Biggest Loser: Determination!

*photo courtesy of NBC.

This week on The Biggest Loser, there was all sorts of drama as usual, but I came away with 2 very important lessons. First of all, Stephanie had a rough week because a few of the others in the house were speculating about her. They questioned whether or not she threw a weigh-in a couple of weeks ago, and it hurt her deeply because she knows she is not that kind of person. I'm sure we all have had people question our character at some point in our lives because of misunderstandings or just plain meanness. If you haven't, it will happen at some point, because we are all human. Stephanie taught me that even when this happens, you have to stay strong as the person you know you are, and keep on being you and moving toward your goals in life. It's going to hurt, but you can't let it affect the way you live. You have to move on and stand tall, because you know who you are, and so does God.

My other lesson came from Melissa, as she came back into the game. Two players got to come back. Victoria was voted in, and the other person would have to win a 1,000 step challenge. Melissa was determined to get back into the game, as everyone should be. She focused on what she had to do, getting ahead of everyone with her steps. She felt pain as time went on just like the others, but she was not going to let it stop her from reaching her goal. She won the challenge, and taught me that you must keep your focus and determination in order to succeed. It was just the extra kick in the butt I needed this week!

I have to add here...how awesome is Wayne, the man who was inspired by Biggest Loser and lost 418 pounds at home? He weighed well over 600 pounds, and he was determined as well to get back to living his life and regaining his health. We can all learn from him...and think about his success as we reach for our own goals!

Motivational Monday...It's Almost Easter!

I am not too happy with Blogger right now, because it won't let me add a picture. I wanted to show you this lady wearing a dress made out of vegetables, and assure you that this is not my Easter dress, but I will be wearing my veggies on the inside!

I lost a whopping .2 pounds this week, but at least it's still a loss. The scale is still moving in the right direction. What it means to me is that I have to change up my workout routine, because I think my body has gotten used to the same old thing. I need more variety to get the best out of me.

My motivational website for today is www.womenshealthmag.com. Women's Health magazine is an incredible source for all aspects of female health...weight loss is included, but there is so much more to our health than that. Please check out all of their great resources.

Holy Week began yesterday with Palm Sunday, so this week is a time of reflection for me, not only on all Jesus has done for me, but on ways I need to honor Him...which include how I should take care of my body. A lot of people make New Year's resolutions, but how about us making Easter our time of renewal, in our faith and our lives? Think about that this week as you prepare for Easter Sunday...which is meant as a fresh start, thanks to God!

Point Me In The Direction Of Albuquerque

Since the snow decided to fall yesterday afternoon here in Ohio, I'm back to the treadmill and dreaming of spring. Lately I've been thinking about spring about a decade ago, when I was able to visit New Mexico. I fell completely in love with the state, taking day trips to Santa Fe and spending the majority of my time in Albuquerque.

People always talk about the lights of Albuquerque, and even write songs about them. Everything I've heard is true, and even the pictures don't do it justice. You really have to witness nighttime there in person to experience it. I remember having dinner at a restaurant above the city and almost being too mesmerized to eat. (Sounds like a good diet plan to me!) I loved everything from the Native American culture to the chiles, both red and green...and don't make me choose a favorite. It all depends what I'm in the mood for!

This was one of those trips when I walked almost everywhere, and ate healthier foods prepared with those wonderful chiles. I'm pretty sure this was the only vacation I ever took where I lost two pounds! I know spicy foods can give metabolism a boost, but so does being in an environment that you love to explore...without even feeling tired from all of the exercise.

It's time to pull out those Southwestern cookbooks I acquired on my trip, and see what I can whip up that's spicy and good for me. I will keep you posted on those recipes, and dream of New Mexico while I work out. And hopefully soon I'll be able to make a return visit!

Biggest Loser: I Deserve To Take Care Of Me!

Last night's Biggest Loser was really interesting to watch, as the ten remaining players all went home for the week to see how they would handle being away from the ranch and back in their old environments. They did pretty well, most likely thanks to a 26.2 mile biking challenge they all had to do in front of the family and friends who watched them at their inital hometown weigh-ins. They still had to deal with temptations from some family members and the hangouts they used to frequent, but they handled those situations with grace...and inspired the people closest to them in the process.

The two people who inspired me the most in this episode are Michael and Lance. Michael had to deal with his grandmother's illness, and was very stressed out about it. He admitted that the old Michael would have eaten his way through the stress, but now he worked it out in the gym instead. He realized that part of the reason for his grandma's health problems was her weight, and the fact that she did not take good care of herself. He doesn't want his family to have to go through the same problems with him.

Lance came back from his visit home in a funk. Bob could tell something was wrong, so he had a talk with Lance. He admitted that after being home for a week, he felt like he was abandoning his family again, and felt awful that he was leaving Melissa to take care of everything while he was still at the ranch. Bob finally got the message through that Lance to take care of himself too, and that in turn would make him a better husband and father.

I'm one of those people who always struggled with making time for me. I've learned that it's worse to let yourself go and just take care of everyone else, because in the long run they will all wind up having to take care of you because you didn't do it for yourself. I now make sure I have time every day to work out, de-stress, and recharge. Because of this, I am becoming a better wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend, writer, etc. Life goes much better when you take care of yourself along with others!

Motivational Monday...Going Forward!

Success on the scale!!! I think I jumped almost as high as the woman in the picture this morning. After last week's gain, I really needed to see the number on the scale go down again. And I did...I lost 2.8 pounds, which puts me at 186.4. I lost what I had gained plus more, and I couldn't be happier.

Several things helped me move forward this past week. The wonderful spring weather meant that I could go outside and walk, along with running my sprints. Fresh air and sunshine can do wonders, and they certainly did for me. I love my treadmill, but there's nothing like exercising outside. The coaching session I had with Laurie was amazing, and I can now visualize even more for my life. (see previous post) Paying better attention to my nutrition and a lot of prayer also moved me forward to a better frame of mind and spirit, which in turn is doing wonders for my body!

Starting this week, I'm going to pick a motivational website for you to check out. Cool Running has so much great information, including a Couch to 5K Running Plan. If you've never run before, this is the site for you. And even if you have, there is extensive info for runners of all levels. Please visit them at www.coolrunning.com.

I KNOW this week is going to be amazing...and I hope it is for all of you as well! :o)

Visualization...Finding Your Inner Strength and Peace

Last night I experienced something really special. It moved me forward in ways that I never could have imagined, and I am so glad I did it.

My friend Laurie is a Life and Wellness Coach. She deals with the bodily aspects such as exercise and healthy eating, but she also does so much more. She helps you delve deep inside yourself to your heart, mind, and soul...in order to discover what's been holding you back not only in weight loss, but also in all areas of your life. It is vital that we figure out what's been weighing us down so we don't repeat the pattern anymore.

When I signed up for the visualization session, I was already excited. I think I already knew it was going to be life-changing. I was right. Just an hour on the phone with Laurie made a major difference in how I see my life. I was already on my way to being stronger and more courageous on my journey, but now I can see even more clearly the things about myself and my life that I needed to know.

I won't go through the whole process with you, because you really have to experience it for yourself. Each person will come away with his or her own unique, individual experience and revelations about life. What I will tell you is that I felt a huge weight lifted off of me and more positive than ever. When I got up this morning, I said my prayers to God and then re-visualized what I saw last night during the call. I started the day feeling a new energy and ready to make the most of this day.

If you would like to find out more about this experience, please go to Laurie Runyan's website www.innerthinnerpeacecoaching.com where you can schedule your own session and find out more about what Laurie does. She is passionate about helping people live their best lives!

Cabin Fever...Be Gone!!!

It is SO nice to be able to go outside and enjoy this nice weather! Spring may not come for a couple of days yet on the calendar, but we definitely have great weather here in Northeast Ohio. Mother Nature is being very nice to us, and I couldn't be happier. (Hopefully she doesn't "treat" us to one of those April snowstorms!)

I was starting to have a really bad case of cabin fever for a while. It snowed like crazy in February, and the beginning of March was still pretty chilly. The treadmill was getting boring, and even though I have other workouts to mix things up, I craved walks outdoors. No sunshine made for a grumpier me at times. I had to crank up the Jimmy Buffett and Kenny Chesney to lift my mood and make me think of warmer weather. The music also helped me think about swimsuit season coming up!

I love that I can take long walks again outside, and run those sprints up and down the hill in our backyard. Soon I will be playing tennis again, and I really can't wait for that. The racquets are ready, and so am I. Bring on spring...full speed ahead!