Shopping :)

Before I started this new eating/work out plan going shopping was just as much torture as it was social hour. My friends and I would spend hours at the mall, but trying stuff on was pure hell and I would always try and buy things a size bigger.  Hiding as much as I could behind my clothes, now that has changed, for the better.

Today I went shopping with a college friend and bought two pairs of pants, a shirt, a dress, and two pairs of shoes! I had so much fun trying stuff on and having to return stuff and get smaller sizes so that everything would fit.  It felt amazing! 
So I wanted to take the time and just say that every once in a while you need to reward yourself. 
I had absolutely no intention of buying all of those things today when I went shopping, but I came to a stunning revelation this first week back at college…I didn’t feel comfortable in the baggy clothes that I had been so used to wearing at home.  I have a whole new air of confidence and I am beginning to feel comfortable showing off what I have worked so hard for.  There is nothing in the entire world that tops the feeling of a pair of jeans a size smaller than you used to buy slide on and button easily!  The smile that ensues is something that cannot be replicated.  I am so proud of myself and how far I have come,  I have one more size to go before Nov. 1!!!! I never thought that that would happen…EVER!  Now that it is truly within reach it is worth all of the fun things in college that I have had to give up already this first week, the ice cream, the pizza, the popcorn, cookies, chocolate milk, grilled cheese, everything.  I cannot wait to see everyone’s faces when I reach my goal come two months from now. J

Here are pics of the things I bought today!

 

 

Dress from Kohls, LOVE

 

Shoes from target

 

Shirt from Kohls

 

 

Me, ready to dance the night away in new jeans and top, both from Kohls!

 

Until tomorrow J

C

 

Balanced Meal Station

So today in the dining center something amazing happened...they added a new meal station.  THANK YOU!!!!  This new station is a "balanced meal" station.  For example today the entree was a 4 oz piece of salmon with mango slices, couscous, and green beans, wax beans, and carrots.  This is such an amazing new feature for all students especially one's like me that are trying hard to work to attain their goals.  I am really looking forward to seeing what this station has to offer, this will make one of my meals each and every day a no brainer. 

I like this image because it gives me placement and portion size for each group on my plate!

 

 

After my great late lunch I went for a nice long jog (3.42 miles),  this is my first long run in a few days, since it has been so hot up here.  It felt a little rough, but I am really looking forward to getting back in the groove of running at night.  These last few days have been pure misery with the humidity in the 70's and the heat in the 90's-100's, it has been horrible and my workout's have definitely suffered.  So my goal for tomorrow is to get back on track with my hard workouts and eating and I'll be setting myself up for success :)

Care Package

Care packages may be one of the best perks about being away at college.  It has been ridiculously hot up here and I cannot even begin to explain to you how hard it is to keep my eating in line with all of the temptations surrounding me in the dining center.  Especially the ice cream that everyone has :(   So after some tear shed the first day here, my mom and dad convinced me to stay strong and not give into temptation and much to my surprise I got a huge care package of some healthy things to keep myself on track.
These things include:
Olympia granola bars
Olympia trail mix
Hi Fiber, low carb tortillas (delicious)
Veggie Chips

 

Sidenote, Olympia is a wonderful company whose products are gluten free, no GMO, wheat and dairy free, and a super good source of fiber and protein.  It is so nice to know that the granola bar you are throwing in your backpack for a snack is something that is actually going to help you stay on track for the rest of the day!
Check them out here:
http://www.olympiagranola.com/

I also keep a lot of things stocked in the fridge:
Almond Milk

Plain Greek Yogurt
Apples
Raspberries
String Cheese
1 Dark Chocolate Mint candy bar (from TJ's), that I eat when I crave something sweet.

I know these things may sound like silly little snacks, but they honestly mean the world to me this week.  I took foregranted how AmAzInG the food is at home and my support system that I had in place to keep me on track.  I now am all alone up here and without my parents I think I would've given up if it weren't for their motivation.


Until tomorrow!

C

Temptation

Today was my first day back at school and it was much harder then I ever thought it would be to be bombarded with all of the temptations and visions of what I used to eat and drink on a daily basis.  It is the hardest thing to see your friends and classmates eating the things that I once ate as well and now can't.
It was a true test for me, but I made it.  I avoided the dessert section, pizza secton, bread section, and the grill in the dining center. HELL YES!  I am not going to lie, I wanted a diet coke, a cup of ice cream, and pizza, but all I kept thinking is my dad's voice telling me, "Punk, you have come so far and I am so proud of you, that you need to face these challenges and show everyone the new person you've become." The person I am now and the person I am becoming is the person I want to be known for, not the person I used to be. I know that I cannot eliminate all of the temptation I have around me here at school, but I know that I have an amazing support team surrounding me at all times, no matter how many miles may seperate us (Katie, Bailey, Sara, Mom, Dad, you deserve a milliom thank you's). 
I know how far I've come, but I am more aware of how much further I still have to go and what I can look forward to doing when I reach my goal.  I want to fit into a smaller pair of jeans (again), run a 10k, run a half marathon, and finish a triathalon. 

Here's a great post from Katie in regards to self-control:
http://katelynannlivinglife.blogspot.com/2013/08/self-control.html

Although I am going to have to face these challenges on a daily basis for the next nine months, I know that I can do it and I have to find new people to work with while at school to keep me going!
I did manage three short workouts today though, but it is defintely not the same as a single hour of bootcamp with Bails, Katie, and Sara.

Here's to workout/eating buddy hunting :)

Move in day

Today was move in day, which means back to the much dreaded unlimited meal plan.  I have been dreading eating on campus for the last couple of weeks, not because of the limited options, we have tons of options and a multitude of fruits and veggies, but I am scared of the temptation. I know that I have another 33 pounds go go before I reach my goal for the big 2-0 (1/10/2014) :)  That would bring my total weight loss to 61 pounds, holy bologna, that seems like a lot.  I know I can do it, I just need to stay on track and I think these next couple of weeks will test that. 

 

Here are a few things that I packed to keep myself motivated, well supplied, and on track for healthy eating:

 

Quinoa:

My favorite rice replacement,  I make a big batch then freeze it in half cup baggies, and when I need it I just pop it in the microwave

 

Kale Chips:

Something I haven't tried before, so I'll let you know how it goes!

Agave:

It's often used in chia pudding (the recipies I've found) and I have begun to put it in my Greek yogurt and in my tea, great natural sweetener.

 

Tea:

I really love the Lipton Green Tea with mixed berries, it's a nice little sweet pick me up.  My trainer also noted that when you have a hot drink in hand you're more likely to resist temptation...a definite plus for me.

 

Chia:

We have a love hate relationship.  I love the omega-3 benefits of Chia, but I do not exactly love the taste.  I have made a couple of chia pudding recipies and they aren't bad, but they defitely aren't the chocolate pudding I used to love, but it's a decent healthy dessert.

 

Flax (with blueberries):

I don't love the taste when mixed in yogurt, but it doesn't seem to have a taste when mixed into protein shakes!  Great source of Omega-3's

 

Trader Joe's Granola Bars:

Trainer Sara suggested this brand that they taste like Little Debbie Nutty Bar's so I figured if they tasted like a not so great food they'd be worth a shot and as a plus they'd be easy to throw in the backpack!

Black bean chips with quinoa:

Great alternative snack to those all too delicious doritos that your friends will be eating.

Quest Bars: 

I really like the coconut cashew one's (pictured), but of course when I bought the box there was a new flavor, White Chocolate Raspberry and it's all the more delicious.  These bars are a great source of protein, they're all natural, gluten free, and semi-delicious, which is always a nice bonus. 

 

28!

28, it is not just a number to me now; it is a surprising goal and an outstanding achievement.  This summer I have lost 28 pounds…it’s an amazing feeling to know that I am almost to my goal. Over the last three months I have learned so much about myself and how I live my life:  I now try to eliminate processed foods as much as possible, drink a gallon and a half of water a day, and of course work out at least once a day five times a week. 

This summer has changed my life in so many ways and it has become so much more than just a physical journey. I have learned that the way I used to eat and drink was limiting my life in more ways than I thought:  I used to be a “normal” college student who stopped at the coffee shop in the morning to get a coffee (coffee should be used lightly since it was disguised in milk, chocolate, whipped cream, and caramel), I would drink four to five diet cokes a day, and my favorite snack was Dorito’s….looking back I am embarrassed at how I used to live and feed myself.

My eyes have been opened to an entire new way of life.  I now look at every food label and definitely use Trainer Sara’s words of wisdom, “if it doesn’t have a mom or come from the ground you should NOT put it into your body”.  If you follow those words of advice you will be shocked by your results.  By simply taking out the processed foods, your life and body will love the changes.  For example, me cutting out my daily Starbucks run I not only saved myself a boatload of cash, I also saved myself between 400-600 calories, that I replaced with healthy foods, tea, kombucha, and some chocolate every now and again.  With this change initially, I then changed my Diet Coke drinking habits, I now don’t drink that either.  I used to get migraines once every couple of weeks and this summer I have only had one (knock on wood). You don’t realize how much those headaches affect your body until they don’t anymore and it feels amazing to not have to worry about them.

I could not have achieved my goal this summer without the outstanding support of my trainers, Bailey, Katie, Beth, my family, and all of my other friends who have shown me their support.  I am truly grateful to have such an amazing group of people surrounding me. 

Trainer Sara has taught me how far I can really push and countless strategies to keep nutrition fun,  I don’t know how far I would’ve made it without her support, many emails, coffee dates to set up a college workout and eating plan, anything I have needed help with the has been there.  I don’t know what I would’ve done without her. She encouraged me to do so much more than I ever thought possible,  I mean I RAN I 5K this summer, I never thought that was something I would want to do let alone crush the time she gave me as a goal. It’s so hard to say goodbye to such a role model and mentor, but I am grateful for her offer to continue to help me when I am at school and for the fact that I am coming home in a couple of weeks so I can squeeze in some extra boot camp. 

Bailey and Katie have been there for me since I started my journey at the beginning of the summer, we have grown so close and I don’t know what I am going to do without them.  Every early morning workout, after work bike ride or run, Trader Joe’s shopping trip,  Old Navy run (because those old pants just don’t fit anymore), and the occasional ice cream, have made my summer one that I will not forget.  I don’t think I would’ve ever made it up those 2 sets of Main Street stairs that first week without you guys and now I’m up to 17 sets…it’s insane how far we have all come and what we’ve accomplished. 

 

 

Bailey ran another 5k and Katie finished a half marathon!! I am so proud to call you guys my best friends and we are going to kill it this coming year with a couple more races on the calendar, a triathlon (hopefully), and a rewarding trip to Chicago next summer to run a race and spend a little time relaxing, although with us three most of it will be spent trying new restaurants and working out, let’s be real.

My journey started because I wanted to look good for Megan’s wedding and that simple wish has changed my life in more ways then I thought possible.  J

Struggling up the stairs

So today was an interesting day at boot camp, we did sprints up the main street stairs, sprints of chilikoot hill, and then, like Bailey mentioned in her blog....she fainted.  On our last set of the main street stairs she opted out, and thankfully so, because when I got back down she looked like a ghost.  So glad that she sat one out and that there were people there to help her.

This last week has been a rough one on the diet,  all of these good bye meals and great desserts have got me adding a couple of pounds...it's so sad.  I have been so motivated all summer, but these last couple of weeks have been a challenge.  As much as it stinks to see those added numbers on the scale all I keep thinking about is going back to school on Saturday and hitting it hard.  I found this quote on pinterest and good lord is it a true sentiment.

I cannot wait to be back in a routine and have extra time to work out, my plan is to workout in the morning in the gym and hit the pavement for a run or go to a workout class at night.  It's going to be so nice to have extra time to spend on nothing other than working out,  I have missed it so much, this summer it has felt like a chore because I am so pressed for time.  Hopefully it'll be better working out outside, biking more, heading out and exploring new trails at St. Johns, and gearing up for my second 5k.  I cannot wait to see what the fall has in store for my workout routine.

Last day of the summer job...complete

Well, today was the day. My last day of work for the summer, thank the lord above.  It has definitely been an interesting experience this summer working in a completely different field then I ever thought I would be interested in. As an elementary education major I spend most of my days in the classroom, with the hustle and bustle of little feet, reciting the alphabet and letter sounds, and counting to 100 forwards and backwards.  This summer was quite the change though; I worked in sales for a granite countertop company and gained a whole new set of life lessons.

Some of which include:

No good deed goes unpunished.

Patience is the key to success.

The customer is always right, no matter what.

 I struggled at times with the way the company was run, but I learned so much about myself and how I choose to go about business and my morals.  I believe that the customer is always in the right even if it isn’t your fault, you take the blame and move forward.

Stay calm in the tensest of situations.

A “brother” is the best support you will ever have. 

As an only child I never had the chance to grow up with a big brother, this summer I gained twelve.  I became the little sister to some of the most amazing men I have ever met.  They have had such unique lives and I was blessed to have them in my life.  I am eagerly awaiting them to come and visit me/take me dancing.  J

A smile occasionally means more than a million words.

Language only scratches the surface of communication.

 All of the people I worked with spoke only Spanish…I took twelve years of Spanish though middle school to college and the first few weeks I understood NONE of what they were trying to say to me…the more comfortable I got with them over the last three months the more our Spanish conversations turned into meaningful conversations. 

I have no idea what I am going to do without my wonderful brothers; they mean so much to me. 

I will miss the days that I hurried out of the office right at 5 to change and get on the road to meet Bails and Katie for a bike ride or a run and the guys would with me the best of luck and suggest the fastest, newest raggeton songs to add to my playlist. 

            As I ran my three miles tonight and cranked my favorite songs I couldn’t help but think about the guys and how much they have changed me.  Today we celebrated my departure with homemade tamales and a cake, yes, I indulged in a piece of cake as my reward for the day.  Although my time at granite was not so bright and shiny every day, it changed me and I learned so much, it has definitely shaped me into a better person.

Only a few more days...

This morning boot camp was rough without Bails, but she is doing a 30 day cleanse and has been super sore so she couldn't make it this morning :( 

Today was cardio day, my two least favorite words of the week in regards to boot camp...it was good though because we did stair intervals and a cardio circuit, definitely kicked my butt.

Here is a little inspiration for all of the times you really don't think you can make it up that last flight of stairs or though those last 20 seconds of an interval.

These last couple of days have been a major challenge for me food wise.  I have been super stressed at work and have been resorting to chocolate to de-stress...not a good idea.  My goal for the next couple of days is to limit it to one piece and chew gum, drink tea, or reflect on why I want the chocolate instead of just reaching my hand into the candy jar at work.  I have to keep reminding myself that I only have two more days a mere 11 working hours left until I am officially done, FINALLY!
I cannot wait to be back at school and get into a regular workout, eating, and sleeping schedule oh yeah and have this thing called free time back.  Lately I have been so tired...I am exhausted all the time.  I am also so excited to see the new people I can meet and spend time working out with to stay on track.

Can't wait to see what the next few weeks have in store :)

Until tomorrow,

C

6:00

When you wake up and look at your alarm and you see it flashing 6:00 and boot camp starts at 5:30, I don't think panic is the correct word.  I FLIPPED OUT!  I was so disappointed with myself that I slept through my alarm and let Bailey down, like she said in her blog we are definitely "partners in crime".  Missing boot camp added some stress to my Monday, but it is something I tried to take in stride.  I'll admit I freaked out a bit, then decided to spend my next 45 minutes on a walk with my mom and our dog Croix.  He's still a puppy so it's always an adventure.

Today my lesson, well words of advice would be to take things in stride.  We are human, we all make mistakes and miss things it happens, it's part of life.  As people who are working to achieve a life changing goal, we need to make the most of every opportunity in order to become the best we can be. 

Stressful week means some not so healthy choices

As you can probably tell, I have been a little busy this week with a lot of events after work so I haven't blogged in almost a week, what the heck?  Where is the time going? 

Here is a little re-cap of the last week:

Tuesday night dinner with high school friends
I was quite surprised, but this dinner was pretty easy to keep semi-healthy because Bailey and Katie were there eating healthy too! I had a big mixed green salad with chicken, avocado, and a bit of bacon...can I get a YUM?

Wednesday
Last Gateway Trail Bike Ride with Katie and Bailey


Thursday
Dinner and shopping with Katie and Courtney,  it was so hard to say goodbye to these lovely ladies as Katie began her vacation and Courtney is getting ready to head back to campus.  This summer I have gotten so close to these ladies, it is hard seeing them go. 

This night was also a fairly easy night to eat out, I ordered a wild rice stuffed chicken breast and a side Caesar salad...DELICIOUS, I split the portion and had it for lunch the next day too, so easy.

Friday

After a long day of work I went over to my cousins house and we went wakeboarding and had a great dinner of teriyaki chicken kabobs and a super yummy apple and brie cheese dessert.

Saturday

Another picked up shift at work meant fighting extra Saturday traffic, but I ended the day with some much needed grocery shopping. 

Sunday

Today was also a crazy day.  My mom and I ran a bunch of errands getting everything I need to go back to school.  Tonight we went up to my grandparents for dinner, my grandma is an amazing cook and much to my demise her specialty is dessert.  As I have mentioned in previous posts, stressed is desserts spelled backwards....so I indulged in 3 cookies...she makes the best oatmeal raisin cookies this side of the sun.  After my indulgence I needed to hit the pavement for a much needed run, after two days of rest it felt really good to run it out, a nice three miles felt great.

Tomorrow is back to reality, my last week at work means that I really need to buckle down and pay attention to what I am putting into my body.  Last week was a struggle since many of my meals were eaten out...this week cannot be like that...especially with the sweets...last week was not a good week for my weigh in either.  It is so crazy how your body responds to stress, sleeping patterns, and what you are eating.  This week I really need to focus on getting back into the swing of things and finishing the summer strong.  I have worked way to hard to let these last couple of weeks get the best of me.

Stairs...we have a love hate relationship

Stairs...I used to hate them, they'd hurt my knees and my legs would be like noodles when I got to the top, then once I started boot camp I began to enjoy our workouts along the few sets of stairs in Stillwater.  Today's boot camp workout was PURE HELL...I am pretty sure it was the hardest workout of my life.  We did some army crawling up a hill, jogging laps, high knees, and of course the fricken stairs.  We did five sprint sets up the stairs, three sets of every stair, and two sets of every other step.  By the end of each set I felt like I could either die or cry.  Sara, my trainer, was shouting out times from the top of the stairs each set and we were supposed to beat the time every set...I didn't beat my time for a single set.  By the second set I was on the verge of tears, simply because I was not achieving my goal.  Sara really helped me clear my head and focus on what I was accomplishing by simply running up those stairs.  I was one stair closer to fitting into a new jean size, I was one stair closer to going back to college and my friends, I was one stair closer to THE NEW ME! So although I didn't break my time record every flight of stairs my heavy breathing and the waterfall of sweat coming from my head told me that I was working past my limit. 

http://stillwater.patch.com/groups/sara-jespersens-blog/p/bp--stillwater-stairs-the-lovehate-relationship

To top it off even more I got an e-mail from Sara later this morning and she wrote:
"Girl you totally killed it today! Seriously I saw you literally push past your Limits - so awesome"

It is the little things that are going to change your weight loss journey the most, breaking barriers and pushing your limits may be one of the most important things.

My challenge for you tomorrow is to workout for 1 hour harder then you ever thought possible, even if it is cutting :10 seconds off of your mile or switching the 8 pound dumbbell for a 10.  Make the change to see the change, YOU are in control of your workout, no one else.

Eat good, look good

Yesterday was such a great day, I got to spend the day shopping for new dorm accessories at Ikea with my roommate and both of our moms.  It was such a fun day.  We got a bunch of new throw pillows, rugs, an end table, and a bunch of photo frames.  After shopping til we were almost dropping we made a pit stop for some lunch.  Like I have mentioned before eating out is very difficult, but I have definitely been working on trying to balance what I eat no matter where I am.  So for example yesterday in the food court I ate a side of fresh vegetables, broth based soup, and 5 meatballs without sauce. 
We all know that eating healthy isn't easy, but it is something that we need to work on each and everyday.  It is not about making huge changes, but changes that you will be able to MAINTAIN for a long period of time.

So after our wonderful shopping spree we hit up the mall.  My mom and I went to Nordstrom's and they had a bunch of fun workout clothes with fun, inspirational quotes on them.  I love workout clothes that make you feel cute when you are sweating your butt off. 

 

I have learned to love buying new workout clothes, it has become such a change, but these are the clothes that make me feel the cutest. 

My advice to you is to eat balanced meals no matter where you are and buy a new outfit to sweat it out in :)

Until tomorrow :) C

I DID IT!

Today was a crazy important day for my weight loss journey.  I reached one of my goals to complete a 5k run.  I KILLED IT.  I cannot believe that I not only finished the race in under 45 minutes (my goal time),  I made it in 38 minutes!  It is hard to believe that a short six weeks ago I could barely run a mile and today I ran the entire race.  This journey has been such an experience, although extremely challenging at times it has brought out the best in me and the people I surround myself with.  At the beginning of the summer, my parents were a bit weary of my goals for losing weight this summer, so it meant a ton to have them and my grandparents cheering me on at the finish line.

 

 

The charity I ran for is called the Halos of Hudson, a wonderful charity that aids families who have lost children.  This is a cause near and dear to my heart because I work with kids every day and I couldn't image losing any one of them.  It was extremely inspirational to see the families who have lost children banding together and walking in support of their angels.  Please see the link below to learn more about this amazing charity.

http://halosofhudson.org/

I know I didn't blog the last couple of days, but I had a good reason I promise.  I was on my last run Thursday a nice easy four miles...said no one ever and yesterday I went berry picking with my family to make a yummy healthy dessert.  Since dessert is by far my favorite meal of the day I have had to become creative in the sweets that I eat.  THANK GOODNESS FOR WHIPPED CREAM.  The greatest invention of all time to sweeten up any "good for you dessert".  The health benefits of blackberries are amazing and I know that I can tell a big difference in how I feel. 
Here is a link to some more information on blackberries:
http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/8-health-benefits-of-blackberries.html

After eating healthy for the last eight weeks, I have learned that sometimes you just need a REAL treat.  So today after running this morning, taking a nice nap, and relaxing for a bit.  My family decided to go out for dinner, something I used to love doing, but now absolutely despise.  Eating healthy is SO difficult when you are out to eat, but there are some restaurants that offer great options.  Tonight for example we ate at Ruby Tuesdays,  I had salmon in a light glaze, grilled zucchini, and mashed cauliflower...although making healthy choices may be difficult it is important to just think about what you are putting into your body and also remembering that you are making a life choice. So after dinner my grandma wanted to stop for ice cream.  Eating healthy is just as much about portion control as it is about what you are actually eating.  We went to Culvers and I just got a single scoop of the flavor of the day, my favorite S'Mores.  It is totally fine to splurge some days, as long as it is not every single day, you WILL be fine! Enjoy your favorite treat every once in a while, just make sure it isn't a huge one! 

Here is an article I found in Women's Health,  it is a little cheat sheet about what to put on a single serving of ice cream to keep it "semi-healthy".