More inches gone

For those of you following along, I've been on a mission over the last year to regain control of my life. The first step was shedding a lot of negative then adding in positives. One of the easiest things I did was get a trainer and set a goal with a very firm deadline. Working through the YMCA and utilizing the health and nutrition support at Giant Eagle, I was able to lose my first five pounds in three months. As a bonus, I felt in control of everything again.

As the year progressed, I continued with the trainer and continued adding goals. The biggest was completing a half marathon in October. Everyone has a different set of motivators, as I discussed earlier. Mine is setting dates, making scheduled plans, and recruiting others to do it with me to hold me accountable. I'm a huge procrastinator and without this way of doing things, I wouldn't be where I am now: officially smaller than I was freshman year of high school.

That's right. This chick lost 30 pounds and a crap ton of inches over the last year. I'm officially a size 12. I haven't been this small in years. It's amazing. And I have so much energy. And my secret was figuring out what works for me. Finding that wasn't the easiest and there was a lot of trial and error.

Here's the specifics of my "program:"

1. Breakfast: I eat within the first hour of waking. This is a hard rule. Breakfast has complex carbs, usually vegetables and grains, and a significant portion of my protein requirements for the day.

2. Relaxing: I spend 20 minutes every day, usually before bed, with just myself. No distractions. So no TV, internet, cell phone, etc. Depending on my mood this time could be spent with a book, doing yoga or other stretches, or even doing a short quick workout. It is my time and everyone knows it.

3. Food: I love food. I can't state this enough. Cooking is a passion of mine. There's a simple magic in taking ingredients and making them into something else. This passion is what made cutting some things from my diet easier. Making dinner or breakfast or lunch just once a day is enough to experience this magic. Trying new combinations opens more options especially if you are trying to eat healthier. A mix of colors is key. The more colors the healthier the meal.

4. Laughter: Laughing truely is the best medicine. Watching or listening to stand up comedians is a great way to get a good laugh in.

5. Exercise: I know I'm odd but I love working out. Now I also love watching TV. So I workout almost every day during commercial breaks. It's honestly the easiest way for me to get the time. I also love being outside. There's something about just walking or running through a field or forest. The smell of the early morning is amazing. I usually can always find a few minutes to step outside.

Honestly there is nothing extreme in what I'm doing. No huge crazy restrictive diet or long crazy workout routines. I found embracing the simpler things in my life is what got me going. I do eat diet that many would refer to as paleo but it's not that restrictive. I just love fruits and vegetables and adding more into my diet was easy. It may not be for everyone. All I can say is experiment and have fun with it.