For Japan With Love...

Have you seen my little girl???

She's all grown up.  

Gone are her cute chubby cheeks and her peach fuzz hair.  

Her squeaky voice and little "bob" haircut.  

My little girl will be turning twelve this month.

Oh...the tween years!

No longer is she little.

She can look me in the eyes and soon will be taller than me.

She cooks better than me already.

She takes care of her older brother.

She is responsible.

She is caring.

She is no linger a little girl!

She is now a ballerina...a dancer.

She moves with grace.

She twirls and leaps everywhere.

She moves with the music.

She is no longer my little girl...

but a beautiful young lady.

This is my daughter at her first dance competition in Columbus Ohio.

She is in two ballet routines.

This one is called "Stars & Stripes".

She was very excited and nervous before the competition.

She did very well and she took home two awards.

I love to watch her dance...

and I am looking forward to her next competition.

But I no longer look for that little girl on stage...

I see a beautiful daughter growing up!

Keeping it Real...

It's time to get real about....
ughh, I hate to say it, about losing or more like gaining weight.  I have spent the last year and a half in limbo, an exercise coma, denial, procrastinating to myself, all of the above!  And then one day I wake up and say, "what happened to me"?

My story begins a few years back...when my daughter started first grade.  I have all this free time and find myself for once being alone.  I had no idea what to do.  I could only take cleaning and laundry for a couple of hours and then I would call my sister to go shopping.  I hated trying on clothes, nothing fit right.  So one day I realize, I had gained a lot of weight while taking care of my kids.  I was so busy taking care of them that I forget to take care of myself.  I had no idea that not only was I at my heaviest weight, I didn't feel good either.  My blood pressure was dangerously high.  I cried!  Reality stinks!

The next day I joined a weight loss center.  The best choice for me.  I knew I could not do it alone.  I needed to be accountable to someone, other than myself.  I needed a motivator, a supporter and the knowledge.  I had no idea how I got here...so I had no idea how to fix it.

I quickly learned how to eat...and how terrible I had been eating.  I went to the doctor to get my blood pressure under control.  And I also joined my local YMCA.  That was the best decision I made.  I started walking in my neighborhood and slowly started jogging.  Eventually I started to run!  My sister even commented on how she thought she would never see me as a "runner".  Me too!  It was calming and it got me into shape, along with my better eating habits.

In less than a year, I accomplish my goal!  I lost over 25 lbs and I get myself into the best shape I have ever been as an adult.  I say that because I grew up in a gym.  As a former gymnast, I was a beast as a teenager.  I could do more push ups, pull ups and lift more weights than all the boys in my class.  I know this because my gym teacher, who also happened to be the football coach, makes me do this against all his football players.  This does not get me any dates in high school!

I finally start to enjoy myself.  I am at my ideal weight.  I start to enjoy working out and make a lot of gym buddies.  I even enter  a 5k run...every year.  I love shopping for clothes too, because everything fits.  I start to rub off onto my sisters.  They both start running!

So how did I end up here...now????  One day my husband comes home and asks me how I feel about moving back to Ohio.  What???  I have to leave sunny Virginia Beach.  The beach, the great schools, my gym buddies, my sister???  I knew it was the best thing to do but I did not want to go.  I was going kicking and screaming!  And that's pretty much how I left, but more like crying and exhausted.

After a year and a half of trying to sell our house, we finally make it to Ohio.  And within that time, it was really stressful.  I had concentrated on selling my house that I put everything on hold...except for running.  So slowly I put on a few pounds.  But nothing I couldn't get right back off.  That's what I told myself!

Eventually the running stops, the bad eating habits show up, there isn't a YMCA near my home and I start homeschooling.  I once again forget to take care of myself and find myself here....25 lbs heavier!  How does that even happen in 2 years???  I cry!  Reality stinks!

So now I look at myself and this long road I must go down.




I have to lose weight and I have to do it by myself.  I have to take that knowledge I learned when I joined the weight loss center and try to do it on my own.  I have the support of my husband, sisters and friends (hopefully). But my biggest motivator, to be accountable to someone, will not be there.  Other than myself.  I hope it's enough. So my journey begins....





With a single step, right???  And a plan.  I recently found a wonderful blogger and started reading her older posts.  Of course the one about her weight loss journey caught my eye.  I loved all her motivational pictures.  You can read her blog... Farmgirl paints here.  She has a simple "5" plan that I think I'll adopt.

The "5" Plan

5 days a week...sweat a lot!  

5 times a day...eat!

5 meals a day will consist of...

lean protein, veggies, fruit, whole wheat grains and lowfat dairy/eggs.

And I have a sweet tooth, so a zone bar too.

I will also include 8 glasses of water!  

But I think the key to my success must be action!  Just do it.  It's been so long since I've done anything...I need to just move and see where it takes me.  

So here I am...

I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy bloggers and friends, asking them for their support.  ( I had to throw that Notting Hill quote in there).

Now the journey begins!