Leaping Off the Wagon

Well, this week, I didn’t just fall off the wagon, I leapt off.  Maybe not even a leap, but a full force run in the opposite direction of where I was heading.

And I discovered…it’s really easy to blog when things are going well. But during times of struggle, it’s hard to put myself out there.

It made me think about the life of a celebrity. No privacy, always under scrutiny for their appearances, family ties, career moves and life choices. Imagine if people judged us like we judged them? We don’t even know them. Yet, I’m guilty as charged. I’ll sit in front of the TV, in my comfy clothes and be thinking “what the heck is she wearing? Doesn’t she have a mirror?”

When I thought about celebrities and their public weight struggles, plenty came to mind. Janet Jackson, Jessica Simspon, Wynonna Judd, Jennifer Hudson, Kirstie Alley, and of course Oprah Winfrey.

As I watched the trailer’s for Oprah’s 25 year career, I couldn’t help but to think about the ups and downs of her weight loss journey, after all, it was right before my eyes. This woman, the most powerful and wealthiest in the world (until Lady Gaga knocked her to #2), she struggles just like you and me.

Oprah has the world of heath at her fingertips. She’s got a cook and a personal trainer. The best fitness equipment that money can buy. Yet she still hasn’t found her way. I’m not talking about when she rolled the wagon full of fat unto the stage in her little skinny jeans, she was too thin then. I’m talking about overall wellness.

And for you Biggest Loser fans…they have the best trainers in the world, the weight loss opportunity of a lifetime. They exercise and eat in a controlled environment and some weeks…they blow it. Makes me feel better on those nights when I’m watching Biggest Loser while eating my peanut butter Tandycakes.

This week, I ate just about everything in sight (and then some). My workouts fell to the wayside. I was tired and grouchy. And I realized that I was tired and grouchy because I ate just about everything in sight and my workouts fell to the wayside. And joyfully I thought “I don’t like feeling this way”. I like the way I feel when I put good foods in my body and when I exercise. That’s progress baby! J I thought I leapt off the wagon this week, but as it turns out, I’m still in it. My wagon just took a little detour.

Part of the reason I created this blog is to remind women (and myself), that we’re only human. We try, we fail. We try, we succeed. What’s most important is that we keep trying.

“There is no comparison between that which is lost by not succeeding and that lost by not trying.”~ Francis Bacon Sr.

Whatever you’re facing this week, don’t miss out on something wonderful by not giving it a try.

Make the choice, commit to the choice and continue with courage.

Hugs and friendship,

Tara

Missing Mo-Jo

dis·com·bob·u·late–verb- To confuse or disconcert; upset; frustrate.

This week, I’m feeling very discombobulated (love that word). I’m tired, frustrated, frazzled.

My “get up and go”…“got up and went”. I lost my mo-jo. You get what I mean…I’m beat.

There are simply not enough hours in the day to get things done. I feel like I’m running around like crazy and accomplishing ¼ of what I need to.

Work is busier than ever. My husband’s job is stressful. We have kid stuff every night of the week. As the school year comes to an end, it seems as though the teachers try to cram in all of the projects they didn’t quite get to assign. Don’t forget about the awards banquets. Our daughter is a senior, so add in the graduation planning and college preparation. Scheduling summer sports and camps. Not to mention the endless array of paperwork that comes with all of the above. And oh yeah, the house still needs to be cleaned, laundry done, groceries bought, birthdays remembered…How about squeezing in time for our family? Spouse? Children? Friendships? Spiritual time? Ourselves?

Such is the life of a busy Mom. Is it any wonder that we struggle to lose weight? I don’t know about you, but often times I come in dead last. How on earth can we find the time to shop for healthy foods? To plan and prepare meals? Exercise? And how do we dig deep enough to find the energy to “keep on keepin’ on?”

Something is different for me this time around. Which is probably why I’m feeling a little discombobulated?  I have flip-flopped my priorities. In that list of “to dos” above, just look at what comes in last place. Family. Spouse. Children. Friendships. Spiritual time. Ourselves.

Right now, I’ve got laundry mountain waiting for me to conquer. My house is semi-clean but needs some help. The endless paper pile is growing. But Jimmy Crack Corn and I don’t care! Why? Because I’m doing what’s truly important.

I went shopping with my daughter. Played whiffle ball with my son. Took a family walk and enjoyed the weather. Went out to dinner with friends. Read a book. Walked the dog with my husband. Went to Zumba with my girlfriend. Spent time in prayer. Exercised almost every day. Took some photos. Prepared healthy foods.

A few weeks ago at Weight Watchers’s, our leader asked the question “who can name one or more thing you’ve done for yourself this week?” We all sat scratching our heads and looking at each other like hmmmm…I dunno.

This week, try the twofer rule (yes I made that up). Every day, if I can get TWO things done from my never-ending “to do” list- I consider it a day well spent.

Remember, you can’t do it all, but you can do what matters.

Make the choice, commit to the choice and continue with courage.

Hugs and friendship,

Tara

Something Amazing Awaits

Well…it was bound to happen. I am at a plateau. Over the past few weeks, I have been up a pound, down a pound, up a pound, down a pound. It’s enough to drive a girl crazy. It’s also enough to make a girl quit!

When I’ve reached this point in my weight loss journey before, I threw in the towel. Because those little voices in my head tell me the sacrifice is not worth it. The exercise and aching muscles. Planning and wise choices. Weighing and measuring. The cooking…for Pete’s sake, I despise cooking.

But this time, as I write the words, the sacrifice is not worth it; I’m thinking the words, I am worth it. I am worth the work.  I am worth the exercise and aching muscles. I am worth the planning and wise choices. I am worth the weighing and measuring and as much as it pains me to say, I am worth the cooking.

So what makes this time around different? I want it! I want this. And I believe that if you want something bad enough, you can…and will…make it happen.

Granted, it “might” not happen within your planned timeline. Many years ago, when our daughter was very young, I went back to college for my bachelor’s degree. I took one class and stopped. Then, a few years later, I took another class and stopped. Not only was it not the right time in our lives, I simply didn’t want it bad enough to put in the hard work to make it happen.

In the fall of 2004, I went back again to get my degree. And this time, I wanted that degree so bad, I was willing to do anything to make it happen. I was working full time, had two very busy kids and decided to take an accelerated degree track, taking 10-15 credits a semester, including summers. On class day, I woke up at 5:30am, went to work, worked a full day and went right to class until 10:00pm. On non-class days, when push came to shove, I woke up at 5:30am to study before work. And I despise getting up early almost as much as I despise cooking. ;) I was a woman on a mission, and nothing could stop me. And with the wonderful support of my family and friends, I graduated in 2007.

I’m not exceptional, ordinary people achieve extraordinary things every day. What’s different for me on this leg of my journey is that I want to make this change. And although I might encounter all kinds of obstacles (work stress, lack of time, kid events, caring for family members), I am going to make this happen. Because I want this and I’m worth it!

A little disclaimer needs to happen here…J A good friend of mine once said to me “God’s perfect timing may NOT be perfect to you. But it is to Him”. So true. Sometimes, we want something very badly and it doesn’t happen. It might happen a year from now, ten years from now or never. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t go for it. Something amazing that we hadn’t even planned for might just happen instead.   

Make the choice, commit to the choice and continue with courage.

Hugs and friendship,

Tara

Somewhere in the Middle

“Somewhere between the hot and the cold,
somewhere between the new and the old.
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be,
somewhere in the middle, you'll find me.”

Love, love, LOVE that song by Casting Crowns and it really hits home for where I am in my journey right now, weight and otherwise.

Last week, I hit the 20 pound marker. I’m over half way to my weight loss goal. I should be jumping for joy. Yet much like the character in the song above, I’m a little apprehensive. Change is scary. Even positive change can bring about a case of the jitters.

“Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense.
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle”.

I wonder if that’s why so many people are content being caught in the middle?

Wouldn’t it be great to live life as a fearless warrior? Living with reckless abandon. Setting crazy goals. Dreaming larger than life dreams.

I don’t know about you, but I love listening to kids talk about their hopes for the future. Man, they have some gigantic dreams without limits. Sometimes they crack me up, and sometimes they blow me away with their sunshiny optimism. They don’t care if the dreams are silly, ill-timed or possibly unachievable. They are not caught in the middle; they are caught in the moment.

Where does that moment go? What happens when we grow up? What makes us cautious? Hesitant? Leery? Cynical?

We get hurt…fail. We get burned...run out of steam. Common sense kicks in.

As I’m caught in the middle, I am reminded that I have the power to get “unstuck”. Every day I have a choice and the beauty of it all? Even if I screw things up, God gives me another fresh start.

So this week, have faith in yourself. Take stock in your abilities. You have done and will do some incredible things! Tap into your fearless warrior. Do something you’ve been putting off yet wanting to do.  

The only thing holding you back…is you!

Make the choice, commit to the choice and continue with courage.

Hugs and friendship,

Tara

Ouch!@#$#!!

So tonight after acupuncture, my acupuncturist gave me a loaf of banana bread. And when she handed it to me she said “I didn’t want to give this to one of my clients that was trying to lose weight”.  What’s that supposed to mean? Do I look like Jabba the Hut? I mean h-e-l-l-o, I AM losing weight. KP, if you’re reading this, I still adore you, you had the best of intentions.

Words hurt. And even words said with good intentions sometimes can cut us to the core. Have you ever been in mid-conversation with someone and thought “oh shoot, that’s not exactly how I meant to say that”.  It’s not just spoken words that can hurt; the words that we think and say to ourselves can be just as damaging.     

I wonder, what kind of words are you saying to yourself on a daily basis?

The other day, I was in a department store and the nice saleslady in the store was helping me pick out clothes. I heard her say to her co-worker “let’s avoid this kind of cut for her jeans, she’s kind of thick waisted”.  Thick waisted…I thought I had heard all of the chub comments over the years… that’s a new one for me. Ouch!

When you look in the mirror, do you pick out all of your flaws? Do you criticize…your wrinkles…a notch in your nose…an ill-placed mole…feet that are too big…hair that won’t cooperate …a figure that will never be a size zero?

As I get older, the way I look at myself is changing. I am finally beginning to appreciate that I am exactly the creation that God intended me to be. He views me as perfect, just the way I am.

Looking in the mirror now, my goal is not to be skinny or to be thin. I want to be fit and healthy. I don’t need to look like everyone else; I just need to be the healthiest version of me.

What makes you beautiful?

Do you like serving others? Are you a fantastic cook?  A whiz in the garden? A loving friend? Do you excel at work? Kick butt at sports? Scrapbook like nobody’s business? Do you devote time to aging parents?

This week, I encourage you to take a fresh look at who you are. Each day, as you look in the mirror, pick out something you like about yourself- all the while remembering that your inner beauty will always shine through.

Make the choice, commit to the choice and continue with courage.

Hugs and friendship,

Tara

Spring In My Step

During the bleak months of winter, when I think “I cannot take this weather one more day”, something wonderful happens. One day, while lying in bed, I’m not as cold as usual and what’s that I hear? It’s the birds singing. The trees are blooming. They fill the air with new and wonderful fragrance and tiny plant sprigs are popping through the ground to bask in the sun. How can you not have a spring in your step during this time of year?

I know that I do! The scale is moving in the right direction- down. I feel lighter inside and out. I’m ready to go outside and get my body moving. I remember back to when I first started Weight Watchers, way back in 1996. The idea of getting my body moving was a daunting task. When I exercised, everything hurt- my knees, ankles, back. I was carrying so much extra weight on my joints. I started walking and even then it was hard to put one foot in front of the other, I was SO tired. I remember starting with a five minute walk. And each week I gradually increased my pace until I was whipping around the neighborhood, walking 4 miles a day! That felt good!

A few weeks ago, the topic of our Weight Watcher’s meeting was yo-yo dieting. Oh yes, we’ve all been there. This is not the first or the last time we’ll be facing the fact that we’ve put on a few pounds. What really stuck with me from that meeting is how important it is to focus on the positive by learning from past experiences. Start to think about how you felt at your most fit and begin to work your way back.  You may be thinking, yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m just too busy to exercise. Well, we are ALL busy. J I’m learning that exercise doesn’t have to be an all or nothing activity. My mindset is usually that I need to hit the gym hard and have a high calorie burn for at least one full hour. Please join me in a new approach to exercise.    

If you take ten minutes before work, walk with friends at lunch, take ten minutes after work- before you know it, you’ve exercised for 30 minutes! And your morning and evening routine hasn’t suffered for it. For me, I think about the time I spend winding down in the evening, watching my favorite sit-coms…and then I realize wow, two hours have gone by and I was lazing on the couch. And yes, we all deserve a break and need the rest. But we also need to take care of ourselves.  

I challenge you this week, to get up and get moving. Spring is a time for re-birth. It’s when everything comes back to life. Such a great time for a fresh start on a new you!

Make the choice, commit to the choice and continue with courage.

Hugs and friendship,

Tara

The After Picture

So I’ve been thinking about doing this blog for quite some time. I’ve been thinking…and thinking…and thinking…and thinking some more. My friend Cathy is probably laughing when reading this. And my husband Nate has been known to say “Tara, you overanalyze the heck out of things”. So true.  

What can I say? I like to mull things over. I was taking this quiz the other day and while I was deciding on an answer about being spontaneous I read the note in parentheses that read “if you’re still thinking about your answer, you can pretty much rule out spontaneous”. Ha!

I never like to do something unless I can do it all the way, giving better than my best effort. Doing it just right. Blowing it out of the ball park.  

Sometimes this leads to procrastination. Ever experienced this? I tend to get in my own way. When I was creating this blog (in my head), I had in mind the “after picture”. You know the one where I look fit and fab-u-lous and have reached my goal. So I thought, I’ll just wait until I reach my goal AND THEN, I’ll start my blog.

Ever had one of those moments? I’ve heard it’s called “someday syndrome”.  Someday, I’ll try a new hobby. Someday, I’ll paint the living room. Someday, I’ll have more time to spend with the kids. Someday, I’ll take a day off. Someday, I’ll call that person I’ve been meaning to reach out to. Someday, I’ll lose this weight. Someday, I’ll start that blog.

Well I don’t know about you, but I’m fed up with someday syndrome. Because all of those somedays go by and you’re still in the same place. You can’t make a change if you don’t take the first step. So here I am, mustering up the courage to take that the first step by sharing my journey with you. Will you come along with me?

One step at a time…one day at a time…one choice at a time…one challenge at a time.

Are you ready? I sure am! Make your someday- today!

Make the choice, commit to the choice and continue with courage.

Hugs and friendship,

Tara