So after working on my blog through blogging 101 I’ve decided to incorporate my health and fitness journey into my other blog. Soooooo I don’t want to lose any of my followers so check me out at SoutherngirlinArizona.wordpress.com
I wanted to have a separate page for health and fitness, but it’s turning out that I haven’t kept up with it. So for now follow me over there at Southern girl in Arizona! See ya’ll over there!
Ok I’ve fallen off the wagon, no really I’ve fallen over and the wagon has run me over! I’ve lost motivation and I’ve used every excuse in the book to justify my bad eating and lack of exercise. So I decided that in order to rid myself of the excuses I’d just make a Friday Excuses post. I’m going to list my excuses and feel free to comment and list yours. Then they are out there, in the open for all the world to see. After we’ve listed them we can dispose of them and not use them anymore.
Honestly, I need accountability. I don’t need nice, I need firm and motivating. This is my attempt to rid myself of these excuses so I get back on track. So here I go…
1. I’m tired
2. It’s too hot
3. It’s too humid (we’re in the middle of monsoon here in Arizona and the humidity is high for us)
4. My kids have too much going on
5. I’m too sore
6. It doesn’t do any good to exercise.
7. This one candy won’t hurt me
8. I can’t do the exercise
9. Eating healthy is too hard
10. I’ve been waiting for this movie to come to TV
This is my preliminary list….I may have to add more later! My plan is to go to the store, stock up on healthy good food and get off the road and back in the wagon!
I’m thinking I need to start another 21 day fix and kick this up!
this usually happens when I’m struggling. I’m not good at admitting how much I’m failing! But I have been struggling. I’m planning to get back on track tomorrow, only because I have to menu plan and grocery shop, but I’m getting back to this! I hope ya’ll are doing well. Let’s make a goal for this week only….I’ll go first.
Goal for the Week:
to have my Shakeology every day this week!
That’s it for now! Post your goal in the comments and let’s rock it this week!
Are you tired of all the body shaming that goes on? I see pics on the internet about people shaming others about their body. Let’s face it, it’s mostly women that get this treatment. I don’t mean that it doesn’t happen to men, I’m just saying that mostly women are the ones getting shamed. I’m sick of it. Some of the phrases I hate the most are :
well you have such a pretty face.
have you always been heavy?
Do you just not know how to stop eating?
Maybe that ice cream isn’t the best thing to eat.
What happened to you to make you use food for comfort?
Anything like that just gets me. It’s as if I don’t know how I became overweight. As if I don’t want to change or make improvements in my life. Now I will say I haven’t heard those things in awhile, I’ve decided to change friends. I only surround myself with people that are positive. I don’t have time for negative. I surround myself with people who know my heart and can see what I have to offer as a person and not just someone who is overweight.
So let me now answer all of the above statements.
Thank you, I think I’m pretty cute too!
no I haven’t always been heavy, but it happens.
Yes I know when to stop eating, but sometimes I over eat and don’t pay attention to what I’m doing.
Maybe ice cream isn’t the best choice, but it tastes good and better just a bit of ice cream than the whole container.
What made me turn to food for comfort? I don’t know that anything happened. Besides, only those closest to me are privy to that personal information. Besides sometimes life happens and people just gain weight.
I’ve declared to day as Freedom Friday because it’s time we all stop caring what others think of our weight. I weighed in this morning for an August challenge, and the results are in…..
287 pounds
There it’s out there…and ya know what, I didn’t die posting that number!
So here’s the challenge. Share your number, share your clothing size, what ever you want to share. You are not less of a person because of a number. You are fabulous at whatever size you are! It’s not about your weight it’s about YOU.You have to own it before you can change it!! And once you’ve experienced Freedom Friday, you can move on to creating a plan to make that number smaller. So tell me what’s your goal? Eating better? drinking more water and less soda? Exercising? Tell me and let’s do this together. Yes you can do it on your own…but it’s more fun with friends!!!!!
My goals are still the same, lose weight, get healthy, exercise regularly, and eat better foods! Join me on Freedom Friday…..what follows is going to be amazing!
Just as an FYI I also blog under Southern girl in Arizona. For some reason I can’t change my name when i comment on your posts! So if you see Southern Girl in Arizona, just know it’s me!!!
So what are you up to today? This is the day after my favorite reality show, Extreme Weight Loss. Now before anyone goes crazy I KNOW reality shows are still just TV shows. I know results are not typical and I know that a lot of reality TV is just made up! I still love Extreme Weight Loss! I love Chris and Heidi Powell, and I love how they want to help people regain their lives. Last week on EWL, Georgeanna lost so much weight and was able to get back to gymnastics. Last night Cassie was another success story. She lost over 170 lbs!!! I just love watching these shows and seeing how the lives of the participants are totally changed, or I should say transformed!
So why do I call this Wake up Wednesday? Well here is why. I sit on the couch and watch EWL and dream of the day that I’m a weight loss success story. I want to be back in the 100’s and I really want to be fit and healthy. I usually wake up on Wednesday motivated for change. I want to exercise 2 or 3 hours a day and I want my nutrition to be perfect and I want big changes! Then reality happens. I have to clean, or do laundry, take the kids somewhere or something else. It never fails. I don’t make it to the Y for 2-3 hours of working out. My nutrition isn’t perfect and I give in to temptation too often. So by Wednesday night my motivation has slacked off and I settle for what I’ve accomplished as good enough and I go on. Don’t get me wrong ANY change for the better is an improvement and eating less junk and better foods have helped me a lot. I just can’t ever seem to find the drive to push it harder, or I set a date, in the future and say “I’ll do it then.” Newsflash….I never do!
Wake up Wednesday is time for all of us (especially me) to re-evaluate and figure out how to push through and just do it! (sorry Nike I said it!) So how to we do this? To be honest, I don’t know. I’ve never made it past Wednesday. I think the key is stop talking and start doing. Want to get rid of junk food? Stop talking and remove it from the house. Want to exercise more? Finish reading this then go exercise. What I’m really saying is stop making excuses! Believe me when I say I’m preaching to the choir! Wake up Wednesday doesn’t have to lead back to regular, no change Thursday. Let’s break that cycle today and start doing something about it!
So today I’m going to stop talking about it and get out there and do something. No more sitting on the couch waiting and hoping for things to change. No more wondering how I can eat better and cut out bad foods. For this day on I will just do. I will do PiYo daily, I will drink my Shakeology daily, and I will continue to pursue perfection. I will never be perfect but it doesn’t hurt to keep working towards it. The closer I get the less I will weigh!
Will you join me today? Will you take the time to stop talking and start doing? Start small. Baby steps are okay, you’re still stepping! Make a small attainable goal, make others aware so they can keep you accountable and then Just Do It!
I’ll let ya know how I do, you all keep me posted on your progress too!
Well I’m back! After a crazy end of last week and weekend I’m here for Monday! My progress from last week to now is this…I lost 6 pounds! My food choices weren’t perfect, my exercise time wasn’t totally together, but I did enough right to get these results! That, my friends, is progress.
So now what? Well I do it all over again, only this time I make better choices, find time for fitness, and remember why I’m working so hard to get healthy. Lifestyle changes do not demand perfection, but in order to achieve a healthy life I still have to work!
My motivation is NOT to be a size 2….for me that’s not realistic, but my goal is to be about a size 12 and healthy and fit. I want to be able to play with my kids and enjoy them while they are still young.
I have more to come this week, and next week once the kids are back in school (YAY!!!!). I have some ideas to add some fun to this blog! Stay tuned!
Drink some water and have a great day!
How do you handle treats and cheats? We all have something that we really love and can’t pass up no matter what. So how do you handle it?
Here’s what I do. I enjoy it! I allow myself Cheats and Treats, I just don’t allow it everyday! I love soda, I’m a Pepsi girl, and while it’s bad for me all the time, once in awhile it’s okay. On my new lifestyle change I’m allowing myself one Pepsi per week. ONE! I can’t buy it and keep it at home until my treat day, so I just go and get a nice fountain drink and enjoy it!
The reason I allow myself Cheats and Treats is because this is not supposed to be torture. This is supposed to be a lifestyle change. But even though I’m changing I’m still living. There will still be birthday’s, family dinners, and many other occasions that are celebrated with food, ENJOY THEM!
My best stradegy is enjoy these things out of the house. If I keep it in the house I will eat. If I have to make an effort to go get something it will make it more enjoyable and will determine if I really want it.
So the next time you’re at a celebration and you feel like you should pass on the cake because it’s off limits, remember everything in moderation, and then enjoy your treat!
I’d love to know how others handle cheats and treats….leave me a comment and tell me your story!
I have a bag of tricks! Not magic tricks, but tricks to help me in this journey. My tools may not be what you are looking for but it’s what is working for me. My first tool is Shakeology.
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I love Shakeology! It’s fast, easy and it really does taste good. For me it works because I can use it as a snack or a meal. It helps keep my blood sugar regulated and it keeps me full too! There have been times I’ve used it more than once a day, to save me from a bad snack choice. My current flavor is vanilla, but the chocolate and strawberry are good too!
My next tool in my healthy tool box is my scale. Yes I really said my scale. It is not the enemy if you know how to use it.
If you are one who obsesses over numbers then the scale will be a challenge at first. I’m learning trust me! The scale is important because it can show your progress. But your mindset has to be “it’s only a number.” There are many things that can make the scale numbers change and to be mindful of those things is a healthy way to use the scale.
Next comes the measuring tape.
This little baby can be your best friend when the scale isn’t making you happy!!! Sometimes as we exercise we will lose inches while the numbers on the scale don’t change. Keep one of these handy and record your measurements. As you exercise and eat healthy you’ll see the measurements change!!!
Water water everywhere! This is a must in a healthy toolbox. You must stay hydrated. I’m not sure you can drink enough water! I try really hard to get at least 100 ounces a day. I do better on somedays than others, but 100 is the goal!
Healthy food is a must, plenty of fruits and veggies to make you healthy and strong (that’s what my kids say!)
There’s a phrase to Eat the Rainbow. If you try each day to eat fruits and veggies in the colors of the rainbow you’ll be getting what you need. You will feel fuller and you’re less likely to reach for junk food. Healthy food is a must! When searching for healthy food look for things that are full of fiber and natural goodness. Also remember yummy food without a lot of extras added is the goal. A kale salad is great, but if you drown it in fatty dressing….not so great! Along with healthy food I use the 21 day fix containers to help me keep my portions under control. See it’s eating a Rainbow!!!
So my next tool is a struggle and not really my favorite, but it’s necessary! My next tool is exercise. oh goodness, there I said it! The E word! Yes you can eat less and lose weight and not exercise, but I’m learning that if you want a firm body to follow along with you then you have to train yours. So these are some of the DVDs I’m using. I love PiYo, it’s a Yoga and Pilates combo that is low impact and really stretches your body. I also like the 21 day fix workouts. My favorite, who knew I’d have a favorite workout, is 10 min abs. If you think you can’t work out in 10 minutes then you should try this! You really will feel it!
And finally, and most importantly, I need a healthy self image in my healthy toolbox. I like who I am, no matter the weight. If I don’t like myself before starting the process, the process is going to be harder. It’s taken a lot for me to say that. I have not always been my biggest fan, but trust me, if you like who you are where you are, it’s easier to make changes.
This journey is not easy. It will be, and has been worth it so far. In the end you have to find the things that make you successful. You have to surround yourself with people that will help you and encourage you as you work toward your goals.
So there you have it, my healthy toolbox. I add to and take away as needed but these are the things that really stay put! So now it’s your turn, tell me what’s in your healthy living tool box! I’d love to know!
Welcome friends to my new blog, my new project, and my new tool to get healthy. I have a lot of tools in that bag. Healthy living tools. This blog is just going to be another tool. I’m so excited to get going and I can’t wait to have many others join me. Now just because it needs to be said, I am not a dietitian, nutritional counselor or fitness expert. Before you start any fitness or lifestyle change please talk to your doctor. They are the ones that know what is best for you body! One more thing, please don’t take my word as gospel. This lifestyle change I have embarked upon is my personal journey. What has worked for me, may not work for you. Read, filter and apply what is good for you to your life! Don’t be afraid to check things out for yourself. After all it’s your life, take charge of it!!!
So let me tell you a bit about myself. Some of you know me from my other blog, Southern Girl In Arizona. I have just decided to split the health and fitness portion away from that blog and use that one for the rest of my stuff I feel the need to share! Please feel free to follow me there too! Ok back to telling you about me! I’m 44 years old and I live in Arizona. I’m married and have 3 kids and they are awesome little human beings! In the last two years I have changed my lifestyle and I’ve lost 40 pounds. I’m motivated to better my life because of my kids. They need me and I certainly need them, so eating better, exercising and losing weight is what must be done to obtain a better life for them! They need to learn healthy habits too!
I didn’t grow up heavy. I was always taller than the other kids in my class, but I would say my weight was pretty average. I’m really not sure when that changed. I think it just caught up with me. I ate more than I exercised and that took it’s toll on my body.
My wake up call came when my sister died 14 years ago. She was 352 pounds when she died and I vowed never to allow myself to get to that weight. Isn’t that how it always goes? We say we are never going to get to a certain weight, and we do…so we add a few more numbers and vow never to cross that line, and we do…it’s a cycle. I reached 316 pounds and I knew if I didn’t break the cycle now I wouldn’t stop gaining weight.
When we moved from Indiana to Arizona in 2012 life started changing. I went from cold weather to sunny almost all the time! I was able to be more active just because of the climate change, don’t get me wrong I could have been active in Indiana too, I think the move just spurred it on! I no longer wanted to just sit on my couch, and I didn’t! And so it began…
Now here I am two years later and I’ve lost 40 pounds but I’ve realized I need to kick it up a notch or two. I need to move more, and change the way I eat and really commit to a new lifestyle. It’s time to stop making excuses (I like to call them reasons) and get going. So that’s what I’m going to do! Aren’t you lucky to get to share this with me?!
I named my blog “It’s More than Celery” because I love food! There are not many foods I don’t like! I want this journey to be more than eating celery sticks. I want this to be about eating real food, healthy food and loving it! Don’t get me wrong, I like celery, but I can’t wait to explore and share delicious recipes that are more than celery!
So who is with me? Let’s get this going! I will kick off tomorrow and tell you some more of the tools in my Healthy Living Tool Bag!
It's More than Celery 