I'd rather get better and box

I'm sick.  This stupid summer cold came on from out of no where at the end of the week and now here I am, Monday afternoon, still feeling like I was run over by a truck.

Let me tell you people, this isn't pretty.  At all.  I have yet to master the art of being "sick-cute" as opposed to "sick-gross."  I'm a fabulous mix of the dwarfs: Gumpy, Sneezy, Sleepy, Dopey, and the yet to be found dwarf - Icky.

So I think I have the right to complain.  The right to moan about my achy muscles, to blow my nose loudly, to sleep half the day.  I have a lot to gripe about.

But do you know what one of the most annoying parts of this cold is?  I missed boxing.

What?  Did I write that correctly?  Have the cold meds sent me into a NyQuil-induced drugged-up haze?  Nope.

I miss boxing and I'm bummed.

I normally go in once during the weekend to LA Boxing to sweat out the stress of the week.  Hit the heavy bag hard and walk away feeling like a weekend warrior.  I get on a high horse - gloating in the face of my former "can't be bothered to get off the couch" weekend-self.  I start Monday feeling strong, not bloated.  Quicker, not exhausted.  Ready.

Not this week.  Monday is currently laughing at me, all balled up in the corner, and kicking my butt.  (Well, to be honest, last week wasn't a gleaming example either.  Apparently Memorial day weekend - and alcohol - make for a really, really bad personal training session on Tuesday.  It was laughable.  Literally.  We laughed at my inability to do just about anything last week.)  But this is even more reason why I was ready to have a great weekend so that I could return to training on Tuesday in top notch form.

Instead, I spent yesterday in bed, surrounded by tissues.

I miss boxing.  I want to get well.  I need to get well.  So I can go back, put on the gloves, and get back into the groove.  Kick some butt.  Tell the heavy bag who's boss.

I'm going to drag my butt in there tomorrow if I have to.  It may not be pretty, but I know I'll feel so much better for doing it.

Now, please pass the chicken noodle soup.

I'd rather confess, I'm an eat-out-aholic

I have a confession.

I eat out.

A lot.

Not just a lot - but frequently.  I am too embarrassed to admit how many meals (and how much money) I spend eating out.  I think the trend started a long time ago - way back in college, because who wanted to eat the crap they passed as food - and it just never let up.

It has its advantages.  My kids have grown up going to restaurants, so they know how to behave well while there.  It takes the stress out of planning for and making dinner.  It tastes good - most of the time.

But the disadvantages are huge.  The finances can't keep up with me.  My kids may be growing up to think it's normal to eat crappy food all the time - and worse yet, that it is the most perfect reward for doing even the smallest task.  And, of course, the weight gain.

Every week, from Monday til Thursday, I am pretty good at eating.  I eat veggies, and fruit, no fried food, and hardly any sweetened beverages.

But, then then Friday rolls around.  Who wants to cook Friday night?

And then Saturday arrives.  It's the weekend, let's celebrate!

Then it's Sunday . . . might as well take advantage of the weekend while I can!

Before I knew it, I was too busy/stressed/tired to cook some weekend nights too.

Now, I could probably eat this:

But, I usually cave, and get this:

Sighhhhhhhhh.

My confession: I'm a eat-out-aholic.

What does an eat-out-aholic do to try to get it in check?  Well, the setting day or number of visit limits didn't really work.  And setting a budget didn't really work either.  So now we are getting drastic:

No. Eating. Meals. Out. . . for a month.

(The only exception: my daughters birthday (when we are taking her out to an amusement park) and our anniversary.)

"That's not too bad" you may say, but for me, it's unheard of.  To be honest, the thought of doing this makes my stress levels rise.  It will be hard.  Hard to plan, hard to follow through, hard to not wuss out on.

But, I have a problem, and something has to be done.  I just have to do it.

Do you have any fantastic (yummy, but easy) recipes to share?  Have you kicked the eat-out-aholic habit?  Please, I beg of you, help a sister out with you input below!

I'd rather shrink for summer

Well, I totally forgot to update you all on the 21 Days Challenge over at Shrinking Jeans.  I'll do a quick recap for you...

• Working out most days of the week.  I did pretty well with this - I think it could have been better, though.  I did my boxing and yoga, but I have slacked on the training walks.  
• Went vegetarian for 21 days.  This was super successful!  I wasn't expecting to make this a permanent change, but it definitely showed me I can cut back on the meat and feel great.
• Vitamins didn't happen.  Just couldn't find one that sat well with my tummy.  Not giving up on the search though!
• Water intake was slightly better than normal.  I have made best friends with my water bottle, but I really have no idea how much I'm actually drinking.

Now, moving on ... the ladies are starting a new challenge - The Shrinking Days of Summer!

You know I'm all over it - like sand on a beach.  (yeah, I'm corny...and what?)  I hope that it brings more umpf and motivation and will power to my game.  Cause I'm really at this annoying stage where I'm working my butt off and not seeing the results I want.  I'm not sure if it is a result of self-sabotage or just plain impatience, but either way, I'm done with it.  So, bring it on Sisters!  

And if you really, really, need to know, I'm at 205.2 pounds presently.  I'd really like to get back to "onderland" as soon as possible, as I have never loathed a two more in my life.  

Want to join me?  Come visit the challenge here!

I'd rather make a habit.

Alrighty, time for a check in on the scale and on the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans 21 days challenge.

I'm down just a bit from last Wednesday (which I still think was a freak off-number day), but from last Monday I'm down by 2.8 pounds!  I'm psyched about this - mostly because I know I've also gained muscle weight as well.  How could I not, when my buddy Donte (from LA Boxing) has been making me run while punching free weights or while carrying a 16 pound sledgehammer?!!  I really have to take my measurements and take a picture, though, because I think that will really tell the tale much better than the scale will.  (Oh, and also?  I fit into a pair of shorts I haven't worn in ages.  Hells yeah!)

Now about the challenge:

Working out: check.  I've been kicking arse.  Seriously.  I've been walking, yoga-ing, and boxing like a champ.  Plus - at my personal training sessions I've had to run.  This might be nothing of significance for most of you (it's just a minute or two of jogging at a time) but before this - I would only run from a fire.  Maybe.  So the fact that I'm able to run is not only incredible, it's down right shocking. 

Eating vegetarian: check.  It hasn't been very hard, either.  I love seafood (that really helps) and I've tried out a few new recipes with soy protein crumbles.  My kids are even digging on it!

Drinking water: check, mostly.  I have been filling up my water bottle often, and chugging away.  Problem is, I think (judging by this water calculator) that I should be drinking 85-105 ounces of water a day, and ... um ... I so don't.  So I still have to keep adding more fill-ups.

Multivitamin:  not so much.  Well, I did manage to take it 3 times.  The results were not favorable, to say the least.  I think I may have to resort to Flinstone's chewables, because like a child, the big-girl vitamins made my twummy hwurt.

Seven days down, 14 more to go.  I'm feeling good - how about you?

I'd rather make a change

Today I'm linking up my first-ever Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans post! Woohoo!

I had the pleasure of meeting some of the Shrinking Jeans girls at Fitbloggin.  I had lurked at the site before, and tweeted once or twice, so I knew they were my kind of people.  But, I never really had the time to participate actively.  After meeting them in person - and seeing how much they rocked - I decided I would make some time.  Because these ladies (even with out having known them more than I know my mailman) are like that old friend you have.  You know the one - she can move away and not talk to you for a year, then move back and pick right back up as if it hadn't been a day?  Yeah, that's them.  They take you any way you are - and when ever you have the time.  Even if you're like me, and only do a drive-by comment every once in a blue moon.

That's because they are awesome-sauce.

And also?  They aren't afraid to tell you to get your butt up off the couch and get your arse in gear.  Except, they'll say it with a few more expletives and with the threat of hunting you down.

In the most loving way possible, that is.

ANYWAY....

All this is to say, I'm joining in on their current challenge.  This 3-week challenge is to pick some habits and incorporate them into your daily routine in order to help you reach your healthy goals.  Mine are:

1. Workout (almost) daily.  See my last post, "I'd rather kick it up" to see the exact workout regiment I'm trying and to see my weigh-in.  *cough*208*cough*  (But, somehow I stepped on the scale and it said 205.4 this morning, so lets take that tiny shiny miracle and roll with it.)
2. Eat vegetarian.  My husband challenged me to go veg, so we just started that on Monday.  It is my first ever foray into abandoning beef (I freaked a little) but it's going well so far.  No really, it is.
3. Drink water.  This will probably be my hardest goal.  Not that I have anything against good old H20, but I just never think to drink until I'm already thirsty, or worse.  So, do me a favor and tweet me to chug, if you can.  Please and thank you!
4. Take a multivitamin.  I am a total medicine/vitamin slacker.  The only vitamins I even have in the house expired in 2009.  Guess I'll get some new ones soon.  Promise.

That about sums it up for me - what healthy habits do you want to create?

I'd rather kick it up

It's time to fess up.  I've been slacking off on this weight-loosing gig.  More than slacking, really - more like going backward.

It mostly started when I found out my scale was lying to me, and it just kept going downhill from there.  I guess there are a lot of excuses, but none of them are any good.  I've been stuck in a "I couldn't care less" crazy spiral, and I want out.

Alarms started ringing the last time I stepped on my (new) scale.  Due to the huge error in the old scale, and the total lack of all things healthy, I've crept back up over 200 pounds.  In truth *gulp* I weighed in at 208 pounds.  Ugh, that sucks to write, but it's the truth.

UGH.

Thankfully, when I was at Fitbloggin, I was given a great opportunity to team up with LA Boxing.  These guys are letting me join their gym for 3 months and hooking me up with weekly personal training sessions as well.  They even gave me a some goodies to get me going - including gloves and wraps.

The gloves have already seen action (aside from my family walloping up on each other) at the local LA Boxing gym, here in Rockville, Maryland.  I had a personal training session Wednesday, and yesterday my friend was sweet enough to join me for a kickboxing class.  Both visits helped me understand why they call it a 1000-calorie workout.  It was intense - I really put my body to work, sweat like crazy, and woke up super sore.

Let me clarify --
By "sweat" I mean:  I exuded rivers of perspiration from the top of my head all the way to the bottom of my feet.
By "sore" I mean:  Each time I moved my limbs, I was reminded how hard I worked, mostly followed by an "owwwwww."
By "put my body to work" I mean:  I found muscles I didn't know existed, pushed myself farther than I thought possible, and opened up my lungs more than I ever have before.

And this is just the beginning.

This is shaping up to be my weekly regiment, for the next 3 months:

Monday - possible rest day, but more likely a walking day
Tuesdays - Yoga (at my yoga studio)
Wednesdays - Personal Training at LA Boxing with Donte (more on him to come)
Thursdays - Boxing class at LA Boxing
Fridays - training walks for my third Susan G. Komen 3-day for the Cure.
Saturday - another (longer) training walk
Sunday - Kickboxing at LA Boxing

Do you think that this is do-able?  Is it crazy?  Will I be able to get back to the 180's by June - maybe even back into the legwarmers for BlogHer in August?  Will I get strong enough to hold a downward dog for more than 10 seconds?  Do you think I will survive?

What do you think?



Disclosure: As a participant of #Fitbloggin', I was offered (by LA Boxing) three months free membership, free personal training, and merchandise - all in exchange for blogging my *honest* opinions once a week.

I'd rather focus on the positive

Happy Monday everyone!  I know a lot of people hate Mondays (and, I'm normally one of them) but this Monday is good.

Why?

Because I can breathe out of my nose again!!  Hallelujah!!

I was M.I.A. this whole past week with a killer cold.  It was doubly hard because I was on demand 24-7, as daddy was away on business.  I tell you, every time he leaves, I get another reminder of just how awesome all you single moms are.  It makes me want to send flowers and coffee to my bestie (she's a single mom to 3) because that is hard work, with no relief.

Anywho, as some of you may know, I was too darn sick to work out (steps made me winded) and I didn't have the ability to eat as well as I would have wanted.  Actually the eating was funny - at times I was fantastic (lots of fruits and veggies, water, soup, etc) then others I ... uhhh ... wasn't.  (It's really hard to cook for everyone when you have a box of tissues glued to your hand.) (Oh, and all those girl scout cookies sitting in my dinning room really didn't help matters!)

So, I stayed the same for my weight this week.  I'm a-okay with that, and I am still feeling very motivated.  My husband and I have fallen right back into our competition and there isn't an end for that in sight.  (Actually, that continues to be a really great motivator.  If you haven't tried it - you really should - especially if you all like to smack talk.  We obviously do, judging by his "anonymous" comment on my last mamavation post.  Silly man, doesn't he know he stands no chance?!)

Also, I went to a friends baby shower this weekend, and saw a bunch of people I hadn't seen in a looonnng time.  I got a lot of compliments - even a "you're looking thinner!"  So, I know I'm on the right track.

Here are a couple other random tidbits for you all:

• I met Roni, the organizer of Fitbloggin', while at Bloggy Boot Camp this weekend, and she is fantastic!!!  You really should check out her sites - they have so many great recipes and ideas.

• I triple dog dare you all to go try steamed artichokes.  Not the canned, mushy kind, but the kind where you have to scrape the meat off he leaves with your teeth.  It is a childhood favorite of mine, and I'm happy to say that my daughter has found the joys of it too!

• I attended a yoga for headache workshop a week or so ago, and I plan on writing a post about that soon!  They gave us lots of good info - and I've already been putting some of it to use.

That's it for this week.  I hope all of you are having a great week, and if not, then I hope you are picking your selves up and moving forward.  Because you are Maaaavelous, dalinks, simply maaaaavelous.

PS - Did you know I always link these posts back up to the blog carnival at Bookie Boo?  The support of the Mamavation ladies has been key to me.  If you are lacking that in your life, please consider joining us.  Plus, if nothing else motivates you, there are giveaways each week. ;)

I'd rather have a motivating list

I brought it!  I brought it!

Before I go a step further, I've got to say a big thank you for all of the comments I received on last week's post.  I gathered so much motivation from you all!  Some of them made me scared, some of them made me look inward, and they all re-energized me.  If you skip the rest of this post (and, I really wouldn't blame you because, holy hannah am I long winded) then just read this list.  It is some of the suggestions you all gave me to get out of my rut, and get motivated.  (I repeat, these are not my suggestions - they are that of my Mamavation Sista's.)  Save them to use in your "weight loss tool kit."

• Read your old posts, or a journal if you're a non-blogger.  Read the ones when you are sad to see what you want to avoid, read the ones when you had tons of motivation to channel that energy.
• Think about your kids.  If you can't do it for you, do it for them - so that they see a good healthy role model.  (Twenty years from now I don't want my kids to feel like I sometimes do.)
• Have someone give you a pep talk.  Sometimes you just have to be told "you CAN."
• Figure out what drives you - what is the end result you want or don't want.  Will you be okay with staying in this rut forever?
• Find someone who is in the same place and urge each other forward.  (See below for the contest results with my hubby.)
• Try something new - new workout, new workout clothes, new foods.
• Suck it up.  Push your self forward.  Shove the "I can't" monster in the closet and just fake it til you make it.
• Act like who you want to be (like your future healthy self) or emulate a healthy role model.
• Get threatened with wearing a cheese bra topless.  (Yikes!)

So, thats the list.  What follows is my progress for the week.  Seriously, feel free to skip it - I know there are a lot of posts to read, and my feelings won't be hurt. ;)

****************************

This week, the competition with my husband saved me.  If you didn't see it last week, we had a contest to gain the most "healthy habits" points.  Points were gained by working out and taken away for eating out or even suggesting we eat out.  It worked so well for both of us (working out 5 times this week!) that we decided to keep it going.  So no clear cut winner right now.  BUT, I am one point up as a write this post. ;)

I decided to pull back on weight watchers a bit.  Well, truthfully, I have been out of it for a while, but I decided to take a new approach to my eating in general.  I was getting really tired of counting points and measuring, so I decided to put my years of WW knowledge to the test - to see if I could do it with out all the scales, and cups, and trackers.

Surprisingly, it has gone pretty well.  Every time I'm hungry, I go first for something that is nutritious in some way: fruits, veggies, high protein, fiber.  I still allow myself a bit of chocolate from time to time but I'm finding I am craving things less.  I didn't really "need" that evening snack as much this week.  Several times I thought, "well self, there's nothing in this house that is worth it, so fa-get-a-bout-it."  I'm still making progress, and of course this helps:

It has saved me a few times when rummaging in the pantry looking for "I'm bored so I might as well eat" food.  I see it, I get irritated, I silently kick myself for doing something so annoyingly useful, then I allow it to work.

All of this combined is doing good things - I'm down 2 pounds.  I brought it.  Did you?

I'd rather win!

I finished up my May Christy's Craft Challenge! I decided to make cute little hair clips for the girls.



I had to use 5 different materials: scrapbook paper, blue fabric scraps, buttons, floral wire, and silk daisy flowers. I came up with a ton of ideas that involved sewing -- but seeing as how I suck at sewing, those were quickly icksnay-ed.



As you can see, I kinda suck at photography as well. Ah, well -- One day I'll have a nice digital SLR and it won't matter. Until then (read: never), I apologize.

It looks as if the competition is putting up a good fight. So go vote for me! Or for the best person, if you feel morally obligated. {Either way, it's me all the way, baby!!}

I'd rather be challenged

Here is a secret of mine: I am a compulsive procrastinator. Well, I guess it's not a secret since I posted about it only a few posts back...but still, now you firmly know something I try to hide.

Well, I'm not really doing a good job hiding it, either, I guess:
I'm late to absolutely everything.
I plan girl scout meetings on the day of the meeting.
Having a huge party? Lets clean, cook, and entertain all on the same day to make life "interesting."
(These things turn out well, mind you, but are very very stressful.)

So, I need motivation. I find it hard to come by -- so I substitute motivation for challenges.
And this is where crafty challenges come into the fold.



I have taken up Christy's Craft Challenge. She puts together the same craft packet for all who sign up (just pay a small fee to cover materials and shipping to her etsy site) and you get to turn that treasure trove into some major awesomeness. I am only on my second challenge, but I really like how it makes me think...so I have signed up for a subscription (bonus...a discount!)



Now, through the miracles of twitter, I have been introduced to the new Brassy Apple Crafty Summer Series. This one I hope to let my kids in on. (Because, for the love of pete, they can't keep their hands off of my other challenge material.) My gears are turning over how to make craftastic summer t-shirts. This will require paint, sissors, and various other glittery supplies. And I am now very thankful for the Michael's gift card I have in my wallet.

We (the girlies and I) are also working on a summer to-do list. This will prove to be very challenging. We stubbled upon a cute little local blog that listed 100 things to do in DC. I love the idea of being a tourist in my own backyard. I have lived here all my life and have yet to do most of these things. Now, I don't think my girls would dig Ethiopian food, or paddeling down the potomac, but we will definitly be going to the Air and Space Museum. We are going to challenge ourselves to do between 25 to 50 of these things. Ain't gonna happen. But it will be nice to try. And I won't feel bad when we skip it to go to the pool.

So join me in a challenge...make your summer interesting!
If you want, I can provide a healthy dose of smack talk too....chicken.