My Inspiration--Part Two

My Inspiration--Part Two

Her name is Heather Adams.  She is my first Day Home Mom, the first Mom who trusted me with her daughter, Audrey, then 10 months old.  She is now the Mother of three, like me, and is doing it in style.  She is a runner, has run marathons, half marathons, and works out several times a week.  She writes her thoughts down in her blog, Marathon Mommy.  She has been blogging for a while now, telling how her life has changed since becoming a mom of two, and now three.  How running is her alone time, her time to think or just to run.  How there are days when things just don't go the way she planned...how beautiful her children are, even when they've just spilled breakfast all over the floor.  She has more patience in her little finger than I have in my whole body.  I don't have a little sister, but if I could chose someone to add to my family, I would add Heather.

I am writing my Blog about my journey to be a healthier Mom for myself and my family, because Heather has inspired me to do so.  For me it is my way of keeping myself on track, and to be accountable.  In the last 6 weeks I have rarely had a day where I haven't walked over 10,000 steps.  Two times I've walked over 20,000.  While I am proud of myself for doing that, I have had to be careful so that I don't injure myself.  Heather has an ankle that gives her grief at times, so when I found out that I was close to injuring myself I asked Heather for some advice.  I never thought I would be rolling frozen water bottles under my feet!!!

There have been a couple of times in the last month where I've had moments of doubt that I'm going to reach my goal weight...I'm sooo close.  In the past I would have let that doubt stop me or found another excuse to just give up.  Heather doesn't give up...she has patience to wait, so I am trying to be patient and give my body time to adjust to losing weight.  One week when I found myself weighing more, not less, I told myself not to panic.  Be patient.  After a few days, my scale said less again.

In the last few weeks Heather has dropped two of her children off with me for a couple of hours...she has no idea how happy that makes me.  Each of her children have a special place in my heart...there is nothing better than hugs and cuddles from little people to put your life in perspective.
If my journey to being a healthier Mommy takes me a little longer than I want, I will just have to follow Heather's example and be Patient!!

Update:

Heather just ran another half marathon in Banff.  I can honestly say that I don't know how she does it...but I am darn proud of her for doing it!!  I am still walking, and enjoying it, craving it and not being totally satisfied with my day when I don't walk.  I am finding that walking for me is like running is for Heather.  I get to think while I walk.  But I have slowed down a bit.  I walk until I hit 10,000 steps in the morning, which is roughly about an hour and 15 minutes or so.  I'm not pushing myself as much so I don't get hurt.  I'm okay with slowing down as it means in the long run I'll be walking, not sitting on the couch because I can't walk.  If taking care of me means I don't make 10,000 steps one day, that's okay because I know now that "Patience" sometimes means looking at the long term of my journey, not the short term.

And by the way...I've seen my goal weight show up on my scale now twice!!  I have now lower my goal by another 5 pounds!!!

My Inspiration--Part One

 My Inspiration--Part One

Her name is Donna, and she is my sister.  She has been there for me in the happiest times of my life and the saddest times of my life.  I don't know who I would be without her in my life.

Donna got married when I was almost one year old.  She has told me many times that she cut her honeymoon short so she wouldn't miss my first birthday.  I've apologized for not remembering her wedding.  She had twins when I was three years old, a week after a devastating time in our lives, when we lost our Mom suddenly, on October 8, 1974.  I don't remember much from those days, but I do remember being with my sister, living with her family for many months of my early years.  One of my favorite memories are of the two of us going window shopping at Eaton's Centre, getting a malt as a treat and riding the transit bus downtown.  I remember being told not to stare at the people at the back of the bus....you didn't see a lot of people with purple mohawks on the farm.  To a preschooler there were sure a lot of different people and things to see in the big city.  Years later I would be telling my own children not to stare...its funny how the littlest things come full circle.

My sister is tough.  She is kind, caring, loving and forgiving.  She has determination and grit. And she is my Rock. Donna is more than just my sister; she took over for our Mom--I don't know if Dad asked her to, or if she volunteered, but either way I'm thankful that she did.  She has taught me many lessons over my lifetime, too many to list here.  I just know that without her, I wouldn't be the person I am today.

Donna is my inspiration in more than one way.  I'm trying to raise my children with the same morals she instilled in me, and she is one of the reasons I am on my journey to be a healthier Mommy.                                          

A few months ago Donna told me she had gone on a diet, and had lost 20 pounds just by watching what she was eating and walking on her treadmill.  This got me thinking that if she could do it, so could I.  So within a few days of that conversation I started logging into myfitnesspal.com on a regular basis.  The big day was July 14.  I don't know that I would have gone head first into losing weight if Donna hadn't started first.  Call it sibling "rivalry" if you want, but I:
a) didn't want to be left out and
b) didn't want her to do it alone.
Maybe I'm a copy cat in this case.  That's okay, its for a good reason.

I'm very proud of Donna for putting herself first...after raising five children (six if you include me) and seeing them off on their own, which is a huge accomplishment, I'm selfishly happy she is taking care of herself.  I want her there when one of my children make her a Great Auntie!!!  Her children have given me that honour 10 times!!!!

I started on this journey to being a healthier Mom for my kids.  I know what its like to grow up without a Mom and even though for the most part its in God's Hands, I'm doing what I can to be around for them.  I don't want to miss out on seeing each of them grow up.

This journey I'm on isn't a short one.  Maybe the weight loss part of it is, but I'm here for the long haul. I don't want to gain back the weight I've lost this time.  I want to keep it off.  I think what I've learned about myself and my body in the last 3 months will help me to keep doing what I'm doing for as long as I can.  My Dad lived until he was 90.  I guess that means I have at least another 40+ years (I hope) before I have to "slow down"!

Its August!!

Oh boy.  August.  August brings my birthday, Angela's birthday and William's birthday.  The 6th, 22nd and 28th.  Why did I have two children in August??  That means 3 birthday cakes!!!  Two of them within 6 days, which means I'll be facing a cake for more than a week!!!
Last year I attitude was "well its August, I'll start walking in September".  This year its "I'll have to go for a good long walk to enjoy those pieces of cake!!"  Everyday!!  Whether its outside or inside, I will have to walk...lots.
So far it hasn't been too hard to keep to my diet and exercise.  I've been making my kids come with me on some of Devon's new walking trails.  The boys grumble and complain, but Angela comes with me because she knows that walking is going to help me get to my goals.  I'm finding that support is important...and needed!!

August 12, 2014

I had a wonderful birthday.  I had a Snickers Birthday cake from DQ.  I factored in the estimated calories of a slice of cake in the morning and then made sure I walked enough that I could have a slice after supper.
For my birthday, my children gave me $22 towards my present, a Fitbit and Kelly put in for the rest.  A Fitbit is a pedometer that keeps track of my steps, the stairs I climb, the calories I burn and how I sleep.  It works with myfitnesspal.com.  The first day I walked 5000 steps.  The second day I walked 12,000 steps and yesterday I walked over 15,000 steps.  If I burn more calories than I eat, it shows up on myfitnesspal.com.  Getting to my goal of 8,000 steps has been easy.  This Fitbit knows my name and encourages me to move.  Even if its just walking in place.  I feel pretty good about my activity, and I am seeing little changes in my body.
This is the first time I've kept at any sort of weight loss/exercise.  Usually I get off track and then don't get back on track for months.  This time its different.
Looking forward to going to a wedding next weekend.  Maybe even visiting the hotels gym...and Angela's birthday is next Friday so there will be cake next week again.  I'm ready for it!!!

Journey to a Healthier Mommy

The time has come.  I decided 9 days ago that enough was enough.  I had the tools in front of me, I just had to use them.  Stop ignoring them.  I downloaded the new version of myfitnesspal.com, and started entering what I was eating.  With the newer version came the idea that a pedometer might be a good idea, so I downloaded one onto my phone.
I've been walking.   Either pulling a wagon of water (and a potty), taking my Day Home kiddies with, trying to get in some exercise, but I was just guessing as to how fast I was walking and how many calories I was really burning.  Now I know for sure, my speed, how much time, my distance and my calories.  It gets downloaded from my phone to runastic.com, and to myfitnesspal.com.  I can see right away what I've done, and how many calories I can eat.
I have a bunch of reasons for wanting to be healthier.  I have three children, William, Angela and Michael, and a husband, Kelly.  I want to be there when my children graduate high school, get married, have children.  I don't want to miss that.  I want to show them that I am no longer putting myself last on the list as so many of us Moms do, especially when our children are little.  Mine aren't little anymore. 
I have a wedding to go to next month.  My 25th High School Reunion is in October.  But most of all, I just want to look and feel good.  For Me.
So I have been walking, and counting calories.  For 9 days.  I have  gone over 10,000 steps today for the first time since I started counting.  I am pretty proud of myself.
So my reward tonight is a Peanut Buster Parfait at Diary Queen.  I'm meeting a friend for "coffee".
I won't be having DQ again for 2 weeks.  My wonderful daughter has ordered me an ice cream cake for my birthday...and I will have to do a couple of walks on my birthday to enjoy it.  
I am off on my second walk of the day in a few minutes.  Got to get in another 45 minute walk so I can eat that dessert and enjoy it!!!