Losing Lex

Don't Blink!

2011-06-24T11:32:00.000-07:00

Wow Blog! Where have you been? More like where have I been? There's a lot to talk about so let me recap the past few months and we'll go from there. I've battled multiple injuries and illnesses which has been killer on the weight loss, in fact it's really made me quite lazy about it all and it's show on the scale. Good news is that I'm finally getting healthy again and back on the path I've created for myself.

Next is I have a new job working for the American Sociological Association which I love! I was in a really unhealthy work environment and it took a lot for me to realize I needed to get out. I quit my job without another prospect and was hired at ASA within 48 hours... talk about the universe coming through! Now one of the biggest changes has been that not only have I finally come out as a lesbian to everyone in my life, but I also found someone.. and we're ENGAGED!!!

Now I'm going to obviously post more on this but if you've read my "looking for love after weight loss" article on Patch, you'd know that I had very specific things I was looking for in a partner and I found them! She's lost 80 lbs in the past year, is passionate and supporting and inspiring. Our engagement also means that in the past few months I've moved and wedding planing is in full swing. As a couple, we are training for the Disney Marathon together with Team in Training and the words GO TEAM have become a part of our every day vocabulary.

In other news, I am also now a performance artist as a Drag King with the DC Kings! My stage name... Brock Lee! No, seriously! I love it. It's a blast and I look forward to every performance each month. My fiance just started Kinging with the DC Kings too so I guess you could said we're keeping it in the family! And most recently, I just found out that I've been selected for the 30 under 30 LGBTQ edition of Professionals Magazine! Ok I know that was a lot but life is moving fast these days so don't blink if you wanna keep up!

Dear World

2010-12-08T16:52:00.001-08:00

I'M OFFICIALLY A CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER!!!!!!!

Looking for Love After Weight Loss

2010-11-29T07:41:00.001-08:00

Is love in the air? Find out in my latest article!
http://ballston.patch.com/articles/looking-for-love-after-losing-it

Be Thankful- Not Just Full!

2010-11-25T09:24:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving, be sure to check out my latest article in my column! Be Thankful- Not Just Full
http://ballston.patch.com/articles/be-thankful-not-just-full

Dinner for two

2010-11-18T20:28:00.000-08:00

Wow, what an amazing dinner. First of all, I would like to take the time to thank facebook - despite its many annoyences (yes I'm looking at you Farmville Requests) it can be a truly amazing thing and tonight was proof of that. For those of you who don't know, tonight I had dinner with Bonnie Matthews - many of you know her has Bonnie from Dr. Oz and most of you are Facebook friends with her... which is how I became friends with her. Thanks to the little facebook featur that says " 48 of your friends are also friends with X, would you like to be their friends too?" Well if 48 of my friends were friends with this Bonnie person, then she must be really special. I didn't know her and she didn't know me but I quickly discovered that she has an amazing weight loss story of taking control of her life through healthy eating and wellness -she seemed like someone I could relate to so I've been following her on FB and watching her encourage people and her enthusiasm has been a constant source of inspiration. It never occured for me to ask where she lived until she had mentioned something about being in Baltimore and heading into DC and I was like HEY I live in Arlington! Next thing ya know we had dinner plans for tonight so thank you Facebook for bringing two strangers together! Now let me tell you something, spent two seconds on Bonnies FB page, among her many MANY fans and you instantly can read the passion this woman has for health and her enthusiasm in contagous - so much so that a large portion of the online weight loss community is participating in her Why Wait Get Bon Challenge but I wondered how much of that relays into the real world, I mean facebook is one thing, could she really be as energetic and electrifying as she creates herself on facebook? To be honest, I was a bit nervous meeting her for the first time tonight, I was worried that I had looked up to her and respected her and saw her as "the real deal" and I didn't know if she was going to live up to it... well let me tell you ladies and gentalmen, this woman is everything I thought she was and SO MUCH MORE! I spent most of the evning just caputed by energy. IT WAS INSANE. I am a firm believer in that there are some people who "get it" and some who don't and what I mean by that is that there are some people who have changed so that their entire life is focused on living and being healthy and then there are those who are in the diet or losing weight bussiness... people who "get it" keep their weight off and those who don't won't. She gets it and like me, she shares a passion to help others "get it" too. I spend so much time telling my story and trying to explain the hows and why of my choices so it was refreshing to have a conversation with someone who knows, she's done it herself and it was comforting to sit down with someone knowing that we shared that same journey. It was even more encouraging for me, who still has weight to lose, to know that the path I'm taking is leading me to my goals. I laughed so much tonight and sat in awe and had so many great conversations, I feel like I've been reminded of the beauty that comes from being healthy - Health comes not just in smaller jean sizes but in finding and cultivating healthy relationship with other healthy people. Tonight was amazing and I admire and respect Bonnie so much more... I cannot wait for our next dinner!

Who Will You Be?

2010-11-17T06:11:00.000-08:00

Two women stand at the bottom of a steep hill, needing to get to the top. The first woman stands there and says " wow, this hill is so steep. I'm already tired. I'm gonna make it to the top, I gotta reach the top but its gonna take me a long time. I'm gonna be at the top any moment now..." and even though she talked about reaching the top, her feet never moved. The second woman knew it was going to take her awhile so she took small steps,putting one foot in front of the other and started moving up the hill until she reached the top. She looked down and saw the first woman still at the bottom talking about reaching the top. - Which woman are you? Don't be the woman at the bottom talking about what your gonna do, be the woman that keeps moving. It doesn't matter if your trying to lose weight or training for a marathon - actions speak louder than words so just shut up and do it!

The Final Test

2010-11-12T06:02:00.001-08:00

The last in the series about race day! Be sure to pass it along to all of the Fat Runners you know and love!
http://ballston.patch.com/articles/the-final-test

Pushing Through It

2010-11-09T09:53:00.000-08:00

Part two of the 3 part series on Race Day for me - Check it out and pass it along to all your fat running friends!
http://ballston.patch.com/articles/pushing-through-it-part-two-of-the-marathon-run

Meltdowns and Marathons

2010-11-06T18:57:00.000-07:00

The first in a series of articles on Patch.com!

I'm a Marathoner!!!

2010-10-31T18:08:00.000-07:00

I've joined the ranks of 1/2 of 1% of the world population... I'm a marathoner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reaping the Rewards

2010-10-29T14:15:00.001-07:00

Getting soo close! New article up on what it was like to go get my race packet today at the expo!
http://ballston.patch.com/articles/reaping-the-rewards

Race Day Throw Aways

2010-10-28T09:53:00.000-07:00

I have a long sleeve shirt that I kept from before I started losing weight and I'm contemplating using it as my "throw away" i.e. clothing you wear while waiting to start running to keep warm and then toss to the side once you start running. If ever there was a time to get rid of it, then would be it... but a small part of me said hold on to it... check out my latest article to find out the fate of my brown shirt!

http://ballston.patch.com/articles/race-day-throw-aways

P.S.

2010-10-27T05:36:00.001-07:00

I've dropped 4 pounds this week on tapering... HELL YES!

Running Towards a Victory

2010-10-27T05:20:00.000-07:00

Running Towards a Victory - Check out my last Team run before race day!
http://ballston.patch.com/articles/running-toward-a-victory

Got sleep?

2010-10-24T20:00:00.001-07:00

http://ballston.patch.com/articles/its-where-all-the-magic-happens

Earning the Uniform

2010-10-22T03:47:00.000-07:00

A very personal and proud column for me to write. Check out my latest on earning the Uniform.

http://ballston.patch.com/articles/earning-the-uniform

As a side note, I want to thank you for all of your support and encouraging of my column, my boss and those at AOL are very pleased with the interest my column has generated so thank you for your loyalty!

Food for Thought

2010-10-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

Read some recipie ideas from me and some food for thougt...about food! haha

http://ballston.patch.com/articles/food-for-thought-3

Getting Back on Track

2010-10-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

Waiting for tomorrow to get back on track? Check out my latest column on getting back on track! There will be a follow up to this one with recipes!
http://ballston.patch.com/articles/getting-back-on-track

I've been Blogged about!

2010-10-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

Some things come full circle and I feel like this is one of them. Through my friend and teammate Sharon, I've met Samantha who is on her own weight loss journey and like so many of us, she blogs about it. I had the privileged to sit and chat with her over the phone which she turned into a really nice blog. Thanks Samantha for letting me share my story!
http://sparklyandslimming.wordpress.com/2010/10/18/awesomeness-is-named-alexis/

Options

2010-10-16T14:27:00.000-07:00

the latest article to my column on Patch.com Check it out!

Only $82 away!

2010-10-12T05:04:00.001-07:00

We are now only $82 away from reaching the fundraising goal for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Make today the day you stand up to cancer by donating!
http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/corps10/amundis

Only $207

2010-10-11T12:29:00.000-07:00

I am only $207 away from my fundraising goal, please help me reach my goal TODAY by clicking the link to donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/corps10/amundis

You've been there and supported my journey to save my life, now is the chance for you to help save someone else's who's fighting cancer! Common everyone, we're so close!!

Breaking a Routine Without a Doubt

2010-10-10T16:27:00.000-07:00

My new article with Patch media is up with video from the 20 mile run yesterday! Check it out and feel free to post comments!!! GO TEAM! http:javascript:void(0)//patch.com/A-Jrc

So much to celebrate!

2010-10-09T15:42:00.001-07:00

On my way out the door to go celebrate with friends and there is SO much to celebrate tonight. My first article was published today ! YAY you can check it out at the link here!
http://ballston.patch.com/articles/the-fat-runner

And secondly, the biggest accomplishment of my entire training season... I ran 20 MILES today!!! 2-0 AHHH I'm so freakin proud of myself. That will be the longest run until race day... now I'm on a running taper where the miles are cut significantly to prepare my body for the full 26.2 miles. I love it!

The Fat Runner!

2010-10-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

Today something amazing happened... I had an interview with Patch Media after work today, they found me by word of mouth through Team in Training and wanted to follow my marathon training so I agreed. I thought today I'd be sitting down with a reporter and we'd chat a bit about my weight loss and about team in training but what happened today was just about the most awesome thing EVER! I was asked to become the new voice of runners and weight loss for Patch Media... AHHHHH I still can't believe it! In less then 2 years I've gone from knocking on death's door from obesity to now I've been hired to talk about my experience as a runner and future marathoner... CRAZY!!!! What makes me excited the most is that I get to be a representative for Team in Training without them, I would not be who I am today. I got choked up twice today, once while talking about my first "workout" of struggling to walk around the block and secondly when I talked about what Team in Training means to me. I was asked why I joined team in training? and I gave the most honest answer. I said I joined at first for selfish reasons, I was being given coaches and support to train and I knew I would benefit from it but once I showed up and learned about the mission of Team in Training and spent time with my Teammates who have personal stories of friends, family, and even themselves that have fought blood cancers.... Team in Training stopped become something different, my goal stopped becoming to finish the marathon, it became about being a better Teammate, becoming a stronger advocate for the mission and sharing the spirit of Team in Training with everyone I meet. Tonight will be my first blog with Patch and I could not be more excited!

The Push!

2010-10-04T18:20:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Its finally here! After months of training, race day is only 3 weeks away. This Saturday I will run my farthest distance to date, 20 miles. It will mark the beginning of the end of my training for the Marine Corps Marathon. The past few days has been a big shift for me, my fears and trepidation have melted away to make room for excitement and anticipation. I started training 5 months ago with no experience in running - or any athletic activity. I didn't know much other then I wanted to see if I could run a marathon. Each week I learned so many new things about running but more importantly I learned so much more about myself. Never once did I quit or get distracted, I've fought back from both injury and illness and in a time when many would have gave up, I worked harder and the results are apparent. I've shaved off 3 full minutes to my pace time and often find myself saying things like " an easy 10 miles". Running is my true passion in life and the mission of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is my purpose. Team in training, all of my team mates and coaches have been there to guide me and help me grow into the runner that I am today. Because of them, I have been asked to be a Mentor for future runners with Team in Training. I want to thank you for your support, your understanding and your encouragement. I am proud to say that I have raised over $1300 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and am only $554 away from making my goal. Training for this marathon has taken dedication, there has been blood, sweat and yes, even a few tears... and thats just to make it through the week! It has taken time away from my friend and my family and it has been the most physically and emotionally challenging thing I have ever had to overcome in my life... but none of that even can come close to the daily challenges of someone who's fighting blood cancers. My coaches, team mates and even strangers who recognize the Team in Training logo on my running gear share their story of how cancer has impacted their life and you can't help but to both feel humbled to know my work impacts other's lives and to feel driven to seek out every opportunity and seize every moment in life because life can never be taken for granted. I chose to adopt a new lifestyle so that I can live a healthy life, not everyone gets that choice and I run in honor of them. Please help me now push to the end and reach my fundraising goal ( link below) so that everyone has a choice to live cancer free.

http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/corps10/amundis

Thank you for your support and as always, please feel free to come cheer myself and all of my teammates on at the Marine Corps Marathon Oct. 31st! And if you can't make it to Marine Corps perhaps you'd like to come watch my next marathon in January at Walt Disney world ( yeah thats right, two marathons in two months)!

Sincerely,

Alexis Mundis

THE BITCH HAD TO GO- A Tail of The Worst Running Partner EVER!

2010-10-02T08:13:00.001-07:00

I don't ever like to talk badly about any of my teammates but after today, I really need to vent about the worst running partner ever - they've been there ever since I started running and when I joined Team in Training, I couldn't seem to get away from them. Even when I wasn't at practice, this partner followed me. We've been fighting for months and I keep telling myself I'm going to leave them but I didn't know how. My running partner told me I would never be able to make it, they've been a constant reminder of the pace requirements and of that damn bus ( if you don't maintain a 14 pace in Marine Corps they pick you up in a bus and you don't finish) and they're always telling me that I'm not going fast enough. I believed them.

My running partner slows me down on long runs and takes up my time when I'm on the trail. My running partner convinced me that I wasn't going to make it if my friend and mentor couldn't run the race this year and I bought it hook line and sinker. My running partner always tries to sabotage my training by telling me to not listen to the advice. The worst part is that my running partner has this way of making sure that I forget how far I've come this year. They constantly remind me of how much farther I have to go instead of letting me remember how far I've come. I had a fight with my running partner earlier this week and I knew it was time for us to go our separate ways but I really wasn't sure I knew how until I realized today that I'm the only one that can make them go away. My running partner's name is Doubt and THE BITCH HAD TO GO!

As soon as I let go of it all, my run was transformed. Suddenly next week's run didn't seem to long, that damn pace bus didn't seem like an issue and the first words out of my mouth after running 10 miles was " I'm not even out of breath!" The ride home we talked about the first 10 mile run we did, I was filled with so much anxiety over running double digits. by mile 3 I was complaining, by mile 6 I was begging for walking breaks and today 10 miles seems effortless. For the first time, I saw my progress with eyes unclouded by doubt and it was shocking. 18 months ago, I could hardly walk around the block, 5 months ago my pace was 17min.,I've never run longer then 3 miles without stopping for a break,and I couldn't run up a hill to save my life. In 5 months I've shaved off 3 min. to my pace time, dropped 30lbs and my longest run to date is 18 miles (that's only 8 miles away from my goal) and I ran up the biggest baddest hill in the Marine Corps race not once, not twice but THREE TIMES in one run!

I have transformed from someone who wants to be a runner into an actual runner. but the most amazing transformation has been my attitude and my perseverance. It would have been so easy to quit my first day when I finished 20 min. behind everyone else, it would have been the perfect excuse to drop out when I started a new job, it would have been a great opportunity to stop training when I had a hip injury or got sick. Instead I put my head down and worked harder, in a time when most would have quit, that is the time I put in extra time to get stronger. When I got scared and ran months with doubt in my head, I didn't buckle at the knees to it, I grew the courage to tell the worst running partner ever that THE BITCH HAD TO GO!

I am becoming the person I aspire to be and am reaching the goals I aspire to reach, it hasn't been a perfect journey but it has been a beautiful one. This is my month to reach an important milestone in my life and when I cross that finish line in 30 days, I will not be the same person I was when I started this all, I'll be a much better one!

P.S. I lost 6lbs this week - how crazy is that?!!?
Also don't forget to make your donations to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by clicking the link below!
http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/corps10/amundis

Being Tested part 2

2010-09-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

So 18 miles of not having fun has to have you asking yourself -Why in the world would someone chose to do this if it was so awful?! What I'm about to say may have you thinking I'm CRAZY and I kinda am but Despite everything that went wrong today, this was my best run yet! Let me tell you why! My friend couldn't run today but she was there to cheer us on. I look to her for wisdom and guidence when we run because she's done it before, she's a pro and she always knows exactly what to tell me when I need to hear it. Sensing my struggle today, I had a teammate step in her shoes and she told me something that stuck in my head the entire time I wanted to stop, every moment I would get frustraighted at my body, every time I wanted to say FUCK IT I'M DONE! She said " Our worst runs can be the best runs because they test you and when you finish, you know you are mentally and physically strong enough to make it through even under the worst condtions so on race day - everything can go wrong and you'll think about this run and know you can still do it." She was right. It didn't matter that I finished an hour behind what I thought I was going to or that I felt the pain of running, expereibnced less then perfect hydration and nutrition because I made it through and I finished. Though there were many times I wanted to quit, I KNEW I could finish - even if it meant crawling to the end, I knew I had what it took to finish it out and that is a HUGE deal. I was tested today, tested by the conditions, the elements, my body and my mind but I came out of it knowing that everything can go wrong and I can STILL make it to the finish. I talked before about what a big lesson Team in Training has taught me about relying on myself and on others and today was just guilding the lilly on that lesson. For Ally to come cheer me on even if she couldn't run today, for all the words of encouragment from my teammates even as I struggled, for my pacegroup that stuck by me and to my Amazing coaches who I can never say enough great things about, for being there when I needed them, for taking care of me when I needed help - for reminding me to breath THANK YOU! But a special thanks is owed to Jen. Today I was tested in the longest hardest worst run in my life and yet it was the very best run I've ever done because today I found out I can handle it, even when its the worst I still got this! Thanks Jen for reminded me that the worst can be the best in any situation if you look for it!

Being Tested pt 1

2010-09-25T13:13:00.000-07:00

I was being tested today in a BIG way! Everything about today's run was off- it started out with me getting to practice to find that two of my fuel bottles were unusable. I still had two left but I knew I needed to be careful with how much I was drinking. In case you haven't notices- I'm fat. Because I weight more, when I run I exert more energy and use up more nutrients then my slender running pals - in some cases I weigh double them! So when it comes to fuel - water, electrolytes calories - I need to consume more then the average joe! Back to my point. I filled my water bottles up at every water stop and even stopped twice at a public fountain for water and it still wasn't enough. Twice the water stop was out of Gatorade which is really important in terms of replacing salt lost. So not only was I running low on water - I now was running low on salt. Insult to injury, it was90 degrees outside today... thank God fall's promised cool weather is here... NOT! That only added to more sweating = more water and salt lost. When I run, I use GU electrolyte gel and it helps me replace calories I've burned off while running and I time it accordingly and I haven't had any problems using it at all, in fact I think it works pretty damn good but by the end, my blood sugar was dropping and I was already dehydrated and it was BAD. So just to keep score so far I'm both dehydrated AND running out of calories. So to add to the list of reasons why 18 miles sucked was i never found my groove! Its a given that the first 4 miles are going to suck, they always do but then my body gets warmed up and I start to feel the running mojo and things become easier... I never got to that point at ALL today. Every mile, from mile one to the very last felt like it was the longest mile I've ever run. I talked about some health issues I have been having- well thought I was having. See previous Blog! So I'm still searching for energy and after mile 2, I felt drained! By mile 13 I was exhausted and my feet were hurting and by mile 14 I was being tested. I was miserable and NOTHING about it was enjoyable. I felt like I had reached as far as I could go - I wanted to stop, I wanted to sit down. We kept going but by this time our pace had come to a crawl and by mile 16 I was having issues with just walking. the effects of dehydration and not enough calories become apparent and by the end of the run, I was shaking and ready to pass out - instead I sat down (HUGE MISTAKE)and all the muscles from my hip to my knee on my left leg seized up and I went into panic mode. I've never felt pain like this in my LIFE - and I've survived a car accident! My coaches rushed to my aid - one massaged my leg with something called "the stick" while another held me up as I was both standing and falling over at the same time and another rushed to get me food and drink to replace my electrolytes. It sounds just awful and if your contemplating ever becoming a runner, the first half of this blog probably isn't a great way to convince you of how great a sport it is... but luckily for you, there's a second part to this blog!

Being a Badass- An update about Lupus - or NOT!

2010-09-25T12:24:00.000-07:00

Turns out my Lupus was not the cause of all my mysterious ailments, I had an undetected staph infection ( either from a bugbite or a running blister) which turned into Toxic Shock Syndrome and I had no idea!! First of all I didn't even know it was possible to get TSS from anything other then using tampons, which I don't use but apparently you can get it from staph infections and strep throat too! Anywho, the symptoms of TSS are mild fever, loss of energy, body aches, kidney failure and a rash - symptoms of a lupus flair up mild fever, loss of energy, body aches, kidney failure and a rash. I had all those signs but not even a trained medical professional could tell the difference. It wasn't until last week when a strange new symptom showed up that they could figure out what was going on -all the skin started peeling off my hands! The Dr said it was clear that I had TSS from this infection but that my body had fought it off and healed itself on its own! Peeling of the hands is one of the last stages of healing and apparently I've been sick for 2 months! It explains why my kidney's were showing signs of distress and why on the second test, they were returning to normal function. Now I wasn't worried at all, even after he told me the last stage is for me to lose my hair in a week or two ( I already have a shaved head so it doesn't matter) but when I got home I read some pretty scary stuff saying that 50% of people with TSS die!!! My Dr said it really was amazing that my body was able to heal itself and that I ran the whole time with it. I think its even more amazing that 2 years ago my immune system would have never been strong enough to fight that off itself - wanna know the even better news?! All my other tests came back perfect - blood sugar levels and even with running a marathon and working out, my inflammation rate (which is called a SED rate) was so low, it didn't even register. That means not only is my Lupus under control but that my body is physically able to handle what I've thrown at it. Whats this all mean in terms of training? I'm out of the woods now - no more infection - no fever - no kidney problems, just peeling hands! I feel like I've cheated death alot in my lifetime -especially the last few years and while I kinda feel like that should scare me, it doesn't. It only makes me appreciate life even more. For two months I had a 50/50 chance of waking up and dropping dead and without knowing it, I still was able to push myself to do some pretty amazing things. It makes me think of all my teammates who understand how fleeting life can be and who chose to challenge themselves in spite of it. One of my teammates called me a Badass today for training while being sick but to me, the real badasses are those teammates that have knowingly stared death in the face and fought back, those are the baddasses and they are the ones that inspire me to not sit and contemplate all the close calls in my life but instead get out and celebrate all the greatness!

Its just what I do

2010-09-22T13:46:00.000-07:00

I forgot to write about my 15 mile run! Two weeks ago I was getting that anxious feeling that starts Thursday night and lasts all day Friday leading up to a long run. With each added mile I would think " Ok this Sat. may be the day I show up and everyone realizes I am not a marathon runner or even worse... this may be the run I realize I'm not a marathon runner" But each week comes and goes and that little voice of anxiety comes around when I check the running schedule on Thursday. So two weeks ago, I was due for my ritual anxiety when I realized that i was going to run 15 miles... the LONGEST I've ever done ever ( run or walk)- by 2 extra miles. I kept thinking of people who train as long as I have to complete a half marathon and now I was going to do a half marathon PLUS 2 MILES! It freaked me out but like always, I was comforted by my friends and coaches that I was ready for it. Everything started out great just like any other run... then I look down at my running watch and it said 12.98 miles and I started to breath a little faster and trying to calm myself down from the excitement knowing that I was about to pass a big milestone for me. I made it all the way to mile 13.5 feeling pretty good but then I started to feel the emotional weight of what I just did come over my body and there was a flood of feelings and questions that raced through my mind - I could have never done this before, can I do this now? Its a little habit of mine (that I'm trying to break)to go into self doubting and destruction mode whenever I get close to achieving something big. Its those moments when you start to notice how tired you are and how much your feet hurt and I began to slow down more and more and more, not because I needed to but because my emotions were slowing me down. It never seems to fail with Team in Training that when I need something, someone is there to provide it for me- a teammate comes back and says to me "Think about how far you've come and just keep going" - she also told me that I couldn't cry until I finished because it used up energy haha While I wasn't sure if she meant how far I've come in the run that day or in life in general but either way it was great advice because I spent the last mile of my run thinking of every step I've taken to get me to that point and then it was over- I had reached mile 15! I was so overcome with pride of what I've done, of what I did and of what I am going to do that tears welded up in my eyes - and my friend reminded me that I still had energy to run some more if I was crying - my how fast those tears can dry up! So why didn't I write about this massive milestone sooner? Well because its just miles - after that run I've stopped waiting for that moment when everyone realizes I'm not a marathon runner or for the moment when I realize I'm not a marathon runner and once I felt and believed that, 15 was just a number and this week is just 18. If I wasn't physically strong enough, my body would have stopped me long ago and if I wasn't mentally strong enough I would have quit long ago. I forgot to write about the 15 miles because its just a number and I am an endurance runner and its just what I do! :)

Its Not Online!

2010-09-07T08:00:00.001-07:00

I woke up this morning pissed at all the people who sit online all day blogging about weight loss and facebooking and tweeting about it and about healthy living but they're only interaction with the world is through the internet... how is that healthy living?!? How does how many people who follow your blog make you an authority on wellness? How can people in one breath say how life changing weight loss is and yet have no real life interactions?!? I mean how many statuses do you read in a day about people going to work out, while they work out and everything after their work outs. Hell even I've thought to myself " gee I can't wait to get home and post this on facebook" That's sick... it isn't healthy. Its the most masturbatory act that is celebrated as selflessness " for being willing to share our journey" I call bullshit. I say its time to step away from the computer and make real connections in life - outside of the blogs and the chat rooms and the facebook friends. If your wondering where this all is coming from, I got an email from someone who complained that I don't participate in online weight loss forums or comment on other peoples blogs and that I give people unrealistic ideas about working out because a normal person cannot work out as much as I do or cook like I do because I have a lot more free time then most people" Which I find really interesting being that I have a full time job and volunteer and am studying for a certification and am in marathon training and am in treatment for Lupus and go to physical therapy for my hip... but clearly I have more time on my hands. And then it occurred to me that this same person that is giving me a hard time, is on facebook ALL THE DAMN TIME. I could totally comment on everyone's blog and be on top of all the forums if I spend all my free time online but I don't because I live in the REAL world where I interact with REAL people and make REAL meaningful relationships because THAT is what health is about - its about turning off your TV, shutting down the computer and LIVING LIFE. And if it seems like I have an abundance of time on my hands, its because I am organized and prioritize my life according to my needs. The average American watches 3 hours of TV a NIGHT! That's 21 hours a week -almost a full day spent sitting in front of the TV. I don't even own a TV. I choose to spend that time doing other activities so the next time you want to send me an email telling me what I'm doing wrong with my life, I suggest to take a step back and look at your own habits. Are you spending your life living online or in front of the TV? Do you rush to tweet about your latest accomplishment before telling your friends or family in person? Are you defining your success by the number of blog hits you get or the number of comments you make? How many real life connections do you have in your life and are they as meaningful as you want them to be? If not, if you find more meaningful connections with complete strangers online, then perhaps that's a good place to start finding some wellness in your life and when you go searching for your answers, here's a little clue... ITS NOT ONLINE!

I'm a Fighter - Its in my Blood!

2010-09-01T17:25:00.000-07:00

Well in case you missed it - I have Lupus! I've been diagnosed for years now. For those of you - which will be most- that don't know what the heck Lupus is here is a quick explanation given by the Lupus foundation: Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Chronic means that the signs and symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and often for many years. In lupus, something goes wrong with your immune system, which is the part of the body that fights off viruses, bacteria, and germs ("foreign invaders," like the flu). Normally our immune system produces proteins called antibodies that protect the body from these invaders. Autoimmune means your immune system cannot tell the difference between these foreign invaders and your body’s healthy tissues ("auto" means "self") and creates autoantibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue. These autoantibodies cause inflammation, pain, and damage in various parts of the body.

What does that all mean? Well it means my body fights itself and lets be honest here, that's no surprise since I've always been a fighter! I've fought against social injustice, against school boards, state legislators, doctors who said I could only lose weight with surgery, neighbors who said I couldn't be a runner and my constant fight against fat. Boxers and aggressive litigator say that fighting is in their blood... me too - but literally! haha Why am I sharing all of this with you? because for over a year now I've been off all the lupus medication and been doing so well. I had very few flair ups and no complications at all. My immune system was on the rebound after being wiped out by all the meds. Now and again I would feel tired or my hair'd start to get a little thin but it'd only last for a few days at most but this past week I've been experiencing the mother of all flair ups and I didn't even recognize it as Lupus ( because physical training has increased and naturally I'd be more tired and sore)but today a new sign popped up that landed me at the Drs and the news wasn't great. I have to be seen by the specialists ASAP and there's some question as to the health of my kidneys right now which totally freaked me out but then I remembered I am a fighter. I do not sit quietly and wait for things to happen in my life, I grab life by the balls and MAKE IT HAPPEN! Yeah the prospect on having to go back on steroids and imunosupressent drugs really sucks but I'll make it work and I'll make it fit into my lifestyle. No matter what the test results say, I plan to fight back hard and strong...because after all fighting is in my blood! :)

Please feel free to check out the links below to learn more about
what is lupus ? http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnunderstanding.aspx?articleid=2232&zoneid=523

How's lupus affect the body?
http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnaffects.aspx?articleid=2268&zoneid=526

Whats the Prognosis for Lupus Peeps? http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnunderstanding.aspx?articleid=2238&zoneid=523

Events | Bob Harper from The Biggest Loser

2010-08-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

Events | Bob Harper from The Biggest Loser Feel free to invite Bob harper to area code 22204!

The Finish Line

2010-08-21T08:35:00.000-07:00

Life lessons learned today through marathon training TRUST - Trust that people can and do have your best interest in mind. Learn to recognize who those people are and surround yourself with them. Its ok to trust the people around me- no matter how many times I've slowed them down, made them stop and told them to just go ahead without you, they've never left me or ever made me feel bad for it. Its a good reminder of what healthy relationships look like and the value of being able to trust people on and off a running trail.

Know you are deserving of being cared for. I have amazing people who's priority is for me meeting my goals, manage my expectations for myself and value my health. Accepting care is a new thing for me and even though I may still fight it at first, I'm learning to be patient with it which brings me to the next lesson.

Patience - I have all the patience in the world with other people and NONE for myself. I injured my hip a few weeks ago and as soon as I got the all clear to start running again, I wanted to hit it full force... I counted the two weeks of waiting to hear back from the MRI as " recovery weeks" which to me was plenty of time... when in reality those two weeks I was still injured and not in recovery but still in injury mode. Being patient with myself as I recover has not been easy for me, in fact I think of all the running and training we've done - being patient has been by far the most difficult challenge for me!

Its not what I want - its what I need. Having to work harder to rebuild strength and having setbacks now and again when my body seems to fail from my expectations has been frustrating. Its only been today that I realized that its not my body failing me, its my expectations that were failing me. I didn't stretch enough before the run - because I was being impatient- and ended up getting an awful foot cramp which slowed me down towards the end. It hurt and I knew I had to be patient with my body until I felt like I could run again or finish. Its not what I wanted - to walk the rest of the way and end up half a mile short, but its what I needed.

Lastly - The finish line is not the goal! Everyone asks me what my goal is - in weight loss and in marathon training. As for running I always say " To finish" While I know that crossing the end will be a really great moment for me, its no longer my singular goal - i have many and they change from day to day, run to run and most of them I don't even realize are goals until I've reached them. Like today for instance: I ran the fastest mile I've ever done in my life... EVER. GOAL MET I recognized my physical limitations during the run and was patient with my body - even if it meant slowing down GOAL MET I learned to trust the people around me - GOAL MET I learned to be a good recipient of care from others GOAL MET. I thought the ultimate goal was to finish the race but training for me has been so much bigger than that - it is training me to succeed in life, it is preparing me to continue my fight against fat, it has taught me to value my choices to live a healthy life because not everyone is given a choice to be healthy. Its not about crossing the finish line - its not about being a certain weight - its about the journey that gets you there - thats the goal! ... but crossing the finish line on race day isn't a bad goal to keep too hahaha

Redemption Run- making it happen.

2010-08-14T08:51:00.001-07:00

i couldn't wait to come home and write this blog!

I DID IT!!!!!! Let me tell you first of all, I was totally tricked! haha well maybe not tricked but uninformed that when the coaches said " this week we'll be running the Marine Corps Marathon Hill" what they forgot to mention is that we would be running the Marine Corps Marathon Hill.. and then turning around and running it again... and then turning around and running it again. No I didn't stutter! Before we hit the trail we were left with this little gem to ponder. After coach said we'd be running the hill 3 times he said "The good news is that on race day you'll think hey, this is easy, we only have to do it once!" and like so many other times throughout the season, my inexperienced brain doubted the masters and thought YEAH RIGHT! Well we started the trail that was riddled with steep hills to start with thinking each time, is this the hill? nope what about this one? nope. Time was flying by and I was feeling so good. We were making really great time and chatting it up about some pretty deep stuff - life, love and nexflix.

We crossed the street and my running buddy/ friend/ mentor/ all around goddess turns and says this is it. I looked and it didn't seem too bad, a little steep. So we started running up the hill and when I thought we were at the top, we turned the corner only to find and even steeper and twice as long part of the hill. I was praying to make it up the once... three times?! I was convinced that the coaches had misspoke and meant that doing the hill once would FEEL like we had ran it three times... but unfortunately I had heard them right! Up the hill, down the hill up another "smaller" hill down that hill and we're back at the water stop... really? Wow that wasn't so bad but now I had to do it two more times.

I refilled my belt, ate some gels and back on the trail we went for round two. This time the 1.5 miles to the start of the hill seemed a bit easier - maybe because I had just ran up Mt Olympus and now these other hills seemed insignificant. We attacked the hill at the start but quickly found ourselves walking up the hill but we were in good company because even the fastest runners were walking on round two. Then as if the hill got magically shorter, we were back at the water stop and I was feeling FANTASTIC.

We set off for the last and final trip and everything was great until i found myself at the bottom of that damn hill again and I thought to myself " God I can't wait till race day when I only have to do this once!" hmm... funny because unless exhaustion is setting in, I was pretty sure that 2 hours ago I had thought to myself that I'd never be saying something like that and yet here I was, saying it. ( Side note, pretty much this whole season i hear what the coaches say, think " no way!" and then quickly am shown that they've never been wrong! I'm not just saying that to flatter them although I think they all rock, but its so true. They anticipate things that I can't even fathom and prepare me for things that I would never have thought would occur physically and mentally and its pretty amazing to have a team who's sole purpose is to make sure I'm prepared and today I was reminded of that as I said " God I can't wait till race day when I only have to do this once!")

Our last round up the hill was a little rough and I was feeling tired, we had been running for 2 and a half hours and had about another half hour to finish. Standing at the bottom was like having a bad nightmare over and over again. There was a sense of bitterness that this was the 3rd time I'd have to revisit the worst part of the run but we rounded the top, came down to the water stop and thanked god for not having to run that hill one more time. The last quarter mile was rough for me, my hip was starting to hurt, I was tired and hungry and ready to be finished and even though I walked it, I never gave up or let the trail of tears make me a victim and I finished with my head held so high. I did it, I completed one of the hardest trails we'll run on. I came home sore and tired but with the biggest sense of accomplishment I've felt in a long time. I fought the trail of tears and today, I won! If your reading this and thinking you'd really like to feel that same sense of accomplishment, you can start today by donating to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and be a part of the solution for millions battling blood cancers! http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/corps10/amundis

An Ode to Fall

2010-08-13T16:19:00.000-07:00

On my walk home from work today, I was struck by a cold snap of the wind as the trees swayed against a clouded backdrop and I realized fall was on its way! People are often surprised when I tell them Fall is my favorite season ( With my undying love for Hawaii, most people guess summer) Fall was the one time I missed the mainland and after not seeing it last year, you can imagine the excitement I felt when I heard Fall whispering in the wind today.

From the time that first gust of cool crisp wind whispers in the hot late summer nights to the very first snowflake, I am in heaven. What is there not to love when nature provides us with a spectacular color show as bright greens fade into a thousand shades of yellows and oranges and reds and browns. The clouded skies provide the perfect screen in which to witness the glorious show and seems to add to the vividness of the jeweled leaves. I love watching the leaves drift slowly from the branches and dance in the wind with more grace then I will ever poses. The wind, oh the wind! There is something magical about the winds of fall, the still crispness of the chilled air that seems so clear and clean and the crack of the wind that encourages you to spend just a few seconds longer tucked in your bed in the morning. Its not just the weather, its everything that fall brings... the sounds and smells and memories. Fall reminds me of camping with my family, wandering around the falling leaves searching for bobtwitches ( don't ask)in the same woods that my mother visited when she was growing up and snuggling into a warm sleeping bag with the smell of the campfire lingering on my clothing.

Fall reminds me of my grandfather who lives in a place where fall is a 7 month season. When I went to visit, He'd take me to the canyon covered with green trees and we'd look for the one tree who's leaves were starting to change color and then he'd tell me I was the first to see fall coming. I still like to believe that I'm the first to see fall each year.

The whole country is transformed by this season. While I hate watching football, I love that people wait all year for fall to come around so that they can dress themselves in their team's colors, gather together Sunday afternoons and bond with complete strangers over a game. It reminds people to take pride in something and to bond with a community be it around a TV, in the high school bleachers or in the nose bleed section of a stadium. For a few brief moments we forget our differences and come together for the love of a common good. Somehow it becomes the perfect time for families to just play together tossing a football back and forth in their front yard, coworkers and neighbors playing impromptu games in empty fields on the weekends - football season reminds us to take time to play.

Lets not forget the holidays that fall brings. I still get excited getting dressed up on Halloween. Chocolate bars and candy apples and late night parties where children are wide eyed with all the goods they snatched up from strangers who generously dole out treats. Halloween always marked the time when my family ( aunts uncles and all) would get together and spend an hour being scared ( or scaring each other) at a haunted house and then spend the next 11 months teasing the person that screamed the most until the next year when it became someone else's turn to be scared.

Thanksgiving is the only holiday in which being thankful is enough reason to celebrate in grand proportions. Families and friends gather to honor traditions that have been passed down a long lineage of Americans - special recipes, heirloom blessings, and the right of passage of cooking your first turkey dinner. My job as a kid was to tear up the bread for the stuffing and to this day, I can't tear a piece of bread without it reminding me of me at my grandmothers side tearing the pieces just right for her stuffing wearing an apron shes made herself and feeling honored to be a real chef just like her. Fall brings us crisp sweet apples, ruby red pears of cranberries, voluptuous pumpkins and gourds and the most heart warming bouquet of spices and herbs - cinnamon, cloves, sage, thyme, bay!

There is something about Fall that draws us closer to our friends and families, closer to our communities and our neighbors. The cool weather draws us in to warm fires and hearty meals shared with the ones we love. From the first whisper of fall to the very first snow flake, Fall is a reminder of everything I love in life!

Redemption Run on The Trail of Tears!

2010-08-13T12:01:00.000-07:00

Today is a rest day - so much so that I didn't even wear my bodybugg so that I wouldn't be tempted to try and hit my daily target. Why? Because every Sat. is our long training days and its SOO important in training that you give your body a day of rest before hitting a long run after training all week. Its also really important to "carb up" I'm going to be running for 2 and a half hours straight and its really important to have lots of glycogen stored in your muscles. Tonight dinner will be a big bowl of whole wheat pasta and some veggies ( no cream sauces or cheese - even veggie cheese) and I've been munching on carbs all day.

While I'm usually good about gearing up for long runs, I've been paying extra special attention this Friday because this run is a BIG DEAL for me. First of all, its the first time I've run this long since my knee injury 8 months ago. But mostly its a big deal because of what happened last time i was on the trail. I don't know the actual trail name, we refer to it at Team in Training as "the Washington and lee high school trail" because we meet at the Washington and Lee high school to connect to the trail.

The trail itself is a part of the Marine Corps Marathon... not just a part of but is arguably the most difficult part - the HILL. So why is this a redemption run for me? To understand you have to go back a few weeks to when we were all gathered in the parking lot of the Washington and Lee High school stretching and getting ready for our run. I was paying extra attention to my stretching since I had had a bad run in the middle of the week that week that left me with hip pain. As we stretched, one of the mentors shares with us this little bit of knowledge that shaped that day's run for me. She said " you know we call this the Trail of Tears because every year this trail breaks someone and they cry" I thought to myself how silly! Surly not EVERY year someone cries.

So we head out onto the trail and there were issues right away, I had to stop and go to the bathroom at mile 2 and told my pace group to go head without me. So they went on their way and I stopped to pee and hit the trail again but now that pain in my hip had returned. With each step it got worse and worse but I was making up ground and had almost caught up to my group but once I hit the turn around, the pain was unbearable and I had stopped running and was now hardly even walking. Along comes coach Charlie and he asks whats up and I burst into tears... TEARS! I knew I had to stop running and get my hip checked out and he confirmed that for me but I kept saying " I've never not finished a run" and at mile 6, I only had 4 more miles to go but I knew i needed to stop. On my ride back, now unsure if my running season was going to be over for me or not, I kept thinking DAMN YOU TRAIL OF TEARS!

Well the good news is that it wasn't a stress fracture like everyone- including my Orthopedic surgeon first thought it was and after physical therapy, I was cleared to go back to running again. Flash forward to this week, my first full week of training after two weeks of modified training and I'm feeling great so why am I taking all these extra precautions this Friday? Because like every Saturday of my life, tomorrow is a long run and its on none other than the Trail of Tears! I've been telling myself ever since I got the OK to run that this run was going to be my redemption run, the run that I refuse to be the victim of the Trail of Tears. I'd be lying if I didn't say a small part of me is nervous, I mean it DID beat me once but I know that this time around, nothing stands in my way. This time around there won't be tears, only sweat!

Sometimes Failing is What You Need!

2010-08-11T13:31:00.000-07:00

After what seemed like months of just not putting in the effort I finally got my groove back. Back to eating the way I need to, back to working out the way I need to. I feel like my fire's been lit again and its all because I failed! Yep I failed! A few weeks ago I ordered Bob Harper's new workout DVDs. I've been dying to try them and couldn't wait for them to come, Like a kid waiting for Santa. I haven't consistently put in the workouts in months ( besides marathon training), here and there I would hit a streak of swimming or the occasionally dusting off of the BL bootcamp DVD. I went for weeks of not counting or tracking my calories and even went for days eating the "Phelps Diet" haha and it never occurred to me that there was a problem because I wasn't gaining weight. Well I'd gain 2 lbs and then lose them and then gain a few more and then lose them right away. It was a comfortable lifestyle eating whatever I wanted, doing whatever I wanted. In case if your wondering- this is not the failure part!
Flash forward to 3 weeks ago when I was sidelined at training because of a hip injury. I had a conversation with one of my team mates who's lost 65lbs but was finding herself much in the same spot I was and she told me she's decided to go back to the nutritionist because she " realized that she is no longer comfortable at that weight and it was time to change that" I thought to myself good for her and that was the end of that conversation.
That brings me back to my Bob DVD's... after so much anticipation, they finally arrived and I could not wait to try them out. ( For those of you who do not know, I am an avid supporter in Bob Harper, not because of The Biggest Loser but because his book " ARE YOU READY" is what started me on my journey and his emphasis on health as a whole -mind body and spirit is what has made me the person I am today) Any who, I stretched, tore open the packages and popped in a DVD called simply enough STRENGTH... "your going to die-with weights" would have been a more fitting title.
In the beginning Bob looks straight into the camera with his steel eyes and says " Its no longer about what you want, its about what you need" That phrase hit my heart like a lightning bolt. I was so stunned by it that I stood there unable to press play, puzzled by why what he said stopped me dead in my tracks. When I finally did start the DVD I lasted an entire 15 min. in the hour long workout. At the end of 15 min. I couldn't go anymore and I quit. I knew quitting was failing but it was very clear to me that my choices to not workout has left me weak, it has left my core weak, my upper body weak and most importantly it has left my mind weak. I sat on the floor and I kept hearing what my teammate said about her own weight loss journey " I'm no longer comfortable where I'm at and it was time to change it"
I quickly realized that I was no longer comfortable in this lifestyle I've adopted of counting calories when I wanted to, eating healthy if I wanted to, working out if I wanted to. And that's when I realized why I was so shocked at Bob's intro to the DVD. For months I've been doing what I want to do. A part of it has come from cockiness, knowing that if I WANTED to lose more weight, I could. Part of it came from being in an unstructured environment and the rest, simply just laziness.
That moment sitting on the floor, failing to even make the half way point on a workout DVD I knew it was no longer about what I wanted, it was what I needed. I am happy so say that I have been giving myself everything I NEED this week and it feels so great! Its like you forget how great you can feel when everything is in balance with each other. And when I felt temptation creeping up on me in at the bakery with all the fresh bread, I find it so much easier to keep on walking when I tell myself " Its not about what I want, its about what I need!" When you listen to yourself and give yourself what you need, everything else falls into place. Trust the process and remember that its no longer about what you want, its about what you need... even if what you need is to fail!

Not Afraid

2010-08-05T11:54:00.000-07:00

Say what you want, love him or hate him but this song is nothing more than a battle cry for anyone who's ever had to wake up every day and fight for something. It doesn't matter if your just starting out or are close to a goal weight, we all wake up with the odds stacked against us and its really up to us to decide if today we are going to fight back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5-yKhDd64s&feature=av2e

Loving My Village

2010-08-04T06:27:00.000-07:00

I haven't gone away! Things have been CRAZY on my end, to catch everyone up, in a matter of what seemed like seconds - marathon training took off, I got a new job and I moved into my own place and I just got internet YAY! Marathon training has had a few hiccups. I had a stress fracture scare with my hip but an MRI revealed it was Bursitis and a lot of muscular weaknesses on top of a really bad over pronation in my gate! Thats a lot of stuff to work out but I'm glad I found out now and not a month before race day! I've been waking up at 4am to put in an hour and a half of physical therapy before work and its been working wonders. Today is my first day using the corrective inserts in my running shoes to correct the over pronating and so far so good. I spent two weeks not running and am having a little bit of a difficult time getting back on track. Last night was supposed to be a 4mile run and I was just too tired to do it so I cooked some healthy meals and went to bed early instead... not a bad choice if you ask me! As for my job, I LOVE it. I'm the membership and continuing education coordinator for the National Cancer Registrars Association. In a matter of days I got signed up to train with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and I landed a job at NCRA so I guess you can say fate took me into the business of kicking Cancer's ass. For awhile, a long while, my food choices were CRAZY, it was like I totally forgot how to eat normally. I think a lot of it was the stress of being unemployed for what seemed like years ( but wasn't really that long in the grand scheme of things) and then all the sudden have everything explode in my life - in a good way but an explosion none the less. I am so happy to say that after weeks of bad choices, I'm finally back on track. Beyond being on track with food, I'm on track mentally which is where the food issues start to begin with. I haven't done a progress pic in awhile so its on this week's list of things to do. Saturday's long run is only 8 miles but next weekend it goes up to 14... that means I'm over half way there! Its crazy to think that I could just wake up and go finish a half marathon no problem... that's pretty mind blowing!! What really kills me is that I'm getting FASTER! I've cut off 2 min. on my pace time which is just crazy since I'm running twice the distance... I can't say enough how much Team in Training has helped me from the coaches to the mentors and my beloved pace group that ignores me when I start to bitch and pushed me when I wanna slow down. They say it takes a village to raise a child, well I believe it also takes a village to train for a marathon and I LOVE MY VILLAGE!

Everyone wins!

2010-08-03T10:56:00.000-07:00

Looking to start your own weight loss journey? Have questions about how I lost 220lbs or got started training for a marathon? Need some tips on getting past plateaus or just need some encouragement? Here's your chance!

I'm offering a 30 min. private session where you can ask and receive healthy lifestyle and weight loss advice via phone or web to anyone who donates $30 or more to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Help yourself while helping others, everyone wins! Go to the link below and after you donate, I will contact you to set up a time!

http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/corps10/amundis

Weekend of Change Challenge

2010-06-11T13:51:00.001-07:00

I am challenging you to make better choices while helping others this weekend... how?! How many of us have a coffee a day? or a soda habit? Its the weekend, who's having a empty calorie martini? Anyone got the urge for a happy meal?! Well don't! I challenge you to skip one costly unhealthy habit, be it a fast food meal, your favorite pint of ice cream, or even a pack of smokes and donate that money you would have spent to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Not only will you be helping yourself out by making a better choice for you, but you will also be helping out millions of others who just wish to have the chance to be healthy. I can't wait to see how much it adds up on Sunday night!

CLICK HERE TO "DEPOSIT" YOUR WEEKEND CHANGE!

Team in Training!

2010-06-04T07:04:00.000-07:00

Well I've talked about it and its finally happened... I'm officially registered for my first Marathon!!! I'll be running in the Marine Corp Marathon on October 31st. That in itself is amazing but the BEST part is that I am now a part of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training which allows me to train and complete the marathon while raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. That is such a special opportunity for me because losing weight saved my life and because of it, I now can help save the lives of others by raising funds for research AND I will reach a personal goal at the same time. Some of you have been with me through my entire weight loss journey while others have just joined me but no matter how long you've been supporting me, I'd like to ask you all to join me in this new and exciting journey I am taking. My fundraising goal for this year's race is $3,500 ... does that number ring a bell in anyone's head? You have to burn 3,500 calories to lose 1 pound of fat and so my goal is $1 for every calorie it takes to lose that pound. I'm asking that you get your friends and family involved to help me reach that $3,500 goal. Please visit my page to make donations and check my progress by clicking this link http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/corps10/amundis or by donating directly from my blog!

Thanks for your continuing support!

Lex

Lift Your Head Up to See

2010-05-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

I read a lot of weight loss blogs and there's one thing that really annoys me about them... why is it that everyone waits until the week they've gained weight to talk about " its the journey that counts" but as soon as they lose some pounds its back to being " woohoo weight loss!"?!? Its like they're walking around with their eyes looking at the ground and it isn't until they run into something that they decide to look up. Let me tell you something, it is about the journey no matter if it was a good week on the scale or a bad week. I had a fantastic week on the scale with a 4lb loss and yes thats exciting but it wasn't the highlight of my week, not even close! The highlights of my week was taking time to put together outfits to wear this weekend that looked nice on me and get the nails done... That might sound odd but for the first time in my life, I am seeing myself as someone worthy of taking the time to look nice. Those are the things that don't show up on the scale. Health is so far beyond what the scale says. Its who we are, its who is around us and how we interact with the world. We cannot forget this and only remember when we're not successful on the scale. If your not focusing on healthy relationships, healthy environments, healthy families, healthy communities then your missing the big picture. I said this once, I'll say it a million times, Only 5% of people who lose significant weight will keep it off... 5%! If you want to be in that 5%, you need to lift your head up and see the bigger picture long before you bump into something!

Food for Thought

2010-05-17T08:03:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me know that I am a firm believer that healthy food IS flavorful food and nothing sums that up more than my recent trip to the International Vegetarian Food Festival at the Capitol Memorial Church in DC. I guess I’ll start out by saying that I got there on a whim. A friend of a friend cut out a little ad posted in the Washington Post about some vegetarian festival. My friend casually mentioned that she had wished she could go. There was little detail other than the address and starting time so I thought I would go and check it out, not knowing what I was getting myself into. Boy was I pleasantly surprised!

The International Vegetarian Food Fest is like taking a trip around the world to eat. The congregation of the Capital Memorial Church come from all over the world and share a deep history in their food and a passion for health and life. At the festival, members of the congregation prepare dishes that come from their native countries, their family cookbooks and their own kitchen pots and serve them up for all who come to try. I will admit I was a bit overwhelmed at first.

There were halls divided into regions and in each region there were many dishes to try. The regions were Africa, Asia, India, Caribbean, North America, Latin America and Europe. Some countries shared recipes that just happen to be vegetarian ( like the many different takes on rice and beans or curry) while others put a vegetarian twist on a traditional recipe (like Tofu Pacit from the Philippines or baked empanadas filled with TVP). But no matter how they served it up, no dish lacked flavor. I use a lot of spices in my food and I love to come up with different combinations but I can honestly tell you I learned more in the 3 hours I spent at this festival than I have in the years of playing around in the kitchen.

Each food dish had a new and different flavor combination., a play on spices that I hadn’t thought of. The few that truly stand out in my mind is the Ginger Beer in the Caribbean ( it uses ginger, cinnamon, clove, bay and Vanilla) Black beans in Latin America ( that uses carrot, eggplant and other veggies!) and a Split Pea sauce from Ethiopia. I loved seeing how each culture can take something so humble as a bean and put their own flavor spin on it to turn it into a dish so unique of that country. Of course I didn’t leave without picking up a copy of their recipes which I can’t wait to start recreating in my own kitchen.

While I left very full, I have to say the most incredible thing about today was talking to everyone there. Those who made dishes had such pride in the food they were serving. It is more than food, it is their history that they were sharing. There wasn’t a “you must convert to being a vegetarian” message, in fact I didn’t really hear anyone talk about being a vegetarian at all. I did hear them talk about being happy to share their food and being thankful to get to meet new people in the community. I left Capitol Memorial Church full, excited at all the new things I had gotten to try, and feeling like I had just spent an afternoon with good friends.

The lesson here today is healthy living is about eating food that tastes great AND is great for you, its about working towards a healthier community, be it from sharing your food or just reaching out to talk with one another. There is a connection between what we eat, how we live and who lives around us and this event was a great reminder of that. Thank you to everyone at Capitol Memorial Church and to everyone who has been a part of this online community. Lets keep our community strong and out commitment to healthy living even stronger! P.S. I’m already gearing up for next year’s Festival, who’s joining me?!

It may not seem that big to you...

2010-05-06T17:46:00.001-07:00

Today something great happened, I hit two major milestones for myself... I did a legitimate push up (5 of them to be exact) and I did a full bridge pose. Now that might not seem like anything big to you except its been a year long process to be able to do it! When I started out, doing a wall push up was HARD I could do 5 and then started to get tired - a few months later I graduated to knee push ups and then onto a million and one variations of the knee push ups but it took me a year to build up enough strength to do a full push up. I was good at the pushing up part, it was the lowing back down and coming up again that got me every time so I've been practicing and practicing .

Along side my push ups, I've been working on a bridge. Now push ups the strength comes from your arms. A bridge requires strength in your arms, your legs AND flexibility in your spine. I've worked hard on all of those individual elements and started to try and put them all together now for a few months and I know it looked pretty crazy. Even I got a good laugh from it but I kept trying.

Now is a good time for me to tell you about my friend Tracy. If you think I'm stubborn, this chick doesn't know the word no and " can't" is not on her vocabulary list either. Throughout all of my attempts to do a push up or a bridge, she has been there to tell me to keep trying and keep practicing. And when I would get really close, she would say good, not make it better! So today, like every day, I practiced my skills and what do you know, I knocked out 5 legitimate push ups as if my body had been just waiting to do them. I was SHOCKED and excited.

A years worth of work and I was now pushing my own body weight. So then i stretched and got ready to practice a bridge. I've been so close for a few weeks now and I just knew it was only a matter of time before I could bend that extra half inch and get my head tucked under... and today was the day! Now doing push ups was enough to make me so happy but being able to achieve two major goals in one day... two things that I've worked on over a year... that was magical! It may seem not that big to you but being able to work so hard for something and achieving it changes you in a way that nothing else can.

Of course I couldn't wait to tell Tracy, I mean she's been there encouraging me the whole way. And in typical Tracy fashion, her response was " now do a one handed push up and be able to go into bridge from a mountain pose" haha which was a reminder that YES it is great achieving your small goals but always strive to do better. Push ups and bridges may not seem that big to you but to me, today was a year in the making! Oh and hey, thanks Tracy!

No Man's Land

2010-05-02T16:09:00.000-07:00

In war, there is a space between enemy lines, a space where no side has claimed as theirs…it merely exists as No Man‘s Land. Funny thing is that weight loss has the same space which up until now, I have been calling weight loss purgatory. This unclaimed space is where people who once were obese but aren’t quite thin yet live. I, having been newly introduced to this weight loss no mans land , am sending you a blog-postcard describing what its like.

I am neither obese nor thin. I spend my time having to find clothing that both fit my slimming upper body while dealing with the massive extra skin that hangs down under my belly but still trying to fit my much more slimmer thighs and legs, which means that I buy both “regular” clothing and plus size clothing depending on the cut, the style and how it fits around my belly flap. Along those lines, ladies in weight loss no mans land, you will find that bra sizes do not exist for you. I have a smaller rib cage measurement and not a lot of boobs left but a lot of extra skin on the sides so you will need to go up a cup size and down a band size and if you lucky to find that they have something that fits, then you will need to find one with wide sides to hold everything in… GOOD LUCK!

In weight loss no man’s land you are treated differently. Your overweight friends look at you differently because you don’t quite look like them any more but your skinny friends haven’t really adopted you into that “club” You can’t swap clothing with ANY of your friends. At any weight, people’s judgment of you hurts but in no man’s land, it can be extra harsh. Being super obese, most people wouldn’t dare say anything to your face about your weight and if they do, its with an understanding that you have an illness. Being in weight loss no man‘s land, people assume that you are overweight because of carelessness or laziness and somehow they have a right to tell you.

I can honestly say that at 426lbs, no one EVER said to me at the grocery store “ oh you shouldn’t be buying that” and yet 200lbs later in weight loss no man’s land I’ve been told not once but twice while looking at the frozen fruit ( which happens to be next to all the frozen pies) that I shouldn’t be buying pies. Why thank you stranger for providing that acute observation! I learned two things, fat people are only allowed to buy certain foods AND when I’m skinny, I too can tell strangers what they should and should not buy! But of all the minor annoyances of weight loss no man’s land, what takes the pie (haha) is telling people how much weight you’ve lost.

Now I LOVE talking about my experience in hopes that it will encourage others to live a healthy lifestyle but things seem to have changed the past few months. Before, I could tell someone “ Oh I lost 50lbs” or 75lbs and the reaction would be THAT’S GREAT keep up the good work. But now, when I tell people that I’ve lost over 200lbs, they get this confused look on their faces which clearly reads BUT YOUR STILL FAT?!?! I often find myself quickly adding that I started out at 426 lbs which leads to an even greater look of horror as they wonder how in the world did you get to 426lbs. Which in a way is understandable, most people don’t have 200lbs to lose and when you do see people that have lost that much, they are on the cover of magazines or on the Biggest Loser finale coming out thin as a rail.. Then there’s me, 200lbs lost and stuck in weight loss no man’s land! Its starting to feel a bit lonely here in purgatory, anyone else here too? If you are, please come find me! I’m the not obese not thin girl looking at the pies in the frozen section of the grocery store!

Lots of ladybugs

2010-04-15T14:15:00.001-07:00

Some of the best advice I've ever received came from a sappy romance movie "Under The Tuscan Sun" In the movie, one of the women tells a recently divorced and VERY depressed woman a story, she says when she was little, she would spend ours chasing ladybugs but could never catch them. Eventually she just become so exhausted she would just lay down and fall asleep and when she woke up, she was covered in ladybugs. It doesn't matter what your frantically chasing, be it weight loss, a job, a dream. Sometimes the best thing to do is just be still for a moment and it will come. There is a process to life and to quote my favorite person Bob Harper " JUST TRUST THE PROCESS!"

Pick Up and Keep Going

2010-04-10T09:50:00.000-07:00

Well this blog was supposed to be written yesterday and it was going to be written about setting goals but that will have to wait! As many of you know, I had a running accident yesterday. My shoe caught two brick tiles that were buckled up and it threw me onto the pavement. I ended up taking a trip to the ER to get my wrist checked out because it was questionable if I had broken it but I am glad to say it was not. I came away with road rash covering my left leg, a scrapped up right knee, a bruised hip, roadrashed hands, and badly sprained wrist haha I like to think of them as battle scars! There is a big lesson here -which is why this blog is not about goal setting! When I fell, there was a bus full of people coming home from work. As soon as I hit the pavement, I looked around to see which valiant person was going to come to my rescue and help me up... and to my shock ( and horror) no one even motioned towards me or called to see if I was alright. I was clearly injured and yet no one offered me help. I sat there for two seconds in total shock and then it hit me harder than I hit the ground, I AM HERE TO PICK MYSELF UP AND KEEP GOING, its going to hurt but it had to be done. While the fact that no one seemed at all concerned was a bit rude, it was not a statement of helplessness for me. I knew I had to pick myself up and get moving back home where I could then tend to my wounds and sitting there waiting for someone else to come help me was wasted time that I needed to spend taking care of myself. Everyone falls in their life, be it on pavement, on their diet plan, financially or in any other aspect of life. Too often we waste time looking around for someone to come pick us up but the reality of it all is that its just waisted time when you can do it yourself. It may hurt but you can do it! I didn't wait for a TV show, some crazy medical intervention, or until I could afford a gym membership and personal trainers to take back my life and you shouldn't either. I was out running yesterday because I was having an awful day and while it might seem like falling and having to go to the hospital would have made an already bad day even worse, it turned out to be a great reminder that in all of life's problems, I am here to pick myself up and keep going even when it hurts... I always seem to find the answers while running!

A SHUT UP and PUT UP weekend

2010-04-05T11:23:00.000-07:00

What an amazing weekend! My friend and I spent our Easter weekend in what would turn out to be a SHUT UP AND PUT UP camping trip in Luray VA. While I have always grown up camping, this weekend was a lot of firsts for me. It was the first time I had kayaked and the first time I tried repelling. I went into this weekend with alot of worries, I didn't know if I was strong enough to hold my own bodyweight in repelling or that I would have the endurance to paddle 13 miles down a river or be able to keep up on the hikes. There are a million and one reasons why I should have those fears, I'm still overweight, I have an injured knee , a huge fear of heights and I'm having some Lupus problems. All of those are great excuses on why I wouldn't be able to do what I did this weekend. Yet when the time came and the harness was on, I just clipped in and went over the edge. All of that worrying about not being strong enough almost stopped me from even trying and I knew that I would just have to dig down deep, SHUT UP about all my excuses as to why I might not be able to and PUT UP. Boy am I ever glad I did! I loved repelling and cannot wait for the next time I get to harness up! This is coming from a woman who a year ago was challenged to slide down a children's fire pole and was so paralyzed with fear of heights that I clung onto that poll for over 20 min. unable to slide down it... fast forward to this weekend and I was hopping down the side of a ravine! I also discovered that I LOVE to kayak!! I always tell people " Oh I don't have any upper body strength" but this weekend proved that I cannot keep saying that any more. I started out that day by putting my kayak in the river convinced I would make it to mile 8 - because i knew that was the first of only two pull out points along the way. I "knew" that there was no way I would be able to paddle for 13 miles. Then all the sudden the mile markers kept passing me and I hadn't hit what I thought for sure would be the end of my kayaking trip, a wall of fatigue! But that never came and the next thing I knew I was pulling my kayak out at mile 13 wishing we could have continued even farther. I had my mind set that 8 miles was all I could do but my lesson in repelling the day before reminded me to not tell myself what I can and cannot accomplish but rather to just SHUT UP and PUT UP! Now that I've come home, I started making a SHUT UP and PUT UP list of all the things I want to do - despite any fears or doubts I may have to try them and I can't wait to start scratching them off as I do them!

I'm BAAAACK!!!

2010-04-01T16:19:00.000-07:00

Hello there everyone! I know I know, its been forever. Things got really crazy since I moved back and I'm finally finding my groove. I will do my best to catch everyone up as much as I can but let me just say there are some great things happening on my end. I hope to start video blogging. It will include workouts, cooking ideas and just about anything and everything! I hope that everyone will tune in and PLEASE spread the word to friends and family! I'd also love to hear from you what you'd like to see. I have an ever growing list of recipes that I've received requests for as well as topics to cover so please post in the comments or email me at alexis.mundis@gmail.com with your ideas and suggestions!!! I am looking forward to the next post. Also sunday I will be uploading pictures from my camping/rock climbing/whitewater canoeing trip this weekend!

Happy Holidays

2009-12-27T05:34:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays everyone! Its been a crazy few weeks for me, I made the move back to the mainland to be closer to the family and it has been GREAT! I've been telling myself I was going to blog about a few things but then found myself running around trying to get everything done before the holidays and they just got put on hold! But don't worry, I'm ready to write again. So on the upcoming blog posts, I'll be talking about traveling ( because I've done a LOT of that lately) My new marathon training program, and a new project I'm working on! See you soon!

Days 4..5..& oh oh

2009-11-24T00:44:00.000-08:00

The Hawaiian word to describe delicious food or that craving for delicious food is Ono - pronounced OH NO... its no wonder! Ok so here's the deal, eating out all the time is NOT as easy as I thought I could make it! Not only do I have so little control as to what goes into my meals in terms of salt and stuff, but I also seem to be lacking the self control the past few days. Sticking to this challenge has been HARD. When everyone around me is snacking on food, i feel like I need to snack too and one of the worst side effects of not eating the food I'm use to is that those processed carbs and very little veggies don't keep you full for long. The past few days I've been tired, sluggish, cranky, puffy ( from all the salt) and HUNGRY... not a great way to spend time with family and friends. The only good part about this all is that every meal, I have been giving away the extra food to someone who needs one. I could have easily not said anything on my blog about this, knowing full well that people are reading this but then that wouldn't be being honest with myself. Here's the deal people, First, old habits die hard. It didn't take much for me to go from flax seed and tofu to greasy salty frosted CRAP. The food has made me physically ill and yet I continued to eat it anyway. That is a HUGE wake up call for me. It is so easy to slip back into those old patterns. I spent 23 years of living my life that way and have only had 9 months to practice the new ones. The difference between then and now is that now, i know i have to regain control and I know I have the strength and skills to do it. Tomorrow is a new day for me, one that could be filled with wise choices or poor choices but ultimately they are my choice. Tomorrow I am choosing to make wise choices and learn from my mistakes of the past few days. Second - What an eye opener to how food effects my body. I went from eating whatever whenever to being on a strict calorie counting eating plan and have only strayed a handful of times ( and only in the past few weeks). It wasn't until eating virtually every dinner out that I was conscious of feeling things like how quickly processed carbs make you feel hungry, what a sugar crash feels like, how fat and meat products can make you feel sluggish, and how the salt in your food leaves you thirsty and craving more salty foods. Lastly, sleep has been a huge issue.. i'm not getting enough of it which is why i am behind on emails, voicemails and blog posts... and it is also why I'm falling asleep at my computer. Its time for sleep so I can start off the day with a clean slate! NITE!!!

Day three

2009-11-21T00:51:00.000-08:00

Ok so on day three, I ate out two meals. The first meal was a veggie burger and water, I ate the entire thing so there was no left overs but I forgot the camera in the car so there was no picture either. For dinner that night, we ate at a place that it would be unacceptable to whip out a camera and take a picture of my plate so I'll tell you what I had. I was served 8oz of farikaki ( sesame and seaweed) Mahi Mahi , a cup of baby bok choy and a cup of rice and a side salad. I ate 4oz of MahiMahi, all the bok choy and half the rice and all of the salad ( NO DRESSING).

Dinner two!

2009-11-19T00:52:00.000-08:00

So tonight I ate dinner out and I had grilled tuna with fresh garlic ( prepared with no salt or oil on my request), brown rice and a side salad. The meal came with two cups of rice and 8oz of tuna so when I portioned it, I packed away a cup of rice and 4oz of tuna which was given to a very grateful woman and I was left with a healthy dinner!

day one meal one!

2009-11-17T23:33:00.000-08:00

So tonight was the first meal out and I had sushi. The nice thing about sushi is that most places let you order specific pieces which is ideal for portion control. I ordered only what i knew i should eat and so there was no leftovers. Now tomorrow I will be making my own breakfast and lunch but will be eating dinner out and will have the opportunity to start the project. On a side note, it was amazing seeing my mom today. What a reminder of just how far I have come!!!

Half My Plate - a project of control and compassion

2009-11-16T01:40:00.000-08:00

My mom is coming to visit me in Hawaii on Tuesday for two whole weeks and I couldn't be more excited. We will be doing a lot of traveling while she's here so that means a lot of eating out. That could mean bad news for someone who counts her calories like its a religion. We all have gone out to eat before and so you know that most of the portions we are served are 2-3 times larger than what we should be eating. As a strategy to keep my portions under control, before a single piece of food touches my fork, I portion out my food and whatever is left over, i don't touch. That is a lot of waisted food, food that could be feeding someone who needs a meal. Hawaii is a beautiful place but beyond the white sandy beaches are a large population of homeless people who probably couldn't remember the last time they ate a meal. When I started thinking about my mom's visit, I started thinking about all the food that I would be waisting when it could go to good use. It has inspired me to start a project. Starting Tuesday, for every meal I eat out, I will portion my plate and put the extras in a to go box before I ever take a bite, and then give my extra portions to the first person in need of a meal I see when I leave and I'm going to document it all with pictures and video and post it on my blog. Not only do I hope it will inspire others to help feed those who are hungry but I also hope that it will encourage you to take a look at your portions next time you eat out. I hope you follow me on my two week journey of sharing half my plate!!

NYNL - I haven't forgot!

2009-10-28T00:34:00.000-07:00

So I know I didn't post my weight this weekend, its been crazy around here with the knee and all. Things are going well, I've been working hard and finding ways to burn calories. I hopped around a native plants nursery on crutches for 3 hours and it was a blast! I also have been doing lots of crunches... loads of them haha Food has been good, I've been extra careful about what I'm eating. Today was my high calorie day, I had fresh made poi from my new friend at the nursery... if you've ever made poi, you'd know what a labor intensive process it is because you have to pick the taro, harvest the root, clean cook and peel it, then pound it and I felt honored that he gave me some... ok enough about my new nursery friend!! I also had a piece of salmon Poke that was Ono'licious! I could have eaten a whole thing of it but instead I just had one bite. High calorie days for me are not about having a free for all, they are about allowing myself a day of food that I wouldn't normally eat within a 2000-1800 calorie range but I still keep my choices healthy and nutritious. My body still needs to function and it cannot function on crap! Fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean proteins - life is good when you keep it simple. I'm going to miss having all these wonderful fruits and veggies right in my back yard year round... I think I'm missing Hawaii before I've even left!

My Knee

2009-10-24T16:17:00.000-07:00

ok everyone so a month ago, I injured my knee doing 2 ft step ups, I iced it, rested it and did everything I was supposed to do. I built back up to my regular workout program and yes I probably rushed it a little because of events that were going on at the time and I was pushing extra hard to be ready for the half marathon November 8th. I wanted to have my best running time! Flash forward to last night, I finished work at 6pm, changed into my running clothes, put in my nike+chip and started running and was feeling great. 4 miles into my 10 mile run my knee gives out and I feel SNAP with a rush of pain, I tried walking it off but after three steps I knew that this was not a "walk it off" kinda moment. Fortunately, I was only a few streets away from home so I hobbled into the house and got ice right away. 20min. I went to the ER because I knew my knee was beyond just ice. The Staff at Kapiolani Women's hospital were SO SOO SOOOO amazing. My nurse is a marathon runner and everyone was so compassionate and on their A game in that ER. Unfortunatly the news they had to give me was not so great. I have a torn ligament and need to go see a specialist about getting it repaired. I am on no weight baring restrictions. I have crutches and a knee stabilizer and there will be no running in my life for a really long time. They said once I get it looked at, they can give me a better idea but said don't plan on running for the rest of the year. While it sucks... BIG TIME... I still am on a weight loss journey and I still have a long way to go. This is just a little bump in the road... I may not be able to run or walk or swim right now but that just means I'm going to have to get creative! I'll keep everyone updated and thank you so much for all the well wishes and encouragement!

Recipes as Promised

2009-10-22T17:51:00.000-07:00

Don't worry, there is more to come but let me just put out there as a reminder for anyone who wasn't around for the first round of recipes, I have included the calorie count in () for each ingredient. All of my recipes are one serving until I state otherwise in the serving size. I do not cook with salt but with LOTS of flavor so try it without the salt first and then season later if you want to. I eat vegetarian so my recipes use tofu, you can sub most of the tofu for meat but you will have to change the calorie count. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO COOK WITH SPICES AND HERBS! If you haven't touched yours in the last 6 months, throw it out because its old and has lost most of its flavor. There is no reason to be eating bland food! If you think its pricey, think of it this way, the money you would have been spending on processed flavor cover ups like ketchup, mustard, salad dressings, FF mayo, you are now investing in spices to make your food actually taste better, not cover it up! I have more recipes coming and am always looking for new challenges so if you have a favorite food that you want a low calorie nutrient dense alternative, let me know and I'll take it on as a project!! Happy healthy clean eating everyone! Dill Quinoa Salad 1c cooked quinoa"follow box for cooking directions (254) 1tsp EVOO (40) 2Tbs apple cider vinegar (2) 2Tbs chopped onion (5) 1/4tsp dill 1/4tsp garlic powder (1) 1/4c low fat Fetta Cheese (60) 1/4c tomato (8) 2c romaine lettuce ( 14) Mix evoo, vinegar dill onion and some cracked pepper in a bowl, add quinoa mix, add tomatoes mix, add cheese mix. Serve over romaine lettuce! Eat right away or let it sit overnight! You can add other veggies like olives, artichoke hearts, capers, peppers or whatever you want just adjust the calories! Quinoa is a grain that is also a complete protein to it serves as both your protein ( along with the fetta) and as your whole grain! You can find it in your regular grocery store or at any wholefoods or trader joes! Serving size - 1 Total calories 384 Wasabi mashed cauliflower 1 cup cauliflower(28) 1Tbs plain greek Yogurt (12) 1/2Tbs Fat free milk (4.5) 1/2tsp Wasabi paste (2) Boil 1 cup cauliflower Drain and mash Whip in 1Tbs plain greek Yogurt, 1/2Tbs Fat free milk and 1/2tsp Wasabi paste. Add more milk if you want a thinner consistency Serving size - 1 Total Calories- 46.5 Tofu Pancake batter 3oz silken soft or firm tofu (45) 1 slice low carb whole grain bread (35) 1 egg ( 70) Add slice of bread to food processor and pulse into crumbs. Add tofu and egg and blend until a smooth batter. Add seasoning and adjust calories if you add fruit. Heat a nonstick skillet sprayed with Pam. Pour batter in pan, allow it to set and flip! Serving size - 1 Total Calories 150 For a sweet pancake season with Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove or even fruit like blueberries or banana - Top with fruit or yogurt for a high protein breakfast. For savory pancake, add garlic and onion powder, chili pepper, peprika, dill, Mrs. dash... sky's the limit - Try topping them with grilled veggies or meat ( chicken onions peppers and a tbs of BBQ sauce is one of my favorites but now I skip the chicken!) Steamed Garlic Ginger tofu and broccoli 3oz extra firm tofu ( 45) 2 garlic cloves ( 5) 1Tbs fresh ginger ( 2) 2c broccoli (60) Press extra firm tofu to drain liquid. Dice 2 gloves of garlic and 1 tbs of fresh ginger into a paste ( don't be afraid to buy fresh ginger, cut off what you need and freeze the rest in a ziplock bag.) Cube your tofu and add to a bowel. Toss with ginger , garlic and pepper and let marinate - at least an hour but if you have time leave it over night. Add 2cups broccoli to a ziplock steam bag place tofu on top. Place on high in the microwave for 8 min. and then eat! To make a complete meal, try making bulgar wheat with your meal instead of brown rice. bulgar wheat is less processed, higher in protein and more nutrient dense than brown rice! You can also sub chicken for tofu, just be sure to change the calorie counts and cooking time! Serving size- 1 Total Calories - 112 Creamy black rice with wild mushrooms 1/4c black sticky rice ( 180) 1/2c dehydrated mushrooms (20) 2 laughing cow lite cheese wedges ( 70) Soak dehydrated mushrooms in water for 2 hours and save the liquid! Rinse and drain 1/4c of rice. Add 3/4c of the liquid to a pot with the rice, cover and boil until rice is tender. Dice hydrated mushrooms and add to cooked rice. Add two laughing cow galric and herb lite cheese wedges to the pot and stir. SUBSTITUTIONS FOR THIS - This one you will need a trader joes or an asian market for dehydrated wild mushrooms. Check your yellow pages for the closes asian market to find "black sweet rice" or "black sticky rice" which is the same thing. If you can't find it, then substitute brown rice. If you cannot find dehydrated wild mushrooms, get fresh ones, you only need a cup of diced fresh mushrooms - cook them in the pan before making the rice. Serving size - 1/2 cup Calories per serving Spicy almonds I get tired of the same old almonds over and over so I started playing around with the spices and came up with these yummy combos that add a pick me up to stir frys, snacks salads and soups! Heat skillet on high. Mix your spices ahead of time. place almonds in the hot pan, quickly spray the almonds with Pam to coat them evenly. Sprinkle seasoning on the almonds. Stir the almonds quickly to make sure they do not burn. You will be able to smell the nuts getting warm and you will smell your seasoning - thats when you take the pan off the stove and let the almonds cool. Store them in a ziplock bag. Make lots of small batches until you find what flavors you like, you can even turn it into a family competition on who can come up with the best/most unique flavor combos! You can make ANY mix you want to flavor your almonds, these are some of my favorites so just play around with them until you find what you like. Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and Cayenne pepper with a dash of Mrs Dash Cayenne pepper and Cinnamon Rosemary, garlic powder and Thyme Cinnamon, clove and nutmeg Garlic and onion power, chili powder And garlic powder, ginger powder and Chinese 5 spice!

NYNL- 34lbs to go!

2009-10-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

I lost 6lbs in 4 days WOOHOO!! I know some of it is water weight from a the crap food i had scarfed down the weekend before but I'll take it! 34lbs to go!!!!

NYNL - The Weight of the Scale

2009-10-17T22:52:00.000-07:00

Now I weigh myself EVERY day so I know there will be no surprises. I know everyone has their own opinion on how often you should weigh yourself, i like knowing EXACTLY where I am each day... now having said that I must make something very clear about my life in the past 3 months. I have developed a full blown obsession with the scale. My morning routine consists of waking up and stepping on the scale, going to the bathroom then stepping on the scale, getting in the shower then stepping on the scale, eating breakfast then... yep, stepping on the scale. That was JUST from 7am-8am. Throughout the day, any chance I get, I will go weigh myself, before lunch, after lunch, when I come home from work, before I leave for work. And I'm not just talking about hopping on the scale, I go full blown strip down, weigh myself, get dressed and then leave. I knew it was overboard but I didn't identify it as unhealthy until I went away for a weekend and realized two things. First, I thought about weighing myself so much that every where i went, i asked if they had a scale ( I even went to Target, unwrapped a scale, took off my shoes in the store and weighed myself) and Second if it wasn't a "problem" then why did i feel the need to hide it from everyone? It didn't take long at all to go from the woman who avoided the dr's at all costs just because I knew they would want to weigh me to a woman who couldn't stand the thought of not knowing how much I weighed. I knew that people with food addictions have compulsive tendencies. I know , even though I was not raised with the presence of my father, that he and his side of the family all suffer from drug and alcohol addictions and on my mom's side, pretty much everyone has an eating issue or a smoking issue ( some have BOTH) so what I'm saying is I come from a long line of people with addictive behaviors. I also know that its really common for people to move from one compulsion to the next... I just never saw my scale as my new addiction until now. I know I must set limits for myself, just like I do with my food. I know how much food I can allow myself to eat and i know when its time to eat and when its not. Now I must use the same rules for my scale. I can weigh myself every morning ... once! I then am putting my scale away for the day until the next morning. It might sound silly to have to make a PLAN to put away a scale but whats not silly is how fast this unhealthy habit has crept into life. I am 100% committed to living a healthy life and that means, for me, a life not controlled by addiction. I have a long way to go and it seems like every day i take one step in the right direction, my list of things I need to work on grows by ten. I guess the good out of it all is as long as I keep moving forward, eventually I will get to where I wanna be.

NYNL- a Gift for myself

2009-10-16T12:49:00.000-07:00

Today I work a double shift woohoo...not! I am just about to cook my lunch and dinner to take with me. I've decided that I am going to pick Sunday as my weigh in day and I'll be taking a pic of the scale to show my progress ( thanks gayle) I weigh myself everyday so I can already tell you this week is going to be HUGE numbers. I started my weight loss journey at 426 lbs. I started this Challenge at 266 and I will end it at 226. Today has been about preparing for me, preparing my body for a long day, preparing my meals to keep on track and preparing my mind to stay focused on where I need to keep my thoughts right now. Having a lot of time to think at work often leads to me getting distracted by the drama in life and today I am making a commitment to myself to not let my mind go there. Today I am giving myself the gift of freedom from thoughts of doubt. What gift can you give yourself today?

NYNL - first post Taking Back the Control

2009-10-15T16:42:00.000-07:00

This challenge is not just about weight loss for me, its about working through the "stuff" that is in my way right now of succeeding so my posts are not only going to be about my food and workouts, but also about the emotional workouts I'll be doing along the way. Today is day one of the challenge and my food has been spot on, i'm even back on track recording everything in my food journal at mytrainerbob.com, something I had drifted away from. I sat down yesterday and did some number crunching. I calculated my basic metabolic rate - the calories I eat and that is my calorie deficit without working out. I then figured out on average how many lbs I needed to lose per a week to reach my goal X 3500 because thats how many cals in a lb. then subtracted my BMR calorie deficit and that told me exactly how many calories I need to burn in my workouts... i know it sounds a little complicated but its really not. This gave me a good starting place for where I need to be shooting for daily. So now I am back to having a daily plan. I seek comfort in knowing that I have a direction to move towards. Today I have been doing a lot of thinking about the past. Somewhere in my life, I learned that your past had to dictate everything you did in your future and for the first time today, I realized that it does not! Because I made mistakes in the past does not mean I must make the same mistakes in the future, because I was a bad friend in the past does not mean I need to be a bad friend in the future, because I had low standards for myself in the past does not mean I need to keep those standards in my future. And the best part about it is that yesterday is my past, the beginning of this blog is my past, EVERY second we are given the opportunity to start over. Its just a matter of us taking that opportunity and moving forward or ignoring it and waisting time dwelling on things you cannot change or do over. I have the opportunity to learn from the past but not let it dictate my future and my future is now. It is a powerful place to be in when you decide to take control of all aspects of your life, not just one or two and so today I am celebrating taking back the control in my own life.

New Year New Life Challenge!

2009-10-15T16:40:00.000-07:00

After a rough few weeks, I am back to being focused on what really matters in life, me! 48 hours ago I was convinced that life as i knew it had ended and yet I woke up yesterday morning thinking... and thats a bad thing why?!!? I cannot have the life I thought i wanted when I was 426lbs because that life and that way of thinking no longer fits my reality and waking up embracing and not fighting those changes made me realize just how far I have come. It also got me to thinking about where I want to go in the future. I want a lot for myself and I can have all of it if I let myself. There is more to this than just weight loss, there is more to this than changing pant sizes or eating habits, I'm changing my life and am just now starting to recognize it in areas I had previously ignored. Having said that, I am 40 lbs away from hitting the 200lb weight loss mark. I don't even remember when I lost my first 100, I didn't celebrate it or mark it down on the calendar or even share it with my friends and family. Reaching the 200lb mark in itself is enough to celebrate but what I am really looking forward to is celebrating my start at finding myself and embracing my new life. I have challenged myself to lose 40lbs by Jan. 1st so that I can celebrate my new life, my new milestone with the New Year. I've been really bad at allowing others into my life to support me and I want everyone to know that I accept your encouragement and support and ask that you join me to celebrate. I will keep everyone up to date on my progress on my blog and hope that you take time to challenge yourself now too. It feels good to be back to where I need to be and I look forward to my future!

Here's to a path of self discovery, a path to a healthy life and embracing all that life has!

Searching for Pono

2009-10-14T16:18:00.000-07:00

There is a hawaiian word Pono that means the balance in life that we should strive for. When things are Pono in your life, you live in balance with yourself and others... I am in need of Pono. I used to think that living my life in balance meant that I got everything I wanted all at once and THAT was balance. That I'd have the right job, the right friends and that everything would be just the way I wanted it. That is not balance, that is having everything you want. Being in balance is being ok with the things that are not how you want them and working to make them better. Balance is not when I put myself on one end of the scale and everything else on the other side and try and make them level out, balance is when I put myself in the center and put everything else underneath me and if it supports me, I keep it, if not, I get rid of it. Balance should NOT be a daily struggle for me, if it is, its because of myself not because of life. I choose to keep and get rid of what I feel I need and do not need - be it food, habits, relationships and invest my time in improving the things that I want to work on like a career, finances and health. There is just only so much I can control and what I do control I need to make sure I am defining it properly. Had I not realized that I was waisting my time looking for a "balance" that does not exist, I woulda spent the rest of my life searching for Pono instead of living in Pono. Today I stopped searching and started living.

The Starvation Diet for Toxic Friends

2009-10-07T03:55:00.000-07:00

I asked the question "Why do we keep toxic people in our lives?" its a question thats been on my mind for awhile now and I think I've come up with a pretty good answer so this is my response... i think we keep them around because we find a false sense of self worth through them. they are usually the people who "need" a therapist, a dumping ground, a friend of convenience. They can spot us a mile away, As people who often care about others more than we care about ourselves, they know we will place their needs above ours and they drain us mentally, physically and emotionally. When you've got nothing left to give them, they move on. They are the friend who comes into your life as quickly as they move out, the friend that leaves you feeling like you can never give them enough, the friend who leaves you guessing on where you stand with them on a day to day basis, the friend that demands your full attention at every waking moment and yet lacks the time for you. We've all had them in our lives, some more than others. I am the first to admit that i've had quite a few of these toxic people and the only way in the past that I got rid of them is when they've taken all they can and move on. I've defended them up to the very last second despite the damage they have caused and in the end, promised myself I'd never fall for it again only to find myself making the same mistakes. I never knew what it would take to rid myself of these people until now and the answer has nothing to do with them and everything to do with ourselves. The process to finding self worth is not easy and it does not happen over night. I've been building my foundation for awhile now and only recently has the 'cement' settled and hardened to let me start building up. I've realized that i felt a false sense of worth in spinning my tires with these people but it is a waist of time when my energy could be spent on my own happiness. Their need to "feed" on my insecurities is their own problem and I am no longer willing to keep feeding them. I'm putting the toxic people in my life on a starvation diet so they have no choice but to move on. My self worth is no longer measured in how much of myself I can give others but rather how much of myself I can give me. Find your self worth within you and put those toxic friends on a starvation diet. Forgive yourself for allowing you to be used and move on. Its ok to have pity on those who will starve, just don't feed them! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkIytHD5v9c

My garden deserves flowers too

2009-10-04T21:47:00.000-07:00

This Blog is in response to a blog posted by Kristin Steede http://www.kristinsteede.com/blog/2009/10/04/oppsi-did-it-again/#comments

Why do we always find the time to tend to everyone Else's garden and let everything in our own wither away? I am a CONSTANT tender of everyone Else's garden. I try and solve every one's problems, check in on my friends daily if not even hourly, and go out of my way to make sure everyone is happy but I can't say I've ever done the same for myself. Yes, I think a lot of it has to do with avoidance. If I'm distracted by everyone Else's needs and trying to fulfill them, then I don't have to be concerned with the problems in my own life. I struggle with seeing myself as worthy of my own time. I'd bend over backwards and move mountains for anyone in my life and I've taken it on as a full time job to be friend/therapist/business entrepreneur/ weight loss coach/ personal motivator/ problem solver to everyone. There are a lot of things 8 months ago I could never have said I felt worthy of that now I can but I'd be lying if I said i could make that a blanket statement in my life. I'm 23 years old and 5 days ago for the first time in my life,I said out loud that my happiness was now a priority in my life. What a huge eye opener it was at how low I had valued myself when just simply saying" I am choosing to put myself first" was both painful and uncomfortable. Its not easy and by no means is it any more comfortable but I do know this, I am worth a lot more in life and worth spending a lot more time tending to my own garden. I'm tired of watching everyone else's flowers in life bloom and being disappointed that mine are not... you want a flower to grow, you need to water it and take care of it. I want to grow as a person, I need too spend time tending to me and my needs. My garden deserves flowers too and now its up to me to grow them. I look forward to MANY beautiful flowers in my future!

Embrace You

2009-10-02T01:40:00.000-07:00

I know I've been bad at blogging lately but i've been reinspired to keep writing. There's something odd going on in my life, a constant undercurrent of discontentment and for the longest time, I kept telling myself that there was something wrong with me. I mean losing weight and trying to live a healthy lifestyle is supposed to bring about happiness right? so then why do I find myself ALWAYS searching, always feeling like there is somewhere to be moving to, some void needing to be filled. Its something that has been on my mind for weeks now and it really wasn't until a long walk under a full moon that it all really made sense to me. Was there something wrong with me? Could it be that I am incapable of being satisfied with my life? The truth of what is happening is farthest from what I initially thought. Life before weight loss i learned to settle for a lot of things included sub par standards for myself, less then adequate happiness and unmeasurable amounts of self confidence. Its from years of not seeing my self worth, believing I deserved less and not knowing the difference. So why am I always searching now at a time of my life when I'm on top of my game? SIMPLE, because I stopped settling. I've reached a point in this process of self discovery that comes with the weight loss where my life now no longer resembles the life I had before and with each new lesson, each new discovery, I evolve as a person. With each new phase in my life has come higher standards, higher expectations for my mind, my body and my spirit. Am I in a constant state of discontent? NO, I simply learned to recognize new areas in my life that need improvement and work to improve them and the stronger I get in mind body and soul, the higher I set my standards for myself and my happiness. Don't be afraid of evaluating your own standards in life, embrace each phase of self discovery and celebrate the moments when you no longer settle for less.

Today I am struggling, today I am fighting

2009-10-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

Today I am struggling with food, I've been stressed out and if there is one HUGE trigger for me, its stress. To add on top of it, I am in the middle of a full blow Lupus flair up which has me sick, exhausted and in pain. My mind is telling me that i need to eat to pull up my energy because thats what I've conditioned it to do, to respond to the energy level but its the lupus that has me drained, not low calorie counts. And to add on top of that, i am on steroids that throw your hunger switch on and won't release it... Everything in my head is telling me to act on the impulse to eat. Today is going to be a full blown all out bloody battle that even I am not sure I will win but I do know it will be a battle I will fight. Never let your circumstances become your excuses and NEVER EVER give up the fight.

Tune in Thursday to hear Kristin Cathy and I

2009-09-09T13:03:00.000-07:00

Tune in to hear Kristin, Cathy and Myself on its your health radio at 9:30am Eastern time at www.itsyourhealthradio.org. It'll be live ( so 3:30am my time AHHH!) Can't wait

Dear Self...

2009-09-07T04:17:00.000-07:00

If any of you have read Bob Harper's book " Are You Ready?" then I'm sure you know all about the first few exercises that the book opens up with. One of the most challenging one is to release whatever pain and resentment you have built up inside you towards other people by writing them a letter of forgiveness and acknowledgment of your portion of the responsibility. When you carry all of that pain around with you, you just stop yourself from being able to achieve what you want and deserve in life so I put real serious thought into my letters and just started writing. What came out shocked even me. I wrote over 30 letters and with each one, went through an entire range of emotions from anger to sadness to grief and everything in between. I wrote letters to friends I have wronged, friends who wronged me, to family members I had strained relationships with and even a letter to a father who abandoned me. I was careful and deliberate with each word I wrote down, making sure i didn't write anything I didn't truly feel in my heart. I felt a HUGE weight lifted off my spirit when I was finished and have ever since that day, worked hard to live up to the forgiving nature of each one of those letters but of all the ones I wrote,the hardest was the one to myself. I haven't thought about that letter to myself since the day I wrote it until tonight when it popped into my head while I was running to clear my mind tonight, as I often do. I've been struggling with a LOT of things this past month and no matter how hard I've been trying, I can't seem to get rid of this dark cloud that keeps following me. I've been carrying every rock in the road onto my back and carrying it along with me and then been wondering why I'm being weighed down. Tonight when I thought of the letter I wrote to myself, I knew that that was the answer I was looking for, I needed forgiveness for myself for all the bumps I've hit and stop carrying them around with me. I wrote another letter to myself tonight after my run and set free in the ocean. There is no once and done in weight loss, I'm sure there will be many more letters to myself and its NEVER too late to let go of whatever you've been holding on to

Making Waves

2009-08-24T02:43:00.001-07:00

If you haven't noticed, I've been avoiding my blog... the past few weeks have been a series of ups and downs - less ups and more downs. I've been having a hard time staying focused and making my life balanced. Yes, I've been losing weight but that's just about the ONLY good thing I've been doing.I am dangerously close to hitting the 150lb weight loss mark (just 2 lbs to go)... a time I should be celebrating but instead, the closer I got to 150, the harder I struggled. I struggled to keep myself focused, i struggled to drop the weight, and I struggled with A LOT of self doubt. 150 is a lot of weight by any one's standards... and I'm very proud that I've worked hard to get here but there are 150 more to go and my mind started questioning if I was strong enough to make it. After all, these past 2 weeks have been hell and if this is what the next 150 have to bring me, I just wasn't sure if I could do it. That self doubt put my train on full speed to fly off track. The scary part about it all is that it really didn't take much for me to get off track - it started with switching my workout routine- I avoided circuit training with the new program EVERY strength training day, and soon I found myself skipping meals, not recording parts of my day in my food journal and yes, I even had a binge on chocolate. I hadn't told anyone I was struggling, not even the person I tell EVERYTHING to, my mom. I felt like i was losing all control and FAST! I kept telling myself I didn't know what to do. I reached my breaking point on Friday, I finally broke my silence. I've felt emotionally raw, totally lost and in a daze so I knew I had to go to the one place I knew I could find clarity... the ocean. I am at peace when I am in the water and that peace gives my soul time to reconnect with my body, it allows me to connect with my inner compass. I noticed something today, No matter how many footprints and pebbles litter the sand, with a little patience the waves always come to wash them away, leaving new sand behind, alot like life. I used to wait for a wave strong enough to come, a wave of recognition of my success from others, a complement, achievement at any cost, to wash away the foot prints and pebbles left by my struggles and challenges. I left the beach today with a strong sense of clarity and direction and a rekindled sense of determination. The next 150 lbs will be hard, but so were the first 150 and I got through it. I don't need to wait any more for a wave to come by and wash them away for me, today I realized I can make my own waves just by trusting myself and my own strength, trusting the process and never losing sight of my inner compass. There will be bumpy days, days that really just suck and its those days that we need to stop standing on the beach waiting for a wave and just make one of our own!

Starving

2009-08-17T00:14:00.000-07:00

I spent some time this Sunday tie dying some old workout shirts with bleach and had a blast! It had been so long since Ive done anything just fun and creative and it really made me think... Every day I eat well balanced meals, I plan them out, count their calories, cook them with the best ingredients and record them in my food journal. My meals are always satisfying.. but wait, this blog is about starving right? Anyone who's ever made a transition to a healthy lifestyle knows, we spend so much time feeding our bodies but how much time do we take to feed our souls? We all know our bodies need nourishment to function but so does our souls. Our souls need laughter, joy and peace to thrive, not just survive! Take time to feed your soul today, start an art project, play a game with your family, laugh at loud with a funny movie anything that gives you a little piece of joy to nourish your soul.

Step it up and work it out!

2009-08-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you but I can't hardly wait for the new season of Biggest Loser to come on. Not only am I in need of a Bob Harper fix but I just can't wait to see what kind of personalities are on this season. I've watched every episode of every season since its inception and am still in awe of the change this program has brought people on and off the show.. um like ME!!! I've been talking to alot of people and they are all saying the same thing- I watch the biggest loser from my couch with one hand in a bag of chips and the other wrapped around some fast food. I used to be that person too but you don't have to be and you don't have to wait to change it! Kristin and Cathy from last season's Biggest Loser has started a campaign called Step it Up Work it Out. It allows you t make the commitment to yourself to a healthier lifestyle NOW! This will be my first season of watching the Biggest Loser where I won't be sitting on the couch wishing that was me because this year that IS me. I am the one who is making the changes. Its not magic, its not made for TV its my reality and it can be your reality too. Will you join me in making this your first season watching biggest loser off the couch?!? Lets step it up and work it out!

http://www.kristinsteede.com/blog/challenge-form

Bigger Than a Mountain

2009-08-07T14:24:00.000-07:00

There is something bigger than a mountain in weight loss, its bigger than that hill my tree is on and more difficult than any hike I've done before... its the PLATEAU! If you've been on your own weight loss journey, then you probably have had a few of your own. For anyone who doesn't know, a plateau is a period where you stop losing weight. For the first 5 months of me losing weight, it came off quickly and I never really had any bumps in the road. A month ago, I noticed that my weight loss was slowing down a bit but then it got jump-started when I went meat free... that was until the past 2 weeks. Last week I just barely got a loss in after working so hard. It hardly made sense so when I noticed this week the scale wasn't budging at all, I knew I was hitting a plateau. I didn't know what to do, I poured over my food and workout journal, evaluated my workout routines and thought about my sleeping habits - all things that can contribute to a plateau and it just didn't make any sense. In a day, I went from being so focused and so driven to allowing self doubt make me question and second guess myself. I turned to my support group ( we call ourselves the sisterhood) right away looking for some answers. My sisters tag teamed me with messages and emails and phone calls and each one of them, without knowing it, had the same message for me GET FOCUSED! Climbing a mountain takes skill, you need tools to help you, a support system to get over the unstable parts and a focused drive to make it to the top and turn right around and go back down... a weight loss plateau is the same EXACT thing. The best thing about plateaus is that there is a walking path, worn down from all those who's weight loss journey that came before yours, already there for you to follow. Look in your support systems for those who helped ware down that path... I'm so fortunate to have some amazing footsteps to follow over my plateau! Learn some new tools that can help you BEFORE you run into that plateau, use the tools you already have, reach out for your support system to make it and NEVER EVER lose your focus or your drive!

And the Oscar goes to...

2009-07-30T23:59:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!First let me say things went from crazy to INSANE in a blink of an eye so I've had a hard time getting to my blog but I'm glad to say I'm back. Mahalo for being patient!

We've all watched someone win an Oscar, they stand on stage, pull out a piece of paper and thank everyone who's ever helped them get to where they are. They thank the people who stood by them when times were bad, the people who helped them get to the times that were good and everyone in between. Everyone has their own Oscar, a goal weight, a marathon, a move up the career ladder, a life milestone.Why wait until you "win" to thank those who got you to where you are? My mom has been an amazing source of strength and support for me, encouraging me every day with her words and her actions. I am fortunate to have old friends who loved me in my old life style and stuck with me through the transition into the new. And now I have new friends who share my experiences, that can relate to the struggles and share in the triumphs. I have a long list of people to thank and I'm not waiting for an Oscar to thank them! Take some time in your day to reflect on who you'd thank in your Oscar speech and then call them, email them or write to them and let them know! - Thank you for everyone who has encouraged me to write, whos found inspiration in my journey and who have shared their own! Yes you made it on my Oscar list!!

I haven't forgotten

2009-07-30T13:12:00.001-07:00

promise I haven't forgotten about you blog! I'll post tonight after work and workout!

perfection

2009-07-27T17:50:00.000-07:00

I don't strive for perfection- i just strive to do my best, give my all, and make no excuses. Success in weight loss is not about never eating anything bad or always working out. We are human and we make mistakes, our lives become busy, our priorities shift. Success is in knowing that mistakes will be made, setbacks will come and not every goal will be met right away and being ok with that.... If you strive for perfection you will fail because it does not exists. All you can ask of yourself is to do your best, give your all and make no excuses!

Don't get tunnel vision!

2009-07-23T22:01:00.000-07:00

Today a dear friend of mine, who is on her own weight loss journey, asked me what my plans were for the day. I told her my workout plan and my daily challenge that I was to do and she said something that totally took me off guard... She said don't get tunnel vision! At first I was like what is she talking about? I have a very diversified life! I even found me defending myself... I do a lot of things, I work out, I do workout challenges with my sisters, I obsess over my food journal, I research nutrition online, I count calories... hmm maybe she had a point. I have been so focused on my weight loss that I really haven't left room in my life for anything else. Today I played in the rain - without thinking about how many calories I was burning or what nutritious meal I was going to make for lunch. The whole purpose of a healthy lifestyle is being able to live life with a a balance. I realized that in the quest of having that healthy life, mine was at the cusp of becoming exactly the opposite. Taking time to do something outside of the' weight loss" box doesn't make you less committed or have less drive, it means your taking one step closer to having what you want, BALANCE. I'm an artsy crafty person and so this weekend I'm making time to do an art project, take some time this weekend and do something that will take you out of the tunnel vision. And thank any friend you may have that loves you enough to be honest with you!

Learning to listen and creative ideas!

2009-07-22T19:33:00.000-07:00

OK so its been a little crazy around here but I wanted to write a quick blog. Yesterday was a cardio day for me so i did an AMAZING hike that two years ago, took me 3 hours to go up and and hour and a half to come down, yesterday it took me 50min to go up and back and I STILL had energy to burn. Today I found that, after my workout and an added daily challenge, that my body felt like it wasn't challenged enough.. it needed more! I heard my body say PUSH HARDER and I listened! It felt so good knowing I have learned how to listen and respond to my bodies needs!!!

Also you may have noticed I added a chipin widget to the blog ( it lets people make contributions). I have an amazing opportunity to attend a retreat with a group of women who are on their own weight loss journeys. I am both honored and privileged to be invited to go inspire and be inspired so at this time I am working hard to raise funds to make it to this amazing retreat. I am willing to try any creative ideas you may have so please submit any ideas to alexis.mundis@gmail.com and pass it around!

Thanks!

2009-07-21T22:07:00.000-07:00

A Birthday without an old friend

2009-07-20T10:34:00.001-07:00

Its my birthday today and for the first time in my life, I will not be celebrating it with cake! It will be my first birthday with my new relationship with food as a fuel source and not a friend. Its a friendship I am better off without. Instead, I am recognizing all of the wonderful things my mind and body have done since my last birthday and will respect my body by giving it what it really wants and needs, the same healthy foods and workout just as i do every other day. It is however a special occasion today so I'm packing up the snorkel gear and heading to my FAVORITE snorkel place to spend the day, Just me and the fish! What a great time to reflect and relax! And if you want to celebrate my birthday with me, you'll reward your body with something healthy for it too!

Reaching My Tree

2009-07-19T17:20:00.000-07:00

I didn't go to bed last night because I was up late talking to my sisters and got so wound up that I couldn't sleep and then I found myself awake at 4 AM thinking about this hike of mine. I was excited but more so I was anxious. I kept thinking, what if I don't make it? what if I'm just not ready? At 5, I got out of bed and went for a walk to the beach to watch the sun rise, I was hoping to clear my mind but I kept battling myself, maybe I shouldn't go, maybe I should reschedule for next weekend. When i got home to upload my sunrise pictures, my sisters had posted words of encouragement on my wall, as if they knew I needed a little push. I ate a good breakfast, packed my lunch and covered myself in 70spf sunblock ( no shade at all on the mountain). The bus dropped me off and I walked the 2 miles to get to the trail head which in itself was uphill most of the way. I put my earbuds in and just started walking. I kept my head down because I knew that if I kept looking up, I would only focus on how much longer I had to go and not how far I had already come. All of my energy just went into putting one foot in front of the other. The next thing I know, I'm at the start of the summit, my legs were on fire, my thighs felt like they had been through a war. I had already gone 1,000 steps and had 48 more to go. I wanted to finish those steps so badly that I blocked out the pain and ran the last 48. So there I was, out of breath on top of my "hill" standing in front of a tree... my tree. I asked another hiker to take my picture with the tree and as soon as they snapped it, I was taken back by a wave of emotions that flooded my body. I reached the top and started to cry it was then that I realized that those tears were self doubt leaving my body. Even the most confident of us has moments of self doubt, I was second guessing myself standing at the bottom of those steps but we cannot let it hold us back. You will never know what you can and can not do if you don't allow yourself the opportunity to try. I will never forget this day in my life and will always keep climbing more hills to reach more trees.

My tree on the hill

2009-07-19T01:17:00.000-07:00

Days ago, I was listening to a phone call from Kristin Steede from the Biggest Loser and she was talking about her first day on the campus. She said there was a tree on a hill on the campus that she wanted walk to but she told the other contestants she couldn't make it up the hill and that it would be a LONG time until she could.. A few days later she found herself on top of that hill next to the tree that she said she couldn't reach. She then told us on the call that it was then that she realized, It wasn't those couple of hours in the gym that gave her magical strength to make it up the hill, she realized could of made it to the tree the whole time, she just told herself that she couldn't. I've thought about that tree on the hill EVERY day since she told that story and I've been thinking... how many trees on a hill do I have in my life? For so long, I've been telling myself, I can't that now I don't know how to distinguish from what I can't do and what I've told myself I can't do. There's a hill in my valley, its about 2 miles straight up and its a couple hundred stairs to climb it. I've been telling myself, I'm going to climb that hill when I've lost more weight, when I am stronger, when I'm faster. Its my own tree on a hill and tomorrow I'm going to reach it. Is it going to be hard? yep and I'll probably be sore afterwards but can I do it? I sure can! It doesn't matter if your hill is physical , emotional, financial , whatever, stop telling yourself you can't reach it and just do it... your tree is waiting for you.

So of course you know tomorrow's blog will be about my hike and I'll post pictures!!

Take time to teach!

2009-07-18T12:12:00.001-07:00

I missed a blogging day!?!? how could that be? oh thats right, my friday was jam PACKED. I've been spending a lot of time with a friend's 8 year old grandson and last night, he asked if he could work out with me. At first, I was frustrated because I knew he was going to slow me down but as I saw him pick up his weights to do wood chops with me, I realized that the workout for him was FAR more important than it was for me. It was the perfect opportunity for me to teach him about proper way to handle weights, the importance of warming up and cooling down, and why being strong and moving your body keeps you healthy for life. He was so ready and so eager to learn and maybe, just maybe taking that opportunity to let him soak in some education will impact his life. If you have young children in your life, give them opportunities to become interested in the healthy lifestyle you have. Let them make a healthy snack or meal with you, show them some challenging exercise and let them practice and take them on walks with you and share with them why its important to be healthy and fit! Thats why I LOVE the fast that past contestants of the biggest loser have gone on to speak in schools to children and have set up programs for youth fitness camps. The more they want to know, the more they will ask and the more opportunities you will have to share with them.

An important message

2009-07-16T23:52:00.000-07:00

SLEEP IS IMPORTANT! And because it is, I'm going to bed! Write more morrow! NITE

Updated things they don't tell you about weight loss..but should

2009-07-15T23:30:00.000-07:00

Ok, so there are some things I wish I had known so that I would have been prepared when starting to lose weight so I think we should just get them out in the open now so no more people go without knowing.

1. When people start to notice you are losing weight, they will offer you unsolicited diet and exercise advice, everyone from friends and family ( who haven't seen a gym in their lifetime) to the checkout lady at the store... and most of it will be bad advice! Stick to what you know works for you.

2. Ladies, if you have a lot of weight to lose and you start dropping pounds, you will wake up one morning and wonder who where your boobs have gone and ask yourself how could you have misplaced them! I didn't drop cup sizes until the past 3 months when I went from a DD to a C.

3. No one looks cute working out if your doing it right. Don't waist your time fixing your hair, putting on makeup or looking for a workout outfit that makes you look good because in the end, your hair will be a mess, sweat will be running down your face and your clothing will be soaked... be proud of looking like a hot mess, its a sign of a job well done.

4. When your working out and eating right, your going to lose weight and your body shape will change. Don't rush to buy new clothing every few pounds, you'll be broke! Wait until your clothing doesn't fit properly and then only buy essentials because it won't be long before you shrink down to the next size and places like Goodwill are a great place to buy clothing cheap when your changing sizes fast!

5. No matter how much cocoa butter you lather on, its not going to shrink the extra skin you have once you've lost weight. But think of it this way, you could be healthy and have loose skin or you could be sick and overweight... not a real hard decision.

6. Cheryl from MN said One thing I've learned in the past year is that working out is tough and should be. Most of the time the next day is sometimes even hard because you're in pain. I've learned to not be afraid of the pain. It's there because you pushed yourself. It's NOT going to kill you. It's actually what's keeping you alive.

7. Ali Trier said They should tell you that just because you don't LIKE a work out doesn't mean it won't WORK. Usually the things you hate most work the BEST. = ) If I had known that, I would have ventured out to try new things sooner!

Add something to the list and I'll re post it with the additions! Either tag in a comment or email me at alexis.mundis@gmail.com

Dont forget to laugh!

2009-07-15T01:06:00.000-07:00

First of all, let me say how much I appreciate all of the encouragement that has come from everyone, I had a major workout tonight that involved an hour walk in sand and then an impromptu 10 mile hike home, it gave me alot of time to meditate and reflect and I spend most of those 10 miles thinking about all the wonderful support we have all shared with each other. OK so I was thinking, the blog has been pretty serious and its really about time to laugh a little. I LOVE to laugh and its very healing so here's a funny story! Go ahead and share it with someone in your support group or share one of your own! Lets start laughing everyone!

Ok so Bob Harper loves unleashing the Burpee challenges on us challenge followers ( a burpee is when you drop to a push up,jump into a squat and then to a jump and reach into the air and then go back to a push up) My first burpee challenge was kind of pathetic, I was just starting out and could hardly move my body to do just one. By the time the second Burpee challenge rolled around, I was excited to hit the ground! By then I had already started to lose weight fast and my clothing was really starting to sag most notably was my ever disappearing boobs, leaving my DD cup with lots of extra room. So I warmed up by walking to my local park, stretched on the grass, cranked up the ipod and started counting 1Burpee... Two Burpee... I noticed my pants starting to creep down so I stop and pull up my pants 3 Burpee... I got to 14 and I was on my last one. I was tired but wanted to finish strong so I gave it my all on my last jump squat and thats when IT happened... I had jumped so hard that not only did my bra fail to "contain" me but my pants AND underwear were now at my ankles! I pulled up my pants so fast but it was too late, people in the park were already snickering so I just tucked my boobs back in my bra and walked home holding tight onto my pants and laughing the whole way! Have a great workout today! :0)

PS If you mention burpees on Bob's facebook page, he will make SURE that he includes a burpee challenge... just a warning! haha

The Blog I almost didn't write

2009-07-14T01:38:00.000-07:00

This is probably the most personal blog I could write and I almost didn't write it but the past few days it seems to be a reoccurring subject that's been glazed over among my weight loss communities and I think its time to crack the silence about obesity and infertility. I've had reproductive issues for most of my life, starting at the age of 7. At 14 I was told that the odds of me ever having kids were slim. I was obese, had Poly cystic Ovarian Syndrome (caused by obesity), was pre diabetic, and had high blood pressure, I was the perfect storm for infertility. My body was in crisis mode for many years and having been living in denial, instead of recognizing it, I just convinced myself I didn't want kids! Hey if I didn't want them, then it didn't matter right?!? Well that ill thinking only works as long as I never changed my mind. Everyone asks me all the time what made me want to lose weight. It wasn't because I wanted to fit designer jeans or wanted to wear a two piece, it was because I finally realized that my weight was taking away things I wanted, I want a long life, I want the freedom to move my body and at 22, I realized I wanted to be a mom some day. It wasn't until I started working on my inner compass ( read about it in Bob Harper's book Are You Ready?) that I realized that all those years of saying I didn't want kids was just me shielding myself from the consequences of being over weight. I'm no longer pre diabetic, I don't have high blood pressure and my last hormone test showed that my body is starting to regulate itself... I no longer qualify as having polycyctic ovarian syndrome. Losing weight doesn't guarantee that Ill be able to conceive but it does mean that my body will at least have the chance. There are so many women out there fighting their own battle with infertility , some win and some do not but if I'm going to fight this battle, I want to be armed with the best arsenal I have and that means having a healthy weight and a healthy lifestyle. This blog was hard for me because there seems to be alot of shame, shame about being overweight, shame about infertility and shame for being in denial for so many years. I know there are a lot of women who have gone through or are heading in this direction and if there is just one thing I can say to you is don't let fears and shame hold you back, break the silence and don't deny yourself any opportunity in life because even if you don't realize it yet, you deserve all the happiness in the world!

The Hidden Hills

2009-07-12T13:41:00.001-07:00

So last night, I stepped on the scale, I NEVER weigh myself at night but something urged me to step on there and check it out. I was shocked to see that I had hit my first weight goal for myself. I had said I was going to to hit it by my birthday July 20th, but I did it sooner! Now it's exciting to have lost as much weight as I have but I still have another 100+ lbs to lose and I guess its been weighing on my mind. Last night I had two separate dreams and both of them went the same way. I was going about my business in a kitchen but I was cooking awful meals ( first dream it was hot dogs and baked beans with marshmallows on top.. gross... and the second one was mac and cheese with a pound of butter and a pound of bacon) and in both dreams, I ate it all, without even thinking about the consequences until AFTER I had finished eating it. I had this overwhelming sensation of fear and disappointment and then I would wake up in tears and the second time I woke up in a full blown panic attack. Is it silly to have such a strong reaction to a dream about eating food? yes and no. On one hand, I know that it was just a dream, but on the other hand I also know just how quickly all of my hard work can be reversed from careless mistakes and moments of weakness and after losing the first 100+ and still having another 100+ to go is like struggling to walk up a big hill and when you get to the top, only to realize there is a second, even bigger hill around the corner. While most people would give up before even attempting the second hill, I have something that most people do no... I have a support group of people who are on the same journey as me that encourages me along the way. When I woke up this morning, I knew I needed some words of encouragements and support and like EVERY morning, I found them waiting for me in my email box and on facebook. If there is ever one bit of advice I would give to anyone who is wanting to start a new healthy lifestyle, it is find a network of people to support you who are going through the same thing. Things can get a little rough and there are always bigger hills hiding around the corner but your support will be there to help you through it.

STOP DROP AND ROLL!

2009-07-11T21:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, today's blog is posted here on the link and it was written by Kristen Steede. http://www.kristinsteede.com/blog/?p=167

2009-07-10T18:15:00.001-07:00

As most of you know by now, I follow Bob Harper's daily challenges on facebook ( you should too!). This weekend challenge is complete a 10k. While its really left up to me how I want to complete it, I thought that I'd challenge myself by pledging AT LEAST half my miles be from running. I cannot tell you how many times I've seen on Bob's page messages from people saying they need bob to "kick their butts into shape" or they need him "to challenge them to work out", why wait? Don't sit around waiting for that biggest loser moment when someone comes and makes you change because that's not going to happen. Don't wait for your friends to be the ones to push you along because you could wait all your life. YOU have to challenge yourself to push harder, do better and want more in your life. Its scary, I'll admit! Its scary to ask of yourself more than you expect from yourself but don't be afraid! You can never fall short as long as you are always moving forward! For me its something I work on EVERY DAY and I hope that you do to! Have a great weekend and hope you'll join me in Bob's weekend challenge!

For myself

2009-07-09T20:08:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine posted this on her facebook " I realized I was doing this for myself by myself!" , I couldn't haven said it better. No one can make you suceed or make you fail except yourself. If " for myself by myself" is not your motto in life, it should be!

My Secret Love Affair part 1

2009-07-08T17:46:00.000-07:00

Up until 6 months ago, I would have never even thought there was such a thing as a relationship with food, let alone see that I had a problem with mine. It wasn't until I was doing the inner compass work in Bob Harper's book "are you ready" That I was asked about my relationship with food. At first I thought, ok Bob has lost his mind on this one, I'm supposed to have a relationship with food?!?! and then that's when it hit me that not only did I have a relationship, I
had a full blown secret love affair. My affair gave me comfort when I was anxious, made me happy when I was sad and was always there when I was feeling lonely! I learned at an early age the power of food and how it could be used to muffle emotions, so its without saying, I've been overweight ever since I was a little kid. I used to sneak food
after school when I was home alone, or out of the fridge at night time when I couldn't sleep. No matter what changed in my life, I knew food would ALWAYS be there for me. But now I was being asked to end my 22 year long affair. Breaking up is never easy, but like in real life relationships, its easier to break up when you have friends by your side supporting you. Ask yourself today, What is your relationship with food? Are you hiding a secret love affair? and are you ready for the break up? Part two, The Breakup, is comming tomorrow!

Food for Thought

2009-07-07T02:53:00.000-07:00

The only thing I love more than creating recipes is creating HEALTHY recipes! I'm not a big fan of meat, just because I don't like the taste but I've always been too afraid to make the switch to being a vegetarian and even more so since I started losing weight but that's all changed since I've grown more comfortable with different ingredients so my recipes will be vegetarian, low calorie and VERY tasty. My favorite saying I have is "I count calories like its a religion!" And its true, I find it the best way to stay on track and keep myself accountable so you will notice that after each ingredient, I have included the individual calorie count in ( ) so its easy for you to add it to your food journal and the total calorie count at the end of the recipe. Also, I cook for myself so all of my recipes will be one serving unless I specify. Have fun trying them out and don't be afraid to add your own flare. I'd love to hear feedback and new ideas and if you have a favorite food that you want a low calorie alternative, let me know so I can see what I can come up with

Thai Noodles This is a low calorie play on Thai Peanut noodles. It is both creamy from the peanut butter ( which is also high in protein) , spicy from the cayenne and the cilantro gives it a refreshing pop. You can omit the cayenne if you don't want heat or load it up it you like a real zip to your food.

2oz whole grain linguini or spaghetti (201)

1c frozen stir fry veggies (35)

1Tbs Vegetarian stir fry sauce (25)

1Tbs peanut butter (100)

1/4 c sodium free chicken broth (3)

1 tsp cilantro (.5)

a dash of cayenne pepper

Follow directions on the box to cook your pasta.Mix peanut butter, stir fry sauce, and chicken broth until smooth. Add cayenne for heat ( you can omit). Spray a skillet with PAM and heat it on medium high. Saute the frozen veggies until cooked but not mushy. Add drained lingini and saute for a few seconds, remove pan from heat and add peanut sauce, return to low heat until warmed through. Serve with Cilantro on top. Total calories 373.5

Sweet and Sour Black Eyed Peas I live in Hawaii so I'm surrounded by a lot of Asian influence and as a former lover of sweet and sour chicken, I wanted a vegetarian answer that gave me the same flavors without the meat and calories! I use spiced vinegar in this recipe because I like alittle heat and the added flavor, its just vinegar with chillies and garlic marinated in it and can be found usually in the Asian isle but you can use white vinegar. This one will please even the pickiest of eaters!

1/2c cooked black eyed peas (126) *note, I use dried beans and cook them ahead of time. If you use canned, look for low sodium and drain and rinse your beans before using them to cook with* 1/4c fresh pineapple (19)

1/4c onion (17)

1/4c peppers (4)

1/2Tbs Spiced vinegar (0)

Heat up a saute pan sprayed with PAM on high. Saute pineapple, onion and peppers for a few min. ( I like my veggies a little crunchy because it adds nice texture but you can make it as crispy or soft as you like) Add black eyed peas to the pan. Add vinegar at very end and serve! Total Calories 166

Home Made Fat Free Greek Yogurt

I've fallen in love with greek yogurt thanks to Bob Harper's master list of foods. Its higher in protein , high in flavor low in calories and can be used for a million and one different ways ( recipes to follow) but its expensive so after some research, I found I can make my own and now you can too! You will need to start your yogurt with store bought that already has the live cultures.

1 small container of fat free greek yogurt ( in the yogurt isle) 1 Quart of Fat Free milk

Cheese cloth ( can be bought in most stores, just ask!)

a bowl

colander

plastic wrap

Pour the milk into a pot and heat it until it gets ready to boil {you will see steam} remove from heat! In a small bowl mix two table spoons of greek yogurt with two tablespoons of the hot milk, mix and then stir into pot of milk. Pour milk mix into a clean bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Now here is where you have some options. If you live in a hot area and it is warm in your home, then wrap the bowl in towels to keep it warm, if you use air conditioning, live in a cool location or it gets cool overnight, then turn your oven onto the warm setting. either way, you just want to keep your milk warm so that the cultures can grown and turn your milk into yogurt! Let it sit overnight. In the morning, place the cheese cloth in a colander and then pour your yogurt into the cloth. Don't worry it will be runny, let the yogurt sit in the colander for 2 hours to let the whey run out . This will make your yogurt thick! If you like it real thick, let it sit longer. After you drained it, place it in a clean container with a paper towel on top to soak up any whey left over and keep it refrigerated. It seems like alot of steps but it's really not, the total amount of work you put into it is about 10 min. just don't forget to save 2 Tbs of your homemade yogurt for your next batch. Calories 60 per 1/2 cup

The Courage to Find Inspiration in Ourselves

2009-07-06T14:32:00.002-07:00

Its easy to forget how far you've come. I had two reminders yesterday that were like a slap in the face. On my way home from snorkeling, I was carrying all my gear, a wet bathing suit and a soaked towel - its weight adding up to 35lbs. Carrying it at first was no problem, but 15min. into the walk, I began to feel an all too familiar feeling, my lower back was feeling pressure, I was starting to breath heavy and my feet were starting to cramp and just as I got onto the front lawn and dumped all of it on the ground. As soon as I felt the relief of that weight hitting the ground, it hit me that just a month or two ago, I was carrying that weight on me 24/7! Later on last night, after an intense workout, I was resting my very sore body while playing around on my computer. I stumbled on a picture of me 6 months ago ( up in the right ), right before I changed my life and I have to tell you, I was shocked, at how uncomfortable I looked and amazed at how different I am today. And then I felt something I've never felt about myself, inspiration. I've never been able to see myself in a positive enough light to find it within me, I always sought others for it. I dare you have the courage to seek inspiration from your own self journey. Never forget how far you have come, be it 5 lbs, 30lbs , 130lbs or just making the decision to start a new healthy life. Each step is a step forward and eventually, you will get to where you want to go!

5lbs in 5 days challenge

2009-07-05T19:36:00.000-07:00

This week is a week of refocusing myself . I said 5 lbs in 5 days and so far so good. Whats the point you ask? Well I've realized that I'm not pushing myself hard enough in my workouts. I'm getting to that place where the things that used to be hard are now easy and I got really comfortable in the now easier workouts because I earned it right? WRONG! Its called a WORKout because you need to WORK. Today I've been burning mad calories, I did 2 hours of swimming in the ocean and am just getting ready to go for a run. This week is less about the actual lbs, and more about remembering the commitment I made to myself and testing my new limits. Who's ready to test theirs?

My First Blog!

2009-07-04T19:05:00.000-07:00

Ok so after some encouragement from others, I decided to start my own blog about my weight loss journey and its only fitting to start off by telling my story. I've been overweight all my life. I've always been surrounded by lots of friends growing up, mostly because of my quick wit... or smart mouth.... but that didn't mean I came out of childhood unscathed by my weight. I took 20 pills a day, ani-inflammatory, arthritis medication, pre diabetes pills, blood pressure medication and medication for Lupus all at the ripe age of 21. I didn't think my weight was an issue, not even in college. It had gone up and down, from year to year 10 lbs up, 15 down, 20 up and so on until I moved to Hawaii after graduation in Aug. 07. I had lost 25lbs in a matter of months without really trying. In feb. I went on a 6 month long campaign tour for the Presidential campaign that was stressful to say the least. I slept little and ate alot and smoked like a hay stack! I gained back the 25lbs I had lost real quickly and it was about to get worse. At the end of the campaign, I was in a really bad car accident. For once in my life my size worked to my advantage because I was too fat to be thrown through the window! I suffered a bang on the head, two broken ribs, a broken foot, glass all over my body and 18 staples and 13 stitches in my left arm. I was luck to be alive but in pretty bad shape. I spent months in bed at home in PA, at first because I really did need to recover and then because I had become so depressed, I didn't want to get out of bed. In a matter of 4 months I packed on 35lbs. None of my already big clothing fit me, I spent my days in sweat pants and pajama shirts. Now I'm always been a fan of the Biggest Loser and most importantly, of Bob Harper and like many other years, I gathered every BL night with my chips and soda and mounds full of dinner on my plate to watch other people work out. I had always wished I could do what they did but I had never seen any woman close to my size on the show. Then came Kristin Steede (check out her blog, its my favorite! www.kristinsteede.com). A remarkable and inspiring woman who made me think, if she can do it, maybe I can too! I went to a boarders and bought Bob Harper's book 'Are you ready" Sat in a park and started reading. I did everything he had asked, I knew I was ready to change my life. I changed everything I ate. Only fresh fruits veggies, grains and proteins . And counted calories like it was a religion. I food journaled on mytrainerbob.com and started walking 3 times a week. Weight started coming off, each day another lb, then a few more. As I become comfortable in my new lifestyle, I started walking more and more, doing every daily challenge from Bob's website and weight started to fly off. I knew I wanted to move back to Hawaii so I packed up and moved back a month ago and have really kicked up my workouts. the work has paid off because I've lost over 100 lbs in 6 months! I work out as a way to reward myself, eat to fuel myself and love every healthy choice I make. I'm doing so well in my weight loss, I wanted to start blogging to share my new found healthy life with other people. I love to cook so I'll be posting some of my best recipes and encourage everyone to share their story, ideas and questions. Ok the next blog will be alot shorter, I promise!