of improvement, but also as a victory over the things of the past. 
It is that victory over things of the past that makes me want to:

• find healthy recipes to cook;
• pack a delicious and healthy lunch;
• go run;
• workout with my personal trainer;
• compete in races even though I may be one of the slower people on the course;
• go in new stores to try on clothes (even if I have to don some shape wear);
• encourage other people on their journeys;
• smile at strangers that look like they are dealing with their own struggles;
• and have a better outlook on my life and body.

It is wonderful!

The Great Closet Clean-Out

For some reason, I got a bug up my butt yesterday to clean out my closet.  I have a ton of clothes.  Some of the clothes in my closets are much too large, several years old, or I simply don't like them.  It wasn't until I started this project that I realized the ungodly amount of clothing I really had! 

While I was at the gym, I thought about cleaning out my closet the entire time I was on the Arc trainer.  I strategized in my head and made my plan of attack.  Because of the size of our condo, I have 2 smaller closets in our guest bedroom/office.  For last night's project, this was extremely helpful.  I didn't have to spread clothes all over our bedroom - I just made several piles in the guest bathroom and got down to business with cleaning out.

The images below may scare some, viewer discretion is advised ;-)

The pictures above are of my "work" closet and "everything else" closet.  I work in an environment that tends to be more on the business side of business casual.  Most days, I wear a suit or a jacket with pants.  The other closet holds everything else, including blouses, t-shirts, cardigans, dresses, etc.  I usually have a few things hanging on the back of our bedroom closet door and my jeans, shorts, and workout clothes are in bins on a shelf in the master bedroom closet. 

I looked at, touched, and/or tried on every single piece of clothing in my closet.  It was neat to remember when I got the item, if I wore it for a certain event, etc., but the things I didn't think I would wear or were too big had to go! 

(Left:  Pile for Charity to look through; Right: One of the piles for Goodwill)

(Work closet)

(Everything else closet)

After dinner, I bagged up the clothes going to Goodwill and the clothes that I set aside for Charity to see if she wanted.  Then, the rest of the work...  I changed out all the hangers in both closets.  The "work" closets clothing is on white plastic hangers and the "everything else" closet clothing is on slim Huggable Hangers that I ordered a few years ago off HSN.  While changing out hangers, the clothes were ordered in a ROYGBIV type of order.  I think that hanging similar colors together helps me put outfits together quicker.  Plus, I am anal like that ;-)

So, in one night, I went through 2 closets, resulting in:

• 2 bags for Charity to go through
• 6 bags for Goodwill
• 4 suits, 3 jackets, 4 pants, and 5 blouses for Dress for Success

I feel great about all the work I did.  As I said before, I didn't realize the ungodly amount of clothing that I had in my closets.  While I cleaned out a lot, I definitely am not suffering for options.  Looking forward to finishing the rest of my project this weekend!

Being the encourager and being encouraged

Today, I was able to experience both being the encourager and being encouraged.  It was a blessing for sure!

I have mentioned in a few blog posts that my college roommate, Charity, and I have been getting together and walking on Sunday afternoons.  The time that we have together during those walks is wonderful and allows us to catch up on what is going on with each other.  While we have always enjoyed our time together, being together while doing something that is so good for our bodies is even better.

Charity and I had plans to meet today after work to walk.  The weather in North Carolina was forecasted to be gorgeous this week and with it staying light out longer, we thought it was a great idea.  Before I left for work this morning, Charity messaged me and said that she wanted to do some intervals while we were on the trail and finish with a walk.  I was all about it. 

When we started, Charity seemed a little nervous.  It didn't take much to get her going and reassuring her that we were gonna do it together - fast or slow, extra walks, etc.  I know that Charity has goals related to running and I want to do anything I can to help her succeed. 

Why do I want to do this?  Because others did it for me.  If it wasn't for the NCRC gals, Sarah, my husband, Erin, Charity, family, friends, and colleagues encouraging me, I probably wouldn't be signed up for a half marathon on May 14th (eeek!!) - less than a year after my butt went out on a greenway for the first time. 



Charity (right) and me after our run/walk (1 - Aren't our
matching Sweaty Bands cute?  2 - Ignore the quality
of the pic, it was taken with my cell phone)

Going out for a run with Charity was so extremely encouraging to me.  Being out there showed me just how far I have come, but how much further I have to go to reach my goals.  Being able to cheer on someone else during the times when they feel like they may want to give up will do amazing things for a person!  It just warms you right to the core! 

We all have goals.  Those desires to achieve can be centered on anything - running, weight, job, learning a language, picking up a new hobby a goal for almost anything - but sometimes we need a little help getting there.  If we all serve as encouragers of one another, we will reap more benefits than can ever be explained. 


Go out and encourage someone - you'll feel great!

You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits.  When we all help one another, everybody wins.  (Jim Stovall)

There is nothing better than the encouragement of a good friend. (Katharine Butler Hathaway)

Happy Valentine's Day and weekend review



At our wedding reception (May 6, 2006)

First things first...  I want to say Happy Valentine's Day to the most awesome husband a girl could ever have.  We have been married nearly 5 years and I love him more than he will ever know.

Jason (aka "the hubs) is one of the most supportive people in my life.  He has been around for every up and down since 2004.  He tries to be as encouraging as possible, while helping me realize that some things that I may fret over won't matter in a day/week/month.  With his constant encouragement (and the encouragement of many others), I have made significant changes to my life and I am enjoying every minute of the journey forward!

Tonight, we are going to Michael Dean's for dinner.  This is one of our favorite Rocky Top Hospitality restaurants and tonight is their last night.  Dean, owner of RTH, is closing Michael Dean's after tonight's dinner service to change the concept of the location.  It will be another TriBeCa Tavern in a few months.  I have looked at the delicious Valentine's Day menu and the Pan Seared Grouper looks especially yummy to me!

Weekend in review:
I worked from home on Friday.  Then, I met a wonderful friend for lunch.  We had a great time talking about everything that is going on in our lives.  I wish it would work well to have lunch more often, but for the time being I enjoy our lunches to catch up. 

Friday afternoon, I picked the hubs up from work and we headed east to visit my parents for the weekend.  We arrived in Beaufort around 7:15 p.m. and promptly headed to Ribeye's for dinner.  Dinner was as yummy as usual and didn't disappoint.  After dinner we headed home and piddled around the house before heading to bed relatively early.

On Saturday morning, we attended my younger cousin's (Jordan) basketball game.  This is the first game we have been able to attend this season and she has improved greatly since last year.  She seems to be relatively competitive and enjoys playing.

Lunch bunch (the hubs, Logan, and Jordan)

We picked up Jordan and Logan around 11:30 and took them to lunch at No Name Pizza and Subs.  I figured that Logan would order cheese pizza, but was surprised when Jordan said she would like pizza too.  We talked about what kind of toppings she would like and she wanted the veggie supreme.  I was beyond amazed when she wanted to order veggie pizza, I guess I just assumed most kids didn't really eat veggie pizza.  We had a great lunch with the kids, but unfortunately I only got one picture of us (and it didn't include me!).

After lunch, we went back to my parents house to kill some time before the second basketball game of the day.  We went to Logan's game in the afternoon.  To only be 6, Logan is pretty darn good at basketball.  He played very well, but was upset that he didn't score on multiple shots. 

Saturday evening, we hung out at the house.  Mama and I made Beef and Broccoli and baked egg rolls.  So delicious!

On Sunday, we headed back to Raleigh.  It seems like the time always passes too quickly when we visit my parents (and family).  It's ok though - we'll be back soon!