Face in the Dirt

I knew it was coming...

Yesterday was our annual family reunion/Fourth of July pool party.  We gather each year at my cousin's lovely home to wreak havoc on their lawn, pool, and downstairs bathroom.  Food abounds in all varieties: desserts, grilled burgers and weiner meats, various noodled salads, baked beans, and even fresh fruits and veggies.  I had my food all planned out before we even left the house: tropical strawberry Shakeology, my own selections of berries and organic snacks, and lots of water.  To make food decisions even easier on myself, I donned my brand spankin' new stars-and-stripes bikini.  Started the day with a lovely flat belly and I was gonna finish with it, too.

The first appearance

Oh, but this year...this year my darling cousin prepared DIRT.  Now, if you have never seen nor tasted dirt, consider yourself both damned and incredibly blessed.  For once you taste this sweet nectar, you can never un-taste it and the addiction will be forever yours.  A creamy blend of whipped cream, vanilla pudding, cream cheese, and crushed Oreos, it is oh-so-easily scooped and devoured.  Sometimes, even three servings are not enough.  Not even when you have planned so very carefully and even told others to NOT DO THIS.  I actually posted a warning for moments such as these on my Facebook fan page (SweatItOut...there's a link right over there...go ahead and "like" it and have even more fun stalking me).  Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remembered my pious ways.  But my tastebuds and my belly had missions of their own.

Oh, THURP.

Alas, to make matters worse, it seemed everyone had cameras.  And it seemed that whenever said cameras were focused on me, my belly wanted all the attention.  Perhaps to showcase its precious and ever-expanding food baby.  In only one shot did my distended abdomen get upstaged: when a photo was snapped from behind and my ass said, "Hey! I'm not in great shape yet either!"

My ass would not be ignored.

OH. MY. HORROR.  I suppose I could shrink into myself if there was any room left next to the cheeseburgers (the dirt sent me spiraling...one helping of it and I was Alice falling into the rabbit hole, grabbing at anything that said "Eat me.").  Or...OR...I could use this as more motivation.  Yes, I was not as gorgeous as I had hoped.  I was not as steadfast as I had planned.  But I am farther than I was.  No more double chin.  No more triceps waving goodbye long after my hand has stopped.  And my ass is at least higher than in previous summer photos.  And, really, I think my back looks pretty darn good. 

At least I drank water...

Plus, now I am even more motivated for my Insanity Challenge Group.  I am expecting big results, and I'm clear about what my goals are now.  I will have to work hard, both at the food table and with the workouts, but I like that.  I live for that shit.  I will not be deterred.  So, yes, I am also beginning my 30-day Fitness Photo challenge today.  Which means I am supposed to submit either a bathing suit or a before shot to my fan page.  I say, why not both?  It'll be a two-in-one, because I plan on taking that next bathing suit shot in 30 days and seeing yet another transformation.  This project is not finished yet.

Keepin' It Local

Ah, summertime!  Sunshine, swimming, outdoor workouts...and fresh roadside produce!  I love that I can drive a mere ten minutes to do such a big portion of our grocery shopping instead of my typical half an hour.  This is one time of year when it pays to live in rural Pennsylvania.

I was tremendously excited at the prospect of a new market on the market - even closer than the one I typically frequent.  So the Bear and I hopped into the van and scooted over - to find merchandise and extremely minimal produce.  We were sorely disappointed but not about to abandon our cravings for fresh and local.  Off to Jersey!  (And that's not something we often say with enthusiasm around these parts.)

But Marshall's Farm Market is reason for excitement!  They have a beautiful little setup and incredibly tasty and bountiful selections to satisfy those wanting to shop out of doors.  We found piles of juicy red tomatoes; bushels of multi-colored apples; bags of plump cherries; baskets of ripe blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.  Hello, heaven!  Everything is reasonably priced, organized, clean, and incredibly fresh.  Not a mushy apple or tomato to be found.  There was no searching for an unbruised piece of fruit or a not-overly-ripe vegetable.  All we had to do was reach out our hands and grab.  Perfection.

Aside from the fantastic produce selection, they also sell various homemade items (we plan on returning special for those and will report upon tasting).  The Bear snagged an enormous pickle during our checkout and I have got to say, after sampling one teeny and one Jaws-size bite, that's the best freakin' pickle I have ever tasted.  Including PA Renaissance Faire pickles.  (I am an expert in all things on-a-stick.  Trust me on this.) 

To top off our very pleasurable outdoor shopping experience, the customer service was outstanding.  Smiles, pleasant exchanges, even a chuckle.  Which is nice after so many vacant stares in checkout lines or overheard conversations of breaktimes and leave times (always anxiously looked forward to as each cashier is always overwhelmed with the idiots in their lines...Ummm...hello?).  Side note: I have always had impeccable customer service at Wegmans as well.  That is my indoor food shopping heaven. 

So please!  Keep this stand profitable!  I do so want it to always be there, so close and so fabulous.  Meet us there this fall for the awesome Halloween setup (which includes free cider doughnuts and warm cider with the hayride *eyesrollingbackinheadwithecstasy*).  Or meet us there next weekend for more produce browsing and buying! 

Plus - now I'm even more ready for my run outside!  That sunshine is addicting and my day started off with plenty of Fit-Life-livin' moments: Hubby mixed up our Shakeology this morning (delectable as always!); did 200 squats to challenge my KickOffSummer Challengers; shopped the local produce stand and came away with good eats.  Look out, folks!  This chick is on a roll!

http://www.marshallsfarmmarket.net/

The Big Piece of the Pie

Two of the four in one big ass sammich

I like food.  I like food ALOT.  I have never been a girl to say, "Oh, I forgot to eat" or "I just didn't have time to eat today."  Because in my world, that cannot happen.  Hubby and the monkeys will attest to the fact that Hungry Mommy is the siamese twin of Cranky Mommy (aka SpongeMom Angrypants).  And not so long ago, I ate what I craved.  And what I craved typically involved the four food groups: bacon, peanut butter, chocolate, and/or cheese.  My best meals combined these four pillars of nutrition in myriad ways, one of the all-time favorites being PB&B sandwiches (peanut butter & bacon, of course).  So why, then, was I so totally mystified that working out was not giving me all the muscle definition I so desired?  I was one of THEM.  One of those who wants so badly for something to be true that I simply decide it is true and continue about my business. 

What changed?  I can't pinpoint the exact WHY or WHEN of the changing, but recently (within the past few months) something just clicked.  Like the Gods of Nutrition flipped the switch in my brain from "Junkie" to "Health Nut."  Suddenly, eating properly and fueling my body instead of gorging and putting my body to sleep seemed, well...easy.  Or at least, relatively so.

Fish with Flava - ala Shaun T

Because I do nosh from time to time.  I slip.  I chow.  I nibble at the cheese plate.  But this is what I find: even when I fall off the wagon, I don't fall far.  That nibble sates me and I'm back to clean eating.  Or what I prefer to call (mostly) clean eating.  Because I am, in fact, human.  I sometimes enjoy a splurge in the calories...It's just that it is no longer a daily occurrence.  The results I want, the body I want...It isn't going to just arrive in the mail with my next Beachbody purchase.  I have to work just as hard at fueling it as I do training it.

And that's the other motivator - the training.  All that time and effort I'm expending is pretty precious to me.  Why trash it all with a poor fueling system?  Because that's really what food is for - fueling our bodies.  It's enjoyable fuel, but fuel nonetheless.  Nutella is not going to power my marathon training (yep, I'm scheduling the next already).  Taco pizza will not give me that extra edge to push through my Spartan Race.  I choose instead a diet of Shakeology, fresh veggies and fruits, and lean meats.  I drink water like it's...well, water.  I am eliminating soda and refined sugars.  I am gradually going organic and gluten free.  When I shop, I shop the perimeters of the grocery store because that's where they keep the good stuff. 

Healthy cranberry scones

And that word I just used..."diet."  I typically dislike that word.  I do not approve of the connotations that it carries, the ideas of restriction and temporariness.  Because eating correctly is not about restriction and it should never be temporary.  This is a lifestyle - and a rewarding one at that.  I feel better, I look better...In fact, I look better now than I did in my teens and 20's (I just have more laugh lines, but laughter suits me).  I am fitter than I have ever been and I just keep getting better.  My awesomeness levels are higher every day...I simply cannot help myself.  Which means, you know...you can do the same thing.  You can actually DO IT instead of just TALKING ABOUT DOING IT. 

As a parent, I feel it's my job to show by example.  Unfortunately, they've had seven or so years of bacon lust as an example, so we're learning together.  They are surprisingly receptive to fresh fruit, learning to accept the vegetables, and thoroughly enjoying the lean meats.  Treats are treats and they are not every day.  We don't keep soda or sugar drinks in our house and even school snacks have gone organic (we made the switch from Oreos to Newman-Oh's and Goldfish to Cheddar Bunnies without a single complaint).  So again, it's doable.  There's no excuse of "my kids just won't eat that."  When ours do whine about yet another healthy dinner (and it happens because they're KIDS), I allow that they can choose dinner entrees, too...when they get a job, do the shopping, and learn to cook.  Until then, we eat what I cook (or, to be honest, what Hubby cooks.  And he cooks what I plan and buy). 

My daily breakfast

My whole point today is this: if I can put down the Thin Mints, the Diet Cokes, and the Funyuns...anyone can.  It's less about willpower and more about a singular decision: do you want to continue wishing for health and fitness, or do you actually want to have it? 

The Photographic Evidence

It's a quick one tonight, folks.  I had a day full of fevers, vomit, and gymnastics (although the last one was blissful, as I finally got to sit and watch my Bear flip and tumble whilst perusing the latest from Runner's World) and it is off to Skinny Girl Margarita-ville I go.

Anyway - I pledged to at the very least share my meals/snacks/etc from here on out, and so I felt obligated to stop by and do just that.  I have already been a sometimes faithful user of myfitnesspal (and I highly recommend it to anyone trying to lose or gain weight - it's free and it works.  What more can you ask for?).  This week, I was particularly faithful and have eased myself back into a normal eating plan vs. the good-all-day-gorge-at-night plan I had been following in recent weeks.  I alternated that with the it's-a-special-occasion-because-it's-Bear's-birthday/we're-out-to-eat/I-just-freakin'-feel-like-it-OK?!? diet...but that one, believe it or not, did not get me the results I was after either.  So it's back to basics, as it should always be, and I have given myself the added accountability of taking photos of each morsel consumed (pre-consumption, of course) and sharing the resulting photographs with all of you.  On the edge of your seat yet? Drumming fingers anxiously on your computer desk?  Well, stop it.  That's annoying.  (I won't care in a few moments, as I mentioned previously that my good girl liquor awaits).



Is it everything you dreamed it would be?

So there it is.  Ta-DAAA!  That's my daily breakfast, although the yogurt is typically substituted with a form of fruit.  I am weaning myself off of Nutella, but that shit is made out of crack.  The peanut butter crackers - from a vending machine after gymnastics.  I was starving and about to be Sponge Mom Angry Pants if I didn't get something in my belly.  Hubby outdid himself once again, mixing leftovers with cupboard leavin's (you know those packages of stuff that you never recall buying and never seem to get used?), so we had pasta with chicken and sauce for dinner.  Perfect on a chilly and rainy day.  Lunch - I did that myself!  I used fridge leavin's (leftovers and previously cut veggies and/or fruits so I only have to put forth minimal effort) and concocted a pretty bangin' salad for myself.  And...at long last...thank you, Bethenny Frankel, for the gift of Skinny Girl.  Tastey and low-cal enough that I feel no guilt over two servings (certainly not after two servings, as I have become a total lightweight in this arena). 

There you have it.  Not every day will be this detailed (I will be back to my random rants/ravings/blatherings as of tomorrow), but if you're truly curious about what I'm ingesting, friend me on myfitnesspal.  My username is Miller343 and my diary is public.  And hey, I can use all the eyeballin' I can get to keep me on track and eating like the athlete I picture myself to be.

Excuses vs. Reality

I am willing to bet that you made a New Year's Resolution, and I am willing to bet that resolution had something to do with your health.  Maybe you had a specific number of pounds or inches to lose, a size you wanted to reach, a diet to change, or an exercise routine to begin.  My question to you is: HOW FAR HAVE YOU GOTTEN?

If you're like OldMe, not very far.  The shine dulled on those resolutions by mid-February, when the days are short and dark and cold.  There's always an excuse as to why fitness goals simply do not fit into your current lifestyle.  I know, because I used to cuddle those excuses like new puppies, and I made sure I showed them off the same way.  So people would know I wasn't weak and a quitter, just "unable."  (Picture me now, rolling my eyes and smirking at OldMe and her lazy ways.)

The number one excuse: "I don't have the time."  Do you have the time to be sick? Do you have extra years of life you just don't want to use? I didn't think so.  If you wait for the time to appear, it's never going to happen.  You MAKE the time, you don't find it.  I am a mother to four, one of whom is just over a year.  I do not work outside the home, but honey, you better believe I WORK in it.  My day does not stop until my head hits the pillow.  Working out has become my sanity saver, so I make time for it Every. Single. Day.  Whether it's before everyone wakes up or after they've gone to bed; whether I find a stolen hour during Sesame Street or during naptime; whether I am running alone or walking behind a stroller, I MAKE THE TIME.  My family is happier for it, because if Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.  And I am happier for it, because I have more energy to devote to everyone else, more patience to give them, and more love to give myself.

Then there's the odd excuse of "I'm not fit enough to do a workout." Um...okay...How do you suppose you will get fit enough to exercise?  As far as I can tell, the only way to do so is to begin. Walk.  Lift.  Dance.  Stretch.  Build up.  Not everyone needs an "extreme" routine, but everyone needs a routine.  Fitness grows with you and your goals will too.  I started running last summer and found it a major accomplishment to complete two miles at a 3:2 interval.  Now, I'm a running goddess who considers two miles a warm up.  A year ago, a marathon seemed like too much and I wasn't remotely interested.  Now, I get butterflies in running shoes every time I contemplate May 20 (the date of my first marathon).  People change, fitness changes them.  Trust me on this one.

"Health food has no taste."  Then you're not doing it right.  Plain and simple.  I drink chocolate deliciousness every morning for breakfast - gluten free, made-from-whole foods, low-glycemic-index chocolate deliciousness!  Shakeology is the proof in the pudding - almost literally - that healthy does not equal tasteless.  And there are sooooo many recipes for tangy, spicey, tastey, tastebud-thrilling foods that I refuse to even speak of this excuse any further (see my photo of whole wheat cranberry scones above? There's your thousand words.)   Next topic!

"It's too expensive to buy healthy foods."  I actually agree, but that's life.  Plus, think of the cash saved on doctor's visits, OTC meds, and pounds of junk food that won't fill you up.  No lie, I drink one shake at breakfast, and my normally bottomless pit is sated for a good two to three hours.  I toss together a healthy snack, and I am satisfied again.  When I was noshing on candy bars, donuts, and Weis dessert bowls, I would garner one of two results.  I would either a) feel incredibly nauseous due to the overabundance of fats and sugars I had just inhaled or b) still be starving and thus inhale more fats and sugars until I felt so nauseous I had to stop.  A pleasant side effect to cutting out (mostly - I still stray from time to time, but find I don't enjoy it quite as much) the empty calories is that much of my daily irritation has been cut out as well.  My blood sugar no longer crests and plummets seemingly at will.  I don't need caffiene to stave off headaches.  Again, Mama is happier and that equals a happier M&M Clan.

Give me an excuse, and I will give you a reason it sucks.  Today's blog is about tough love, people.  I don't wanna hear why you can't; I wanna hear why you WILL.  Forget resolutions, forget life overhauls.  Make small changes every day.  You didn't turn into a lounging mass of sugar in a day.  I bet you've worked on it every day for years.  My own formation into starchy inactivity was a gradual but steady decline, just as my climb back to fitness has been.  Now, I'm firmly entrenched.  This gal ain't goin' back.  Been there, done that.  Hated it. 

What got me motivated? I was tired of being tired.  I was exhausted with negative self-image.  I was so over wasting energy envying every fit person passing by.  I could either continue down a path that was all wrong for me, or I could stop making pitiful excuses and choose a new direction.  I warned you: I am a born-again fitness enthusiast and I will be annoyingly chipper about it.  You can either be annoyed or become annoying.  (Psssst! It's a lot more fun on this side!)