Feeling Great

Hello fellow 90-day challengers, I can't believe 8 weeks have gone by already! This experience has been just what I needed... and through it I realized a lot about myself: the most important was letting go of the number on the scale!! Before the Balance Program, every day, when I weighed myself I would feel discouraged that the numbers were going up instead of down. Now, while the numbers did go down some, they stopped at a weight that I now realize is wonderful for me. It is healthy, I FEEL healthy, I look great, and fit into all my clothes the way I want - not swimming, but very comfortable! I realize that less (weight) is not necessarily better - and finding a weight that I can maintain while eating wonderful healthy food is incredibly freeing for me!!

My favorite times in the last 8 weeks have been experimenting with new foods - and in using those foods in creative ways (like my new favorite breakfast - see previous post). Also rewarding was finding new exercises that fit my lifestyle (and my schedule) for I know that the best way to maintain my weight and shape is to keep moving - as often as I can. Just yesterday I wanted to go for a walk, I was all ready, then it started thundering so I came inside and walked up and down the stairs 20 times then walked around the whole house a few times too!! It might have looked funny but it felt great! In fact, I think I'll go for a walk right now (outside this time!)!

Stefanie

Getting Unstuck...

I have had a rough week. I ended up dropping a lot of the goals I had been working on. But looking back today at my weekly goals over the past 8 weeks I've realized that although I had abandoned some of them this past week and a half, there were others that I had stuck to without thinking about it. Maybe they've become habits? I hope so! I am trying to not be discouraged by being off-track lately... I am motivated to continue with the small changes and visualize my healthiest, most balanced self that I am continually becoming... :)

Have you pampered yourself lately?

This is a topic I have posted in the past on this blog but thought it would be a good time for our 90-Day Challengers to revisit this idea. So, I'll ask again, have you pampered yourself lately? The reason this is such an important concept in weight management is that it can help decrease that strong urge to emotionally eat.

Food becomes such a strong coping mechanism for emotional and stress eaters because it is fast, convenient and wonderful. Who doesn't feel better when eating a hot fudge sundae or some wonderful salty potato chips? We get an immediate feel good endorphan release followed up by some calming serotonin. The problem is when this is the only feel good thing that you do for yourself. Your subconscious only registers eating with feeling better.

When you take care of your emotions and stress in another way that is equally pleasing and calming, then your subconscious recognizes there are choices other than food, and this can help to lessen that urge to eat.

So, my challenge to the 90-Day Challengers and anyone else following along, is to do something wonderful for yourself this week. Maybe a massage or facial, perhaps curling up with a trashy novel, or taking a nice hot bath with no kids allowed near the bathroom :)

Whatever makes you feel great! What will you do to pamper yourself this week?

Keep us posted! We would love to hear what makes you feel great and pampered!

Healthy choices while traveling...

My challenge this week will be to maintain healthy choices, portion sizes, exercise, etc... while I'm traveling for 4 days for work. I think it will take a concerted effort to make time for at least a daily walk, and mindfulness to make healthy food choices. I usually just blow off my typical routine and health choices while I travel, so this will be a challenge...
Hope you guys are having a good week!

Frozen Grapes?

I didn't think I'd like them, but they are a refreshing snack!

Very juicy and they last longer than eating them normally....

It's been good trying new snacks in an effort to balance my diet during this 90 day challenge!

Yum -dark chocolate!

I learned that if I want to do chocolate...dark chocolate would be healthier....got some today....pretty good stuff!

Dear John Letter...

I wrote a Dear John Letter to my favorite snack - chocolate ice cream with sliced almonds on top. :) It was very interesting! I actually gained a lot of insight as to why I eat this several evenings per week even when I’m not hungry (and often several servings of it). I realized that I almost exclusively eat it in the evenings when I’m surfing the web or doing email. It is like a comforting “companion food” to my computer time. The time I spend surfing the web in the evenings, and the accompanying snacks, both feel like they are not really in balance... Now I’m working on limiting my computer time to 1 hour per day at home (and spending the freed up time doing other things I enjoy) and drinking tea instead of eating while I'm on the computer. Here goes! :)

Great Breakfast

Hello everyone, just wanted to share a wonderful, healthy breakfast I have created. It starts with a Kashi waffle, toasted. Top that with plain, nonfat yogurt, add sliced bananas and blueberries, 2 T of Flax seed (ground up), almonds, and honey! Enjoy!!

Stefanie