Quinoa & Cupcakes

I feel like my healthy lifestyle mimics the ebbs and flows of our summer time and its weather. I do pretty good most days with a few blazing hot, awesome days that make you feel alive (ie eat well, hard core exercise). And then throw in some cloudy days...and maybe a slice of pizza. For example, I committed to cardio and weights on Mondays and Wednesdays and every other Saturday with yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Here is how things have shaped up (no pun intended...okay, maybe a little intended ;)

August

Monday: Hard core workout at gym

Tuesday: Nope, ate a cupcake instead

Wednesday: Treadmill & weights followed by yummy dinner and mini-golf

Thursday: Worked...heck no, not working out like I said I would

Monday: Yay! Gym and weights - Feeling pumped

Tuesday: Nope, fixed lasagna and hungout with friends :)

Wednesday: Did NOT feel like working out, but did anyway! Yay!

Thursday: Worked, like always, and did nothing when I got home, like always

Saturday: Went camping for first time! Walked around and set up a tent, does that count?

Monday: Too tired from camping....and a headache. No workout :(

Tuesday: Did the dishes...does that count?

Wednesday: Yet to be decided...planning to get back to gym tonight

So here it is a week later and the only exercise I have done is the dishes. It is amazing how life can fly by and you feel as though the train sped down the tracks before you could catch up and jump on. But thankfully, no one else is conducting the train but me, so I can tell it when to stop and start. Yes, it is harder to start and stop because I lose momentum, but at least it hasn't left me behind in the dust. So here's to hopping back on a slow rolling train.

So that is my exercise life, how about food? I don't like counting calories I decided. It is pretty depressing especially since I have had some good and bad meal experiences these past few weeks. Instead of just showing my healthy choices, I cannot lie and must show the not so healthy eating experiences I have also had...because that's my reality. Starting with this...

We went up to U Village and ate Chicago Style pizza at Delfino's. As you can tell, it was sooo good and sooo filling and soo not healthy. But it was good and in the past. Mmmmm. 

The next day I was feeling a little woozy from the pizza so I had peanut butter toast and Chobani yogurt, which tasted way better with my free Menchie's spoon :)

Then a few days passed and I started to run out of groceries. I decided to try this yummy recipe from the Chew!

Picture and recipe from thechew.com. Get it here

So I pulled out all the ingredients, started making it, and pulled out my tortillas. Gasp!

What am I supposed to do with that? I had no idea and was debating on whether to toss them...or make chips. I thought, "Gosh, I wish I had glue that was edible." And then...Brilliant! I DO have edible glue. It's called....CHEEEEESE!

I brushed some olive oil and heated both sides in the pan to seal the cheese.

Voila! Cheap, tasty dinner with tortillas that actually worked! Go me.

We also went to a wonderful wedding that had a Cajun food truck catering! We got sweet tea and super healthy options as evidenced by this picture...(note sarcasm and shame)

But they were yummy and we shared them. That helps, right?

Then we went camping for one night a couple weeks later and had the usual: Hot dogs with chili, smores, chips, pancakes, eggs and bacon for breakfast. I did not feel so good for a couple days after all that yumminess. At least I didn't wrap my hot dog in bacon like the boys did.

It was a fun experience, but I have got to figure out some other food options that my body feels better with.

I had had enough of junk food and got on this quinoa kick. I made large batches of quinoa and then tried different recipes and froze them for later. I think the key is to cook the quinoa in broth instead of water. I used chicken broth and it gives so much more flavor. I did a mushroom and onion with Parmesan cheese recipe and a cilantro lime quinoa. I also did a plain batch in water and will find other recipes to use it with. They turned out pretty good and quinoa is the new super food. 1 cup has 15% of daily intake of iron, 21% daily intake of fiber, 8 grams of protein and 222 calories. Yum!

So there are my food confessions. I am a bit embarrassed and humbled by some of my food choices the last few weeks. I make the excuse "it's a special occasion" at least a couple times a week. I either need to make better options or just eat a lot less. Thank you for letting me confess and hopefully you will be patient with me and yourselves as we have our ups and downs. This is a lifestyle and reality, and it's not perfect. But hang in there, we will make it and be proud of how far we have come. Cheers (with a glass of water).

Us camping

Bachelor Food, a Wedding & CCRN

Wow! A lot has happened since I last posted! I will start from the beginning....

Once upon a time...

Oh wait, not that beginning...

The week I posted last was wedding week for my sister-in-law Abigail! Somehow, through all the parties, hangouts and dinners, I was able to workout on the days that I had planned! Monday and Wednesday we went to the gym for cardio and weights and Tuesday I did some yoga. Wednesday at a family dinner, my sister-in-law Lindsay asked if I had done my weights and cardio that day! Talk about accountability! Thankfully I had...and I made sure to do my yoga on Thursday since she was keeping track of me ;). This accountability is a good thing since I don't like to disappoint people or not do what I told people I would. So thanks Lindsay!

A healthier lunch. Avocado toast & tomato basil soup! Yum!

Friday was the big day and I wore a pink dress I got for Christmas and hadn't worn yet because I wasn't confident in it. I felt so much better over the six months of trying to be healthy. I was able to relax and enjoy the day and how BEAUTIFUL Abigail was as a bride and how glad I am to be a part of the Westfall clan!

Abigail and her 5 brothers!

Saturday and Sunday I worked so didn't do any workouts. Monday and Wednesday we went to the gym and did weights and cardio again. I like to do the elliptical. The little blips in the screen with 2 dots on it mean I pushed myself for a minute. Haha, kind of pathetic, but it was a good workout! I also did a run/walk routine on the treadmill which pushed me, kept my heart rate up but was easier and more manageable because I had an end in sight for the difficult, faster running. I also did some Jillian Michael's Yoga on Tuesday and Thursday.

Saturday we were taking a trip to Westport to see family! We left on Saturday, which meant we had to do some sort of exercise. I had to pick up some CCRN study books from someone at work. My solution? Let's walk there! So Matthew and I walked the mile down the steep hill to work and then hiked the hill back up! It was fun to walk some neighborhoods and get a little exercise! Then we were off to Westport! We had a wonderful and relaxing time, yummy food and a cute doggie too! On Sunday we walked along the beach to the rocky spit and back, collecting sand dollars along the way. This was 3 miles total! We rewarded our walk with some sandwiches and a cute coffee shop called Tinderbox!

We got back from our little vacation and exercising did not occur. I was doing some last minute studying/cramming for my CCRN exam that Wednesday. I literally studied from waking up to going to bed. I even studied while I ate. Wednesday came and I was so nervous, anxious, and surprisingly ready to take this on! I took the test and walked out of the room where the person who worked there looked at my printed results. He paused, looking confused, and said, "Soo...do.....you want....the....good news?" He smiled and then stated, "Congrats, you passed!" YIPPEE!! I have been studying since January with more intense studying the last month or two. It's over! (For those that don't know, CCRN is a certificate for nurses who care for critically ill patients. It certifies a deep understanding of pathophysiology and how to treat those with critical illnesses. It is nationally recognized and gives a small bump in pay ;) I celebrated with Chipotle and then went back to work for four days.

On Saturday, after my third of four days, I came home exhausted to an empty house. I was so hungry and couldn't find the time or energy to make some yummy healthy food. So I made some dinner and sat on the couch to watch America Ninja Warrior. My husband calls and asks what I was doing. I pause and look at what is on my plate.

"I am watching Ninja Warrior and eating...Umm......uh... microwaved tortillas with some cheese...."

"Wow," he said, "You sound like a bachelor right now."

Yeah...so maybe I need to have a better plan for alone dinners after work....

So here I am on Monday, with NO STUDYING to do! Yay! I am determined to get back in the groove and plan to due some weights and cardio today. Maybe some zumba? Yeah :)

Even though I had a week off from exercising, I like how me getting back to my "normal routine" means I am exercising and eating better. This has started to become my normal activities that I return to instead of trying to initiate. Sometimes life happens and you have to enjoy it and get back to the routine and workout when you can.

So here's to making exercise a routine! And to no more cheese tortillas for dinner....

Scheduling the New Plan

I have been MIA. I'm sorry. I have been complacent and comfortable with having my "healthy lifestyle" switch to cruise control and coast without being accountable and working hard.

But that is not why I started this blog. I have heard from several of you about how you share the same struggle as me and need encouragement and accountability as well. I want us all to be healthy and successful in this journey. I don't want to let myself, my husband, or you all down! Let's do this!

So....how do I restart?

My husband and I took out our calendar and wrote in the days and times we are going to exercise. It will take some sacrifice such as having to workout after a long work day or having to make a simple meal that will be ready when we are done working out. But we have a plan. A solid plan.

Every Wednesday we workout when Matthew gets home from work. We do cardio and weights at our gym. Every Thursday when I got home from work, we do something "lighter" such as stretching or yoga to help with toning. Then, each of us have to find two days to workout on our own: 1 day of weights and cardio, the other "lighter" like walks, stretching, yoga or pilates. Mine will be Monday and Tuesdays. THEN every Saturday I don't work, we will sleep in a little and then plan a fun exercise date such as hiking or longs runs.

We planned all this last week and started our new adventure into health with a hike to Rattlesnake Ridge. We fueled up and took healthy snacks (blueberries, Gatorade, sandwiches and saltines with low-fat peanut butter). It was a good hike and I didn't pause as much as I thought I would. The view was amazing, as always and we enjoyed our picnic lunch at the top.

Then we hiked up a half mile and stood in the exact place where Matthew knelt down two years earlier and asked me to marry him. It was a wonderful way to top off our new exercise adventure.  After putting in the hard work, the end, the view and the conquering makes it all worthwhile.

We went to the gym on Wednesday as planned, but didn't do Thursday as it was fourth of July and we had some celebrating after I got off work.

Saturday.

Oh Saturday.

I thought it would be super fun to do some running down at Chamber's Bay since we had never been before. It was warm out, but I thought we could drink water and there would be enough shade. The time we were able to go was after Matthew got off work, around 4pm. What a mistake.

We walked down the first big hill to go to the bathroom, stretch and get some water. Then we were to run/jog a mile, walk 1/2 mile, and run/jog the rest. 0.8 miles in, I am already over heating and exhausted. If I were a car, I would have broke down in smoke and made you pull me over to the side of the road and die. Then we came to the first hill. Correction, mountain side. Those aren't hills people, they are mountains for HIKING. We hadn't gone a mile so Matthew made us "run" up the hill. I think I was making as much progress as someone running up the down escalator. I literally felt as if I wasn't going anywhere. Somehow, I think Matthew physically pushed me part of the way, we made it to a flat spot where my Iphone chirped "one mile" and I stopped. Thankfully, we were at the hills and were able to walk/hike up the rest of the horrible, mean, grueling hills. At the top, it was a half mile so we (I) began to run/weakly jog the rest of the way. It was so hot and I was so tired, but somehow we made it to the car.

It was terrible. I had a headache the rest of the day and was so hot. So, Duh lesson number 1, do NOT exercise in the MIDDLE of a summer day! It will just set you up for failure.

Next time we do that, we are going DOWN those hills in the evening on a cool day. And hopefully I will be more in shape to CONQUER them, instead of having the course conquer me.

So, here I am, starting yet again. But each time I start, I have new lessons, new ideas, new motivation. And I am never going back and restarting from where I was months ago. No, I make healthier and healthier choices that I can still fall back on, even when I have a rough moment...or month.

So on to my new adventure of exercising, and of course counting calories and eating healthy. The one major goal I have is this (and now I have to do it since I am telling you all and already agreed with my husband). September we will hike Mt. Si. I have been so intimidated by this hike as it is 4 miles UP with an elevation gain of 3,150 feet. I am going to work out and be strong so come September, I will stand on the top of that mountain and say, "...." uh...something profound I am sure.

So hold me accountable. Mt. Si, here I come!

Searching for Motivation

So these past few days I was lazy and unmotivated. I ate pizza and didn't have to count it in my calorie log. It was rather nice, and yet I was saddened by my lack of discipline and the possibility that I would really throw away all the hard work and progress I had made.

So I searched for some motivation. I read all my past blog posts to see why I started in the first place. I loved my determination and was also able to see all the ups and downs I have had through this process. And those won't go away. I will never be completely motivated or excited to work hard every day, but sometimes you just need to do it anyway.

I also read part of this book about being physically and spiritually healthy. One part that stood out to me:
"though exercise and staying in shape require a lot of work and even regular pain, not being in shape requires its own pains and labors. If I'm going to hurt in this fallen world...I'd rather hurt and be sore getting in shape than hurt and be sore because my body isn't fit." Gary Thomas, Every Body Matters

So I started back on track on Monday. I counted calories and stayed under budget. I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and did this killer arm work out.

Do it here

Tuesday, although I was sore, I did 30 minutes of my pilates tape. I only said, "I hate you" once to the lady. Progress, right?

Tuesdays are my weigh in day...but I wasn't able to do it today.

Why?

Because my husband threw away our scale.

He said, "it is wrong and has brought sadness."

So he threw it in the garbage. I didn't know what to do and was shocked that he would throw it away, just like that! And yet, I loved what he showed me through this action. First of all, I need an ACCURATE scale to show me my progress. Secondly, I can't solely base everything off numbers since they CAN change based on water, meals, hormones, etc.

New plan. Get an accurate scale and weigh myself once a month instead of every week. If I am making progress, this should be seen no matter the day's circumstances.

So although I am not super stoked to get my butt kicked during workouts and be super disciplined, I know it is what I need to do. It is the right thing, it is my goal and I need to stick to it and see it through. I would rather deal with this pain than the pain and sadness I feel when I am tired, out of shape and can't fit into my cute outfits. And I truly believe I will be more effective if I am fit and healthy: a better nurse, better wife, better able to serve and a better mom in the future. So here I start again...whether I feel like it or not, I'm doing it.

Setbacks

I was right. The scale WAS lying to me. I had a routine check up at the doctor's office and their scale showed me 5 pounds heavier. I went to my parents scale...5 pounds heavier. Mine? 5 pounds lighter.

Instant discouragement.

Yes, I have lost weight since my scale has been reading less, but now I have further to go and more to lose than I originally thought. Seeing those old familiar numbers at the office virtually erased any progress I felt I had made. I know I have lost weight, but I have also lost motivation.

I haven't counted calories for the past few days. And it's too hot to exercise or be inspired to move at all.

At this moment, I can't conjure up any inspiration or desire to continue.

I usually end on a positive note, but I just can't bring it out today. And that can be part of this struggle. Some days...ZERO motivation.

I am not going to freak out and resort back to my old habits. I think I am just idling right now...waiting for a green light and desire to hit the accelerator again.

For right now? I am just sitting in traffic...without A/C.

Color Me Not

"BeBeBeBeeeep. BeBeBeBeeeep."

5:15 am.

Time to eat breakfast. It's the morning of my much anticipated Color Vibe 5k. I eat breakfast early and go back to sleep before a run because I tend to get really bad side cramps and nausea if I eat too close to running. The race starts at 9 am, so now is a good time to eat a healthy, fuel injected breakfast. I ate a banana and some strawberry oatmeal. I had 2 slices of turkey lunch meat for some protein and 1.5 glasses of water before going back to sleep before real wake up time.

7:00 am. Both Matthew and my alarms go off at the same time. It's time! Time for race day!

We get ready and are out the door a little later than intended...but still on track to get to the race at 8:30 am. My friend has my running packet at the race, so I will meet up with her and hang out until it all begins.

We have an uneventful drive up and exit the freeway at 8:26 am. 2 minutes from Bellevue College where it will be held.

Brake lights.

We come to a complete stop on the off ramp. We literally are inching along with no end in site. We take a right and hope to get around some of the traffic. This helps, but all of the streets leading to the college are completely jammed. As we get closer and closer to start time, I get more panicked. I call my friend and ask her to leave my packet at a booth to pick up so she can start the race. We are so close, yet so far. It's 8:56 am...and worst of all....

I have to pee. SOOO bad. I am in tears. Finally, I leave all of my things with Matthew and hop out of the car while he waits in line to enter the parking lot. I walk with a large crowd across the entire campus to the starting line. I pick up my packet and put my race shirt over the other 2 shirts I had on (since I intended to take one off and give to Matthew, but couldn't with our change of plans.) I use the port-a-potty and then wait by myself for the race to start.

All by myself in a crowd of 3,000.

I left my phone with Matthew so I have no one to call and can't find anyone in the packed crowd. I am okay waiting by myself for a few moments. Unfortunately, they postponed the start time due to the horrible traffic. So I waited until 9:30 am when they released the first wave. Then five minutes would pass and another wave would go. I was wave six, so I did not start until about 10 am. (Side note, I have an important family event to go to at 11 am, which I thought would be no big deal with a start time of 9 am. But 10 am? Uh-Oh...)

Here we go! They throw some color on at the beginning and I am excited for the first kilometer when yellow will be thrown on me. I wave bye to Matthew as I pass. I am running uphill but keep a steady pace. I keep going, on to a long downhill. I should be near the first kilometer by now, right? Around a corner and through a path. People are skipping the hills and walking in front of me. I slowly jog on the grass since my goal is to not walk at all. Down another loop and a couple of hills, through the parking lot and I am so mad that I haven't reached the first kilometer. I am tired and ready to quit when someone yells, "how far are we?" to which a race official says "you're two thirds of the way there! Good job!"

"Excuse me?" I think to myself. "Where are the color stations where they throw color each kilometer so you know how far you have gone? I am almost done? This is NOT what I signed up for!" All this is going through my head as I slow to a pathetic jog behind two kids texting while walking on the narrow path.

I keep running and think to myself, "I am soo mad right now. No one is taking this seriously. And I want color thrown on me! I hate running. I am never running a race ever again."

I hear the crowd and I speed up. I pass Matthew and sprint down to the grass. Some color gets thrown on me and I run into a crowd.

"Am I done? Where's the finish line?" I look up and see I have passed a flag that says "finish" although there was no ceremony or even line in the grass to confirm my observation. I go to get my finishing snack....which there are none. I grab a water bottle and head up to Matthew. I said, "let's go."

He said I made good time (for me) and was probably around 32-33 minutes, but it wasn't officially timed so I will never know.

I rewarded myself with some chocolate milk I brought...which was sooo good. I told Matthew, "That milk made the race worthwhile."

We then raced off to my event that started at 11 am and got there at 11:30 am, which ended up being perfectly fine. Phew!

So needless to say, I was disappointed. And maybe I was spoiled since my first race was Seattle's Seafair race...which is the epitome of well run races.

In regards to this race, I accomplished my goal: I ran and did not walk any of the race.

After the endorphins kicked in and I had some chocolate milk in me, things started to look better and I became inspired....

Inspired to attempt a 10k.

So I got a little color thrown on me, a good workout, and some inspiration.

Not bad after all, eh?

So I will take a week off from running and refocus, and then...

10k, here I come!

Cravings

My issue lately has been cravings. I had a dream last night that I was on an adventure. I was searching high and low and was driven by a deep passion. I finally found what I was looking for. I looked around to make sure no one could see me...and I took one, because one is all I wanted. I took one, large....






Wait for it....













Potato chip.

And as I crunched into it, my husband walked in and I acted like I wasn't eating anything because I wasn't going to count it in my calories.

How depressing is that? Maybe it is a sign that I need to chill out. Or maybe it is just part of breaking the habit and changing to healthier foods.

Today I had a craving for macaroni and cheese (which I never really eat). It was after dinner and I had 200 calories left over. I wanted a single serving of creamy, cheesy, cheese and macaroni. I searched all over pinterest and narrowed it down, until I saw that a little serving was 370 calories. I instead settled for a couple of cinnamon graham crackers and began writing this post to distract me from further cravings.

Sometimes I am amazed that I have made any progress at all. I haven't been able to exercise since that 3.4 miler last week because I got sick. I also have indulged on a scoop of ice cream one day and white bread another day. So when I stepped on the scale this morning, I was SURE the number would be back to where I started originally. So I was surprised when I found out I was still on track and the scale was showing I have lost a total of 7 pounds! I stepped on the scale a couple times because I thought it may have been lying to me because it felt sorry for me. Even if it is lying, it means I am about halfway to my goal! It has been a steady process and fraught with temptations and difficulties...but I think I am overall making better choices.  I just need to exercise more and be motivated in that area.

Speaking of which, Saturday is my Color Vibe run in Bellevue! I am going to do a short, easy run tomorrow so my "legs remember what to do", as a running coach told me. If you are awake at 9am on Saturday, say a quick prayer for me! Thank you in advance and I will of course have pictures!