Sixth Bandiversary!

Want to hear something surprising?  It's 11 p.m. and I only just realized that TODAY is my sixth bandiversary.  I knew it was coming, and it's been on my radar through the fall, but I hadn't realized that today is The Day until just a few minutes ago.

Are you wondering whether I've gotten so used to my band that I just forgot about it?  That's not the case at all.  I still have to eat carefully and take care not to get stuck.  I still get on the scale nearly every day to take stock of how I'm doing.  And, I still work out -- it's actually become a part of my life -- something I did not know would be possible to achieve.

I think about my band one way or another every day, at least a few times.  Sometimes it's to realize that I shouldn't eat too close to bed time because that gives me reflux.  Other times, it's to think that I should be careful about what I order at a restaurant so that I don't get stuck.  More often, it's to be grateful that I've gone from associating guilt and self-loathing with food and how I feel about my body to feeling happy about my appearance and to really enjoying cooking and eating much more than I ever did before.

I am grateful.  So, so, so grateful.  That is a consistent theme in my blog, and that is because it is a consistent theme and feeling in my life.  I am happy much more often than not.  I have a wonderful husband who is the warmest and nicest person I've ever met, and I feel so lucky to have done so much work on myself before I met him that I was ready for this relationship when the time came.  And, as if that wasn't enough already, I just moved to a new job that is a step up in every way meaningful to me.  I am grateful, and I am psyched to see what the future holds. (Don't get me wrong -- my life isn't perfect, and I don't want to give you the impression that it's all smooth sailing for me.  Among other things, I've had some very scary family health issues this year, and have had arguably more than my fair share of stressful things to deal with on many fronts.)

Is a band a magic wand?  Well, no.  But, as I've said before, if the main thing bothering you in your life is your weight and relationship with food ... and you're willing to do the work, it can feel like one.  This has felt like a miracle to me.  I can't understate how grateful I feel to have been able to use this tool and for all the support, friendship and love I've found both through this blog and in my day-to-day life.  Sending all those good feelings back out into the universe, and to each of you reading this post.

Anniversary Trip & The Workout Struggle Continues!

Frites met mayonnaise!  YUM!  I thought the WTF was especially appropriate! :)

 

Hi!  Steve and I had a fantastic time in Amserdam!  We were blessed with gorgeous weather, and since Holland played (and crushed Spain in!!) its first World Cup game while we were there, it felt like everyone was out and about and in a great mood!

 

Getting gear for the World Cup game!

Enjoying beer and bitterballen (er, deep fried croquettes.. where is my WTF sign? LOL) at a canal-side bar!

We did so many different things that I can't recap them all, but we loved visiting the newly renovated Rijksmuseum, the van Gogh museum, and one of the best things we did was to rent bikes and ride along the Amstel River out to a restaurant located about 1 1/2 hours from the city. 

Legit windmill spotted on our bike ride!

 It was such a blast, and we had such a good time together!  So glad I married that guy! :)

On another note, I've been fighting to get back to a good workout schedule.  It's tough during the summer because we're out of town virtually every single weekend, and I really count on the weekends to get in two workouts each week.   I booked an early spin class this morning and was so, so, SOOOO close to just turning off the alarm and sleeping through it.  Fortunately, my annoying cat heard the alarm and decided to meow incessantly to be fed, which made it impossible for me to go back to sleep.

I sat there in bed and made a mental pro/con list, trying to justify going back to sleep.  But when I got to the point -- I'll feel amazing and proud of myself all day vs. I'll feel like a loser for cancelling and wasting $35 -- aggggghhhhhhh.....  there was no choice and I had to get out of bed and get dressed.  Fingers crossed it won't be as much of a struggle on Thursday morning... though I sure do like my sleep! 



Travels, Workouts and Coincidences

Steve and I decided to take a trip to celebrate our one-year anniversary, which is just around the corner!  At first, I was thinking Paris, but decided that we should go to Amsterdam.  I lived in Holland for a number of years when I was a kid, and Steve has never been.  It's a beautiful place, and also a great opportunity for Steve to meet my (honorary) aunt and uncle, who live there, are wonderful, and who were not able to make the trip over for our wedding!  Really looking forward to it!

The trip has motivated me to get more serious about getting back to the gym.  I am in a challenge with Steve to work out every day until our trip, and so far, I've hit four days out of four!  I can't tell you when the last time was that I got four workouts in in a week.  It feels good, and I know it's just a matter of time until my body starts tightening back up   While the scale still shows me at goal, my abs are more rolly-polly than I'd prefer after about six months of minimal gym time due to my back/neck/shoulder injury.

And, on to the coincidences!  I was walking out of a building on Sunday, and someone came after me calling my name.  I saw a girl who looked so familiar to me, but I couldn't place her name or how I knew her!  Lo and behold, it was MLM!  Some of you will remember her from her blog, and others will remember that she sent me a huge box of clothing that I was able to give away on her behalf at BOOBS in Chicago in 2010!  We'd never met in person, but recognized one another from our blogs and finally got to meet!  What a nice coincidence!  By the way, she looks great and has kept off a substantial weight loss.... and had a ring on her finger and a very nice fiance, too!  So nice to see a fellow blogging bandster doing so well!

Baby Got Back Pain

Sooooo.... dumbest injury ever?  In late October, I spent two days walking around town with a friend in boots where one of the rubber soles had popped off (Day 1 it was an accident, Day 2 I did it because they are so comfortable and I already knew I'd have to replace the heel part).  On the end of Day 2, I turned suddenly and ... oops... realized that something weird just happened in my neck/upper back.

The next day, my neck/back were killing me... and while the pain has migrated from spot to spot (right now, it's in my right shoulder and isn't all that bad), I'm STILL not back to 100%.

This has thrown off my really good workout schedule.  For a bit, I knew I shouldn't work out, so I took time off to heal.  For the past few months, I've been going to yoga once a week more often than not, and to Soul Cycle a few times (I'm embarrassed to admit that I've cancelled more than I've gone).  I'm trying to get back in the groove, but I am really struggling to get there.... Which brings me here, to you and my blog -- two incredible things that helped me get on the good path in the first place.

One piece of good news that I'll share with you is that I haven't gained any weight.  I still get on my scale most mornings, and that keeps me on the right path.  I've had to be a bit more diligent about not making bad food choices, but it hasn't been too hard.  HOWEVER, I'm not as toned as I was six months ago, and that bothers me, especially with summer right around the corner.  Plus, I'm avoiding some more body conscious clothing that I'd otherwise enjoy wearing, and that's a crime against fashion. ;)

I want to get back to a regular 3 times a week (4 if I'm a superstar) workout schedule.  It's been hard to get there because I really rely on the weekends to get in two workouts, but I've been traveling a lot lately (out of town the last three weekends in a row... and I have a week-long trip to Hong Kong coming up later this month).  I really like to work out in a class and I'm no runner, so when I'm traveling, it's harder to get the workouts in. 

I'm hoping that blogging will help me to get back on the right path.... any advice or kicks in the bee-hind would be very welcome!