Back Home Day 1

Today is the first day I was really able to start my new practices.  Breakfast was difficult because my groceries hadn't been delivered yet, but once they did arrive, the healthy food gates were opened!  My first task was to make lunch for myself and Joe.  I made chicken salad with a tablespoon of low fat mayo and a tablespoon of plain greek yogurt, canned free range chicken, and purple grapes.  I put that onto a slice of wonderfully thick local 10 grain bread, avocado, and tomato slices.  (Joe asked for two slices of bread to make it an actual sandwich.  I ate it open faced.)  Then we also had a mixed spring green and spinach salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette.  I think I probably stared at Joe too intently while he took his few bites, but he smiled and said it was delicious.  Success!  Oh, and I really liked it too.  :0)

About an hour after lunch, my Amazon and Zappos orders arrived!  I got my FT4 Polar monitor, my fitball and pump, my Pilates moves book, and my new workout shoes.  Add these to the Easter Basket that Joe gave me yesterday that had 5 pound weights and a mat (along with a DVD, apples, oranges, and bubbles!) and I am all set to go!

Since I didn't get a project from my freelance job today and Joe had the day off from work, we decided to go for hike.  Joe has been talking about a trail at Red Rocks for years, but I have always been too scared to go because I knew it was hilly and a higher altitude.  But today I was ready for it.  I put together a snack for us, Green Mountain Truffles.  I mixed natural peanut butter with powdered milk, brown rice crispies, and dark chocolate chips and brought two apples for us to eat with the truffle mix.  I then put on my new kicks and polar monitor and drove up into the foothills.

First of all, it was beautiful out at Red Rocks.  Joe knew exactly which parking lot to be in for the trail and so we got out of the car and I lead us in some pre-hike stretches.  When ready, I told my polar monitor to start and the hike began with some walking up hill.  And just like that, I was in my Target Heart Rate! Below are some pictures from the hike.

I know...I look cool.

Joe!

A deer!

When the hike ended, I needed sometime to cool down and bring my heart rate back down, so we did some slow walking around the parking lot and then we did our stretches again.  My heart rate monitor said that we moved for 55 minutes and I was in THR for 42 minutes.  Perfect!  I am supposed to stay within 45 minutes at THR because after 45 minutes my body (and everyone's) stops burning fat and starts burning muscle. (Think about a marathon runner's body.)  But to be honest, the BEST part of the hike was that Joe could tell a difference in my endurance.  He said that he thought I would have needed to stop a lot sooner than I did.  And when I stopped, it was because my heart rate monitor was telling me that I was going above my THR, so I needed to slow down to get it back within my range.  It felt so awesome to get that praise from Joe and to enjoy this hike with him.  I can't wait to explore so many more locations!  (Oh, and we both enjoyed our GM Truffles in the car after the hike.  Yummy.)

We are now back home and I am about to make some chili and gluten free corn muffins and salad for dinner.  Also, right now Joe and I are watching the "Hungry for Change" documentary because I am excited for him to learn more about what I learned at GM.  I should mention that this morning I also watched a documentary on You Tube called, "Genetic Roulette: The Gamble of Our Lives".  My dad recommended it for me and it too was eye opening.  It discusses GMOs (Genetically Mutated Organisms) and how GMOs became legal in US foods in 1996.  Since 1996, there has been a surprising rise in infertility, diabetes, autism, inflammatory diseases, allergies, etc.  It really strengthened my desire to eat organic foods now.  For more information on how to stay away from GMOs, check out this link: http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Genetically-Modified-Foods 

Okay, time to make dinner!

Headed Home!

It feels strange to be out in the real world! I made it to Boston yesterday and got to hang out for a short while with my cute sister, Ellie. I experienced my first two eating out challenges for lunch and dinner and I think it went well. I ordered extra veggies to keep my meals balanced, while still ordering what I wanted. I paid close attention to my hunger queues and left delicious food on the plate both times with no guilt. I did, however, have an encounter where I was forced to ask, "Is this really fruit? How long ago was it real fruit?" All in all I feel good about my choices and then I let the meals go.

This morning I write this post while sitting at my gate ready to board my flight to Denver. Luckily one of Ellie's roommates had some natural peanut butter so I was able bring my breakfast. I stopped and got a black unsweetened iced tea from Starbucks...oh how I've missed you, Starbucks Tea!

When I get to Denver I am going to head to Whole Foods so I will be prepared for my meals today and tomorrow my local, organic groceries will be delivered! Still feel quite positive! Happy Easter Everyone!

This photo is of myself, Tanya, and Karen.

Friday, March 29th

I'm done with classes!  I am one sleep and one breakfast away from leaving Green Mountain.  I cannot believe the journey I have been on here in Vermont and I am thankful to say that it has brilliantly exceeded my expectations.  This morning began with me getting my weight and measurements taken.  Since my new way of thinking has taught me not to focus on the scale, I will just tell you the part I am most excited about and that is that I have lost 3" around my middle in 4 weeks and 2" around my hips.  It's very encouraging and I look forward to more results as I continue on this new path.

After breakfast, I went to my final Total Body Strength class and I felt like it was a little tougher than my previous classes.  I think LynnAnn wanted to make sure we feel it when we get home so we don't forget.

After that, I went to my room and packed up my items...and I have a lot!  I was able to get two of my suitcases into my roommate's car so we will be ready to hit the road tomorrow.  She will be driving me to Deerfield, MA where we will meet Ellie who will then take me back to West Newton.  I will get to spend the night with Ellie and then I will fly home to Joe on Sunday morning.

The only other class I took today was the infamous 'Sustain the Change' class.  It is infamous for it's ability to make people cry.  I, surprisingly, had no problem whipping out a few tears, but they weren't sad tears, they were happy tears.  I teared up when I was talking about how I was feeling going home after four weeks.  I talked about how freeing these teachings have been for me.  Knowing now that food has no power over me and that I have the power is so liberating.  I am excited to practice my new ways and I am thankful that Joe is on board with me.  He is as excited about starting these new practices as I am and that means the world to me.  I am so thankful for his support as well as the support of all of my family and friends.  I've always known my support system was strong and unique and every time I am reminded of it, it fills me with comfort and joy.  So thank you to all of you who have voiced your support and followed my journey.  Tomorrow, I will change my tag line from "My Month in Green Mountain" to something that embodies my next step of going home and living my life in a new way and I will continue to blog, so check back often!

Friday's Schedule

7:45 AM - My leaving assessment: I will be weighed and measured to see the comparisons from when I began my journey.  I will then ignore my inner thoughts about said weigh in because I am more than a number on the scale.  They will also test my endurance, balance, and flexibility like they did at the start.

8:00 AM - Breakfast

9:00 AM - Total Body Strength

10:30 AM - I'm not sure if I'll go to Nia or not...I'll likely just pack.

Noon - Lunch

1:00 PM - Class on creating a Soul Collage

3:30 PM - Snack

4:15 PM - Sustaining the Change

6:00 PM - Dinner

And then I will be done with all classes!

Thursday, March 28th

This morning began after breakfast with a class called, "Feeding the Seven Hungers".  We discussed the seven ways we 'feel' hunger and whether or not they are really telling us if we are hungry or not.

1. Eyes - Seeing foods often make us think we are hungry.  (i.e. passing a cupcake shop for me!)
2. Nose - Smells can trigger a feeling of hunger
3. Mouth - Can water when you see certain foods
4. Stomach - This is a location that we should trust when it tells us it is hungry
5. Cellular - Another location we need to learn to trust.  (i.e. think of when you crave foods you don't normally crave as markers from our body telling us we need certain nutrients)
6. Mind - This is the one we wrestle with the most, but can never fill with food.  (Just meditate on that for a moment....)
7. Heart - Another thing we can't fill or please with food.  Often if we are feeling hunger in our heart it has nothing to do with food.  We asked our hearts today what we were truly hungry for and my answer was Joe.  I miss him terribly.

Another thing that came up in this class was that another participate mentioned that she was feeling really stressed being in her second week of the program.  That got me thinking and I raised my hand and explained my week reflections with her.  I said that the first week for me was so exciting and enlightening.  It brought me that hope that I often get when I am about to start a new diet.  The second week made me doubt myself and recall all of my past failures as I tried to practice the program.  (I have failed in the past, I will fail at this. What will I do when I fail again?  How can I possibly endure more failure?)  The third week I really drew into myself and ruminated on what I had learned and was currently practicing.  And now my fourth week, I have come to realize that this 'program' is not a diet.  It is not a 'program'.  It is an invitation to move back into my body.  The leader Barbara pointed out that we are on a path and we will stray from that path often but it is quite simple to hop back on the path.  I have also used this week to make my plans for going home.  My body and mind have been living on a natural/real, balanced foods plan for 4 weeks now...it's created a new habit.  I am noticing my hunger now.  I notice when I am full (do I still overeat at some meals?  Yes, but I am in training. At least I notice it now.).  I have taken back my power from the chocolate chip cookie because guess what, I have given myself permission to have it at ANY TIME for the REST OF MY LIFE!  So liberating!  I am thankful I have taken this entire month to fully go through the process.  I couldn't possibly have come to these conclusions if I only stayed a week.

I went to my final (sad face) aquatics class today and enjoyed it as usual.  For lunch we had Dangerous Dave's Fried Chicken!  It was awesome!  (Dave is the chef.)  It was in little chicken tender pieces (my fav) and not exactly fried, but amazing.  We also had gluten-free corn bread, which was also awesome.

After lunch, I went to a class called, "Befriending the Body, Befriending the Mind".  The discussion topic was grace.  What that means to us and how we can bring grace into our lives.  The instructors, Barbara and Elisa, had made reflection/affirmation cards a while back and they have been printed professionally with quotes and black and white images.  They displayed them around the room and asked us to find one that spoke to us about grace.  I chose one with what looks like a public water fountain and it says,

Imagine your body

surrounded & supported

by water.

Invite the water to move you.

Move the water.

Be moved by the water.

Today, bring your

awareness to the way you

flow through life.

After we chose our card, they asked us to free write about the card on the topic of grace.  Here is what I wrote:

This card speaks to me of grace

because of the feeling of peace I get

when I am swimming in a calm pool or lake.

The world is quiet around me

and I can float softly.

I feel my arms and legs and fingers 

move through the pressure of the water.

I am aware of my body

and the movements I make.

My muscles relax

and I can float on the surface with ease.

When I swim with the water,

I feel strong

and it raises my spirit.

After class, I went to my room and finished the fifth and final thing I had on my to do list this week.  I created my "This Month Belongs to Me!" cards that I posted a little earlier today.  I also did some laundry and will probably start packing tonight!  The end is nigh.

This Month Belongs to Me

One of the goals I wanted to accomplish before I leave Green Mountain was to put together my "This Month Belongs to Me!" cards.  I have learned so much here that it is impossible to retain it all and focus on everything every day.  So I decided to create one card for each day of the month that has one affirmation or GM teaching for me to focus on at a time.  When I get home, these will be printed, attached to colorful note cards, decorated, and laminated.  Each morning I will pick up the card, display it prominently in my home, and repeat it to myself at least three times.  I then plan to add the message on the card to my iPhone's calendar with an alarm setting to go off 3-5 times throughout the day. By the end of the day, I want to be reciting the cards in my sleep.  Darla taught us that it takes 300 repetitions to change our neuropathways.  So perhaps after a few months, some of these phrases or practices will become a part of me, replacing my negative self talk and diet mentality.  Below are my days...feel free to steal this if you are looking for a little inspiration in your life!

Day 1

I do this for me and no one can take it away.

Day 2

Today, think of where my food came from. 

Is it ‘real’?  Processed? 

How is it nourishing me?

Day 3

My body is a reflection of my mind.

Day 4

I have never regretted going for

a walk or swim.

Day 5

Give myself ridiculously small goals today.

Day 6

Do not stop strength training.

Cardio burns fat and makes my heart and lungs healthy.

Stretch until my face falls off!

Day 7

Something is ALWAYS better than nothing.

Day 8

Focus on my hunger today.  What is my hunger level before I eat?

0-10

Day 9

Eat Mindfully

1.    Wait for Hunger

2.    Eat What I Want

3.    Eat Balanced Meals

4.    Get Focused!

Day 10

When looking to make a change, look for the easiest path.

Day 11

I am the only expert on my body’s journey.  Balance and mindfulness are my compass to my Green Mountain me.

Day 12

Nature is smart.

Natural is always better.

Day 13

To separate myself from my feelings, connect to my body through movement or through my senses.

Day 14

Check in with my strength training routine today.  Do I need to up my weight or my reps?  Do I need to add moves?

Am I sticking to my THR when I do cardio?  If not, how can I up my intensity so my workouts work for me?

Day 15

May I be kind.

May I be gentle.

May I be safe.

Day 16

We are only humans; we are not angels.

Day 17

Am I following the plate model for my

lunch and dinner?

Day 18

Practice Thought Stopping

1.    STOP!

2.    It doesn't do me any good to think about this right now.

3.    Visualize my relaxation place.

Day 19

Option Approach to ‘Fun’ Foods

1.    Do I really want it?

2.    How much is reasonable?

3.    Eat it mindfully!

4.    Let it GO!

Day 20

Feeling anxious or stressed?  Do my healthy rebel behavior!

Day 21

I decide when I am enough.

Day 22

Pay attention to my feelings and hunger.  Attention is the most basic form of love.

Day 23

Every moment is a choice and my next one can be a good one.

Day 24

Pay attention today to when my food loses its taste or appeal and stop eating.

Day 25

I am open to the possibility that I can love myself regardless of my weight the same way my loved ones can love me at any

size or weight.

Day 26

Am I being a chaotic eater today?  Am I having diet mentality thoughts today?

That’s your old way of thinking!

Day 27

Nourish myself through movement.

Day 28

How I talk to myself effects how I feel and what I do.

Day 29

It doesn't matter if I can’t yet move to body positivity and love.  It only matters that I move away from self-hate and criticism.

Day 30

Give myself enough space to connect to myself.

Day 31

Give myself permission to weigh in today.

I am more than a number on the scale.

How do I feel aside from that number? Strong? Happy? Healthy?

Accepting of my body?

Thursday's Schedule

8:00 AM - Breakfast

9:00 AM - Mindful Eating: Feeding the 7 Hungers

10:30 AM - Aquatics

Noon - Lunch

1:00 PM - Befriending the Body, Befriending the Mind

Freetime

6:00 PM - Dinner