Real Stories: Nadia

Nadia, for those of you that have never had the privilege of meeting her, is one spunky, funny, spontaneous, and life-loving gal.  She is from Missouri, but has followed the road of life all the way out to North Carolina.  When she still lived in Columbia, she fell in love with Jazzercise, and eventually became an instructor at Columbia Jazzercise Center.  She was so well-loved but customers and instructors alike, and we sure do miss her!  

Nadia, can you share your story?

I have a little bit of a different story than you usually hear. I am actually smaller NOW than I have been ever in my adult life. I was always the “fat kid” growing up. I was teased. I was picked last for every game/sport in school. I was very self-conscious about my body/weight. I grew up learning very bad eating habits. I will mention plate cleaning later, but it was a big part of my upbringing. We had dessert after every meal, and even if I were full (which I never really paid attention to) I would have to clean my plate if I wanted to eat dessert – and of COURSE I wanted dessert. I also wasn't a very active adolescent. I was involved in theater/music/band and NOT sports. This caused more and more weight gain. 

Nadia in 2005, second from left

Do you remember a moment that made you change the way you felt about your eating & lifestyle?

My AH-HA moment was my dad passing away.  He (along with lots of other people in his family) had diabetes-related issues and I just decided I was not going to follow in his footsteps. He was a really successful athlete in his younger days and always told me he wanted me to be more active. He would be so proud to see me now!

Nadia, Right, with sister

What size were you then, as compared to now?  

I wore a size 20 on bottom and a size 18 on top at biggest – I weighed 240lbs.  I now wear about a size 12, medium shirts and large pants.  I weigh about 170ish, I am still going. I don’t know how far I am trying to go – I think I will know when I get there. It’s not about a number for me or a size….It’s more about how I feel and look to myself.  

What was one of the biggest things you've learned about your eating/habits that has made the biggest difference? 

1. My stomach isn’t that big. My eyes are always bigger. It takes a small amount of food for me to feel full.  
2. That, and it's important for me to eat something every few hours.  

We all have plateaus in our weight loss.  How did you stay motivated?  What did you do to bust through your plateau?

Motivation for me is the fact that I am motivating others. We are human…we all have down slides and up swings. It’s important to surround yourself with people who will lift you up and help you when you need it in the right ways. It’s better to have a “hey, let’s go for a walk and talk about it” friend than a “hey, let’s get a tub of ice cream and drown our sorrows” friend. 

You are a busy professional. When life is hard and stressful, how do you stay on track?

Planning is the key to success for me. For example: on Tuesdays, I sometimes teach 9am Jazzercise, “shower” and change at our center, go straight to work, go straight to choir, and don’t get home till 10am. On days like this I have to pack food for the entire day that morning before I leave. If I have a plan, I am good. I am less likely to get derailed if there are free bagels in the teacher’s lounge or whatever.  Life is HARD and sometimes I DO just want a damn milkshake….and I do not deprive myself of that. Now…it can’t be sometimes EVERYDAY, but every once in a while. J

What is your favorite "on the go" food that helps you not eat badly when busy?

Bananas, apples, FROZEN GRAPES, little plastic containers of carrots, applesauce – I eat in my car daily

What's your trick(s) when eating out so you don't go overboard?

Buffets are the devil for me. Portion control and listening to my body are the things I struggle with most on this journey to health. It has been programmed into my brain to “clean my plate” SOOO much it is hard for me to resist that. This is part of the reason why teaching kids to listen to their body is so important to me. When eating out and trying to be healthy, I try to go with a lean meat and two REAL vegetables (potatoes, corn, mac & cheese are not REAL vegetables). Telling them to hold the bread/chips is also sometimes a really (hard to do but) good strategy we use.

Nadia (right) at her last class at CJC.  Smaller than she started, but not as small as she is now!

On average, how much do you try to exercise in a week? 

I try to go to Jazzercise 6 days a week. Even if I’m not teaching, I go take class. I prefer to do Yoga once a week, but have been slacking lately. I dance and run races with preschoolers every day at work too. :-)

When you drink alcohol, how do you keep it in check?  Do you limit your alcohol intake?  

This is a hard one for me because my PREFERRED drinks are mixed drinks which are FULL OF SUGAR.  I enjoy vodka/rum with juice. Juice is evil. J I have started trying to drink the hard ciders that are cheaper and look like beer. To be honest, I’m not sure how they are nutrition-wise, but I don’t drink them enough to matter that much. Also – if you are a sipper and not a drinker, just sipping on something like whisky is going to be less calories than adding something to it. If you are a beer drinker, there are some light options – I know Travis [boyfriend] likes Mich Ultra which has like 60-something calories. The key to drinking is dancing while drinking so you are burning calories too. J That, and NOT getting sucked into the late night drive through temptation on the way home!!!!!

What is your favorite breakfast?  Lunch?  Dinner?

If it’s a quick bfast before a morning workout I do a bar with some protein and a banana

Regular Bfast: I like to do an egg on a light English muffin with a laughing cow cheese sometimes with spinach or tomato (depending on what’s in the fridge) with some fruit

Lunch: (I take my lunch and eat with my kids) chick peas with red pepper flakes, a medley of veggies w/ hummus or guacamole, fresh fruit, a light baby bel cheese, and some low in fat turkey lunchmeat, sometimes I have a ricecake or pop chips

Dinner: There’s a delicious crock pot lasagna recipe that I got from Weight Watchers that I like to alter and veggie-fy . It is really easy and yummy. I am trying to use my crock pot once a week.

Nadia & friend, now.  Look at all those veggies!

Do you have any mantras or mottos that you repeat to yourself when you are feeling down, discouraged, or unmotivated?

“When you feel like quitting, remember why you started.”

You are so encouraging, Nadia!  Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I just want to encourage anyone out there to keep trying. It’s a long, hard, road to fitness and health.  Just think about who YOU might be inspiring in your life. You never know when someone is looking up to you or when YOU might be helping someone make better choices. 

Nadia (left) enjoying the outdoors with a friend

Real Stories: Emily

Something that inspires me the most is hearing (and seeing!) how others have been able to lose weight and/or become more healthy.  I think reading about their hard work and hearing their tricks, and favorite foods & treats is so very motivating to me!  I thought it was appropriate to share Emily's story today when she is almost at her due date for baby #3.  

Can you share your journey & history with your weight & eating habits?

I started gaining weight slowly after I was married at 21-- maybe 5 pounds a year that I didn't notice much until it was 40 pounds.  At that point, I was uncomfortable, and began to work-out on an elliptical and eat smaller portions.  I'm married to a large man and I honestly think that I felt I could eat larger portions because he was, even though he's a foot taller than I am.  I've found that you tend to eat like the people you are around -- the same foods and the same portions.  It's harder to resist the chips when your friend is munching on them.  I was always active on the weekends as my husband and I would go on weekend hikes and canoeing treks, but those calories burned were often consumed while I sat during the week (I sat at a desk at work and then sat while studying for school).  

My weight stayed stable once I began working out during the weekdays, until I, in the same month, landed a new grueling teaching job and became pregnant with my first child.  I was so stressed and busy that I would eat to calm myself and gained at least 50 pounds during that school year.  I lost a little weight after that baby, maybe 20 pounds on my own through weight watchers and walking with friends at the park, when I became pregnant with my second son, which lead to me gaining yet another 50 pounds.  After my second son, I was a tight sz 16, 200 pounds on a 5'5" frame.  I had always had a figure, even with the extra weight I put on right after being married.  It was devastating to me.  

The blow to my self esteem hurt my marriage and tainted my friendships (because of jealousy).  I had  turned 29 just before having my second son and decided that I wouldn't waste another decade feeling uncomfortable in my own body.   I was going to look amazing on my 30th birthday.  I had decided.  

Unfortunately losing weight on your own, and keeping it off on your own, is next to impossible.  I lost 20 that year with Weight Watchers, walking, and working out at Wilson's, but found myself wasting my hard work during the week by eating like my husband on the weekends.  Or eating too many servings of a "treat" just because I had made it.  I mean -- what do you DO with an entire cake or loaf of beer bread?  I am still proud of those 20 pounds, mostly because losing weight after a baby seems to be difficult for me, but I turned 30 and was still in between a sz16 and 14 dress size.  Nowhere near the sz 8 that had been my goal.

A few weeks before Emily started Jazzercise

 

Literally within a week a friend told me about an Ad Sheet coupon for Jazzercise and wanted me to go with her and Sarah was in the room.  When I found out Sarah was an instructor I wanted to go with my other friend to try it out.  I had a miscommunication with that friend and missed going to my first class with her (Sarah's class) and that friend left to go home.  To keep me from feeling alone, Sarah worked out next to me even though she had just taught a class.  I felt incredibly awkward, but I still came back.  It took me at least three months to really feel like I could do most of the moves (the side touch still gives me problems), but I noticed immediately that although I felt like I was going to fall over,  the group setting and motivating music were like magic.  Working out alone is awful!  I'm convinced that exercising with friendly competition plus caloric management is the magic bullet of weight loss.  There is nothing else in my mind that is healthy or sustainable.  So, of course, my weight began to melt off of me and my husband was delighted.  He has always thought I was beautiful, but who doesn't want a healthy spouse?  

I started to hit plateaus after the baby weight came off -- the older weight didn't want to budge, but I kept at it.  And, here is what saved me from staying stagnant, I gained a partner in my lifestyle goals.  One day (after a Halloween candy binge) my husband realized he was over-weight.  Tall big-boned men can hide a lot of weight and he was impressed with my sustained success.  All he has done since that day is count calories (and lost 60 pounds in 6 months).  But now I have someone who is in this fight with me and my plateaus didn't hang around for long.  By the following summer I was buying a whole new wardrobe of cute sz 6 clothes (my saved "skinny clothes" were now too big) and my penny-pinching husband didn't even bat an eye.  We were so tickled at how worth it is to feel healthy.  

Andy & Emily "now" (pre-pregnancy)

What size were you when you started this journey with Jazzercise & healthy eating?

Before kids a 10, after second son a 16, when I started Jazzercise a sz 14 (195lbs) -- after 2 months of Jazzercise sz 10, after a total of 15 months of Jazzercise I was a sz 6 (147lbs), and toned.   

What was one of the biggest things you've learned about your eating/habits that has made the biggest difference?  

That I'm prone to ruin my diet at 3 pm when I'm exhausted.  If I drink decaf coffee or ice tea and have a small snack (apple and popcorn) I can make it through the rest of the day.

We all have plateaus in our weight loss.  How did you stay motivated?  What did you do to bust through your plateau?

Complaining to you about it!  Friends are essential during these periods.  You need a group of people who will tell you how great you are doing and Jazzercise is that place for me.  Also, I reminded myself at each weekly weigh-in that I am proud of no-gain.  I don't have to lose to be proud of myself, maintaining is difficult enough!

What is your favorite "on the go" food that helps you bad eating when busy?

Apples!  I love almonds too, but I usually eat too many.  If I'm at home, I adore blueberries, but two cut-up apples in my bag really help (one for me and one for the boys).  I've also adopted Sarah's idea of a spoon in the car for a quick on-the-go yogurt trick.  ;)

What's your trick(s) when eating out so you don't go overboard?

I share my meal with my sons if they are with me.  If they aren't, I just make sure I don't snack on anything before I begin eating and I drink A LOT of water while I'm waiting for my food.  We don't eat out often -- what is more tempting is keeping myself from finishing my sons' plates after dinner, which can easily add up to an extra hundred calories each night.  I also don't restrict my calories too much.  I've found that the more restricted I feel the more prone I am to binge.  Smaller caloric deficits are better in the long run and they get your body used to how you really should eat.  

On average, how much do you try to exercise in a week?  

Before my second trimester of pregnancy this year I was working out at Jazzercise 6 times a week (I truly feel like you have to do 5 in order to lose weight in a week) plus all of the yard work and house cleaning that I do in addition to that.  On my "off" day at Jazzercise we would go for a family walk.  I have found that Jazzercise was easier for me the more I did it (the less sore I was), but sometimes I would have to take it easy because of old injuries.  It's always worth it to go and do low-impact than to sit at home and find your day has passed. 

You have kids.  How do you balance the meals? Do you cook two different meals, or do you cook the same for everyone.  Do you have junk food snacks in the house?  Anything to share in terms of balancing mom-life/kids and weight loss?

It's really hard for me to not buy my sons treats, so I make sure that they are treats that have the calories listed and that we get them out so they aren't sitting around the house for me to consume while they are asleep.  I don't normally cook separate meals for my sons.  Maybe twice a week they'll have something added to their plate that their parents don't (like mac and cheese or a corn dog) but they still have all the vegetables on their plate that we are eating.  I do have some junk food in the house, but I don't buy things that are temptations for me.  Sometimes I'll eat those things, but as long as I keep the things out that I love (ice cream, muffins, sour cream and onion chips), I don't have a daily battle with food.  

What is your favorite breakfast?  Lunch?  Dinner recipe? 

I swear I have grown to love bran flakes for breakfast.  Lunch always changes, but my snacks do not.  I almost always snack on a couple of servings of fruit (we splurge in our budget here, but that's okay because we save it elsewhere) and then 200 calories in either popcorn, nuts, or yogurt.  For dinner, when my husband and I are restricting our calories, we often eat a salad before we eat anything else.  We like Newman's Own light dressings.  We always always have a green vegetable, usually in addition to the salad, and always another non-green vegetable that we love. We rotate bean dishes (beans and greens or taco salad with beans instead of beef) with egg dishes (fritattas) and starches are very limited.  We really don't restrict the types of food we eat in any way, this is just how we've noticed that we should eat so that we aren't as hungry within our allotted caloric needs.  Pitfalls for me are cheese and peanut butter -- I measure every time because I know I'm going to give myself too much.  We cook really simple things for dinners.  It's easier with children and we can better estimate the calories.   Also, my husband has added our family favorite recipes to myfitnesspal.com so we know how much a serving will cost us.

Emily after the Color Dash, 3 months pregnant

Any Final Thoughts?

I had a lot of hard moments, but I remind myself that I'm doing this for my life -- not just because I want to look nice.  I want to live as much as possible and I have to be able to keep up with my outdoor-loving sons.  I also want to live as long as possible! Obesity related illness runs rampant in my family and I want to give my sons a positive example of healthy living.  

It's also difficult, when you have a significant amount of weight to lose, to remember that small successes add up to large ones.  I often had to silence the voice in my head that said I couldn't do it, couldn't really get to that healthy weight goal, because of course I could.  A pound is a pound and if you have lost one you can lose another.  I can't wait to return to Jazzercise after I have my third son.  I know how great I'm going to feel. 

It's The Little Things

Hey Friends!  Now that you are two weeks into our class and we've had several times to chat with you, Jenn & I have sensed an attitude that we want to alert you all to be on the lookout for.  I don't have an official name for it, but I would warn you to be on your guard against having an "all or nothing" mindset.  

Here's what I mean: some of you are dealing with problems that have made it difficult to jump into this class 100%, even though you'd like to.  There are many factors for this--perhaps it's a super busy job schedule, or an injury, a health problem, or a travel schedule that puts you out of town more than you'd like and you have not been able to be at Jazzercise as much as normal.  

I've heard similar sentiments from several of you: "I just don't have the time right now to be "in" all the way, so that's why I'm not getting the results I want." or I've heard, "I'm hurt so I have not been able to work out, so I'm not very motivated, and I'm frustrated about that."

This is a dangerous attitude to have.  Why, you wonder? Are you thinking,  "I paid good money for this, and if I am not getting to execute the way I had hoped, and I am wasting my time, right?"  Wrong.  Wrong, wrong, wrong.  

I'm here to tell you that life is full of complications, setbacks, busy schedules, and tough choices.  If you have a mentality that you have to be doing it "All" for this to work, then you will continually be failing.  The truth is that life does not often cooperate.  You could have two great weeks and then break a toe (ahem...happened to me) and then not be able to exercise....does that mean that you can do nothing while you wait for your toe to heal?  Nope!  You can still do other things--perhaps it's upper torso work, or sticking to your eating, etc.  Maybe your work schedule has changed and you are not getting into Jazzercise the way you had hoped.  What can you do?  Eat well, walk on your lunch break....doing the little things, even if not part of your original plan, will make a big difference!

The point is, the little things add up to one big thing.  I heard a saying for the first time this week, "little mice eat big holes" in reference to frivolous spending.  You could apply this to your health & fitness too.  Little (changes) make a big difference.  So don't give yourself the cop-out of saying, "I can't do ______, therefore I cannot do it!"  We all have things that are going to get in our way, but we have to peck away at lots of little changes that add up to one big change.  We have to watch our attitude and be positive.   
Make big holes this week, Friend.  You CAN!  

~Sarah

P.S. Other posts that would be helpful to you are Struggles & Setbacks and Can You?? Or Can't You???

Struggles & Setbacks

Well hopefully by this point in the Powerful Life program you are feeling some sort of momentum: maybe you are eating less, working out more, maybe you are happy because you’ve lost weight or you just “feel” better in your clothes, maybe you have had a total change in your eating habits, or maybe it’s the first time in your life that you’ve ever consistently exercised!  Whatever it is, I hope you are seeing some change in the right direction!

I have found in my own personal lives that I’ll be heading down the right track, feeling good about my right choices, weight loss, exercise intensity, etc., and something will happen.  Here are some of the examples of setbacks that have occurred in my own life over the years:

·         In 2009, had lost over 50 lbs.  In 2010 I stopped nursing and gained back 5lbs (no big deal, right?).  Soon after my thyroid got a bit screwy and my DR couldn't get my bloodwork right and I gained 10 lbs in a very short period of time.  THEN, we moved and I packed on another 5 from the move.  I gained 20 lbs in a short amount of time.  Setback?  For sure!

·        A few years ago, I was in a great groove with Jazzercise, coming 5 to 6 times a week, loving every bit of it, and then suddenly I injured my knee had had to COMPLETELY stop Jazzercise for 6 weeks until the inflammation went down.  It was so discouraging to me.  Major setback.

·       Right before I got pregnant with Knox I had started running on my off-Jazzercise days and injured my foot to the point that I could barely walk.  Irritating, yes.  Setback?  For sure!  I had to take some time off of teaching till it got better!

Now I can go on and on with little setbacks, and you can probably think of some of your own struggles that have set you back.  The birth of a child and the weight gain that came with it.  A job loss that sent your regular exercise routine spinning.  A health change that made losing weight hard, etc.  A sudden injury.  All these things are setbacks and they WILL happen to all of us.  The difference is how we deal with the setbacks.

For me, the fast 20lb gain that I experienced in 2011 is (almost!) back off with a lot of hard work.  The knee injury that sidelined me from Jazzercise drove me to a 1 month pool membership where I did laps to keep my endurance up without further injuring my knee.  It allowed me to re-enter Jazzercise easily when my knee felt better.  The running injury healed itself with time & patience.    

The difference between someone that has lost weight or reached their health goals isn’t that one didn’t experience setbacks and the other had setbacks.  The difference is the way one responds to the setbacks.  You can choose to power through hard times or you can choose to give up.  We have talked a lot about our attitude throughout the last month.  What will your attitude be when injury or struggle occur?  Will you give up or will you allow the struggle to create more character?  We are often the people we are today because of the hard times that we have made it though. 

I am not a person that is naturally going to be thin without trying hard.  Sometimes I feel like looking at food makes me put on a pound J.  It runs in my family.  I have an aunt that had gastric bypass last year and has lost 250 lbs.  I could easily be her if I wasn't careful.  But I look at what my weight struggle has taught me and I’m so much the better for it!  My health is great, my endurance and ability to exercise is better than it’s ever been, and my knowledge about good and bad food choices are ONLY because I HAVE to know these things in order to keep my weight under control.   My weight struggles is one of the best things that has ever happened to me, in a way! 

So keep in mind that every setback, struggle and injury can either throw us off the path for our goals or make us stronger.  Also keep in mind that we should expect setbacks, injury or otherwise.   None of us are exempt from having them.

I’ll end with a quote by Bob Green (Oprah’s workout guru):

“Temporary setbacks will occur.  It’s your choice whether to keep them temporary or to make them excuses for why you failed.  These challenges can either strengthen your self-esteem or take away from the gains you have already made.  It’s important to know that setbacks happen naturally whenever you push yourself or try to change your life.  They are life’s way of asking: “How much do you really want this?” 

 

Can’t think of a better way to end the post than with that.  Have a powerful week, friends!

Real Stories: Tiffany

Tiffany is a great gal, long time Jazzerciser, that has been smaller and smaller every time I've seen her!  I asked her if she'd share with us her story of what motivated her to lose weight and be more healthy.   Like I mentioned before, I think hearing from REAL people that have been where you are is so helpful.  Her words are motivating to me, and hopefully to you too!


I started having a weight problem when I was about 16.  My Dad would give us gas money and I would fill the car half up and use the other half on junk food.  I have a huge sweet tooth…the vending machine was my BFF in High School! My Mom was always onto my sisters and me about our weight because the “skinny” gene does not run in our family and diabetes and cancer does. I guess that just made me mad, so I would eat and eat.  I realized at the age of 18 that I had to get this under control!   I lost 17 pounds with Weight Watchers just before entering college before the Freshman 15 hit. I ended up working for Weight Watchers for 5 years while in college. I quit right after I got married, and had a desk job and sat, and would eat and eat…gained all the weight I had lost and more.  I gained 70 pounds with my first pregnancy, lost half of it, gained more with my second pregnancy, then lost it again.  A few years later I gained a lot of weight back after I got a divorce. I would walk 3 miles a day, but didn't really watch what I ate.  I was a single mom trying to survive! 

In 2008 I married an amazing man that has helped me so much with loving who I am.  I am a stay at home mom, and while I was trying to survive my husband's deployments for the military I kept myself busy taking care of my kids and volunteering for several organizations.  Two months after my husband came home, August 4th, 2013, I decided it was time to take care of myself.  I cut my volunteering down to 1 organization and jumped in with everything I had. I choose a weight loss coach that I knew (Woodall Weight Loss Solutions) in guiding me on the path to eating right, and Jazzercise as my exercise program. With the help of my husband and children I have lost 48 pounds! I have 2 pounds before I hit my goal of 50 pounds! When I started on August 4^th I weighed 196.8, and about a size 12.  I now weigh 148.8 I wear a size 5. (I tried on shorts for the first time and it was a glorious moment…I cried in the dressing room LOL).  I weigh less now than before I had children.

Left: Tiffany, last summer Right: Tiffany, today, 48 lbs thinner!

Wow, that's quite a change.  What is one of the biggest things you've learned about your eating habits through this process?

I have learned that I cannot eat junk and sweets every day!  I love desserts and appetizers! I have a “cheat” meal (dinner & dessert) on Saturday.  This has been my saving grace. I wanted to lose this weight so bad that I had to mentally prepare myself to change a lot of things.

What's does a typical day look like for you?  

I eat about 4 portion-controlled meals per day.  I use my old weight watcher books as a guide for my portions.  I eat a lot of vegetables, I limit my fruit and eliminate most sugars.  I try really hard to listen to my body and continually change it up so I don't get bored and I don't let my body get used to one thing.  I love pineapple & cottage cheese for breakfast, and for lunch I love salads and anything fresh.  I hand write everything down. I know that there is many apps out there, but I like the old fashion way (lol). I do use an app called ”Track Weight” to track my weight.

What is your favorite "on the go" food that helps you prevent poor choices?

I love raw nuts  (I like to mix the nuts, you can get nuts without salt added in the Rockbridge Hy-Vee self-serve section).  I also love protein drinks! My fav protein drinks are the Premier Protein 100 Calorie Snack Size Shakes from Sam's club…already mixed and I can grab them on the go.

What do you do at restaurants to stay on track?

Unless it is my cheat meal, I have everything planned ahead of time.  Take my own salad dressing, spray butter, cinnamon, and Skinnygirl Organic Stevia. I ask for no rolls (the servers look at you like you are nuts). I order 6oz steak, or a 6oz piece of chicken. I order a sweet potato dry, and even my salad dressing dry.   My husband and kids think it is hilarious, but I take it all in a cute cooler bag and nobody even says anything! 

When life is hard & stressful, how do you stay focused?  

I plan my weeks out on Sunday. I plan when I am going to drink my water each day to what my family is going to eat for dinner each evening.   Speaking of water, I drink 5-20oz bottles of water, YES 100 OZ of water a day (I bought a 20oz Tervis cup @ Hallmark and I just refill it). The best time to drink my water is when I am driving:

• #1: Take the kids to school...drink a glass,
• #2: Driving to jazzercise...drink a glass,
• #3: I keep a bottle in my car for after Jazzercise to drink when I am driving home
• #4: Drink a glass when I am getting ready
• #5: I drink a glass when I am sitting in the pickup line at school, and by the time I get the kids home I have all my water in for the day! 

I was adding flavor drops to my water and then realized that stuff as a lot of sodium in it, and was causing my hands to swell at night. The kids loved to help me plan how I was going to get my water in for the whole day. I would pick them up from school and they would ask what number I was on for the day. LOL! It took me a few weeks to figure out what worked best for me.

  

On average, how much are you exercising each week?

I started off attending Jazzercise 6-7 days a week.  When I hit the 40 pound mark, I was doing 5 regular Jazzercise classes to two Strength 45 classes.  I was having trouble fitting the Strength 45 into my schedule, so I went back to 5-6 day a week of regular Jazzercise, and it is working. 

You have kids.  How do you balance the meals? Do you cook two different meals, or do you cook the same for everyone?  Do you have junk food snacks in the house?  Anything to share in terms of balancing mom-life/kids and weight loss?

I did cook two separate meals when I started on this last weight loss journey. Now I just watch the portions, and eat what my family does. 

I have children, so yes, we have a small section in the pantry of junk food. I think everyone can have a little treat every so often….for my kids, its after school.  I have my "treat" (1/3 cup of raw nuts and my protein drink) while I'm sitting in the car waiting for them to get out of school.  By the time we get home from school I don’t want any sweets.  I plan ahead!

Do you have any mantras or mottos that you repeat to yourself when you are feeling down, discouraged, or unmotivated?

"You can do this and you are going to love it when you are finished!"

"You might not like it so much now but you will in the end…I promise!"

I kept reminding myself that, "In my house you don’t break a promise!"

I did a lot of praying and asking God for strength. I really wanted this! 

Tiffany Before, 20 pounds, 30 pounds, 40 pounds thinner!

Thanks so much, Tiffany.  The change is so amazing!  Is there anything else you'd like to share?

You just have to listen to your body…I am always changing it up week after week…I try not to let my body get used to one thing.  I like to call it a lifestyle change and not a diet!

Keep your goals small.  Don't look at the whole picture at once.  I had to lose 40-50 pounds, but I told myself, "I am going to lose 5 by {this date}",  "20 pounds by Hawaii", etc., and I shoot for that…I allow myself new pants and shirts at certain big goals.  I make it a game…its fun! When I hit 40 I finally bought new pants…finally! 

What an inspiration you are, Tiffany!  Thanks so much for taking the time to share with us!  

Planning For "Cheating"

This class is about molding our habits so that we can live a healthy, balanced life.  Not just a healthy, balanced month.  And the reality is, we can stick with perfect eating habits for so long before something comes up.  There will be birthday parties, weddings, work parties, vacations, etc. that will interrupt our regular eating habits.  We have to decide how to handle these events, so that we don't blow our healthy eating on a regular basis.  Yet, at the same time, we don't live in a vacuum.  Life happens, doesn't it?  

Usually, when I know I may encounter a difficult eating situation (catered wedding, work lunch that is planned for me, etc), I have to decide on one of three options (there may be more than three, but these are usually one of the three ways I go):

1. I don’t worry at all about what options will be available; I eat with reckless abandon, and then feel regretful about it later.
2. I eat before I go, bring my own healthy options if possible, and limit myself severely, and drink a lot of water.  During the event I may feel deprived, but afterwards I don’t feel regretful, rather, victorious.
3. When I know an event is coming ahead of time, I can eat very carefully all week, including the day of the event.  I plan to splurge a little bit on my most favorite treats, within moderation, and then return to my regular eating following that meal.

Which option do you think works best for all of you? 

I know for me option #1 does not lead me to feeling very good physically or mentally. 

Option #2 is sometimes necessary when we have a lot of luncheons, tricky eating events, etc., in a short period of time.  We can’t splurge at every meal, or it’s not a splurge!!!

Option #3 is to really watch your caloric intake and food choices all week leading up to the event, knowing that you are saving any splurging or treats for the event.  The day of the event you eat as carefully as possible.  Before leaving for the event, eat an apple and almonds (anything that will help you to not be ravenous).  When at the event, you pick your MOST FAVORITE dishes or desserts (not everything that is put before you) and you STOP after one helping.  NO PICKING, NO SECONDS, STOPPING WHEN SATISFIED!

Option #3 allows for a little “cheating”, while still staying within reason.  You will leave feeling satisfied, you won’t be deprived, and you won’t (hopefully!) be regretful. 

Let’s face it—if you do a very restrictive diet with no room for cheating or splurging you will feel overly-deprived and eventually “fall off the wagon” big time…sometimes for good.  So, in every effort to stay on track, let’s “plan for cheating”!

Remember this--our culture uses food to celebrate everything.  We use it to entertain, it is the central part of a lot of social gatherings.  This is ok.  There's nothing wrong with enjoying life.  But if we use the excuse of every gathering and celebration as a chance to over-eat or eat unhealthily, we won't  be as successful as we want to be.  We need to pick and choose the most important events and foods.  We have to learn to become selective!

And lastly, always keep in mind its ok to not eat at an event.  Sometimes we feel obligated at family or social functions that we have to eat or we are going to offend people or look weird.  Most people don’t really care that much if you do or do not eat…and also remember, it’s calories going into your mouth, not theirs….so if you feel pressure to eat because of social obligations, feel free to say, “I’m in a program right now and I am committed to losing weight and being healthy.  This ______________(fill in the blank dish) looks soooo wonderful, but I know if I start eating it I won’t stop, so I better pass this time.”  Or always feel free to blame it on your doctor.  “My doctor says I cannot have foods with high sugar” (etc).  Sometimes putting the blame on a medical professional will generally be more respected.  

Telling ourselves "no" sometimes is a healthy exercise.  Living in balance is healthy as well.  We need to decide what is the most important to us!  I know I can go to a wedding reception and I can enjoy dinner and skip the cake, because I don't like cake that much.  I don't feel that deprived not eating the cake.  You, on the other hand, may adore wedding cake and want to make other sacrifices in your week to be able to enjoy cake.  That's fine!  Just learn the fine art of telling yourself "no" and choosing your most favorite foods as splurges and cheats. 

You can do this!   

Real Stories: Colleen, part 2

Do you remember meeting Colleen the other day?  

Colleen (middle) looking fabulous & happy

She has a great story of slowly changing her life, over time, from unhealthy to much healthier.  Colleen is the perfect example of what we are trying to do in Powerful Life.  We want to empower you to live a more healthy lifestyle....for the rest of your life.  Not just for 6 weeks :-)  Colleen is a great example that change that is real change takes place over time. Her journey, really, is just beginning!  Colleen has so many great things to share with us that I decided to break up her interview into two parts.  So, without further adieu, let's hear from Colleen:  

We all have plateaus in our weight loss.  How did you stay motivated?  What did you do to bust through your plateau?

I like to periodically try something new. Back in September, I downloaded the Couch to 5K app and completed the program.  I actually ran some races, and it got me over the plateau hump and helped blast through a particularly stubborn 10 pounds.  Little challenges like that help.  When I first started, losing weight, my friend and I decided we would ride our bikes to Hermann...that extra goal made us log miles and make healthy choices.  I'm excited for warm weather again...the offers many opportunities to be active and healthy!

You've had a major loss, with the passing of your sister and have experienced pain during the last few years.  When life is hard and stressful, how do you stay on track?

I'm not really sure...I believe that exercise is necessary every day, both for my physical and mental health, and I just do it.  I don't go insane with it every day, but I do it.  If any thing, losing my sister is motivating, because she was a healthy 49 year old who died suddenly of a blood clot in her lung...to add to that, my mom and her mom both died of strokes before age 70. (Mom's sister also died of a clot in her 50s). We now know that there is a genetic abnormality in our family that causes us to clot.  I was already health-conscious, but now that I've tested positive for 2 genetic mutations that affect clotting, so I am even more diligent about walking more in my job, guzzling water, and maintaining a health weight through exercise and healthy eating.   It isn't easy; stress and loss tax the body in ways I never realized.  I have to let a lot of things go undone at night to go to bed at 9, and sometimes getting out of bed at 5 is a real chore, but I just have to do it.  I keep it a priority.

What is your favorite breakfast?  Lunch?  Dinner recipe?

I usually have a smoothie for breakfast: 1 c milk, 1/3 c. frozen chopped spinach, 2/3 c blueberries, 1 scoop all natural chocolate protein powder, 1 T chia seeds...all blended until smooth.  It offers me a good balance and refuels my muscles after exercise, since I work out early in the morning.  My favorite weekend breakfast is an egg omelet with a grapefruit on the side.

Lunch: In the winter I like lean chili with a side of vegetables (two cups of cauliflower, etc)  I make it in big batches and freeze it.  In summer I like a turkey sandwich on Ezekiel (sprouted grain) bread and vegetables (tomatoes, etc.)  

Dinner: Fajita bowl!  I make a big batch of chicken fajitas: chicken breast, mushrooms, onions,  and peppers all sautéed.  I top it with Wholly Guacamole and a spoonful of greek yogurt (it tastes like sour cream) and a little shredded cheese.  I also like chicken curry made in the crock pot or a simple piece of meat and a side of vegetables.

Do you have any mantras or mottos that you repeat to yourself when you are feeling down, discouraged, or unmotivated?  

Haha.  Not any that I say out loud...but I think to myself, "If I eat like everyone else, I'll look like everyone else."

"Failing to plan = planning to fail," applies to meal planning, too!

Since you've been at this for so long, what else would you like to share?

My other tips are pretty old-hat....I drink a lot of water...probably 2-3 gallons per day, and most of it before 5, so I can sleep through the night.  Dehydration makes me tired.  I mix it up by adding some crystal light packets (normally, processed foods are a no-no) 1-2 times a day, and drinking lemon water.  

Rest is important. I sleep 8-9 hours every night. (I don't have kids...I probably sound like a jerk right now!  I'm sorry!)   I am better prepared to make good choices if I'm well-rested.  It helps me set up my routine, which is necessary for me.  I used to think I would get bored eating the same foods, but when I evaluated what I ate, I already ate the same foods...they were just BAD foods.  

I like to listen to nutrition podcasts to keep me motivated, too.  They keep me focused. I'm a big proponent of exercise, but it won't undo bad eating habits.  We don't expect exercise to undo to lung damage from smoking...why should it undo the damage of poor nutrition...?

Finally, diligence pays off.  There were times when I would do everything right and it didn't make a difference. I make myself keep on it. 

Colleen, thank you so much!  Would you mind sharing an easy recipe with us?  

Well, I copy a recipe straight from this blog.  The recipe is funny, but really good!  Also, I use bags of peppers and onions from the freezer section.

Did y'all know you were working out next to such a treasure trove of knowledge?  You guys need to hang out with this gal more!  Again, Colleen, thank you!  You've been so very helpful!