I'm still trying though....

* First of all - HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAN!!!!*

Now on to my thoughts -
Lately with being pregnant, on vacation at my Mom's house, birthday's, and holiday time; I am finding it harder and harder to be good and not choose the UN-healthy food.

But now that mostly all the birthdays and holidays are behind me, I am starting fresh today! I woke up and had raisin bran with skim milk and a large glass of water. It is not following the trainer food guide exactly to the tee. But I still feel like I am making the healthiest choices that I can here at my Mom's house. I am giving the rest of the jelly beans and Cadberry mini eggs to my Mom. She insists that she has the self control to not eat the whole bag in one sitting. I say good for her and more power to her. I am not that way and the thing is.......those type of foods have really not been tasting good anyways. I have just been eating them out of habit or boredom. So the key is to just get them out of my sight.

So let's see if I can stick to cutting out the candy, eating moderate portions of healthy food, and start drinking more water!

Hmmm which shoes to buy?

With even more cushioning thanks to an Air-Sole unit, the Nike® Air Pegasus+ is crafted using a synthetic and mesh upper that's breathable and supportive. The tough BRS 1000 carbon rubber heel and sticky rubber forefoot provide durability and traction, while the Nike+®-enabled shoe syncs your iPod® nano to your workout to deliver both tunes and tracking.

I first heard of this shoe from my friend Heather. I am really wanting to get these now. It's hard to part with my red New Balances that I found at a steal on clearance back in Hawaii. But, my feet have seriously been hurting. I need new work out shoes. So is this the shoe? I don't know but it sure does perk my interest when it mentions that it can sync with my Ipod!

Any suggestions on good work out shoes? I'll probably be buying some when I am back in San Diego.

This could put a damper on my weight loss

I will not be seeing my toes in about 25 - 30 weeks. I am PREGNANT!!!! WHAT?!?! Totally did not see this one coming! Why am I surprised....this is my crazy life...my adventure! But, I refuse to let this put a damper on my healthy venture! In fact it motivates me even more!

I have been doing so good with healthy eating! And I have heard so much positive feedback from my friends about doing this together.

So, here is the deal......I am still working on my health. I am overweight going into this pregnancy, so I have to watch my sugar and bad food intake even more so. So, I will keep my trainer to help me continue eating healthy and moderately working out. Nothing too crazy. Probably just some arm toning and walking on the treadmill. I can't forget the glorious pool either!

So, stick with me ladies!!!! I am here for the long haul!!!

The pictures that jogged my memory

I look at these pictures and I don't only see a thinner and younger person......I see a happier and more energetic person.

These were taken at the end of 2004. The year 2003 was when I decided that I wanted to change my eating habits and exercise routine completely. I lost 35 lbs and found myself for the first time in my life. I now feel as though I have lost a little piece of that person that I found. I don't want to lose weight to fit into a smaller clothing size. I want my self confidence back. I want my health back. I don't want to fight the aging process; I want to embrace it, as I do life.

Getting back on track - breaking habits

* Warning this post contains some talk of the Mormon religion. If you have any further questions regarding this book or my spiritual side, just ask me. :)

So I knew it was going to take something to get my tush back in gear. And my friend Stephanie along with the help of this fabulous book, was exactly what I needed to get back on the road to becoming a healthy me.

It all started when I was about to go downstairs with my leftover Cold Stone Ice Cream and read my book. I was in quite the "cry me a river" attitude. I had a 100' fever. I was missing Dan. Ben took a good 2 hours (most of that time filled with screaming) before going to sleep. My friend Steph(whom I rent the basement from) was hanging out on the couch talking with me as Ben fought his bedtime. I kept going downstairs to put him to sleep. He just wanted to scream if I wasn't reading him a book! He would get out of his bed and pound the walls, and scream so loud. Steph was amazing and so understanding with Benjamin's tantrum he was throwing. It could have quite easily threw off the peaceful sleeping Graham(Steph's little boy who sleeps in the room above Ben) and woke him up. But, she was cool as a cucumber and even offered to trade off with Ben if I was close to losing it. ;) Now, that's a friend! Needless to say, Ben eventually fell asleep(in his bed) and Graham did not wake up......and I kept my sanity!

But, before going back down to my part of the house holding my carton of Ice Cream....... I told Stephanie as my "personal trainer"(she helped me lose weight the healthy way 5 years ago) to promise and swear to not allow me to buy ice cream again. I told her I needed another person as a witness as I tried to swear off the evil Cold Stone packed with a bazillion calories. I explained that everything in the house(besides the Cadberry mini eggs) was totally healthy. Ice cream and mini eggs were my only down fall. This sparked quite the discussion....in such a good way.

She happened to have this book(picture above with title) near her. And over the period of time that we were talking, we mostly discussed this speech. Title: Flaxen Threads ; by Carlos E. Asay.

In this speech he speaks on the subject of habit. He talks about 6 steps required in order to cultivate a new habit.

I answered these steps in my head (red color is my thinking process)

1. Define the desire habit (to choose healthy food over un-healthy foods)

2. Bind yourself to act He goes on to say that, " I feel that one binds himself best to a desire action by sharing his resolve with a friend, with a wife, with a husband, with a bishop, or with someone else who can monitor his progress. I also feel that one finds strength as he shares his desires with God and begs for divine assistance. (Healthy blog, talking to Dan, sharing lows and highs with friends, prayer)

3. Put the new conduct into operation - he quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson and said, "That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased." (Think back to when you stopped eating fast food and sugar 5 years ago and lost 35 pounds! You did not miss the sugar or fast food after just a week. It became easier to eat healthy foods)

4. Bolster your will or desire by riveting your mind upon the virtues of the desired habit. (think of how you will feel in your skinny jeans, how you will make Dan feel when he sees you after deployment, and how your heart and arteries will pump and flow better with healthy food)

5. Do not look back (quit thinking about the taste of the oatmeal cookie ice cream and quit doubting your self control)

6. Plunge wholeheartedly into the new conduct (Quit saying tomorrow, or next week.....JUST DO IT today)

So after this discussion, I realized I wasn't even hungry! I was totally dehydrated and thirsty. I drank a glass of water and then threw the ice cream away(gave ice cream to Steph's husband Kevin who wants to GAIN weight) and went to cupboards and tossed in trash; the half bag of chocolate chips, the sour cream, and yes.....even the cadberry mini eggs. It felt so good. So I guess I am finally starting a resolution of the year....

Wow, so much longer than expected with writing this post. But can you feel my fire? I am so ready to really kick it into high gear and work on building this new habit of healthier food choices! I hope this post inspires you as it has me. A few friends of mine (B, M, and H) came to mind that are also trying to lose weight and become healthier people, but find it hard to resist the tempting foods. I hope this helps you , like it helped me. Let's get serious people!

Today I am working on......

With the recent big winter storm, broken toe, and Ben going to the urgent care(wicked spider bite was infected), my work out routine has been postponed. I also have been eating a lot of take out for dinners as we prepare for Dan to deploy. But, even with all this.......... I am trying to focus on the main goal. I think it is important to not beat myself up for not being perfect. Atleast I am still focused and trying right???? So for today this is what I am working on......

• Eating b-fast as soon as I wake up to get my metabolism going
• Eating every 2 - 3 hours
• With each meal eat some type of protein combined with healthy carb
• Cutting out fried foods, mayo, and butter
• Working on fist size portions and stop eating when I am full
• Making time for me (Me time)

And today, I scheduled my next training appointment's for Wednesday and Friday.

Tonight, I focus on keeping my toes and mind healthy by going to get a pedicure! I have not had one of these in a long time. I think it's important to take a break from life every once in awhile. Tonight is that night. Dan is taking Ben to the gym daycare while I go have a little girl time. Weeeeeeeee

Learn something new every day

Yesterday that something new was told to me by my trainer. This was very informative to me. Did you all know this?


Target Heart Rate -

(I did know this) If you stay below it while working out you might as well be sitting at home on the couch. Your body is not getting a true work out unless you hit your target heart rate.

(I did not know this) If you stay above your target heart rate for most of the work out, then you are burning off water not fat and defeating the whole purpose of working out! You are dehydrating yourself. WOW! And the whole purpose is to build muscle. Because, every pound of muscle gained helps burn fat quicker.

So for instance people that run marathons and are very skinny but still have loose skin...well this is the reason. So, I am going to really work on staying in my target heart rate!