Finding Time for Me

Being a busy working mom, I struggle finding time for me.  So I have found that the mornings are the time when I can slip out of bed and go for a walk in my neighborhood.  The summer mornings are the best since I get to sleep in a little and go for a walk at the break of dawn. What a treat to watch the sunrise, listen to the birds and just have a quiet moment to myself.  I always feel better when I take care of me first before the demands of my family consume my time.
This morning was no different. I walked west so that during my walk back east I get to watch the sunrise.  I'm always amazed that the sun's energy is always in the sky and giving me warmth and light.   And today I added some weights and some core work when I got home.  It was a great change of pace and it gave me that boost of energy that I needed.  Exercising daily in the June Boom was awesome and I think I can keep it up during the summer, but not when I start teaching again.  It is probably more realistic to walk-run/weights/core 3 times a week and to continue Pilates once a week. 
So how do you find time for yourself?
STAYING FOCUS!
EFFORT & ENTHUSIASM!
NEVER GIVING UP!
LIFE IS GOOD!
Always on the move- MER

Mer is back from CRAZY BUSY JUNE KABOOM!!!

How can I tell you what the heck I have been up to without boring you to death? Let's just say that I had the craziest month ever! I did start the month off with a trip to Alaska. My apartment mate is a new inspiration to me. She just completed her first ever triathalon! She is not much different from me. She is also short and stocky, but she wanted to try something she has never done before.  So I am following in her suit and doing a 5K this month. I have never done one before so it will be interesting.  I am looking forward to the challenge. I have been training during bootcamp and on my own by walking and running.  I am doing mostly walking, but if I am ever to get rid of the rest of this weight I need to step it up and start doing more jogging and running.
As soon as I got back, my mom duties took over as well as my online class that I had a huge instructional unit to complete, a week-long content workshop to teach and another online class and accompanying lab all started last week! I was exhausted! Staying up until 1:00am every night to complete the assignments and then, getting up to workout, and do lesson plans for the workshop.  Needless to say, I got sick and had to sleep all weekend to get my energy back up.
Now, this week we are down to one online class and lab, but for what ever reason I have found myself going back to bad eating habits. I actually had a stress eating binge today! I have not done that in a long time.  When I think back to it- I did not use my emergency stop sign plan. So it is time to renew, to reset my goals and to get back into focus, focus, focus.  I have the last 25 pounds that I want to lose so these are the things that I am going to do for myself-

• My goal- lose 20-25 pounds by my wedding anniversary September 24th
• Back to basics- 6 meals a day and measuring out portions
• Logging everything I eat
• Run-walk everyday in the morning no matter what- 30 minutes
• Drinking 10 glasses of water
• Take my multivitamin
• Daily weigh-ins to keep myself on track
• Allow one free day of eating and drinking

Are you off?
Don't overthink it.
Accept it.
It happened.
Its done.
Time to Renew!
Time to move forward to the person you are meant to be. 
For me it is Discipline and Focus.
I know how to do this.
I know I can...

YOU CAN DO IT TOO!
RENEW!
RESET!
RECHARGE!
GO, GO, GO!!!

Always,
On the Move Mer

On the Move - again.......

We camped this weekend!!! Swimming in the river, hiking in a local State Park, walks into town for coffee and ice and how many times did we go into Safeway?? WAY too much food - WAY too much!!! I realized that I kept eating and eating and eating. I should have read the book that I brought, but for some reason I kept getting the munchies or was sitting at the picnic table to socialize and there was always food on the table. I thought all the walking, swimming and hiking would do me some good - but this morning I got on the scale and I won't even say what number was flashing. It was awful.

The good part - I am on the go again in less then 24 hours. We are off to Scout Camp. I hear the food is semi-good and well, we won't be near the mess hall on a regular basis. We will be hiking, swimming, walking and I totally plan on drinking tons of water. The heat has been in the 00's and I know that I am not getting as much as I need to keep my hydrated. I can feel my skin dry and my lips are chapped like you won't believe. I know for certain that I am not drinking enough water. I am contemplating going out and getting a hydration backpack, but we already purchased one, so not so sure I want to get another one. I will just need to bring a very handy water bottle and keep re-filling it. I am already on my 2nd 16 Oz glass this morning. I am actually very excited about this trip. Exhausting as it might be, it will be a good teaching, learning and growing experience not only for me, but for my son. I am also sure I will have a much more successful scale number when I return from this camping trip.

Another fine and wonderful Mer & Mo Moment!!! We both had some WONDERFUL SPECIAL QUALITY TIME TOGETHER this weekend. We did "laps" in the river, did the walk into town twice and well, it was great to stay up with her late on Sunday sitting talking and enjoying the fire. I wish that I had my camera handy to post a picture - maybe tonight. She looks GREAT!!! In fact, MER looks GOOD!!! I am proud of her for making this change and doing it with me. We are doing a 5K in a few weeks - for sure we both won't do a whole lot of running, but Mer has never done a 5K and I am excited to share this experience with her. I have done a few, but always at a slow pace. This time - more jogging, less talking - LOL - this will be another great motivator for the month of July.

Have a spectacular week. Take care of you - do something that you will enjoy - even if it is just a 30 minute read or a walk in the park or whatever fits your fancy!!!

Staying MOtivated MO

Celebrating the Red, White and Blue!!

Out with June - in with July - camping and more camping is on the schedule, a well deserved visit with Mer (for sure I will have pictures), a 5K walk/run event, seeing my god-daughter in The Wiz, a Speed Dating adventure, time for me, short "reward" trip to Santa Cruz at the end of the month and then it will be back to school for Aman - where is the summer going?

 REVIEW - I will have to say that I was not as successful as I wanted to be on the June Boom challenge. Busy-ness took over and I was unable to exercise each day of June. However, I do believe that the three days I was on my feet for over 14 hours a day, loading, unloading, walking, setting up, organizing and being on the go with Day Camp could make up for some of the days I was unable to work out in June. I don't know if I did something different or challenged myself. However, I am glad to say that I MAINTAINED. My goal for June was to maintain the weight loss and I am holding steady between 37 and 40 pounds down. I am very proud of what I have accomplished since January 2011. I am fitting into a Size 18, down from a "should have been wearing a bigger size 24". I am not looking back. Moving forward and going to continue to drop the weight. I am feeling good, confident, feeling healthly (except for the annoying foot issue I am having, going to work that out in the coming month).

July goals:

• Drop 10 more pounds

Enough Said - there you have it - moving forward - moving onward and downward!!!


** another footnote - this is Post #200 - AWESOME - well, sort of - think Mer was going to post something, but it has not officially made it to the "publish" side, but I can say that this one is 200 - I claim it, all for me me me.***

HAVE A SAFE, WONDERFUL AND HAPPY 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND!!!! WAVE THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE - THANKS TO ALL THE MILITARY OUT THERE !!!

Staying MOtivated MO

Lunch Time Decision

So, I had this huge lunch time dilemma. I didn't pack my lunch today and have not done so in a few days. That can be a huge downfall if I am not careful. I was going to go home at lunch today, but really didn't feel like it. Once the decision was made to stay close to work I then had to decide what I wanted to eat. There were plenty of ideas - Subway Sandwiches, Tin Roof BBQ, Cut The Mustard, maybe even driving over to a Taco Truck. Did I want to sit down and eat alone or get it to go? What could I get to go - Chinese, Hamburger, a trip to Taco Bell almost happened, but I resisted the urge to do something "simple".

Once I finally left the office I was determined to hit the Deli counter at the Apple Market. They have got to have something that is going to strike my fancy. I walked in, avoided all the yummy delicious treats in the bakery case and started to look at the lunch selections. Everything was fried or had way too many calories for me - corn dog, fried burrito, stuffed peppers (that had way too much cheese on it), Mac & Cheese, onion rings, fries, fried chicken....so I kept looking - maybe a sandwich, but nahhhh - how about a salad - they had the broccoli salad, the chicken salad, a crab salad, about 5 other salad selections and my taste buds were just not feeling it. I then made a huge lap around the store to see if there was anything else. Maybe a TV dinner - I could take it back to the office and pop it into the "wave" - no, that won't work. I left the store in search of something else.

Did a few rights and then a left and then another right.....I finally ended up at a little sandwich shop that is always so crowded. It does amaze me that my little town of say 20,000 has so many breakfast and lunch places and that they are ALL jam packed everyday. I walked right in, and found the perfect meal. It might not have been the most healthy and I for sure will need to work out again tonight, but it totally hit the spot. Chicken Pesto salad sandwich, with red peppers, mozzarella, lettuce and Ariela (is that how you spell it)spread on a tasty rye bread. They added the creamy pasta as a side and I could not resist in getting a very delicious bowl of Roasted Red Pepper Soup - yum, yum, yum!!

Most of us spend a lot of time doing the same thing, the same rhythm when it comes to our weight loss process, but I do feel that from time to time you need to shake things up. I am glad I didn't hit the fast food place, I had a delicious soup that I would never be able to make and that my taste buds got fulfilled today!!

Have a wonderful day - may you find something of joy today in your life.

Staying MOtivated MO



Awards - Awards - Awards

And the Awards keep coming. Been very busy with many things - Mer traveling and finishing up her school year and having to take a few classes online that have kept her busy busy busy. Mo working 16 hour days on both her everyday life and volunteering to run a 3 day camp for Scouts. In the process of all this busy this and busy that, we were given awards.

Given to us from Michele and then the other from Karen. Time to take them with the applause and hope that when Mer gets time she can add to this post.



*Thank the person who gave you this award, and link back to them in your post.
*Tell us 10 things about yourself
*Nominate your bloggers
*Contact these bloggers, and let them know they received this award




Rules for the Stylish Blogger Award are:
Thank- the person who nominated your blog
Share 7 things about yourself
Pass on to 15 friends

I am going to combine my awards - if that is ok -

Thanks again to both Michele and Karen for the nomination. I love both of their blogs and if you haven't had a chance, read them - do so when you can. They are both inspirations, motivators and mini cheer leaders in their own right.

Many things about me:

1. I have owned three cars in my lifetime. A Mazda, A Honda Accord and now a Toyota RAV 4

2. I have only been in 3 car accidents (so far - knock on wood) - once where I rubbed our family station wagon against a tree in some camp grounds. The worst part was hearing my dad hammer out the dent in the echo of the forest - the worst! Then another time I backed into a big light post - my parents weren't home, so had to explain it to them after their vacation - "welcome home". The last one was over 14 years ago (again, knock on wood) - I was turning left onto a busy street and missed the guy coming out of the driveway across the way, or should I say he didn't miss me. Crushed the front end and had to drive my Mom's Vega for about 3 weeks - awful, since the Vega was painted primer gray and smelled of smoke and well, had no muffler.

3. I used to drive to High School in a Red Station Wagon - shared it my senior year with my sister and brother, until my brother crashed it - his turn, not mine.

4. I have traveled to these States (in the US) - and these have not just been "plane transfer stops" - Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, Oregon, New York (the City, too), Tennessee, Georgia, Washington, Washington DC and Maryland. Hope to hit many other states in the years to come. Would love to do a cross country trip one day. Route 66 maybe??? Does that still exist?

5. Out of the Country I have traveled to Mexico and Canada. Hoping to make it to Jamaica one day - for a long relaxing vacation.

6. I want to travel to Ireland one day - kiss the blarney stone and see how beautiful that country is - the birthplace of my family!

7. I lived in Las Vegas, Nevada for several years. Hot Hot and more hot, but tons to do that does not include gambling or show girls.

8. I am a East Coast Gal - White Hots, Abbotts Frozen Custard, Garbage Plates, Red Wings Baseball, Buffalo Wings.....but, we can't forget that I grew up on the West Coast - Togo's Sandwiches, Tri Tip and Best Food Mayonnaise (not Helman's), San Francisco Giants, BART, and being a few hours away from the snow. Let's not forget the Wegman's versus Raley's all in one shopping center competition. And do you say Pop or Soda?

9. I love to do 5K's with friends and wish I had more time to do more - not a big runner, but love to walk for a cause! Used to be part of Team Radio Flyer for the Sacramento Food Bank Thanksgiving Run, too many people now (20 K), so I have found another Thanksgiving morning fun run/walk to enjoy!

10. I used to work for Baskin & Robbins Ice Cream. When they had funny hats, pink, brown & white stripped shirts that were made out of polyester - yuck - my Dad loved the "mistakes" I used to bring home.

11. I was robbed at gun point while working at Baskin & Robbins once-  they found the culprit days later in a hotel room with sweets, candies and chocolate in the room - she was called the "sweet" bandit.

12. While also at the Baskin & Robbins job, one Sunday morning, I was "flashed" in the back alley while dumping the trash - made for an interesting day!

13. I have only paid for 3 pieces of furniture in my house. No worries - the rest of the furniture is not a "garage sale" left over, but it has either been loaned, borrowed, given to me for the rest of my life or it came from my parents house when they passed away (those are great memories!!)

14. Growing up I wanted to have 6 kids, be a stay at home mom and always be busy - I only have 1 kid, I work a 40 hour week, but for sure am always busy!

15. I am not a good cook - get nervous and wish that I could be more confident in my cooking abilities.

16. I balance my check book to the Penny every week!!!

17. I wish I knew how to sew - pins, needles, scissors and all.

At this point I am supposed to pass on my awards to many others, but I am just not sure who to nominate. So, rather then actually nominate I would like to list the new ones that I have gotten to know in the past few months. Check them out - you never know when they will inspire, motivate or give you that extra lift for the day............

The Tortoise - getting to know her blog and love this motto - 2011 Motto: Slow and steady wins the race!

Bitch Cakes - she takes the most wonderful pictures as she is riding her bike and doing major runs around the New York area.

Allison - getting to know a little about her each day  - loving her list of "rewards" for her journey

C - amazed at her pictures of progress!!

I could go on and on, but have to end this post.....sending out a SHOUT OUT to everyone that has helped inspire me, motivate me and keep me going through this journey. You all don't know how much this blog "thing" has helped me in my new found again self - helped me to drop those pounds and helped me to feel a bit more confident!!!!

Staying MOtivated MO

Back from "Camp"

I am back from camp - well, actually, the camp was just down the street at a local park, so I didn't have to go far. I got to sleep in my own bed every night, but was up until the moon was high in the sky and was awake again when the first light of day came peeping into my window. The stress of the camp planning is gone. The 190 Scouts have come and gone. I have cleaned up most of my house - returned the items that can be returned - have started writing my thank you notes - the backyard is all cleaned up - the rose bush got trimmed yesterday - and things are back on track - oh, have even started planning for next year (we already know the theme)!! So glad to get my time back. I love volunteering, but it is nice to be able to have some sort of normalcy in your life.

As the clean up process came into place, I went totally overboard on my eating this weekend. I went through a drive-thru about 2 times (yikes) and then I treated myself to a chocolate milk shake one day. I think it was the rush of being done with my Day Camp experience, that I really didn't want to be "religious" in my eating and I was being very lazy as I ventured into those fast food outlets!!! I will not let the old me come back into play. I did get on the scale yesterday and I am seeing a 37 pound lose - that is still good, but my body can so feel the effects of the extra sugar, oily extras and the lack that I have not been drinking enough water!!!

The journey is going to continue for me. Me - the laughter, the fun, the Mom in me, and for sure going to keep dropping the weight. Can't believe how much fun I am having losing all those extra pounds.

Plus side of the week - I went shopping yesterday. Purchased just a few size 18 tops and bottoms (plus side - buy 2 get 2 free)!! I realized that even in my size 24 pants I should have been wearing something higher, but always told myself that I was not that big. Yep - I was, but will never go back!!! Excited to see that 18 fit onto my body! The store was also having a sale on over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders so I was measured and went down a full size!!! AWESOME!!! Feeling recharged and now have a few new items to keep me excited about my weight loss journey!!!

Another plus side - Mer and I get to have a full weekend together. Camping at our favorite spot!!! Russian River Style!!!! This year it is with more family then friends, but the group is going to be a plenty! We are going to have a blast!!! I can't wait to see Mer and share some good quality time with her, take a walk into town and not be as winded as I was last year. Plus, she gets to see how well I have been doing and I get to see how well she has been doing!! Since January it has only been a few hours here and there, but this will be more then 72 hours!!! I can't wait - can't wait - can't wait - wishing that it was Friday already and I was there!

To all you Bloggers - I do plan on accepting all the awards we received in the last two weeks. Those I will get to this week. I also plan on doing a lot of commenting in the coming days. My computer at home has been acting funny and not sure why I can't comment - hoping to get that fixed this week. Missing all of the other blogs - want to see more of some new ones - and well, it will be nice to finally get a chance to read all of your ups, downs, downs and ups, exciting news, time to time updates and so much more!!!

Staying MOtivated MO

*** Editors Note - now I can't post comments from my office computer - so many of you have so much to say and I have missed it - I have to keep signing in, but then it kicks me out - going to have to research to figure out this problem ***