Monday, September 8, 2014

Wellness update and Book of the Month Club read

Good morning! Happy Monday!
My journey to wellness is going...um....well. I've made some major (but very doable) changes to my diet and lifestyle and it's making a huge difference in not only my body but my mental state as well. One of the biggest changes I've made is to drop the junk, almost nothing processed. Overall most of the actual meals I made during the day were just that...homemade, it's the snacking that was killing me. Ice cream (or Cheezies...eeek!) in the evening was not only making me feel icky but it was adding pounds too. Now, it's not like this was any kind of revelation, I knew these things were bad I was just doing them anyway. In the past when I've tried any kind of diet etc...my goal was always weight loss..."lets get skinny!", this time around that is not my goal. This time my focus is on getting fit and healthy...weight loss is a side perk.


My meals are completely focused on nourishment and giving my body what it needs to perform at it's best. I eat slowly and mindfully, paying close attention to when I've had enough rather than mindless eating or snacking. Trainer Kathleen said something that really stuck at our last meeting...."Hunger is not an emergency".  We are not going to starve if we miss a meal, or are late having lunch, or don't get to eat when we think we should. Slow down, don't shovel food in, or eat when you aren't hungry because you won't get a chance again for a few hours. This is a bit of a mental game, well, more than a bit really...slowing down can be hard. Another thing that stuck from Kathleen is "we can justify any food when we're hungry", and she is so right. I find that if I carry a little something with me ( a baggy of almonds, a banana, an apple) it's almost like a little reassurance that there is something there if I need it. If I do get in the situation where I'm really feeling hungry I know that I have a food choice that is good for me rather than one that is not nourishing my body.
I have gone from pretty much zero activity to walking 7 to 10 kilometers every single night, almost without fail. My husband Chris knows that I'm heading out the door at 7:30 always, and while I did fight a little guilt about not putting the kids to bed and leaving him to do it by himself I really feel like this is important enough to me that it has to happen. It's me time, this walking is good for both my physical and mental well being, and it helps me sleep better.


To show you what this change has done for me beyond the mental aspect I'll tell you about my two week results when I went to see Kathleen:

Down 7.5lbs
Lost 6 inches
Down 2.75% body fat

That's just in two weeks...crazy hey?

I've started doing some gentle stretches with my kids right after we wake up in the morning. It's our family yoga time and they (and I) love it. It only takes about 10 minutes, and it's such a fabulous way to start the day.
I have been looking into some local yoga classes for myself but in the interest of time and money management I think I might be better off doing some of it at home. Does anyone have any recommendations? Any great online sites?

Have you started your Book of the Month Club read yet? This one is written by a waitress from Calgary, Alberta and has gotten great reviews. What do you think?


I'm off to make breakfast....a piece of whole wheat toast with avocado and an egg, enjoy your day!

Here's a great tune if you need an extra little push:


2 comments:

  1. Excellent work Girl! : ) I love this whole frame of mind! I went for a big stint of no processed anything (and lots of organic) awhile back and noticed I hardly got sick anymore! This is a good reminder to get back to those ways : )

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    1. The difference is truly amazing. There are no "food hangovers" anymore. When I'm done dinner I don't feel like I need to rest and digest, and I don't have crazy cravings for sugar. I am so sensitive to so many of the things that are put in processed food that it makes my face go red and my body itch (hello?!), it's a huge relief not to be dealing with that anymore.

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