September 2nd, 2010 at 07:49pm
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
I’m trying to stay upbeat still but having trouble with it. Even though I’m mostly better and we are entering spring here, I’m missing home. Fall is my favorite season and full of things I love: holidays, good food, seeing old friends, family dinners, college football, foliage. There is so much to love about the season and I’m realizing now that I’m going to miss it all.
I knew moving to another country would not be easy all the time. I’m trying not to miss my best friends and my mom and even all my brothers that much, but it’s hard when I want to talk to them and realize that it’s the middle of the night for them. It takes a lot more effort to get in just a phone call. It makes me appreciate so much how Kepa and I managed to talk every day while we were apart. So I’m trying to settle for random phone calls and lots of Facebook interaction. That’s enough, right?
I’ve been super emotional over the last week between being sick and homesick and being frustrated with life in New Zealand.
I cried after the lady at the post office embarrassed me and forced me to sign my debit card to use it.
I cried when I realized I wouldn’t get to help my mom move out of her house.
I cried when I realized I probably will never be able to afford trips home more than once a year or two.
I cried when I couldn’t get medium warm water to wash my face, only cold or hot.
I cried when I couldn’t find any of the things I wanted in the grocery store, because they don’t have them here.
I cried before I wrote this post because staring at my computer for an hour with no idea what to write can be terrifying and it’s just enough time to bring up the memories of all the previous things.
This week has brought on a lot of tears for me. It’s been hard and stressful on so many levels, and despite my desire to stay positive sometimes I just needed to cry. Once you get in a good cry you can move on and start feeling better about things.
In my past life, which now seems so long ago, instead of crying I would have eaten. I used to think crying was the worst possible thing that could happen and felt almost ashamed whenever I would cry. Instead of crying I would empty my mind by turning to food But I’ve embraced it and now I seem to cry easily instead of trying to muffle my emotions. And I might not be eating perfectly, but I’m not using food for anything other than food. I’m letting my emotions exist and be real instead of stuffing them with food. Because I’m a freaking crybaby now, not an emotional eater.
By admin
September 2nd, 2010 at 07:49pm
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
I’m trying to stay upbeat still but having trouble with it. Even though I’m mostly better and we are entering spring here, I’m missing home. Fall is my favorite season and full of things I love: holidays, good food, seeing old friends, family dinners, college football, foliage. There is so much to love about the season and I’m realizing now that I’m going to miss it all.
I knew moving to another country would not be easy all the time. I’m trying not to miss my best friends and my mom and even all my brothers that much, but it’s hard when I want to talk to them and realize that it’s the middle of the night for them. It takes a lot more effort to get in just a phone call. It makes me appreciate so much how Kepa and I managed to talk every day while we were apart. So I’m trying to settle for random phone calls and lots of Facebook interaction. That’s enough, right?
I’ve been super emotional over the last week between being sick and homesick and being frustrated with life in New Zealand.
I cried after the lady at the post office embarrassed me and forced me to sign my debit card to use it.
I cried when I realized I wouldn’t get to help my mom move out of her house.
I cried when I realized I probably will never be able to afford trips home more than once a year or two.
I cried when I couldn’t get medium warm water to wash my face, only cold or hot.
I cried when I couldn’t find any of the things I wanted in the grocery store, because they don’t have them here.
I cried before I wrote this post because staring at my computer for an hour with no idea what to write can be terrifying and it’s just enough time to bring up the memories of all the previous things.
This week has brought on a lot of tears for me. It’s been hard and stressful on so many levels, and despite my desire to stay positive sometimes I just needed to cry. Once you get in a good cry you can move on and start feeling better about things.
In my past life, which now seems so long ago, instead of crying I would have eaten. I used to think crying was the worst possible thing that could happen and felt almost ashamed whenever I would cry. Instead of crying I would empty my mind by turning to food But I’ve embraced it and now I seem to cry easily instead of trying to muffle my emotions. And I might not be eating perfectly, but I’m not using food for anything other than food. I’m letting my emotions exist and be real instead of stuffing them with food. Because I’m a freaking crybaby now, not an emotional eater.
By admin
September 2nd, 2010 at 07:49pm
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
This is something I wrote forever ago! I just found it when going through my numerous unpublished drafts and figured I should share it. 
Writing this blog about my weight loss and body image and eating issues has been one of the best things I have ever done. I had no idea how much I NEEDED to write/talk about these things until I started opening up about them and receiving feedback from people. Because it has helped me so much I fully recommend blogging for anyone who wants to lose weight. I think it is a great tool to help you succeed if you want it to be. Here are a few other reasons why you should write a weight loss or healthy living blog.
1. Support for your efforts. Sometimes the people you know and love don’t have the same problems as you nor do they have the same desire to live a healthy life. This can be very frustrating and you might want to find support for your efforts. When you write a blog you will find other supportive bloggers and readers online who share your goals and are working toward the same kind of healthy lifestyle. This kind of support can help you in a number of ways.
2. Community and friendships with other bloggers. I’ve made a lot of really awesome friends via my blog. I’ve met a lot of them and have many more around the world that I will one day meet. The weight loss blogging community is very supportive and friendly. You can jump in any time and start commenting/emailing and building relationships with bloggers. You might even end up with lifelong friendships.
3. Knowledge about healthy living. Blogging will lead you to learn more about living a healthy lifestyle. As you write about what you are doing, you will figure out what works and what doesn’t works. And more knowledgeable people will answer and questions you might ask on your blog. There are some great personal trainers and nutritionists that exist out there online and are willing to share their knowledge for free with bloggers. You can definitely learn something.
4. A place to work through issues. Ah, the issues. If you are overweight, there is a reason for it and blogging is a good place to write and think about those issues. For me, just writing about things helps me work through them. If you are worried about anyone you know reading it (clearly I gave that option up a long time ago), then write anonymously under a pen name. You can still get all the benefits of having a weightloss blog and work through the issues you might have.
5. Records of your progress. One of my favorite things about writing a weight loss blog is the ability to record progress while you lose weight. It’s pretty awesome to look back at your weigh ins to see how the weight lost has added up over time. If you are having a bad week you can look back at your successful weeks to see what you did and how that worked. It can be fun to look at your progess over the weeks and a blog makes this process super easy!
6. Ability to share your success. Successes are the best when you are able to share them with other people. It’s sweet when people in your life notice you’ve lost weight after you’ve lost 10 or 20 pounds. But through your blog you can get weekly support for every weightloss. People in your everyday life might not see the pound you lost this week or the new pants size you are wearing, but by blogging about it you will be able to share all your successes big or small.
7. A little extra money. I’m not trying to say you will get rich off your blog, because you won’t. And most of us didn’t start out with the intention of making money off our blogs. I sure didn’t. But I’m not opposed to making money off my passion and my writing, since it helps me and other people, and I do make a little bit of extra cash each month from this blog from advertising. So if you work at it you could make a bit too if that is something you are interested in.
Not sure how to start a weight loss blog like this one? Check out my how to start a weight loss blog instructions! It’s pretty easy and you can have your own site it no time.
If you write a weight loss blog, what are your reasons for doing it? What benefits have you found in writing a weight loss blog?
By admin
September 1st, 2010 at 06:55am
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
There were 700 words written in this box and I just decided to delete them. They weren’t the perspective I want to take. I’ve decided not to dwell on anything negative to continue the down feelings I’ve had lately with being sick and homesick. I really believe it’s up to us to determine the kind of life we have and whether we are happy or not. So I’m going to make an effort to fight the Debbie Downer in me that sometimes likes to take over. Instead I’m going to tell you about my awesome day.
I’m not completely 100% back to my regular healthy self yet, but I finally feel better. (Hurray!) After a week banished to stay under blankets and keep warm, I’m finally free to roam around and even workout. My body has been craving exercise for a few days now even though I wasn’t feeling up to it.
Hopefully now that I’m feeling better I can implement my plan to build routines of awesomeness.
The main thing for me was joining the gym. I need something to get me out of the house. I’ve not got a lot of things here yet to get me out of the house (you know, like friends or a job), so I could easily just spend all my time inside online with y’all. So joining a gym and starting a workout routine again after moving and sickness was priority number one.
Kepa and I went to the gym tonight and we both joined. The ladies who work at the front desk there love him. He is a little celebrity after all his tv interviews about his amazing weight loss. They joked around about telling the press he works out there and getting him to do advertising for them. It was pretty funny and another reason why I’m glad I went with gym #2.
Even though I’ve still got a wicked cough (always do after a cold) I wanted to workout a tiny bit. My body was literally crying out for muscles to be moved. So I took it easy and did 20 minutes on the elliptical. Afterwards I felt soooooo good… except it made the coughing worse. Oops? I still feel like it was worth it because even just a little bit of cardio made the rest of me feel so much better after a week of doing nothing.
I’m going to take it easy this week so I can fully recover. I’m going to be doing a lot of reading… I got The New Rules of Lifting for Women and Nerd Fitness’ newly released e-book series: Rebel Fitness Guide (reviews on both coming soon). I’m pretty stoked to be filling my brain with some good information about fitness this week.
I’m choosing the positive road over here and looking at the good things going on (new gym, new books, feeling better) instead of finding little negative things to dwell on. How about you? Are you focusing on the positive in your life?
By admin
September 1st, 2010 at 06:55am
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
There were 700 words written in this box and I just decided to delete them. They weren’t the perspective I want to take. I’ve decided not to dwell on anything negative to continue the down feelings I’ve had lately with being sick and homesick. I really believe it’s up to us to determine the kind of life we have and whether we are happy or not. So I’m going to make an effort to fight the Debbie Downer in me that sometimes likes to take over. Instead I’m going to tell you about my awesome day.
I’m not completely 100% back to my regular healthy self yet, but I finally feel better. (Hurray!) After a week banished to stay under blankets and keep warm, I’m finally free to roam around and even workout. My body has been craving exercise for a few days now even though I wasn’t feeling up to it.
Hopefully now that I’m feeling better I can implement my plan to build routines of awesomeness.
The main thing for me was joining the gym. I need something to get me out of the house. I’ve not got a lot of things here yet to get me out of the house (you know, like friends or a job), so I could easily just spend all my time inside online with y’all. So joining a gym and starting a workout routine again after moving and sickness was priority number one.
Kepa and I went to the gym tonight and we both joined. The ladies who work at the front desk there love him. He is a little celebrity after all his tv interviews about his amazing weight loss. They joked around about telling the press he works out there and getting him to do advertising for them. It was pretty funny and another reason why I’m glad I went with gym #2.
Even though I’ve still got a wicked cough (always do after a cold) I wanted to workout a tiny bit. My body was literally crying out for muscles to be moved. So I took it easy and did 20 minutes on the elliptical. Afterwards I felt soooooo good… except it made the coughing worse. Oops? I still feel like it was worth it because even just a little bit of cardio made the rest of me feel so much better after a week of doing nothing.
I’m going to take it easy this week so I can fully recover. I’m going to be doing a lot of reading… I got The New Rules of Lifting for Women and Nerd Fitness’ newly released e-book series: Rebel Fitness Guide (reviews on both coming soon). I’m pretty stoked to be filling my brain with some good information about fitness this week.
I’m choosing the positive road over here and looking at the good things going on (new gym, new books, feeling better) instead of finding little negative things to dwell on. How about you? Are you focusing on the positive in your life?
By admin
August 30th, 2010 at 04:04pm
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
I wish I had some exciting stuff to talk about but unfortunately the sickness that started last week lasted up until now. I think I’m finally almost over it but not completely. Because of that I don’t have much to talk about unless you would like me to recap all six seasons of The Office that I watched during my sick time. Life in New Zealand when you are sick is not that exciting, but I’m going to show you around my life here anyway.
This week on my facebook page, Lisa Johnson left me a comment: It’s great watching you go through the process of “starting over” gets to remind everyone how hard it can be to establish a routine …
So true. Building routine is hard.
Before moving I spent three weeks roadtripping, a month living in Oregon, and another week on the road before that. Routine was not part of my daily life for a while and after two months of that I was literally craving the ability to build some routine into my life. But now that I’m settled in one place I’m realizing building routines into your life can be hard. Apparently a lot of routines get built around your work schedule and I don’t have a typical job here (although I’m looking for a part time job!). Without that huge anchor to build around I’m floudering a bit in developing some routine.
For instance, I still haven’t unpacked.
I justify it because a) I’ve been sick and b) we are moving to a new place in a month or so.
And I’m using the couch as my “office”:
Yes, that’s a Jamie Oliver cookbook under the glue and mug. I like it. He’s teaching me stuff.
And I use Kepa’s weight bench as my counter space because it’s in front of the mirror:
I’m a bad girlfriend fiance… I probably should let him use the weight bench, huh?
And the mirror is my favorite thing but it’s so new we haven’t even taken the cardboard off the edges:
I haven’t completely settled in here and carved out space for myself.
There is no good routine to my days yet but I’m hoping to change that. How? I’ve got a plan. (Yippee! Let us jump with the happiness of the plan making!)
1. Today I’m headed to the gym to join. I think that will go a long way to help me build some routines. I’ll pick a gym time and go every day and start working out again. After a few days stuck inside I’m craving a workout hardcore.
2. Set working hours for myself. I want to schedule my day so that I don’t spend all day blogging, writing and designing. I love all the stuff I do but I can easily get sucked into it and into the stuff that isn’t useful: Twitter, Facebook, web surfing, etc. If anyone works from home, can you give me some tips for this?
3. Print out my weekly planner and use it. During my days spent on the couch being sick I at least thought of some solutions for this. Since I love making lists (obviously) I decided to create a weekly planner for myself. It should help me make plans for the week and then keep them in a visible place so I accomplish them!
Hopefully those three things will help me get myself on a good routine. I’m really ready to make some more progress so that this area of my life catches up with the rest of me. I’ve made huge strides in other areas of my life while my health has taken a backseat. I’m still a lot better than I used to be, but I’ve reached the point where that’s just not enough. I’m ready to really try and to get to the next level fitness and health wise. I admit that I haven’t tried hard enough and have made excuses for myself so that I could prioritize other things ahead of this. But losing weight is still one of my top priorities (planning a wedding a big reminder of this) and I’m ready to build my routines around that fact. Routines of awesomeness.
By admin
August 29th, 2010 at 03:45am
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
Don't want to be a fat man,
people would think that I was
just good fun.
Would rather be a thin man,
I am so glad to go on being one.
Too much to carry around with you,
no chance of finding a woman who
will love you in the morning and all the night time too.
Don't want to be a fat man,
have not the patience to ignore all that.
Hate to admit to myself half of my problems
came from being fat.
Won't waste my time feeling sorry for him,
I seen the other side to being thin.
Roll us both down a mountain
and I'm sure the fat man would win.
Fat Man by Jethro Tull
Check out this list of fitness gadgets John is Fit readers have been buying this quarter.
Post from: John Is Fit – Personal Weight Loss Blog
Fat Man by Jethro Tull
By admin
August 29th, 2010 at 03:45am
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
I want to make sure to do a monthly shout-out post to all my sponsors, so I’ve picked the last Saturday of each month for that post. (Hopefully I remember.) So welcome to the first sponsor shout-out post!
This month I have two new sponsors:
Foodie McBody is AML’s newest sponsor! Susan, aka Foodie McBody, is a weight watchers leader who experienced a wake-up call and then lost over 30 pounds, ran a 5k, and turned 50 the healthiest she had ever been. She writes an amazing blog about her experiences as well as documents her food through a food photo blog.
We (pretty much all Kepa really) had the honor of creating Foodie’s new logo and advertisement. This is something we will be offering for anyone as a way for you to get a new logo/ad and for us to earn money for the wedding. Win/win!
Skinny Emmie already got a shout-out earlier in the month, but she is cool enough to deserve another. Emmie is now 70 lbs into her 255 lb weight loss journey. This month she started sharing her progress pictures and I think she is doing a great job. Definitely visit her blog and cheer her on!
Thanks again to my wonderful sponsors!
I’m trying to be a lot pickier with how I monetize my site(s), because while I need the money I also want to keep some integrity with my overall message. I’m looking to ditch Google ads soon, so I’m also looking now for companies to work with. If you represent a company interested in advertising on this weight loss blog, please contact me.
By admin
August 27th, 2010 at 03:29pm
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
In his book I'm With Fatty, Edward Ugel sets out to answer questions like "Can a foodie get thin again?" and "Can you continue to love food while changing your relationship with it?" His mission is the subtitle of the book – Losing Fifty Pounds in Fifty Miserable Weeks.
I was drawn to Ed's story because of the simple fact that the author is a man. Just as there aren't enough male inspirations in the weight loss blogger community there aren't enough in the world of weight loss publishing either. So when I was offered the opportunity to review this book by the publisher (disclaimer: all opinions are my own), I snapped up the chance. Once I started reading the book I realized we had more in common than just our biology – we also both love to cook (and to eat!). So I knew then this would be a great book for me.
What caused Ed to go on this mission? A diagnosis of sleep apnea. His wife secretly recorded his snoring and used that as the impetus to get him to have a sleep study which ultimately led to Ed having to wear a CPAP mask. It was this indignity that was his driving force. Being a CPAP user myself I can understand this being a wake-up call, I only wish my own diagnosis had inspired a similar response.
Inspired to begin it nonetheless takes Ed a little bit to get going. "The diet will start whenever it does" seemed to be his response in the early days of what he called "The Fatty Project." Those of us struggling with our weight have certainly been there before. And this is one of the things I really liked about the book, the personal stories that I could relate to.
One such story sparked a totally embarrassing memory of my own behavior. In describing the shame he has felt about weight Ed mentions that he once asked for two place settings from room service so the person on the other end didn't think all of the food was for him. I can take that to a higher level – not only have I done that to mask my shame to the person taking my order, but I also tried to deceive the person delivering my order by closing the bathroom door as if to indicate the presence of another person that would explain all of the food on my tray. All readers will share similar stories.
I thought the book would be a sequential history of the 50 weeks, perhaps even a small chapter for each week, but that was not the style chosen and I think the book is better for it. The only time the reader gets a glimpse into the details of how a week went was when Ed described his experience cleansing. Other than that he focused on telling a story that only loosely corresponded to the 50 weeks project. Certainly it would have been easier to follow along with his weight loss if he had laid out the narration a week at a time but I think that probably would have read too much like a blog even, and wouldn't have allowed the author to narrate the kind of interesting story that he did. Still, I would have like to have seen in the addendum some sort of brief synopsis of his ups and downs over the weeks, perhaps by offering even a simple week by week weight loss chart.
Despite this minor quibble, I enjoyed the book and devoured it relatively quickly, over a short airplane ride and then in a hotel room where I am happy to say I did not order room service.
Did Ed achieve his mission of losing fifty pounds in fifty weeks? You'll have to read the book to find out! Perhaps his recent showing on the Today Show will offer a hint.
I highly recommend you check out the definitive guide to guest posting, Chris Garrett's Guest Posting Workbook.
Post from: John Is Fit – Personal Weight Loss Blog
Book Review – I'm with Fatty by Edward Ugel
By admin
August 27th, 2010 at 03:29pm
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
Happy Friday everyone!
This week has a been a bit of a mess for me. I’ve been sick and stressed out and that’s turned my eating habits into crap. I’ve eaten too much salt and too much sugar and it’s just led me to feel even worse. So I’m stopping that immediately and eating to feel good again (aka – low salt and just natural sugars). I feel good already after just deciding that. I guess I gave myself a “free pass” for the week but it just ended up backfiring on me. Funny how that works, isn’t it?
Because I was sick and it was cold/rainy here the last few days I wasn’t able to get to the gym. Hopefully we will get a chance to visit this weekend, but regardless I’m joining gym #2 on Monday. I’m really excited about that because it will add a new thing to my routine each day! Plus it will get me out of the house, in better shape, and further my goals. Hurray!
Other than that I’ve just spent the week searching the internet for 1) a wedding venue in Memphis and 2) a job here in New Zealand. Both searches have been very frustrating which is where the stress I mentioned earlier comes in. But I’m trying to stay positive about both because I know I will find the right opportunities eventually for both things. So it’s stressful, but I’m still optimistic.
And now it’s time for…
Merry Go Round!
I seriously think this is my favorite part of the week because I can be random and give lots of good information at once.
Product News: I’m working on some cool stuff that will hopefully launch next month. These things have actually been in my head for quite a while and I just haven’t had a chance to sit down and design them but they are on my to-do list now. Stay tuned for more details. Hurray projects!
Blogging Tip: Subscribe to your blog. Subscribe to your own blog via e-mail and Google reader (the two most popular subscription options) so that you know what your blog looks like to your readers. If any problems come up you will be able to see them yourself first instead of relying on secondhand information.
Favorite Product: Vibram Five Fingers. Okay, this is sort of a cheat because I don’t actually own these. But I’m slightly obsessed with these shoes and following blogs of runners who use them (ah thanks Jess, Tara, Carla). I desperately want my own pair to wear just for fun, not even for running (well, maybe one day). They are up there on my to buy list thanks to all the awesome things I’ve heard about them.
Favorite Link: Fiverr.com! This site is a listing of all the random things people will do for $5. I stumbled upon it again this week and decided to use fiverr to earn money for our wedding. You can check out my profile page and help me out or suggest in the comments (reasonable)things you would like me to do for $5. And definitely check out the site… if you are design challenged you can find people there to design logos and blog headers and such for just $5. It’s a steal!
Recipes on the food blog: Kepa’s Potato Wedges and Spicy Ground Turkey Skillet Recipe and Tuna, Corn, and Sweet Potato Frittatas
And that’s it for me! I’m off to enjoy the weekend with Kepa and to meet up with some local healthy living people in the area this weekend. If anyone else out there lives in the Auckland area and wants to meet up at sometime please let me know. I would love to make new friends here!
By admin
August 27th, 2010 at 03:29pm
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
At the #fitblog Twitter chat this week I mentioned that the BRAG time at the end when you are supposed to share something your proud of is my least favorite part of the chat. I said that because it’s true. I never can think of anything to say during that time and always feel so awkward sitting there trying to come up with something good to say about myself.
The reason that happens is because I’m not good at taking credit for things. Whenever there is a chance to take credit for something or to brag about myself I shy away from it.
I’m really bad at thinking I’m good at anything.
For example…
Whenever someone mentions I “wrote a book” I immediately downplay it and mention that it’s “just an e-book” and that it was just writing all the stuff I’ve learned over the last few years. I downplay the fact that I wrote, created, and published it. And I downplay the fact that it helped a lot of other bloggers and they told me it was great – even though that is actually quite an awesome accomplishment.
Whenever someone mentions I have done amazing things and gone to cool places I downplay it. I just think that I haven’t gone to nearly as many places as other people and downplay the fact that I’ve traveled and lived abroad (twice now) despite the fact that many people wish they could do this but never do.
Whenever someone asks me about writing I downplay it and say “I’m just a blogger.” Even though I make money through blogging and have completely changed my life through my blog and other writing I downplay it because I don’t think it’s as impressive as the titles other people have. I downplay what I am and what I do despite the fact that it’s pretty awesome that I’ve been so committed to blogging and have built a small business around it.
Whenever someone, er, Kepa mentions I cooked a good meal I downplay it by saying it was mostly him and I didn’t do anything. If the food tastes good, which it normally does, I still downplay the fact that I did anything great because I don’t have much experience cooking and think I can’t make things as well as someone who has been cooking longer and knows more about cooking.
Taking credit and actually thinking I’m good at something is very hard for me. Writing the second half of all those statements felt so awkward for me.
I guess what this boils down to is that I still have very little confidence in myself. Even if I do big amazing things I still think I’m not that great and haven’t accomplished anything. Having so little confidence in myself is something that at times is really frustrating for me and those around me. It causes problems beyond just the point of me feeling this way.
Apparently I’m not very good at building confidence in myself no matter what nice things people say about me. I know that it’s something I need and want to work on. I’m just not sure how to do it.
Anyone else have this problem? Do you have trouble taking credit and thinking you are good at things?
How do you build confidence in yourself?
By admin
August 26th, 2010 at 03:24am
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
Thanks for all the comments on my gym search post! There really wasn’t a question about which gym I’m joining. I knew I was going to join Gym #2 the minute I walked out of there, but a girl has to have something to blog about, ya know? 
Thanks for supporting the decision I made. Posts where everyone agrees with me are fun! I should try for those more often.
This week’s weigh in is a bit sad – I am all sickly!
Weigh In:
Current Weight: 206.1 lbs
Previous Weight: 206.6 lbs
Weight Loss: – .5 lbs
Weight Loss Total: – 44.9 lbs
Starting Weight: 251
You’ve got to be kidding me. 206.1? Seriously? I’m .1 pounds away from that 45 lbs lost mark so I can’t really claim it this week. Just another half a pound gone. So basically maintained, with my body refusing to get to the next five pound mark technically. But that’s actually for the best because I said I’d do videos every five pounds and I’m currently sick so that would be a horrible video. Consider yourselves saved by the weight loss gods.
Goals From Last Week:
Goal #1: Drink more water! – Did well on this on weekdays but didn’t do so well on the weekend when we were out and about doing stuff. Apparently I need to take my water bottle with me even when I leave the house and I haven’t been doing that. Water + weight loss go together!
Goal #2: Visit a gym. – Done. Visited two gyms. Have a pass to try out both and will do when I’m feeling up to it. So maybe a day or two and I’ll go visit.
Goal #3: Hit the 45 lbs lost mark. – Didn’t hit this technically, but if you wanna round up…. haha. This is why I NEVER set weight loss goals with a timeline.
Goals For This Week:
Goal #1: Get better! Being sick is no fun at all -I didn’t get to go on a field trip to the zoo today because I caught this cold.
Goal #2: Workout at the gyms I visited and join gym #2. – Not sure yet how I will squeeze the money for it without screwing myself over next month, but I’m making this happen by Monday. Monday will be the day of the gym!
Goal #3: Make at least two new meals this week. – I would like to make a couple new things so I get more comfortable in kitchen here. Plus trying new recipes is just fun!
So what did I learn from this week? Don’t set weight loss goals for a certain timeframe. It never works out for me. Also? Don’t get sick because it’s no fun and messes up your entire week! I can’t wait til I feel better.
What do you do when you have a cold? How do you get better quickly? Any tips?
By admin
August 26th, 2010 at 03:24am
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
Thanks for all the comments on my gym search post! There really wasn’t a question about which gym I’m joining. I knew I was going to join Gym #2 the minute I walked out of there, but a girl has to have something to blog about, ya know? Thanks for supporting the decision I made. Posts where everyone agrees with me are fun! I should try for those more often.
This week’s weigh in is a bit sad – I am all sickly!
Weigh In:
Current Weight: 206.1 lbs
Previous Weight: 206.6 lbs
Weight Loss: – .5 lbs
Weight Loss Total: – 44.9 lbs
Starting Weight: 251
You’ve got to be kidding me. 206.1? Seriously? I’m .1 pounds away from that 45 lbs lost mark so I can’t really claim it this week. Just another half a pound gone. So basically maintained, with my body refusing to get to the next five pound mark technically. But that’s actually for the best because I said I’d do videos every five pounds and I’m currently sick so that would be a horrible video. Consider yourselves saved by the weight loss gods.
Goals From Last Week:
Goal #1: Drink more water! – Did well on this on weekdays but didn’t do so well on the weekend when we were out and about doing stuff. Apparently I need to take my water bottle with me even when I leave the house and I haven’t been doing that. Water + weight loss go together!
Goal #2: Visit a gym. – Done. Visited two gyms. Have a pass to try out both and will do when I’m feeling up to it. So maybe a day or two and I’ll go visit.
Goal #3: Hit the 45 lbs lost mark. – Didn’t hit this technically, but if you wanna round up…. haha. This is why I NEVER set weight loss goals with a timeline.
Goals For This Week:
Goal #1: Get better! Being sick is no fun at all -I didn’t get to go on a field trip to the zoo today because I caught this cold.
Goal #2: Workout at the gyms I visited and join gym #2. – Not sure yet how I will squeeze the money for it without screwing myself over next month, but I’m making this happen by Monday. Monday will be the day of the gym!
Goal #3: Make at least two new meals this week. – I would like to make a couple new things so I get more comfortable in kitchen here. Plus trying new recipes is just fun!
So what did I learn from this week? Don’t set weight loss goals for a certain timeframe. It never works out for me. Also? Don’t get sick because it’s no fun and messes up your entire week! I can’t wait til I feel better.
What do you do when you have a cold? How do you get better quickly? Any tips?
By admin
August 24th, 2010 at 12:29pm
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
The gym search started this week in earnest. So far I’ve visited two gyms and looked up countless others online. The majority are quite expensive, even with the awesome exchange rate I have. I’m really only considering two because I know people who already go to them.
Gym #1
Atmosphere: I went to visit this gym with a friend’s mom who is joining. It’s an all women’s gym which I actually liked once I was there. The atmosphere in the gym was nice with only women working out.
Equipment: This gym was pretty small and only had the basics. There was one set of free weights I saw and that was not a huge focus – the weight machines and cardio were the stars here. They have a smaller sized room for classes so I wonder how many people attend and if they are ever too full. Everything was new and the showers/locker room is AWESOME. We have a crappy shower at the house so it’s tempting to join just for access to the shower.
Location: This gym was located in a shopping center and has lots of other locations around New Zealand. In fact, there might be a closer gym to where I currently live that I could use. Either way, I would have options about the location where I worked out.
Staff: The woman giving us the tour seemed nice enough but it felt like I was being pushed to join. To get a chance to try out the gym I had to feel the paperwork to join minus my bank account information. She seemed nice enough but not very interested in me as much as the person I went with.
Cost: This gym is $650 NZD for 6 months. With the exchange rate that means it is $460 USD or $76 USD per month.
Gym #2
Atmosphere: This is a co-ed gym and during the time we went it was mostly males working out. They have a more serious atmosphere and a bigger focus on strength – they even sell whey protein in the lobby. It was a bit intimidating to see all the big dude working out and I briefly wondered how comfortable I would be getting my workout on in the midst of them. I’m normally not scared to venture into the free weight area in a gym, but depending on the atmosphere and how crowded it is I can be scared off.
Equipment: This is a much bigger gym than gym #1. They have a huge free weights section and have much more equipment than the women’s gym. Pretty much everything I would want is at this gym, from free weights to cardio machines. I didn’t get to take a look at the shower facilities but I’m sure they are adequate considering the size and cleanliness of everything else in the gym.
Location: I walked to this gym with Kepa from our house. It’s almost a mile away from us so that’s already a workout in itself. It’s about a minute or two from the house if we drive. The only downside is that it only has two locations and the other one is somewhere I’m not aware of, so I would only have one location to attend.
Staff: The lady who talked to us and gave us a tour was very nice and asked how we met and about Kepa’s weight loss. Afterwards she sent us a text to my phone which was really nice. Usually gyms call a few days later but I’ve never gotten a text from someone so quickly afterwards. I liked it.
Cost: This gym is much cheaper and costs $599 NZD for 12 months with no joining fee. That means $424 USD or $35 per month. Less than half the price of gym #1.
Decision Making
Either way I’m going to be spending basically all of the money that is in my bank account and dropping my wedding fund back to zero. I’m mostly okay with that because joining the gym is so important to me both physically and mentally right now. But it is a bit depressing! Since money is such a huge factor I’ll probably end up going with gym #2 but I want to try them both out. No point in joining a gym if I’m too scared to go workout there!
Which gym would you go with?
If you use a gym how did you decide to join?
By admin
August 24th, 2010 at 12:29pm
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
This past weekend I had a few interesting encounters with fast food. I ate a burger, fries, pizza, and chinese food. All of this is in addition to the sugar I normally consume on weekends.
This morning I stepped on the scale as I do every day and discovered I was up several pounds. I didn’t freak out, but I found the fact that I was up that much interesting. It started the wheels turning in my head – Was it actual gain? Doubtful. Was it because I ate too much food? Not really. Was it the sodium causing water retention? Likely.
Since I don’t eat much salt during the week, hardly any really, I think any huge amount of sodium over a couple of meals back to back is going to cause this kind of “gain” on the scale. And while I know the bump in the scale number is just that, it still has got me thinking about my actions over the weekend.
I enjoyed the fast food/restaurant food/sweets I had over the weekend. They were delicious and I enjoyed sharing them with Kepa and his mum. But now I’m regretting it because all I can think is, “What was I doing to my body?”
I try not to harp on the fact that I have kidney stones, but I try to follow the guidelines for eating healthy to help prevent forming more. Those little buggers were the worst pain I’ve ever felt and ruined my Fitbloggin experience, so I try to bow down to them and treat my body well so they won’t be a huge problem. This past weekend I don’t feel like I was doing that.
For instance, one of the things I’m supposed to be following is: Sodium should be limited to 2,300 milligrams (1 teaspoon) or less each day. That’s why during the week I make healthy foods and don’t add salt to things I make. But this past weekend I ate way too much sodium (the recommended amount in just one meal of Chinese food!) and didn’t drink enough water. I basically did the exact opposite of what I should be doing for my health.
I’ve reached the point where I’m wondering what good is it to eat healthy all week if I just ditch the healthy stuff on the weekend? It doesn’t make sense. It takes me time to come to realizations like this. It’s just like when I wanted to eat sweets each day but realized that wasn’t working for my body and I needed to limit my sugar consumption to feel better. I’m now thinking I need to limit my sodium/grease/fat ridden fast food consumption too, further than what I’ve already done.
I don’t want to be someone who always says no to things like alcohol and junk food. But at the same time I want my body to be healthy for a long life and I don’t think those things are going to make that happen. I wanted to build routines when I moved here and I now think I want my routines to be healthy ones every day – not just Monday through Friday. Healthy living is a full time thing, not just on certain days. Just some food for thought for me.
Have you ever reached a point where you realized what you were doing wasn’t really what you needed to be doing?
Are you practicing healthy living all the time or just during the week?
By admin
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:36pm
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
This is the first weekend in a long time that I actually feel relaxed…
I claimed this "relaxation". I told myself and everyone around me that I needed this weekend to focus on ME. I knew ahead of time that getting back on track with eating was going to take my full attention… And yesterday was great!
I stayed on track with eating. Yes… I was tempted several times. But I made good choices,
By admin
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:36pm
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
Sometimes I wonder why I just don’t get it…
I have found myself here more times that I want to admit.
Starting over.
Yep.
Again.
I know I am out of control. Again.
I made up my mind that THIS IS THE DAY. No excuses.
I am starting with a sugar detox… I just know that sugar is the root of all my problems. I MUST get past this addiction if I am to succeed. Today, I found myself grabbing
By admin
August 21st, 2010 at 11:28am
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
The last couple of days here in New Zealand haven’t been terribly fun. It’s winter here so it’s cold and rainy. It rained on and off all day long – and by on and off I mean light and heavy. I won’t even depress you with photos of the rainy action. Needless to say, I haven’t been able to get out and explore my immediate surroundings like I hoped I would be able to do.
I did however start looking for a gym to join. I really want to join a gym for a couple reasons:
- it will get me out of the house which I need because my only current excursions are grocery shopping with Kepa’s grandma
- it will get me into a somewhat social situation. at the very least there will be people present who are not soon to be my relatives.
- it will jumpstart my workouts again! between the roadtrip and moving and everything else exercise time was put on the backburner. that makes me sad because I absolutely love working out.
So I have a few very good reasons for getting a gym membership here. And only one deterrant: price. It turns out that just like everything else in this country, gym memberships are expensive. The gyms close enough to where I live to walk (about a mile) are $80 and $100 a month in New Zealand dollars. Of course that gives me a little break since I have a favorable currency exchange rate, but that’s still $70USD for the more expensive gym, which is the one I like better. I never in my wildest dreams would have previously considered $70 a month for a gym membership.
Yet now, even though I’m completely strapped financially and trying to save to pay for my wedding with Kepa I’m actually considering it. Those three reasons I listed before are important reasons and joining a gym would vastly improve my experience here. Sure there is a lot to do outside, and I plan on doing it once the weather is nicer, but I still crave the gym experience with the group classes and social interaction. Being alone all the time including workouts is not at all fun. So now I’m being crazy and really considering the super pricey gym options here.
What do you look for in a gym? Have any suggestions for me to help me make the decision?
Merry Go Round
Decided to try to bring some sort of format to my crazy thoughts and randomness that I want to share all the time. Lemme know if you like it…
E-book News: (Because the e-book is my first project and I’m proud to share news about it!) There was such an awesome response to the e-book sale that I’ve decided to permanently leave the price at $17. I’ve never priced or sold anything before so I had no idea, but $17 (or even lower during future sales…sales are fun!) is a better idea. So get a copy of e-book and create a better health blog now!
Blogging Tip: (Weekly blogging tip is something I would love to start doing because I love talking about blogging.) This week’s blogging tip? KEEP GOING! So many people get frustrated and give up blogging before their blog even gets a chance to take off. I venture to say half of the work is just showing up continually and writing. So keep going!
Favorite Product: (Must start sharing all the awesome things I come across/get sent. Too many cool products out there!) Favorite product this week is a book – the Operation Beautiful book. Still. Because it’s awesome. Have you bought it yet? Checked out the Operation Beautiful blog? Spread some positivity this week!
Favorite Link: (Because I spend way too much time finding awesome things online not to share.) Healthy Living Blogs. This is a new project from a few healthy living bloggers, under the awesome leadership of Lindsey, is awesome. You can list your healthy living/healthy food/weight loss blog there and find others – even by location! Make sure you head over there to check it out and get your blog listed.
That’s it for this week! Leave me comments to help me sort out this gym situation, and then have a great weekend!
By admin
August 19th, 2010 at 11:12pm
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
I really dislike the word treats (and splurge) in regards to food.
A lot of people seem to like using the word treats because it makes them feel like they are doing something nice for themselves when they eat something like a sweet food or heavy meal. I think it makes the occasion feel more special and therefore allowable. But I don’t think we should be using the concept of treats when we are talking about the food we eat.
The problem with continuing to use the “treats” with food is that it is what got many of us into the overweight/obese situations we found ourselves in. As a child, how many of us were given “treats” when we did something good? Most of us first learned the concept as children – when you do something good you get a food reward! When you do something good you get candy! From the beginning most of us were not taught that food is fuel for your body. Even if we were verbally told this the message was compromised by the food rewards received for special occasions and good actions.
It makes me somewhat upset when I hear someone say they are going to treat themselves to ice cream after a long or stressful day. Why not “treat” yourself to something better? How about a nice relaxing bubble bath? Or some time with a good book and no distractions? Or any other kind of rewarding behavior other than food? When you use treats to satisfy another need you are missing out on a chance to really nurture yourself and instead misuse food.
And then there are those of us who use the word “treat” to explain something like a cookie that isn’t something we eat everyday. It’s a concept that is destined to come with the ideas of restriction and deprivation – the very concepts that lead to failure with most diets. I eat sweets every weekend but I don’t consider them treats. What exactly would I be treating myself for? A job well done on eating well all week? Isn’t that good food treat enough? The process of using food “treats” is one that can multiply and grow until it’s a bigger problem – once you start thinking of treats being acceptable they become commonplace. Instead of just having a “treat” once a week for something you’ve done well you can easily end up having “treats” all the time because you “deserve” them. I think there might be something else we deserve more than food.
For me personally, I became obese because I used food both to “treat” myself and cope with things as well as to abuse myself. I have the strangest past with food – it was both a comforter and a tormentor. So for me as an emotional eater the best solution was to learn how to take any kind of emotional/moral connection away from food (obviously I’m better but not yet perfect at this). I don’t use the concept of “treats” and I don’t consider certain foods good and other bad. I eat all kinds of food (some in limited portions, yes). I eat now mostly to fuel my body and keep it healthy as it can be. I don’t label foods good or bad – they are just foods after all. Any food can be bad or good depending on how you use it and how much you eat of it. Because I don’t think of one kind of food being better than another there is no “treating myself” to something I’m “not allowed” to have. Since I don’t feel restricted or deprived I don’t NEED the concept of treats to help me include things I want to eat but feel like I can’t.
This is all semantics really. Some of you will agree with me. Some of you will disagree. Some of you will probably wonder why I’m rambling on about such things. We all have certain words and methods we like and none are more right than the other. I just venture to question the idea that “treating” yourself with food is a good thing, because I think that the ideas of “treats” and “splurges” are more harmful than helpful.
Treat yourself well, please, but don’t treat yourself with food.
By admin
August 19th, 2010 at 11:12pm
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
In all the hustle and bustle of moving abroad I didn’t get a chance to do my normal Sunday weigh in. I’m fine with missing weigh ins and all, but by the time today rolled around I was curious about how I’m doing. So I hopped on the scale to get an idea and I realized Wednesday was a good day for weigh ins. Time to shake things up even more since I’m changing everything else! I’m enjoying changing everything and settling into this new place.
I also decided to do a video log every five pounds instead of every week. I really like videos because they show the progress so well (pictures too) but it’s hard to know what to talk about on weeks when nothing happened. If I don’t loose weigh and changed nothing, what do I talk about? Who knows.
But this week there is technically a lot to talk about! Let’s start with the numbers
Weigh In:
Current Weight: 206.6 lbs
Previous Weight: 208.4 lbs
Weight Loss: – 1.8 lbs
Weight Loss Total: – 44.4 lbs
Starting Weight: 251
Ah! I’m so excited! Down to 206.6! I’m even closer to that damn 200 number which I will soo demolish! Yeah!
Things I Did Well This Week:
Nothing. Just kidding. That’s not entirely true, but based on my goals last time I posted I didn’t do what I had set out to do. I didn’t workout every day – just a few times. I didn’t drink enough water – especially when traveling after I lost my water bottle at LAX. I didn’t keep my stress levels low – moving to a new country/losing half my luggage thanks to Air New Zealand/other unimportant things all left me stressed out more than I normally am.
But I did do some things well including:
- Packed healthy snacks for traveling – I made sure I had healthy options with me and I also bought healthy things like a turkey sandwich. I ended up hardly eating anything on the plane ride as well because I just wasn’t hungry at the times they were trying to feed me.
- Walked a lot – I almost was late for my flight (thankfully it got delayed) because I chose to walk across the whole airport at LAX (then the security line was crazy). I’ve tried to get out several times to walk since I’ve been in NZ, even if it’s just to the store.
- Starting good habits asap after getting to NZ. I started foodblogging again after quitting when I got really busy, and I haven’t been snacking or eating ridiculous amounts of food. Starting healthy from the beginning, because if I have a clean start I’m going to take advantage of it!
Goals For This Week:
It’s weird to be setting goals in the middle of the week, but I do like the idea of a midweek weigh in. We will see how long I stick with this format.
Goal #1: Drink more water! This means I am going to have to find an buy a water bottle. I’ve been drinking glasses of water but it’s just not enough. I’m a water bottle girl all the way and I’m so lost without one! So my goal is find a new one and make sure I drink an adequate amount. I get scared any time I get slightly dehydrated because I know my kidney stones might decide to take that opportunity to screw me over. Water is necessary…. must remember what my awesome kidney expert told me: Water is really important – up to a gallon a day and water throughout the night, as well (up to a 1/3rd of the recommended daily intake).
Goal #2: Visit a gym. I’m not sure yet where I want to join or if I’ll be able to right away (def not if they charge a year upfront). I’d like to visit a couple places, including a gym Kepa’s friend attends and a gym for women only. I’d like to check one or both out in the next week.
Goal #3: Hit the 45 lbs lost mark. I normally never ever set weight loss goals. I don’t try to force my body into doing anything and I don’t try to set unrealistic expectations for myself to lose a certain amount in a certain time. But c’mon, I’m just .6 pounds away. I’m going to venture to say I can do that in a week and that’s my goal. I was stuck around the 40 lbs lost mark so long that getting to 45 lbs lost is super exciting. I can’t wait to do that this week!
I’m doing well and I’m excited about everything (obviously). Things are going well around here, but if they aren’t for you let me know. I’ll gladly come around to your blog and spread some cheer.
By admin
August 18th, 2010 at 10:59am
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
My engagement wasn’t a huge surprise. I knew it was coming because Kepa and I had talked about marriage already and he had asked me what my ring size a few months earlier. Even if you previously hadn’t discussed the topic, a random question about your ring size would make you suspicious.
The funniest part of the ring size question was that I had no idea what my ring size was. I don’t wear rings generally because every time I’ve bought a ring I’ve either broken in or lost it (that is of all the three rings I’ve owned in my life). It’s not a jewelry type that I care much about one way or the other so I just skip wearing rings most of the time. So when Kepa asked me about my ring size I told him I’d have to go to a jewelry store and find out.
I ended up going to Walmart, classy as I am, to find out what my ring size was. The process filled me with anxiety because it reminded of the times when I was in high school trying to find a ring there and nothing fit. There is nothing more depressing than trying to find a ring for the first time in your life just to learn that nothing will fit you because your fingers are too fat. Even though I’m much lighter than I was then, going to find out my ring size I couldn’t help but fear that my fat fingers wouldn’t fit into any of the ring sizes. Irrationality is sometimes part of my daily life, and that was definitely one of my most irrational moments.
After asking about the rings I had to figure out my ring size by first guessing my size then working from there. I had no idea where to start. The last time I bought rings my ring size was an 11. An 11! I could hardly even find any size 11 rings at that time and I’m pretty sure there still aren’t nearly as many available as the smaller sizes. Even though rationally after losing a lot of weight I couldn’t still wear a size 11 ring I thought for a moment that I should start there.
After checking a few different sizes out I realized my ring size was an EIGHT. An 8! That might not mean much to any of you, but that’s a pretty normal size. I can go to the store and find rings easily now (not that I will since I don’t wear them). Somewhere along the line my finger stopped being as fat. It took sizing myself for a very important ring to realize that. My fingers are three sizes smaller than they used to be and I’m very happy about it. The little victories like this are part of what makes this whole getting healthy thing so amazing.
Even though I went to get my fingers sized and correctly gave the ring size to Kepa, I was terrified I would get engaged and the ring wouldn’t fit. If I’m being honest that was a fear I’ve carried around for a long time. After that first ring shopping experience where I couldn’t find any rings to fit me I’ve always been afraid that when I got engaged the ring wouldn’t fit over the fatness of my finger. That experience subconsciously scarred me since I still carried around that fear – even after giving Kepa the right size and only waiting a few months I was scared the ring wouldn’t fit as he slid it over my finger. Luckily I was so overwhelmed by the awesome proposal that the thought didn’t cross my mind in the moment… and the ring fit.
Just a few weeks later and my ring not only fits but it’s actually loose. I’m now worried that when it’s wet it might just slip off my finger, especially as I continue to lose more weight and my ring size potentially drops again. And while a loose ring is annoying, it’s a sign of how far I’ve come in working to change my life. It’s a sign not only of my commitment to Kepa, but a sign of the commitment I made to myself. I made the choice to change my life for the better through healthy living and my loose engagement ring is my new reminder of that promise I made to myself.
By admin
August 16th, 2010 at 09:28pm
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
Thanks for all the lovely comments on my post about moving to New Zealand! For the most part the move went well – no problems with my visa or getting to Kepa’s place. But I am still waiting on half of my luggage, so even the most exciting events have a few practical problems. Someone in LA want to go find my bag and send it to me? Gracias.
Besides that minor snafu everything is great. It’s strange to be back in New Zealand. Everything is familiar from my last visit and it feels like home. Yet at the same time I can’t believe I’m here. I mean, really? It hasn’t sunk in that I’m living in New Zealand instead of just visiting. It hasn’t sunk in that this is my new home and my new life. Maybe that feeling will come later when it all gets a little more real.
I have been thinking a lot about what I want to do in this next year. This is the longest chunk of time that I’ve worked with in a while. My year long visa seems like so much time when I’ve gotten used to planning my life by the month (or three at most). I know you can accomplish a lot in a year’s time and I would like to make this year a very productive one in many ways, especially health and fitness wise. So with that in mind I’ve pinpointed a few of the things I would like to accomplish.
1. Join a gym and regularly attend. I want to join a gym and go at least 3 times a week while I’m here. I won’t do much real traveling besides weekends, so I’ll have plenty of time to go to the gym. The main purpose for the gym is strength training. It’s been way too long since I was regularly lifting weights and I want to fix that because I love being strong and lifting weights.
2. Go snowboarding. I’m not sure if I talk about it much because I wasn’t able to go this past year, but snowboarding is my absolute favorite activity. I want to go at least once or twice while I’m in New Zealand if possible. I need to add another mountain range to my list.
3. Walk up Rangitoto Island. This was an item off of Kepa’s list that I decided to steal and make my own. I wanted it to be a goal for both of us that we can accomplish together. A little relationship building and exercise. Sounds like a win to me.
4. Walk as much as possible. I love this place because I can walk anywhere I want. My hometown is not at all friendly to pedestrians. You basically have to drive everywhere. But in New Zealand it’s possible to get around via walking and public transportation so that’s what I want to do. If there is an option to walk I want to take it.
5. Weigh under 200 pounds. I’m close. I’ve been close, but stuck, for a while now. But now that I’m not traveling or living at home I have the feeling I will soon be under 200 pounds. I can’t wait to finally have that stupid number behind me!
6. Food blog every day. During my long flight over the Pacific I decided that I wanted every day in New Zealand to be a good and healthy one food wise. Also, I decided that I want to blog my food (my form of food tracking/journaling) each night. Paying attention to what I’m eating is very important and something I want to make a priority.
Those are the main things I really want to have happen in the next year health and fitness wise. Of course I have other goals like spending time with Kepa, planning the wedding, earning money to pay for the wedding, making new friends, etc. Those are important to me too and will be a main priority while I’m here.
So I’ve got some things to work on for the year and I’ve got plenty of motivation to make things happen. I’m excited!
By admin
August 13th, 2010 at 07:35pm
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
OH MY GOODNESS.
I’m moving to New Zealand today.
I AM MOVING TO NEW ZEALAND TODAY!!
Actually, I’m leaving in just a couple hours. I’ve been ridiculously busy the last few days with things, but this kind of monumental life changing event deserves some reflection.
Of course I am moving mostly because of my relationship with Kepa. He is now my fiance and being apart from him is just terrible! But I’m also moving because I’ve always wanted to move to New Zealand. You can ask my real life friends. I was researching ways to move to New Zealand even before I met Kepa. A few years ago I almost applied for a visa and went. For some reason I’ve always had a strong desire to go there and live there.
Actually visiting New Zealand in January only solidified that desire. I love the United States and there is no place like it in the world. There is no place I will ever love as much as my home state of Tennessee. That will always be my true home, and yet, I’m completely drawn to this entirely different place.
I’m drawn to the beautiful landscapes:
![Beach on Waiheke Island [349/365]](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2785/4327518040_f336b8b80b.jpg)
![Lake Taupo Sunset [342/365]](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4323452600_b38e9bab71.jpg)
I’m drawn to the adventure:
I’m drawn to the outdoor activity:
I’m drawn to the people (hehe):
![Last Day Out [362/365]](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4361272219_cba429b2ba.jpg)
There is a lot to love about New Zealand. It’s a great place.
I’m excited about how life will be there. I’m excited that I will be able to start completely FRESH. I can start from day one with healthy habits living the lifestyle I want. I won’t be held back by family, my past, my old bad habits – none of it. The excuses will be gone. It’s a chance to start completely new in a beautiful place with someone I love. How lucky am I to be taking this leap into something new?
I’m not going to romanticize the situation though. I know I’m going to get homesick. I know I’m going to get frustrated. I’m definitely going to get frustrated trying to plan a wedding in Tennessee. I’m going to get confused and do things the wrong way. I’m going to miss my friends and family and the places that I love from the USA. I’m going to miss how inexpensive everything is. I’m going to miss certain foods and things you can’t get in New Zealand. I’ve lived in a foreign country before, so I know the process. Even if you speak the same language you will encounter cultural differences and other issues. No place is perfect.
Yet despite all of those things I know that this will be an amazing experience. I can’t really predict my future (besides the getting married part), but I know it’s going to be amazing.
Thank you all for reading my blog and supporting me in those amazing adventures. I never expected these things to all really be happening to me and I’m so grateful that they are and that I’m able to share them with such a large group of amazing people.
I can’t wait to get settled in New Zealand and build some new healthy habits and finally get rid of the last of this weight. I’m ready for that. I’m ready for my new body and my new life. I’m ready for my new adventure. I’m ready.
By admin
August 13th, 2010 at 07:35pm
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
Hello lovelies! I’m leaving today, but my flight is at 7 pm. I finally learned that early morning flights aren’t my thing.
Which means I have a little time to share a few things with y’all, including a mini-guest post, a SALE on the ebook, and some excitement in the healthy living blogging world!
Mini Guest Post
A few weeks ago I got an email from Crystalyn Pawlisz, wanting to share her story. At first I hesitated because I didn’t think her experience matched the kind of experience most of us our striving for with our healthy lifestyle changes. But then I realized that I was being silly because there are a million ways to lose weight and really none are better than another. It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just that you choose to do something (assuming it’s healthy and not an unsafe diet). In the end we are really all striving for the same thing, to be happy and healthy, so I decided to publish her story as a mini guest post (it’s short). I hope you enjoy her story.
I am an army wife and recently my husband was deployed to Iraq. My husband and I were stationed in Germany and newly married. I came back to the states to be with family during this hard time. I wanted to make a difference in my life with, and become a better person inside. When I returned to the states my Doctor told me about Medi-Weight Loss and said that it did wonders.
A month after I was settled in, I went with my friend to the clinic for an appointment. I sat in to see if I could really stick to this because I had failed many times before. I signed up ASAP, not knowing how much on an improvement the clinics program and staff would have on my life.
I started off at 240 lbs and was so shocked to realize how far I had let myself go. I then began to learn and understand that my health was at risk. Then after the first month I was amazed with how much weight I had lost. I currently am at 190lbs and feel great. I have lost 13 inches around my waist and never thought I could go from a size 22-24 to a size 12. I have learned how to eat as well as know my limits on food. I can run and enjoy working out for the frist time in my life. Weight loss is not just about improving your outward appearance. It’s about conquering an ever present obstacle and coming out on the other side feeling better about yourself. I don’t just look better, I feel better and consequently, I am a happier person.
I tell everyone about the program, as I want them to experience what I feel. I have taught others how to cook correctly and have come up with my own dishes that don’t make me feel like I am missing out on foods that are unhealthy. This has been the life changing experience I had been looking for and know if I can stick to it, anyone can. The support from the clinic is there for you every step of the way.
If you have any questions for Crystalyn, feel free to drop them in the comments!
Fitbloggin 2011
Yesterday Roni announced the dates for Fitbloggin 2011! Woohoo! It’s in May 2011 and I really would love to be there and suggest it to all of you who want to meet your favorite bloggers and learn more about blogging. I’d love, love, love to speak at the conference, but I don’t think I’ll get to be there. Considering I’ll be in New Zealand and planning my wedding for later in the year, I’m most likely not going to be able to afford the money or time it would take to get there. But I highly recommend it for all you bloggers who can make it. It’s going to be a good time… just look at the list of who is going already! And if I don’t get to go, I can make my wedding weekend into a psuedo blogger meetup, right? Because that’s what I’m all about.
Better Health Blogging E-book Sale!
In all the excitement of moving I didn’t get the original giveaway I had in mind done. I did get to mail off some of the awesome fitness stuff I couldn’t take with me in the move, but I had bigger plans. Since those fell through I’ve decided I want to do something else. A sale! For this weekend and the time it takes me to get settled in New Zealand, the Guide to Creating A Better Health Blog is ON SALE!
Instead of the normal price of $27 dollars, the e-book is now $17. That’s a ten dollar price cut, which should be helpful for all of you who messaged me saying you wanted to buy the e-book but just couldn’t afford the $27. Get it now while it’s on sale and get the same tips, advice, and helpfulness from me and all the other expert bloggers interviewed in the e-book.
And check back later today for another post (I know, crazy, right?) about my reflections on moving to the land of the kiwis.
By admin
August 13th, 2010 at 07:35pm
Under Fat Loss+ Fitness+ Good Fat Loss Foods+ Healthy Foods+ Healthy Living+ Live Better+ Lose Weight+ Weight Loss+ Weight Loss Food+ Weight Loss Journey+ Weight Loss Tips
I’m pretty excited to send out all the prizes to the winners. I’m excited to finish packing my stuff today. I’m excited to get on my flight tomorrow night and go to New Zealand.
I’m also trying to still find a wedding venue in Memphis before I leave. I’m also trying to get some exercise in despite being busy. So blogging? I don’t have much time for you! (Sorry my lovelies!) Therefore, it’s guest post time! A good guest post from Cynthia, who has lost the weight and kept it off!
I was one of the lucky ones. When I decided to change my unhealthy, junk food all the time, no exercise, barely able to breathe while walking lifestyle for a healthier one I lost weight quickly. No fad diets or starvation…just whole foods and moderate exercise instead of cookies for dinner and falling asleep during prime-time TV. The change was a welcomed surprise to my body and I dropped weight…fast.
My weight went from approximately 270 pounds (I didn’t own a scale at the time) to 175 in 6 months time. Almost 100 pounds…insane I know. I avidly counted calories to ensure I was eating enough for what I was burning. I had been sick on past crash “diets” and I didn’t want a repeat. My body got with the healthy living program and I steadily lost several pounds a week.
Losing weight that fast set me up for the dreaded plateau and regain problem. My ability to lose weight fast had given me such a big head that I thought I could adapt any situation without missing a beat. I firmly believed I’d hit my goal weight before Christmas that year. Boy was I in for a rude awakening.
That fall I entered seminary and my life was flipped upside down. I’m a creature of habit that learned to cook my own healthy meals and schedule my workouts to best suit my timeframe. In seminary it was entirely different. My schedule was set by the school and meals were in the cafeteria 6 days a week. I held to the attitude “I can handle this.” My life was crazy as a teacher yet I lost weight…why can’t I do it now?” With so much bravado it was bound to be a disaster. I didn’t realize I had to change my habits.
Meals in the cafeteria weren’t portioned controlled or labeled. I had no idea how they were cooked so I chose what looked the healthiest and lots of it. Mistake number one. I scheduled workouts for after classes but failed to plan for when deadlines were looming or extra things for school were tossed in my lap. Instead of moving forward I got frustrated at my dwindling fitness level. Mistake number two. Mistake number 3 was just giving up on weight loss all together. After six months of annoyance I bought larger clothes with the idea that I would lose the weight after school when everything was in my control again. I was miserable to see my hard work vanish as the scale slowly moved up.
The following January I decided to do something about it. Friends from seminary were joining Weight Watchers to loose the “Seminary 15” and I was game because obviously my current plan wasn’t working. Weight Watchers was similar to calorie counting but just enough of a change to jumpstart my weight loss mojo. At my first weigh in I was 25 pounds heavier than I had started seminary. Guess my seminary 15 had been the seminary 25 J
I relearned portion sizes and the importance balancing diet with exercise. With those changes I started losing weight…only much slower this time. My body was no longer on the fast train but instead taking a nice stroll along my Healthy Living Journey. Of course there were times I got frustrated with the slight gains after a few weeks of losses or when I couldn’t exercise due to a back injury…but the over all progress was what counted. Over the course of 6 months I lost 35 pounds. Six months seems to be my lucky number J
It was less than the first go-round but this time I learned a lot of lessons…lessons that would carry me through the maintenance phase of this journey instead of turning into a yo-yo.
1. Healthy Living requires work. It takes work to lose the weight and it takes work to maintain it. Hitting a goal weight does not issue a
license to return to prior bad habits. Instead you need to maintain the good habits you have learned with a few fun and frivolous days
thrown in.
2. Make it interesting. New foods and exercises or activities to challenge you are at every. When you are bored with your food choices and exercises it is time to change it up. Otherwise you’ll spend more time avoiding your new healthy habits rather than putting them to work.
3. The scale will fluctuate. No matter how diligent you are in your Healthy Living Journey the scale will go up one day and down the next…sometimes multiple times in one day. You cannot base your success on the scale because that is not what it measures…it measures weight for just an instant.
4. Set unique goals. Goals that have nothing to do with your weight. Your weight does not define who you are. Try setting goals for how your clothes feel or how far you can run or swim. Set goals that will make you proud of your accomplishments even when the scale fluctuates.
5. Don’t be afraid of set backs. Injuries, illness, and busyness can all derail your efforts. You can’t really plan for these days or weeks and just have to roll with the situation. Being aware that set backs happen won’t make them as much of a shock. You WILL get through them…because you have learned healthy habits to keep you moving.
I was blessed to lose the majority of my weight easily. Otherwise I may have given up as I had many times before. However the struggles I faced regaining some then slowly achieving my goal weight made me appreciate the healthy life I now enjoy. It was not handed to me and I don’t take it for granted. No matter the struggles the Healthy Lifestyle is so much more rewarding.
Thanks for sharing Cynthia! Everyone make sure you check out her blog It All Changes!
By admin
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