Phit-N-Phat...Making Fitness and Weightloss a Lifestyle

Food That Has Power Over You

We often think of food as the enemy. When I say food has power over you...what pops in your head? Be honest!

- Do you think about wild needs for chocolate at night?

- Does a bag of chips on the counter render you munching your way through cooking dinner?

- When you go out to Mexican the chips in the basket just can't be turned down?

Food DOES have incredible power over us. If we aren't planning and prepping for our week it can have the wrong kind of power.

But I want to talk about the positive power food has. I am working with a group training for the Country Music Half Marathon. This message inspired this post.

Corinne, I wanted to give you a special thanks for all the training tips and the tips for eating prior to and after walking/running. I feel so much better than I did the last time I trained and I know it is because of the things you have shared with us. Recovery is much easier and I don't feel like I need to go to bed when I am finished!!

We too often sit around thinking about all the negatives with living the lifestyle and fueling our bodies that we forget just how great good food can make us feel. I know that the day you stop seeing food as your enemy and embrace it as part of what your body needs, YOU DO BETTER!

So many of us grow up in the mentality that more is not better with food so we should starve to lose weight. Less must mean I'll lose. Most of the time it means you starve a few days, overeat the others, and either gain weight or stall all while busting your ass and feeling like shit. We don't know how to figure calories so we go with what we know: starve and then let food have POWER over us.

I believe the best thing for your body is easy; listen to it and give it enough food to do it's job. If the job right now is to workout and lose weight, then you gotta give it enough FOOD to do that and it's more than a lot of you think on a DAY to DAY basis. 

Notice I didn't mention you can't eat carbs, you should avoid fat, never do this or that. If you want to have loads of food rules go ahead but I can tell you to lose weight there aren't that many. The body wants healthy food and it rewards you when you eat a lot of it. Things like...

• regular poops (you can set a freaking watch to mine)
• increased energy
• prettier skin
• better workouts
• a happy mom and wife
• a worker who can THINK

and lots of other things.

I could get into a lot of detail on how to eat healthy but this blog is about embracing good, natural foods to feel the positive power food has over you. If you are tired of feeling like crap then quit eating it. 

And, feel free to ask questions in the comments of the blog. I'm happy to tell you my "food rules" for your situation. :)

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Losing Weight Means Doing Things Outside the Norm

Over the years I've written all kinds of blogs about things I had to start doing to lose the weight. A lot of it was stuff a (former) fat girl would never do. 

• It got funny looks and we don't want to be looked at.
• It got remarks from people and I didn't need anyone peer pressuring me.

The last few days I've been reminded of a few KEY changes for me. And I also started thinking about how I need to get back to a few basics consistently to have the structure I love.

The first is from an OLD blog of mine...Igloo Your New Purse. In fact this blog made me smie because it reminded me of some of the things I used to eat, my olders workouts, and such. I should blog more like that...if you girls ask for it. If not, then you don't care how I workout. LOL

The blog is about being prepared when you leave your house. Don't go places without snacks! When I leave my house I always take a meal or two with me. It just depends on how long I plan to be gone.

For those of you who always are  "gone so much longer than you planned", keep a bag or small box of food in your car. Baggies of almonds, beef jerky, tuna packets, plastic spoons, a few bowls, etc., all keep. They are built to last and it keeps you out of trouble ladies.

This is some advice I gave in one of my many weightloss challenge groups this month. If you belong to PNP or buy Beachbody products from me, YOU TOO can get such great advice! Her aunt died and she has to go to her parents for the funeral. She asked if it's OK to bring your own food to avoid eating a bunch of stuff you don't want.

I think brining your own food is fine for your weekend away is fine. I do it all the time to this day. You might get funny looks and such but just tell them you are working to improve your health and it all starts with what goes in your mouth. If they say live a little, tell them you’ve been living a lot lately and now it’s time to live a new way that you can enjoy just as much.

Another huge change in my BODY was when I got over myself with my workouts. It took me a long time to realize no one in the gym was worried what the "fat girl" was doing in her workout. I can't tell you how often I casually rode the elliptical not getting a quality workout, not changing my body, all because I was worried what some person thought. 

You, me, and everyone else who walks in the gym or decides to get off their butt deserves the BEST workout to change. I know it's mentally hard, but at some point if you don't want to look the way you do you have to do things that will make a change. Being an elliptical jockey isn't it. 

My PNP member and friend, Angela, wrote her own blog on the famous Hood Workout. When you workout I want you doing things you normally don't do, challenging yourself, breathing hard, and not being ashamed to get a workout in that shoves you straight out of your comfort zone. 

In this old blog I have a motivating video and a Hood Treadmill routine you can do. And if you are one of my private PNP members you have the new camp routines available to you. After testing them out on my local bootcamp ladies I know they are challenging and that all fitness levels can make it happen IF THEY WANT TO!

Just typing all this motivates me to tighten up on making sure I have the cooler ready to go. Every now and then I walk out without one and, even though I don't stop and eat out, I do come home TOO HUNGRY. 

And for the workouts, I do tons of mixing it up. I got vidoes, machines, and such all around me. I think it's time to teach my local ladies all about the famous hood workout so at any time they can kick up their own training when I'm not there!

Food Prepping for the Family

We have a two menu related challenge teams for February: the Food Preppers and the Shakeology Menu team. Their mission this month is to focus on being prepared through the week with food prepped, coolers packed, and no excuses on being caught without something healthy to eat and cook for dinner. A member posted this...

Good morning ladies!  Yesterday I did some prepping but I didn't have baggies to weigh and protion my food.  So on the to do list is to buy lots of baggies.!!!!

I told my kids they can eat my portioned food but they have to let me know what they are taking so I don't run out.  Prepping is going to be intense if I'm prepping for 4 people!  Fun stuff.

I remember when I started the food prep stage of my weightloss journey; I was getting ready to compete and it was right after Logan was diagnosed. Since I was putting him on a special diet and I was on a competition diet, I literally went from nothing to prepping Queen overnight.

Often I talk about the mental mind blow competing did, but one thing it CHANGED for me and was invaluable in my keeping off 100lbs (not to mention teaching other ladies to lose their weight) was being prepared with my food.

That first year of competing and Logan's diagnosis I learned quickly I HAD to be prepared or WE WOULD FAIL. As odd as it seems, I felt his life was on the line and there was no assing around about food prep. He wasn't in true danger but it felt that way for sure. We were cutting gluten and caesin and just about everything had to be homemade. This was way before gluten free was easy to find.

What I found and put into our lifestyle is that when I take time on Sunday to prepare my whole family for the week our week goes smooth. Logan has less fits because I'm not making craptastic drive-thru runs because we are "soooo busy." My husband gets home earlier because he has his snacks and Shakeology meals at work. He often works through lunch with his shake rather than going out. This keeps him from staying until 6pm every night. I keep my weight in check and NAG LESS because I'm not pissed at what I ate today because I didn't have anything ready.

I can't tell you how many fights I've avoided with the family just because I'm not feeling bad about what I ate. My clients who don't prep and end up eating junk often are the ones who end up aruging with their kids and husbands. Personally, I think the food they choose is not only physically making them feel bad but MENTALLY lowering their self-esteem.

So, back to prepping for the family. Each week when I get home from the store I do several things:

1. I make all of my lunches and put them in Ziploc containers. It's like my own Lean Cuisine but healthier. Pop in the microwave and ready to eat each day. I work from home but when I do need to be out it pops right into my cooler!

2. I pre-portion and bag all chips (yes, we do keep chips here), nuts, peanut butter, cereal, etc. I try to always break-down all the foods for two reasons: it's easy for Logan to grab a snack bag out of the drawer and it shows DADDY what a dang portion looks like! And, truth be told, I'm as guilty as anyone of eating out of a bag or jar. A portioned bag/cup slows me down because it reminds me how many calories it is and begs the question "is it worth it?"

3. All fruits and veggies get washed, cut, and bagged. I cook dinner most nights now, but I used to pre-cook our dinners because I didn't have a quick system in place. Now I've learned how to get the basics all done for the week so that when it's time to toss together our meal it takes about 20 min. max. I can check email while it cooks! If we are having chicken fajitas all I have to do is toss the prepped peppers and onion bag in the skillet, the chicken I sliced up in, and microwave a bag of brown rice.

The key for me is to just look at what we plan to eat, all of us, and make it as grab-proof and simple as possible. It makes the week so much simpler. And, when I make menus for my Shakeology clients, I craft the weekly menu with the prep instructions. It's helped them lose a lot of weight because someone paid it forward with their tips.

Makes me feel good to know that the lessons I learned during one of the most difficult years of my life is paying off for so many. :)

 

Making Mistakes Helps You Lose Weight

“You have to make mistakes to find out who you aren't. You take the action, and the insight follows: You don't think your way into becoming yourself.” --- Anne Lamott

It's the first week of our January challenge. Guess what? Most of you are GUNG-HO right now. Warning to you: there is a mistake in your near future.

• A kid will get sick.
• A friend will break-up with her boyfriend and require you to drink with her.
• Your football team is playing.
• A husband will want pizza and not grilled chicken Friday night.
• By next week the work gang is off their "diet" and going out to the local Mexican restaurant.
• You'll need to go to the gym and the boss will make you work late.
• The alarm will go off at 5am but the baby was up all night and you will lay there.

Sad to say, but most of you will have at LEAST one of these things happen, beat yourself up for life happening and wait until the next challenge to get started AGAIN. Until that time you will just spin your wheels with your old habits that make you want to lose weight in the first place.

I'm telling you now that all of these things are going to happen for the REST OF YOUR LIFE. These are not the universe trying "F" with your head. It's called a part of life. 

Do you think when I lost over 100lbs it was roses? No way! I had death, birthdays, a child diagnosed with autism, sickness, we sold and moved a house at Christmas, I travelled a lot, etc. 

The difference is that I finally realized my life wasn't going to snap into a perfect zone so I needed to learn how to make my life fit into the circumstances. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired of me.

To this day, in maintenance, the same things happen. I constantly don't get my way with how I want the days and weeks to play out. I make mistakes. I eat crazy on vacation, I skip workouts when I just can't get it done, etc. The difference is that I don't let what happens in life change my LIFESTYLE. 

When I need to miss a workout, it's OK. I just know that day I need to re-tool my week. I might not even get every workout in but I'm still going to be healthy and exericse. Unless you are training for a huge race...what does a missed workout or two mean over the course of the next 30 years? Nothing. 

On vacation I eat. On date night I have my wine (and plenty of it). I enjoy these times because after six years of doing it I'm maintaining my weightloss. It's not vacation and date night killing you; it's vending machines, lunches with the gang, and then just nibbling your way through cookies, cakes, crackers, chips and leftovers from the kids' plate that's stopping you.

So, as we proceed through week one of our PNP January Challenges - no perfectionism. When you have life happen I don't want bitching in the threads that your life is so unfair. I want you discussing what happened and feel free to be frustrated. Just don't let it stop there.

I'm looking for women who will show up in the thread, honestly saying why they had to miss workouts or didn't eat on plan BUT HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE (like we talked yesterday) about where they go from here.

Learn from your mistakes. They are there to teach; not punish.

Again, smile more, hug more, and plan the life you want to live.

 

Making Healthy Plans for 2012

It's always an exciting time at the first of the year because everyone feels ready to work. For me I'm sort of gearing down. I have the toughest weekend of my life coming up in January. I'll be doing the AZ Tough Mudder (12.5 mile endurance run with obstacle course) one day and then doing the Phoenix Rock and Roll Half Marathon the next day. And, I get the pleasure of doing it with a fellow PNP girl, Kathy. My good friend Jane and husband will be there for the half portion so a special weekend.

I'm excited because I've trained HARD for all of this. I'm running, doing Insanity, doing Chalene Extreme, and mixing in my own outdoors obstacle course training. Last weekend we took these pictures.

Logan was my trainer and coach through the outdoors stuff. That kid can climb and do monkey bars like nobody's business. I watch him and try to duplicate how he uses his body. Of course, I don't have his core and upper body strength. Little dude is STRONG!

Lately, I've been reflecting on what I do in my silly athletic adventures. I love them and although I am never going to be paid, place, or great at them, they do a lot for my mental health and self-esteem. As a young, over-weight girl I couldn't even dream of this stuff. Now these events help me overcome my constant fear of gaining my weight back, worries about body image, and give me moments at the finish line where I celebrate finding my life.

It's still amazing to me this day the things I do. I hope all of you know, regardless of what shape you are in today, that you can accomplish a lot of amazing things. Don't sell yourself short. Find the things that excite you and do more of that.

The new year is offering you a chance to change your lifestyle. Not go on a diet or do workouts you hate. It's time you find a method that works to make you satisfied, happy, but slowly evolve. And, this past year I have lots of girls that might not be at goal yet but they spent a year getting into better shape, redefining how they live, and are healthier than ever before.

Over at PNP we are gearing up for a huge kickoff to 2012. The girls have worked hard during the Holiday Hustle Challenge to not have extra weight to lose when January rolls around.

We are all geared up to start the New Year with groups forming on Facebook and PNP. For 30 days you get me coaching you depending on the challenge you want. I have people doing Beachbody videos on Facebook and PNP, my own training programs, girls working in a select group to do Shakeology for weight loss where I'm providing menus and tutoring on food prep, etc., and some people are allowing me to coach their own Beachbody Biggest Loser  groups on Facebook! You can email me for more information on that and I'll help you set up a challenge with your circle of influence.

Busy Week and Unprepared

I want to make sure everyone knows where I am this week since it's going to be my hustle week. I thought it would be easier to blog it since most of you will see it who belong to PNP and such.

Monday - Logan's birthday!

I'm laying low PNP collecting the final results from the In and Out challenge and finishing the Holiday Hustle challenge that starts NEXT WEEK. Keep checking your email because when I have the program finished PRIVATE MEMBERS will get access immediately. Teams will start forming mid-week once I get the structure settled.

Today we have a class party, choir, dinner, trick or treating, and I still haven't been to the store this week. As some of you know, I'm having a few health things I'm taking care of this week and I've been really tired lately. Yesterday I slept most of the day and didn't do a food prep. I can count on one hand how many times this year I didn't do one.

Luckily I keep frozen dinners and veggies so I have enough to get me through. I plan to hit the store between choir and Trick or Treating and then I can cook up some stuff after we finish hitting the hood.

Tuesday - at doctor's appointments all day. Taking the day off from exercise and the world.

Wednesday - Should see more of me online as I'll be getting together several teams and answering questions.

Rest of the week should be my normal working and availability.

I really wanted to stress to all of you that even when you are busy and you can't prep, you can ALWAYS have back up things in your house. I keep frozen dinners, frozen bags of vegetables, pasta sauce and gluten free pasta, beans, egg white cartons, oats, frozen berries and bananas for Shakeology, Boca Burgers and frozen bread (gluten free) and P90X protein bars. If I had to go 2-4 days without prepping I always have enough stuff to make it through without doing damage. It isn't the IDEAL and most satisfying food ever, but it's not starving or Dairy Queen.

Those who want to make it happen have back up plans for when they just can't squeeze it all in. :)

For workouts, I'm behind today. I either start running now on the treadmill or take the day off. Might be a day off and just cut back some calories. I'm pretty tired and busy and I want to enjoy my time with Logan tonight.

Continuing to Heed My Body's Advice

Chris and I were going to do a 15K this morning. I had grand plans to test-drive a nutrition strategy for my next half in two-weeks. 

We went out last night to celebrate my re-certification in ISSA and basically some other milestones. I've been feeling pretty good this week and think I can see myself making lots of forward progress getting my "groove" back.

It was a lot of fun, we danced some, had a little wine, I ate sensible, and we were home by 10:45. Note: we go to a Boomer and above type bar with dancing. You can have a full night and be home early. Score!

We got up this morning, dressed, ate breakfast, and headed to the race. We even walked to registration. The whole time my knees were a tad achy, nothing major, I was tired, and I just kept thinking am I really ready to do this? I mean, I had worked out this week, had my DOR on Thursday, busted butt in working (like too many hours to put on here or you will think I'm a nutcase), and just deep down felt like this race would make the rest of the day worthless.

I looked at Chris and said I just wasn't in it but if he was into it I could muster it up for the team. He said he didn't care...it's COLD! We laughed, turned around, and decided to hit the Y, workout, and then go get groceries for the week.

It was such a great day and so nice not feel guilty for canning something I had "planned." In the past I would push. Today I just thought who the hell cares if I do this race? Is this race going to change how anyone's day goes? No. The only person it effected was Chris and he was COLD and so was I. Cold running on a tired body is not a good time and I do these events to have a good time. Sometimes it's about beating myself but that's fun! If I can't find the fun what's the point?

We went to the Y. I ran for 30 minutes and worked a LITTLE on speed meaning I just ran faster than an easy run for 15 minutes because I felt like it. Chris wanted to do a long run so he did 1:15 on the treadmill while I finished my workout with some upper body circuits and ab work. I keep workouts in my phone for JUST THESE REASONS! I always have something I've written I can pull out and use.

Then we headed to Whole Foods and Kroger to get food. It was nice and we decided today we would just eat unconventional but healthy stuff. It felt great! I had some veggie sushi that I never do, Honeycrisps are IN so I bought I know 20 of them because I eat about 3 apples a day, and I bought an assortment of prepared vegetable and grain salads and baked tofu. 

Tomorrow I'm walking with my friend early then cleaning and prepping all that glorious food. This is our menu for the week (dinners are what we all eat and lunch is me and Chris - Logan takes a variety of things).

Preworkout - apple
B - oats and egg whites with one egg
S - Shakeology made with water and ice, pumpkin seeds
L - homemade bean chili over spag squash (I like volume)
S -  almond butter rice cake and apple
D -  bison mexican stir fry with herbed gluten free cous cous OR skinny chicken dumplings (made with GF oat flour), with a salad (baby carrots, cukes, broc, spinach) OR Boca burger on Ezekial Bread (could use GF too we have it), baked sweet potato fries, and cucumber slices
S - Shakeology same as snack and another apple

I also have some yogurts, bananas, popcorn and such in case I'm extra hungry. 

We're starting our Beachbody 90-day Challenge on Phit-n-Phat.com and here's my plan for the week first week. I have a bunch of PNP ladies coming in for Phat Camp this weekend so it's going to be an awesome week and I'm excited! I'm putting the videos in as I can for two weeks since I'm travelling and doing big events. Then I'll be on a regular schedule.

Mon: CEX Burn 1 (havent done yet and want to try)/I've got Abs

Tue: Tempo Run 5 miles

Wed: CEX Burn 3/2-3 miles/Extreme Abs

Thu: Off

Fri: First night of camp (cardio night - bodyweight routine)

Sat: Camp (sprints, two more workouts)

Sun: Camp (cardio, 2 more workouts)

Long post but that's the plan. I'll take off Monday for sure to catch on PNP and hit that grocery store!

My Planning and Why

I'm starting this with my plan for the week. Last week I said I needed to get back to my old behaviors so that's what I'm going to kick off with today. Some positive planning, structure, and accountability. You really can't beat any of that when you are living the lifestyle.

EXERCISE

Monday - finished a hard 4 mile tempo run on the treadmill
Tuesday - back/shoulders/abs and 30 min. of cardio (new routine learned at Phat Camp that is wicked)
Wednesday - Long Run of 7-8 miles
Thursday - chest/legs/arms hour circuit
Friday - 3 miles and ab circuit 20 min.
Saturday - EZ 5K in the morning with Logan and Warrior Dash in the afternoon
Sunday -

I'm using some routines from Phat Camp for the cardio and the strength is my own stuff this week. Today I ordered Chalene Extreme and I think I'm going to follow that program a bit to free up planning for myself.

FOOD

Went to the store yesterday after driving back from Dayton PC early in the morning. Here's what I planned for myself starting tomorrow because today I winged it and will be prepping tonight. I had to work, therapy, and lots of other things so tonight it is.

Breakfast - 3/4 cup of oats with cinnamon, truvia, and almond extract and 8 egg whites with ketchup OR 2 pcs of EZ toast with ICBINB and 8 egg whites.

Snack - Shakeology and 1/3 cup of pumpking seeds

Lunch - roughy cooked in coconut oil, mixed fajita style peppers and onions, and 4-6 oz of sweet potato (strength days I'll do 6)

Snack - apple with two carb master yogurts

Dinner - Skinny Chicken and Dumplings, Spag Sauce with Laura's Lean beef over a bag of steamer vegetables, OR chicken fajita mix (no rice for me) on top of big salad

Snack - 12 oz of red wine OR shakeology and an apple OR 100 cal bag of popcorn (wine or snack but not both this week)

On a high day that equals about 2100 calories and a lower day (choosing lower options) it's about 1800. I also have some baby carrots, celery, and bananas to add in case I'm hungry. It's filled with stuff I like and I should be able to maintain fine with this.

I also have plans to have go out to eat three times this week! I know two are Ruby Tuesday so that's easy. The other I will know ahead of time and make plans. My goal for this week is to stay off BLT's, stay on plan, and be aware of my hunger. Assess if I'm hungry or just stressed.

PERSONAL

This weekend I was at Phat Camp Dayton and it was great. I love the workouts because they scale them to fit everyone's level. Women who look just like I did six years ago show up to these camps and I hope when they see me they have hope it's possible. I respect them so much for showing up and giving it their all. When I weighed 250lbs I wouldn't have had the guts to do it, let alone, push myself to try working out in a new way.

The majority of the women at camp were just starting out or trying to figure out where to go with exercise and getting in shape. As we were in the seminar portion of the camp, so many of the women started asking questions that had plagued me back in the days of losing weight.

One woman was worried about loose skin on her tummy. I just couldn't help it but I had to comment that for some of us the skin is NOT going to bounce back. I was honest with them that once that elasticity goes it's gone. Some women do have great genes and no matter what kind of weight gain they have with pregnancy they'll get it back with hard work. But, A LOT of us with past battles with obesity WON'T.

Jen asked me to show my Tummy Tuck scar and she said, "Well, that's not so bad." I promptly said you haven't seen the REAL scars from the lower body lift. LOL. I pulled half my pants down and showed the women what I had to do to fix my past. I even took the time to explain what it has meant to me, personally.

I spent years trying everything to fix my skin issues. I still try! At four years of maintenance and work I knew it was time for surgery. Today, with the loose skin that is STILL left after six years I have learned I need to live with it. Y'all know everyday I work on self-acceptance, but what I was hoping they would see is a woman who can kick butt in workouts who used to sit on her butt letting life kick her.

That's the awesome thing about Jen Hendershott's Phat Camps and my own PNP Meet-ups at events; we all can work together towards a better lifestyle. Some of us are in the beginning. They need the help to get started on the right path and who better to give back than women who have been there.

And there are others there, too. We had a couple of figure girls, a few women who love endurance events, a mom of 8 kids who has no time and little money for clean food, girls with no kids just starting out in adult life and women who are hitting the boomer years. It's amazing when you attend events with me because I can promise you there will be women with all kinds of stories yet a lot of commonality in trying to find the balance while losing weight.

OK...so that was all about camp. I decided on Saturday that it was important for me to leave Sunday morning EARLY and miss the last day. Logan had his first cross-country match and I wanted to be there. Something told me I had to be there but not for the reasons I thought.

We went and the baby wasn't feeling too hot to begin with. He's got a little cold but seemed OK to go. He wanted to! We arrived and it was a MADHOUSE. 100's of kids and parents everywhere. It was like organized confusion.

Because he's a 3rd grader we waited for our turn in the hot sun for about 45 min. to an hour, I think. He stretched and seemed fine until we lined up. We had to wait 15 min. on the line and that's where his nerves kicked in. He said his legs shook. We hugged tight trying to get the adrenaline out.

When they sounded the horn he ran the field, hit the track then just started walking. I could see he was shutting down. It was too much. I ran to the side (coach's can be on the field) and tried to get him to run. When he started melting down I backed off hoping if he had no outlet (me) he would keep going. No. Some sweet kids and another mom ran to him and cheered him on. Nice as it was I could see his face was striken with too much stimulation.

At that point I walked with him and we ended up leaving. He started throwing a mild fit; my worst nightmare because I don't want this friends at school to see him THAT way.

Other things happened but I tried to keep my composure and help him learn from it. We processed the day 2-3 times. I wanted him to completely understand that I understood WHY he was frustrated and didn't like it, that I was proud of him for trying, that it was OK to not want to race, but throwing a fit and not using your words to express your emotions isn't acceptable. THAT was hard for me. I had to find a way for him to understand he was in time out for tantrums and not for his inability to process a big event. I was so worried he would think I was mad and punishing him for not running.

In the end he got it. I know he did. I've thought a lot about it, too. It may sound insane but God uses these times to help us. I remember blogging a long time ago that I had to go through years of being fat, bullied, and miserable to even have the ability to help my clients. Same thing with Logan. We have to believe that these tough moments are meant to be so that one day in the future when it REALLY matters he will succeed, try, not quit, or know how to leave something the right way.

It's so ironic that my phrase "Last place is the girl on the couch," the mantra of PNP, plays so well with my child. Being in last place means you were a part of something. It means you were brave enough to try. I have to give it to Logan. That boy might not like a lot of what we make him do but he shows up and attempts things.

I told him we weren't quitting Cross Country. He enjoys practice. I enjoy coaching the girls. We'll keep going and each meet we can decide if we want to race or if we want to cheer on our friends. Either way WE'RE a part of something. That was the goal and we CAN DO THAT.

I do admit that it's hard with the food and exercise to not just go crazy lately. I'm not always perfect but I'm doing the best I can. It's what I preach to my girls. If I'm not eating perfect you bet I'm tracking calories to keep it honest.

That's why I'm planning and posting, being honest and blogging. It's not always roses but I've learned to have a lifestyle means you gotta fight through the tough times and enjoy the good ones. I know what foods to not have around, I know some days I need to schedule a workout with someone so that it will get done, and I know there are times I have to ask my husband to question my food choices when I'm not willing to do it.

It's how I handle maintenance. When I'm strong I intuitively eat. When I'm worked up like a maniac it's time to go on a plan and turn off thy brain. These days a little silence in my head, an app to track my calories, and a piece of paper with a plan is a good thing.



Breaking Out of My Own Chaos

I will say I'm very good at making time for myself to pursue my interests and keep me sane. But what I'm not good at is balancing ME with my business and the world. For days I've wanted to blog. DAYS. I haven't had time to just sit and mind dump...I've been doing that all over the Phit-n-Phat boards.

If you haven't seen or heard, we're in the middle of our biggest CHALLENGE ever: In and Out the Gym. It's too late to enter but the teams are doing great and you can read what they are discussing and buy the training program. From all the talk of soreness it is pretty fabulous!

Today, though, was therapy day and between the low I feel after and being in hyper business mode I'm whipped. I told Chris this evening I just felt like I was running all day and yet I wasn't. On the inside things are going 90MPH all the time. In therapy I told her I don't rest. I don't. My mind just won't shut down and it's been years since I remember it actually not processing a to-do list, ideas, and what not.

And in therapy I broke down with her about this. Logan and I are probably a lot alike. I imagine how I feel on the inside (the racing thoughts, extreme creativity, and things moving super fast) probably is the way he feels. It's chaos but the difference is that I am good at handling it. I am fast, can optimize time like nobody's business, and super efficient or I wouldn't get all that I do done.

Not Logan. That's where I started BAWLING. He's trapped in this head noise like me but is in slow motion on the outside. It just scares the crap out of me that he might feel like this. I never wanted to pass this onto him, let alone, not give him the skills he needed to handle it.

Maybe I'm being dramatic...I'm sure I am. But this is my blog and I earned the right to be a diva committing to it.

The interesting thing about all of this is that I have watched myself change the last few months as I started realizing I got freaking issues! In the lifestyle department I've let small BLT's work their ugly way into the mix, my food prep is what I would call a minimalist does, my training is actually pretty good just not what I am used to (this means it's uncomfortable for me), and we eat out more than we ever have. Oh and I'm having wine with Chris 3-4 x's a week. How's that for a tarnished crown and total accountability?

One thing I do know is I shouldn't stress it weight wise. I ended up sneaking a scale addiction and I'm back to my comfy 145.6. But as always the number isn't what makes me happy. I'm just as boo-hoo here as I would be 4-5lbs up in weight.

What it does stress is that inviting a lot of "loosening of the belt" makes me feel more chaotic because I'm having to think about what I'm going to eat, what can I grab running out the door, and will this make me feel good tomorrow. I just don't think I need that right now. Although my choices have been fine it's the stress of dealing with all the choices wearing out my nerves!

The habits of organization, planning, execution, and knowing what you are doing each day is what produces a happy Corinne. When my course is mapped out I feel great and in the zone. Just like the goal setting for the year, month, week, and day have worked I want to get back to the same structure with what goes in my mouth. Besides, I'm working too hard with this running to be scrambling to fuel right and look tight!

When I return from Dayton Phat Camp this Sunday I will make a menu, do a nice food prep where each meal is cooked, and cut out the BLT's. I don't need to eat 6-8 meals of meat and greens. I'm not saying that at all. Frozen dinners can stay for emergencies. I'll have my Shakeology twice a day because it is easy, quick and good, make a plan that includes all the healthy eats for othe meals, but have a plan that is well executed. 

Right now I need my lifestyle more than ever. I need that reliability it gives me so that I conquer and work on the other more important things in life. My food just isn't that important. My son is. My husband is. All the PNP girls are important. I have plenty in my life that needs me at my best. And that's what I am working on...returning to what took me feeling my best. What a process this therapy is!

For workouts...I'm at the tail end of a lifting cycle. Next week will be my last week on a four day split very similar to the In and Out Challenge Program. That allowed me to workout at home most days. I'm thinking of starting Chalene Extreme or P90X to carry me through until the end of our half marathons in December. My main goal is the running and quality races. By using the videos I can save time working out at home, get in a good workout, and just keep the muscle I have. I am never going to add muscle running this much and eating maintenance level calories so it makes sense to do something fast and effective...most importantly something I don't have to plan. Man I miss having my own trainer! Tony was the best! But for now running is my passion. Bigger muscles have to wait.

Well, I'm off to a fitness camp this weekend with some lovely ladies at PNP. I always get very motivated at these things and I love sharing my life with them. I may not be perfect but through the ups and downs I do hope my struggles help you avoid a few tough times. It's worth sharing all of this imperfection if some of you know you aren't alone. :)

Monthly Goals

Last month I set some goals and I wanted to update you and myself for accountability where I got, what I'm changing this month, etc. 

This month my focus is finishing a certification I've put off way too long, get my PiYo certification (this weekend), officially work in the office (not the couch), and start therapy.

I completed my PiYo certification, work daily from my office, and started therapy. The only goal that was not met (which I forgot to put on the blog list) was finish up the ISSA certification. I did get 1/2 way through my online testing and put it on this month's goals to FINISH.

Yesterday I got out my list of ten things to accomplish in the next year. After reviewing I made out my September Goals list.

September Goals:

• ISSA and CPR Certifications completed
• Get all of my links on the blog and PNP site updated
• Complete 12-week Women's Whole Body Workshop Materials (class I'm working on with a friend of mine locally)
• Take Logan for a "staycation" downtown
• Weigh 144lbs (part of my 15% BF goal) 
• Enjoy wine 3x's a week (part of my 15% BF goal LOL)
• Take 2-days off from working out through month of September since I have big races and fitness camps every single weekend
• Family walk/talk 4x's a week
• Church every weekend I'm in town OR 1 hour of spiritual time listening to Joel Osteen 
• Log my food in LoseIt daily.

It seems like a lot but it's all things I can weave into the month. 

Next, I took notecards and broke down each week of the month. On those I wrote the weekly goals including what I knew had to be done that week and then put in things that supported this list. 

I feel good knowing I have a MAP for the month. Now all I have to do is each Sunday take down a card and make out each day's must-do's. Then the night before fill-in what's come up. 

Personal Stuff
So I weighed-in again this morning. AGAIN I felt pretty good. I actually felt smaller yesterday but I was down this morning to 147 flat from 147.8. So, some of my gain was water. I'm sure with one more day of exercise and calorie tight of 2000 I will be back to 146.

You know, I think I'm going to put the scale away again. I go through cycles. There are times when it doesn't bother me. There are times it does. Right now I think the number is playing in my head and not allowing me to appreciate my hard work. It doesn't really change how I eat and fuel but it sure crams my head with self-doubt. With all I have going on in life a number on the scale just can't be this important.

I can say with honesty that I'm the strongest and fastest I've been in a long time. My workouts are great, my core is doing wonderful, and my running is getting better and better. I'm enjoy the exercise most days.

A few months ago I discussed focusing on the athleticism and I think that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to put it away until Oct. 1. Since I have a goal written down I'll weigh in. Until then it can wait. For now, 147 is my number and I should be happy because it IS within my range. 

I also recieved a timely blog this morning called Your Body Image Strengths. You've seen me reference it before and I actually sent it to several of my PNP clients for homework! So that I can start my weekend RIGHT...here's my list of Body Image Strengths. Feel free to post your own!

1. I have strong abs because I work on them.

2. I can run faster and longer than ever before.

3. This is the first summer I've worn shorts to the gym.

4. I can put away the scale when it's being more than just a guideline.

5. I unsubscribed to several FB friends and pages that were negative or put out body image stuff that was unrealistic.

6. When I dress up I can see how hard I have worked.

7. I have changed my foods frequently this year to keep healthy and give my family a better variety.

8. I gave away or donated loads of clothes that I didn't feel good in. 

That's a few things. It felt good to type them out. Now I need to clean up and go meet a good friend for our exercise date! Have a great weekend.