That Veggie Life

For years now I have contemplated removing meat from my diet. To me it just makes sense. I do not tend to crave a lot of meat, minus a few things, I do not particularly like it, and it just makes sense with my values.

Two years ago I attempted to cut out meat. I lasted 17 days until I nearly collapsed during a spin class! This is when I discovered that I have naturally low blood pressure and removing certain things from my diet caused this to drop very low. So that was a learning moment!

Since then I have learned ways to navigate having lower than normal blood pressure and the thought of going meatless once again crept back into my mind. Before leaving for Kenya, I made the decision that when I returned I would begin to lead a more vegetarian lifestyle.

Knowing that this process is not always easy, knowing that there are some things I am unwilling to give up (my mom's BBQ hamburgers for example) and knowing my blood pressure, I never put any pressure on myself to go meatless and keep it that way forever. Rather, I just wanted to make a more conscience effort to remove meat from my daily food intake as much as possible.

With all that being said, today marks one month of not eating meat!

I am incredibly proud of this. More proud than I thought I would be and I cannot believe how easy it was for me to transition to not eating any meat. I have actually only eaten meat once in the past 6 weeks and none for the last month.

I feel like becoming a "vegetarian" has been quite the process. I have had to share my new eating habits with everyone (Sometimes multiple times because it is just such a change that people forget!) and I've had to plan ahead to events that I never had to before. This has all been a little strange to me. I haven't wanted people to change their habits to adjust my new one, but I have found everyone to be overwhelmingly supportive of this!

Although this first month went very well, I am sure I will have hiccups along the way. Again, I am not trying to make this a forever commitment just yet, so these tiny milestones, like one month, mean a lot to me.

Thank you so much to everyone who has helped me so far. Without even trying, your support and understanding mean the world.

Now, to start learning new, easy veggie dishes to make to spice up my meals! These are next on my list:

Sweet potato, black bean and kale quesadillas. 

Pasta with just olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes.

When did it become February?

Wow. The last time I posted was at the end of September. At that time it was still "warm", the Cardinals hadn't gone to the World Series again, Eagle Hall was not known for an incredible Haunted House program, I had not yet been offered the chance of a lifetime to advise a student group to Kenya, I had not hosted my very first Thanksgiving, I had not completed my first ever 5Ks, and I had not yet gone through one of the hardest experiences of my life: saying goodbye to a former resident who unfortunately passed away too soon.

I write all this as I'm about to walk out the door to head to the gym for only the 4th time since returning from Kenya. This blog is suppose to be about my weight loss and half-marathon training journey, but it is so much more than that. It's about life and the continual balancing act that I have to play food, exercise, work, stresses and fun. For some people, food/exercise might not be a constant thought in their minds, but for me, it is.

I have had an amazing past 4 months coupled with some of the hardest of times. I am happy and content in my own life, yet saddened and worried for the society I see around me. But no matter what, the worry of food is like a soundtrack playing in the background of my life.

At some point I will share more details about what is was like to live in a village in Africa for 3 weeks or how incredibly hard it was to say goodbye to a student while being in awe of the community my former residents had built to support one another, but right now I need to focus on myself.

This past week, after I was hit with yet another shocking reminder of how precious and short life can be, I was continually told by those around me that I needed to "take some time for myself". I ignored everyone at first. I knew there were things to do and I wanted to be present for all those students who I knew were hurting. I wanted to be strong for all of them. Besides, what does time off for myself even look like?

I had/still have no idea really, but I eventually listened to all those around me and took a couple days off of work and just sat. I had no agenda, no meetings, no to-do list. It took me mere minutes to realize I had no idea what to do for myself. I had been so wrapped up helping everyone around me that I completely forgot about me. So I sat with the Olympics on in the background and my dog at my feet. I was bored, restless, and was faced with dealing with my own emotions. Frustrated, I did the only logical thing: a puzzle.

A puzzle was the perfect distraction. It kept me busy, focused, and clear-headed. I was not having to constantly deal with the outside world, but instead just had this simple task to complete.

This weekend was emotional and draining on its own, but when you threw that on top of 3 weeks of struggles backed up to a cultural trip of a lifetime, it is only a matter of time before one would break down.

I used this time to refresh and recharge. All the pain and stresses are still out there, but they are more manageable when I am taking care of myself. I woke up this morning feeling more like myself again. Lately, there had been so much heartache around me that it was hard to think about the good things. Laughing was even hard. Crying seemed to be the only viable option. But, a new day helped and I am ready to continue the battle of building a better world around me; however, small my individual fight might be.

I will first start with me again, focusing on my training, eating healthy, and making overall good life decisions. I will continue to be the best version of myself while taking all the opportunities I can to make each day count.

Took me 4 years to start this puzzle, but only two days to complete. 

Be Kind to Yourself

So often I find that I am mentally beating myself up over seemingly minor things. Things that if I hear someone else talk down about, I would tell them that it isn't a big deal. But I can't shut off these thoughts! 

Lately, I have been having a rough time with food. I went to a wedding and an exec team camp. I then got sick and gave myself a silly little toe injury. All of this combined, resulted in a week of poor food choices and very little exercise. 

Now, looking at the whole picture, this was just one week and not even a whole week. I had good days and I did manage to run on occasion. But that doesn't help change my attitude. To me, I did not have a "perfect" week; therefore, it was a complete failure and, as a result, I "beat" myself up over it. 

Now, I know these are irrational thoughts, especially since I am trained in counseling and have been taught to recognize these thoughts even more, but I still think them. 

One of my favorite counseling concepts/theories/ideals is the notion that our emotions, thoughts, and actions are all tied together and if you can control one, you can ultimately change/impact/control the others. 

After recognizing how miserable I felt last week, because I let myself "fall off the wagon" a tiny bit, I wanted to try and start focusing on more positive areas. Yes, we all have slip-ups and yes, I did have a rough food/exercise week, but I managed to get right back on it this week and I am nowhere near where I was when I started. 

So, how can I better avoid this pitfall next time? I'm going to focus on "controlling" my thoughts. When I find myself getting down and being upset because I ate an extra piece of candy, I'm going to tell myself to STOP IT and move on and do better next time. And then I will let it go. I will NOT continue eating and feeling sorry for myself. I know this is easier said than done, but I am going to try. 

I should not let what the scale says dictate how I feel during the day or one tiny "mistake". Food is going to be a life-time struggle with me and I know I am going to have good and not-so-good days. I don't want a "not-so-good" food day to ruin my mood. 

I know this is a struggle for most people. We can have a fantastic day and one little thing goes wrong and that is what we focus on. Why? We should be better at forgiving ourselves and moving on. 

This week I am doing great. Eating healthy, running again, and even added in some Pilates. I hope this trend continues, but I know if I slip-up, I can/will get right back on it the next meal/day. 

I'M BACK! And working on my balance!

It has been a long time since I was able to blog, but I am back! 

Starting on August 17th, I have been in staff training for my job and it has been nonstop action. During this time I have met and bonded with my entire Leadership Team, enjoyed a Mississippi River Cruise, spent time at Camp, participated in both high and low rope courses, attended numerous training sessions, and been presented with way too many unhealthy food options! 

Staff training requires not only time and energy, but also the skill of balancing your personal and professional worlds. Considering how much I love my job, it is so easy to get caught up in it and have it be the only thing I do from sunup to sundown. Going into my second year as a Hall Director at UW-L, though, I've definitely learned a thing or two about balance. 

This summer I worked really hard to get organized for this year and to set personal goals that I wanted to accomplish. When training began, I was motivated and prepared to take on this challenging time of the year. Because of all this preparation and forethought, I've been able to move through training quite successful! 

Besides all the wonderful work related things I could talk about (because there are many since my staff team, exec team, and overall building is incredible already!), I've had amazing success with my personal journey of weight-loss and half-marathon training during this time! In the past, the time spent during training is a time that I would usually gain weight and/or ignore exercise making the statement: "I'm too busy, too tired, too stressed, too ____ to eat right or workout." This time I was determined to not fall into that pattern. 

During these couple weeks of training, I have managed to up my long-run to 7 miles, continued to run several times a week, participated in my first "organized" 5K (I got a bag to prove it!), and even lose weight (down more than 15 pounds since starting my half-marathon training)! 

I am beyond proud of myself for these accomplishments. I would have been happy with just one of the above, but I am thrilled to have been so successful this time around. I am not saying I did not have my slip-ups or give into some food cravings, but I managed to not let those define this journey. I am feeling more motivated than ever and I am determined to continue this more balanced personal and professional life. Finding the time to run on a regular basis can be challenging, but I'm learning it is more than worth it! 

Thank you to everyone who has asked me about my health journey, requested to run with me (and to those who I actually let run with me!), shared compliments, and offered support along the way. I would not be this successful without each and everyone one of you! 

I promise to blog more often now! 

New Recipe

Yesterday as I was exploring the always entertaining Pinterest site, I found a recipe for a Weight Watchers friendly french toast. I was wanting to spice up my breakfast so I decided to try it this morning and not only was it darn good, it was super easy and quick! This particular recipe was just 5 points for me!

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients: 

1 egg
1 tablespoon skim milk
1 pinch salt 
2 slices low-cal bread
low-fat cooking spray
1 banana
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup no sugar syrup if desired

Directions

1. Beat the egg in shallow bowl with milk and salt.
2. Add 2 slices of bread and turn to coat in egg mixture.
3. Heat a frying pan and coat with a low-fat cooking spray and fry the bread for 2 minutes on each side or until golden. 
4. Place french toast on a plate and add banana pieces. 
5. Sprinkle with cinnamon, honey and syrup. 

It's so easy to forget about breakfast or grab something unhealthy on the way out the door. I've made it a point to keep my apartment stocked with healthy and filling cereal bars, but then also quick meal ideas like fruit and yogurt, cereal and milk, and now I will add this to the list!

5 point WW Breakfast that was yummy, filling, and quick! 

Daily Conversations

Everyday since starting this blog conversation, I have been greeted by people sharing their own struggles with me and supporting me on my journey. Old friends have been reaching out to me via Facebook, supportive texts have been delivered, and whispered thanks have been shared. People want to know that they are not alone in their struggles and this blog is doing just that. But it's not just me, others have the same thoughts I do and are sharing in similar ways. Just today CNN put out an article about weight loss blogging! How cool! (Granted, it would have been cooler if it featured me! haha One day maybe!)

I have recently found myself speechless over how many people have opened up to me about anything and everything related to their weight loss and exercise stories. And each time someone comes to me, I feel consumed with happiness, pride, excitement, energy, motivation, etc and I just want to continue the conversation all day, everyday. So, why is it so hard for so many of us to talk about in the first place? It's not like our weight is hiding and if we don't speak up about it, people won't know. If it was hiding we would not have a desire to change it! 

I could go into the social stigma associated with weight, the personal baggage people carry related to their size, the physical struggle of losing weight, or the shame that some people feel, but we know all of that. We know that changing habits is hard and we know that everyone is fighting their own battles, but no one should have to do it alone. It is easier when you can share your struggles (and future successes) with someone. 

I am not saying I have to be that person, although I would love to be, I am just saying to start the conversation and, if you have already made that first step, continue the conversation and good luck with your journey! 

One of my successes of the day: Yummy, filling and Weight Watchers - Friendly breakfast! 

New Achievements

This weekend I had family visiting and on Saturday we decided to go for a run together. If you run from my building, through the marshes, to the Mississippi River and back, it's exactly 6 miles. My aunt and I decided to attempt this. Before this past Sunday, the farthest I had ever ran nonstop was 4 miles. I have ran/walked way more, but never have I ran more than four miles at a time.

Well, Sunday was the day to break that 4 mile record and boy did I crush it! Six miles, nonstop! We ran slow, but we were consistent and managed to run the entire thing. I was so proud of us!

Then, today, I decided to see if I could run 5 miles at my own pace. So once again I took off through the marsh trails. I am proud to say that I ran 5 miles, nonstop in under an hour today!

For those of you not good with math, that was 11 miles this weekend! Part of me does not believe that I ran that much, especially considering I felt pretty good both during and after the run. It's amazing what just two months of training has done for me and I cannot wait to see more improvements!

Because I ran so much this weekend, I am going to be taking it easy during the week with just some 2-3 mile runs. From everything I have read, it is important not to over train and I want to listen to that advice, because I have plenty of time!

Feeling great about this training and very ready to take on the week!