Announcement

Our little pumpkin will arrive May 2014!!!

Finally fall!

Fall is my favorite season. I love being able to wear hoodies and flip flops simultaneously. I love the crisp air, nature's color palate, and not to mention.... fall food!

I'm ready for all things pumpkin, apple cider, candy corn and peanuts, and squash. 

As I write, I am waiting for some pumpkin muffins to finish baking. Yum!

And I'm especially looking forward to long walks outside. It's perfect walking weather and my husband is FINALLY home to stay after almost a year of working away. Yay! 

What are you looking forward to about fall? Any favorite fall recipes? Feel free to share in the comments!

Ideas for the Thankful Healthy Blogger 5K

I’m starting to think about the Thankful Healthy Blogger 5K again this year and would like your opinions.

For anyone new to the blog, this is an annual virtual 5K that I host.  This will be the fourth year! And I do plan to host it again this year. It’s a fun event with prizes that is held on Thanksgiving Day—in an effort to keep us out of a food coma and get some exercise in.

In previous years, I have had prize packs to give away.  Last year, quite a few sponsors generously donated prizes. I always came up with one big prize pack of items that I provided with my own money too.

But I got to thinking—would all of you like prize packs or would you like gift cards as prizes? If gift cards, would you like one big ($100 or so) gift card to one winner or break them up into smaller amounts with more winners.

I am one to prepare ahead—which is why I’m asking this far in advance!

Any other ideas to make this 5K better than all of the last?  Last year, someone suggested that t-shirts be made for the event—would you buy one? I’m not sure how much something like that costs—but what would be the avg. price you’d be willing to pay?

Let me know your thoughts!

my new look

What do you think? Fun to have a new look.

Five Surprising Foods that help you LOSE Weight!

This post is brought to you by The Biggest Loser Resort.

It turns out you can eat and lose weight. That's right, I said it: eating certain foods (real, tangible foods – not ice cubes and chalky protein shakes) will actually help you lose that extra weight. Surely, she must be joking, you say to yourself. Which foods would help me lose weight? She must be crazy! Well, to assure you of my sincerity (and sanity), I'll even tell you which foods have been proven to help you reach your weight loss goals.

Quinoa
This grain-like staple is a perfect substitute for white rice and pasta and is more related to spinach than cereal. Quinoa also offers a healthy boost of protein, making it an ideal choice for vegetarians. Quinoa is high in calcium, B vitamins and iron, and since it's naturally gluten-free, it has a home in nearly any diet. Use quinoa in place of other grains; for example, use a cup of cooked quinoa as the base for a delicious, healthy risotto instead of rice, and reduce your calories while boosting nutrients.

Eggs
It's no secret that protein keeps you feeling fuller for longer periods of time, and eggs are a complete source of protein that you can enjoy every day. While the medical community once shunned the noble egg, doctors and medical researchers are now on-board with an egg or two a day. If you want to further reduce your calories, limit yourself to one whole egg, and egg whites for the rest. Eggs don't need to be a breakfast staple, either. Hard-boil your eggs, and eat one for a snack or with a salad. Add vegetables and herbs and bake them for dinner for an effortless frittata that's big on flavor and low on calories.

Almonds
Almonds are full of protein, but they're also an excellent alternative to refined carbohydrates for those trying to lose weight, according to a recent study. Almonds contain numerous vitamins and minerals, essential amino and fatty acids and the so-called "good" fats, helping to reduce bad cholesterol. Chewing vigorously increases the fat-burning abilities of almonds, so grab a handful and chew thoroughly for maximum enjoyment and real results.

Vitamin C
Foods high in vitamin C are often touted for their immune-boosting properties, but vitamin C may play a large role in weight loss as well. Current research points to vitamin C-deficient individuals and their tendency to retain more fat, suggesting that those lacking in this vitamin may be unknowingly sabotaging their weight loss goals. In the same study, zinc, magnesium and vitamin E deficiencies were also at fault, so look for foods with these properties. Spinach is an ideal choice, high in vitamins A, K and C while offering a good amount of iron, vitamin E, calcium, manganese and magnesium. Swap out less-nutritious greens with vitamin-packed options like spinach or kale next time you make your favorite salad to curb hunger cravings.

Dark Chocolate
Incorporating small amounts of dark chocolate into your weight loss meal plan hardly seems right, but it's a tried-and-true weight loss method, promoted by some of the best weight loss programs out there. To begin with, eating sweets produces a calming effect on the mind and body, reducing the secretion of corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF), a hormone related to increased stress levels. A small indulgence can curb stress-induced cravings and give you a much-needed mood-boost for the rest of your day – just be sure that it contains greater than 60% cacao content. Dark chocolate is an ideal choice for satisfying your sweet tooth, high in antioxidants and offering the same good fats found in nuts and healthy oils. While this treat should be eaten sparingly, it still can be a powerful weapon in your weight-loss arsenal, giving you the freedom to indulge without resetting your hard work.

While there are many weight loss programs and quick-fix diet plans out there, the right one for you will stress the importance of moderation, fitness, nutrition, and education – the key tenants of The Biggest Loser Resort's award-winning weight loss program. You don't need to starve yourself to lose weight; in fact, starvation can have the opposite effect, slowing down your metabolism and increasing the likelihood of binge eating. Instead, be conscious of the foods you put in your body, and develop a healthy relationship with what you eat.

Weigh in Day

Week one was a success!!

I have to say that I love weighing once per week! I think I let myself get too concerned with the fluctuations when I weigh every day.

This week, I lost 4.8 lbs.! Yippee! I am super happy with that. My hard work paid off.

I had a 7,537 calorie deficit for the week, so some of that weight must have been water weight—but who cares! I know I can probably expect a smaller loss next week.

Hubby lost a good amount too. I actually lost more weight than him this time. Say what?! I’m sure next week he will leave me in the dust.

We met our goals for the week and are going to keep the same ones next week.

It’s so nice to see the scale move in the right direction.

I see beauty…

Today at Target I saw a woman who looked like she was anorexic. Nothing but skin and bones. I noticed the pack of diet soda in her cart and I thought to myself, “girl—it’d be ok for you to drink regular”. But it made me realize that we all have our struggles.

If we’re not too fat, we’re too thin. So many people struggle with their weight and it’s not always because they are a little too fluffy. Some people are naturally very skinny and they have just as bad a body image as those of us who have a few too many extra pounds on our bones.

Guess what guys and gals? It takes all kinds of kinds.

Beauty is not about how fat or how thin we are; isn’t what truly matters what’s found in the depths of our hearts?

I see beauty when I see a young person take the initiative to help an elderly person.

I see beauty when a stranger with a smile holds open the door for me.

I see beauty when there is forgiveness, even when it’s not deserved.

I see beauty when no retort is made to rudeness. It breaks the chain.

I see beauty in kindness.

I see beauty in the generosity of those who have little to give but still do.

I see beauty in the gentle arms of love’s embrace.

I see beauty in the simple words of “thank you”.

I see beauty in those who not only bend their knees to pray, but bend their own will simply to preserve peace.

I see beauty in old couples who still hold hands.

I see beauty in commitment, in trust, and in honesty.

I see beauty in putting others first.

This is what real beauty is—and all of these things aren’t a result of DNA, the newest weight loss fad, or fame and fortune.

You are as beautiful as you choose to be.

And folks, this is the kind of drop dead gorgeous I want to be.

Another Good Day

I had another good day today on track.

I had to go into the office today and it happened to be another day where there was a potluck. I packed a healthy lunch and didn’t eat any of the tempting treats- not even the cupcakes and not even the cookies. Victory!

I told myself that I would rather save my calories for enjoying a good meal with my hubby. Or enjoying a cupcake from my favorite cupcakery because they are always worth the calories. But right now, I’m not eating those things.

I have to admit I came home from work hungry without many options for supper. I ended up eating a “breakfast for supper” type meal and it was delicious! I felt like I wanted to eat more, so I am blogging instead and hoping that hunger will pass. I had enough to eat!

As it is, I have enough calories for my nightly popcorn. Yippee! I was afraid I wouldn’t have enough calories left over.

Today, I wore the new dress that I bought last weekend. It always makes me feel better to dress nicely. Although I will be happy when my stomach shrinks some and I’m not so self-conscious of it! Here I am in my new outfit—it’s pink!

So only a few more days until weigh in—I hope to see some good results after this hard work!

A Hungry Day

Today was my first “hungry” day.

I woke up hungry, so I started out with a bigger than usual breakfast which included protein. It was delicious, but at 500 calories it was more calories than I usually eat at breakfast—although not out of control or anything.

I thought that would hold me over but I was hungry by break time. I ate a serving of turkey jerky and that helped hold me over until lunch time.

For lunch, I ate a balanced meal with protein and veggies in a wrap. It was flavorful and really hit the spot, but it wasn’t long until I was hungry again.

For my snack, I ate some Bohemian plums. That’s what my husband’s family calls them—I’m really not sure what the official name is. But the plums are small, just a little larger than a grape. They are SO good.

But by supper time, I was getting to that dangerously hungry place. After being hungry all day, it was the end of the work day, and I was running low on calories. Having my evening bowl of popcorn keeps me sane while reducing my calories, so I knew that unless I could figure something low-calorie out for supper, I was going to be at a dangerous place and go over my calories. I also felt like I could eat anything.

And I came up with the most delicious and filling supper for about 200 calories! I sautéed zucchini with a little olive oil and garlic and topped it with marinara sauce and parmesan cheese. It was flavorful and satisfying. I will definitely make that again!

And I still have calories left—Yay!

So I would say today was another good day—but it was dangerously on the edge. It was an accomplishment to stay on track today!

Still Going Strong

Hello everyone! It is so nice to hear from you in the comments again.

Day 2 and Day 3 went well!

On Day 2, I was within my calorie guideline. Yippee! Hubby and I also went for a 30 minute walk. For once, I was the one pushing him to get out there and get active, and then once we were out there I griped and complained the entire way. lol But we got it done! And check out the pretty picture I took for you—a bee in motion!

You’re welcome.

Day 3 went well. I have stayed within my calorie guidelines and have enough left for a snack this evening. I am still in a good mindset—so that helps a lot! This weekend, I stocked up on some healthy foods and new snacks—that keeps things interesting.

I am not going to weigh until Saturday morning, which will leave me in anticipation but also inspire me to stay on track. I will be excited to see how I do!

Until tomorrow!

Day One: Complete

The first day of our new endeavor went very well! We both stuck to our calorie goal.

I am feeling much better today. The headache has subsided for the most part—just a little dull ache left, and I’m hoping the headache will be gone for good. I am also feeling less of the “bloat” feeling this morning, and that does wonders for my mood! All of you women know how feeling a little bloated can make you feel horrible!

Yesterday was the perfect de-stressor for me. I really needed it. Hubby knew it too…so he suggested we have a date day and take a little road trip. <3

We ate out at Hu Hot for lunch—I love that you can go to their website and calculate your calories before you eat! We both figured what we would eat and then stuck to it. And you can make a healthy meal out of it too—just beware of the sauces.

And then I had a little retail therapy. If you are in the need of such therapy, this is the time of year to do it! I actually went to Lane Bryant because I often have a lot of luck finding cute skirts there, and I can wear the 14/16 size. And I was not disappointed. I bought a dress, two skirts, two tops, and a scarf (which was only $4). All of the items were on clearance and then there was a promotion for an additional 60% off the clearance price. Nice!

And then I made the mistake of going in a kitchen store—you know the ones with all of the fun gizmos and gadgets. I was looking for a wok and I found one, only to get it home and realize it can’t go in the dishwasher….I try not to buy anything that can’t. lol

But omw, they had K-Cups on clearance. I came out of there with a total of 80 K-Cups. I told you I meant business. And for a steal too! I always vow that I’m not going to buy any more K-Cups and I just can’t keep that promise when I see a good deal. Am I alone in this?! lol I love my coffee—so it never goes to waste. 

During our day trip, I Googled walking trails in the area and we found a 1.6 mile loop around a lake. It was kind of “industrial” looking, so I was a little leery of it but it turned out to be pretty nice! It also took us exactly 30 minutes, which meets one of our exercise goals. I took a few pics to share.

I am happy about Day 1 and I know Day 2 will go just as well. I am glad that we started yesterday on a Saturday when I could be more relaxed. Hopefully I can handle the stress of Monday without going off track. I will deal with Monday’s troubles when Monday arrives, I suppose.

Have a great day!

Today is Day 1

I am excited to begin another leg of my journey! There is hope.

I am on day three of headaches—always on the same side of my head/face. It will disappear for a brief time and then comes back. I am hoping eating nutritious foods will help with that but I am under a great deal of stress right now and I’m not sure which is the culprit, if not both.

Hubby is joining me again this time and that is a huge motivator for me.

This morning, we weighed and then I calculated how many calories each of us can eat to lost 2 lbs. per week. We are both tracking with the My Fitness Pal app—it helps to see him adding what he eats to remind me that I need to do the same.

We set some goals for Week 1.

1. Exercise at least 3 times per week for a minimum of 30 minutes (starting out with easily obtainable goals)
2. Drink 8 cups of water daily
3. Eat at least 5 servings of fruits/veggies daily
4. And a personal one for me—no sweets unless they meet the guidelines which I have set for myself (low calorie type things to satisfy the sweet tooth in moderation). This method has always worked well for me and lately I have backtracked on the rules I usually hold to.

I am also going to try to update you all here on my blog a little more regularly.

So here we go!

I can do this!

We can do this!

Rock Bottom

Today, I feel like I’ve hit rock bottom. The added weight of poor health decisions on my shoulders as I crash into the depths of obesity is crushing and horrifying. It’s a horrible feeling, but it’s also the kind of place one needs to reach before real change can happen.

I recently blogged about realizing that I have started to maintain, finally, after continued weight gain—and I continue in that maintenance. But in the process of getting to the point of maintaining again, I put on some weight. Not everything, but I did gain a good chunk, about 30 lbs., back.

I feel the extra weight in each step I take and even every time I choose to remain sedentary instead of going for a walk. Shopping isn’t very much fun any more- I’m on the brink to having to shop in the plus sizes—but still able to shop in the misses. I’m on the edge in so many ways.

But all of that is not really what make me feel like I’ve hit rock bottom.

I’ve had a horrible headache all day long. Nothing cures it. After years of no terrible headaches, I’ve begun to get them again. I’ve had two migraines since the beginning of the year. Today’s headache isn’t quite a migraine, but it’s painful. And I can’t help but think that maybe occasional poor eating choices and lifestyle choices are causing them. If anything is going to make me change, it is the sick feeling of obesity. The aches, the pains, the fatigue. I HATE that. I hate how I am ruining my life! OBESITY is NOT ruining my life—I AM.

My biggest problem is my inability to deal with stress in a healthy way. I have a hard time leaving my worries at work at the end of the day. Somehow, I think that I need to be perfect at everything. I constantly worry that I haven’t done the right thing, said the wrong thing, should have said something, shouldn’t have said something, or that I’m not meeting everyone’s expectations. I worry that I’m not making everyone happy. It is so stressful trying to please everyone. And yet I try.

My husband constantly tell me that I have a right to say and think whatever I want to. My opinion is no less important than the next guy’s. I don’t need to worry so much about just being myself. It really is ok. Why do I struggle with that so much?

I eat when I am stressed out. Plain and simple- I don’t know if I overeat for any other reason lately, to tell you the truth. It’s always stress. And I don’t mean just the kind of stress you have when you have a big test. I’m talking about the overwhelming feeling of having to be amongst a large group of people, of having been (or having perceived to have been) looked at sideways, or to having to go outside of my comfort zone (there are a hundred different ways this can happen). I stress and I stress and I stress. This probably causes headaches, I know it causes the incredible tension in my neck and shoulders, and it often causes other symptoms.

I know I’ve told you all of this a million times. And I’m saying it again. But this time, I’m about to embark on the next leg of my journey. I am ready again.

I am going to make some plans by this weekend and get started. Concrete plans. 

I don’t want you to think I’m horribly depressed—because I’m not at all actually. I mostly feel overwhelmed. I feel very normal in my weight struggles—I know I’m not the only one who has these issues. But I hope to be able to share with you one day that I have overcome them. Because I know it’s possible. I thought I had overcome these demons once—but I hadn’t.

I feel like I’m beginning a new chapter in my life in many, many ways. Maybe a post on that at a later date. But I just wanted to let you all know that I am about to set sail once again.

This journey is tough and it has no end. So while I feel hopeless now, I like to think that it’s just a stepping stone. There are lessons learned the hard way. But I am not giving up. 

Victory

I have been so wrapped up in the fact that I haven't been losing weight that I didn't take the time to realize that I have STOPPED GAINING.

That is an accomplishment. 

Since the end of May, my weight has fluctuated within 5 lbs. I would call that maintenance, which is much better than gaining! The goal is to lose weight, but as long as I'm not gaining... I have to give myself credit for that! 

I quit my second job at the end of May and it seems that ever since then I have been happier in general. I know that makes a big difference in the weight department. I also think I was depressed over the winter for a variety of reasons, but I've been doing a lot better. Do I have stressful days? Sad moments? Of course, but not like I did this past winter. The nice weather helps a lot, but so does making changes in your life.

I went to the doctor today and she was very happy with my numbers and that gave me a boost of motivation to be healthy. By the next time I go to see her, I'd like to lose a few lbs. that's 6 months from now and I'm pretty sure I could do that.

Feeling Obese

Hello everyone!

So far I have had a good day today. I have counted my calories and I’m still within my target. I have decided I am not going to weigh for a few days. If I can at least hold my weight steady, it’s better than gaining.

I don’t know why this has to be so hard.

Yesterday I was feeling miserable, bloated, and just generally obese. I realized that I’m doing this to myself. I am allowing it to happen. Eating too much equals feeling lousy, and I’m the only one to blame for how I feel.

And guess what? It is possible to overeat healthy food. Generally, I’m a pretty healthy eater. I don’t remember the last time I ate greasy fast food. We don’t allow junk food in the house. I haven’t bought Twinkies or any other Hostess type packs since starting this journey years ago.

Not all fat people chow down on the most common food offenders of obesity.

But eating too much is eating too much, even if the eating too much is only done a couple of meals on the weekend.

My biggest problem lately has been not counting my calories. I get busy, busy, busy and forget to count my calories and before I know it, it’s the end of the day and I never got around to it. So I have no way of knowing how I’m really doing, even on good days.

So my goal this week is to be faithful at counting my calories every day and to exercise at least 5 days.

I don’t want to feel miserable any more!

A Sweet and Healthy Treat You’ll Love

Just in case you haven’t been introduced to the delicious wonder of banana soft serve, I thought I’d share it with you. You’re welcome.

I posted this recipe almost three years ago, so I think it’s time to share it again.

Banana soft serve is made of nothing but frozen bananas. It tastes like ice cream.

Who am I kidding, you’re not going to read any more so I’ll just share the link to the recipe for the creamy goodness that is Banana Soft Serve.

Enjoy!

Always

 

Recycling and Storing Grocery Bags

Don’t mind me—I’m just saving the environment.

I wouldn’t call myself an environmentalist or anything, but I do believe in taking care of the environment that we live in by keeping it clean and not being wasteful.

If I were an environmentalist, I probably would opt for re-usable bags, which I do—when it’s convenient. It’s probably the better option, but unless I’m shopping at Aldi—I’m not always prepared for it with environmentally conscious reusable bags in hand.

So I do use plastic grocery bags. And when I get home and unload all of my groceries, I always keep the bags for reuse as kitchen garbage bags. A grocery bag fits perfectly within my under-sink garbage can and let’s face it—it’s a pretty inexpensive garbage bag!

I was storing the bags under the sink and it got cluttered and messy, taking up way too much room under the sink. I found a great idea on Pinterest and decided to give it a try—I love it!

You’ll need an empty coffee can. The one I used was made of cardboard. It was all I had in the house, and it’s actually working just fine!

Carefully cut a slot into the top of the lid, as shown below. Maybe yours won’t be as crooked as mine.

Next, remove the lid and stuff grocery sacks into the container one by one until the entire can if filled. They will squeeze in pretty tight, so really pack them down!

Put the lid back on and pull part of the top grocery bag through the slot. You’ll have a handy storage container for grocery sacks!

You can also recycle grocery bags by dropping them off at a designated receptacle. I know many of the grocery stores in my area offer this option. Some consignment stores accept grocery bag donations also. This is just an easy way you can prevent waste by recycling!

Not Waiting to Live Any Longer

If you look on the right hand side bar, you’ll see a section titled “My Goal Rewards”. Throughout my weight loss, I’ve set rewards for every 10 lbs. lost and I will continue to do so. Over the years, I earned a Columbia fleece, a new pair of shoes, an iPod, my favorite lotions, and a lot of other things! Looking at it all together it looks pretty expensive! But it was over a long period of time and well worth it for the incentive.

I came within a couple of pounds of meeting my 198 goal reward which was to go to an amusement park and ride all of the rides. I have always felt like I was too heavy to participate in a lot of activities like this. Afraid of the looks I would receive if I couldn’t fit in the seat or something of the like. Had this ever happened to me? No, but I think it’s a fear that most overweight people have.

We wanted to go to an amusement park last year and we kept putting it off because I was so close to my goal and I needed to “earn” it. And this year, I am so much farther from that goal and decided that enough was enough. I wasn’t going to let a number on the scale keep me from living life.

So we went to am amusement park this past weekend. I rode every roller coaster at the park. I hated every single minute of it but I was brave enough to do it. I learned that roller coasters are not for me and I really don’t care if I never go on one again.

But I lived. I always wanted to go and I did it. Discovering that I didn’t really enjoy it is ok! Now I know. I did enjoy the water rides a lot though. I also put on my swim suit and enjoyed floating around in a tube in the lazy river of the attached water park. I may be embarrassed of my weight, but I’m not going to let it stop me from living any more.

An interesting part of this trip is that I saw quite a few people larger than me. I saw a couple of women struggle to lift their legs to climb into a raft. I saw the people in line in front of me snicker as they watched the women struggle and I wanted to make them feel how ashamed those women must have felt. It’s not funny. It’s heart breaking. And this is probably why I had avoided going to an amusement park while overweight. People are cruel.

I wish people would consider the fact that they don’t know the whole story before they decide to judge every obese person they see. More than likely, there’s a deep struggle and lots of anguish going on inside past the layers of fat. It’s never ok to laugh at others for their struggles. Some struggles are visible and others aren’t. Some of our struggles are just a lot more obvious.

But no matter how obvious the struggle, it’s important to be alive. It’s important to experience the thrills of life. What good is a life if it’s spent not truly living but only surviving.

I choose to live NOW, even as I struggle to improve my life and become the person that I want to be. There might not be a tomorrow and I am choosing to live today.

Fishing

It seems like every summer hubby and I make a list of the fun things we’d like to do while the weather is nice. Many times we don’t actually accomplish all of them, but make our way through what we have time for. We took care of a couple of items over the long holiday weekend!

My younger brother came to stay with us Wednesday night through Sunday. He doesn’t get to come out very often because of work, so we made the best of the time that we had and it was jam packed with fun.

Hubby and I always seem to have fishing on our summer fun list and we never actually go fishing. In fact, the last time we went fishing was when we were dating and we’ve been married for almost 7 years!

So hubby, my brother, and I headed out for a short fishing trip at a local park. We only had two poles and one of them broke half way through the day, but it worked out!

I really enjoyed the peacefulness of being outside with hardly anyone around. It was a beautiful day. I took some pictures, as usual! Due to recent flooding, the water looks kind of disgusting around the shore.

But the good news was that there was a slab of concrete with a bench and while the concrete was covered with water, the bench was not. It made for a nice and cool place to fish and get our feet a little wet.

Beautiful scenery!

We didn’t catch any fish—but we did break a fishing line with a bobber attached. We saw the bobber disappear and a fish flop around on the water. Too bad for that fish!

I now have a 1-year fishing license so hubby and I hope to go fishing again this summer! It will be a nice weekend date.

Happy 4th of July (a little late!)

I hope that you all had a wonderful 4th of July! My vacation fun started on Wednesday evening and just ended today. It was a busy time with lots of fun filled activities! I will be sure to share some of them this week.

On the 4th, hubby and I participated in our fourth 4th of July 5K. This is always an anniversary, in a sense, because this race was the very first 5K we ever participated in.

Throughout the four years, I have walked/run, set PRs, and overcome obstacles. This year was one of those walk/run years. I am hoping that by next year I will be in a better place and I can finish with a greater sense of accomplishment. This year, I was just happy to be lapping the people on the couch and to have finished.

Next year will be our fifth anniversary of our first 5K. I will make it my goal to be proud of where I am so that I can look back on the previous years and see progress, not disappointment.

Scenic Train Ride

This past weekend, hubby and I took his parents out for their anniversary gift. We gave them a Groupon that included four tickets on a two hour scenic train ride and entrance to the railroad history museum. It was a nice day trip to Ames/Boone, Iowa and we were able to eat lunch at the famed Iowa restaurant, Hickory Park.

I’ll share a few pictures from the experience with you! We started with the museum, which was interesting because we live near where a railroad once ran and hubby grew up close to the railroad.

This is some service type vehicle that was used back in the day. The servicemen would pedal it along the tracks. Wouldn’t that be fun exercise? With no trains, of course.

And then we hopped on the train. We sat in the open air train. It was a beautiful and cool day.

The entire excursion was run by volunteers, just to keep the train going due to lack of funds.

Part of the ride included crossing a railroad trestle that is 156 ft. high. It was a little eerie, but a beautiful view! We stopped on the bridge and the locomotive let out steam to bring out a rainbow.

Can you see the little boy poking his head out the window? So cute.

I’m always taking photos of scenery. I just can’t resist nature against the backdrop of a beautiful blue sky. It’s breath taking.

This is Iowa. I have grown to love the wide open spaces and the sense of freedom felt when standing in the middle of it all.

Yet another excursion, thanks to Groupon! What’s next?!

More than my Weight

I just posted about how I didn’t have anything else to say about weight loss and wouldn’t you know, I follow that up with a post about weight loss.

So here’s what got me thinking. I had basically stopped blogging regularly because I knew I wasn’t a super star in the weight loss world and felt like nobody wanted to read what I had to say.

And then you all commented about how there was more to me than my weight and that you all wanted to know about me as a person too.

It hit me as I read your comments. I let my weight control my identity. I allow my worth to be the equivalent of my weight on the scale. The higher the number, the less value I have as a person. My happiness is largely controlled by how my clothes fit.

In my mind, I am only as good as what I currently weigh.

When I lost almost 90 lbs., I discovered that I had worth. This was new to me because it was the first time I had ever lost a significant amount of weight in my adult life. I thought I had figured it out. I was not my weight. I was an amazing person who could accomplish anything that I set my mind to.

In retrospect, having gained back almost 40 of those lbs., I realize that even then, my worth was the equivalent to the number on the scale. I valued myself because I weighed less. And today, that part of my mentality hasn’t changed a bit. I despise myself because I weigh more.

If I am not solely a reflection of the number on the scale, then who am I? As a first step to learn to truly love myself for who I am, beyond the scale, I’m going to tell you who I am.

I am a wife, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, and friend. I am a child of God. I am a an editor, a technical writer, a marketing writer, a blogger, and photographer. I am a cook, a gardener, an artist, and singer. I am a walker, a jogger, a biker, and swimmer.

I am so much more than my weight. One of these days, I’ll believe it.

Maybe I’ll talk about something else for a while…

I’m sorry I haven’t been posting very much lately. Here’s the scoop.

I just feel like I have more struggles than victories lately. How often can I blog about the same things? I try, I do well, I fall down, I get back up, I do well, I fall back down… on and on. I haven’t given up on health, but lately I just feel like I don’t have much to share.

Would you mind if I posted about non-weight related things? I’m just so tired of thinking about my weight. With a title of “A Journey to Thin” you would probably expect to find weight loss related topics though, huh?

I guess this is all part of my journey—and I will get there someday. But I might start branching out into other topics and open it up to more than just about my weight and weight loss journey. What do you think about that?

Want to hear about my projects? My new-found goal of creating crafty/artsy things? About life in general? I’m thinking of more of a lifestyle blog. Health and weight loss will always be a big part of my life (unfortunately) so I would still write about them as I felt motivated to.

What do ya say?

The Biggest Loser 5K

A few weeks ago, hubby and I participated in The Biggest Loser 5K. This was a completely different race experience than any of the other 5Ks we’ve run in. I felt like most of the participants were just like me—and that was encouraging and motivating. There were people of all ages, shapes and sizes—there were the obvious marathon runners but I think they were the minority. Most of the participants, like myself, had obvious struggles with weight but had taken a stand and were trying to do something about it. If you’ve ever run a race before, you know it’s usually the opposite—those of us with weight struggles are usually the minority.

Throughout the entire race, participants cheered each other on. For once, I wasn’t the only one struggling for my breath, red-faced and completely exhausted as I struggled to continue running 1 mile, and then 2, and then had to walk a couple of minutes. I could see the look of determination on other people’s faces that I so often feel myself. It was like coming home. I knew for a fact—that these people “get” me.

The Biggest Loser was a huge motivator for me during times of my weight loss journey. Seeing other people, like myself, struggle and persevere made me realize that I could do it too. There are so many people who have been inspired by the contestants on the show—and many of them showed up for the 5K. And I applaud The Biggest Loser for organizing an event like the 5K series—I have not seen any other event with the spirit and camaraderie that I saw at The Biggest Loser 5K.

As you know, my struggles with my weight have exceeded my victories lately. But I am still struggling and that counts for something. Seeing the photos of myself running is embarrassing. I cry a little inside when I see them, knowing that I’ve taken some backwards steps on this journey. This was certainly not my fastest 5K, and it very well might have been my slowest, but I gave it all I had and finished strong.

My favorite part about the 5K—EVERY finisher received a medal! My very first!

Sailing Lake Michigan

After our vacation to Cancun, we spent a couple of days with my sister and her family.

We took a trip on the train to Chicago to go sailing! I’ll just share some photos from the day with you all.

Me and my sister.

My sister and family.

The sailing excursion was from Navy Pier and was a Groupon we purchased. The excursion we took was all about pirates.

We had a beautiful view of the city!

Here I am with hubby—ignore the crazy wind-blown hair!

And one more photo of my cute neice and nephews.

This was our first time on a sail boat and it was a fun experience! I love the activity Groupons—we have another one coming up soon!