I finished my first 10k on Saturday! Woohoo! It felt great to cross the finish line with my friend. This was the Tortoise and Hare 10K (Salisbury, MA, April 19, 2014) and I claim the role of the tortoise, as I came in dead last (1:40:14). I decided to run a 10k because I wasn't training for my 5k's and I decided to up my game. Turns out, I didn't train for the 10k either.
Warming up before the race
The first part of the run was on the Salisbury Point Ghost Trail
Using my iPhone and meeting a pothole, I nearly fell before mile 1 marker.
My running buddy Aime.
Mile 5 marker was down by the time we got there; never saw mile 6 marker.
This baby eagle lifted off the wires to join our run!
1.2 more miles to the finish line.
The finish line is in sight!
We made it!
I'm feeling my thighs today every time I get up or walk up stairs, but I feel great. I walked my 10,0000 steps the day after the race and I'll continue to keep this daily goal for the month of April. In May, I should be able to resume my sunrise walks around the reservoir and up my daily walking goals.
April 21, 2014
This is one of the easiest recipes you can make and it's even easier if you have leftover spaghetti squash and chicken. Either way, there are only few steps involved in making this dish and no measuring tools involved. I made 1 serving of this with leftovers.
Chicken with Spaghetti Squash. Photo by Theresa.
Chicken with Spaghetti Squash
  1. Bake spaghetti squash.
    You can cook the squash whole or cut it in half. If you cut it in half, remove the seeds and center strings and place each half face down on a baking sheet. If you cook it whole, remove the seeds and center strings after the squash is cooked.
  2. When squash is cooked, use a fork to scrape the squash into a baking dish.
  3. If you don't have cooked chicken, cook or bake it while the squash is baking.
  4. Shred the cooked chicken and mix it in with the squash. You should have equal amounts of squash to chicken or less squash than chicken.
  5. Add a few shakes of garlic salt.
  6. Add a few shakes of black pepper.
  7. Add other spices that sound good to you; I kept mine simple.
  8. Adding salt is optional; I didn't add any.
  9. Add a pat of butter broken into pieces on top, use butter enough butter to suit your needs based on how much chicken and squash you have in the casserole dish.
  10. Lightly sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
  11. Heat in microwave until the chicken is hot and the butter and Parmesan melt into the squash.*
*If you cooked the chicken and squash at the same time to make this recipe, you may not need to put this dish in the microwave. You can add the spices to the chicken as it's cooking or when you're shredding it, so they blends into the chicken. Mix the hot chicken, spices, and squash, top with butter and Parmesan and enjoy!

April 20, 2014
My new best friend is my Fitbit - it not only helps me track my daily walking goals, which it measures in steps and in distance, but also because I'm accountable to eight other Fitbit friends. I set a goal to walk 10,000 steps every day in the month of April and no matter what else was going on in my day, I've met my daily goal.
Daily statistics in steps April 1-11.
Daily statistics in distance April 1-11.

My Fibit keeps me motivated and inspired to meet my daily walking goals. I've had it for months, but now I'm using it as it was meant to be used: to set goals and see them through. Plus, having upped my game, by creating a daily goal, I'm ahead of a few of my Fitbit buddies. A little competition is a good thing, as it inspires us all to keep moving. 

I usually walk after work with my friend who got me into using a Fitbit. Some days we walk at lunchtime and other days we walk at the end of the day. We're looking forward to the muddy trails drying up, so we can meet at sunrise and walk along the reservoir once again. It's incredible to start the day in nature before heading off to work.

Some days are harder for me to get in my steps than others. This is especially true when my walking buddy is traveling, as she was this week. It's all about setting my mind to it, getting out of my own way, ignoring my whining thoughts "but I'm so tired, blah, blah, blah," putting on my sneakers, and just walking. After about a minute, I'm so engaged in my walk that I wonder what all that whining was about.

At the end of a long day last week, I was really tired and I wanted to skip the walk and just go home. What saved the day for me was having parked my car far from my office that morning. The five minute walk to my car, which used to take me fifteen minutes, was just enough distance to warm me up and inspire me to keep walking until my goal was met.

There were a few times that I synced my Fitbit, at the end of the day, only to discover I had not walked my 10,000 steps. On those nights, I walked up and down the stairs in my house until my goal was met.

I've learned to plan for success. Some mornings I go up and down my steps ten times to jump start my day. I park far from my office as much as possible. I check my progress during the day and make sure my daily goal has been met before I get in my car. I've found that when I am walking alone, I can catch up with friends and family on my cellphone and finish getting in my steps.

An essential part of achieving success is to reassess one's goals along the way. I set three exercise goals for the month of April: 10,000 steps daily, 30 squats daily (3 days on and 1 day off), and five minutes of upper arm exercises. I met my walking goals on days 1, 2, and 3, but I didn't do the squats or upper arm exercises. Each day that I didn't do the other two exercises, I felt like I was failing. Walking 10,000 steps a day is not failure.

On day four I reassessed my exercise goals. I realized that adding three new habits into my daily life wasn't realistic. I let go of the other two goals, so I could keep my focus on walking 10,000 steps daily. Reassessing my goals was a great idea!

Are you ready to up your game? Are you ready to get into the game? What exercise goal can you set and meet for the rest of this month? Remember that diet you said you would start tomorrow, only tomorrow never came? You own your commitment to healthy eating, so isn't it time for you to own your exercise commitment too? Keep it simple and start today.
April 12, 2014
Now that we're having warmer weather, and the winter blues are gone, I pulled out my favorite spring/fall coat, a beautiful blue leather jacket. Later that day I was walking with my friend and I remembered a photo of me wearing the jacket two years ago, so I had her take a new photo.
March 2012 vs March 2014
It feels egotistical to say this, but when I look at these photos all I can think is WOW! I was shocked at how big this jacket is on me. I had one of those moments of conflict, when I realized just how much weight I've lost, but at the same time I felt sad that I can't wear this jacket anymore. This is a good problem to have!

I'm excited to dive into my summer clothes and see what else doesn't fit. Will this be the summer that I'll empty my closets of all my clothes because they are too big?

A sneak peek into this question: a few nights ago I tried on a few of my summer dresses and, umm, wait for it - yes - they are too big!

OMG, what am I going to wear on my vacation in 3 weeks?

Conflicted again! But wait. This is a good thing Theresa - this is what you've been working towards and waiting to have happen!

How long has it been since you took a photo of yourself? I encourage you to take photos and to take them often, because it's the best way for you to really see your weight loss and to have a record of just how far you have come on your journey. Seeing before and after photos is much more rewarding than looking at numbers on a scale or a chart of your weight.


April 11, 2014
Recently I received a couple emails with questions and I wanted to share my responses with all of you. Today I focused on questions from Carol:
Photo source: Etsy
Today is my 8 month anniversary with Julie! I can't believe how the time has flown!! I am down 3 sizes, I was 22/24 and now I am 16/18. I am happy to have gone down but to be honest I am a little disappointed that I'm not down more? When I look in the mirror I still look fat. I know we all lose differently but I am scared I won't lose anymore it seems I've been this size for months. It helps to read your blog, I wonder if you or your bloggers have any advice? 

Congratulations Carol for you success in dropping 3 sizes! You are not alone in feeling the way you do about slow weight loss and how you look in the mirror. I've experienced both and many others who read this blog have too.

Let's looks at your questions up close and personal and see if we can turn this around for you.

Slow Weight loss

I too was frustrated with how slow my weight came off. A couple weeks ago, a little over three years on this program, I realized I was still complaining about this and I decided the time had come for me to change my tune. I was tired of singing Wah, Wah, Wah and I decided to focus on the positive instead of the negative.

How did I change my tune? I reflected back to where I've been, where I am today, and I took a good look in the mirror . . .

You are Down Three Sizes

Celebrate your new size and appreciate where you are today. Plateaus are part of the journey, as our body slows down to heal itself. Ask yourself: physically and mentally - do you feel better in a 16/18 or size 22/24? When was the last time you were a 16/18? Celebrate your success and keep doing what you've been doing.

I'm no longer a 30/32. Hello! This is really big and sometimes I too forget where I've been. Today I'm between a 14-18, in real women's sizes, not large women's clothing. In fact, I can't find anything to fit me in large women's stores anymore, although once in a while I go in and give it another try. Okay, so I bought undies (size 14) at Lane Bryant few months ago, but it was only because I had a gift card. The last time I was able to shop in regular clothing stores was the early 1990's and the last time I was able to wear a size 14 was 1984.

Disappointed in Not Being Smaller

Okay, so you want to be down more. Don't let yourself get caught up playing that song, stop it now! What's the alternative here - quitting and gaining back all the weight you lost? Not an option right? 

I struggled with this issue too, cue music: I wanna be smaller, wah, wah, wah. Well guess what? I am smaller and so are you! Celebrate and focus on how much smaller you are today.

One of the things that gets me singing that song again is when I compare my weight loss journey to others; cue music. There are many factors as to why some lose faster than others. I can't begin to understand them, although I have tortured myself trying to figure this out -  I stopped trying.

My journey is what it is and I'm so happy to be the size I am today and no longer a 30/32. When I remember where I've been, it helps me be put things back into perspective and appreciate the size I am today.

It's Taking So Long

When was the last time you stayed with a weight loss program for 8 months? How long has it been that you've maintained this size (or any size) for this long? Would you prefer a) taking a long time to drop to the next size or b) going up a size?

Cue music, Why is this taking so long? This is yet another verse and one we need to stop singing. It doesn't matter how long it takes to reach our goal size. What matters is that we keep moving forward. Time is going to pass whether we stay the course or not.

Whining, cue music, When Can I Eat X or Y Again? only keeps the music playing. If not eating X or Y means we get to maintain the size we are today, then let's not worry about when we can have those foods again.

Let's stop all this music and stop feeling sorry for ourselves for not being able to eat like others, as this keeps the music playing over and over again. Eating like others is what put all that extra weight on us. We may or may not ever be able to eat like others, so let's get over this and focus on how good it feels to finally look like others (no longer obese). Our key-food choices allow us to avoid foods that we seem to have allergic reactions to in ways others do not. For us, non-key food puts weight on us; key foods do not. We choose which foods we eat, so let's stop this song too.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Mirrors and photographs often reflect what we want to see. Some people look in the mirror and see a thin person when they are quite heavy, and others look in the mirror and see a fat person, but in reality they're underweight. Take photos and take them often. Further along in your journey those photos will show your reality - you are smaller than you used to be. You're probably smaller than you think you are too.

Most people struggle with seeing the changes in the mirror. People at goal size struggle with this too. This is something each of us must come to terms with or we will gain our weight back. We are what we think we are and the sooner in our journey we start to see ourselves as we really are the better.

I'm still working on this issue, but I realize this is part of the journey and I'm determined to work this through. Last week I tried on a floor-length dress and when I looked in the mirror I had mixed feelings. A part of me felt WOW and another part of me only focused on the roundness of my hips, cue music, Oh Those Hips. No, stop! Cue music, Wow! Much better.

Can I Eat This or That?

I continue to refine what I'm eating. Recently I was reminded that Julie teaches us to shop on the outside parameter of the grocery store, where food is fresh and less likely to be processed. This was big and I realized there were items inside the isles that I was eating that are not key-friendly. Step away from the center isles.

The key program has evolved over the years, as do most programs based on research studies. Some of us were told we could have X and others were told we couldn't have X. Go by what you learned in your classes.

That said, I have been persuaded to take a second look at some of my food choices. This morning I cooked chicken and decided to skip the mayo today and have just plan chicken. We can have mayo, but we have to be mindful of the amount of fat we're eating. Today I was mindful and I chose not to have mayo.

Sometimes I think about all this way too much. Everything I need to know about this program is my mind and I don't need to over complicate things. The later is hard to do, but sometimes it comes as a great relief to me when I realize I'm complicating things and I just stop thinking so much.

Wah, Wah, Wah

I'm SO over all the complaining and it feels great! I encourage you to do the same as soon as possible. Don't wait 3 years to stop complaining or worse - don't allow your frustration, with how slow you feel your progress is going, to drive you off program entirely.

Change your tune today!



April 01, 2014
It's time to get moving! For the month of April I have set exercise goals for myself to help me keep committed to exercise. I've been on this weight loss program for over 3 years and this way of eating is a routine way of life for me. It's time to make exercise routine as well. I feel great mentally and physically when I exercise, so why not feel this way every day?
Get moving!
Last summer I walked at 6am with a friend and after months of her encouragement, I finally bought a Fitbit. It's been a great tool to keep me motivated to meet my walking goals and keep me accountable. Having a walking buddy is a great help too, as time seems to pass faster and I stepped up my game to get up to her walking pace.

I did great keeping up with my steps throughout the fall with my friend and when the temperature dropped we moved into the gym. Then the dead of winter hit and I fell off my routine. My friend traveled a lot and I didn't get in the gym much. A few weeks ago, we recommitted to walking again and I feel great, but I want more consistency. Oh, and I have a 10k run in 3 weeks!

So, what's a girl to do? Encourage more friends to buy a Fitbit so we can inspire one another of course! I now have 10 Fitbit friends and it's been a lot of fun cheering each other on. Fit bit has these fun icons that you can cheer your friends and they get a message of encouragement from you via email.
Last night I was disappointed in how low my number of steps were at the end of the day. I reported to my friends "What? Only 8,405 steps today? How is that possible? I was sure I did well over 10,000. Sigh...."

One friend encouraged me to meet my 10,000 steps by doing the steps inside my house.

"I'll go up and down my stairs 10 times and report back in" I replied and then I did it!

I did it!
See how this works? Friends can be a great motivator for us!

My Exercise Goals for April
  1. Walk 10,000 steps daily, which is a little over 4 miles.
  2. Do 30 squats daily: 3 days on, 1 day off, and repeat for the whole month.
    This How to Squat video explains how to do a squat the right way and the key is this: if your knees or back hurt you're doing them wrong! How cool is that? No pain should be going on when you're doing squats!
  3. Five minutes of upper arm workout.
    This How to Tone Your Upper Arms video shows 3 simple exercises that I can do after my walk, so my body is warmed up before I do them.
How About You?

Are you ready to set small daily goals for the month of April? Small goals are easier to accomplish, foster a sense of success, and helps you achieve the next day's goals.
Each daily goal is like a rung on a ladder that helps you, step by step, to the top. --AARP
Start where you are today and make realistic goals. You don't have run a marathon, but can you walk out your front door for 5 minutes and then back home? Start there and add on longer goals. If you can walk for 20 minutes, build up to 30 minutes. Signup for a 3 mile walk (5k) later this year that will help you reach a 3-mile goal. Find a friend to join you or do it alone, either way it will help you and help raise money for a good cause. If you've been walking 3 miles, consider a 6 mile (10k) or commit to walking more times a week.
Walking won't just get you in better shape — it could cut down your chances of developing dementia as well. Plus, some studies show that people who cannot walk a quarter-mile in five minutes have a higher mortality rate. Buy a pedometer; try to average 10,000 steps a day, seven days a week. (source unknown)
Resources

These resources may help you get started exercise or to kick things up:


March 31, 2014
When I was a little girl, I loved vegetables and I hated meat. I would sit for hours at the kitchen table. It was just me and a big thick slice of meatloaf the size of Block Island, or so it seemed to me at the time. Mom told me I had to eat all the food on my plate because there were children starving in China, and I was not to leave the table until I had eaten every bite on my plate.  
That's me running along side of the parade with my brothers and very pregnant aunt.
I spent many a night at the kitchen table until 9pm. I poked my meatloaf with a fork, unwilling to take a bite, as Mom folded laundry in the adjacent living room and glanced over to give me the evil eye from time to time. Each time she walked down the hall to put away laundry, I fed a piece of meatloaf to my dog Outlaw. This didn't help children starving in China, but it sure made Outlaw a happy dog and eventually my plate was empty.

I never I understood how eating the food on my plate could help children in China, but I do know many mothers told their kids to finish their plates because of children starving elsewhere in the world. The real reasons they told us to clean our plates:
  1. we were wasting food and she worked hard to earn the money to buy that food, and 
  2. she cooked it and, whether we liked it or not, we going to eat it.
My Mom would be shocked to see me cooking and eating meat today, especially roast beef. Roast beef was the meat we argued over the most. She served it every Sunday, so you can guess where I spent most of my time on Sunday nights: at the kitchen table with a happy dog at my feet.

This program has completely reversed my feelings about meat and I am happy with how much meat seems to agree with me. Prior to this program I never would have ordered a steak at a restaurant or cooked one a home. Cooking a hamburger, meatloaf, or meatballs, was about as meaty as I could handle. It was not uncommon for me to be in the middle of eating a hamburger and stop because I had lost my appetite for it before I could finish. As much as I enjoy meat today, sometimes I still lose my appetite for meat as I'm eating it.

When I think about the lesson mom was trying to teach me, the only lesson I learned was to feel guilty for leaving food on my plate. I won't blame my mom for my weight issues, but forcing me to eat everything on my plate did not help me or any  starving child elsewhere in the world.

So many of us were taught to clean our plates that many diets encourage leaving a few bites our plates, to help us break us from this brainwashing habit. I get the concept, but I prefer to put less on my plate or ask for a to-go box instead.

Hmm, it seems I really do take not being wasteful to heart. Thanks Mom!

The moral of my story: save yourself first. Children around the world will still be hungry if we skip the bread, hold the fries, or decline the second vegetable. Eating non-key foods won't help them either.




March 30, 2014
When I think about rutabagas, I reflect back to happy memories of Thanksgiving and Christmas family gatherings. The dinner table was so crowded that no one noticed my plate was filled with only vegetables. It isn't that I didn't like turkey, but if I could get away with eating just vegetables, that was my preference. Plus, it was always fun seeing if I could get away with it.
Rutabaga French Fries; recipe below. Photo source: Jacky.
l My mom never cooked rutabagas. It was my dad's mother who brought rutabagas and other root vegetables to our holiday table. Unlike me and my Dad, my Mom loathed root veggies and as they cooked on the stove Mom would turn her nose up and whisper unpleasant remarks about their aroma. But me, I loved how they smelled.

Grandma always boiled and mashed her rutabagas. I never saw olive oil in her kitchen, she cooked and baked with lard and bacon fat. I don't know if it was an economic or cultural factor, or her personal choice not to use olive oil. 

I do know that Grandma and Dad would have enjoyed these rutabaga french fries as much as I did.

Rutabaga French Fries

This rutabaga french fries recipe came from key friend Jacky and a few preparation tips from me.
1. Peel the rutabaga. This is actually quite easy to do, as the outer peel, which is usually waxed to preserve freshness all winter long, peels away easily with a sharp vegetable peeler. It's much like peeling the skin off an apple.
Peel the skin off.
2. Cut rutabaga into sticks. The flesh itself is very hard, but you can slice it away in thin slices, starting from the outside.

3. Spread the sticks out on a cookie sheet, coat with olive oil, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and a little cayenne pepper or season to suit your taste (salt optional) and mix with your hands to coat all the sticks well with oil and seasonings.
4.  Bake at 425 about 40-45 minutes; turn them over when they're about half cooked. Optional: when they're almost done, sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and bake more 5 minutes.
I only set the oven to 400, next time I'll go higher so they are more crisp.
Here's what I had with my Rutabaga French Fries; yummy!
Rutabagas turn sweet when they're baked and having roasted or baked veggies along with a nice piece of meat makes for a nice dinner. Plus, they're high in antioxidant and anti-cancer compounds and one cup of rutabaga contains 53% of the daily recommended vitamin C. (Nutritional data from What are Rutabagas Good For? )
March 30, 2014