Good rainy day everyone here in NS,
Once again, life's been busy and another couple of weeks has passed since my last post. I hope that everyone has been making an effort to make positive changes? Just yesterday I found myself inspired yet again by a couple of people in my life very near and dear. One was a good friend who stopped me from late night snacking during a movie and the other was a good friend who let me know how much I'd inspired her.
In the last couple of weeks specifically, I've really realized how great of a support system I have around me every day and I am so thankful for all the people who play a key part in my success. Thus far, I'm down a total of 12 pounds and tomorrow is the end of my 5th week. I had about a week where I felt like I wasn't doing as well as I wanted, but I think that everyone goes through the emotional ups and downs from time to time, right? I'm back in a good frame of mind and feeling great about my success thus far. A couple of days ago, my friend/ house mate Amy and I started at the gym again and had a great first workout! It was nice to blast my tunes and sweat it out- it really did feel great.
I have also realized as of late, how much my upbringing has had an effect on my overall being. I grew up in an atmosphere with 2 parents my whole life, where most of my peers were subjected to divorce/separation. I feel as though this has helped me grow into the generally stable, well-rounded individual I am today. I always try my best to look for the good and to help others when ever I can. There were times growing up where money was definitely tight, but as kids, we never went without; because of that we didn't always have the healthiest options available, but made due with what we had.
I can remember from as early as the age of 7, I knew that food was an issue for me. Up until this point I was bean-pole thin and all of a sudden I began gaining weight pretty quickly-by the time I hit the 'Big P' I was considerably overweight for a boy of my age/height. It's much easier to not feel accountable when you're young and that was a huge problem for me. I was the kid that hated going outside (unless it was sledding :)) and I got used to a consistent diet of junk food. At this point I was 12/13 and had major mental issues when it came to my body. I was beyond self conscious and really didn't know how to make things better mentally, or physically. In school, Health class was (and still is) a joke in the education system. I understand that parents are supposed to pass good habits on to their kids, but many kids do not grow up in such an atmosphere and I feel as though the public school system needs to have more input in ensuring it's part of the curriculum from P-12. I feel as though had I had the tools to just live a generally healty life from a much younger age, that I would not have struggled as much as I did throughout my youth.
The entirety of my teenage years and even into my twenties, was a consistent struggle with weight/ body image. I was never just happy and that's a really sad fact to have to face. Even when I was thin and people used to comment how good I looked, I was still miserable because I could not let myself celebrate my success and be happy for me! It's taken me until now, 27 years to better understand the connect between my feelings, my food issues and what I need to do to change my life for the better. This is and will remain a work-in-progress for the rest of my life and I'm ok with that now. I know that this is something that I will struggle with forever. This time however, I know I have the tools, the support and the courage to do what I need to do for me- no one else. This is the first time in my life that I've felt it's ok to be selfish when it comes to putting yourself first. I am glad that I've had the struggles growing up, as I don't think I'd be the same person today, but my goal now is to stop other kids and young adults from going through the same issues I did growing up. I don't want anyone else to miss out on anything because they are unhappy. When you're unhappy, it's almost impossible to see all the good there is around you.
I generally like to keep things light, but I guess I'm feeling a little more serious today. I hope that everyone has a great day and something fun planned for the weekend!
Much love-
Leo
May 30, 2012
May 14, 2012
Day 25
Long time, no blog :)
It's been a busy couple of weeks, but we've been doing well...no falling off the bandwagon just yet :) 3 days away from the end of my 4th week since Day 1 and we're looking on track to be down around 8 pounds (averaging 2 pounds per week which I am very pleased with.)
Other than having been out for a couple runs when the weather was nice, 90%+ of what I have lost is all diet-related thus far, so I'm very excited to see how well my body will respond once regular physical activity is incorporated.
All is going well, however have definitely been tested over the past couple weeks. The avail of apple pie and ice cream cake from Mothers day was the worst...I wanted to eat a piece of ice cream cake like no one's business (for reals), however I felt really great about my control (much later that evening..at that moment I was rather miserable) when I opted out. I sure was not hungry, so it was a 100% want I was able to overcome :) Woohoo!
I hope more than anything that you have also been making positive decisions in your daily lives that you feel good about- if so, I'd love to hear from you! In the near future, one of my loveliest ladies' Heather, is going to write a guest entry for you all on her incredible journey to a better life. I don't want to spoil, so I won't say anything else for now. She is absolutely one of my biggest inspirations and I love her so much for being the beautiful human she is..truly top notch :)
There are so many great things coming up this summer I am very excited for and I'm so happy to have the energy and positive outlook to look forward to them. It seems like a really simple thing to say, but I know many of you are/were the same as me; you say no to things/ events you'd really like to go to, due to just being in a crappy state of mind. When this happens, you realize 1/2 or 3/4 through your lonely evening at home that "I should have gone!" and then you become even more miserable for having missed out on something that could have been and likely was really great. My goal this summer is to not deny myself of having a great time with people I care about. I truly believe in many cases that laughter is really the best medicine to cheering up when in need of a little cheering, as opposed to sitting home depressed and watching "The Notebook" (we've all done it...admit it!) with a box of Kleenex and a bag of chips.
Whether it's weight-related or not, I really encourage everyone to set just 1 small goal for the next week (I said small, not easy!) and really give it your best. This can be something to really motivate you and put you in the right direction towards larger goals. This 'training wheel' goal should be something that will make you feel empowered and confident, that you can be super proud of! Take a day or so to think about something really worth while and make it happen! It's all up to you- don't forget, when you make excuses no one else cares, so you need to care enough yourself not to make them to be successful in anything you want to accomplish.
As my final thought for today- for anyone that has not tried Mongolie Grill downtown Halifax- its a make it yourself stir fry place where you are 100% in control of what you eat. The price is based on weight ( all my veggie-friends, you'll also get 20% for going meat free) and an average plate is less than $15.00 which includes soup, rice and wraps. It's absolutely delicious, healthy as you'd like it to be and worth a shot. It's hands-down my #1 choice when going out for a meal, especially in a group because it has something for almost everyone.
I hope everyone has a most wonderful week and I definitely won't be waiting as long for my next post- more to come very soon :)
Much love-
Leo
It's been a busy couple of weeks, but we've been doing well...no falling off the bandwagon just yet :) 3 days away from the end of my 4th week since Day 1 and we're looking on track to be down around 8 pounds (averaging 2 pounds per week which I am very pleased with.)
Other than having been out for a couple runs when the weather was nice, 90%+ of what I have lost is all diet-related thus far, so I'm very excited to see how well my body will respond once regular physical activity is incorporated.
All is going well, however have definitely been tested over the past couple weeks. The avail of apple pie and ice cream cake from Mothers day was the worst...I wanted to eat a piece of ice cream cake like no one's business (for reals), however I felt really great about my control (much later that evening..at that moment I was rather miserable) when I opted out. I sure was not hungry, so it was a 100% want I was able to overcome :) Woohoo!
I hope more than anything that you have also been making positive decisions in your daily lives that you feel good about- if so, I'd love to hear from you! In the near future, one of my loveliest ladies' Heather, is going to write a guest entry for you all on her incredible journey to a better life. I don't want to spoil, so I won't say anything else for now. She is absolutely one of my biggest inspirations and I love her so much for being the beautiful human she is..truly top notch :)
There are so many great things coming up this summer I am very excited for and I'm so happy to have the energy and positive outlook to look forward to them. It seems like a really simple thing to say, but I know many of you are/were the same as me; you say no to things/ events you'd really like to go to, due to just being in a crappy state of mind. When this happens, you realize 1/2 or 3/4 through your lonely evening at home that "I should have gone!" and then you become even more miserable for having missed out on something that could have been and likely was really great. My goal this summer is to not deny myself of having a great time with people I care about. I truly believe in many cases that laughter is really the best medicine to cheering up when in need of a little cheering, as opposed to sitting home depressed and watching "The Notebook" (we've all done it...admit it!) with a box of Kleenex and a bag of chips.
Whether it's weight-related or not, I really encourage everyone to set just 1 small goal for the next week (I said small, not easy!) and really give it your best. This can be something to really motivate you and put you in the right direction towards larger goals. This 'training wheel' goal should be something that will make you feel empowered and confident, that you can be super proud of! Take a day or so to think about something really worth while and make it happen! It's all up to you- don't forget, when you make excuses no one else cares, so you need to care enough yourself not to make them to be successful in anything you want to accomplish.
As my final thought for today- for anyone that has not tried Mongolie Grill downtown Halifax- its a make it yourself stir fry place where you are 100% in control of what you eat. The price is based on weight ( all my veggie-friends, you'll also get 20% for going meat free) and an average plate is less than $15.00 which includes soup, rice and wraps. It's absolutely delicious, healthy as you'd like it to be and worth a shot. It's hands-down my #1 choice when going out for a meal, especially in a group because it has something for almost everyone.
I hope everyone has a most wonderful week and I definitely won't be waiting as long for my next post- more to come very soon :)
Much love-
Leo
May 03, 2012
Day 14
Good day everyone,
So we're 2 weeks in and happy to say that I'm down 5 pounds thus far. Just goes to show that you can live a normal life and still lose a few pounds on the way. In the past 2 weeks, I've eaten out in restaurants multiple times and even enjoyed a few alcoholic beverages. Even though I likely could have lost more had I eaten super clean and drank nothing but water, I am more than happy with the results. It's easy to keep going with something that works, but also that allows you to eat out and have a social life :) I'm feeling really great today and can't wait to see what the next few weeks will bring my way.
Even if your main goal is not to lose a specific amount of pounds, there is absolutely no excuse for not taking the responsibility you have for yourself (and for all of the people who love you!) to make better choices at every opportunity. The only person in control of your body and mind is you and even though the people around you can have an affect- you are the owner and ultimately the one that needs to take the first step in improving your health. I guess this is kind of my version of tough-love. Even though I may never know who exactly is reading this, I love you enough to tell you that you can do better and that you deserve better for yourself- end of story!
I've been feeling very empowered now that I'm feeling better about my choices and myself in general. The smallest changes really can make a world of difference in your success, so I'd like to take the time to tell you that you can start right now! The first step is simply admitting to yourself that you need to make a change and to take responsibility and accountability for the decisions you've made thus far in your life. There is absolutely no point at all in dwelling on the past as it will get you nowhere. Keep focus on the future and simply hold yourself accountable to every decision you make in your day.
My goal this week is to inspire at least one person to buck up and do the above. If this person is you, please let me know if you wish; I would be happy to be there to support you on the way and would love to hear about your journey; remember, I'm no expert but I figure a good amount of this stuff is such common sense that we've simply decided to ignore and put aside. The more an open dialogue is kept, the better our chances of long-term success!
I sincerely hope that I've empowered you to look at your own life and that I can be of some assistance in your journey. I hope everyone has a wonderful day and look forward to hearing from you :)
Much love-
Leo
So we're 2 weeks in and happy to say that I'm down 5 pounds thus far. Just goes to show that you can live a normal life and still lose a few pounds on the way. In the past 2 weeks, I've eaten out in restaurants multiple times and even enjoyed a few alcoholic beverages. Even though I likely could have lost more had I eaten super clean and drank nothing but water, I am more than happy with the results. It's easy to keep going with something that works, but also that allows you to eat out and have a social life :) I'm feeling really great today and can't wait to see what the next few weeks will bring my way.
Even if your main goal is not to lose a specific amount of pounds, there is absolutely no excuse for not taking the responsibility you have for yourself (and for all of the people who love you!) to make better choices at every opportunity. The only person in control of your body and mind is you and even though the people around you can have an affect- you are the owner and ultimately the one that needs to take the first step in improving your health. I guess this is kind of my version of tough-love. Even though I may never know who exactly is reading this, I love you enough to tell you that you can do better and that you deserve better for yourself- end of story!
I've been feeling very empowered now that I'm feeling better about my choices and myself in general. The smallest changes really can make a world of difference in your success, so I'd like to take the time to tell you that you can start right now! The first step is simply admitting to yourself that you need to make a change and to take responsibility and accountability for the decisions you've made thus far in your life. There is absolutely no point at all in dwelling on the past as it will get you nowhere. Keep focus on the future and simply hold yourself accountable to every decision you make in your day.
My goal this week is to inspire at least one person to buck up and do the above. If this person is you, please let me know if you wish; I would be happy to be there to support you on the way and would love to hear about your journey; remember, I'm no expert but I figure a good amount of this stuff is such common sense that we've simply decided to ignore and put aside. The more an open dialogue is kept, the better our chances of long-term success!
I sincerely hope that I've empowered you to look at your own life and that I can be of some assistance in your journey. I hope everyone has a wonderful day and look forward to hearing from you :)
Much love-
Leo
May 01, 2012
Day 12
Good afternoon everyone,
So today is my first day back to real life after a mini-vacation to Montreal this past weekend. We had a fabulous time, but let me tell you- what happened in Montreal stays in Montreal :P
Nah- nothing too crazy. I can however say it was alot more difficult to stay on track this weekend than I thought it would be. Good thing the Point Plus program gives you some give in the week (35 Points+ to use wherever you like each week). Considering the wine consumed I may have gone slightly over, but I'm making up for it now and eating very healthy through weigh-in day. Even though I went a little overboard one day, I don't really feel bad- its bound to happen once and a while and as long as I can maintain healthy eating in general, I'll feel good about it.
Since I had the day off yesterday, I decided to go do a healthy grocery trip with Amy to replenish the fridge. Last night I cooked a maple-Dijon pork tenderloin and veggies steamed in a chicken broth/ginger base (delish!!!) with lots of garlic and pepper. It was quite tasty- I must admit :) I'll get a recipe ready and get it post it in the next day or two for everyone to try- the pork is very lean and exceptionally satisfying. On top of that, I also got some exercise cleaning the house (simple everyday tasks burn calories too!). I put on some of my favorite music and got my boogie on while maneuvering the vacuum cleaner. It may not seem like a workout, but by the end you'll be sweating up a storm!
I have been getting a little sick of drinking nothing but water as well, so last night I tried a new concoction which was quite delish; take a high ball glass and fill 1/3-1/2 full with frozen mixed berries (0 Points+), 1/4 cup orange juice (0 Points+) and 3/4 cup PC Diet Lemonade (carbonated). This was super tasty 0 Point drink and hit the sweet spot. Once the warmer weather comes, this might be really tasty with a shot of gin or tequila, which I will most certainly try on the next hot day :)
I am very much looking forward to the warmer weather, as it makes it so much easier to get out and get some activity. I'm looking really forward to getting out and start training again for running. I'm already registered for the Navy 10k in August, so since time is passing quickly, I need to get my butt back in gear. Now that I'm more comfortable with the diet changes I've made, it will be easy to get out and get back into the physical fitness side. I have always found I feel my best and want to keep up good habits when I have a good balance of diet and exercise to help with energy levels. I'm not an overly competitive person in group sports (board games are a different story!), however I always like to challenge myself and compete with my own goals- it's so satisfying to not only meet a goal, but to exceed your own expectations. Everyone needs that little push once and a while as a reminder that you are your only obstacle, so here's a PUSH! Get out and prove to yourself that you can do what you put your mind to. Fear of failure has always been a great tool, so use it to your advantage and make it a positive motivational factor in whatever your goals may be.
Much love,
Leo
So today is my first day back to real life after a mini-vacation to Montreal this past weekend. We had a fabulous time, but let me tell you- what happened in Montreal stays in Montreal :P
Nah- nothing too crazy. I can however say it was alot more difficult to stay on track this weekend than I thought it would be. Good thing the Point Plus program gives you some give in the week (35 Points+ to use wherever you like each week). Considering the wine consumed I may have gone slightly over, but I'm making up for it now and eating very healthy through weigh-in day. Even though I went a little overboard one day, I don't really feel bad- its bound to happen once and a while and as long as I can maintain healthy eating in general, I'll feel good about it.
Since I had the day off yesterday, I decided to go do a healthy grocery trip with Amy to replenish the fridge. Last night I cooked a maple-Dijon pork tenderloin and veggies steamed in a chicken broth/ginger base (delish!!!) with lots of garlic and pepper. It was quite tasty- I must admit :) I'll get a recipe ready and get it post it in the next day or two for everyone to try- the pork is very lean and exceptionally satisfying. On top of that, I also got some exercise cleaning the house (simple everyday tasks burn calories too!). I put on some of my favorite music and got my boogie on while maneuvering the vacuum cleaner. It may not seem like a workout, but by the end you'll be sweating up a storm!
I have been getting a little sick of drinking nothing but water as well, so last night I tried a new concoction which was quite delish; take a high ball glass and fill 1/3-1/2 full with frozen mixed berries (0 Points+), 1/4 cup orange juice (0 Points+) and 3/4 cup PC Diet Lemonade (carbonated). This was super tasty 0 Point drink and hit the sweet spot. Once the warmer weather comes, this might be really tasty with a shot of gin or tequila, which I will most certainly try on the next hot day :)
I am very much looking forward to the warmer weather, as it makes it so much easier to get out and get some activity. I'm looking really forward to getting out and start training again for running. I'm already registered for the Navy 10k in August, so since time is passing quickly, I need to get my butt back in gear. Now that I'm more comfortable with the diet changes I've made, it will be easy to get out and get back into the physical fitness side. I have always found I feel my best and want to keep up good habits when I have a good balance of diet and exercise to help with energy levels. I'm not an overly competitive person in group sports (board games are a different story!), however I always like to challenge myself and compete with my own goals- it's so satisfying to not only meet a goal, but to exceed your own expectations. Everyone needs that little push once and a while as a reminder that you are your only obstacle, so here's a PUSH! Get out and prove to yourself that you can do what you put your mind to. Fear of failure has always been a great tool, so use it to your advantage and make it a positive motivational factor in whatever your goals may be.
Much love,
Leo
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