The 12th Week

I can't believe it's almost the end of week 12. Woohoo!!! So far I have lost 23 pounds, 6 inches off my waist and almost 9 inches off my hips.

Because it's nearing the end of week 12 I thought I would share with you 12 things I've learned since starting this journey.

 1.   Water is my friend. Water is amazing. I love it. It keeps me hydrated, helps me from getting groggy, prevents headaches and helps flush out toxins. I try to drink water when I crave foods. I take small sips and usually by the time I'm done with my water the craving is gone.

 2.   Dried Plums are the same thing as Prunes. I discovered this when first working out. I was trying to eat healthier foods so I thought dried fruit would be a good snack. Later I discovered that dried plums ARE prunes. I should have known that. I'm not sure why I wasn't thinking about it. Long story short, don't eat a bunch of prunes unless you have a bathroom nearby...

3.   Shaving your legs is a heck of a lot easier when you're losing weight! Between less leg mass to shave and more flexibility due to a smaller stomach it's a pretty awesome deal. Quicker shower time for sure!

4.   Quinoa- I love love love Quinoa. If you don't know what Quinoa is, or have never cooked with it before here are some links for you: 

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa 
  • Greek Quinoa Salad 
    
    • Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash 

5.   Motivation can come from anywhere and anyone. I am constantly finding motivation in things. I get it from my own achievements. It comes from seeing other peoples success. I get motivation by wanting to reach my goals and even a simple quote. I have found that this journey has really been teaching me about my true self and has brought me a lot of inner peace. I pray and talk to God and that keeps me motivated too. Gather motivation from anywhere and anyone you can find it. It will help you more than you may think.

6.   Calorie Saving- I have really learned to try to spend my calories wisely. If I'm going to eat something higher in calories I'd rather it be healthy. Salmon can be pretty up there in the calories, but at least I know it's better than eating a fried corn dog. I've learned to LOVE coffee without creamer. Instead of eating a toaster strudel for breakfast I make homemade breakfast sandwiches equaling about the same calories, but a lot more satisfying and healthier. I like to use mashed up avocado instead of mayonnaise when I can. Instead of eating candy, eat fruit. Instead of using salt, use herbs. Instead of ground beef, use ground turkey. Little things like that add up! Here are some links to some food swaps that helped me a lot:

• Healthy Breakfast Swaps

• Healthy Lunch Swaps 

• Healthy Dinner Swaps

• Healthy Snack Swaps 

7.   All foods are not created equally. This is my personal opinion. I am trying to lose weight and eat healthy. Do I buy fat-free sour cream, sugar free low-fat yogurt, fat free no salt sugar free super processed pizza? No. If you're going to eat. EAT! Just do it in moderation. There is no reason to fill your body up with empty, chemical filled calories.

8.   My own strength - I have said before that this journey has taught me my own strength. It is so fun to see myself changing mentally and physically. What I can do now I wasn't able to do before. We started out walking very slowly and are now beginning runners. I love it. It's incredible to push myself and see that I made it because it shows that I'm getting stronger. Mentally it makes me feel on top of the world. It makes me feel ecstatic and fearless. I'm taking things into my own hands instead of shying away.

9.   Getting Support- Having support from people who care about you is a fascinating thing. Without it I would not have made it as far as I have. I love having a team of friends and family cheering me on. They help me avoid falling backwards and help me keep my chin up and moving forward. Knowing people are also following my progress helps me stay focused.

10.   Giving Support - Being able to support others is my favorite thing about this entire journey. To get messages, comments or even my husband coming home and telling me that someone has told him that I've not only inspired them, but motivated them to start being healthier and/or exercise is the greatest feeling of success. You can even ask my husband- It brings the BIGGEST smile to my face. It feels like I've been able to make a difference for someone. I hope that this blog and my posts on Facebook can ofter everyone support and motivation in their healthy quest.

11.   Struggling- Yes, I struggle. Sometimes it's with food. Sometimes with wanting to relax and drink an entire bottle of wine! Sometimes I just want to sit on my butt and do absolutely nothing and GASP a time or two I've even wondered why the heck I was doing this in the first place. When you feel like this please please please, do not stop what you are doing. Every second is a chance to make better choices. Contact your workout buddy and whoever is your own support team, or contact me! Talk to them. Tell them what you are struggling with and let them help you get through it. Many of you have helped me get through my struggles. I had a week when every time I got on the scale I wanted to burst into tears. I was tired and working my butt off and wasn't seeing any results. Shad would hug me and tell me to keep going. A lot of YOU told me to keep going. Just hearing that very sentence helps! Trust me. Keep going. You will see results as long as you are working for it.

12.   Rewards- Rewards are the second best part of this process! Set your big goal, but be sure to set small goals along the way. When I lost my first 10 pounds I went out and bought some new jeans. When I had lost a little over 15 pounds shad bought me a BIG5 gift card. Now that I've lost 20 pounds I got the cute boots I've been wanting. When I reach 30 pounds lost I'm going to get my haircut and a new dress to go out in. When I reach my ultimate 125 goal Shad is taking me on a romantic getaway. Find what rewards you want badly enough and reach those goals!!

I would love to hear everyone's feedback in the comments below. What is the reward system you are using? What do you love most about getting healthier? What things do you struggle with and how are you overcoming them? What have you learned since you began your health/exercise journey? And any other comments/suggestions.

"God is within her, she will not fail." - Psalm 46:5