One Obstacle at a Time

I don't know about you, but if I see too many obstacles in my way, I tend to shut down. I get overwhelmed and can't figure out what to do next. One thing I've learned in the last year and half is that I have to keep things simple. I have found great success when I focus on one thing at a time.

My advice to anyone just starting on a journey toward better health is don't let yourself get overwhelmed. Focus on one or two things or changes at a time. Master those, then find one or two more things.

And now that I am further along in my healthy journey, this method of keeping things simple still apply. Like I said last week, I've learned a lot about fitness, weight loss and better health. But I cannot rest on my laurels. I keep moving forward to focusing on one thing at a time. Keep it simple, Sweetie!

Photo Credit: stock.xchng

The one thing I'm focusing on right now is running. My goal for 2012 is to improve to my pace. And I had great success toward that goal this spring. Then summer, and high heat and humidity, came. Which slowed me down. And I struggled mentally with that.

But after a season of continued focused, my running pace is showing improvement again! And that makes that simgle-mindedness worth it. One thing I love about running is that I'm competing against myself. I can always improve on my past performance. I'm not racing against anyone else. Every time I run, it's about improving my health.

As I keep running, the weight will continue to go. My pace will continue to improve. My love for running will deepen.

Okay, enough rambling. Here's my week in review.

Fitness: A great week! I worked out for a total of 206 minutes, including three strength training sessions. I had to rearrange my usual schedule (I thrive on keeping my schedule!) because of Hurricane Irene making a close approach to the South Carolina coast. Thanks to Janice for helping me rearrange my workouts so that I could get everything done with maxing out or injuring myself.

Monday: a.m. run
Tuesday: warm up on the exercise bike, followed by total body strength training
Wednesday: a.m. run
Thursday: warm up on the bike, followed by core and upper body strength training
Friday: a.m. run (usually on Saturday, but didn't want to run in tropical force wind/rain)
Saturday: legs and core Pilates
Sunday: rest day

Nutrition: A really good week here too. I did allow myself a treat of soft serve ice cream on Saturday which I shared with Ladybug (4 years old). That has been a good strategy to allow us both a treat without either one of us getting hyped up on sugar.

I also experimented one day last week with eating completely raw for the entire day. It was a fun experiment, and I definitely want to incorporate more raw food into my diet. At this point, going raw is not something that I could sustain. If you are new at healthy living, please hear this: do not try to make dietary changes that you cannot sustain for a lifetime. This is not a diet. Healthy living is a LIFESTYLE.


The Scale: I'm on a break from the scale for another week.

Non-Scale Victory: 1) I ordered a new bra this week and am down another cup size. One more cup size and I'll be able to buy off the rack! 2) I have over 1,000 minutes of fitness activities for the month of August!

Enough with my soapbox today. Thanks for your continued support and encouragement! Have a healthy week!

Raw for a Day

I've been doing a lot of reading about the benefit of raw food. There are a lot of claims about what a raw diet can do for a person. A true raw diet is also vegan, and I'm not ready to give up chicken, eggs, or dairy.

So I decided to go raw for one day as an experiment. How would I feel? Would I feel hungry or deprived? How much extra prep will it take? I live-blogged the day so I could keep track of what I was eating and how I was feeling.

I woke up on my designated raw day feeling ready to tackle the challenge. I was up at 5:30 am to work out. I had the the typical bags under my eyes. My energy was a 7 on a scale of 10. I'm a morning person, so that's typical for me. And even though I'm on a break from the scale for the month of August, I did weigh myself because I'm curious as to how this would affect my weight.

After my workout, I made breakfast: a green smoothie made with 1 cup almond milk, 1.5 large bananas, and about 3 cups of spinach, plus some ice to make it thick. Yum!

I debated whether to have coffee or not, since it's not officially raw. But I did have a cup of half- caff after breakfast to ward off a headache.

I felt good during the morning and wasn't thinking about food. I had a snack of one medium peach, 12 almonds, and 4 dates.

By the time lunchtime rolled around, I was cranky and hungry. Don't know if the crankiness was related to the hunger or to my daughter being a pill. When we got home from our playtime, I made a big kale salad. I do mean big! This is a serving bowl! I took about 4 cups of kale, massaged on some olive oil and salt.

Then a made a pate` of sorts with 1/2 cup almonds, 1/2 walnuts, 1 T lemon juice, 1/4 of a large onion, 2 small carrots, a little salt, some dried parsley, and a dash of garlic powder. I processed that all in the food processor until it had a crumbled meat texture and piled it on my salad. I didn't eat all of the nut mixture, saved about 1/4 cup for another time. It was a delicious and filling salad.

Because of the onions and garlic, I needed something sweet to cleanse my palate, so I had a handful of grapes to top off my lunch.

I had a case of the afternoon sleepies, which is normal for me lately. I usually have a cup of coffee or even make an iced coffee with almond milk and Ovaltine. So I had a few sips of half-caff left over from this morning and a bowl full of grapes.

I would be interested to find out if that afternoon slump would be remedied if I followed a raw diet for a longer period.

Dinner was easy-peasy. This was my main concern, because I don't like making multiple meals to suit everyone's tastes. Ladybug (4 years old) had leftovers. Hubby and I had zucchini "pasta" with raw tomato sauce. The sauce was a bit like salsa, except with the hot peppers or cilantro. I need to find a different recipe if I try it again. Not that it wasn't good, just needs tweaking. I had a few bell pepper strips on the side for sweetness.

Here's the fun part of this post, gastrointestinal issues. I eat quite a lot of dietary fiber on a daily basis. But I think there was a lot of additional fiber that I wasn't used to. By dinner time, I was a bit gassy and bloated. That's definitely a short-term problem to deal with. But my advice to anyone who wants to dabble with a raw food diet, be warned that dramatically increasing your fiber intake in a short period of time will have those effects.

I skipped my usual bedtime snack because I just wasn't hungry. Other than leading into lunch, I didn't experienced any hunger today. I definitely didn't feel deprived today. I think preparation and having a plan really helped. I knew what I would be eating, so I wasn't tempted to reach for anything not raw.

I slept well, and woke up feeling refreshed from a good night's sleep. I did step on the scale again and was down 2.8 lbs, which tells me that my body will respond well to a raw diet for weight loss. I don't know that I could totally give up grains, eggs, and cheese, though.  But this was definitely a good experiment. I might try this again, I might even do this on a weekly basis.

Relaxing Into It

I have been serious about healthy living for twenty months, almost two years! I learned in the very beginning that this is a marathon, not a sprint. I am in this for the long haul, for improved health and quality of life for the REST of my life.

I have learned a lot of great, healthy habits that I've been practicing for a while. It's no longer a chore to reach for fruits and veggies. It's no longer a duty to exercise, it's something I enjoy and even look forward to.  I am still constantly learning and pushing myself, but I "think" I've reached a place where I am much more relaxed. As Schoolhouse Rock taught me, "Knowledge is Power!"

It was a good week of relying on the knowledge that I have gained.

Fitness: A stellar week! I worked out for a total of 205 minutes. I ran for my fastest overall pace on Monday, plus had a great "long" run on Saturday. A year ago, I was just learning to run and didn't love it. What a year has done! I love running and wake up ready to go on running days. I can't wait to hit the pavement! I only got two strength workouts in due to a busy schedule; I want to do three this week.

Monday: a.m. running
Tuesday: warm up on the exercise bike, followed by legs/core/arms strength circuits
Wednesday: a.m. running
Thursday: exercise bike workout
Friday: warm up on the exercise bike, followed by legs/core/arms strength circuits
Saturday: 4 mile run!
Sunday: rest day

Nutrition: It was a good week in this department too. I focused on lots of fruits and veggies. I mentioned making zucchini "pasta" last week, and lot of folks wanted me to share more about that. I made it two nights in a row, once raw and once cooked. I used the smallest julienne attachment on my mandolin to make long strips. On the cooked night, I sauteed it with olive oil, onion and garlic, but only until it was al dente. Then I topped it with my homemade chunky spaghetti sauce. On the raw night, the heat from the sauce warmed up the raw pasta, but it was still nice and crunchy. It was delish either way!

For this week, I'll keep my focus on fresh fruit and veggie, especially more raw produce. My breakfasts this week will be green smoothies - almond milk, spinach or kale, and fruit. They are a great way to start the day!

The Scale: I'm on a break from the scale right now.


Non-Scale Victories: This week, running was definitely a victory! Monday, my average pace was 13:04 for 2.37 miles. And Saturday, I ran 4 miles at an average pace of 13:50! I've stepped up my Saturday running to increase my endurance. I feel strong and I love the way I feel when I run!

Thanks for your continued support & encouragement! I can't do this without you!

I Wear Jockey: Review & Giveaway

*** This giveaway is now closed and the winners have been notified. Thank you! ***

At the beginning of the summer, I was contacted by Jockey to participate in their "I Wear Jockey" blogging program. Now, I don't usually blog about underwear. However, as a weight-loss athlete and as a busy wife and mother, good undergarments are very important. And I thought that if good underwear is important to me, it must be important to most other folks too.

The great folks at Jockey sent me a nice variety of styles from their Plus Size Collection. I received samples from the No Panty Line Promise line, the Elance collection, as well as the Comfies collection. The variety of colors was great; I do enjoy color in my life!

The Elance panties come in brief, French cut, and bikini styles, and they are a great "every day" underwear. They are 100% cotton and are very comfortable, even during the hot summers days that we've had.

The No Panty Line Promise panties are a fabric blend of 97% modal and 3% Spandex. These are a fabulous choice when wearing dress pants, skirts, and dresses. In the sweltering Southern summer, they were NOT a good choice with workout wear or denim. I sweat a lot when the heat index is over 100 degrees, and this fabric blend and humidity are not a good combination.

My absolute favorite of the Plus Size Collection that I received are the Comfies panties. They are a cotton and microfiber blend, and they live up to their name - they are comfy! They are great to wear under workout clothes, or with any type of fabric for that matter.

Now for the fun part - the giveaway!

Jockey has graciously offered TWO $50 shopping sprees for my readers! So two winners will receive a coupon code for a $50 shopping spree on Jockey.com - yay!

Mandatory entry: Visit Jockey.com and leave me a comment below telling me one product that you would like to try.

Additional entries: Tweet about this giveaway, max once per day: "Enter for your chance to win $50 of your choice of great Jockey products from @Jockey & @notdiyheather http://bit.ly/oj8X44."

Make sure you leave a comment below including the URL each time you tweet.(To find the URL of your tweet, click on the time stamp of the tweet & you will be redirected to the individual page. Simply copy the URL & paste it in your comment below.)

*** Please make sure I have a way to contact you if you win, either email or Twitter ID ***

This giveaway will close at 9pm EDT on Thursday, August 25, 2011.


Disclosure: I received free products from Jockey and will be paid for this review and giveaway, however all opinions expressed are completely my own. 

Soaking Up Summer

That's what we did this past week - we soaked up as much of summer as we could! The temperatures have cooled off just a little, enough that it's still hot enough to enjoy the beach and the pool without feeling like turkeys on Thanksgiving. So we had a lot of busy days, staying active & enjoying the beautiful weather!

Now that the Knock Out the Fat challenge is over, it was nice to relax and enjoy myself. When we went on vacation in July, it was the middle of the challenge, and I felt like I couldn't enjoy myself as much because I still had to be focused on my nutrition and exercise. It didn't feel like vacation. This last week was more of a stay-cation (at least for Ladybug & me) and I loved it!

Also, now that the challenge is over, I'm taking a break from the scale and from keeping a food journal. I am still being mindful of what I eat, I'm just not writing it down. My brain needs a break from the hyper-focused attitude. I will however be highlighting a non-scale victory each week. I think these are just as important, especially for the emotional and mental aspect of weight loss and healthy living.

Fitness: I did cardio on 6 days out of 7, for a total of 199 minutes! I felt great, had tons of energy, and felt balanced.

Monday - running 32 minutes, legs/core/arms strength circuits
Tuesday - exercise bike 30 minutes, core/arms strength circuits
Wednesday - running 32 minutes
Thursday - exercise bike 30 minutes
Friday - exercise bike 10 minutes, 20 minutes of leg/core/arms with no rest breaks to keep my heart rate up
Saturday - running 45 minutes
Sunday - rest day

Nutrition: I did allow myself a few treats this week, but focused on fruits and veggies to keep my meals balanced. I made a yummy snack mix for the beach: puffed wheat cereal (no sugar), almonds, and craisins. I also enjoy some delicious homemade iced coffee: cold coffee, Ovaltine, and almond milk over ice. That was a great early afternoon pick-me-up! I love that Ovaltine has a new formula without artificial colors (which trigger migraines).

I haven't had a chance to do my weekly menu plan, but I'll be trying a few new things. I bought some nice zucchini at the farmer's market and will be making grain-free "pasta" with it. I'll let you know how it turns out!

The Scale: I'm on a break from the scale. But I forgot to mention last week that I have now lost 40 lbs since joining Mamavation in January 2010!

Non-Scale Victory: My run on Wednesday was A-MA-ZING! The humidity was a bit lower (than the usual 100%) that morning, and I felt fantabulous! Love that feeling!

Blogging Carnival Question: What qualities do you look for in a healthy breakfast? Any go-to breakfast recommendations for a busy mom?  I look for balance for the first meal of the day. And my absolute favorite breakfast is oatmeal with ground flax, peanut butter, and fruit. I don't use milk in my oatmeal, but I do add unsweetened applesauce to make it creamy with just a hint of sweetness. In addition to oatmeal, I have a rotation of two other breakfasts that are my go-to way to start the day. I find that keeping options simple help me get the day started right. I don't makes waffles, pancakes, or anything complicated unless I have leftovers when I make breakfast for dinner.

This post is sponsored by Quaker Oats and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway hosted by Mamavation and sponsored by Quaker Oats.

Knock Out the Fat Week 13

The final week of the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge is done. When I signed on to this challenge, I didn't realize how long 90 days would feel. Yes, the summer flew by. But it included 90 days of focus. Focus on the meal plan, the fitness plan, the weekly weigh ins, and the other requirements.

There were days when I had to tell myself to "Suck it up, Cupcake." Days when I had to say "no" to the desserts served at social outings. Yes, it's worth it. I remind myself that I need "short-term sacrifice for long-term gain." I won't always have to say "no."

This weight loss journey requires determination and dedication. And I learned a lot about that during the last 90 days.

Here's my week in review:

Fitness: A kick-butt week! I did cardio 6 days out of 7, for a total of 228 minutes! I missed strength training on Monday because I fell asleep early and slept for 10 hours that night. I guess I was still recovering from the previous week's crazy VBS schedule. I'm working on my endurance, so during the week I did 30 minute cardio workouts followed by strength training. On Saturday, I had an EPIC run of 4+ miles. It took close to an hour. But if my 2012 goal is to run a half-marathon, then I need to get used to it!

Monday: a.m. run, 30 minutes
Tuesday: exercise bike 30 minutes, upper body/core strength circuit
Wednesday: a.m. run 30 minutes, lower body/core strength circuit
Thursday: exercise bike 30 minutes, upper body/core strength circuit
Friday: Pilates 50 minutes
Saturday: a.m. run 58 minutes
Sunday: cardio rest, upper body/core strength circuit

Nutrition: It was a great week in this department too. It was a low key week, which was definitely needed. Lots of fresh veggies and fruits, lots of back to basic cooking and grilling. We had heat advisories most days, so I'll say it again, the George Foreman grill is awesome for when you don't want to heat up the kitchen.

I made a food por.n recap video of some of my favorite food during this challenge - if you like pictures of good looking food, go check it out!

The Scale: This week, I'm down 2.0 lbs! Woot! My total weight loss for this challenge is 9.6 lbs. My current BMI is 35.8 (down from 37.3). I have also lost inches during the challenge: 2 inches in my bust, 1 inch in each bicep, 1.75 inches in my hips, and .75 inches in each thigh for a total of 7.25 inches!

Before: 5/7/11, 234.8 lbs

After: 8/7/11, 225.2 lbs

 Special thanks to Leah, Alysa, Steph, Shelley, all my Sistas, and the other challengers for their support during this challenge! Extra special thanks to Janice, Greta, Rachel, and Steph for your extra pep talks when I needed it!

Disclosure: I am one of 10 Brand Ambassadors in the George Foreman Knock out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge. I was sent a George Foreman Grill for my participation in this challenge and will be compensated for my time at the end of the 90 day challenge. HOWEVER, ALL opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own.

My Favorite Knock Out the Fat Meals

I'm a bit of a foodie. I love to cook, I appreciate good food, and I love to take pictures of good food! Through the past 90 days of the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge, I've taken A LOT of pictures of my food!

You can cook almost anything on a George Foreman grill, and I tried a lot of different foods on the grill. Two of my favorite things about the grill are that the meat stays moist even though the fat is draining off, and that the food cooks from two sides at once, cutting the cooking time in half.

Enjoy this foodie trip through the Knock Out the Fat Challenge!



Disclosure: I am one of 10 Brand Ambassadors in the George Foreman Knock out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge. I was sent a George Foreman Grill for my participation in this challenge and will be compensated for my time at the end of the 90 day challenge. HOWEVER, ALL opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own

Ten Runners I Want to Run With

If you've read this blog for any length of time, you know that I enjoy running. It's time alone, time to just be, time to pray, plus it's a great way to challenge myself.

And in the awesome internet age, I've met some inspiring women online who also love running. I hope someday to have the chance to go for a run with the ladies. I bet there is a company out there who would love to sponsor a social media tour for mother runners.

In no particular order ...

1. Janice @fitcheerldr
2. Steph @fitmomtraining
3. Coco @Got2Run4Me
4. Pamela @PamelaMKramer
5. Carrie @CarrieSinCa
6. Heather @runfastermommy
7. Anne @runningmom2boys
8. Rachel @RunningRachel
9. Julie @HotlegsRunner
10. Lisa @crazyadventures

And the risk of making a list is that I have inevitably forgotten someone. Please don't be offended if you are not on this list!

For more great Top Ten lists, be sure to visit ohamanda.com

Knock Out the Fat Week 12

Welcome to August! We are entering the final week of the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge. This summer and this challenge have just flown by. August always brings to mind back to school  preparation, along with the hope of cooler weather. I am looking forward to that - it's been HOT here!

Here's last week in review:

Fitness: A great week in this area, in spite of the busyness of Vacation Bible School every evening. It forced me to use my time wisely, and it also increased my daily activity! I tried finishing up the Gruntstyle challenge, but just didn't have enough time at the end of the week. I did get other strength workouts in however. Including re-starting the 100 Push Up Challenge.

Monday - morning run
Tuesday - warm up on the exercise bike, Gruntstyle Paralyzed workout
Wednesday - morning run, push up challenge
Thursday - full workout on the exercise bike, EASActive core workout
Friday - exercise bike, push up challenge & upper body workout
Saturday - long morning run
Sunday - rest day

Nutrition: The biggest struggle this week was the busy schedule and food at VBS. I mentioned last week that I would be packing my own dinner instead of eating the dinner provided, which I did. It took a lot of self-discipline to stick with the plan, but I did it. I love the idea of having dinner provided but knew that I needed to stick to the plan.

I love using my George Foreman grill in unusual ways. This week, we made one of our favorite snacks - grilled apples. We also made pancakes, utilizing the griddle plate.

The Scale: It was an okay week, so I'm happy with a .8 lb loss for the week. My weight loss so far in the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge has been 7.6 lbs! My BMI is currently 36.


Disclosure: I am one of 10 Brand Ambassadors in the George Foreman Knock out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge. I was sent a George Foreman Grill for my participation in this challenge and will be compensated for my time at the end of the 90 day challenge. HOWEVER, ALL opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own.