When the going gets tough: letting go of perfect

I've decided that when making a commitment to better health, fitness, eating...the hard part isn't starting. God knows in the past few years I've "started" many, many times. The hard part comes when you hit a bump in the road, when you lose some of your motivation, when you're busy, when life gets chaotic. That's when it gets hard because it tests whether you're going to keep on going, or give up.

I feel like since late summer, early fall--I've been in the hard part. I've been trying to figure out where this time for myself--exercising, planning my meals (that are oftentimes different from my family's meals), getting to the gym--fits in to a suddenly overwhelming family schedule. 

One of the first things to throw me off the rails is chaos and lack of a smooth, low-key schedule. (*cue maniacal laughter*). That's pretty much my whole life right now. And I've discovered something about myself along the way--I struggle when I'm not doing this whole journey perfectly. 

And while that might sound like a wonderful thing, it can be really defeating when you mess up. There were days this summer where I wouldn't 'stick to the plan' and so instead of going to the gym or checking in the with nutritionists who are helping me on this journey, I'd say to myself, "I can't go in there until I'm back on track. Until everything is perfect again." Turns out if you wait for 'perfect', it's not going to happen. 

So I had to adopt a better attitude. Not sticking to it for a meal or a day or a moment, doesn't screw up everything. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater, for pete's sake. 

The good news is, I'm back at it. I'm back on track and feeling good. (Could this possibly be why I'm writing about it again? I may be guilty.) The other good news is that even during this "bump", I still never lost sight of the big goal. I knew what I was going through was a temporary re-adjustment but I still felt extremely committed to the long-term. And I still know this time it's gonna work. I don't want to lose what I've lost and worked so hard for. Apparently, I just had to climb this hill first.

As always, thanks to so many of you who have emailed, commented and lamented, and who have said, you're in the trenches, too. Whatever the goal, I hope we all can help push and encourage each other along the way. 

More soon...xo.

15 songs on my workout playlist

I promise this blog will not become all about workouts and food diaries. But you know, if there's one thing I love, it's music. And when I can marry music and my new-found motivation to get healthy, well...bonus stars all around. 

I am always on the hunt for new music, but now I've added a new category to my search--songs to workout to. (Sorry for the preposition at the end of that sentence.) The funny thing is, my normal taste in music is pretty different from my taste in workout music. I hardly ever listen to these songs outside of the treadmill--well, except when I'm in the car with the girls being the cool mom. My kids approve of my workout playlist. I am honored.

So read the fine print above, please, don't judge a girl by the music she puts on her workout playlist. I prefer my playlists on shuffle so there's a fun little surprise each time a new song comes on. And yes, I have Justin Timberlake and Dolly Parton on the same playlist. I like to shake things up.

Also it will only be a matter of weeks before this list will start to drive me nuts and I'll need a new round of songs. Got something good for me? Leave your favorites in the comments, please! 

• Chinese Translation // M.Ward
• Stubborn Love // The Lumineers
• Empire // Shakira
• The Man // Aloe Blacc
• Hey Brother // Avicii
• Cecilia // Simone & Garfunkel
• Politik // Coldplay
• Get On Up // The Esquires
• Jolene // Dolly Parton
• Superstition // Stevie Wonder
• Problem // Ariana Grande
• You Go Down Smooth // Lake Street Dive
• We Are Young // Fun.
• Build Me Up Buttercup // The Foundations
• New Shoes // Paolo Nutini
• Mirrors // Justin Timberlake
• Sail // Awolnation

The nifty widget below lets you listen to the songs on my playlist and click over to find them on amazon. 

Update: 10 new tips for healthy living

I've had a bunch of people ask me for an update on my "13 Things I'm Doing to Get Out of A Diet + Exercise Funk" post, and looking at the calendar I realize an update is long overdue. 

I'm glad to report that things are going really well. Since I wrote that post, I've lost 15 pounds and about 13.5 inches and although I've had a few hard moments, I'm generally feeling really encouraged and inspired. I've started taking advantage of some nutrition guidance at the club where I workout, and I'm convinced that right now, that has been one of the major keys to my success. Well, that and a bunch of people in my life who are cheering me on in a big way. 

So I'm back with a new list for you! Here they are:

10 new things I'm doing to maintain my healthy groove:

• I'm a food-diary-keeping maniac. I am writing down everything I eat for two reasons: One because I need to show it to the nutritionists who are guiding my food choices but also because it really makes me mindful and careful about what I eat. It's helped me control those "innocent" bites I might throw in my mouth while making dinner and especially the things I eat between meals. 
• I'm moving more. The days I don't exercise in some way have become the rarity of my week versus the norm. Some times it looks like a big old sweaty workout at the gym. Other days it looks like a walk up the road with the girls and their 4-H lambs. (Yes, we do that.) And today, it's probably looking like my first attempt at a yoga video in my living room. 
• I've switched to Fitbit from Jawbone, for now. I've had a Fitbit flex band banging around on top of my dresser for awhile, but have always loved my Jawbone more. But after some frustration with my Jawbone band needing a soft reset every time I charged it, I got frustrated and reached for my Fitbit. The jury's still out on which I like better, but for now, the data nerd in me likes keeping track of steps and sleep. And in case you were wondering, if you're cutting grass on your riding mower, the Fitbit will think you just knocked it out of the park with your steps. So you might want to take it off. Have a Fitbit? I'd love to "friend you"!
• I'm drinking water consistently. So this was a new and interesting thing I learned a few weeks ago--when you are drinking water, it is important to drink a consistent amount of water each day. Right now, I'm at 64 ounces, which is the recommended minimum, but as long as you are in a healthy range, your body gets used to that amount of water and craves it each day. It's your body's happy place. Eventually, I'd like to bump up my water intake but for now, this is working. 

• I keep track of my water intake in a very archaic way. I kept finding myself sit down at my food journal at the end of the day, having lost track of how much water I'd consumed. I know there are a million apps to keep track of water, including a nice one on the Fitbit app, but I didn't always have my phone on me. So, I have been wearing four bracelets around my wrist. In one day, I need to drink 4 of my water bottles, so each time I finish one off, I move my bracelet to the other wrist. It simple and by no means a fashion statement. But it's working. And, in case you're wondering, those loops for potholders work like a charm. *cue probable eye-rolling from my children*
• I'm keeping track of victories. When I started my food diary, the nutritionist told me she wanted me to keep track of one victory every day. It sounds simple, but surprisingly, for me, it's really hard to come up with something each day.  We are so hard on ourselves. And this practice of coming up with something positive has been really eye-opening and helpful. I highly recommend it. 
• I make my whole plate before I sit down to eat and I try to make it really beautiful. I'm basically making two meals every time we sit down to eat--mine and everyone else's. And sometimes, man! I'd really like what everyone else is having for dinner, but for now, it's not "on the plan." But I've found that making it visually appealing and having my whole meal portioned out in front of me makes me feel pretty good about what I'm eating. I'm all about setting a nice mood for my meals.
• I'm staying satisfied. My most difficult moments are when I'm hungry--when I walk into the kitchen starving, I'm pretty much willing to shove anything into my mouth. But I'm learning to both stay satisfied and to talk myself through those hungry moments. I tell myself that if I just eat my meal, I won't be so ravenous for junk or for what everyone else is eating. 
• I "treat" not "cheat". I'll be honest, I just got back from several days at the beach with my family and there were a few days where I let myself go off the plan and have a treat. It's tempting to beat myself up about it and then in turn feel like the rest of the day is screwed. But when I change my thinking and know that they are small treats, it's a much healthier approach. Granted, I'm not giving myself a bag of M&Ms each day and calling it my treat. But that night when we went out for ice cream and I got a child's serving for myself? That's a-okay. It's a treat. Treats are good.
• My kids are involved. With a house full of girls, I've been extremely careful about how I approach my desire and need to lose weight. The absolute last thing I want to do is put any insecurities or worries in their minds about their physical appearance. I've been consistently staying away from the word "diet" and putting all the focus health--eating healthy, moving because it's good and important for my body. It's a tender path to walk down, but so far, I think the little things that they are picking up by watching me on this journey are positive.
• I keep the end in mind. I'm not really one for visualizing or anything like that, but I will say that every time I get on the elliptical and don't feel like it. Or get hungry and find myself questioning whether I'm going to eat well or eat poorly, I keep thinking about how awesomely good it's going to feel when I get to the place I'm headed. I've already experienced little tastes of victory and man, they feel good. I can only imagine how great it's going to feel when I'm even further along in this journey. When I think about how good that will feel, it encourages me to keep going. 

So that's the latest from where I sit...yes, once again I need to get up from this desk and get moving--(actually I need to get to the feed mill for horse feed). But as always, thank you all SO MUCH for asking and listening and contributing to this journey I'm on. More soon. xo.