In a way this journey feels like it has been going on for a long time, but in other ways it feels like it has just begun.  I suppose it’s a little bit of both.  I have, and JD has, battled with weight since adolescence, however, our true success’ are just now beginning.  With the support of Alyssa we have opened the door to a balanced healthy diet.  Pete has provided us with the lense to change our viewpoint on eating, exercise, and weight loss.  Finally Mamavation has provided us with a dose of reality in that we aren’t the only families struggling to find balance in regards to our health.  I think food will always be a challenge for both of us.  Our guest this past Monday night on Mamavation TV, however, gave me a new way to look at it.  Instead of feeling like a failure for eating certain things, take note and pride in the things you pass up.  This thought process has worked wonders for JD.  Do you know how many times he talked about getting a soda and thought better of it.  He’s now giving himself a huge pat on the back for his success’.

This journey will continue and I can’t wait to see where it takes us.  In January we will run our first 5K, probably our last, but one thing crossed off the bucket list.  Now I’m determined to write it all down and take pride in the accomplishments we make each day.

This week was victorious. I finally got the key to success in my battle against fast food was to make realize that… Wait for it… I FEEL HORRIBLE when I eat it. I feel so much better keeping up with my steps and making my food at home. My home life and my work are also improving. Quite the turn around. Started at 205 down to 198 and no stopping anytime soon.   -JD

Weekly Weight Loss: Kelly: .4 lbs.  & JD: 1.2 lbs

Total Campaign 10 Weight Loss: JD 7 lbs. & Kelly 8.4 lbs.

Total Weight Loss: Kelly 14.6 lbs.

Thank You to our sponsors for this campaign:

EASPORTSActive and Omron Fitness.  Each one is playing a huge roll in our goal to get active and healthy.

Also a Huge Thank you to all the Coaches: Leah @BookieBoo, Alysa @InspiredRD, Pete @PeteCohen_, and Drill Sergeant Alarik @gruntstyle.

Is it really week 6 already?  And not just week 6, the end of week 6.  Life has been so busy and I’m glad these past 6 weeks have been here to teach us that we can accomplish our goal.  Next week is final weigh in, which means pictures and measurements.  I am so excited to see how far we’ve come. I know for sure my clothes are fitting much better.

I’ve learned so much about myself.  I’m a planner, this I knew, I kind of get anxious with spontaneity.  Funny thing is when it came to eating I did the farthest thing from planning.  Kind of fly by the seat of your pants.   When my son was young I made homemade baby food and his meals were planned out, however, mom and dad often grabbed something quick and we rarely planned a home cooked meal.  Not only did it lead to some stress and weight, but inevitably it took a toll on our pocket book.  Buying day to day and eating out takes it’s toll.  Lots of food was wasted including mass amounts of fruits and veggies.  You’d be surprised that by planning out our meals we rarely have any wasted food.  We buy within our cooking means.

Next, I learned remembered, that I love walking.  I really do like to be outside and doing it with my son is so much fun!  Can I just say again how much I LOVE our new jogging stroller, thanks Kathi.

I’m looking forward to winter break, because all excuses will be taken away.  I won’t have the hectic schedule that keeps me away from home during days and nights.  I will have someone home to keep me accountable for my exercise and eating habits.
-JD

Weekly Weight Loss: Kelly: 1.2 lbs. & JD: .8 lbs

Total Campaign 10 Weight Loss: JD 5.8 lbs. & Kelly 8 lbs.

Total Weight Loss: Kelly 14.2 lbs.

Thank You to our sponsors for this campaign:

EASPORTSActive and Omron Fitness.  Each one is playing a huge roll in our goal to get active and healthy.

Also a Huge Thank you to all the Coaches: Leah @BookieBoo, Alysa @InspiredRD, Pete @PeteCohen_, and Drill Sergeant Alarik @gruntstyle.

I’m going to let my hubby go first this week as his feelings will help shed light on a little bit of what I’ve been feeling and going through this week.

This week was what I am going to call a work in progress. I am slipping into some old habits. Spontaneous eating, sitting when I could be doing chores or creative endeavors, and a negative attitude.
The last two days I began to get out with my son more for walks and really focused hard on creating meaningful classroom experiences for my students. It’s all about replacing food with social experiences and realizing that not only will I be healthier physically, but also mentally.
-JD

Let’s start with the positive and how things have been going this week for me.  I have been getting my steps in easily everyday this past week.  I’ve figured out some easy and quick fixes to squeeze extra steps in I talk about on the vlog.  Not to mention with the exception of maybe one day this week my DS and I have gone for a long stroll around the neighborhood and to the park, sometimes dad and even Grandma joined us.

While I didn’t show any weight loss this week I honestly wasn’t stressing about it because I know that number was tricking me.  Earlier in the week I was weighing in much lower.  I’m pretty sure the finger can be pointed at some stomach issues I just so happened to be experiencing Saturday and Sunday all day.  Relief has set in and I’m happy to say I’m at least back down to where I was last week, but shhh… you have to wait for the actual number until Monday night.

Lastly, I get a little emotional this time of the month, you know…  Anyhow some of the, well, bad habits JD was discussing really hit me hard. I was feeling a little bit glum last night and thankfully I’m happy to report no Emo eating.  I recognized what was going on and didn’t fall into my pattern.  All is well today and we are moving forward. Wish him and me luck.  If you have a moment reach out to the Mamavation men too on Twitter and Facebook.  I think they need to know the support is there for them to and everyone is anxious to see them be successful as well.  It’s also nice to say hey, your accountable too!

Weekly Weight Loss: Kelly: 1.6 lbs. gain & JD: .8 lbs

Total Campaign 10 Weight Loss: JD 5 lbs. & Kelly 6.8 lbs.

Total Weight Loss: Kelly 13 lbs.

Thank You to our sponsors for this campaign:

EASPORTSActive and Omron Fitness.  Each one is playing a huge roll in our goal to get active and healthy.

Also a Huge Thank you to all the Coaches: Leah @BookieBoo, Alysa @InspiredRD, Pete @PeteCohen_, and Drill Sergeant Alarik @gruntstyle.

It’s Wednesday night as JD sneaks in to come snatch my son off me to put him to bed.   The last couple weeks he has been quite clingy and refuses anyone, but me to put him to bed.  I don’t blame him, with the late hours and early mornings that have filled the past 2 weeks I feel like I have only seen him a couple hours durning the week.  Makes me sad, but I know winter and Thanksgiving break are soon on their way.  Tonight was supposed to be date night, but I passed out and thankfully when I awoke remembered I had my Mamavation post due.  Thankful that I started it early in the week.

Despite my busy schedule I have managed to stick to my meal plan and exercise.  This feels like a huge accomplishment, and for that alone I am thankful for this opportunity.  Building these habits now means when someone isn’t watching anymore I will already have practiced the new healthy way and long forgotten, we can hope, the lazy habits.  I am inching closer to my goal of 15 lbs. this campaign.  With just 3 weeks left I have a little over 2 pounds to lose each week.

Alysa@InspiredRD has provided me with new ways to eat and I’m actually really enjoying it.  I won’t lie I was a bit worried about the Meal Plans.  Wasn’t sure which kind of crazy things she’d throw at me.  Nothing on the plan I didn’t like.  In fact now that we are creating our meal plans on our own, they look quite similar to hers.  Pete @PeteCohen_, has reminded me of some very helpful ways to work through the cravings.  Drink water when you feel hungry and wait it out.  Sometimes hunger is really thirst.  My favorite though is self-talk.  I’ve said it before, but it has really helped me and JD to make it through some tough times with food and even exercise (I shaved 6 minutes off my 1 mile time by setting mini-goals throughout my path). Drill Sergeant Alarik@gruntstyle has made working out, dare I say, fun.  He has so many new ways to combine strength and cardio using little or no equipment. Daniel’s even thrown in some EA Active (II)too.

Weekly Weight Loss: Kelly: 1.8 lbs. & JD: 1.4 lbs. gain

Total Campaign 10 Weight Loss: JD 2.8 lbs. & Kelly 6.8 lbs.

Total Weight Loss: Kelly 13 lbs.

This week has been a little tougher for me. I blame it squarely on my state of mind revolving around Fall, my birthday, and Halloween. To me, this time of year represents letting go and celebration. I need to find a way to separate this from over eating. I have done a bit of brainstorming this week and found that if I keep myself busy with creative work it takes my mind off of thinking of social eating situations to put myself into. Stay tuned for an update next week to see how I get back on track. -JD

Thank You to our sponsors for this campaign:

EASPORTSActive and Omron Fitness.  Each one is playing a huge roll in our goal to get active and healthy.

Also a Huge Thank you to all the Coaches: Leah @BookieBoo, Alysa @InspiredRD, Pete @PeteCohen_, and Drill Sergeant Alarik @gruntstyle.

Looks like all the Mamavation Moms this week were met with the challenges of life. This week was good with a mild bump in the road.  We know as moms life will happen.  Sometimes we have to give-up things in our day.  Monday it was my steps and exercise.  I knew there would be a consequence, but I was willing to accept them as mentally and physically my body was done for the day.  I am committed to making it up though.  My goal was to spread the 4,000 steps throughout the week and I crushed that in one day.  Walks are becoming the thing I look forward to when I get home.  It’s meaningful time spent out together as a family.  My son and I took a nice walk/jog to the park for a picnic.  The weather is getting so beautiful here now.  We shared an apple snack on the way home.

My third week of Mamavaton is going smoothly and along with the weight I am shedding, I am finding myself more motivated to reduce other unwanted parts of my life. I am trying to diligently pursue an exercise schedule and study regiment that will make my life easier and allow me to spend more of my time with my family. I see this  not only as the ideal time to achieve physical health but also mental and emotional clarity as well. -JD

Weekly Weight Loss: Kelly: 0 lbs. & JD: 2 lbs.

Total Campaign 10 Weight Loss: JD 2.2 lbs. & Kelly 5 lbs.

Total Weight Loss: Kelly 11.2 lbs.

This week I realized I am strong, I am emotionally and physically strong.  I’m making time everyday and getting my steps in easily this week. Most days I’m done by 6/7.  Thanks to Shelley @momma_oz and my Mamavation Sista’s Megan @NcCarterFamily & Megan @mnmspecial for your support this week.  Kimberly and Shannon too, but mostly my hubby @jddenton and mother-in-law and Fit Friend @oneday_time for always having an ear to listen.  We had a lot of fun too this week with the EASPORTSActive workouts.

Thank You to our sponsors for this campaign:

EASPORTSActive and Omron Fitness.  Each one is playing a huge roll in our goal to get active and healthy.

Also a Huge Thank you to all the Coaches: Leah @BookieBoo, Alysa @InspiredRD, Pete @PeteCohen_, and Drill Sergeant Alarik @gruntstyle.

This week has been a true test.  We are back on our normally scheduled program and it has been a real awakening call.  Monday to Thursday I work outside of the home, Friday I work from home.  Both days add up to a lot of time sitting.  Sitting as  I drive 250+ miles a day to school, behind the computer and desk planning, and finally sitting while I teach. This equals a whole lot of non-activity.  Most days I have time to go for a walk as a family, while other days I leave early (6am) and get home late (as late as 7pm).  This has been a challenge, but the Mamavation sisterhood has been really good at helping me with ideas to get my steps in.

Struggling on the days I’m in the car a lot to not snack. I’m figuring out ways to curb those cravings. I’m not hungry, but my brain is telling me I am. As JD points out below I’m trying self-talk to get through the cravings. Drinking water and doing something until the craving passes has been working also. (Thanks Pete for these recommendations.)

Weekly Weight Loss: Kelly: 1.6 Pounds & JD: 2.2 Pounds

Total Campaign 10 Weight Loss: Kelly: 5 Pounds

Total Weight Loss: 11.2 Pounds

Week 2 of Mamavation is going great. I’m going to show another marked reduction in weight this Monday and I am so motivated to keep going… But that’s what I said when I lost 50 lbs in high school (I got down to 156 lbs)… And that’s also what I said a year ago when I got down to 179 lbs. I really feel this time is different. I love that Kelly is sharing a number of new ways to psychologically fight over eating. We spoke today about self talk. Whenever we are tempted we have been saying out loud, to ourselves, “No, I do not need to eat that or want to eat that.” I feel myself getting stronger and making smarter choices. -Dad (a.k.a. JD)

Thank You to our sponsors for this campaign:

EASPORTSActive and Omron Fitness.  Each one is playing a huge roll in our goal to get active and healthy.

Also a Huge Thank you to all the Coaches: Leah @BookieBoo, Alysa @InspiredRD, Pete @PeteCohen_, and Drill Sergeant Alarik @gruntstyle.