Slug.

I seriously feel like a slug the last five days.  Friday last week I weighed in and had lost 5.4 pounds from the previous week which put me at a total loss currently of 35.4 pounds!  Super awesome!  However, since Saturday after my 6k, I've essentially been off track, not tracking, eating whatever I wanted, steadily absorbing any and all water and sodium I can, and not doing anything beneficial.  I haven't been riding the bike, I haven't gone walking at all since then, I just haven't.  This just happened to me, and I pulled up my big girl panties and got back to it and had an amazing loss!  So why the hell do I keep backsliding to this?  I do have stresses in my life right now, but who doesn't really?  

I keep telling myself that tomorrow, tomorrow I'll get back to it.  Then I make it most of the way through the day, and then it's all over.  I just can't stop.  I seriously need to figure this out.  I was thinking this morning of going on a smoothie diet.  I've been drinking smoothies for breakfast, but I was thinking I should have a smoothie for breakfast, a smoothie for lunch, a late afternoon smoothie, then a big dinner of healthy foods like vegetables and lean meat or fish, and salad.  Then nothing else the rest of the night.  I don't know.  I'm sure someone would think that's a great idea, and others not so much.  

I can tell you one thing:  I am so sick and freaking tired of counting calories, logging everything into my phone, and trying to be "on" all the time.  I'm just bored with it, tired of it, and don't want to do it anymore.  I really need more exercise too.  For a second there I was totally into doing some exercise every day.  I haven't been getting my vitamin injections each week for the past couple weeks ($$$) and I wonder if that has anything to do with it too?

What am I going to do to get back to that point where I was so determined and nothing was going to stop me?  Why does food keep taking my life over?  I feel like my mind and body are out of my control at times when it comes to food...

Kids fundraiser 6k!

Today I did a fundraiser 6k with a friend.  This was my longest event so far.  We got to walk along the river for the entire event, which was awesome.  It was mostly shaded, and we got sweet red capes with our entry fee since they were calling us heroes for the kids we were walking for.  Our number bibs all had a name and age of a kid in our county who was going to benefit from it.  I had a teenager and that was super awesome because that is the age group I especially want to work with someday.

This is me right before I started:

Off we went when the whistle was blown.  I was feeling really good after weighing in yesterday and having lost another 5 pounds.  We were going nice and easy since it was a little farther than I was used to.  Slowly but surely we were in the back.  I know this is because of me...and it super bums me out.  I just can't walk that fast yet.  My right ankle cramps up really bad, no matter how much stretching, and that stupid left foot is constantly aching.  

The 1 mile marker had a picture of a kiddo:

Thankfully it was mostly shaded, as it was set to be a pretty warm day.  Probably the warmest day I've walked an event.  After this first mile, the markers were getting a little generic.  Gotta love sidewalk chalk.

Between mile 2 and mile 3 some sweet person put this motivator:

Oh, I wasn't going to quit.  Even my dear friend after I apologized for being a super whiny bitch, told me that she thought I complained a lot less this time than the previous event, LOL!

Oh mile 3!  I was so happy to see you, knowing I had just over a half mile left was such a good feeling, though I knew my pace this event was terrible compared to past events.  I can't figure out why.  I am constantly losing weight, I'm doing an event each month, riding exercise bike most nights of the week, and even trying to move more in general.  So why is my pace getting longer?

Ah, the finish line!  So glad to see it!

Sorry about the backwards finish picture...The wind blows the flags, 

and this is what I get:

Yep we did it.  My official time on the records is 1 hour, 27 minutes, and 43 seconds. 

We again, encountered some cheaters.  They got 30 feet to the finish line, then chose to not even go through it.  Rude!  Oh well, I know I finished it, and they know they are cheaters...so I can be more proud of myself than them.

Kristine did an amazing job too.  She's a good walking partner!  I'm definitely going to get her to more of these events...I'm already signed up for the next one...

only 7 more events to go!

A Small Celebration!

On Friday I weighed in and have officially hit the 35 pounds lost mark!  I am at 35.4 pounds lost!  I am so excited!  I'm even more inspired to keep up with this journey and get more results!  I've been working hard to keep on my calorie goal, and to get more exercise.  I've been riding the exercise bike, making myself move more on breaks at work, and even when I'm not on the phone at work I'll try to stand more and walk around.  I had also stopped drinking as much water during the day at work and have been making it a point to drink at least two big 32 oz cups of water each day before I go home.  That makes a huge difference too! Also, green smoothies!  Seriously.  Not juicing, making smoothies.  

This last week I was making green smoothies using:

1 cup packed raw baby spinach

1 cup unsweetened Silk Coconut Milk

3/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1 cup frozen mixed berries

1/8 cup ground flax

1 tsp spirulina powder

1 tsp matcha green tea powder

1 generous dash of cinnamon

This next week I'll be trying something a little different.  I'll be using the following ingredients:

1 cup raw kale

1 Premier Nutrition Protein shake (vanilla)

1 cup frozen mixed berries

1/8 cup ground flax

1 tsp spirulina

1 tsp matcha green tea powder

1 generous dash of cinnamon

They should equal about the same calorie wise.  The smoothies I was making last week were 367 calories, filled me up for HOURS (with some coffee and water between that and my lunch), and were so delicious!  I figure these new ones to be somewhere around 300-350 calories, but haven't calculated it yet.

Do you have a green smoothie recipe you enjoy?