a moment to refocusonlife

Good Monday morning!

Seriously? Why are you circling the parking lot to find that perfect parking spot? Stop it! One of the changes I’ve made is being more active. If you’re doing something as small as parking farther away from the door of the grocery store, you have become more active. The next time you find yourself in a parking lot; don’t park in the closest spot, park as far away as you can. Someone else may thank you because they think it’s their lucky day that they got that first parking spot and you’ll be a few more steps closer to your goal! 

Call Me Maybe?

I'm 38 years old. I can count on one hand the number of times that someone, I didn't know, has said something to me that "wowed" me. Well, that happened to me on Wednesday (2/20/2013) while I was getting lunch.

Let me put this blog in reverse for a moment and backtrack a bit. Recently, due to my weightloss (y'all ain't familiar with that huh?<---sarcasm), I've had to buy some new clothing. Last week, I shopped at Benjamin's of Morganton. I love that store. They have some fabulous duds that will knock your socks off. Believe me, Benjamin's salesperson will try to get you to replace those knocked off socks with their $40 hot pink ones...trust...

ANYWAY, I bought a button-up medium paisley shirt (from the clearance rack) and Wednesday was the first time I wore that incredibly beautiful shirt. Since I cook breakfast every morning and Wednesday we had turkey sausage patties, I placed the freshly pressed (thank you Mark) shirt on the back of the pantry door as I prepped breakfast and cooked in my undershirt. I wouldn't dare want to get grease on my insanely beautiful clothing, right? Mark and I had meticulously picked out the perfect jeans and shoes that looked magnificent with the shirt. After breakfast, I slipped into my paisley shirt, buttoned it up, and was getting my jacket out of the closet as Christian popped around the corner in the kitchen and said "Dad, really? Another shirt that makes you look like Fez from That 70's Show? Well, at least it's better than that awful one last week and you're not wearing red or orange or purple or whatever color pants they were."

One word: Deflated. How do I let a 12 year old that wears camouflage, oversized boots, and a trench coat on the weekends affect me so? It doesn't matter, I rocked out the door of the house and went about my daily routine.

Let me digress no further and get on with the story...
So, where was I? Oh yes, lunch at Ingle's. They have the best salad bar available in Morganton and it even includes an antipasti bar. Can't beat that, huh? I filled my biodegradable container with fresh lettuces, vegetables, fruits, and a touch of caprese and headed over to the salad dressing aisle to pick up a bottle of my favorite dressing to keep at the office. As I'm walking to the checkout, a cute, little, hipster employee wearing a toboggan to cover his nappy hair swaggers over to me in his 19 year old, 145-pounds-soaking-wet way and says, "hey dude". I just knew I was about to be offered some 420 or some meth (yes, I'm aware that I'm profiling, but hey, if the hemp clothing and berkenstocks fit), but instead, I was about to get a truly great boost to my motivation.

In my blog post, "The Plan", I mentioned that some comments inspire and stick with you. This one, no matter how small and irrelevant it seems, will be one of those that I remember. Little 19 year old, 145-pound-soaking-wet, cutey with swagger followed up his "hey dude" with "if you ever want to get rid of that shirt, I've got dibs, k?" and then he winked at me and carried on.

That's it. That's all. I told him "thank you, I'll make sure and remember that" and we both carried on our way. Isn't it shocking how the smallest of things can stick with us?

Anyway, 19 year old, 145-pound-soaking-wet, toboggan-wearing, Ingle's-working, cutey, call me maybe?

a moment to refocusonlife

Information can make or break a good plan. Remember the Saturday morning cartoons with commercials that stated, "the more you know"? It's true. Read, research, and learn as much as you can. 

Since becoming more health conscious, I've made a concerted effort to enhance my knowledge. My favorite motivational and informational sources include Men's Health Magazine, Chris Powell, and livestrong.com. Take a minute today and seek out something new. If you find something great, feel free to share it with me at leslie@refocusonlife.com. 

Shiny Thangs

Yep, you guessed it; I like shiny, new thangs. Who doesn't really? Shiny, new thangs (for goodness sakes blogger, I know it's THINGS but for the love of pearl, let me write how I please!) are awesome. I admit some of these shiny, new thangs aren't always given proper thought before I shell out the cash for them. For example, some apps on my phone. I have a bunch of failures that weren't worth the time it took to download, let alone the 99 cent it cost me. But for each failure, I think I have some of the best that money can buy (and the best free stuff too).

First off, the shiny, new thangs I'm speaking of are physical. Some of the most important things in life are those that cannot be bought. Some may have to be earned. Others may have to be learned, etc. One of my favorite shiny, new thangs that cannot be bought is my body. I'm still trying to get used to the fact that people are calling me "skinny", but this is not the post for that; however, I can say that my weightloss journey has led me to have some wonderful shiny, new clothes! Perhaps good motivation for people like me, you know, the peep's that like shiny, new thangs.

Calling me out on Feb 4th, eh Fitbit? 

Since I'm NOT talking about those intangible things that have to be learned, earned, etc. let's focus on some of my favorite tangible items. For Christmas, I received a little device called a fitbit one. It's a sophisticated pedometer. While Mark is kicking my ass daily with number of steps, it's good to know where I stand. On days that I work, I'm averaging about 3000 steps per day while Mark averages about 8500 per day. While we were in New York City, one day we walked about 20,000 steps and climbed 80 flights of stairs. I had the blisters to prove it! The fitbit one also tracks my sleep, which is very interesting knowledge. I've learned that it takes me an average of between 5 and 8 minutes to fall asleep once I turn the fitbit one into sleep mode. I've also learned that I wake up an average of 8 or so times a night. What good is that information? I don't know, but I enjoy tracking it.

To go along with my fitbit one, for my birthday, Mark gave me the fitbit Aria scale. Now this thing is the shiznit! It connects to the wifi in the house and automatically connects to the fitbit website to upload my weight and body fat percentage. I can immediately see my results in graphical form on the fitbit app on my iPhone. I've learned that my body fat percentage hovers in the 19.0% range. While my BMI is still over 25, which is overweight! These devices MUST be wrong, don't you think?

While on the topic, my favorite shiny, new thang ever has to be my iPhone. There isn't a single doubt in my mind that the Apples in my life have helped me lose this weight and become healthier. Whether talking about the deliciously tasty fruit or the deliciously addictive iPhone, the two combined have helped me stay sane throughout this process. The latter has most likely actually been more effective in weightloss, but has also created somewhat of an obsessed monster. I'm constantly tracking numbers, foods, and reading articles, and gathering information with my iPhone. I must say that I am a content addict.  One of my favorite things while driving is to listen to audio books from Audible and various health, nutrition, and fitness podcasts. My obsession with content definitely extends to the car.

Annddd...believe it or not, my favorite shiny, new thang of all time is Mark Patrick. He is my rock. My foundation. I loved that man before I even met him. He has provided me with the inspiration to do all the things I have done over the past 6 and 1/2 years. Even if his idea of motivation was "back away from the trough tubo", at least it was said with love. Happy Valentine's Day my dear husband. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. Between Mark, Lauren, and Christian, I found the inspiration to want to change my life for the better.

a moment to refocusonlife

A butterfly flaps its wings and six months later a hurricane forms over the Atlantic...

Small change can have a huge impact. Refocus yourself on making one small change a week. If it is as simple as "just for this week, I will drink more water". 

Those small changes can add up to big benefits. Do this every week and keep creating new challenges for yourself. 

The Plan

The journey is encouraged by the many compliments, praises, and comments that many have made about my progress. One of my favorite compliments, to date, came in October of last year. It was the “crown jewel” of my accomplishments. I wear it with pride every day. It fills my heart with joy and drives me to trudge forward daily.

Hearing praises and compliments can do so much for a psyche. To truly receive a compliment that stands out; so much, in which the time, date, and place will forever stick in my brain; seared forever. The way some tragic events are etched into the cavities of our memories; that is the kind of compliment that was so easily spoken and carried such dramatic weight that it forever changed my path.

This compliment came roughly 4 months after I truly began making my transformation. Precisely, it was October the 19^th, 2012 at 7pm. The compliment giver is a fitness goddess of epic proportions in the Catawba Valley. Upon seeing me for the first time in several months, CG (compliment giver) was ecstatic at my progress. At that point in my journey, I had lost give or take 45 pounds. Sure, I felt and looked great at that point, but CG’s response was overwhelming and unexpected. CG praised me. She laughed, cheered, gave me a double take, and she showered me with many beautiful moments all in the course of 30 seconds.

Ultimately, what CG did was made me feel as if I had my “catwalk” moment (cue “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred). Mark and I had entered a party, fashionably late, of course, with 25+ people, many of whom we didn’t know. It felt amazing to walk in and be encouraged, hugged, and showered with praise; which gave me a confidence boost like none other.

Most compliments are followed up with the obligatory question of “how did you do it?” My narrative above was my grand segue to simply explain the plan I’ve been following. So, without further adieu, here it is:

Low Glycemic Index Lifestyle:

Fresh Fruits = GOOD

*Closely based on a book I read years ago called Sugarbusters.
*According to WebMD, “The glycemic index measures carbohydrates. The index is a list of how blood sugar levels rise after you eat a small portion of a carbohydrate food.” Don’t get too caught up in the numbers. Focus on the simple items and the weight loss and benefits come naturally. Basically, the faster a food turns to simple sugar in the digestion process, the worse it is for your body.
*Avoid simple carbohydrates by replacing the simple carbs with complex carbs. Examples:

•  Eat only 100% Whole Grain bread. 
•  Eat only sweet potatoes, no white potatoes.
• Eat only Whole Wheat Pasta, no white pasta.
• Eat only brown rice or whole grain rice, no white rice.
• Eat only Whole Wheat Flour, no white flour

*Avoid any products that have “enriched” in the ingredient list. Enriched means that the processing has taken the nutrients out and replaced the natural nutrients with man-made nutrients or by products.
*Avoid refined sugar. Use artificial sweeteners sparingly.
*Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Avoid higher Glycemic Index (GI) items, such as pineapple, watermelon, and corn. Use the Internet to find a complete list.

Approximately 1500 Calories Per Day:

*I continue to use the Livestrong App on my iPhone to closely monitor everything (well, almost everything) that goes into my mouth.
*Choose lower calorie foods, such as vegetables to fill you up.
*Eat 5 small meals a day. Even if you only eat an apple between breakfast and lunch, make sure that you eat something to maintain the feeling of fullness.

Small Changes:

*If you feel like the plan is too big to take on at one time, focus on one thing at a time. For instance, the first week, find out what the GI is of several of your favorite foods, start reducing the foods that have a higher GI.
*Take things as they come. If you feel like you’ve screwed up, don’t give up on the day, go ahead and start contemplating how to avoid making the same mistake. Don’t beat yourself up.

Satisfaction is Key:

*I love French fries, so I must have a suitable replacement, so I eat Sweet Potato fries.
*Make sure you have suitable substitutions for foods you love.

Helpful Tips:

*Shop the outsides of the grocery store. Nothing good can come from all the boxed, processed stuff in the middle of the store. 
*Collect Recipes. Make it a challenge to find suitable replacements for common ingredients, such as brown sugar.
*Learn as much about how your body reacts to specific foods. I now know that simple carbs are bad for my body. It’s almost like an allergy. The second I start eating those things again; I will start gaining weight, like an allergic reaction. Know your body.
*Enlist friends and family to help. Encourage them to join you. Make them hold you accountable. I have/continue to use social media to keep me accountable. Tell people what you are doing. It’s amazing how much inspiration you can get just by enlisting those that love you the most.
*Try new foods.
*Limit the number of complex, starchy carbohydrates you eat (such as pasta, sweet potatoes, etc). Eat this stuff, but too much of anything is too much.
*Eliminate/reduce intake of diet soft drinks. They increase cravings of sweets.
*Never trust that “Whole Wheat” or “Whole Grains” on the box means that it is actually 100% whole wheat. In fact, it’s rarely 100% whole wheat. Make sure the list says 100% whole Grain or 100% whole wheat. And trust me when I tell you that the Wheat bread at Subway is NOT 100% whole wheat as it is merely white bread covered up with some artificial coloring to make it nice and brown.
*Avoid fast food if possible. I can’t tell you the last time I ate at McDonald’s, but I can assure you that the golden arches added MANY pounds to my body and I will not allow that to happen again.

The plan is key because it means I am more thoughtful about the choices I am making. I’ve become a food snob. I’m not afraid to ask restaurants to make things special for me or change the “standard” items on a dish. Just because something is served over rice pilaf doesn’t mean it has to be served over rice pilaf.

I’m not encouraging anyone to take up this way of life. But the most important change that I made was actually fixing my brain. Know that this is a way of life rather than a diet! That will take you SO much further than actually focusing on losing weight. Be healthy by making the decisions that count on a daily basis.