Sometimes in life, we get so far inside our own mind that it is hard to pull ourselves out. February 2012 was a month of a lot of self-reflection for me on my beliefs, how I react to certain situations, and who I am as a woman. Some of the reflection was positive, and others, not so much. We each have things we don’t like about ourselves, but I am one that really tries to fix whatever that is and move on from it. Sometimes I am successful, and other times, oy vey, not so much. One thing that I have learned about me is my capacity for unconditional love. What does that really mean though? For me, it means loving someone through all their faults, past hurts, and recognizing their inner soul and who they are as a person. I mean, really seeing someone for who they are and who they are meant to be.
I think a lot of times we judge people without knowing their story. I don’t know about you, but I see this judging behavior starting very young. We judge people on the way they dress, how much they weigh, who their friends are, what their occupation is, and so forth. I don’t see a lot of people just accepting people for who they are, with no strings attached. When was the last time you sincerely looked at someone and didn’t judge them for a past behavior or action, and instead just accepted it happened, and moved on? There is real power in learning not to judge others, for you never know why someone does something, whether it was for good or they made a poor decision. I personally try very hard not to judge others, there are times when I fail at this, but I try each and every time. Until I have walked in their shoes, I don’t know how many times they had to stop to remove a pebble or retie their laces.
One thing I rarely do is ask for help. Nor do I ever talk about religion, spirituality, or any of those concepts, except with very close personal friends. Today though, I am going to do something out of the norm. I have a dear friend @ThatGuyReagan who is in the US Army and was severely wounded in Afghanistan on Saturday and is currently in ICU. I’m asking for your prayers and healing thoughts and energy to be sent to him and his family during this time. I personally want to thank all of our soldiers in our armed forces for fighting for our freedom, because freedom is certainly not free.
To not wake up by an alarm. I want to wake up in peace.
My intention for last week was Take One Day At A Time. I did do this. Every day, I concentrated on that moment and what needed to get done. Sometimes, the action didn’t get completed in the time I allotted, but I worked on it anyway. Things that normally took me one hour, were taking five. But I finished them. I feel myself able to work again, be creative, meet with clients, and generally get back to living again. One thing I learned, you definitely don’t operate at your regular pace when you are dealing with death and dying for weeks on end. And that’s ok, I’m human, I can’t be Super Woman ALL the time.
My intention for this week is Get Back Into A Routine. I like having a routine. I get up, stretch, meditate, then get ready for work. Whether I’m working from my home office, the local coffee shop, or meeting with clients. I tend to put in a 10-12 hour day. Then work out and make a healthy dinner. My couch likes to see me next. Rinse and repeat.
One thing I value about myself and this blog is that when I sit down to write, I do it from my heart and with complete honesty with myself. I don’t want to stop doing that this week. I lost 7 pounds this week, but honestly 10 pounds in 10 days. I didn’t eat any better, I didn’t exercise, I didn’t do any of the things I have been doing where I didn’t lose a pound. During the last 2 weeks I have been under extreme stress and emotional turmoil which led to a pretty big bout of depression. I know we are taught to think depression is something that only the weak suffer from or whatever negative connotation society has placed on it. Whatever you think of it, whether you think less of me, or you understand the pain behind admitting those words, this blog talks about it.
I’m not going to go into the issues of why the depression set in except to say that I had two funerals in a week, and some personal challenges in my life. What happened though created a state where I couldn’t eat, sleep wasn’t my friend, and I withdrew within myself. I don’t think for two days I actually said a word out loud. I might have typed it, tweeted my thoughts, or posted on Facebook, but I didn’t actually use my voice. This experience taught me a great deal of who I am, my insecurities, my fallacies, and who I am as an emotional person. Yep, I am. I feel with my whole heart, I love with my whole being, and I experience love and life to the fullest. I have very high walls of protection, but when you break through them, there is a person who is willing to show you their world.
Today I woke up wanting to be ok. The song Be Ok by Ingrid Michaelson was the first song of the day. Perfect timing. So today, I start taking care of myself again. I need to eat, go for a walk, accept myself for my faults, and honor the inner strength that wants to shine through. I will Be Ok.
Loss: 7 pounds
What I Did Right This Week:
Drank a lot of water
Went on a 3-mile hike
What I Did Wrong This Week:
Everything.
Had a couple Pepsis.
Didn’t eat for a few days – that has never happened in my life
This week wasn’t really about right or wrong, I was just trying to survive.
To not wake up by an alarm. I want to wake up in peace.
My intention for last week was Move Forward. You can tell that did not happen. I didn’t move, I was stagnant. And you know what, that is ok. I’m letting the past go. Today I am stepping out fresh. If I get knocked down again, I just have to get back up and put one foot in front of the other and try again.
My intention for this week is Take One Day At A Time. I have a lot of work to get accomplished, which is very good for me. So no big goals this week, just taking life day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute.
I’m not really in the mood to write today. I’m going to give it a try though. I’ve been back to my mother’s home state of Indiana and realized I miss this place and need to come back more often. It is snowing outside today, which has been pretty cool to see. Seeing my family and visiting with them has been good for my soul. I have had a few people come up to me and ask me if I was my mother. That was a tad shocking, but I said no, her daughter. And more than a dozen people have come up and touched my hair because they aren’t used to seeing someone with such dark gorgeous hair… all the thanks goes to @SMicheleRene who rocks my color world.
One thing that has been nice to see is that although not everyone here understands my food allergies, they have been really accommodating about it. I’ve had some really good comfort food too! Pot roast, mashed potatoes, and all the fixings. I’ve had some great talks about nutrition and exercise with @IndianaBackDoc and @KGirlTris. Those two really impress me with their clean eating ways and their dedication to keeping fit. I need to go back to putting fitness into my life each day. It’s a hard balance for me, but seeing the x-rays that we did at Miller Chiropractic Clinic, it isn’t a choice anymore. My neck is pretty out a whack, my hips go the wrong direction, and between the two of those, my body hurts all the time.
I’ve lost 2.5 pounds this week! I know my eating and sleeping patterns have been out of whack, but I am going to do everything I can to keep that weight off. I hit a milestone on the scale today and I am finally seeing the proof in what my body has been trying to tell me – it doesn’t like soy and it likes me eating whole fruits and vegetables, with some good farm-grown meat.
At my Uncle Tom’s House. See the little black cat?
Weight Loss
Loss: 2.5 pounds
What I Did Right This Week:
Went on a 1-mile run… but it was 34F outside and my body was having none of that
Did yoga to stretch out my sore muscles a few times.
Haven’t drank barely any water
Eating as little wheat and gluten as possible
Meditated each morning
What I Did Wrong This Week:
Had a couple Pepsis.
Ate some chips. I love chips. Salty ones.
This week wasn’t really about right or wrong, I was just trying to survive.
Goals For This Week:
Eat 1 lemon daily
Eat an apple a day to keep Doc away
To just breathe.
Run 3x, Nature Walk 2x,
Meditate every morning
Goals For This Month:
Eliminate gluten and grains out of my diet
Stay focused and motivated
Eat 2 cups of spinach a day & 2 apples every day
To not wake up by an alarm. I want to wake up in peace.
My intention for last week was Appreciate Life. What this trip did for me was to appreciate my roots. I loved seeing my family and spending time with them. It was also pretty cool to talk to cousins I hadn’t ever met and hear they read my blog and keep up on my life! Who knew? I also really love my family and I appreciate each of them and the life lessons they share with me. I don’t think I say that enough, but thank you.
My intention for this week is Move Forward. I need to take one day at a time. Get back into my routine and back to making this the best year possible. I want to go to Europe something fierce, and now I have an awesome reason to visit Germany. One foot in front of the other, I can do this.
Last week I was a day early, and this week a day late. Whoopsie! What a whirlwind week it has been! I saw so much new technology and gadgets at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas. I was really excited to see the all-in-one PC from Microsoft – pretty much looks like a big TV that’s touch screen and has your computer built in. One word – Awesome. Loved the new voice and gesture TV that Samsung had – you can walk into a room and just tell your TV to turn on and tune into your favorite show. And the cars! OMG – there were so many cool cars with crazy technology in love. I loved all of Ford’s offerings, but I did salivate quite a bit over the Audi’s rolling out with Kinect installed in them. I am in the market for a new TV and car this year too, so it was great to see what is new on the market.
Here I am at the CES MashBash.
I tried very hard each day to be a conscious eater. I failed at some things, and succeeded awesomely at others. I didn’t have breakfast any of the days, but did munch on some fruit & nut bars I brought with me. I put half a lemon into my water every morning and then again at lunch – this was by far the best thing for me. I had a bunch of healthy snacks throughout the day including nuts, raisins, peanut butter, and hydration beans. I found a food truck that served Mahi tacos and had those a few times – they were yummy delicious and paired nicely with the sweat potato fries. Happy to report that I even lost a pound while on the road! I was so excited about that!
Here was my status update one morning. This conversation reminded me why I blog about weight loss. Because it’s hard, sometimes even humiliating to talk about. But I know I made an impact in this man’s life, and that is really what it is all about. I saw him later that day and he had told everyone at Nokia about me and also how he ate everything I gave him and didn’t have any of the crap food that was available at the conference. Made me smile.
I just sat next to the most amazing man on the bus. He said he was sorry I had to sit next to the biggest guy. I told him about my weight loss blog. He said he just started his own journey but struggles on the road. I gave him all my nutritious snacks I had so he could start today on the right track.
I’m a Graffiti Artist at MashBash!
Weight Loss
Loss: 1 pound
What I Did Right This Week:
Eating 1 lemon every day. Squeeze 1/2 into my water in the morning and then again at lunch. Even while on travel!
Making green shakes. Lots of them with spinach, kale, apples, cranberries, and citrus << so good!
Eating as little wheat and gluten as humanly possible << although I can’t seem to kick this completely
Made a huge batch of Mexican Quinoa and have been eating that most of the week
Meditated each morning
What I Did Wrong This Week:
Had a couple Pepsis
I found it very hard to work out while in Vegas and when I came home my cat attacked me. He punctured my calf so bad that I have been limping for 5 days, had to get a tetanus shot (which hurts so much), and on antibiotics too.
Haven’t made it back to yoga yet
Goals For This Week:
Eat 1 lemon daily
Break in my new running shoes. My 1st 5k is 7 days away and I haven’t trained at all!!
Training for my upcoming 5k. Run 3x this week.
Run 3x, Hike 1x, Gym 2x, Yoga 2x
Meditate every morning
Goals For This Month:
Eliminate gluten and grains out of my diet
Stay focused and motivated
Eat 2 cups of spinach a day & 2 apples every day
To not wake up by an alarm. I need to wake up at 5:00am… then I better be in bed by 9. I wake up so angry whenever my alarm goes off, I want to wake up in peace.
My intention for last week was Trust in Myself. I truly believe that you have to trust in yourself in order to build your future. Everyday I do this a little bit better. Had a couple hard days in Vegas, but I realized, I make my own path and I have to travel down it to know what is right for me. I definitely believe this statement: This is my year 2012!!
My intention for this week is to Process Everything. I don’t want to lose sight of what I have experienced and what I still need to accomplish. I’ve been going so fast lately, that I haven’t taken any time for myself. This weekend, I need to change that. I will venture out for a hike and bring my journal so I can sit and process everything that is going on in my life. That 2 hours will center me and help me clear my head and process through everything on my mind. I can’t wait!
Last week when I wrote Did You Feel It, I felt life was going at warp speed. This week, make that times 2. Not only did I push a new website and concept out last week – 52Wines52Weeks.com but I brought in over 10 new projects in just one week! On top of that, I am currently sitting at my brother’s house so tired and crazy pumped up from being at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas. I covered the Microsoft Keynote last night and was awestruck by the awesomeness of what they have coming this year. Ford Fusion Energi blew me away today with unveiling a car that gets over 100 MPGe!! Can I get a WOWsers!!
I think I found my next car. Ford – we need to talk. Call me.
One of the greatest opportunities was seeing Jillian Michaels up close and personal. I mean, literally, I stood mere feet away from her. She spoke about fitness and how technology had greatly impacted the way her and Bob Harper trained the contestants on The Biggest Loser. They used to be proud of when they would have someone lose 100lbs in 12 weeks, with the help of the BodyBug spitting out dating such as how many calories were burned per exercise, the trainers were then able to customize everything to each person. They then were able to have a contestant lose 100lbs in 6 weeks! She was taking questions, but I wasn’t able to get mine in on time. It was – what are some healthy tips people can do while at conferences. Well, since I didn’t get to ask her, these are the ones I try to live by.
Eat a healthy breakfast each day.
Put half a lemon in your water bottle for the day << I brought lemons with me. Half in the morning, and the other half in the afternoon for a refreshing drink
Hydrate – drink more water than you normally do because I am pretty sure you are drinking more than normal too!
Apples. Plain and simple – I brought 1 for each day and cut them up. They went into my computer bag for a great mid-morning snack. Remember, apples & lemons are a couple of the best thing you can do for your liver!
Healthy snacks – nuts, raisins, pretzels, and nutrition bars
Don’t eat out of anything that vaguely resembles a high school cafeteria line
Prepackaged salads or sandwiches are your best bet
Lay off the soda. I know, it’s hard.
Take 10 min every couple hours to sit down, even up against a wall.
Breathe. Deep breathes to help center your mind and focus on your goal for that day.
My brother Rick and I at Ford’s unveiling at CES 2012.
Weight Loss
Loss: 1 pound
What I Did Right This Week:
Eating 1 lemon every day. Squeeze 1/2 into my water in the morning and then again at lunch. Even while on travel!
Eating 1 apple every day
Making green shakes. Lots of them with spinach, kale, apples, cranberries, and citrus << so good!
Eating as little wheat and gluten as humanly possible << although I can’t seem to kick this completely
Hiked 2x
Meditated each morning
What I Did Wrong This Week:
Had a couple Pepsis
Had fast food twice. I did though, really think about what was the healthiest on the menu (even looked up nutritional data on my smart phone & made the better choice)
Haven’t made it back to yoga yet
Not drinking as much water as I should
Goals For This Week:
Eat 1 lemon daily
Follow my own advice when it comes to eating healthy while at CES
Training for my upcoming 5k. Run 2x this week.
Run 2x, hike 1x, Golf 1x, Gym 2x, Yoga 2x
Meditate every morning
Goals For This Month:
Eliminate gluten and grains out of my diet
Stay focused and motivated
Eat 2 cups of spinach a day & 2 apples every day
To not wake up by an alarm. I need to wake up at 5:00am… then I better be in bed by 9. I wake up so angry whenever my alarm goes off, I want to wake up in peace.
My intention for last week was Make it Happen! I have been doing this! I am working super long hours and really doing my due diligence on everything in both my personal and business life. I am admitting my faults, and working hard on the things I do well. I am Making it Happen! This is my year 2012!!
My intention for this week is to Trust in Myself. I need to trust in my abilities, my knowledge, and my quest for greatness. Sometimes I waiver in my own self-confidence and it shows. I have to remember, only I can make a difference in my life. Others may impact it, but only I can change it. When I trust in myself, I trust in my future. This is my year 2012!!
Did you feel it? The shift in the world and in yourself as 2012 started? I certainly did. I felt this peace, this optimism, this hope, and this outright determination I hadn’t felt in a very long time. Quite a few people I have talked to have also remarked on feeling this energy shift in the world. It’s good energy. It feels like balance. For me, it has struck a light under me that I just can’t explain. I am on fire!
I have never been a resolution girl. I’ve made them, and I’ve certainly broken them. I have researched goal setting though – how when you actually write down your goals and say them out loud, that you actually give them life. For the last 6 weeks I have been working diligently with my business coach @CoachLynda on my business and my personal goals. And wouldn’t you know it, quite a few of them are intertwined. Here are just a few of them.
Personal Goals for 2012
Run a 5k every month! (I’ve signed up for 4 so far!)
Live a Soy-Free life (Hard for sure, but I’m doing it)
Understand how my body reacts to each type of food I put into. (Do you ever really consciously do this. It’s amazing when you do.)
To not let clutter accumulate (I am not OCD clean, I’m afraid)
Go to Europe – Italy and Ireland to be exact
Business Goals for 2012
Write a specific wine blog. It’s called 52Wines52Weeks.com (1st post & website up this week so check back!)
Increase my business by 50%. (Lofty goal I know, but this girl has a plan!)
Attend some awesome conferences so I stay fresh and at the forefront of my industry (CES, BlogWorld, BlogHer, NAWBO to name a few)
Be a great mentor to other women and other women business owners
Write. Write. Write. I need to be writing 4 days a week on Weight Loss, Technology, Wine and Food/Recipes, and a tish of Gardening.
Now just imagine for a moment… writing my blogs on a Tuscan vineyard sipping the wine and enjoying the countryside as I write. Oh, there’s a 5k this weekend, you don’t say. My goals are intertwined. My wine blog is a sponsored blog that I am planning on taking me to Sonoma and Paso Robles all the way to Italy. I can do this, I will do this! And why not run in a 5k while I am there? These are my goals. This is my year 2012.
If you noticed, I didn’t say anything about weight loss in my goals. BECAUSE IT’S NOT IMPORTANT. It really isn’t. What IS important is being healthy. I’m overweight now for sure, but since I have taken soy out, I feel so much better. While I train for these 5Ks by running, hiking, strength training, and practicing yoga. By eating soy-free and being as gluten- and wheat-free as possible (Paleo diet) then my body will react by releasing the stored fat. I am certain of this. By accomplishing my life’s goals, I will release this weight. This is my year 2012.
I’ve gone through extreme pain and loss over the last three years. I’m done with that. I have learned those lessons. I am now ready for greatness. This is my year 2012.
Weight Loss
Loss: 2 pounds
What I Did Right This Week:
Eating 1 lemon every day. Squeeze 1/2 into my water in the morning and then again at lunch. Easy peasy!
Eating 1 apple every day
Making green shakes. Lots of them with spinach, kale, apples, cranberries, and citrus
Eating Brussels sprouts and cauliflower too!
Eating as little wheat and gluten as humanly possible
Hiked 2x and have tried running 2x. Having mechanical difficulties at the moment
Meditated each morning
What I Did Wrong This Week:
Had a Pepsi
Am addicted to Mac & Cheese << this will be my gluten-free downfall every time
Haven’t made it back to yoga yet
Fell victim to @CrowsDairy chocolate gelato. It’s quite addictive I tell you!
Goals For This Week:
Eat 1 lemon daily
Have 1 cleansing green shake daily
Training for my upcoming 5k. Run 3x a week.
Run 3x, hike 1x, Golf 1x, Gym 2x, Yoga 2x
Meditate every morning
Goals For This Month:
Eliminate gluten and grains out of my diet
Stay focused and motivated
Eat 2 cups of spinach a day & 2 apples every day
To not wake up by an alarm. I need to wake up at 5:00am… then I better be in bed by 9. I wake up so angry whenever my alarm goes off, I want to wake up in peace.
My intention for last week was Be Happy. All in all, the Holidays were a welcome break from my daily life. I didn’t get to travel or take a vacation, but I did step away from my laptop quite often and visited with friends and family. I made time for myself and went hiking on Christmas morning and enjoyed being at one with nature. I also started decluttering my house. This is hard. I’m not a candidate for Hoarders, but I still need to let some things go.
My intention for this week is to Make it Happen! It’s 4 days into this new year and I am on fire. I am working super hard and am motivated to make some amazing changes in my life. If I make time for myself and work my goals, then my life will go down the path I foresee. It’s already happening! This is my year 2012.
Right now I am in between a happy and dark place. Happiness because I have really drilled down my goals for 2012 and have a clear idea of where I want my life to lead. I have some amazing friends and incredible power partners to help me achieve these goals. I am also happy that the Holidays are here. I love having my Christmas tree up, cooking and baking all the time, and generally enjoying those people I choose to have in my life. All in all, I am happy.
The darkness stems from memories and when I look in the mirror. It was a year ago that I was at Sandbar and someone told me I was Fat, But Attractive. I still cringe when I remember those words. It was also a year ago that I decided to write Weigh-in Wednesday every week. So for a year, I have blogged about going back to the gym, doing two 40-Day Yoga Challenges, a 30-Day No-Soda Challenge, walking in the Breast Cancer 3-Day, finding out how severe my soy allergy really is, dating while overweight, and about my life as a little blogger from Phoenix. Makes me very sad to admit that as I type this that last year when I started this blog I thought I was at my heaviest weight. Nope, I wasn’t. Two months ago while in the midst of the soy allergy attack I weighed in at 218 pounds. OMG it’s hard to admit that. When I stepped on the scale that day and saw that number, I felt like I died inside.
I’ve been detoxing off the soy and have lost 11 pounds. I am 10 pounds heavier today than I was last year at this time. I never thought in a million years that would be the case. I thought when I wrote this blog a year later that I would be around 140lbs. This is where the darkness comes in. I eat whole foods, I hike and love yoga, and yet… it hasn’t made a bit of difference. Am I destined to be overweight for the rest of my life?
What’s also been hard this year is that I rarely get hit on anymore. I used to be able to walk into a bar and have quite a few appreciative glances. Now, not so much. Am I just getting too old or is it the weight? Curious question for me though.
I’m not ready to give up though. I am going to still keep soy out of my body, and eat great tasting whole foods – and learn how to cook them up in some interesting ways. I have already set my goal of running in a 5K every month of 2012. I do hope though next December when I look back on 2012, I can be proud of the decisions I have made and that my weight is finally under control. I want to look in the mirror and see the woman I see and not the woman who is currently looking back on me. Because let me tell you, they are not the same.
Weight Loss
Loss: 0 pounds
What I Did Right This Week:
Eating 1 apple a day still
Eating Brussels sprouts, spinach, & broccoli
Signed up for 4 5Ks for next year!! <Let me know if you want to run too!>
Laughed every day
Meditated each morning
Ran a baseline 5K 46:38
Ran again on another day and worked my upper body
What I Did Wrong This Week:
Ate some of the Christmas cookies I made. They were calling my name. Seriously.
Ate yummy casserole dishes
Still drinking my calories – pumpkin vanilla chai you are my weakness and wine is my love affair
Goals For This Week:
It’s Christmas, so I am trying to do good, but still enjoy the holiday
Start putting my workouts on my calendar so I have the time already allotted
Eat 2 apples, cup a spinach, & a lemon every day
Continue training for a 5k. Run 3x a week.
Go hiking and see some nature!
Run 3x, hike 1x, Golf 1x, Gym 2x, Yoga 2x
Meditate every morning
Goals For This Month:
Get a work out in on any day I have an event or a Holiday party
Stay motivated and see myself the way I want to be, and then let it happen.
Eat 2 cups of spinach a day & 2 apples every day
My intention for last week was Release This Anger. I had Cookie Day at my sister’s and it was better than I had anticipated. At 1st it was just me and my older sister and she was very accommodating to my allergies and was opened and listened to what I was going through. When my younger sister came she had bought a bunch of that refrigerated cookie dough – it all contains soy. So I couldn’t have any of her cookies. When I said something about it, she honestly couldn’t have cared less. And that’s ok. It’s not her problem. I didn’t get mad, I just let it go. I realize it is hard for people to understand when they have never experienced something before. It is going to take a lot of work and effort to educate others on food allergies.
My intention for this week is to Be Happy. My brother is coming to town after being in Europe the last few months and I am excited to see him and hear about his travels. I am happy to take some time off and reflect on this past year, but more importantly, to work on my goals for next year. This is the time to reach beyond my norm and really hear my heart and make my life lead down the path that’s a little less traveled. I’m finally ready.
Sometimes I wonder if I make things up in my head. Well now that I have a smartphone, I tend to write down things people say to me as soon as they say it so I can remember it. Now mind you, I don’t do this all the time, but lately it has come in handy. I also think people forget what a love affair most of us have with food. We share good times over the family dinner table, we celebrate achievements in life with a nice dinner at a swanky hot spot, and we even post recipes of our faves so others can can revel in our cooking (or lack thereof) talents. Whether it’s right or wrong, our culture revolves around food. Imagine for a moment that every time you go out to eat you have to ask the chef how they are going to prepare your meal. Sometimes it is embarrassing, or rather I feel like other’s will perceive me as high maintenance (I am – but that isn’t the point!). I am newly diagnosed with two food allergies and let me tell you, it seems like they are everywhere.
I realize that since my allergies are fairly new that my family and friends don’t necessarily know what to do with me. You know what would be awesome? Is for them to not make me feel like I am putting them out when I ask for a substitution. Prime example: Cookie Day in my family is this weekend. Pam Cooking Spray contains soybean oil as does most Canola oil blends and most margarines. I asked my sister if everyone could use real butter (I would even bring it) and use either Olive Oil or any other oil when preparing the pans. At first both of my sisters were totally ok with this. But guess what happens when you leave the room and then come in – if you guessed them talking about me, then you would be right. They both were talking about how gross it would be to bake with olive oil and they didn’t want to do it. Seriously people?? How can you be so insensitive? I didn’t ask for this food allergy, I sure as hell don’t want it, but I *have* to learn to live with it or it can kill me. It was already slowly shutting down my organs. What part of of this is so hard to freaking understand??
Now I understand that I have been a wuss when it comes to heat in dishes, and now I know why. I honestly don’t like breaking out in hives on my face and in my mouth. Not very pleasant honestly. But for Pete’s Sake, don’t make fun of me because of it and ridicule me for it. I understand I am Mexican. I understand I am supposed to like spicy food. Well I don’t. At all. Just one little jalapeño in that dish to give it more flavor makes me break out in hives – is it really so much to ask that if it’s not needed, to maybe put it on the side. Why yes, yes it is.
I would never ask a hostess of a party how she made the food unless I was related to her. Most times, I just make up the excuse that I ate earlier so as not to call attention to me. But when you are a close friend or family member, I would think that you would want all of your guests to be happy. But alas, my expectations are unrealistic. I am the type of cook that if I know someone can’t have something it gives me the opportunity to make something new and be creative in the kitchen – I look at it positively.
Weight Loss
Loss: 0 pounds
What I Did Right This Week:
Eating 1 apple a day – they are great for the body
Eating Brussels sprouts and spinach, made butternut squash soup
Started making my green shakes again
Signed up for 2 5Ks for next year!!
Laughed every day
Meditated each morning
What I Did Wrong This Week:
Didn’t exercise at all. With all this rain, I cuddled on my coach too much
Did not eat enough spinach
Still drinking my calories – pumpkin vanilla chai you are my weakness and wine is my love affair
Goals For This Week:
Start putting my workouts on my calendar so I have the time already allotted
Eat 2 apples, cup a spinach, & a lemon every day
Start to train for a 5k. Run 3x a week. Buy pants that don’t fall down already!
Go hiking and see some nature!
Run 3x, hike 1x, Golf 1x, Gym 2x
Meditate every morning
Goals For This Month:
Get a work out in on any day I have an event or a Holiday party
Stay motivated and see myself the way I want to be, and then let it happen.
Eat 2 cups of spinach a day & 2 apples every day
My intention for last week was Plug Ahead. My goal setting has been on overdrive! I have been making some crazy good progress with both my business and personal goals. Every day even if I don’t want to, I am plugging away on spreadsheets, QuickBooks, and figuring out what I truly want out of life. I’ve made a huge goal for 2012 – to run in a 5K every month of the year. I can’t wait!! And when it’s too hot here, this girl is going traveling to find a 5K!
My intention for this week is to Release This Anger. So what if people are insensitive – I need to let it go and move on. I need to make other arrangements for food when I am with my family – just do it and don’t perseverate on it. I have a food allergy – nothing I can do about it except hope I outgrow it. For now though, I have to embrace it and let go of the the anger I have over it. It is time to get healthy. Time to cleanse my mind and body and allow my body to finally feel good after years of feeling like crap. This is my time.
Do you have any food allergies? I can’t imagine living a life where you are scared to eat… and that is just what has happened. Now I know my food allergies are not as severe as some of my friends. My dear friend @KenScheer has some serious crazy allergies. He just found out he has to be gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, corn-free, nut-free and is allergic to a handful of vegetables and fruits. I commend him on trying to learn to deal with this and then inspire others to do the same. What I do know is that it is very hard to go places and have to ask if they have things that you can eat. I know I feel weird about asking and sometimes wonder will my friends and family be supportive or will they give me a hard time about it. Well, both has happened.
Out with some great friends – Jackie, Merlin, & Ken
I have gotten into the habit of reading every label – every single one. Did you know that all canned soups, most crackers, some spices, frozen sweet potatoes, protein bars, and chocolate (this made me so sad) has soy, soy lecithin, or soybean oil in it. Sigh. It has been very tough. What’s been good though, is that it just means I have to make more things from scratch, which I love to do. I just wish I had a bigger kitchen and fridge to hold all the things I need to actually make things from scratch! My allergies to jalapenos and spice has just gotten worse. Even too much garlic in a dish is making my mouth go on fire. And yes, everyone gives me crap about it. I wish I could handle the heat, but sometimes I have to hold back the tears. I also really don’t want the hives that jalapenos bring either.
Coming into the Holidays I actually have anxiety over going to parties and even going to my family’s gatherings. How do you ask the host how they made their food? Luckily I know which food from Costco has soy in it so if they have any of that out, I can make an informed decision. Last week when I was visiting my family I told them about what’s been going on with me and asked what, if anything, I will be able to eat on Christmas Eve. I was told that if I wanted something other than tamales (way too many jalapenos), taquitos (soy), or kid’s chicken fingers (soy) than I needed to bring my own food. Sadly, I have had to bring my own meal for as long as I can remember because I have never been able to handle the heat of the tamales. I didn’t realize how much it would mean for me for someone to say – no worries, we will make you something you can eat.
Because I am not used to people going out of their way to change for me, I have been stunned when my friends have done it. One friend bought special cooking oil (he had been using soybean oil) and looked at everything in his pantry to make sure I was safe eating there (even goes through my pantry too and takes things out I can’t have!). I was at @aclevergirl’s on Sunday and ended up staying for dinner. She checked every label and even the spices to make sure they were safe for me. I was a tad dumbfounded that she went through the trouble. I’m just not used to that.
Weight Loss
Loss: 1 pound
What I Did Right This Week:
Eating 2 apples a day – they are great for the body
Eating lots of Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and butternut squash
Went running for 1st time in awhile – but my pants kept falling down!
Laughed every day
Meditated each morning
What I Did Wrong This Week:
Broke down and went to McDonald’s and had a quarter pounder
Did not eat enough spinach
Still Drinking my calories – pumpkin vanilla chai you are my weakness
Didn’t do nearly as much working out as I wanted to
Goals For This Week:
Eat 2 apples, cup a spinach, & a lemon every day
Start to train for a 5k. Run 3x a week.
Go hiking and see some nature!
Run 3x, hike 1x, Golf 1x, Gym 2x
Meditate every morning
Goals For This Month:
Get a work out in on any day I have an event or a Holiday party
Stay motivated and see myself the way I want to be, and then let it happen.
Eat 2 cups of spinach a day & 2 apples every day
My intention for last week was Start Again. As I have been getting soy out of my life I can actually feel my mind becoming clear too – the haze has started to life. It’s also been pretty cool getting ready to tackle some 5Ks that are coming up in 6 weeks. I would like to do a 5k every month of 2012 – is that just crazy talk?
My intention for this week is to Plug Ahead. I am working on my goal setting for both my business and my personal life and am just a machine on the laptop lately. I want to be able to keep plugging away at all of this stuff, but also to plug away at my fitness goals. Doing one small thing every day, changing daily behaviors that will change long engrained behaviors. I want to plug ahead into this better, more in tuned world that is just waiting for me.
It’s been 3 weeks since I have written my blog. I’ve thought about writing every day, but for some reason, I just couldn’t. A lot has happened in 3 weeks and there will be some break out blog posts that go into more detail. First off though, I want to introduce you to Heather whom I met on the rooftop of one of BlogWorld’s parties. You know when you meet someone and you instantly feel connected to them? Well, that happened to us. Kismet really. She wrote her 1st weight loss blog post and I am so proud of her for taking that first, and very hard to face, step.
Three weeks ago was also the Breast Cancer 3 Day, it was also when I realized just how toxic my body has become. I have struggled with having a soy allergy and thought it was just when I ingested a large amount of it. This is so not the case. On the 1st day of the Walk at the 1st Pit Stop, I ate peanut butter then thought – oh I should look at the label. But really, who would think that peanut butter would have soy in it? It does. So did the peanut butter and jelly graham crackers they had for us and they Doritos they wanted us to eat to keep our sodium level up. So within the first 2 hours of the Walk, I ingested enough soy to make me extremely sick for the entire day. That day we walked 25 miles – by far, the farthest I have ever walked. On Day 2 I had friends bring me snacks along the way so I was good and even had @aclevergirl bring me @justchrisbyrd’s yummy bbq to eat at night because I wasn’t allowed to eat the food at camp.
The Awesome Team Booblicious!
The morning of Day 3 I ate eggs at breakfast, who would have thought they had been cooked using soybean oil? I was sick up and down Scottsdale Rd (funny if you know my love for Scottsdale). While on the side of the road sick as a dog, a couple medical personnel were driving by and picked me up and took me to Medical at lunch. I was given anti-nausea meds and Benadryl and put under a Mylar blanket where my blood pressure was out of control and my heart rate was racing (medics loved that I was already wearing a heart rate monitor). They were close to pushing an IV in and taking me to the hospital – so I mustered up my best – I’m-feeling-great-face and promised to sweep all the way to Closing Ceremonies if they would release me. Since my BP & HR were down they let me go. I walked 1.5 miles and decided to jump on a sweep van. All the sweep vans were notified of my status and I was under a careful watch. While on this van, a woman got on that reeked of BenGay – mind you, I am super sensitive to smells. My face went white and I had a hard time breathing – the van driver saw this and pulled right over where I got sick again. Sigh. I was a mess. I recuperated enough at the next Pit Stop and walked the last 2 miles into closing ceremonies with my amazing team.
Medical Crew that picked me up & put me back together again.
I was sad that I only walked 48 out of 60 miles, but sometimes you can only do what you can do. I have raised $17k in 3 years and have raised a lot of awareness for Breast Cancer. I am proud of what I have accomplished. I do this so we won’t hear of another woman being told she has breast cancer. I’m sad to report that just two days ago, one of my aunts told me she was diagnosed with Stage 1 Breast Cancer. It is treatable, she will fight this, and I will continue to raise money for this horrible disease.
Over the Thanksgiving Holiday I made all of my yummy favorites. Did you see the recipes I posted? Most importantly though I de-soyed my house. Soy is in everything. It’s ridiculous. I gave away 3 full bags of groceries that had soy in them. I now let restaurants know of my allergy so they can ask the chef what I need to avoid. I was stunned when I went to Eegee’s in Tucson (a sandwich shop) and the Manager called his corporate office to ask what was soy-free. Now that’s great customer service when I least expected it. I am still struggling with how much this has affected me lately – both mentally and physically. I will continue to work on it until it no longer has power over me.
When I came home from the 3-Day, I weighed in and had gained over 10 pounds in 3 days!! I was so swollen. Crazy enough, for the 1st time ever I had night sweats and got up to pee over 5x that night and lost almost 11 pounds in 1 night!! Sure wish I could do that every day. Right now, I am just trying to cleanse my body of all the soy and hope that I will soon start to see that reflected on the scale. Oh, and I am training for my 1st 5k in January!!
Weight Loss
Gain: 2.4 pounds. Not bad over 3 weeks with Thanksgiving and the 3-Day in there.
What I Did Right This Week:
Eating 2 apples a day – they are great for the body
Bought some great vegetables that will make some good meals
Made turkey chili
Went to the driving range – 1st exercise on my tired feet after my blisters healed from the 3 Day
Laughed every day
Meditated each morning
What I Did Wrong This Week:
Found my love of soda. Sigh. Going back to only 1 a week. This is so hard.
Can’t say no to dessert – damn you chocolate
Drinking my calories – pumpkin vanilla chai you are my weakness
Haven’t worked out because of all of my blisters. They are healed, so watch out.
Didn’t work out or walk at all
Goals For This Week:
Start to train for a 5k. Run 3x a week.
Go hiking and see some nature!
Run 3x, hike 1x, Golf 1x, Gym 2x
Meditate every morning
Goals For This Month:
Get a work out in on any day I have an event or a Holiday party
Stay motivated and see myself the way I want to be, and then let it happen.
Eat 2 cups of spinach a day & 2 apples every day
My intention for last week was Survive. I might have survived, but it was really tough. I’ve decided not to walk next year, but rather to be on Crew. One thing that really helped me to survive was the generosity of my friends – whether it was a tweet, a Facebook message, a text or phone call, or showing up with food and a hug. I appreciate you all more than you will ever know. Thank you!!
My intention for this week is to Start Again. I feel like I have pushed the Restart Button and it is time to begin again. Now that I know I have a food allergy, let’s see what my body does without constantly being injected with poison. I sure hope that is the missing key that I have been looking for. I’m excited to try running – most of you know – that I absolutely hate running, so this should be interesting to see. Let me know if you want to join me virtually or IRL and help me push the Restart Button!
I am a Social Media Specialist and Editor based in Phoenix, AZ. I absolutely love everything about organic gardening, decadent food, and my all time love, yummy wine. ~ Read More
Welcome to my lifestyle blog! I'm single with a passion for life and love good food and wine while trying to eat healthy. Here is an overview what you will find on my Blog:
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Welcome to my lifestyle blog! I'm single with a passion for life and love good food and wine while trying to eat healthy. Here is an overview what you will find on my Blog:
