UNremarkable :-(

My eating habits need some drastic revision!  A little background, in case you are new to RemarKable!:  All of my life I have struggled with body image and weight issues, on and off of various diet and exercise plans, losing weight and gaining it back. I developed high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, depression, and following a hysterectomy for what my OB/GYN thought was cancer (luckily, it wasn't), gained 30 MORE pounds on my already obese body.

In August of 2009, I was on 3 meds for diabetes, 2 for high blood pressure, 1 for high cholesterol and had to keep raising my dose of anti-depressant.  I decided enough was enough, and that I didn't want to live like that, so I signed on to work with a trainer at our local community center.  Through the first year, I had some results, but still missed sessions, did not journal my food consistently, and basically, didn't take it seriously.  During the summer of 2010, I added water aerobics to my exercise plan and started to see more results. I used an app on my phone to journal my food a little more consistently, and actually made it to a few more workouts.

By the following summer, I had lost 40lbs.  This motivated me enough to purchase a BodyBugg, a device which measured my calories burned, and I journaled through their website with much more fidelity.  I added more walking, some slow jogging  and kept working on building strength through my workouts and the Saturday morning "boot camps" I was now attending.  In the spring of 2012, one of my sons had a friend that was encouraging him to participate in Dam to Dam, a 20K held every spring in Des Moines.  When looking for a training plan for him, I decided I could do that too, since I had already completed the first week of training, running in a local 5K.

With my training for this run, additional weight came off, making my total 60lbs. I know some people do that in a matter of months, and it took me 3 years, but I was so pleased that I was finally able to wear smaller sized clothes, and was only on one med for my diabetes and high blood pressure, and was able to wean myself off of the antidepressants, since exercise is a great natural antidepressant.  I trained up to 7 miles, and researched Dam to Dam a little, deciding I wanted to do a smaller distance event first.  I completed the Council Bluffs Half Marathon.  I kept my pace of "jog 4 minutes/walk 1 minute" pretty much throughout the entire event, and finished with a time of around 2:47.  My goal was to finish under 3 hours, so I was pleased.

During this training and finishing up another school year, my grandmother died, my sister-in-law died and I developed tendinitis in my hip, making additional training for Dam to Dam nearly impossible.  I did it anyway, and finished in 2:57, which was enough to add another medal to my collection.  I did not run much the rest of that summer, trying to let the tendinitis heal, and I had gotten used to eating more because of running.  I am also an emotional eater, and with deaths of two people close to me, I turned to food for comfort.  The weight started creeping back on.

I decided I couldn't let that happen, and a group would help me be more accountable, so in January 2013 I created a Facebook page called RemarKable! (RemarK is Kramer spelled backwards--I wasn't trying to say I was remarkable in any way.)  I used it to post monthly challenges and articles about a healthier lifestyle.  I also decided I wanted to get my group exercise certification through AFAA.  I do not have a biology background at all, so I had to study like crazy, but I became a certified group exercise instructor that spring.  I didn't start teaching classes until this past summer, but I am hooked.  I love helping other people add more activity to their day.  I currently teach 3 different classes, each two days a week, in addition to teaching K-3 general music and being K-12 gifted education coordinator.

That brings me up to now, 20 pounds heavier in the past year, still gaining strength, have a fair amount of endurance, but have developed arthritis in my big toe and one knee, and I'm just eating TOO MUCH FOOD!  I still journal consistently, but the numbers don't add up, and I tend to really overeat on the weekends.  That is where I hope blogging can come to my rescue.  I am hoping by sharing my struggles, I will reflect more on my habits that need changed, and in turn, make some positive changes.

Most posts won't be this long, and I don't expect to have a large audience for my ramblings.  I am mainly doing this for me, but comments are encouraged and maybe we can support each other.  Have a healthy day!

June 2013 Crunch & Jumping Jack Challenge

Crunch & Jumping Jack Challenge		June 2013
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 20 Crunches 25 Jumping Jacks 2 REST 3 25 Crunches 50 Jumping Jacks 4 30 Crunches 60 Jumping Jacks 5 REST 6 40 Crunches 80 Jumping Jacks 7 45 Crunches 90 Jumping Jacks 8 50 Crunches 100 Jumping Jacks 9 REST 10 60 Crunches 120 Jumping Jacks 11 70 Crunches 130 Jumping Jacks 12 REST 13 80 Crunches 160 Jumping Jacks 14 90 Crunches 180 Jumping Jacks 15 95 Crunches 190 Jumping Jacks 16 REST 17 100 Crunches 200 Jumping Jacks 18 105 Crunches 210 Jumping Jacks 19 REST 20 110 Crunches 220 Jumping Jacks 21 115 Crunches 230 Jumping Jacks 22 120 Crunches 240 Jumping Jacks 23 REST 24 125 Crunches 250 Jumping Jacks 25 130 Crunches 260 Jumping Jacks 26 135 Crunches 270 Jumping Jacks 27 140 Crunches 280 Jumping Jacks 28 145 Crunches 290 Jumping Jacks 29 150 Crunches 300 Jumping Jacks 30 YOU DID IT!  WAY TO GO!

FabABruary Version 2

FabABruary Challenge 2013