Weigh In - Week 46

It was a pretty straight forward kind of week.  I did a lot of exercise and then used all that good hard work as an excuse to eat lots of pasta and sugar.  Boo.  I am booing myself.  Booooooo!  This is not the way to accomplish my goal of losing 75 pounds by June first.  I'm still maintaining my weight, but I feel like I'm working out just to turn right around and munch on goodies that I shouldn't be munching on.

I am really proud, however, of my work outs this week.  I attended three killer, kick-the-crap-out-of-me boot camp classes this week.  Then I finished off the week with another 5K race.  It was a tough one because there were lots of hills.  Oye vey.  But it was a great run!  And all of this was on the heels of Warrior Dash last Sunday.  So the only days that I didn't work out were Tuesday and Thursday.

But I am ready - really ready - to kick the junk food (this week it was pasta with alfredo sauce, ice cream and beer) and re-commit to my usual raw-veggie diet.  Wait... does this sound familiar?  Oh, yeah.  It sure does... BECAUSE I WROTE THE SAME THING LAST WEEK!  But this week, I really mean it.  No more crappy food.  No, really.  I mean it.  No more.

Pounds lost this week: 0

Total pounds lost: 65

The "I Did It" List

3 really tough boot camp classes

ran another 5K race

juiced three of seven mornings

planned a 4-day retreat for the one year mark of my Smaller Sarah year (more later)

wore my new heels to dinner with a friend

Another Awesome 5K

Today, I ran my third 5K!  My family and I attended Run the Highlands - a one mile fun run, 5K and carnival benefiting local schools in our neighborhood.  This was my son's very first race and he was a trooper!  I was so proud of him for keeping up with all his long-legged counterparts.  His brother, Charlie, had the advantage of being on wheels. 

One of the things I love most about getting healthy and fit is sharing it with my kids.  When Walker grows up he won't remember the Pepsi chugging, doughnut downing, ball of lethargy that I used to be.  Instead he'll remember healthy happy meals at home, choosing his own produce from the market, running with me on race days, and playing in the child care co-op while I attend boot camp classes.  Today he told me, "You're the fastest runner I know, mommy."  Sweet little man.  Here he is below after receiving his medal for finishing the fun run!

I know that she will HATE me for including her photo here, but this beautiful woman below is the reason I started boot camp in the first place.  I met Ladonna for the first time at a mom's group in late October.  Our conversation went something like this:

Ladonna:  Oh god my arms.  I can't reach my margarita, I need a longer straw.
Me:  Why can't you reach it?
Ladonna:  Stupid boot camp.  My arms are sore from doing a million push ups.
Me:  Yikes.
Ladonna:  You should come with me.
Me:  To boot camp?
Ladonna:  Sure!
Me:  You make it sound so enticing.
Ladonna:  No, its really great.
Me:  I can't do it.  We only have one car.
Ladonna:  It's like a block from your house.  You could walk there.
Me:  Oh.  Well, I'm at home with the kids all day.  I don't have a sitter.
Ladonna:  There's a free child care co-op.  Bring them with you.
Me:  Oh. (Searching for another excuse...)
Ladonna:  Look - either you want to do it or you don't.  I'll email you the info.
Me:  I guess I don't have a reason not to go.
Ladonna:  Then come and you too can have crazy sore arms.

So thank you Ladonna for getting my ass in gear.  In return, I am in the process of inventing for you a very long bendy margarita straw for when your biceps give out after a difficult upper-body work out.

The other thing I did today was make more of these bad boys.  If you haven't read about them, click HERE.  They're super easy to make and super yummy to eat.  Walker calls them "sweet balls" and begs me for these dessert treats.  Just raw dates, raisins, nuts and a little dried coconut.  So good!

What Matters Most?

I've been taking a lot of shortcuts lately, using the excuse of lack of time and stress to justify my actions.  This post is just a little reminder to myself that as I move forward this week I want to bring more awareness to my actions - whether its a meal or a parenting moment or a conversation.  The things that matter most deserve my full attention.

Action Shots from Warrior Dash

So, here they are... 

When most Texans were in church last Sunday, Mallory and I were doing this:

Joy

The thing about joy is that it is always available to you, it is unlimited and all you have to do is choose it.  I forget this from time to time.  I get down on myself, or feel sorry for my circumstances, or think that I'm in a rut.  But those are just thoughts.  And thoughts can quickly be dispersed and replaced with joy if I so choose.  So today - JOY.   Won't you join me?

Duh - Muscle Weighs More Than Fat

Good Lord, I am sore today.  Warrior Dash is catching up with me.  All of my connective tissue and joints are screaming.  Oye.  I'll be doing a little tub soak tonight and begging my husband to rub my poor bruised achy body. 

So to make my self feel better, I thought I'd look at some before and after photos from just the past two months.  From February 16 to March 3, I lost 11 pounds because of a 10 day juice fast and exercise.  And from March 3 to April 22 after some big losses and gains, I lost another 3 pounds overall.  I've been "stuck" for the past couple of weeks with no real weight loss.  However, I've lost a dress size (or two depending on the clothing) and have never felt fitter.  Take a look at the photos:

The adage that muscle weighs more than fat is true and I'm proof!

There is only a 3 lb. difference between the two shots on the right, but it looks like more.

And just for fun, here is my current before and after 

from Day One of the Smaller Sarah journey to now.

Can you believe there are only 37 days until the end of my Smaller Sarah year?

I'm going to make this last month count BIG TIME!

Weigh In - Week 45 (Warrior Queen Edition)

The weeks are closing in as June 1st approaches - almost a whole year since beginning my Smaller Sarah journey!  This week has been filled to the brim with activity, stress and joy.  My husband has been home from Barcelona for a week and life seems to be resuming a normal pattern.  Most of the weekdays were crazy and I was a weepy mess trying to stay on top of all my obligations.  The weekend, though, was better.  I hosted a party on Friday for Jack's SMU colleagues - a sort of welcome home get-together.  Saturday our family attended a dinner for Kenna's Kids, the non-profit organization that has chosen my son, Charlie, as one of their 2012 beneficiaries.  Then I finished the week with the Warrior Dash on Sunday morning!

As I stood in front of the bathroom mirror on Sunday morning examining the bags under my eyes, I thought, "What the hell am I doing?"  Then I popped two Aspirin, poured myself a cup of coffee and packed my bag for the battlefield.  Dread soon gave way to giddiness and in the end Warrior Dash was a fantastic experience. 

The best part about doing the Warrior Dash was that I had a partner.  My boot camp instructor and dear friend, Mallory, picked me up on Sunday morning and ran the dash with me!  My goal was to run the entire 5K, which I did.  There was only one obstacle that was beyond my physical abilities, but I surmounted all the others with confidence.  The one I missed was a nine story wall with only a vertical rope to assist in scaling.  Okay, okay... it was NOT nine stories tall and there were little helpful foothold thingys, but seriously... when I started to climb, all I heard was the voice of comedian Wanda Sykes saying, "Oh nuh-uh girl.  That shit ain't happ'nin'."  I just didn't have the upper body strength to pull myself over that HUGE wall.  Ah well.

Do I feel different?  Hell yes.  Now I feel like Boadicea, Warrior Queen of the Britons.  I don't know if I can lead a Celtic revolt against the Romans, but I can certainly handle a rowdy (and sweet) four year old, a testy (and sweet) 20 month old with Cerebral Palsy, boot camp, and my various domestic duties as chauffeur, chef, event coordinator, financial planner, and family Chief Executive Officer.  So Mallory, thank you for running the dash with me and for spending the last five months (gently) whipping my ass into shape.  Here I am before and after the Warrior Dash:

Okay back to business.  It's Monday.  Time to weigh in.  I had a great week of exercise and a crappy week of eating.  I allowed stress and time-crunches to dictate my diet this week.  There were lots of coffee take-out trips, ice cream breaks and even cake.  I also drank a lot of beer and wine due to the weekend entertaining.  I have not dropped any weight, but I look and feel more toned than I have in over a decade.  The weight remains the same, but I'm still dropping dress sizes.  So overall, I'm pleased with how the week turned out.  My goal for next week is to resume my normal diet, which as you know, mostly entails saying no to refined sugar / flour and yes to veggies and raw food.

Pounds lost this week: 0

Total pounds lost: 65

Mallory and me before the race with fresh shiny clean faces.

Mallory and me after the race with our viking hats and medals.

We rocked the Warrior Dash!

All clean with my official tee-shirt!

And a shot of my knees and shins a few hours after the dash.  Ouch!

The "I Did It" List

attended 2 boot camp classes

took a run around my neighborhood

juiced 3 out of 7 mornings

 completed the Warrior Dash in fifty something minutes

bought a pair of heels (my first in years)
wore my new size 16 jeans all week

Tomorrow I will do this...

I'll be back on Monday to weigh in and tell you all about it.

Just Keep Going

Jack is back from Barcelona and back to work.  I thought that maybe I would have a little respite when he returned, but I think I was really kidding myself.  He's winding up the semester with his students and also completing his documentation and personal statement for tenure review this summer and fall.  Its a tall order and his time is not his own.

So I'm still exhausted, still waiting for the end of the school year and still holding down the fort.  All of this is markedly easier to do, however, when Jack is in the country and home at night.  So it is with a grateful heart and an exhausted mind that I move forward.

I'm nervous about my energy level while attempting to do the Warrior Dash this weekend.  In four short days I will be swimming through mud, running through sludge, climbing under barbed wire, scaling walls and jumping through fire.  Why?  Because it sounded like fun when I registered in February.  You're probably saying aloud, "What the hell was Sarah thinking?"  But the truth is these 5Ks and athletic markers are what keep me going right now.  Going to boot camp three days a week and doing a 1000 push up challenge and running the Warrior Dash are serving a much greater purpose in my life than I ever thought they would.  They keep me focused when all I want to do is throw away my calender and skip Charlie's therapy appointment.   They keep me grounded when all I want to do is drink a bottle of wine when the kids are down at 8pm.  And most importantly, they keep me connected to other moms going through the same shit as I am.  Its enlivening to reach for something you think you cannot do.  It doesn't even matter if you make it.  Pushing yourself and enjoying the ride is paramount.

photo source

Creating Time by Marney Makridakis

Do you feel like your time is not your own?

Do you wish you had more hours in the day to attend to your own pursuits? 

Well, today is your day...

Today is the official book launch for Creating Time a new book authored by my friend and creativity guru Marney Makridakis.  I was lucky enough to receive a copy last week and have spent the last few days pouring over this amazing gem of a book.  I wanted to do a little book review for all my Smaller Sarah readers.  What is it about?  It's about turning your experience of time from one of lack, tension and stress into one of ease, space and flow. This book will show you how to spin the straw of lost hours into a golden expanse of open space and free time.

Creating Time: Using Creativity to Reinvent the Clock and Reclaim Your Life (New World Library, April 17, 2012) has good news for those who feel there aren’t enough hours in the day to get it all done. Widely acclaimed creativity expert and author Marney K. Makridakis turns the concept of time management upside-down by presenting exciting new tools for experiencing time in fresh and exciting ways.

 Since today is the official book launch, Smaller Sarah readers can buy up their own copy (today only) and receive an additional goody bag filled with treats from Marney's Artella Land Shop worth 125 dollars! 

Buy the book today HERE!

More about the book...

Creating Time combines creativity with science to inspire readers to re-shape old thoughts and patterns that have been holding them back from being all they can be in this life. It presents, in a gorgeous four-color format, a fascinating adventure where readers not only imagine and create but completely reshape the way they think about their own time, using art and imagination as powerful catalysts for lasting change.

From a Creating Time Artsignment: by Violette

Creating Time presents 14 powerful concepts for creating time through creativity. Each chapter demonstrates, in a unique way, that we can create time outside of a linear view and welcome a truly new way to experience it. Each concept is illustrated through supportive material such as personal stories and anecdotes, literary and fun pop culture references, and creative interpretations of scientific theory and evidence. The conclusion of each chapter presents an ARTsignment, a short project based on the concepts in the chapter that is designed to activate and expand self-awareness and transformation. Each ARTsignment combines a step-by-step introspective process, interactive journal questions, and a unique, hands-on art project. Inspiring galleries with sample ARTsignments by contributing artists are included.

Don't miss out on your goodie bag from the Artella Land shop.

Get your copy of Creating Time HERE!

Weigh In - Week 44

We're down to the last 8 weeks of my Smaller Sarah year.  I cannot believe how quickly its flown by.  I'm so close to my goal weight and I'm really pleased with the slow pace of my weight loss this year.  I figure that if I take it off slow and steady, it will be easier to maintain a healthy weight for the long haul.

It's been another tough week.  I've been working my patootie off just to keep my head above water these past two weeks.  Hubby has been out of town and I've been on deck, watching a friend's children while she works.  Don't get me wrong, they're great kids!  But four children and no partner is a tall order.  There was a moment this week when my four-year-old collapsed on the couch, let out a huge sigh and said, "We need Mary Poppins."  He was right.

Even with the craziness, I still managed to make it to boot camp twice this week, complete a 1,000 push-up challenge, run my fastest mile EVER and eat some sensible meals.  However, I've been off of the raw diet this week.  I just couldn't get my shit together.  But that doesn't bother me much.  My tummy had some trouble, but in the long run, it's not a big deal.  I'll get back to it when my husband returns and I regain a few brain cells.

Overall, I'm very happy with my current state of health.  I feel like there is a lot of flow and flexibility in my diet as well as in my exercise schedule.  I'm gearing up for the Warrior Dash this coming Sunday and another 5K on the 28th of April.  These little athletic events help me stay focused and committed to my work outs.  Plus, they're just plain FUN.  And we could all use a little more of that in our lives, right?

Pounds lost this week: 0

Total pounds lost: 65

The "I Did It" List

1000 push ups
2 days of boot camp

ran a mile on Tuesday night in 10 minutes and 37 seconds
procured another box of fresh produce and whole grain bread from the food Co-Op
bought a pair of jeans and a swim suit, both in a size 16
got a pedicure for the first time in over 8 months (thank you to Hani for taking the kids)

And here are a few shots of me in my happy place: 
Boot Camp at Positively Fit Lake Highlands

Squat with medicine ball.

My view from a plank with leg raise.

Jumping rope.

Size 16

Big milestone today.  I bought a pair of cropped jeans for the warmer months ahead.  Last year at this time I bought a similar pair in a size 24.  Today, I bought a size 16.  I haven't worn a size 16 since I was 18 years old.  Even at my thinnest in college, I wore an 18.  And since I promised myself that I wouldn't buy a lot of new "in-between" clothing, I went to a local consignment store for these new jeans.  The price?  Fourteen dollars.  14 bucks for a size 16.  Pretty good deal if you ask me.

Push Ups

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm participating in a push-up challenge set forth by my boot camp instructor.  Our goal is to do a thousand push-ups in the course of the week.  It's Saturday morning and my current count in 810 push ups.  Now I have two more days to complete 190 push-ups. 

Why am I doing so many push ups?   I don't know... I'll take most any dare, I guess.  I also know that if I want to have strong arms like Michelle Obama, I need to get cracking.  One of the many things I've learned from my boot camp instructor is that exercises where you support your own body weight (push ups, sit ups, plank, etc.) can totally change your physique.  So, when she said "1000 push-ups", I said "You got it!". 

The goal... arms like Obama.

Oh... and to someday become a strong black woman.

Thought for the day...

source

I am a runner.

I went for a run two nights ago and had my fastest mile ever!  10 minutes and 37 seconds.  Here's the crazy part, I'd had two glasses of white wine just before my run.  I didn't intend to go running, I just suddenly felt the urge.  Both of my kids were asleep in bed and I had someone to watch them for a spell.  I think the alcohol put a spring in my step!

I've only been running since November.  And in that time, I've only been seriously running since February.  When people ask, "Are you a runner?".  I usually hem and ha and say, "Well, I jog - does that count?"  I just looked up "jog" in the dictionary and it doesn't sound all that great:


JOG
1. to move or shake with a push or jerk

2. to cause to function with a jolt for a moment or in a series of disconnected motions

3. to push slightly, as to arouse the attention; nudge

Then, I looked up "run".  It certainly sounds a lot better:

RUN
1. to go quickly by moving the legs in such a manner that for an instant in each step all or both feet are off the ground.

2. to move with haste; act quickly

3. to depart quickly; take to flight


So from now on, when someone asks, "Are you a runner?" I'll be more than happy to reply, "Yes.  I run."  I do not 'move and shake with a jerk'.  I 'take flight'.  Well, I take flight slowly... but it feels like flying to me.

 

Official Run for Human Rights Race Results

I just got the official results from my recent (and first ever) 5K race.  My time was much better than I thought it was: 37 minutes and 57 seconds.  Yay!  My goal was to run it under 42 minutes.  And here is a photo of me crossing the finish line.  Next up?  Warrior Dash on April 22nd and Run the Highlands 5K on April 28th.

Weigh In - Week 43

I'm not going to lie - while this week has been lovely in so many ways, it has also been super stressful.  Why?  My husband is out of town again.  He's been gone all week and won't be home for another week or so.  I'm going a little crazy without him. However, I'm proud of myself because with all of the stuff on my plate right now, I still managed to attend two boot camp classes and prepare some healthy meals.

On Tuesday, I had an hour alone with my 20 month old, so I did a little window shopping.  The Gap was having a sale.  I usually don't shop there because they don't have plus sizes and nothing ever fits.  But I found two tee shirts I really liked.  They were 40 percent off of their sale price - so I bought them, one large and one extra-large, off the rack without trying them on.  This is something that I have not done since I was 19 years old: see something I like, feel confident that it will fit and buy it without trying it on.  The shirts are super cute and fit like a glove.  What a feeling!

For the coming week, I've undertaken a push-up challenge set forth by my boot camp instructor.  My plan is to do 1000 push ups in one week.  As of this evening, I've already done 250.  I'll probably regret it tomorrow when I can't lift my baby into his highchair.  But so far, I'm feeling good.

Pounds lost this week: 0

Total pounds lost: 65

The "I Did It" List

2 boot camp classes

prepared and ate healthy meals

made some raw fruit and nut snacks

bought two shirts off the rack at Gap
took a relaxing bath - sure is different experience when your rear fits in the tub

Raw Treats

Remember THIS post from last week?  Basically, I am tired of paying big money for raw Lara Bars - my favorite convenience food - and finally attempted to make them at home.  Today, I had a free 15 minute stretch to call my own and I produced these brilliant little raw fruit and nut balls.  How did I do it?  I took a handful of dates, raisins, nuts and some coconut powder and chopped them into submission.  Then I kneaded the mass of sticky nutty goo into a thick blob and rolled them into little balls.  The final touch?  Coat the balls in raw coconut powder.  They look like little truffles.  They were a huge hit with my Easter house guests and all of our children.  Here are some photos of the final product.  Delicious!

HERE are some recipes if you'd like to try this at home.

The balls above were made with:

Dates

Raisins

Cashews

Coconut Powder

Good Read

Thank you to Anita - one of my darling readers - for sending me a link to THIS great article by Sarah Hepola on Salon.com.  Ms. Hepola cuts right to the hear of a touchy subject: commenting on someone's weight loss.  Its a tricky thing and she addresses all the stuff I've been thinking about lately.


Here is an excerpt:


“You look healthy!” they exclaim, giving me a hug, or grabbing my shoulders like an aunt at a family reunion. They say it so often and with such enthusiasm that it can have the inverse effect of upsetting me. I can’t help wondering how unhealthy I used to look.

“People won’t stop telling me I look healthy,” I complained to my friend Mary.

She laughed. “Those assholes.”

Click HERE to read the full article.

Something has changed.

Yes.  Something has changed.  For a while I wasn't sure, but now I know for certain.  Something has definitely changed.  What is it, you ask?  Well, at the risk of sounding crass... my ass.  You know... my booty.  My caboose.  My milk shake.  Its smaller than it used to be.

Last night I drew a bath - the first in well over a year - and sat in some warm steamy water to rest my bones and relax my mind.  I have one of those terrible, low, standard-sized tubs that starts wider at the spigot and narrows at the back.  It's totally utilitarian and is only useful for foot soaks or bathing children.  It's too small for luxuriating but big enough for drowning.  I usually don't soak in it because frankly, my butt gets stuck.  Seriously.  My side to side rear-end clearance is such that I become literally wedged in the tub.  Well, it used to.

Last night, however, I drew a bath and sat in my tub for the first time since July 30th, 2010.  (Yes, that really is the last time I sat in my tub.  I was pregnant with Charlie and desperate for some relief from that pesky round ligament pain.  I spent 20 minutes just trying to get out and upright.  Another wrung in the long parade of indignities called "pregnancy".)  This time, I sat in the water, enjoyed a hot soak and did NOT get stuck, lodged, jammed or otherwise wedged in the tub.  My bottom fits in my crappy bath tub!  It's time to celebrate, people.

So, here is my thought for the day:

Sweat Like a Pig

Its been humid in Dallas these past few days.  We're transitioning away from spring already and heading towards the warmer and wetter days of summer that I have been dreading ever since I began working out with the boot camp crew.  I started boot camp in the fall because I knew I had to make a habit of it during the cool weather to endure the icky summer heat later on. 

I missed boot camp on Monday due to some family scheduling,

 but I'm back at it this morning! 

Weigh In - Week 42

A quick weigh-in this morning...

I had a good week.  Ate well, exercised and had some fun too.  On Friday night, my walking partner, Jessica, pulled out a pair of bikes and suggested we do some cycling instead of walking.  Now, I haven't been on a bike for any length of time for 10 plus years.  I had a bike in Seattle for two seconds, but I never really rode it anywhere because the weather was always wrong or some other pathetic excuse I came up with.  But on Friday, we rode around the neighborhood like we were 10 years old.  It was a total blast riding at lightening speed along the creek trails and zooming past neighbor houses.  I definitely want to do THAT again.

Yesterday, I put my dear hubby on a plane for Spain!  He is in Barcelona for the next 15 days teaching and working at a theater.  In the meantime, I'm home enjoying some time with a long time friend of mine and her two amazing kids. 

Pounds lost this week: 2

Total pounds lost: 65

The "I Did It" List

three days of boot camp

two-mile power walk around the neighborhood

first bicycle ride in eleventy billion zillion years

ate lots of greens and fruit and water

bought another round of produce from Bountiful Baskets Co-Op

enjoyed frozen yogurt with my family at Pinkberry