One woman. 50 days. A lot of exercising.

50 days.
14% of the year.

And it's true.  I didn't always look forward to getting up early to exercise.  Or lacing up the shoes and heading outside in sub 40 degree weather to work on my couch to 5K training {for the second time, if you're keeping track}.  But I did it.

For being of the items on my 34 in 34 list that I feared might not actually get accomplished, I'm pretty excited that I can already check it off the list.  

 Most of the exercise? Took place before 7 a.m. on the weekdays.

At first that was to get it out of the way, because I was worried I wouldn't make myself do it if I waited until nap time, or even worse, after my husband got home from work.

But now?  It's because I want to do it early in the morning.  My day is a little 'off' if I don't get up first thing, put on my work-out clothes and spend some time with Jillian Michaels.  Or on the trails. 

I didn't work out to the max every single day of those 50 days.  I mixed in Jillian Michael's work outs (30 Day Shred, and Ripped in 30), running/walking doing the Couch to 5K training and using our Wii Fit (those were the easy days).

Plus, my favorite form of exercise.

Hiking.

Getting to be with my family.  Enjoying the lovely landscape I'm blessed to live in right now.  Burning a HUGE amount of calories.  Sounds like a win-win-win to me.

Trust me when I tell you that back in August, I didn't think I'd be sitting here on October 15th saying that I had done it.  That I had found the time every day to focus on me, and that I'd use that time getting more fit and more focused on losing weight. 

You know what that means?  People can change.

Old dogs can learn new tricks. 

The funny scary true thing?  I don't want to stop.

I'm considering what to make my next goal.   Maybe I'll run/walk a certain # of miles in a certain # of days.  Or actually run an entire 5K. What do you think? Any ideas for me?

Now, I feel like the possibilities are endless.

And let me tell you "one more thing" as my son says, when he's delaying bedtime:
                  If I can do this?  You can too.

 * *

Today I'm linking up with Ashley for Move it Monday.  Seems appropriate, right?

Do-Be-Mem :: Oct 14 2014 :: Week 1

Someone is out of town right now, and since there is only one of us {other than me} who can drive in this house...or go anywhere by themselves...you know who that person is.

When this happens?  I have a dramatically larger amount of time to myself.  I use it well, of course.  I get all kinds of fall cleaning done, get ahead on Christmas gift shopping, er I mean find new blogs to read.

Like Meagan at Lewis & Browne.   She has a 40 by 40 list (hers, my 34 in 34), she has lists of books she's going to read (hers, mine) and  she just started running in September and will be running her first 5K in November (sound familiar?).  So....lets just say she rose to the top of must read list in 2 seconds flat.  AND she has a brilliant link-up on Sundays.  It is pure genius.  

As she says, "What is Do-Be-Mem? Three simple things to do each week. Intentional Living."

DO:  Have a dance party daily.  Because it always cheers me up.  And hopefully the kiddos will join me.  On the playlist?  

• Raise your Glass {P!nk} 
•  Try {P!nk}
• Perfect {P!nk}
• Firework {Katy Perry}
• God's Not Dead {Newsboys}
• Courageous {Casting Crowns} 
• I Can Only Imagine {MercyMe}...a slower one to cool down with.   

 
BE:  More aware of current events; spend at least 15 minutes a day reading news.  {e!-online doesn't count} 

MEM:  Memorize this quote: 

"Patience with others is love, 

patience with self is hope, 

and 

patience with God is faith." 

~ Adel Bestavros 

And full disclosure...I totally stole borrowed that from Meagan's own Do-Be-Mem a few weeks ago.  But it is awesome, right?  

* * 

So...you should join me with this.  Click on over here to check out the link-up.  Oh, and she has a fun announcement.  She is handing the reigns over to Bold Butter Baby from now on,  so just another fun blog for me to read & follow.  Score!

Insta-Friday & AN ANNOUNCEMENT

I'm going to share with you the lovely that is my life via instagram in a sec.  But first? AN ANNOUCEMENT.  

I have an idea. 

Ha.  That's not all.  I want to tell you about it, and I want you to join me! 

Next month is November.  {Thanks for stating the obvious Jenny.} 

November = Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving = being grateful

being grateful = #thankfulliving

An Instagram event.  Join me?  Just take photos of what you are thankful for each day in November.  Easy peasy, right???  Why NOT do it?  And then tag it with #thankfulliving.

Spread the word. And I think I'll host my first ever linky part on this here blog.   We'll do it at the beginning of November, so that we can all meet and find each other on Instagram.  Not on Instagram? Get with the party peeps {said with all the love in the world}.  I want to see what YOU are thankful for.  You don't even need to have a blog.  Nope, no siree...  So, who's with me???

* * 

Alright, now on to our week. Instastyle:

Gotta love her hair, right?

 

with one of our projects from our 31 days of fun over at Intend to Live.

 walking to school with his shadow.

 innocence. 

 

the boyz. 

 

 Weekends are fabulous for exercise; 

I get to do my walk/run in the light instead of before the sun rises!

 a constant companion lately. 

my fruit buddy.

 Look at the almost cloudless sky.  In Scotland?  Priceless. 

A tickle factory. 

his idea.  AND we were featured at lilblueboo.  LOVE IT.  

#choosejoy

 beautiful sunset

 in Scotland, it's "custom my ride", instead of "pimp my ride".  

that made me giggle.

"heart for you mommy"

 my work-out partner

cutie patootie. 

** 

and with that, I'm linking up with Jeannett at Life, Rearranged.

It's time.

Today. This is the day. It's time.

For what? 

To get something done.  Or...to start something.

It is just about two years since we moved across the ocean for a once in a lifetime experience.  It's been amazing and remarkably...not what I was expecting.

Don't get me wrong.

The travel?  Seeing Paris, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Amsterdam and so many other beautiful locations I never imagined I'd see in my lifetime, that has been remarkable.
 
The kids?  Amazing.

When we moved, J#3 was one and a half, the age his sister is now.  And at three and half?  He amazes me daily.  Literally, daily.

And J#4, well...two years ago she was still waiting to be born.  Today, at 20 months, she is developing her own personality and charming us with her smile.


But here is the deal.  I thought to myself when we moved:  "Awesome.  I'm not going to be 'working' {in an office setting, because you all know being a SAHM is a whole different kind of job} for three years.  This is the time for me to finally kick this weight. And do something.  Figure out what I need to do to become the confident, ambitious and happy woman that I admire."

Two years in, and now I'm telling myself: "Self, we've got a year left.  Let's get on this."

In order to make changes?  You have to make changes.

Duh.

I can't just sit here talking about it or writing about it.  I just need to do it.  I need to be done talking about it.

So don't expect many more of these self-reflective, 'I need to be better' posts {outside of the Wednesday Healthy Living posts}.  Because in the words of Stuart Smalley:

"I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me."

And now I'm going to move on with life and get things done. 

* * *

complaints be gone {on healthy living}

I have a confession to make. 

I complain. 

Mostly to my husband and my Mom.  {Sorry you two!}  But it comes out other places too.  And when you are on a journey to lose 70 pounds or so?  It's not a good thing. 

This is going to be a long journey.  And it needs to be a positive one. 

Here's the truth.  I really don't have any right complaining.  As annoyed with whatever is going on in my life as I am; as much as it inconveniences me? 

Something else, something worse could be happening. 

But it isn't.

I'm just on a journey to lose weight {one that I got myself into in the first place, obviously}.

I have a bunch of support on this journey.  And my head is in the right place for it.  So I am lucky.  I am blessed. 

And I realize I can endure.

I can't be complaining about that candy I had to throw away so I wouldn't eat it.  {oops, that might be a complaint...no its not...just an example}

I can't be complaining about having to get up at 5:30 a.m. to beat the kiddos out of bed so that I have time for solitary exercise. Especially because I have the power to go to bed earlier.

So when a complaint floats into my head?  I'm switching it around.  Making it a problem,  but with a solution. 

A problem I can solve and get over.

Because I am going to reach that goal {140...I'm coming for you!}, and when I do, all of this work will be worth it. 

tv, tv, tv {the return of top 10 Tuesday}

Oh boy.  I think I've come to a realization.  And its a bit scary.  {well, at least for me}

I think I have to give up watching t.v.

What?  What was that you just said Jenny?

I need to give up watching t.v.

It wastes my time.  I could be writing, reading, exercising.  All things that will "add" to my life {so to speak}, instead of just wasting time.

So, what better thing to do as I consider this change than to talk about my top 10 favorite television shows of all time.  Maybe that will help me decide?

*

10. Awards shows. {or maybe its just the red carpet} But they seem to have been boring lately...and I haven't been able to watch them for the last two years either.  This being the reason this is #10.

9.  Gilmore Girls. Never watched this when it was on the air, but got caught up later.  Love Lauren Graham.  Probably part of the reason for #1 on the list too.

8. Rules of Engagement, Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother.  Best comedies right now...they are all still on the air, right? I KNOW HIMYM is since we haven't met the mother, and pretty sure about Big Bang Theory too...but Rules of Engagement?  Oh, and The New Girl should probably be added to this list.

7. Guiliana & Bill.  Has become the only reality t.v. show I seek out. They seem down to earth (please don't shatter that image if you've met them and they aren't), and they have an uplifting, inspiring story. 

6.  The Good Wife, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice.  Just good stuff.  Drama, at its best.

5.  Ed.   Before Julie Bowen made us laugh me on Modern Family, she was on Ed (and in Happy Gilmore...but this post is about t.v.).  And Tom Cavanaugh.  Cutie.

4.  Las Vegas.  I own just about every season {if not every season}.  And I'm still bitter about the ending. 

3.  Ugly Betty.  I rarely watched this when it ran on the air the first time, but I've fallen in love via reruns.  Talk about a strong female role model for young girls. 

2.  Friends.  Can always make me laugh.  Seriously, the show is like an old friend. 

1.  Parenthood.  For real.  May be the one reason I can't 100% give up t.v.  Have you watched it?  If you haven't...you must.  That's it.  And have tissues nearby.  Because your bound to cry.  I just found this on t.v. here; reruns at about noon.  I'm crossing my fingers that they continue through to this season. And, of course I am watching the previous seasons again.  Gotta get my Braverman fix.

*

So...hmmm.  All three of these photos were in my instagram feed (jenlives) from the last three weeks or so.  Perhaps that's a sign that t.v. has just a little too much presence in my time.  Oh, and the fact that its on my 34 in 34 list to give up t.v. for a month.

Maybe November will be the month???

* * * 

I'm linking up with Lena B, Actually  for Tuesday Ten and Many Little Blessings for Top Ten Tuesday.  Because, obviously {look at the name of my blog}, I like lists.

a new regular {on healthy living}

It's about healthy living, y'all.

It's about being around when my daughter goes to prom and gets married.
It's about being around when my son has his first son or daughter.

It's about finding a happy medium, so that I can live in a healthy way for a long, long time.  Because it is not like I can just lose all of this weight and then give up.

I need a new regular. 

I'm still going to have to eat well.  I'm still going to have to exercise and stay fit.  So I need to learn how to be healthy in the every day.

Living in Scotland actually makes this 'living healthy' stuff a bit easier than it would be if I were in Minnesota right now.  Why? Because I don't have to walk through the grocery store with the hundreds and hundreds of scrumptious goodies that I grew up with and are my "triggers".  Ruthanne at Eclectic Whatnot is doing a 31 days series on getting healthy and that was her topic today.

Triggers.

Sweets like a sweet friend sent me this week? 

Luckily not triggers for me.  When we lived in the Netherlands they had these cheese Tuc crackers.  Let me tell you how crazy glad I am that they don't sell them here.  And stuff like Cheese-its, doritos, chips and salsa?  That's what has me at hello.  And good bye.  

Another smart and caring friend and I had a conversation on Instagram when I posted this photo...she urged me to throw them away.  To not even have the temptation in the house.  And I nearly did. 

But now these treats are hidden in a tin and labeled with the number of calories that they are worth.  And I've become way more generous with my Reese's peanut butter cups with J#3 than I used to be. {Lucky boy}.  But they are still in the house because I need to employ will power and nurture it.  So that when I am back in my happy land {read: Target}, I can avoid all of those things that would usually be calling my name. 

Will power needs to be part of my new regular.

Although  I'm not an old dog who can't learn new tricks...the tortilla chips my husband bought on Monday night to go with his tacos?  Those were sent straight to work with him and he's not allowed to bring them back either.  I'll give myself a few months before I have them sitting around.

So that new regular?  Still involves salsa.

But this time its combined with lean meat, cheese and lettuce to form a healthy taco salad.  BEST meal I've had in a while.  And less than 300 calories.

And my new regular involves tea as a sweet treat. 

Seriously.  This tea is something I look forward to each day.

And then, of course there is Jillian Michaels.  She's definitely a part of my new regular.

Especially this month...I'm doing a 31 day Jillian Michael challenge.  I'll be doing her video each day this month.  I don't win anything, I am just doing it for me. And I'm loving it. {By the by, just downloaded her 'Ripped in 30' video...love it...just in case you're looking for something new.}

I'm working on developing this new regular.  I suppose the last eight months have been part of it.  Each time there is a week off from Game On, I go a wee bit of the deep end.  Even last week when it started it out really well.  I go to the weekend and...

Oops.

So, my goal this round is to seriously NOT make the week off a WEEK OFF.  But that's still three and a half weeks away, so more on that later. 

For now? I've gotta go refill my water bottle.

#   #   #

Linking up with

Things I Can't Say for Pour Your Heart Out