Summer and my Footwear

When I think of summertime, I fondly remember the days at the beach with my family and friends. I wouldn't change a thing, but I'd be dishonest if I said I didn't miss the close proximity of beaches. Even so, the pool satisfies my need for summer sun and refreshment.

Needless to say, these orange beauts are often donned.



So why are my feet being shoved into these three times each week with socks? It's summer and I really like my sandals.One reason is that my ankle is doing much better - I'm probably at 95% or more - and I need to exercise again. Seriously, this girl needs to get back to a healthy lifestyle and I need to do something that I enjoy and will have a long-term effect.

I was never an athlete but I always enjoyed going for a run - or what I would call a jog. That was the best stress reliever for me during my college years and also saved me from the freshman 15 that seemed to loom over every college gal.

The running was never competitive for me. It was time where I could just be - I could take a break from the books, papers, lab write-ups, etc. And I always felt great afterwards.

Fast forward almost 20 years...I'll spare you the details but suffice it to say this gal has not had running shoes on for quite sometime. Two babies later - there is definitely more than 15 pounds that have stuck to this bod and baby fat is not an excuse anymore when my babies are 6 and 9.

Meanwhile, although Jeter has been playing rec soccer for the last five seasons, this past spring he joined a travel soccer league. We've definitely witnessed him step up his game play but we've also noticed he could improve in the area of endurance.

Here is where my great idea comes into play...Jeter and I should exercise together this summer!

We decided to follow the couch to 5K running plan and are in the third week right now. Here are some of the memories we've made thus far

Week One: 5 minute warm-up; 60 seconds jogging / 90 seconds walking for a total of 20 minutes.

• Mom...this water is like gold! Stated by Jeter upon our return to home the first day.
• During every "jog" portion of our exercise, he always was way ahead of me. He then would double back to meet me during our "walk" portion.
• The gap between us could have been humiliating to me - an obvious reminder of how out-of-shape I am. But he never laughed at me or made fun of me. I made sure to thank him for this.

Week Two: 5 minutes warm-up; 90 seconds jogging / 2 minutes walking for a total of 20 minutes.

• The gap between us during our "jog" portions became a bit less although it still existed.
• I am both cherishing and looking forward to the time we get to exercise together.
• I am feeling stronger but I know things are only going to increase.

Week Three: 5 minutes warm-up; 90 second jog / 90 second walk / 3 minute jog / 3 minute walk - complete the cycle two times.

• The time-frame for jogging has doubled (the three minute portion) and I've learned how blessed I am to have Jeter as an exercise partner. We mutually encourage each other!
• I had been concerned about the gap there was between us when we were jogging the first week (which was only 60 seconds each interval) - how far ahead of me would he be in Week 7 when we are jogging for 23 consecutive minutes? This week I've realized that will not be a concern. He is working on endurance and as the time increased to 3 consecutive minutes I could see that this program is benefiting both of us. We were essentially together the entire time.

So what happens to Barber while we exercise? Thank God for family! My sister Promises and my parents have helped to be with him each MWF. What a tremendous blessing they have been because this would not be possible without their help and support.

Health and Wellness - Take Two

I haven't posted an update on my health and wellness for awhile. Not because it isn't still in the forefront of my mind but because an adjustment had to be made.

Simms and I were doing really well and achieving our goals prior to our cruise. Then we came back to reality and stuff changed. Our desire for good healthy habits hadn't changed but our schedule did change and we needed to adjust.

What changed you ask?

• Daylight Savings - this means our sunlight lasts longer.
• Spring sprung!
• Baseball season for the boys was in full swing.

So...how did these changes effect our schedule? Previously we would exercise right after putting the boys to bed which was between 7:30 and 8:00 PM. Not anymore. We now have baseball Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. On a good night the boys are in bed by 8:30 PM. Unfortunately on some game nights they aren't tucked in and given the final kiss good-night until 9:00 PM. Let's say we have a "free" night...then Simms (with good reason) wants to use that time to mow the lawn and trim the trees or some other spring project that needs his attention.

The last straw was when Simms told me that he was going to fit in exercise in the morning with a bike ride. I felt like I was losing my accountability partner and started to plummet downward...gaining a few pounds back in the process.

Good news is that an adjustment has been made and I am now in accountability with two gals. Our general goal is "To incorporate healthy eating and exercise in daily life and decision making". We have now started our third week and it feels good - yes there are some aches but those pains are evidence of the good that we are doing for our health and wellness. I still miss exercising with Simms but like I said, we had to adapt to the new season.

I'll continue to post updates on my progress.

Also...heads up for a few upcoming giveaways - one that deals with your daily health and wellness!

Week Eight: Health and Wellness

Has it really been eight weeks already? Well eight weeks plus one day because I didn't get this posted yesterday.

I am 1.5 pounds lighter than last Monday! That means I have said good-bye to 10.3 pounds and I really don't want them coming back either. LOL.

I think I kind of answered this weeks question last week but I will highlight a few things I have learned about myself:

• I experience greater success when there is accountability - and different forms of it are okay. Throughout this process, I have been accountable to you on a weekly basis, a couple of close friends and Simms.
• I tend to put my needs last - which I don't think is uncommon for moms to do but that doesn't make it okay
• I am learning how to re-think some stuff. For example, it is a greater reward to give myself 20 minutes and exercise than to sit lazily and eat a chocolate or two. I haven't completely mastered this yet, meaning I know it is true but I need to get to the point that I believe it 100%.

Week Seven: I May be Down but Don't Count Me Out

If you recall from two weeks ago, I learned that time is definitely important to me. Since then, I've realized when I sense that my time is so filled that I am constantly going, I stop taking care of myself. Simplified this means decrease in exercise and increase in snacking. This would be the exact opposite of my goals! Quite unhealthy.

In my reflection on this I realized this is the root of the issue for me. When I first experienced the weight gain, it was after Jeter was born - no, actually it was after Jeter was three months old. Initially I had lost almost all the baby weight with only 8 pounds to go. And then my world became very stressful. In the 9 months that followed, Simms' mom battled cancer as we were learning how to be parents for the first time. Simms had started a new job. One of my coworkers became strangely ill and we had a total of 7 students die in our school district. Simms' Aunt was diagnosed with cancer. My parents were still in LI and my sister was planning her wedding. Meanwhile Simms' accountability partner moved south and dear friends of ours experienced some major hurt in their lives. Our support system was strained at best. We got through it (because of God) and I had gained back 20 pounds. I've never quite got down to that 8 pounds to go mark since then.

Just two weeks ago I realized that it was close again. Four pounds to go and I would be there - with only 8 to go for my pre-pregnancy weight to Jeter. Wow! Really?!?

And then my schedule became really busy - with lots of things that needed to be done now. Stuff that comes with the job of being mommy and wife and ministry leader and volunteer at the elementary school and preparing for a weeks vacation that is supposed to be relaxing but is reminding me too much of why I never wanted to miss a day of school because it was so annoying to prepare for a substitute. *breathe* And the toll on me wasn't just task-laden. There were emotional strains - Jeter telling us about a bully at school (he hasn't been bullied but he is stressed about anything sensitive about him being "leaked" and then becoming a target) is one example. Others I am not going to discuss here. And Simms ended up having a few late nights at work. Result? Instead of exercising 5 or 6 times each week, it decreased to 3 and I was rewarding myself for "keeping it all together" with a piece of chocolate...almost daily.

How has this impacted the scale? I've gained 1.3 pounds. That means instead of having worked off a total of 10.1 pounds, my total is now 8.8 pounds. This is still great but I was really hoping to get those 4 pounds off (with the 8 to go!) before our vacation. That may not be feasible now and that is okay but I have to make sure that this sense of failure doesn't cause me to go into a personal downward tailspin. And it isn't like those things I wrote about in the previous paragraph have *poof* disappeared. That isn't the solution. I need to be able to still make myself a priority amidst all of the stuff - which means that I cannot afford to selflessly give to others to the point where there isn't anything left for me. This is what I am still learning and I do believe I will have victory. Why?

I hear my mom encouraging me in my youth, reminding me that this (victory) is what my name means.

I hear my Father whisper Philippians 4:13 in my ear and I believe that His Word is truth...I really can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Week Five: Time is Important to Me

Last week could have been very discouraging. If you don't remember I had gained 0.9 lbs which, on any other scale (besides Wii Fit) would have registered as a full pound. Thankfully, Simms continued to encourage me - reminding me that we are on a journey that will have peaks, valleys and even some temporary plateaus.

He was right.

I officially have said good-bye to 4 pounds since last Monday which means a total of 10.1 pounds since we began this journey!!! That is definitely something to smile about.

Natalie asked us what our love language is. I believe that she is referencing Gary Chapman's The Five Love Languages that so many of you have probably read cover to cover. I needed a refresher and ended up finding a little test that you can take. As a result of the test, I learned that Quality of Time is my primary love language (30%) and Acts of Service came in second (23%) with Words of Affirmation (20%) close behind that. Really - this is no surprise to me.

Week Four: Checking In...

It's Monday. The day after the Super Bowl. The Steelers won (hooray for my friends who love the Steelers!). The day where I have to "weigh in". And...it's the 2nd day of my cycle. Can you sense my enthusiasm?

Verdict? I gained 0.9 lbs. I know that is only 0.1 away from equalling one whole pound but you know what - it isn't quite a whole pound and, given the circumstances, I'm happy about that.

I knew the numbers wouldn't be great. Even without the Super Bowl. Last week seemed to be a weird week. I was eating well, drinking water and exercising but my numbers weren't dropping. At the same time, my clothes are fitting better. So what does that mean? I feel like I'm seeing a shift in my muscle/fat percentage (by the way my clothes fit) but I'm not witnessing that same shift of numbers on the scale. Thankfully Simms reminds me that even on The Biggest Loser (where they work out - what is it - 6 hours a day?!?) they experience low weeks and high weeks. He is such a great encourager!

Natalie asked what food is the most difficult to resist. I'd have to say chocolate - specifically dark. But if it isn't in the house then I'm not tempted. Or if it is in the house but away from me I am not tempted. For example, there is a box of chocolates that Simms' parents gave me for Christmas. It is in the garage freezer right now - unopened. The Christmas cookies that weren't finished - freezer. The most difficult time for me to resist chocolate in actually right now (time of month) but I successfully enjoyed a snack of peanuts and raisins and that took away my desire for the chocolate. I think it is the sweet/salty combo that helped me out there.

Well there you have it. I'll be checking in next week and maybe, just maybe that will become one of my "high" weeks. LOL.

Battling Dry Skin...and Winning.

Do you or have you ever struggled with dry skin? I have and it's wretched - the itching and burning and redness. Any suggestions on how to counter this? I've used cream and that has been successful but my supply of cream is dwindling fast. Care to share about any deals on good, healthy creams? Leave me a comment.

You can also read my full account about my battle with dry skin at Created & Called today.

Week Three: Crunches, Jumping Jacks and Lunges! Oh My!

The question Natalie posed for this week is What kind of exercise do I enjoy most? Enjoy? Ha!

Okay...seriously...when I was younger my favorite thing to do was run. I loved running. When I was in college that was my stress reliever. I would head down to the indoor track at 10PM and run 3 miles. My mind felt cleared and able to focus. I also liked aerobics and would go with my roomies to classes a couple times each week when they were in session.

That ended up being the problem after college however - I liked running on a track. I don't know if it's because of where I grew up but I never felt safe running outdoors around the neighborhood. My parents wouldn't let me do that when I was younger but even now, living in an area that seems far safer, I'm still not comfortable with it. The treadmill is good and I feel good afterwards but it isn't my favorite. I still enjoy aerobics - my favorite is step and I do that at home.

However, the exercise that I really enjoy now is Jillian's circuit training where you alternate between strength training, cardio and abs. I'm not seeing pounds pour off in leaps and bounds but I am seeing visible changes in my bodies composition - if that makes sense. It is also not a major daily time commitment. 20 minutes is very doable. It's also great that Simms will do this workout with me. With all of those factors, I would say that right now, this is the exercise that I enjoy the most.

And the tally for pounds? Since last Monday I have lost 2 pounds which gives me a total of 7 pounds that I have said good-bye to in the last 3 weeks! Hooray! I know it could have been a higher number because I missed 3 days of exercise for various crazy reasons but I'm still happy with the results. On to a new week...

Week One: Health and Wellness

Last week, Natalie posted a challenge at Created and Called to create some accountability for those who would choose to participate as we begin 2009 with the desire of improved health and wellness.

I've decided to participate, although not so brave as to actually post my current weight, I will tell you how much I have gained or lost (hopefully more of the latter) each Monday and what I am working on that week to achieve the goal of health and wellness.

So...here goes nothing...since last Monday I have lost exactly 5 pounds!

What changes did I make?

• Daily exercise. This is actually the first time that Simms has joined me in this part of the endeavor and it is awesome! What a difference it makes to have accountability with your best friend! We usually exercise right after we put the boys to bed during the week but on the weekends we let them watch us - it's important for them to learn the importance of good health now so they choose to never stop exercising. Jeter was trying out the abdominal portion last night and said "Wow, that is hard Dad." Anyway, this change has been much easier since we are doing it together. Interested in what we are using as our daily challenge? Minimally, we complete Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. We also spend time using the Wii Fit to work on balance and posture and to just have fun.
  
  
• Drinking more water. Although I still enjoy a cup of coffee during the day, water is my beverage of choice and the only thing I drink in the evenings.
  
  
• Protein Drink. This is something I remember having when I was younger and had started having daily again last year - until everything else in life seemed to snowball and distracted me last April. We've started this again. We use Shaklee products but that is our personal choice. It is an excellent way to start my day, ensuring that my metabolism gets the kick it needs in the morning as well as supplementing my system with vitamins and nutrients that are vital for good health. I also take a multivitamin daily - but that isn't something new.
  
  
• Snack elimination moderation. What I mean by this is that when I'm feeling hungry at 3PM rather than totally deny myself anything, I choose a healthy snack. This keeps my metabolism going and makes it so I don't over-eat at dinner. Some of my snack choices could be any of the following (but one - not all): 1/2 apple which could include a spoonful of peanut butter, mozzarella cheese stick, some peanuts and raisins, up to 5 wheat crackers with some hummus or a protein bar.

This is working for us. Simms and I feel more energized and are encouraged by the results. My plan is to continue in each of these areas again this week.