All's Quiet on the Panty-Less Front

Wow.

I forgot what it was like to get up, get ready, drive to work and then work an eight hour day. I won't lie: At the end of most days, it takes all I can do to get home, scrounge some food together and make it to bed. And that's at 6 PM.

Needless to say my diet and exercise regimens have totally been in the crapper. I forgot how hard all of this was, much less trying to do it and being remotely health at the same time. And since I don't have children, I can't imagine how all of you moms get it done, either.

Thankfully, I have a wonderful husband. He's patient and understanding, and doesn't get mad when I get in the bed- AT 7 PM.

Tomorrow will signal the end of three weeks that I have been working. It's also the end of this marked siesta I have been taking as well. No doubt I feel bad, I have been eating nothing but crap!

I am over the excuses, though. I have made every one of these decisions, and I am living with the consequences. The first step in reclaiming my health is to leave the excuses where they belong- in the past. Life is messy. It's stressful and it's always going to be, for the most part, anyway. I have learned that I have to be able to adapt, and if that means making a bad decision every now and again, then so be it. This doesn't mean that such things should be carte blanche, it simply means that you must position yourself in such a way as these decisions to be very unlikely or even applicable. And how can you do that?

Devise a plan. Live the plan. Stick to the plan. Work the plan.

So what's my plan, you ask?

I am glad you asked!

1. I am going to resume P90X. I have owned that program for over 3 years and I am going to get it done.
2. The crap is done. (the husband and I are venturing to the beach this weekend to visit family. We'll be back in time to make a full shopping trip on Sunday to prep for Monday.
3. Sleep. I am committing to at least 8 hours of sleep nightly. If I have to leave my husband on the couch watching Pawn Stars, then that's the way that proverbial cookie will go down.

Sounds like a lot and a little all rolled into one. It is a lot, but it's doable. First steps are the hardest, but the end result will be worth all or the little bumps in the road.
For now, grab those granny panties, hoist them up the flag pole and let them fly proudly. You are not what you wear, but somehow you will always be what you eat.
Til next time,

Brandi:)

Techno Tuesday: Yep, There's An App For That

 

(Disclaimer: The reviewer of this product was not compensated or provided with any products by the manufacturer of this product. All opinions are submitted as such and have not been swayed by any such provision.)

 

As most everyone is aware, this blog has a dedicated focus of health and fitness. Henceforth, I am pronouncing Tuesdays as "Techno Tuesday"! This will feature an app or some type of gadget like wizardry that can enhance your journey.

I have found that I rely VERY heavily on my smart phone. If I were to lose it, I would be lost (seriously, it has GPS on it!!! lol). There are so many apps out there, so how do you tell what's what?

Ditching The Granny Panties (DTGP) to the rescue!

One of my most difficult struggles is most often the weekly shopping trip.

I have adopted the “perimeter” strategy of grocery shopping, as advocated by most health and fitness professionals. (This essentially gives you the fruits & vegetables, meats, and dairy. )Let's be realistic. There are still staples and other items (if you have kids or a sweet tooth!) that you will have to breach the perimeter to secure. So what do ya do?

Enter the app Fooducate. 

These Images are from an Iphone. Sorry Android users, it's what I got!

 

By simply scanning the barcode of an item, you can gain a wealth of knowledge about the particular item, including an actual letter grade. You can also find out what's in the product (and what those pesky ingredients mean) and debunk or support those claims of health.

Use Your Camera Phone to scan the Barcode of the product.

You can search by category or by scanning the particular item with your cell phone camera. Some other features are that you can see the product highlights and lowlights, compare this particular item with other items and even select healthier alternatives (my favorite option!).

It is very enlightening. You think some things are super healthy because they are labelled "organic" or "low fat", but despite these claims there is sometimes worse stuff lurking within a product than you realize. For example, a few weeks ago, I went to Whole Foods and I found some Organic pop tarts there. I was delighted to find them, until I scanned them into Fooducate. Turns out that they were worse than the sugar laden, preservative riddled variety we had bought prior to our move towards clean eating.  So it turns out, it’s a pretty informative tool.

If you are slowly making changes (that's awesome), you can use this to find healthier alternatives for things you already eat. Now, some of the options may not be that much better, but better is better! This will definitely help you to make better choices and to be mindful of the food you are eating!

THINGS TO KNOW

WHERE:        This can be found in both the ITUNES and Android markets.

COST:           It’s free. There is a paid version available that does not have the  ads,         but as far as functionality is concerned, it’s not worth the extra $$$.

Ease of Use: If you can take a picture, you can use this app (Even if you can't, you can manually enter in the barcode for the same results!

Other Features:                                Standard Facebook and Pinterest sharing available.

THE BOTTOM LINE:         Get it. Try it. See if it doesn’t make a difference in your nutrition. It will only work if you heed its recommendations. If you still opt to buy junk, this app won’t help you.

For More Information on this product, visit www.fooducate.com.

Well, that's it for this first edition of Techno Tuesday. What would you like to see reviewed? Email me at ditchingthegrannypanties@gmail.com, tweet me at @DTGPForever, or visit me at www.facebook.com/nomorepants1978.

Until Next Time, keep on keepin on!

From Start to Finish

Yesterday, I entered my first official 5K. I didn't run the whole way, but I ran more than I have maybe ever.

For this race, I was totally unprepared. I am ashamed to admit, but I did not properly train or really workout for almost a month. I am not proud of that, but I am being honest.

My diet has also been trash as of late. We have been travelling a bit, and I have been using that as an excuse.

Had I been fueling my body properly and doing what I needed to do, I could have run even farther.

So how did I make it through?

I will be honest, every step I made yesterday morning from getting out of bed at 6 AM to crossing the starting line to finishing was nothing but sheer willpower. My body wasn't ready for that and it was a battle every literal step of the way. 

I passed some churches and buildings and I even thought to myself, what if I could go and hide behind one, wait about and hour and call my husband to come and ger me. When I came across the EMS truck, it tool all I had not to throw myself on it and fake some injury (Please note, if you are truly injured, you should always seek medical attention). 

Yes. These thoughts entered my mind. Yes. I entertained them, but there was something there driving me. You see, I made a commitment to myself to change my life, my health. And even though lately I have managed to fall off the wagon, there was still that goal there and it was more realistic than ever. If I could do as well as I did with the lack of training and improper body fuel, what could I do if I was doing what I needed to do?

The answer: the impossible.

And that my friends is the journey. I am going to see where it takes me. Wanna come?

Motivating Monday: May 14, 2012: Making Habits Stick

Hi Everyone!

Happy Monday to ya!

I have decided to kick off each week with a motivational piece. I'd like to call it Motivating Monday, because if you are anything like me, you need a swift kick in the girdle right about now. Speaking of starting (and more importantly keeping up with) a new habit,today I want to talk about Habits. (Love the segue?) I'd like to focus on what happens once you make the change in habits, maintaining them.

With any lifestyle change, there is always the fear in the back of one's mind (or at least I have felt this way) in which certain questions begin to surface. Questions like 

• How long will this last?
• How long can I keep this up?
• Why should I even do this? It's never gonna last.

Changing your lifestyle to the improvement of your overall health and well-being is a very important step. It is too important to start this battle without the proper tools in this arsenal. And if you have ever tried to change anything in your life, you know that it is a battle.

So you have started working out, and/or you have started making changes to your diet, but you haven't committed fully, as you don't want to start anything that you won't see through. What can you do to make these newly formed changes stick?

Here are a couple of ideas. See how these hit you:

1.  Establish Importance: Why are you making this change? Are you doing this for yourself? Or are you doing this for someone else? If you are not doing this ultimately for yourself, chances are, you won't stick with it for the long haul. Ultimately, you must have your own conscious buy-in for any new changes to become a long-term way of life.
2.  Do It For A Month: Got 30 days? Experts say that 30 days of consistent behavior is all that is needed to see a real change in habits. Does 30 days seem too much to reach for?
   

MWF Seeking Motivation...

Ugh.
That's the best thing I can say about the past few weeks. Ugh.
There has been too much life in my life lately. Throw in some good old fashioned familial drama along with the depressing day-to-day job search, it's enough to make anyone want to crawl under a rock.
And then today happens. I get up right after my husband leaves, seeking to get back at it and conquer the Dam. My hopes are dashed as quickly as I open the curtains and see the downpour. No dam today. Dam it! (I couldn't resist!)

So here I sit, just about to dive into a fresh Kale salad (got a recipe from my friend Meghan and I will post later), only to be back at the Blah.

I've spent a good part of the day looking at Facebook posts of other inspirational people that are out there getting it done. I am quite certain that they have had days or weeks or maybe even years of days like this, and yet they still went out there and they still did it.

Makes me feel a bit pathetic actually. I sit and think of every reason why I shouldn't:

• Not sure where to start. I want to slim down, but I want to develop lean muscle....
• I need to stop flip flopping around on my routine. I need to pick something and stick with it...
• I could go on and on, but I won't...

There are a million reasons why I can't, and they hold up about as good as a spaghetti noodle in a pasta dish- not very well.

It's in these moments that I have to stop myself... and the persistent whining... and say- GET UP OFF OF YOUR BUTT!!! YOU HAVE A GREAT LIFE AND YOU DESERVE TO BE HEALTHY AND FIT!

That's really all that seems to ever work for me. Just being honest and acknowledging for the umpteenth time that if I don't do this for me, no one else will. That's the truth.

So I am back on the wagon. I am gonna get something done today. And I will tell you all about it tomorrow.

If First You Fail...

Wow.

I amaze myself. I pledge that I am going to be a better and more consistent blogger, then I wait almost a whole year before I continue.

A lot has changed in my life since last I posted.

In November, I got married. Yes. You read that right. I married my best friend and we have been married for almost 6 months!

My Husband Tom & I on our Wedding Day 11/11/2011

Things were moving along at a great pace and then March came. Just as the fiscal year end approached at my company, I was told that my position was no longer needed.

So where does that leave me? Unemployed and dealing.

Prior to this event, however, my husband and I had committed to ditching as much processed food as possible. I firmly subscribe to the ideology "GIGO" or "garbage in, garbage out".

We have been doing very well. Each week, I go to the local Flea market and buy fresh fruits and veggies. The amount of processed food we eat has gone down considerably.

My other focus has naturally shifted to getting more active. I really want to run. I have been walking about 10 miles a week on average. I have participated in my first walk. I feel like I am getting somewhere.

This is ultimately an update, but also it is re-purposing of this blog. I still want to ditch the granny panties, but that is fast becoming more of a figurative notion, than literal. I am caring less about fitting into smaller panties, but more about pursuing the dreams that I have been short selling myself into not pursuing. And that is perhaps the most important lesson that I could learn.

Keep on Keeping On

It has been a while since I have updated this blog. There is a reason for that.

I have recently decided that I want to go to law school, so between work, full-time school and studying for the LSAT (June 6, TYVM), there hasn't been time for much else.

I started Weight Watchers in the beginning of January. I haven't been religious, but I have definitely made some changes to the way I eat. I figure I have lost 10-15 pounds. I haven't been exercising at all, but that too shall change shortly. I joined a gym yesterday, and tonight should be my first outing.

I am taking this all one day at a time. I am approaching it very nonchalantly, but it is happening. And I will take it.

I will try to be a better steward of the blogosphere and update this more often.

Happy Travels :)