Did you know that if you tilt your head slightly to one side and rest it gently on your hand that it makes you look exponentially more casual and adorable?
According to my 15-year-old photog, it's totally true. I, for one, believe!
Welcome to Move Eat Well for October 2011. I'd like to start out by saying this: I love Fall in Minnesota!
The temperatures start to dip, the leaves are transforming into jaw dropping colors, and soup is around every corner! (Okay, soup is around many corners in my home.)
Mmmm. Soup. Long live meals served in bowls!
And with cooler temps, I can't be complaining about no hot muggy days to bog down my running. No, the only thing that bogs down my running is, well, my running.
September has seen a titch of athletic malaise set in. I've written about it during the past month and I've come to accept that right now, running isn't the totally awesome head trip it was a year ago. It's also not turning me into a tiny, lithe machine either. I think what's hard is that while it is still totally do-able, running never feels effortless and when you're putting that much effort in but not seeing the kind of results you once did, discouragment sets in.
However, last year at this time, I was eating just 21 Points of food a day. HELLO? I'm not here to slam Weight Watchers in the least, but people, I was really hungry last Fall. Real. Frickin'. Hungry. Today, I'm choosing balanced eating over points and crappy processed diet foods. It's all a trade off, right?
So let's turn to the positives. First, I joined a new gym with much lower fees and a pool that is to die for, mainly for its many open lanes and equally open schedule.
I've been going on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, swimming 50 minutes each time, even hitting the hour mark one day last week. Swimming is kind to my body and it's an activity that I actually enjoy.
But by "enjoy," I should add this caveat: if you told me I could be fit and thin by never working out again, I can't lie: it would be tempting. For those of you who are active, you KNOW that most of the time it's not automatic. Yes, the habit of working out becomes more so over time, but it's not without constant effort on your part.
The thing that I'm most proud of this year is that even though I've traveled through some serious Valleys of Little Mojo, I have still managed to keep moving.
True, there are things I'm not quite latching onto yet, such as lifting heavy things a.k.a. weight training, but my focus and commitment have surprised even myself. The girl who used to rely on the Phillip Morris company to keep her thin gets her move on six days a week. Hot damn!
And I'm really happy to have left this girl behind for now, the one who back in December of 2009, liked to hid behind people in photos.
And her really oily skin. Must have been all those chips.
Enough of my yakkin'! Let's look at my layout for this month:
SUPPLIES: Move More Eat Less 8.5 x 11 template (Cathy Zielske) • Just Linens No. 1 Paper Pack (Michelle Martin) • a scan of kraft cardstock • Avenir font
JOURNALING READS: If I could go back in time, back to January 2010 to when this very first shot was taken, you know what I’d do? Put the toilet seat down. Like for reals. Welcome to Month 22. During September, I focused less on calorie counting and more on eating balanced meals and snacks every day. I would say I hit the target about five days out of the last 30. I don’t see this as a negative statistic, however. September has seen some good changes. I joined a new cheaper gym with a way nicer (and almost always empty) pool and I’m on week four of three swims per week. I decided to cut back to three runs, swapping the fourth for a swim day. I ain’t gettin’ any younger here people. The pool is kind to my body, even if my swim suit isn‘t.
I’m up a half of a pound from last month, so essentially I’m even steven. I’ve been struggling with running a bit this month, but I think it’s just that whole settling into the reality that it’s not new and shiny anymore; it’s just something I do. Not that my runs have been bad, they haven’t. Just not as inspired. I’m trying to really focus on the fact that I’m sitting here writing about how running 65 miles in September was uninspired. Hello? Who am I these days anyway?
This month also saw me enjoying activities and food out and about. Movies with popcorn, dinners at the Outback Steak House and Chili’s, and so on. I still want to eat well, but I don’t want to be that girl, the one who doesn’t go anywhere or do anything that involves extra calories. I am not interested in that level of black and white anymore. This very fact as a sign of true progress and peace. So I carry on…
I think I need to fess up to something, that I'm certain most of you know about these before and after pics: I always stand up really straight and suck in my gut as hard as I can.
Now, in January 2010, I couldn't suck any of it in. It was what it was. Still… I thought I should be honest. See, I've got a belly.
Even this shot is a bit more on the flattering side. When I sit down, all hell breaks loose.
Yep. Just me, my belly, a camera and a toilet.
I'm all for keeping it real, y'all.
I just like to make sure I'm presenting a fair and balanced picture to you people.
Speaking of fair and balanced pictures and you people, how are you people doing on the journey to Move More and Eat Well? Let the comment converstation begin!
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Last month, I offered a free download of the new logo for Move More Eat Well. Click here to find that post and download the new logo for your templates.
Want to learn more about Move More Eat Less 2011? Click here to learn more about the concept.
I've also started a flickr group for Move More Eat Less. Feel free to start sharing your pages. You will find the group by clicking here.
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INSPIRATIONAL LISTENING: I'm officially hooked on the Dishing Up Nutrition podcast, produced by the wonderful team at Nutritional Weight and Wellness. In fact, this show is a key reason why I'm changing my approach to Eating Well. These podcasts are free and you can subscribe through iTunes. Take a minute to browse some of the show topics and see if something jumps out at you. I know some of you have told me this show is really making a difference in how you view your overall dietary efforts. One warning: some of the ladies sound really Minnesotan. It's sort of charming, really.
