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.

13 things I'm doing to get out of a diet + exercise funk

People, it's been a long winter. In the midst of the grey, dull, cold, snowy skies that just wouldn't quit, a ridiculously long bout of sickness, and general winter funk, I feel like I've lost my exercise and healthy eating mojo. I wrote about it very briefly on here, but early this winter I took the big personal step of hiring a trainer to help me with my goals of losing weight and getting more fit. 

It's been one of the best things I've done for myself. Ever. 

But even though my trainer is amazing and those two days with her are a highlight of my week, there's still all those other hours of the week where I'm on my own. 

For me, good decisions beget good decisions. So when we were missing sessions because of weather and illness and whatever else was getting in the way, I found the interruption of our schedule becoming an excuse to slack off. And eventually the slacking off sucked up all the enthusiasm that I'd had before. 

A few weeks ago, my trainer and I had a 'come to Jesus' talk. Yes, I may have cried standing in the middle of the club. But in my defense, she had too. I was sick of the funk and ready to get back on track again. I was feeling frustrated. Beat down. And pretty discouraged.

We talked through a few ideas but that night I came home and made a list in my moleskine (this is how I use my moleskine for journaling) of the things that I do that help me pull out of a funk. I've been sticking to this list pretty religiously that past few weeks and it's really helping me feel back on track and moving in the right direction. 

I thought I'd share my list with you because I think it's helpful to see how other people do things and most likely, I'm going to need to refer to this post over and over again when the hard days come. And because many of you have told me that you want to hear more about what I'm doing with my healthy goals. When I started down this path my dad said to me something along the lines of "say it out loud." And I think there's something to be said for letting people know what you're going through, how you're doing and having that accountability for change. 

13 WAYS I'M GETTING BACK ON TRACK WITH DIET AND EXERCISE

• Finishing the day well. Doing all the dinner dishes, tidying up the counters, taking a bath, figuring out where my exercise clothes are...all these little details help me both go to sleep and wake up the next morning feel organized and in control of the day ahead. Chaos and disorganization are two of my favorite excuses to fall off the wagon.

• Living in workout clothes. Sometimes I don't feel like that walk or time on the rowing machine, or trip to the gym because the thought of finding my workout clothes, putting them on and going out the door makes me tired. I figure if I'm already dressed, it makes finding time to exercise that much easier. And bonus, putting on jeans and a tee suddenly feels so "put together."

• Becoming BFFs with my water bottle. I have this nifty one that was a kickstarter project of a friend of mine. I love it, which is good because I take it everywhere. 

• Reading things that inspire me. I'm taking time in the evenings, or while I'm making dinner to read books that motivate and inspire me to keep on keeping on. Currently: Foodist, Eating Well mag, Tosca Reno (in moderation--she's pretty intense, but the principles are good), The Perfect Recipe, Cooking Light. And this article with similar (and excellent) ideas.

• Making lists (my List of 3), and writing down what I eat--a very enlightening experience.

• Cleaning out my fridge. I love my fridge. It's huge. And when it's clean and organized it's so motivating to me. Before (almost) every grocery shop, I wipe down shelves, deal with anything moldy and combine the 15 bags of shredded cheese that have been opened and partially used.

• Freezing fruits and vegetables before they go off so they're ready for smoothies. This was a lightbulb moment I had with a friend a few weeks ago when she told me that before her languishing kale, spinach or berries go bad in the fridge, she tosses them in ziploc baggies and freezes them for smoothies. I cannot tell you how many bags of stinky kale that never got finished have been tossed to the chickens. Freezing them? It changed my world.

• Charging up my favorite fitness gadgets and getting all appy. I've had a JawboneUP band for awhile and after trying several different kinds, it is my current favorite. I love the app, love the data, but got out of the habit of wearing it. So I charged everything, updated my app and have been wearing it again. I'm also using My Fitness Pal for some food journaling and syncing it with the UP band app and getting a good idea of how I'm moving, sleeping, sitting, etc. (In fact, it just buzzed to tell me I've been sitting too long.)

• Praying for my kids. So I know this doesn't sound like it belongs in my list but let me explain. I have found that I am becoming a bit of a worrier. During Lent, I decided that instead of giving something up, I was going to spend solid time praying for my children. (This book [ugly cover warning] has been the perfect framework for me.) Obviously, worry is no good. And these quiet moments put me in such a healthier frame of mind. It has been a really powerful part of my day.

• Making my bed every morning. Okay, I know most people do this already, but there are many (MANY) mornings when I slip out of the blankets and leave behind a child or two still snoozing in the sheets. We often get middle of the night and early morning visitors so the bed often goes unmade. Now, when I wake up, I dump the kids onto the floor so I can make the bed. Kidding. I don't. But I do make a point to go back and make it. Makes everything feel a little more buttoned up.

• Sharing the load. Speaking of kids, I've broken out the old chore chart again. I've realized that if I reach the end of the day and feel like my kids' time hasn't been productive that day, it puts me in a bad mood. Really, what's probably happening is that I'm taking my guilt out on my kids--that's another conversation. But organization, a good plan, and helping out the family is good for EVERYONE. Right now, as I type, there's a small person setting the dinner table. It's one of her chores. And sharing the load makes me happy. And that makes everyone happy, right?

• Taking a new approach. Besides trying to do some intentional things to keep me on track, I'm also beginning spring with a new approach. I'm going to be focusing a lot harder and more intensely on nutrition and swapping out some of my training sessions to focus on this. I'm feeling really good about this new direction.

• Talking about it. I swear, I won't be so wordy in the future, but I think it's going to be really good for me to keep talking about how I'm doing, what I'm working on and where things are going. So prepare for more. 

So obviously, I'm not doing all these things, every single day. I mean, let's be realistic. But I'm trying my darnedest to stay on top of these little things that have a big pay off for me. If you see me out in my jeans, not carrying my water bottle, you may want to ask me if my bed is made. (No, people who see me in real life. Please don't. I'm already wincing at the thought of publishing this, and the people who will read it.) But for now, finding the things that help this absolutely chock-full life feel slightly balanced and in control are just what this journey needs. 

Thanks for listening to my lengthy list of to-do's. More soon...xo.