Well folks, sadly we’re nearing the end of summer. My kids start school in TWO weeks! I can’t decide if I’m ready for school to start or not. I’m hoping I’ll be able to get a lot more done (and be a more consistent blogger!), BUT for some reason I thought I’d get a lot more done once summer started and that has definitely NOT been the case. Ha ha!!! We’ll see.
We had a little bit of drama ’round here a couple nights ago. While we were visiting my parent’s house, my poor baby tripped and fell down TWICE. The first time, he just got a giant goose egg. The second time needed stitches. Sooo, we ran him down to the nearby KidsCare and got him stitched up, or actually in his case they were able to glue it.
The picture on the left is one of him waiting in the waiting room. The picture on the right is after they fixed him….with his sucker! My poor baby. He was a trooper though!
I also feel a need to mention that he is wearing his cousin’s t-shirt because he threw up too. Lovely. He was so upset and crying a lot (of course!) so we gave him a couple of juice boxes to help him to calm down. Well I think the juice boxes + crying + drama = throwing up.
I also want to mention that if you look carefully at my forehead, you can see my scar from when I got stitches when I was 3 years old! I fell down while Trick-or-Treating and my parent’s took me to the ER while I was still dressed in my clown costume. 🙁 So now my baby and I have matching scars.
***********************
Well, I want to talk to you guys about my current healthy living state.
I’ve still been LOVING all of my classes at Functional 45. I look forward to them and just absolutely looooove them! They are THEE perfect workouts for me right now. I love that they are only 45 minutes long, yet I get in some killer weight training and cardio intervals! It’s fun too!
Here’s a pic of my friends and I after our workout last night. So fun!
The only bad thing is that because I’ve been loving these workouts so much, I have not felt like running….like at all. That’s not good because I’m going to be running a relay race in ONE month! Auuughh. I’ll talk about that more in a sec.
Anyway, I’m killing it with my workouts, but for some reason I’ve been STRUGGLING with my diet! I definitely know all too well that I CAN’T out-exercise a bad diet. I mentioned in my last post that I was trying to just eat a sensible diet; mostly good food with a few splurges here and there. Well…it’s just not working for me! I’ve pretty much been eating really really well on the weekdays and then giving it all back on the weekends! Oy! It’s been a little frustrating.
This should go without saying, but I always feel sooooo good when I eat well. I really can feel the difference in my body within 24-48 hours. On the flipside, my body hates me when I feed it crappy food! I seriously bloat right up, hang onto every ounce of water, feel very run down, sluggish and just blah.
You think I’d learn, but apparently this is a lesson I need to learn over and over again. Actually, I have a feeling I’ll continue to learn this lesson as long as I live! Ha. I must say, I think it’s okay to splurge once in a while and enjoy some crappy food. The problem for me is when that little splurge turns into a lot of larger splurges! THEN, those larger splurges turn into a free for all!
I could go on and on and on, but I will just sum it up by saying that I am now, once again, committing to a very healthy diet! I’m cutting out the sugary stuff (that’s always the thing that derails me!) and am just going to eat good, real food. I’m going to keep track of what I eat in My Fitness Pal, but I’m not necessarily going to count macros. I’m going to make sure to get a lot of protein in and will keep my carbs and fat in check. I will watch my macros because I think it’s a great way to learn, but I’m not going to follow a specific macro plan. Make sense?
I’m really determined to lose these last 10 or so pounds! My weight has fluctuated up and down the past year, but I’m still 5-7 pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight. HOWEVER, I know I’ve gained some muscle since then so it’s hard to compare. Regardless, I’m feeling bigger than I’m used to and I just want all of my clothes to fit me like I want them to!
I’ve had a lot of people tell me over the years that they were able to lose weight quite easily when they wanted to. Losing weight is not easy for me! I’m pretty darn good at maintaining my weight, but I’ve learned that in order for me to actually lose weight (especially when it’s the last 10 or so pounds) I really need to be ALL IN and 100% committed! I imagine that’s probably the case for most people. It’s a sad reality, but it’s just the way it is.
Soooo, here I am once again, 100% committed! Yay! I actually feel quite motivated this time and am happy to be on the mega healthy diet train again. It really does make me feel so good, gives me a lot more energy and just a happier outlook on life! I also want to mention that whenever I start out on a mega clean diet, the first 3-4 days are quite easy. I’m motivated and hopeful to see changes. It seems around day 5-6 (usually the first weekend!), it starts to get quite hard. I start to crave every crappy food in sight and feel hungry (even if I just ate) all the time. Note: I’ve learned that I don’t think it’s actually hunger, but rather my body detoxing and going through withdrawals. Scary.
Anyway, if I can get through that first week, it gets significantly easier! My blood sugar seems to stabilize and my appetite and cravings go way down. AND, if I can stay on track for about 3 weeks, it becomes even easier! I’ve heard that the key to weight loss is keeping the blood sugar stable and I’ve definitely felt that to be true! When we eat sugary, fatty, salty, processed food, the blood sugar and hormones get all out of whack as the body tries to process it all. BUT, if we feed our body full of good, clean, real food….the blood sugar stabilizes because the body knows what to do with it and how to process it!
I have SO MANY thoughts I could share, but I think for now that’s all I’m going to say ’bout that.
Wait, actually I’ll say one more thing. I think a lot of times when people want to lose weight, get in shape, etc…..they are looking for that magic cure-all that will finally be the answer/diet/fitness regime that will solve all of their weight loss woes. Well, I’m sorry to say, but it really does always come down to good ol’ fashioned hard work. Healthy diet + exercise + consistency (i.e. you just gotta put in the time, have faith in the process and be patient!) will always yield good results. You also need to make sure to get good sleep and keep the stress level manageable. Easier said than done, BUT that’s what it takes. AND, that’s why I (and so many others!) continue to struggle. It’s just all about continuing to find the balance and finding what works for YOU in YOUR life.
Okay, I’ll be quiet now.
*****************
I thought I’d share a few healthy meals/foods I’ve been enjoying lately.
I decided to make a fancy dinner last week! I really don’t make fancy dinners too often because…well, Ain’t Nobody Got Time for That! Note: If you’re not familiar with the “Ain’t Nobody Got Time for That” lady, I suggest you click here and educate yourself. She is HILARIOUS!
Anyway, I made Chicken Cordon Bleu and everyone enjoyed it!
Yes, it was a major pain in the beehind, but it really is one of my favorite meals. It was also one of the first recipes I ever posted on my blog! You can click here for the recipe if you so desire. I really need to update the pictures on that recipe some day!
I served it with a side of mashed potatoes, gravy, corn and salad.
Yes, I made a ginormous bowl of mashed potatoes! One of Kev’s very favorite foods is mashed potatoes so I always make sure to make a lot! The kids were in heaven. Here’s my plate…
I actually enjoyed the leftovers for several days afterward. One night I had a leftover cordon bleu paired with my spinach punch! Ha. Super weird.
I also made a yummy dinner last night! We made grilled chicken, cauliflower rice, corn on the cob and baked potatoes. I didn’t have any of the baked potatoes, but my kids always love them. I also decided to keep it simple and marinate the chicken in a bottle of light Italian dressing. It turned out great!
Oh, and GUYS I have to introduce you to my new favorite condiment!!!!
OH GUYS, this Wholly Guacamole Avocado Verde is the BOMB! I really could eat it with a spoon or even drink it!! I wish Costco would sell it in giant tubs. I just buy mine at Walmart, BTW. Oh, and not only does it taste amazing, it’s only 35 calories for 2 Tablespoons and made from all real stuff!
I’ve been loving it on my chicken and my eggs! Here it is on my fav egg wrap…
I also made an awesome breakfast burrito on a Flatout and enjoyed it on there too…
I filled my breakfast burrito too full (I always do!) so I just decided to fold it in half and eat it with a fork!
YUM!
Oh, and this has been one of my very favorite snacks/treats lately!
A fresh peach, raspberries and cottage cheese. Oh, how I LOVE peaches this time of year! They seriously taste like candy to me.
******************
Well, I told you guys that I haven’t felt like running lately, right? Yes, it’s not good! I just love all of my classes at F45 so much and compared to those classes, running seems so boring and daunting!
I do love the therapy part of running. It’s so good for my mind to unwind and I love being out in nature. BUT, the whole running part of it can be brutal! Ha ha. Running is hard!
Soooo, for now I’ve just been running once a week. I’ve been wanting to run 2-3 times a week, but it’s just not happening. I’m hoping that my workouts at the gym are helping me get in shape for my race though. Fingers crossed. We will be running the Red Rock Relay on September 9-10. It will be fun and I’m looking forward to hanging out with our fun friends and Kev’s bro. Thankfully, I have one of the easier schedules. I think my legs are ~3 miles, ~4 miles and ~5 miles. I’m so grateful. Sometimes I love a challenge and would love to tackle one of the harder schedules, but for now I’m very happy with what I’m doing.
Well, I decided to go running this past Saturday and it was tough! First off, I felt quite tired and run down. Secondly, I wasn’t able to get out and run until the afternoon and it was HOT! I was just going to run on my treadmill, but I decided to take my chances outside in the heat. We’d just had a short rainstorm that cooled things off a bit, but it didn’t last long. I was pretty much running in 90 degree heat.
However, we’ll probably be running in the heat during our race so I thought it was good to train in the heat a little bit. I ran 5 miles. The first 2 miles were great, the 3rd mile was “meh,” and I struggled on that 4th mile! It was hot and my body was sick of running!
I took a selfie to pass the time! My face pretty much sums it up.
I decided to head home and finish my last mile on the treadmill. That last mile was brutal too! Don’t let that smile fool you! Ha.
I plan to run again in the next couple days and I sure hope my run is better! It was discouraging!
Well, I think that’s all I have to say today. Oh, I do want to mention that I’ve been having a lot of fun on this new Instagram Stories thingy. I’ve been wanting to try out Snapchat for a while, but again, Ain’t Nobody Got Time for That! Soooo, I was thrilled when Instagram started their own version of Snapchat since I’m already on Instagram. It’s actually been a lot of fun AND apparently I have no shame! Ha ha!
On Sunday, I posted a beautiful video of my wonderfully obnoxious kids singing at the top of their lungs in the van. After that, I posted a video of me and some of my extended family singing Happy Birthday to Kev and one of my brothers. However, later on that night when I actually had time to listen to the video, I realized you could hear me really well and I was waaaaaaaaaaay off. Beautiful! After that, I posted a pic of me and my baby after he got his stitches. Yes, it was a crazy day, BUT it perfectly sums up my life! Ha ha.
Soooo, if you need a good laugh, you can follow my crazy life on Instagram and Instagram stories. Well that is seriously all I have to say today…for reals. I hope you all have a fantastic day! xoxo
I completely can relate to this post! On the weekend I say I’ll have a treat meal, and then I go overboard. I’m still trying to figure out my happy balance. When I have more greens in my diet, and less sugary snacks I know I feel so much better.
I know, cheat meals and all the good stuff are so tempting!! I always feel so good when I cut it out of my diet for a long period of time, but it always calls my name!!
I LOVE relays! We have a group that does one every summer. This year it’s in Nevada and we have to miss it. Last year we did the Grand Teton Relay, and the year before that was Hood to Coast. The Red Rock Relay looks beautiful! I’m going to suggest it to my friends.
I also loathe running in the heat. I feel like I’m going to melt and take a lot of walk breaks. Bleh.
I love relays too! Sadly, we just found out that our relay race has been cancelled. 🙁 They just didn’t have enough teams sign up and their permit fees tripled in price. Super lame, but I’m a little bit relieved as well. I absolutely fall apart in the heat too. I just CAN NOT DO IT!
I cannot have things like pre-made guac or hummus in my house. I will eat the whole container and then some! ha!!
Ha ha, I hear ya! I love to put guacamole on everything!!!!
Sorry about your baby 🙁
I fully agree with you on the consistency about healthy living. I realized I have gained about 10 pounds over the past 5 or 6 years, so I am starting a 6 week carb cycling program, on Monday. I am like you, a little bit of sugar or treats leads to a bigger treat, etc. I was reassured by what you wrote about after 1 week the cravings go away / things get easier.
I have taken my measurements and can not wait to start ! While I exercise consistently, I tend to over eat.
Thanks for always being so positive and focused ! Your determination is inspiring Melanie !
Happy anniversary too. 🙂 Our 20 years were on August 3rd.
I can’t wait to hear about your cab cycling program Karen! It sounds so awesome. I bet you’ll love the results.
I love to over eat too, dang it. Why does food have to be so darn good??? ha ha!!
I hope you had a wonderful Anniversary! It’s funny that we both had our 20th Anniversaries and we both have a Senior and Sophomore!
Your poor little guy. He is such a cutie.
I am glad you are still liking your classes, we all go through exercise phases and you have to do what is working for you at the time.
Thanks so much Abby. I’m so grateful for my gym and the fun classes right now!
oh so sorry about your little cute boy, you did very well and look like you’re having a great body, thanks for sharing a nice post 🙂
Thank you so much! <3