14 days into 2013, How are you doing?

14 days into 2013, How are you doing?

Are you still hanging on ?   I think this is where people start to fall off, and a bit more each week. Some people stick with it through Valentines day, but then stop, cause hey, they made it 6 weeks , they did OK. But the real winners are the ones who have made it a new way of life, and not a diet, and they have figured out how to get more exercise in, eat better, and are even trying new foods !   ITs amazing how great you feel when the year is over, and you do not have to make a resolution to " stick with it this time for sure"  Just a thought ...

 I am doing good !  One thing I promised myself was that I was only going to get on the scale once every 4 weeks , This is a very big deal for someone like me, who for the 2 years of my weigh loss I was weighing myself 2x a day on 2 different scales.  I wrote the day and my goal on my mirror, so I see it every time I think about it. I also see that number , that goal. IT is a very reachable goal for the month, and I know I will not have a problem reaching it, and I am really looking forward to Feb 1 when I get on the scale again , and I can write a new lower goal weight on my mirror .

 One of the ways I know I can get there is to not eat added sugar and not drink any alcohol. HUGE deal, I love my wine.  I have made it through the first weekend of no alcohol ( its the friday and Sat nights sthat I want my wine) , and I am holding out for the superbowl ( GO PATRIOTS!) for any drinks.  

I also had to set a very doable goal for my workouts. MY life is different from when I lived in Covington, I had a job that was 7 minutes from home ( that was IN TRAFFIC) and I worked 9-5 m-f. I woould go to the gym every night after work ( Half the time I was teaching , so getting PAID to workout) . So then we moved, I now commute sometimes over 1 hour, EACH WAY , and my hours are all over the place, Sometimes early AM, Sometimes I work till 10 PM.  Not really giving excuses, just saying that life has changed. So  I can honestly say I can work out just 4 times a week, So When I do work out those 4 days, I have to kill it every time.   The 4 days being 2 of my days off, and then just 2 days that I work.   I think this is something I can do, and not feel like crap if I miss a workout, ( like I would if I had planned 5 days ) . Anyway. That is my plan. ! :) 

Two years ago today I reached my goal weight

 I can not believe it has been two years.  I remember that day so well, I was in the midst of getting ready for the today show,(I was leaving in a few days for it), and I stepped on the scale and there it was, 144. ( goal was 145)  I felt so many emotions that morning, but all I could think was " all my hard work has paid off". Had someone told me that that was the easy part, I would have laughed at them.

 It has also been just shy of one year ( 11 months ) that  I started my year of major injuries.  it Started last December with my shoulder injury ( and till this day I am still dealing with pain and lack of strength with it ). That seemed like the worst thing that could have happened to me , taking away any upper body strength training for 6 months.  But then I was hit with the lower body injuries in July, and since the first week in august I had to stop all exercise. I wasnt even cleared to swim or bike till 2 weeks ago.  First I tore my calf muscle , then while that was healing I had a major injury to my foot, stress fracture and tendon damage. after xrays, bone scans, and now am MRI, and 3 months later, I am still dealing with daily swelling and pain.  I got the OK to go back to the gym when I told my DR that I needed to go back, if not for my physical health, but for my mental health , I think he understood that, and said I could as long as I stayed no impact, ( bike and elliptical if I do not have pain) .

I have been back two weeks and I am feeling so much better.  It has been a very long , and hard year, dealing with all the injuries, making major life changes, ( Move, New Job, ect) and I have had bouts of sadness. when I wasnt able to go to the gym, my old ways wanted to come back. I wanted to sit around and eat, or drink and  it was a constant battle every day to not over indulge ( EVERY DAY). I needed to get back into my old ways of the past 4 years, eating healthy and working out. I need to feel good about myself , and how I look. Some people may think that is a selfish way to think and be, but for ME ,I need to do that. I have spent 20 years hating the way I looked, and I can not go back to that, not after spending the last few years loving the person I saw in the mirror.   Even if I can not go all gun ho like I have in the past at the gym ( I am not running any races anytime soon, that is for sure) I have to go back, and push myself and do what I am ok to do without causing further injury.

 As I type this I may not be at the goal weight I was two years ago, or even one year ago , (in fact, I am 14 pounds heavier than my goal weight, ) I do see that goal weight of 144 back in site, I feel the old Tami coming back out , and I will be back in my jeans in no time :)  ( I have to be, I refuse to spend money on new ones , lol ) 

 It has been a tough flippin year, and I am happy to say I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Have a happy and healthy day.

Update on foot

 I am very sad to have to report that as of Thursday I am back in the boot for the next 4 weeks. I was at the orthopedics and he says I have tendon damage in my foot as well, and that is why its still swollen and painful.  I have to do some PT and go back to him in 4 weeks to see how its going, if at that time it still is not looking better he will do a MRI to view the tendons and be sure there is not a tear.  This has been very hard for me to accept, but I am doing my best. it has been 10 weeks since my initial injury and it has been a very long 10 weeks to say the least.

 On a happy note, today is Scott and My 11th wedding anniversary! we are going out to a very nice dinner and to see a play, It should be just the thing I need to lift my spirits!

 Have a happy healthy day!

Laced up the shoes!

Went for a great walk around Bellevue tonight after work , 50 minutes and it felt great. Icing the foot now due to some swelling , but the walk was so good for my mind.

MALTODEXTERIN

have I mentioned how horrible this ingredient is ?   Maltodexterin is something that is used as a flavor enhancer, But it is in ALOT of things. earlier this year after two years of wondering what was wrong with my stomach , I finally made the connection with this ingredient.  the problem is, it is in so many things , it makes it hard to eat anything that doesnt just come from the ground. and everytime I figure out what I can eat , I then have something that has it in it and I never kn ew. For example , my favorite Special K Cracker chips, Its in two flavors, but not the others . Almonds, its  in most almonds that have flavor, but not plain old yucky ones. its in Sams cereal. its the first ingredient in SPLENDA , its in sugar free jello, frozen foods  from PF Changs,  and ect , ect, ect .... all I have to have is ONE BITE, and with in 5 minutes I know, and I feel the effects for 24 hours.   its in Crystal light , one flavor does not have it. all the others do. So you see, its not just you stop eating something, cause some things are OK to eat. You have to read EVERY package. I have Alec and Jake who know how bad this thing is for me, check all lables before they buy something for me., ( How great are  they?). 
 Anyway the point of this post ,is to get others to maybe think about it, if you have had major bloating, painful stomach issues that you cant figure out why you have them, maybe you should check the ingredients of what you are eating. I am sure I am not the only one that this effects this way. 

Update on foot

while I have been boot free since Tuesday of last week, I am not pain free, and the swelling is back .  I did workout this morning, and one day last week, but I am not anywhere near being able to do any of this pain free.  I am back to icing every night ( I did make my own ice pack, with 1 parts rubbing alcohol and 3 parts water, put in a ziplock bag and freeze, it is great!)  anyway, my long road of recovery is still going..  heres to a better week!

Boot FREE!

I have been boot free since Tuesday! it has been tender and a bit of swelling at night , but it feels OK through out the day! I am going to lace up my tennis shoes and go for a  walk and maybe work up a sweat tomorrow. SO excited!!!! 

Bone Scan Yesterday ( monday sept 10th)

 I had my bone scan , I dont have results yet, and they said it could be a couple of days. They did ask if I had damaged my right foot as well, I told them about the torn calf muscle, but that the foot wasnt bothering me on the right side. They said it is showing damage, ( WHAT EVER!) and they sent me for an XRAY for the right foot after the scan.   That is all I know. I do know that it is feeling a bit better.  I will keep you posted. 

Something has really been bothering me the last couple of weeks

 I have heard the comments the last few weeks, with regards to my injuries.    " Maybe you need to stop working out" or  " You work out too much, this is a sign" , along the lines of that.  from strangers to my own close family members. And it really bugs the crap out of me when they say that. for a few reasons. ONE, being injured is not a sign that I work out too much,  the torn muscle came from a jumping jack, and would have happened if I was walking down the stairs, I have had nothing but problems with my right leg for a very long time with tight muscles, pulled muscles, ect, the night before the tear happened I had been woken up with a muscle cramp that lasted over 30 minutes and had me in tears, ( the DR is trying to figure out why I have been getting these types of cramps for almost 2 years)  the DR said it would most likely would have happened anyway. so "Working out WAY too much was not the cause"
 And the stress fracture started before the torn muscle, and that was my own fault cause I was not wearing shoes while doing Insanity for the previous 5 weeks. I was doing it in my living room and after the first day of wearing the shoes and catching them on the carpet more than once, I thought without shoes was safer and I wouldnt trip on the carpet.  So that was my fault, but in no way was it due to working out too much.
 ITs funny how people dont notice how I have not stepped foot inside a gym since May 31st. Or that leading up to may 31st for most of 2012, I had limited my gym time BIG TIME, due to moving, ( Packing, Cleaning, Finding a new home )  and having to find a new job.     No one says a word about how this must be making me feel. How maybe this has me scared to death that I may regain weight.   I have spent my life  two ways, 'Being overweight, and eating all the time to cope with anything I didnt like,    not moving off the couch unless I absolutely had to'.  And '  spending two years working out 10 hours a week, losing 188 pounds , then working like hell to figure out how to maintain all that weight that I had just worked so hard to lose' and now for the past 4 weeks I have been here. Not being able to work out cause if I did I would do more serious injury to myself , trying to let my body heal,  and trying like hell to not gain weight while this is happening. I have not done cardio  or any sort of workout in 4 weeks. I can feel myself getting flabby, things are spreading , and nothing fits the way it should. the scale may not have changed much, but the body has.  And I hate it. I hate the way I feel. this is not the Tami I have grown to love . It is very hard to be this way, and I dont think anyone can understand unless they themselves have had such a transformation, and have gone through all the  emotions and ups and downs of such a journey.   Its like that old saying about   not judging someone unless you have walked in their shoes....   Yeah.  That.  
 So people should stop saying things like " you work out too much , its a sign"  cause its not true.   Its life, its called getting older, and hey here is a thought, spending 20 years 100 + pounds overweight did a number on my bones,   That is not a reason to sit on my ass and get fat again. I will heal, and adjust where I need and I will stay fit and healthy. I will not stop working out,  or take this as a reason to stop working out , even if that is what you secretly hope I would do .  I wont allow myself to be that person I once was, cause THAT was killing me,  slowly I was killing myself .

Update

I meant to update last week after I went to the doctor. The leg is well in its way to healing ( only hurts walking down stairs , or at the end of the day) so that is the good news . The bad news is we x rayed the left foot , and it shows a stress fracture on the 5th something ( bone on the outside where it has been swollen red and painful) also it showed large bone spurs on my heel. So I left there with a boot now on the left foot and she wants to order a bone scan. So I a still out of action for a while. The good news is I got rid of those pesky pounds that joined me after my injury , so that is good ! Here's to low carbs !!!!

almost 3 weeks out

this is hard to recover .. this is hard to understand that even though you FEEL like you can do something, and that you are all healed up, that you are not.   I think I had a set back last WED, I know I did , I thought I was feeling ok and I could do something, but I was answered quickly that I was  not, and should not.  so today , even though I can walk without feeling pain, I know better now to not do something .
  I have  been nursing a sore foot on my other leg as well, This pain started a bit before the injury, but since the injury it has totally flared it self up  ( I think the over compensating for the bad leg is the culprit )  its painful to walk, and swollen and red on the outer side of my foot. not sure but sounds like a stress fracture. I am having an xray on Thursday when I got  back to my DR for the muscle. I hope I am given the OK to get out of that darn boot! 
  So I really dont feel like I am any closer to getting back to cardio, I hope I am wrong.   in the meantime, after the 5 pounds I instantly gained after the first week, I have cut back on calories and carbs, and hope to see the scale move down soon,  I wouldnt mind the weight gain so much if it didnt all go to my waist and stomach,  but thats where it has gone, and I have no waist and more of a tummy.  trying not to get too frustrated and stay positive and keep it all in prospective ....

 trying is the key word.

stop to a dead halt .

That is where I am. 
 A dead stop.
 No working out.
 Nothing. For a few weeks.
Not by choice, but by force.

 A torn gastrocnemius  ( calf muscle) .
 the cause ?  A jumping jack.  One.  HOW LAME IS THAT?
 it happened one week ago today, but I didnt go to the DR till this morning. The swelling, bruising , and pain not getting better, made me go.  

 I am now in a boot from toe to knee and they wished I would have taken the crutches as well, I thought I would probably break my neck with those and the boot , so I declined.    As I sit here and type my calf is in complete spasms . I think that is the worst part of it all.  those things suck.

 I feel like past 4 months have been  such a struggle, and just when I was getting things going and feeling good with my workouts again ( I had just completed month one of INSANITY when this happened) This setback has jumped in to say, " NOT SO FAST GIRL" ! I do not know what to do. People say " ohh do upper body, " ummm..... HI, I am still dealing with my shoulder injury from LAST DECEMBER.   so Upper body has taken a hit as well. now this.  

 I    am at such a loss.  I said to Scott tonight " I wonder if I can do hot yoga these next few weeks ?" he looked at me like I just asked him if we could go rob a bank, I got the  Are you F#*&ing me look, followed by " BABE, YOU CANT TO ANYTHING!"

I dont like that thought..... 

I am alive !

I know I have been MIA for a while. We (my family and I ) are moving next week to Bothell , WA. We have been in our house 11 years , so a lot of packing and cleaning !! To add to it , I also had to look for a new job , since we are moving so far away. The move is cause Scott works up there and commutes over 2 hours a day , so it was time to move. Anyway. Still in the craziness of it. But I wanted to say I am alive. :)

6 years.... a picture

2006 on the left... 2012 on the right.  girls  weekend with my best friend Maegan, last weekend was our 8th year.  when she was taking my picture I knew what I was doing with it, compare picture for sure!!! 

 Have a Happy Easter  !!! 

The big climb results !

My friends and I did the big climb at the Columbia tower In Seattle on Sunday. I had a great time on the climb of 15:37. My fastest training time had been 15:31. So I was thrilled to be right there. I had no idea how the 69 flights and 1311 steps would treat me out in the tower. But it wasn't bad! I woke up Sunday morning with a stuffy nose and my lungs hurt. I still can't take a deep breathe without it hurting. , but all is well!! Here are a few pictures to share of my day ! So happy to "do" it ! This is the year of doing !

more details of my 32 days

I have gotten some questions on how I felt, what exactly did I mean about "no sugar" , did it mean fruit too? ECT...

 So first off, how did I feel ? I felt so good! I think the first weekend of no wine  was the hardest.(  I always looked forward to the glass or two at the end of the week to unwind ) so it was a little odd to sit around the house and not have that. So the first weekend instead of drinking, I did my nails, that was a great time killer :) drank lots and lots of water too!
 As far as the no sugar, ehh, I didn't miss it. I did  looked forward to eating it again , dont get me wrong, but I didn't miss it . I didn't crave it,  I just knew I wanted it again . lol

And as for the 32 days of workouts. Well it wasnt too far off from what  I normally do, and  there were times I was tired,  and there were times  I didnt want to go, but on those days I was lucky enough to have made a gym date with a friend, or I just got my ass there myself  and once I was there, I was good. I am also in the middle of training for The Big Climb, ( which is on this Sunday) so  I always knew I could go  climb some stairs !

So what did  I mean about no sugar? well it started with no added sugar, no cookies, cake, candy, crap sugar was what I meant. the last two weeks of the challenge the only fruit I ate was some berries in my cereal, so I pretty much cut out all fruit. I was eating about 20 grams of sugar a day, and that was just the bits of sugar that you would find in the daily food. my calories came from 35% carbs, 35% proteins, 30% fat. I worked very hard at getting my fat intake up. I was not eating much at all,  and again, Alec told me I should up that. ( I am sure you are wondering why I am listening so much to what Alec is saying, so he is going to school to be a dietician, and also he is almost ready to take his ACE personal training certification exam, and he also is an assistant manager at the Vitamin Shoppe, ) so needless to say , he eats, breathes and sleeps fitness and nutrition, a good person to have in my corner to say the least. :)   I didnt eat carbs after 2 or if I did, it was less than 10 after and it was just some veggies or sometimes a slice of wheat bread with almond butter for my dinner after the gym .

  So I think that was basically it,  I felt amazing, and I will for sure do it again, Starting April  2nd is my plan :) the no alcohol was what I thought would be the hardest and it wasnt so so bad :) 

 Have a healthy and fit day!

information about the challenge

I have been asked to go into more details about the 32 day challenge I did, and I will be sure to post that late tonight. Thank you for the emails and questions ! :)

Other pictures from my birthday!

Spent time with all my boys today (except Brett who is defending our freedom in the U.S.Army), and got pictures to of course !

32 day challenge complete!!

 I completed the challenge, No Sugar, no Alcohol, and workout every day since FEB 13th. I had great results. I lost over 8 pounds, 2.5 inches from hips, 1 inch from waist, .5 from thighs and .5 from arms.  Best of all , the jeans that I wore last year on my birthday fit again! I was very upset when I tried them on in early FEB and I wouldnt leave the bedroom with them on they were so tight. I worked way to hard to gain anything back. the best part of the whole challenge was that I increased my calories, and I am so happy with that. I ate MORE calories and lost weight. think about that one for those who think the only way to lose weight is to starve and eat nothing.... I proved it wrong :)  I  ate about 1500 calories a day  and on most days kept my NET calories around 1000, I aimed for that ,but some days if I had a great workout , I just couldnt get there.  I have to Thank my Son Alec who talked me through the calorie thing and  made me see the light. :) I love him :)

 Here is a compare picture. From Last year March, and From Last night. Same jeans and all :)

 I want to Thank Roxanne and Megan from MFP who stuck it out through the whole challenge with  me and both had great success as well!!! Way to go Ladies! So glad to have had your company!!!

My food journal for today

Kristen asked me if I would share my food journal, just a sample of what my food  has looked like. this was today :  I log it for all day, I do not break it up into meals, cause I know what  I eat when, and its easier  on MFP for me to log it as a all day event. if that makes sense. I also choose to log somethings at Net carbs, cause that is what I look for with the cereal, quest bar and tortilla ,  as you can see, I am eating alot :) tonight was a 2 hour workout , giving me over 600 calories burned, my tuesdays are always like this, but more days I work out for about 90 minutes,   also I needed to finish up my Almond milk so that is why you see that AND coconut milk, I have made the switch to coconut milk now, so that is all I will be drinking :)  . Ok I think that is all, I am very excited to share my 32 day results with you on my Birthday!

Your Food Diary For:

all day	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sugar	Fiber
Egg Small, 2 egg	140	2	9	12	0	0
Egg - Grade A Large - Egg White Only, 1 Egg White(s)	17	0	0	4	0	0
Crunch Pak - Ready to Eat Apple Slices , 2 oz	30	7	0	0	5	1
So Delicious - Coconut Milk - Unsweetened, 8 oz (1cup)	50	1	5	1	0	1
Great Value - Frozen Wild Blueberries, 0.5 cup (140)	35	9	1	1	6	2
Gv - Canned Chicken Breast, 4 ounces	120	0	3	24	0	0
Special K Cracker Chips - Sour Cream & Onion, 27 chips (30 grams)	110	22	3	2	1	3
Dymatize Nutrition - Elite Whey Protein Isolate - Rich Chocolate (All Natural), 31 g	117	2	2	24	0	0
Miracle Whip - Light - Kraft (Correct Fat Amt.), 1.5 tbsp (15g)	30	3	2	0	2	0
Green Giant - Sugar Snap Peas, 1 1/3 cup (85g, 3oz)	35	6	0	2	3	2
Kashi Go Lean - High Fiber Cereal, 1 cup (52g/1.80z)	140	30	1	13	6	10
La Tortilla Factory - Smart & Delicious Tortilla's Net Carb, 1 Tortilla	80	6	3	8	1	0
Quest*** - Chocolate Brownie Bar (Net Carbs), 1 bar	170	5	6	20	1	19
Think Thin - Brownie Crunch Protein Bar, 1 bar 60g	230	25	8	20	0	2
Generic - Cascade Pride 100% Whole Wheat Bread, 1 slice	60	11	1	3	1	2
Simply Jiff - Creamy Peanut Butter - Low Sodium, 33% Less Sugar, 1 Tbsp (31g)	95	3	8	4	1	1
Blue Diamond Almonds - Almond Breeze Almond Milk Only 40 Calories Original, 8 ounces	40	2	4	2	0	1
Bar-S - Ham - Deli Shaved - Black Forest, 3 Slices	35	2	1	5	1	0
Add Food Quick Tools	1,534	136	57	145	28	44
Totals	1,534	136	57	145	28	44
Your Daily Goal	2,095	182	70	182	42	24
Remaining	561	46	13	37	14	-20
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sugar	Fiber