Our Favorite Fall Tradition

Four years ago, David and I went to The Haunted Corn Maize at Sauvie's Island as part of a floor event at George Fox. We had so much fun that it sparked our favorite Fall tradition!

Each year we've gone to a corn maze, and each year we forge our way through the maze, laughing, slipping in the mud and navigating in circles.

Today we went to a nearby farm to go through the corn maze. We lucked out and had no rain to deal with, but our boots were well appreciated in the muddy dirt. We had so much fun and were even acting like spies to avoid running into another group of people. Here are some highlights from our day:

Week 4: UP THREE!?

Disclaimer: This is going to be short and sweet because I have to get ready for work soon.

Well, today was my four week weigh in! I am sad to announce that I gained three pounds. I've been doing so well that seeing this number is disappointing, but I can't say I am surprised. Poor food choices, lack of exercise due to me being cold, and my TOM, it was a recipe for a rough week. Today is a new day though and I am excited to see where I land next week.

Because this is a weight loss journey, I know there will be days or weeks where I gain, and there will be days and weeks where I lose. The important part is that I dust myself off, and strive to do better this week.

Happy rainy Saturday everyone! :)

Prayers

Hello blogger friends! I am just coming to you with a prayer request. David and I both have great work opportunities opening up for us, pending the interviews we have this week, and if you think to we would love an extra prayer or two!

I had two interviews on Monday, which I passed, and my final interview is on Friday! David also has an interview today.

If we both pass (hopefully we will know by the end of the week), it would be a huge help financially.

I'll keep you posted and thank you so so much for any prayers you send our way!

Week 3: Down 3.8 and Some Advice

Another great week at the Green household! Yesterday morning was our week three weigh in, and we were both pleasantly surprised to see we had both lost 3.8 pounds!!

Earlier in the week, I was nervous to weigh in on Saturday, not because I had cheated and grabbed a slice of pizza; rather, I was nervous because I had not seen a big weight drop on the scale throughout the week. That is where daily weigh ins can be tricky. Our bodies are constantly changing which means our weight is constantly fluctuating. For example, if you wake up and jump right on the scale, it may differ greatly if you were to get up, go to the bathroom, and then step on the scale. Or, it can differ greatly if you are nearing your TOM, if you weigh in at different times, weigh in on different scales... it can be crazy!

My biggest advice to you is to establish a weigh-in routine. Weigh in at the same time, the same way, and on the same scale every week. It can be the difference between a few ounces or a couple pounds. Trust me. Weighing in can be stressful enough, especially if you are not getting accurate numbers.

My second piece of advice, and one that I often find myself struggling with, is to not get hung up on the number staring back at you on the scale. You are more than a number. This past week, I kept feeling discouraged to see a slight gain or minimal loss. That discouraging feeling is an easy way to fall off track, give in to the temptation of binge eating on fast food, or quitting altogether. I even had to have David talk me out of wanting to grab bad food a couple times. Which brings me to a third and fourth piece of advice.

Third: Have a support system. Whether you are counting calories, doing a weight loss program like Weight Watchers or Take Shape for Life, or simply lacing up your tennis shoes and going for a daily run... a support system can make or break you! I do not believe I could be doing this weight loss routine without David. His sister has been a huge, huge help too! She's lost a ton of weight and has totally inspired David and I to continue. Check her weight loss story out here. Having them to help encourage me, push me, and share recipes, has been an awesome part of this journey.

Fourth piece of advice: Relish in non scale victories (NSV). These are often more important than our numeric weight. These are those moments off the scale, where your realize your weight loss journey is working. For example, some of my NSV include my wedding ring easily sliding on and off (I used to not be able to get it off), wearing a belt on my skinny jeans, fitting into a size XL MEDIUM shirt when shopping, and dropping two pant sizes. These can encourage us on a week-to-week basis, despite the weight we lose/gain that week.

Finally, figure out what your triggers are. What makes you over-eat or make poor eating choices to begin with? Is it a lack of planning what your meals should be so you grab whatever is convenient? Is it you being unable to cook? Is it your busy lifestyle?

For me, I was always triggered to eat poorly if I was bored. For example, if I am bored at home, I am much more likely to pop a bag of popcorn, melt some butter and sprinkle on about 2 cups of salt and have a few bites eat the entire thing. By keeping myself busy and changing my thinking from food, to blogging, couponing, chores, calling friends, and so on, I can keep myself from pulling that food-trigger sparked by boredom.

Anyone else in that boat? How many people can open a bag of potato chips while watching their favorite TV show and before they know it, they are licking their fingers, unbuttoning their pants, and drifting off into a uncomfortable food coma? Anybody? Yeah. We've all done it.

These are probably the five most important pieces of advice I can give you right now. Establish a weigh in routine, understand you're more than a number, have a support system, celebrate NSV, and figure out and address your food triggers.

It's up to you to do this. No one else can make this change, and it has to be as much of a mental change as it is a physical change. But I promise you, when you step on that scale and finally see your goal weight, every salad, every workout, every day of struggle will be worth it.

Week 2: Down 2.4

Good afternoon everyone and happy Saturday! I hope this Oregon rain finds you all cozy and comfy. Going from 70 degree October weather to temperatures in the 50s, we are all aware that fall has finally come to Oregon.

Today I slept in but forced myself to wake up in order to officially weigh in. I was so excited to see where I ended my week and I am happy to report that this week I lost 2.4 pounds! 

That means, my overall weight loss from my heaviest weight last November has reached 20.4 pounds, and my weight loss since starting this most recent journey is 10.8 pounds!

I can't tell you the number of times I wish I could fast forward a few months so I could be closer to my goal. I know that it's a journey, but that "instant-gratification" mindset can make it difficult to stick with things.

Each week, I can see changes happen both on and off the scale, which drive my determination to let the process take as long as it takes. My energy is better, my clothes are looser, I do not feel as hungry all the time, and I certainly do not feel horrible after eating a salad like I had before after eating pizza, Chinese food, Mexican food, fast food... you get the idea.

I am so excited to see where this journey takes me. I know with patience and perseverance I will reach my goal and nothing will feel better. It is a personal accomplishment that will rank just as high as graduating Valedictorian, graduating college in 3 years with honors, and any promotions I receive at work.

This is something I am doing for me. I want this SO bad, and nothing will stand in my way...no matter how long it takes. 

Cravings

In the pursuit of health, David and I are giving up a lot when it comes to our food selection. No steaming, greasy, pepperoni-covered pizzas; no Clucks and Fries from Red Robin; and certainly no Moose Track ice cream. 

Because of our food revamp, we have been craving a lot of what has been replaced with salad and lean meat. I can't even tell you how many times we've turned to each other and said we have wanted Taco Bell, popcorn, or David's special request, Big Macs.

Are you starting to get an idea of how we were eating before we started eating better? It is no wonder we are unhappy about our weight. Open any cupboard in my kitchen or the refrigerator and you'd see foods such as those listed above. When that is present in your life, especially as often as it was in ours, it is not a mystery where those extra pounds are coming from.

David and I recently evaluated our grocery budget and I was horrifed to see how much we were spending. I actually felt sick to my stomach over it. Here I thought we were doing well and sticking to the budget we had given ourselves. Little did I know, all those quick stops to the store on my way home from work or those late night drive thru's would add up SO quickly. I challenge you to evaluate your grocery budget more closely. Are you spending your money wisely? We use Mint. If you haven't tried it, I highly suggest you do. It's eye-opening. Really.

So, we made a change. We cut all of that out. We've had one cheat day based off an interesting 13-hour workday I had last week, but we regretted it immediately. I have had nearly 23 years, and David has had 27 years to eat and enjoy all of that bad food. Cutting bad food out is the consequence of our indulgences over our entire lives. 

We aren't planning on having kids for a few years, but when we do, we want to be good examples. I want to be the mom who is outside playing with her kids. Some of my favorite memories from growing up were playing basketball in the driveway or volleyball in the yard with my parents until it was so dark we either had to turn on the headlights of the car or bring out a light. They coached my YMCA volleyball teams for years. Dad taught me how to dribble a basketball through the trashcans lined up in the garage. Mom and Dad would be in the bleachers watching my games, even if I didn't get to play.

I do not want to be the parents watching and not able to participate. I want to be as involved in my kids' life as my parents were in mine. It all starts now. I can keep eating bad, keep gaining weight, and restrict myself to being an onlooker in my own family's life. Or, I can ignore those stupid cravings, get off the couch, and make this change in my life now so I can enjoy my life to the fullest everyday from here on out (with or without kiddos running around). The choice is simple.

Week 1: Down 8.6

Hey there! I am SO excited to report that we had our first official weigh in this morning! We decided to make Saturdays our official weigh in day.

We were pleasantly surprised to see major weight loss. We've been wanting to lose weight for the last year, but really starting going for it in July when we got back from a family vacation. We bounced around a little, and after a few failed attempts and restarting, we decided to go for it 100% with some encouragement from David's sister.

Now we are finally starting to see our results on the scale! Eating right, drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, and lots of little meals throughout the day actually made a difference!

So what were our results? Drumroll please....

Dadadadadadadadada.....

Since our initial weigh in, David has lost 9.8 pounds and I have lost 8.6!!!

It has not been easy, but we are so excited to keep this momentum going and can't wait to see where we are on our next weigh in!

*NOTE: The Ticker on the top of my blog will track my overall weight loss since November 27, 2011. I weighed in at my heaviest weight EVER on this day so I want to see my improvements since then.

I will have a running total with my most recent weight loss on the upper right sidebar. I'll continue updating both so watch closely! :)

Support

Wow, what an interesting couple days it has been! David and I, as promised, have completely revolutionized the way we eat, and boy, oh boy, it is not easy!

I never realized how dependent he and I were to those unhealthy, quick, convenient, inexpensive foods. We love(d) pizza, Taco Bell, Panda, Subway... the list could go on and on. For so long, our excuses were that we have too crazy of a work schedule (both working retail), we can't afford healthy food, we don't have time to prepare it, blah blah blah.

Although those statements are true, we do work weird schedules and rarely have time to sit and eat dinner together because of it. But! I think for a long time those were excuses we hid behind and used to justify ordering food or running through somewhere that was fast. 

How many of you fall in this category? How many of you also love the easy, instant foods that are so readily available for us? One thing I have already learned about this "diet" (more like, lifestyle change) is that our busy lives shouldn't dictate our health.

We decided to cut everything out that isn't healthy, nutritious, and protein packed from here on out. It has not been easy, but we are already seeing the difference it makes. David and I have both lost weight and are feeling better knowing we haven't ingested those "fake" foods. 

Last night I think was the toughest for both of us though. I kept joking how I wanted breadsticks with ranch (my favorite!) and he kept saying how bad he wanted a Big Mac. Instead of giving each other a silent nod and grabbing the car keys, we made ourselves busy and struggled together, laughing the entire time.

I think that's another thing I've learned so far in this process. It is SO important to have a good support system around you. Not only for those nights where you are dreaming of all the food you can't have, but to celebrate, encourage, and struggle with you every step of the way. I know that if I were going through this lifestyle change alone, I would not be successful and would probably give in to temptation all the time.

Having friends, family, a spouse/significant other to make these health changes with you is, in my opinion, is one of the most important parts of being healthy.

I encourage you, if you are wanting to, or in the process of, making a healthy change in your life, find someone to do it with. I am here too, if you ever need encouragement or someone to talk to. 

It all starts with you. You're the only one that can make or break your lifestyle change. But having people around you to help you on the hard and easy days, will make your journey so much easier and who knows, maybe you can inspire those around you to do the same?