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Finding & letting go of the past – Emotional Eating

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If you are following my blogs because you want some inspiration, motivation, healthy advice, or just like the way I write (awe)…. head’s up! Summer is on its way and it’s time to chin up and work dirty to get the summer body you want!
When you sweat, remember that is your fat crying because it’s LEAVING and NOT COMING BACK!!
I need some serious dedication from you this week. I need you to dig deep, get outside of your comfort zone, and mentally get prepared for change.  But, how can you truly prepare when you can’t let go of the past?
Much of our weight problems stem from our past experiences and emotions. Much of our emotional eating is the same way – we learned years ago that food makes us feel better. It comforted us during down/sad times and we celebrate with food too. However, we now know that the same food that comforts us, also ruins us. It hurts our bodies which lead to broken spirits and depression. Eating that dessert or second helping of gravy & potatoes may feel great while it’s happening, but I promise it will lead to feelings of guilt and frustration not including a possible upset stomach. Emotional eating is tough. WE ALL suffer from it and it takes discipline not to reach for the Girl Scout Cookies when feeling tired, sad, or giddy (I have felt a lot of giddy the past week).
Your challenge over the next 3 days is to do some self-examination. Nope…not the breast/testicular kind, although that is important, but the tough, deep kind. Spend a few minutes alone and really think about what drove you to eat poorly and turn to food for comfort. What happened in your life that caused you to gain weight? What stresses currently cause you to turn to food?  You didn’t gain weight because you just got lazy. There’s more to it than that and sometimes it can be painful to face. There is a deeper reason.

Let me explain my reason…… I have been an athlete ALL MY LIFE.  I had a lot of success in high school in Volleyball, played intramural in college and now on a co-ed league team.  I was the starting softball pitcher and played Basketball also.  I was always fit, had nice abs, and a strong build.  I love sports (Go UC) and am very competitive.  Then, I decided it was time to have a baby.

I had a premature baby (32 weeks) and spent the first 5 weeks of his life sitting beside his glass crib looking at him and praying he would live. I would grab a black raspberry smoothie from Zestos on my way home from the hospital and fast food because I was too tired to cook anything.  During that time, I also mildly dislocated my hip and was on crutches. Talk about bad luck!  Then, when my son came home, he was on heart rate monitors and all I wanted to do was hold him in my arms. I would hold him and eat quick foods just to fill my belly. After his first year, I got back on track again (to some degree) and then wanted another baby. CLASSIC, right?  I got pregnant 2 more times, and miscarried both of those babies. The second miscarriage was a partial molar pregnancy and I miscarried at 12 weeks. TALK ABOUT EMOTIONAL!! For the next 6 months, I had blood tests on a regular basis making sure that the D&C was successful and that no tissue was left behind that could turn to cancer inside my body. It was a long 6 months, but once I was cleared to get pregnant again….I easily got pregnant for the 4th time. Once again, I was high risk and placenta previa…..started symptoms of pre-term labor at 30 weeks, (I was terrified to say the least) but with the help of my doctors I was able to carry baby to 38 weeks. And, I now have a healthy boy and girl.  My youngest is 5 and I started working hard to get back on track about 3-4 years ago.  I wanted my body back. I began running and then needed more strengthening, but didn’t want to join the gym. I tried that when Jacob was 2 and wasn’t pleased with the daycare at the local gym. That’s when my friend said she was doing P90X and Shakeology and loved it. SO…I signed on as a coach because I didn’t want to pay full price for either product (they didn’t have challenge packs back then). I started the programs, found some success and people started asking me what I was doing. Then, I met a guy at a Christmas party, who was recovering from knee surgery and he wanted to lose weight also. We began challenging each other (we are a bit competitive) and before I knew it, I had lost 15 pounds and he lost 50. (Darn those men, always losing weight fast!) I started taking running more seriously, and being a PTA, I knew that I needed strengthening too (my knees and hips started to hurt) but was burnt out on P90X, so needed a new program. Thank goodness for nice discounts because that led me to Insanity > P90X2 > Les Mills Pump> Les Mills Combat!! I still have 10 pounds I want to lose. I’m on a mission before summer gets here! (I want my abs back!)
Anyways…that was/is my journey. I am WAY more educated about food choices now, so that helps me to make better decisions for myself and my family. When I think about those times, my bad food choices and the heartache during that time…my eyes leak. The pain of those miscarriages doesn’t go away. I pray for those babies daily and am grateful for the ones I am raising. I am working very hard at teaching my children the importance of health, fitness, and working hard to achieve goals all while making it fun.  I am now studying sports nutrition and will soon be certified (need to finish a few papers!). I coach others towards better health & fitness also…..and am a sponge when it comes to nutritional/exercise information, so I have plenty to offer.  If I don’t know the answer….I will find it.
Your goal is to deeply self-examine your past and recognize what it’s done to your body and then leave it in the past. It’s time to move forward and make a new you. You can’t move forward until you deal with the past. Otherwise, it will always be there….waiting on you.  And those bad habits will return, you will face those fears/worries again & make poor food choices all in hopes of finding comfort.  Then, you will look in the mirror and be angry at yourself. (Been there….done that).

I am physically stronger and can run longer than I could pre-children, even though I have yet to hit my personal goal.  But, I will hit it.  And I will rock those cute summer clothes.  It doesn’t matter that I’m a Mother – I can still look classy/cute in the summer….but this year I’m going to be the soccer/baseball Mom with the muscles too.  (Wink).

To learn more about emotional eating and techniques on how to cope, please look at this information from the Mayo Clinic. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/MH00025

Running: Think you can’t? Think again.

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It’s Father’s Day and I’m reminiscing about Dad when we (my 2 brothers and I) were growing up.  This is also an eventful weekend for me because I completed another running goal.  My goal was to get an official 5K time of under 30 minutes.  Yesterday, I completed a 5K in 29:33.  I was pretty excited, especially since I ran 9 miles the night before and have been battling a super sore left SI joint and tight right piriformis/IT band/hip flexors of right hip for about 10 days. I still got goal! I haven’t run an official 5K race in at least a year…if not longer, so it’s a big deal for me.  In the meantime, I’ve been running half marathons, 10K’s, and even completed a full marathon without proper training last October. (Not recommended!)

Back to my Dad…..when I was a preteen Dad hurt his knee and had some extensive surgery.  Back then, they casted him from hip to toe (unheard of today) and I often went with him to his physical therapy sessions (this is how I got the fever to become one myself!).  Well, Dad was on crutches for a long time and my brothers and I used to tease him by taking his crutches away or putting them across the room.  It was all for a good laugh!  Well, weeks later, Dad was outside with us and on crutches.  My brothers were teasing him saying, “You can’t catch us!” Dad threw down his crutches and to their surprise started chasing them!  They didn’t know he was working hard in PT and didn’t need the crutches anymore.  Oh….it was so funny and a great memory.

I am the face behind the facebook page www.facebook.com/yourfitnessinfo.  I always hear people say, “I can’t run.”      Quite frankly, I’m tired of that excuse.  There IS a small group that cannot physically run, and I am fully aware of this.  However, for the most point….I bet you can run.  I always think, ‘heaven forbid someone takes off with your child….I bet you would run after them!’  Or, ‘what if someone was chasing you with a knife?’  Our bodies were meant to run.  Think about all the activity that the human body had to do hundreds of years ago to catch food and such. The human body is NOT meant to be sedentary.  It developes skin wounds, breaks down, gets stiff, deteriorates, etc.  I personally believe this “I can’t run” is an excuse for numerous reasons.

1.  People think it’s too difficult to run.

2.  People believe they have ‘bad knees’ and cannot run.

3.  People get bored with running.

4.  Laziness

Listen, no one is saying go out and run 2 miles right now.  And, it’s not necessary to run fast.  If you have curiosity about running or wish you could and not sure where to start, here’s a guideline.  Start with intervals.  When you go for your walk, add 30-60 seconds of a light jog every couple of minutes.  It’s that easy!  Eventually, you will find yourself jogging for a few more seconds.  Jogging/running is a great cardio burner, it’s mentally good for you (a psychologist friend told me it has the same benefits as an antidepressant drug), the ‘runner’s high’ is an amazing feeling, and it’s time to yourself.  I strongly encourage you to try it! Here are some pointers so you can start to try jogging and reap the benefits.

*  Ladies…make sure to wear a supportive sports bra.  HIGHLY NECESSARY.

*  Music.  You can get lost in the music and before you know it, you’ve gone another quarter-mile.  I can suggest some good songs if you would like.

*  SHOES – not all shoes are made for running.  Proper footwear will make it easier for joints and muscles.  I always know when I need new shoes…my joints start to ache.

*  There are many apps available to assist you with distance, time, and motivation. RunKeeper &Joggy Coach are some of my favs.

*  Vaseline is my friend. 🙂  It stops friction burns.

*  If running is boring to you…..you need to learn to be alone with your thoughts more often!  It’s a great exercise for working through difficult situations and being able to set your mind straight.  I jog a lot of mileage and often times find clarity through thinking/praying while running.

*  Jogging can lubricate joints.  Proper exercises (strengthening and flexibility) can help knee and hip joints to be able to run.  Don’t fool yourself into thinking that just because you have arthritis or a previous injury/surgery you shouldn’t be running.  It is more difficult on the joints, but if you are kind to your joints and take care of them, it won’t be a problem.  This is another reason why cross training is so important for joints!

* Technique….often times people have poor technique which causes pain and tightness.  Have someone access your technique.

*  Intervals…..this is how you start!  I have some programs that I recommend, so contact me for more information.

Once again…there are a few people who should not be running.  But, too many people are using excuses not to run and it’s frustrating.  I’m not a fast runner and I’m not out to beat anyone. I’m not a professional runner.  I’m just a Mom, who wants to stay fit, LOVES accomplishing fitness goals and doing what people say I cannot, enjoys the alone time that running provides for me, gets super excited to feel a runner’s high (feeling post run), and likes toned legs.  I’m also a therapist, fitness coach, and studying to get certified in sports nutrition. I’ve learned a lot simply by running often and finding what works and what does not.  I have a lot of friends who are runners and I ask a lot of question.

 I love receiving texts, emails, and facebook posts from people who didn’t think they could run…..and are now doing it!!!  That’s the best feeling as a coach!  Do I always love to run?  NOPE.  Do I dread it some days?  YEP.  But, once I get started, it’s worth every step.  Do what you cannot think you can.  Try it….if you don’t like it, THEN you can say it’s not for you.  Otherwise…don’t give yourself an excuse NOT to try something and be active !

Be like Dad….surprise yourself and others with your running ability!

Together…we are Better!

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With any weight-loss goal, as many of you know, the biggest hurdle is KEEPING IT OFF!

I was doing great and only a few pounds away from my weight loss goal a few months ago.  Then, the holidays came and I was put on Prednisone because of an ulcerative colitis flare-up.  ** NO FUN!  **  This drug is a steroid which causes weight gain no matter how healthy you eat.  It’s water weight and I really dislike what it does to my body.  Well, pending on how long you are on it, it takes just that long for your body to return to normal weight.  I am just now getting back to ‘normal’ weight, but have gained a few pounds.  So, I am working hard to get it back off and hit that GOAL!  I’m on a mission and it’s gonna happen.  There is NO OTHER OPTION!  🙂 I’m only a couple pounds away from that point a few months ago.  Whew!!

I am saying this because it’s not only my battle now, but I also owe it to you to succeed. I’m an ordinary girl with an extraordinary fitness goal that I was so close to accomplishing, then it was taken out of my hands. But, I am healed now and ready to finally hit that goal!  The more followers/friends I have, the more empowered I feel.  The more I can teach you about health and fitness, the stronger the desire in me becomes to finally be able to post….ACCOMPLISHED!!!!  And to NEVER look back again!

I know how good it feels to be self confident in any article of clothing I put on my body.  I know the increased energy, the better sleep, and the toned muscles are worthwhile.  I LOVE the ‘strong’ look to the female body.  Anyone can be ‘skinny’ but it takes work to see muscle definition!!!  Serious work!  I LOVE pushing my body to the point where I think I cannot go one more .10 mile and then I run another 1/2 mile….that pride is fun!

While running the marathon, a little girl held a sign that said, “Pain is temporary, Pride is forever.”  🙂  That pushed me through.  (Surely, there will be a future blog with that as the title)!

We are all human.  We overeat, crave sweets, get lazy, fall into bad habits,think we need soda, etc.  But those of us who are strong can pick ourselves up and continue onward on this journey!  Join me, as I regain the sense of accomplishment and push forward towards my goal   There are some stubborn pounds ahead of me and having you along for the ride, in support of my progress, IS making me work a hell of a lot harder.  Let’s keep this ball rolling, and together, experience the good, bad, and the ugly… until the very last pound has been shed.  TOGETHER….WE ARE BETTER!

Please follow me on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/YourFitnessInfo and let’s help push one another across the finish line.  ❤