Connect the Dots Ginger | Becky Allen: Throwback Thursday
Showing posts with label Throwback Thursday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Throwback Thursday. Show all posts

Friday, January 2, 2015

From Fat to Fit


This year is THE YEAR that I am going to get my eating under control and make a difference in myself. I have been saying this for months but it is finally time I get off my butt and actually do it! Not just dream about it. I have gone from being overweight to thinner then back up and down now for 4 years. (I was just overweight for years before that!) Yes I am calling myself overweight because I am considered overweight by BMI and I am frankly just carrying around way too much fat on my body. As you have heard me say a lot over the last 2 weeks, I AM HURTING! My body hurts. I am trying to do something good for it, exercise, and my body HATES me right now! Does that mean I am going to stop? NOPE! I refuse to. I am going to kick my sweet tooth, and not overindulge in pastries. I am going to feed my body the food that it wants and needs.
~2002, I wasn't thin but wasn't fit either.~

Here is my story. I was diagnosed with PCOS 10 years or so ago. It's been a really long time. I went to my doc and they said if I want to get pregnant I need to just lose weight. I never did. I just stayed around the same weight.
~2008~

4 years ago I decided I needed to make a change. We were married for 8 years and hadn't had a kid and I was getting worried and upset and I really wanted to have children So I found and worked with a great personal trainer. I lifted weights, I did cardio and after months of little change I decided to do a test and tried a controlled diet of Slim Fast, I lost 20 lbs in 2 months. Then I started to run and continued to workout a ton.
~December 2009, about 2 months after I started with my personal trainer~

I stopped lifting weights and I just did 2 hours of cardio. I figured out that I burned more calories on the elliptical so I was doing 2 hours a day, 6 days a week, 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour at night. It killed me! It was hard. But I lost weight and I looked and felt like I was in the best shape of my life. I had lost 33 lbs. I was under 200. I was going to a fertility doctor and doing the shots so that we could do an IUI. A few months later I got pregnant with Mason. I was so freaked out about losing the baby that I stopped exercising and basically just relaxed for the next 9 months.
~July 2010 a few months before I got pregnant, 200 lbs~

I gained back the weight I lost while pregnant in about 2 months and I gained 35 more on top of that. So I was now up 50 lbs what I started. I had mason and tried to exercise when I could but my husband was deployed to Iraq (left when Mace was 3 days old) so exercise really didn't happen.
~Morning of my induction for Mason, child #1. 1 week early~

I refused to have my husband come home to me looking like I was. Still 40 lbs over what I was when I got pregnant. So, I found a nutritionist and followed her diet. I was eating a clean diet. I was eating more food at one meal than I had ever allowed myself to eat before and the weight fell off of me. It was magical. I was eating what my body wanted and trying to exercise more and I lost weight. After about 6 months I got to 203.
~April 2013, 2 weeks before miscarriage #2 and before I started running again. Started gaining weight here.~

Then I just let myself go. I thought, "Wow! I did it. I could do it again." Boy, was I wrong. I stopped watching what I ate and I ate breakfast really well, but eh not really the rest of my day. I started eating the foods I wanted to eat because they tasted good and that is what I wanted. I then got pregnant and miscarried twice. And I stopped exercising every time.
~Day after my first 1/2 marathon, so healthy and barely gained weight at this point in pregnancy.~

After my second miscarriage I gained more weight and was pissed that it was happening. So I started running. And kept running. Ran while pregnant. Did really well for the fist 30 weeks while training.Then I started to gain weight with the pregnancy
~2 days before baby #3 Collin arrived. 40 weeks 5 days was when he hatched~

Flash forward to now, to after second baby and I can't lose the weight. I'm stuck and have actually gone up not down in weight and size. Have I given up pastries completely? NO. Do I love ice cream and sweets? Yep. So the change happens now. Tomorrow is the grocery store and on Monday I start clean eating with my group and we are going to do this together. I know that if I want another child, which I do, I have to lose weight. That is just how my body and the hormones in my body work. I need to be exercising and smaller weight for the right hormones to work when they need to work to get pregnant.
~Here I am now, plus a little more weight, thanks to the holidays!~

So...Where does that leave me here. Well, if you ever been like this. Had PCOS. Have or had a hard time losing weight. Been overweight, lost weight, then overweight again. Yo-Yo diet. Tried everything. I am going to share what I have gone through and we can do this together! Let the journey of 2015 BEGIN! I AM worth fighting for!

Sunday, June 1, 2014

A Year Ago- My Runniversary

A year ago today I participated in my very first 5k. I can't believe that it has already been a year that I started running/attempting to run. Granted, my first 5k I didn't run at all except for the last 500 ft to finish, but I did meet some pretty amazing women and one in particular who encouraged me to sign up for the women's 4 miler training program. I am and will always remember her as someone who helped me change my life for the better. We have since run in 4 races together and 1 with me as my "safety" while pregnant. I am so grateful for her in my life! Thanks J for all you have helped me accomplish!

Sad that I won't be running in the 4 The Wounded 5k again this year as it is Saturday, and just too close to my delivery date. I couldn't imagine running/walking in it right now anyhow. My body just isn't ready to handle 3 miles quite yet. But soon I will be running agin and training again! Here's to my first 5k a year ago and for changing the rest of my life!

To read about my first 5k click here!

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Our Christmas Tree- vol 1.


I thought it would be fun to start showing off some of my favorite ornaments on our Christmas tree. Our tree is FULL of memories. We have ornaments from my parents tree that they gave us to fill our tree a few years ago that I grew up with. We have some from my own tree that I had in my room growing up and then we the the ones that Matt and I have been given or collected. We get at least 1 new ornament a year generally we get 3-4 which is pretty cool!

On our tree we have mostly Disney ornaments. I also have quite a few french horns and pianos all over. I have my students look for the hidden pianos and horns and try to see if they can count all of them. I have about 50 horns and pianos all over the tree. I kind of collect them.

We have our small but growing Star Trek collection for both me and Matt. Mason loves it because we have a Borg cube and when you turn on the tree it says, "We are the Borg. Enjoy you holidays. Resistance is futile."

Then we have a small smattering of other stuff, Arizona State stuff, Santa and other fun stuff.

So here is the start of some of my favs this year! In no particular order!
~Mason salt dough ornament that my mom and I made last year with his hand print. Needless to say, his hands have grown.~
 ~Gma gave this to us for Mason's first Christmas! I LOVE IT!~
 ~One of the many french horns all over my tree.~
 ~First ornament on the tree every year. It's tradition! Our first Christmas ornament!It is near the top in the very middle~
 ~Another collection from my mom and dad. Each blue ball, and there are I think 9, has a different image of favorite original attractions at Disneyland. The castle always goes near the middle. Sad story, a few years ago during a move a few got broken and I glued them back together. So the ones with the most cracks are in the back of the tree. Thank goodness my fabs were unharmed.~
 ~One of my former students went to WDW in the beginning of the year and saved this through the year as a Christmas gift to me. The daughter picked it out and everything since Cindy is one of my favs. (she was my fave till Brave came out. Sorry Cindy.)

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Another Year Older

Another year wiser, so they say. I know I have learned a lot in the last year but I still don't feel very wise. I have made some wise choices though, I am running and exercising now. That is pretty smart. I have been teaching in C-ville for nearly a year now, I feel pretty smart doing that with my own business and all. I still think I married THE BEST MAN OF ALL TIME, so yeah, pretty smart there. Love playing in the symphony and doing well, most of the time, check for smartness there. So things are going pretty well.

I am looking forward to my 32nd year, (EEK! Nearly mid 30's) We will introduce a new little soul into this world, I will be a "new mom" again, ok a little nervous about that part. I will continue to teach (with a little time off for mommy and baby, of course) I will run in my first 1/2 marathon. Only a goal I made a few years ago. I think this next year will go pretty well.

Goals for my next year of life: I want to run in more races! Bigger distance races. I would love to do 2 1/2 marathons next year. One in Feb and one post baby. Still trying to decide which one to do post baby though. I look forward to learning how to be a mommy to 2. I want to eat better overall and get back to my pre-pre pregnancy weight (the weight I was before Mason) So let's see where I end up next year. But here's to me to having a great day, (which I will because of my BFF who is sending me cupcakes for my birthday! with plenty to freeze from my fav place GEORGETOWN CUPCAKES! And gluten free! Love you K!)

Also, tomorrow is my turkey trot race recap so make sure to check back. Fun race!

QOTD: Do you prefer a cake or cupcakes?

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Thursday Turkey Day - 1 Week Away!

~Mason and his cousins will be making these Turkey Cupcakes next week when we go to visit. Fun activity for children to do while waiting for food to cook!~

Next week is Thanksgiving day! YEA! I love this holiday because it is a day for me and my family. I remember going to Grandmas house for Thanksgiving when I was a little girl. All my cousins would be there. We would all sit at the table in the kitchen, wishing for the day that we could sit at the grown-up table in the dining room. (I actually inherited said grown up table and it is in my dining room.)

Grandma made her famous rolls that would be so yummy and Uncle John brought his homemade jelly. Mom made her yams and later added the spinach leaf salad to the mix. (MY FAV! And sharing the recipe next week!) I remembered watching Grandma getting the turkey and taking the innards out (EWWW!) and do all the fixing to that bird.

Sadly it seems that Thanksgiving is just another day sometimes. Or Black Friday is "the real holiday." This year so many stores are opening or staying open on Thanksgiving day. Where back in the old days, my days, everyone got the day off or most of the day off. The occasional grocery store was open for those who forgot something for their meal. Now stores are opening at 6pm and staying open over night and through the next day. If you want that deal be in the store at 6pm on THANKSGIVING!

Next week don't forget to just take a moment and really say thanks to all you have! Enjoy your family, whether you are with your entire extended family, traveling from one family to the next and having multiple Thanksgiving dinners in 1 day, we have done that, it is a very filling day. Or if it is just you and your sweet. Enjoy the day. Make a new tradition. Do something new this year and try to stick to it next year! Mine is running in my first turkey trot. With my hubby. I am super excited to do this and cross the finish line holding hands! It is a healthy activity and burns some calories that I am sure I will be eating later!

1 more week. Make it a special day.

QOTD: What do you plan on doing with your family on Thanksgiving?

Thursday, November 14, 2013

My Second 5k- Forest Lakes July 4th 5k

Here is another throw back Thursday. I never got a chance to recap my second 5k race.

July 4- 2013.
(Pre-Race. Not sweating or red)


OH MAN IT was hot and humid. Just heavy feeling. I was sweating before we left the gate! I had a hard time sleeping the night before again due to fears of getting lost and being the last one. When we arrived we were like the first ones there. (Great parking spot because of it but a lot of waiting around.) I saw a ton of people running and walking around. I didn't know what the heck to do. I had been in my training program for a couple of week now. Hadn't quite run 3 miles yet but I could do it. I was considering this as my long run for the week.

My friend and her husband were running in the race too, but they are speed demons and I didn't expect to run with them. My friend's hubby went out and ran 1/2 the 5k for a warm-up before the race began. My jaw hit the ground when L told me that because I thought that was crazy. But he loves to run! I had some other friends running in the race too from my training program. Janet, who is now a good friend of mine was there but she is a speed diva! (she ran with me on my 10k if you remember.)

It was time to get lined up. I milled around the back because I knew I would be in the back. Started talking to those around me. One nice lady said that she was recovering from an injury and would run with me since I was a slow runner. Thus began another great friendship. This would be Jen, who also ran with me on the 10k. She did the whole race with me. Gave me tips and pointers to do better. Encouraged me, pushed me and helped me come in at the time I wanted.

The course was beautiful. It is in this beautiful neighborhood. The hood that we wanted to live in when we first arrived in VA but couldn't afford the prices of the homes. The course took us on a footpath near one of the many lakes and rivers. It was covered in silt and shaded and very slippery. (there was a fall at the beginning of the race right next to me. and I hoped there wasn't another later.) Not too many hills to worry about except for coming out of the footpath.

My favorite part of the race is the end though. Because you know you are close to the end and you can push yourself just a little harder. I also feel like the horse going back to the barn. I feel that pull of, I am almost done, almost done. I can sit down and rest if I just get there a little faster. Jen pushed me up till the end having me run a longer split at the end to cross the finish line. I was pouring sweat, tired and I had done it. Came in the at the time I wanted to. Knocked 10 minutes off my original time from the month before! I was faster. Stronger. And crying. Yes, I cry at the finish line because I am doing something I didn't think I could do and wasn't strong enough or courageous enough to try. But I am now!

~My new running friends!~

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Happy Halloween 2013!


Today marks my favorite season of the year! I love Holiday season. I really love Halloween for that reason! I am in a constant change of decorations around my house from Oct-Dec. I LOVE IT! It makes the house just so different.
~This is Wanda's Wardrobe (I named her Wanda), a hanging quilt my mom made for me a few years back~
~Halloween 2008. I made this with the help of one of my student's mom.~

I love halloween because it is the one day that I can be whoever I want to be. No rules (well some rules, not reveling, modest costumes) Just an excuse to wear that crazy outfit you have in the back of your closet. Or wear PJ's out and about and no one will think less of you if you do. Or bring out your old Letterman jacket from High School. (Haven't done that one yet.)
~ Halloween 2009. No he is not dressing up as a soldier. He actually had to go to military drill right after an activity we went to.~
Today, I get a special treat! Pre-natal yoga to start with. Then I get to see my fabulous chiropractor. (Been needing an adjustment for a few days now). Then right after is my amazing monthly hour massage! I AM SO NEEDING IT. My low back has been hurting for about a week and look forward to a nice relaxing massage. Then go pick up the last of the halloween candy at the store, take the kid out trick-or-treating and then pass out candy for the rest of the night! Debating on following a couple of friends traditions and busing out Hocus Pocus tonight. (I LOVE THAT MOVIE!)
 ~Halloween 2010. Look at all the weight I LOST!~

~Mason in 2011. We were Arizona State Fans~ 
~Halloween 2012. Renaissance Princess and her little spider~
~Archer from about 7 years ago! Love his face, "Mom, you have got to be kidding me!"~
I hope you all have a wonderfully ghoulish Halloween today!

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Throwback Thursday: My first 5K

I never got a chance to write about my experience on my first 5k. So I thought I would do that today. And next week I can recap about my second one. Why not? Need to have it to remember when I am old and grey as proof that at one point I did in fact move my butt fast enough to run!
~Pre-Race Photo Op why my little man!~

June 1, 2014
4 The Wounded 5K- Charlottesville Research Park

Exactly 3 weeks prior to this date I had my second miscarriage. It was a hard miscarriage. I was 1 day shy of being 11 weeks. 2 days prior I had an ultrasound that confirmed that there was no baby or growth only a gestational sac. We were devastated. I was angry, hurt embarrassed and just plan broken. On top of that in the 11 weeks I was pregnant I gain aprox. 15 lbs. I was getting blood work done every 2 days from when we found out I was pregnant up until the ultrasound. Most days was bad news only a few were good news that my levels were going up. I stress ate. I didn't exercise. I sat on my butt and didn't want to hurt the pregnancy. My husband was also gone for military during the entire 6 weeks so it was just me, and Mace.

A little over a week later I decided I needed to get my butt in gear. Stop feeling sorry for myself. And get working out. We got a membership at a great gym near my house that offers 2.5 hours of daycare A DAY! I started walking, Taking classes, and just moving. As I would drive to the gym I kept seeing a sign advertising the 5k race coming up. I finally decided that I am going to do it. Even if I had to walk the whole thing. I didn't care. I was going to do it!

For the next 2 weeks I walked and exercised. I just wanted to finish the race standing upright.

Day of Race:
It was a warm sunny sunny morning. I knew a few friends were running in the race. Actually running. I knew I didn't even dare to get in the pack with them. I meandered to the back of the pack. Where all the "walkers" were hanging out. Saw some ladies with strollers. As we were straining to hear the announcer talk, I mentioned to a couple ladies next to me that this was my first 5k. I was up half the night before afraid I would get lost on the course. Or come in last. Or a ton of other things that would not of happened.

They invited me to walk with them as one of them was pushing her child in the stroller. (Mason was on the sidelines with a friend of mine while I did my thing. This is mommy's activity. No baby allowed!) One lady, Janet (same wonderful lady that did the 10k with me last week!) kept talking about this training program coming up and basically trying to convince me that I should sign up and do it. It was for the Women's 4 miler. She is a good salesperson!
~The Starting/finish line~
The whole race we just chatted. I told them what happened a few weeks prior and they were impressed and probably a little shocked that I was participating in a 5k so soon after such a loss. We did jog to the finish line and I crossed in 55 minutes. I was so proud of myself. I cried. Thanked them for not letting me get lost. And told Janet that I would probably see her at the training program. We parted ways and Janet is a really great friend of mine as we have now done all 4 races I have run in together. (well we have run in the same 4 races. 2 were actually running with me the other 2 were her kicking some major butt in the speed department!)
~Almost to the finish line! Upright and Smiling? CHECK!~
So there it is. My first 5k! It is what convinced me that I can actually do this. I questioned why I never did this before. It was amazing. It is only 3 miles. Anyone can walk 3 miles for goodness sake. Just start walking and add a little jog every now and then. There is an app that is From Couch to 5k that you can try. You can do this. It really is as easy as signing up, arriving and doing. If I can do it seriously, you can too! As you see from the pix I am not a skinny minnie like the 2 beautiful ladies next to me! Someday I will be smaller, and I am currently smaller, tone wise, than I was in June but for now I am me. I am running. I am doing it!

QOTD: Did you walk or run your very first race you participated in?
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