tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39047238513314855232024-02-19T17:38:29.967-08:00Rants, Raves and Antics from a Fat-so to a Fit-soAshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-4875847753757328982015-01-07T12:18:00.002-08:002015-01-07T12:18:58.319-08:00Plan to succeedI'm three days in people (<i>and I really should take before pics... I know how much people love to talk about me posting my daaaamn pictures</i>). Three days in to eating completely clean, except for the protein shake that I have after I work out or during lunch when I didn't plan ahead to bring something (but knew it best to sit in my office and not venture towards a drive-thru... plus it's like -580 out). No more lattes or stops to Dunkin Donuts. At least, not in the past three days. I have substituted green tea for coffee. While there may be no comparison in caffeine, I think it's just the habit of having a different drink besides that abundance of water I drink. No headaches, not so moody (no more so than any other given day ;)). <br />
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My three day success comes from planning ahead. I have been following Ashley Horner's Becoming Extraordinary workout plan, as well as her 30 day "Becoming Extraordinary In the Kitchen" clean eating plan. (*More information can be found here: <a href="https://getdpd.com/cart/hoplink/14927?referrer=54genrfagfsww4wc8" target="_blank">Ashley Horner</a>).<br />
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I have it all written out; meal-to-meal, workout to workout... and I also keep a training journal. I carry all three of them with me wherever I go:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOlSUEVRCmyJn-_P7vTuEuCAztK14LrXduunT7_HZTHw8X1R1URNz8hXH8a0i3CyOrQ9HoGOlfaxJ1NNGFblmd4vt1ZwKPdvGGXonZTlie2qB3-KDaeR9OaK0dojGccCoe_oXMNZ4_zA/s1600/motivation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOlSUEVRCmyJn-_P7vTuEuCAztK14LrXduunT7_HZTHw8X1R1URNz8hXH8a0i3CyOrQ9HoGOlfaxJ1NNGFblmd4vt1ZwKPdvGGXonZTlie2qB3-KDaeR9OaK0dojGccCoe_oXMNZ4_zA/s1600/motivation.jpg" /></a></div>
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I drove an hour away to get that red journal because they were all sold out or back-ordered online. It's not *<i>just</i>* a journal. It is blank dated, but has a lot of information surrounding running, motivation, goal setting, etc. within it. I like it. <br />
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The other aspect of my three-day success rate (besides planning)... is actually GOING and DOING. I have been going to the gym during my lunch hour. I can't go before work... children. I can't go after work... children. So, I have to go DURING work and thankfully I have the opportunity to escape for an hour. I don't get my workout completely done, but I utilize what I need to at the gym and do the rest at home... (or the majority of the rest, like last night.. I didn't do three exercises out of the 14 that were left... I needed assistance and didn't wanna bug the BF for help). <br />
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I work around everyone else's schedule to make mine work work (<i>I think that's the definition of a good mom</i>)... I plan ahead. Like today, I knew that I would not be able to finish the workout at home after work (we have a basketball game to go to)... so, I made it a rest day and will do it tomorrow instead. <br />
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There are no excuses this time. It's either I do it.. or I don't. Period.<br />
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I either plan to succeed... or I don't. <br />
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Which are you gonna do? You have a choice.. and if you start coming up with excuses, let's chat about them.AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-50370934064671946052015-01-04T08:59:00.001-08:002015-01-04T08:59:48.183-08:00It's been awhile they say... Why yes, it has! I think the last time I posted was me announcing that I was planning to the Marine Corps Marathon. Maybe some of my followers thought I died during training, because I sure know that at times I felt like I was going to.<br />
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But, unfortunately to my haters... I didn't.<br />
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I survived. I crossed the finished line. I cried. But I can say that in 2014 I became a marathoner. I think about 1% of the entire population completes a marathon. *Bam* This girl did it. <br />
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I sure had my doubts, a lot of them. But I learned a lot:<br />
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* if you have a plan, you are more than likely to follow it<br />
* if you post about your plan for others to see, you will be held accountable<br />
* if you invite others to join you on said plan, you will be held accountable<br />
* Saturday mornings were meant for long runs. Really, really long runs.<br />
* alcohol isn't the only thing that makes your filter go away. I know I had a few unfiltered, heart to hearts (with tears) during my long runs! ;)<br />
* it takes a strong level of commitment and motivation. Every Saturday from June-October was spent running, A lot.<br />
* create long runs with lots of hills. They will make you cry and swear and contemplate your sanity.. but they WILL help you with endurance and stamina.<br />
* to keep running after the marathon is completed. I have yet to commit to this, but that's part of the reason for this blog post... to create more goals, announce my plans and to be held more accountable. :)<br />
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I truly learned a lot about myself as well:<br />
* I am capable<br />
* I am strong<br />
* If I set my mind to it, create a plan, I can do it<br />
* Take one day a time, don't look too far ahead<br />
* Fuel your body appropriately. It IS a machine and that machine will run (literally) as it's supposed to with the correct nutrients.<br />
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I mostly learned that: I AM A MARATHONER. PERIOD.<br />
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Will I run another marathon has been the question that many ask. Answer: *honestly* I do not know. Probably. There's a time to beat, my time.. as I am only in competition with myself. But in the mean time my goal is to get stronger, lean out and fuel my body with clean, healthy meals. I really want to concentrate on my body and soul this year. <br />
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Training for the marathon was stressful. It was time consuming, physically and mentally. It's really all I thought and talked about. Was the stress worth it? YES! Having that Marine put that medal around my neck was what all of the sweat and tears were about.. there was probably some blood along the way... Actually, I didn't trip or fall at all, surprisingly. <br />
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This year I plan to lift heavy and eat clean... and live in the moment. I also plan on giving more to others. Starting in June and going through August I will be facilitating two group training runs in my hometown. The training runs will get a couch-ridden individual to completing a 5k or 10k in August, in conjunction with a race that is on the schedule. Contact me if you wanna join! It's completely free. :)<br />
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Happy 2015.<br />
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Derived from the "Believe. Training Journal" by Pro Runners:<br />
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"Setting goals gives your life meaning. The feeling of setting a goal, working hard, and then achieving it is the best." - <i>Sarah Jamieson, Olympian and Commonwealth Games Silver Medalist</i><br />
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Set some goals for 2015. Answer the following questions and write your responses down:<br />
* What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?<br />
* Where do your aspirations come from?<br />
* What stands in the way of your goals?<br />
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If you join my training program this summer be ready to learn a lot about yourself! <3AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-1505832525845555402014-08-16T14:38:00.001-07:002014-08-16T14:38:58.636-07:00ResultsYou hit the gym faithfully (or you don't). You sign up for every class that the gym offers (or you don't). You run mile after mile, after mile (...or you don't). You lift until your muscles are spent (OR YOU DON'T). Even if you do ALL of that... or not, you may not be seeing results. Why?<br />
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Why are you not losing body fat? FAT. Fat. F. A. T.<br />
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Why are my muscles not growing?<br />
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Well. What are you feeding them? Yes... FEEDING them. You fed the fat for so long... why not rethink the science of our machines and evaluate what you are giving your muscles to grow on. <br />
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The answer is simple. <br />
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Food.<br />
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Do you have annnnny idea how many grams of fat, carbs and protein you are consuming PER day? Per week? NOT CALORIES. DO NOT COUNT CALORIES. SERIOUSSSSOULY. UGGGH...<br />
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Did you know that there are 3 macronutrients that have EVERYTHING to do with your body composition? <br />
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If you need help to get that scale to budge (haaate that so many rely on this, myself included)... those jeans to loosen up or for that nice little definition between the bicep and tricep.. well.. let me challenge you.<br />
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I dare you to be honest with yourself. Completely honest. Log your food for 7 whole days. Log the FAT, CARB and PROTEIN of every ounce that goes into your pie hole. All food, drinks, vitamins, tastes of brownie batter, etc... all of it.<br />
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At the end of the week review what went in. Were you eating too many carbs? Too much fat? Too little protein.<br />
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I think you will be surprised.<br />
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There's something that I want to try to obtain MY results.. which may not work for you. It's called If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM); google it. It asks you to weigh every single gram of fat, protein and carbs that go into your body. All of it. It depends on if you wanna bulk, cut, lose fat, etc.. for what your numbers are to be.<br />
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But I do know that when I plugged my numbers in, my expected intake was far HIGHER than what I was doing. I have always despised the 1200 calorie rule to lose weight, it just doesn't work. I knew that I needed to eat 1 gram of protein per day per body pound. And I have been increasing my protein which is why I am seeing results. Now if I were to take on the challenge myself of logging every little detail (and I don't mean into My Fitness Pal).. and looking at the 3 macronutrients needed... I would be pretty surprised.<br />
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Lately, I have been eating what I want, in moderation. I've even added more SALT to my diet because of the long distance running that I have been doing. Yeah, salt. I hate salt. Anyone that knows me knows that I hate salt.<br />
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Anyways..<br />
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I challenge you to lift heavier weights, eat more protein, check out IIFYM just so you have an idea of where you should be at. <br />
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Nothing feels more girlier than going for a wax today, having lunch with the girls, only to come home and lift some iron. Bam.<br />
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Just a few short weeks out from the Marine Corps Marathon (26.2 mi)... 10 to be exact. Yeah. Yikes. My longest run to date has been 15 miles. It. Was. Awful. I didn't start until 10:30 am because I had a goal of making it to Goodyear Lake at 1:00 for a 31 Party. YeaH, I had the genius idea of running from Worcester to Goodyear Lake. At mile 8 I called Jeff and asked him, "what the effff am I doing?!" We chatted a bit and we came to the conclusion that I needed some fresh h20. Mine was warm and was watered down Vitamin Water. I needed something more. So, I kept plugging along until he found me... at mile 11. He asked me if I wanted to come home with him. I thought about it for about 2 minutes and knew that if I went home I was going to have to clean. I told myself I had just a little over a 5k left to do. So, I sucked it up. </div>
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When I got to my destination... I was 14. something. My watch NEEDED to be beep at 15. So I kept running back and forth in front of camp until it beeped. I walked into camp and my sister-in-law said, "Did you just run all of the way here?!" Yes. Yes I did. And it was all worth it at that moment.</div>
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That handsome guy in the picture has been joining me for most of my shorter, weekday runs. Tomorrow we will run 8 together. And then... it only goes up from there; 15, 17, and uppppp.<br />
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I'm hoping that a local will join me in my journey of competing in the 39th Marine Corps Marathon. These long runs are getting super boring and lonely. It would also be nice to travel with someone and split costs (ughghghg money). I haven't decided if I am going to have the children join in on the events or not. I'm thinking it might be TOO much chaos and running around for them. I don't know yet. :-/<br />
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Anyways, I just wanted y'all to know where I'm at and that I haven't thrown the towel in. I actually feel pretty good. I had to take a week off because emotionally I was spent. I also was FAR too sore from a TRX class. Crazy how sometimes we feel overworked and other times we feel on top of the world. Every day is different and so is each workout.<br />
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So, plan for the week, hold onto the day and seize the moment. It's all you've got. <br />
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<br />AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-6839292643945680992014-07-12T09:05:00.001-07:002014-07-12T09:05:46.144-07:00I'm Not Gone, I'm Just Flyin' High && Makin' ChangesYou ain't gettin' rid of me! I know it's been fooorrrreeeevvvvver since I last updated this blog. I think 2 months or so. But I've been buuuuusy. I'm finally acclimated to my new job (which I looove) and am in the process of doing some heavy duty training.<br />
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As far as flyin' high and makin' changes.. see for yourself:<br />
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I JUST (today, 5 min ago) decided to unpack my 2nd tote of summer clothes....<br />
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Yeah, he got BIG and I got SMALL. </div>
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Crazy.</div>
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I mean, my face is half the size it was, LOL. My nose is getting bigger because my face is getting so small. Blows my mind.</div>
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So,what have I been doing for the past two months? A LOT.</div>
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I completed Phase 1 of Ashley Horner's (now Cline, congrats!) Recreating You program (a months worth):</div>
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I then hired a virtual running coach named Laura Peifer. Her blog is: www.mommyrunfast.com.</div>
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I had a REALLY bad 9 mile run back a few weeks ago. I reached out to a number of running coaches and I liked what she had to say. Basically I was treating every run as a race and was not really paying attention to my pace. She mapped out a plan for me knowing what my goals (and secret goals) are for the Marine Corps Marathon in October.</div>
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Since then I have ran another half marathon: </div>
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and Spartan Sprint:<br />
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I shaved time off of my last Spartan Sprint and Half Marathon. Ahh-mazing. </div>
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Basically I have been working and training. </div>
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oh. </div>
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I also turned 30. Yeah, that happened. The boyfriend took me to Ithaca, NY for a short vacation of hiking, running and a little bit of wine tasting. Neither of us really consume alcohol due to training and leading a healthier lifestyle, so that was different. </div>
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It really is weird all of the changes that I have experienced in the past 10 years. Apparently, my 20s were meant for growth, change, tears, heartache, sadness, confusion and ... GROWTH. 10 YEARS ago if you told me I wouldn't be eating at Jack's twice a week, drinking maybe 3 times a month, that I would weigh 40 lbs less, and be training for a marathon... I would have laughed at you... and said, "pshh, yeah, okay, no thanks." </div>
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I wish someone would have told me what I know now. It would have sparred me a few stretch marks (most of my stretch marks came from weight gain due to poor eating habits, little to do with growing two beautiful babies). ...which I guess helped reduce stretch marks while pregnant? err, not. I dunno. I don't care about them. They don't bother me. I can run up a flight of stairs and chase after my kids without dying... do you REALLY think stretch marks phase me?</div>
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Anywho... I'm continuing to make changes, fight my battle with my mind that I can't do this, over-power my anxieties and continue this thing we call Life.</div>
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I can happily report that I love life. Something else I would not have said years ago or even just a few years ago. It took me awhile to find myself. But here I am... and I'm not going anywhere.</div>
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<span id="goog_187523545"></span><span id="goog_187523546"><br /></span>AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-14389017329976383042014-05-01T11:04:00.000-07:002014-05-01T14:51:56.390-07:00Passive-aggressive? Why the hostility?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So it’s been a few weeks since my last blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believe me, I have had plenty to write about ...but each time I reflected on it I realized how passive-aggressive it really was… and is THAT healthy?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I let it go, communicated about it with the other party and carried on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have come to realize that in order to grow or feel content with my life, that is what I need to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I have a problem, I have to talk about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other party may not even be privy to the fact that there IS a problem!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But in all of that self-reflection and processing I have realized that there is a lot of sadness in our society; the belittling of others, the poor boundaries between child/adults, the notion that everyone is entitled to whatever they please… etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could go on and on and it may turn into passive aggressiveness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I won’t do it or at least I’ll try not to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>**Being mindful over here**</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">However, I will relay what I do to cope with all of that… because I COULD eat all my emotions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could destroy my self esteem and feel that I should not be able to walk around my own house in a sports bra, but I won’t do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will continue to flaunt my progress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will continue to show the teenage girls in my house that it doesn’t matter if you have stripes on your belly, a big nose, freckles, etc… you embrace it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t care if you want to throw up or not… well, I do CARE.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do find it hurtful.. and I hate that women/girls have this message about ourselves that we need to hide who and what we are. At the convenience of what?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Protecting someone else from having a negative opinion about us??<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Women are beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Men are beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are all human.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really don’t understand the meanness, really I don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get, clinically speaking, where it stems from.. but I won’t go there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am going to be “social worker not working” on that one for the time being.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyways, lesson learned.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You having a negative opinion about me… is YOUR problem, not mine.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am who I am and I fought to get here.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And not to be cocky or anything, because I am extremely insecure, but I am starting to kind of like myself.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There, I said it.. I kinda like me.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And if you don’t like me, while I do find it hurtful because you probably don’t really KNOW me… it’s really not my problem.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">:)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So in my coping and getting to like myself I have realized that my competition is only in my mirror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I AM MY OWN COMPETITION.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I would love to look like Ashley Horner (Google her… ), I am not ever going to BE her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have many similar qualities and aspirations, but at the end of the day I am me and she is who she is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I mimic her program and strength training...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After tears are shed and confrontation to be had, I mean communicating, of course. .. I lift my chin, lace up my sneaks and hit pavement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do that a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I run a lot faster and harder then, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So when you see me posting a map with an 8:40 pace, consider me pissed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>;)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But in doing all of that (lacing up my sneaks and being pissed) I have lost a tremendous amount of weight.. not purposeful by any means… it is what it is when doing cardio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, I have seen (yes, I took progress pics again last night.. stay tuned) that I have lost muscle mass and I need to gain that weight back, just making sure it’s muscular. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Therefore, I decided to pick up my strength training habits and took on the Recreating You program by<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ashley Horner (squats after squats after squats after lunges after.. yeah my legs hurt today).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ALL struggle with something when it comes to fitness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of you tell me that I am soooo skinny, I can’t wait to be that skinny.. While I take pride in that,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>please know that I also struggle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am now going to struggle with trying to put muscle on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s all a battle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s especially going to be hard while marathon training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I guess it’s back to eating chicken at 10:00 am!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But I am aware.. and I started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Day one took three hours because of parenting!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>LOL<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, I started my workout at just after 6 and didn’t end until 9:20 or so.. and it really wasn’t that long, but there were constant interruptions and life goes on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get that!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I don’t make excuses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if you hear me making on or see me posting something, call me out on it please.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>PLEASE.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">ORG Represent!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But all in all, the marathon training is going fairly well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really don’t start my actual training until June.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the mean time I am training for a half (Race the Lake in Cooperstown)… and doing 5ks and what not in between.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trying to increase my time and not run so heavy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even WALK heavy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really need to correct that…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thank you ALL for your support and donations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I secured a bib in just one short week because of you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still need to pay for it, but I will get there eventually!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But keep the donations coming and support the cause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a good one:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://hfotmcm14.kintera.org/ashleywarren"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">http://hfotmcm14.kintera.org/ashleywarren</span></a></div>
AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-27427719133058897912014-03-29T11:09:00.000-07:002014-03-29T11:09:09.236-07:00The harder the challenge, the greater the triumphSo true. There's something to be said about completing a challenge and that feeling of "I did it." <br />
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I will have to keep telling myself this as I train for the 2014 Marine Corps Marathon (26.2 miles)! Yes.. I decided to take on the challenge of training and running for the MCM in October. I have decided to raise money through a charity called "Homes for Our Troops." It's an organization that builds specially adapted homes for our severely injured veterans. I chose this particular charity because I have been working with a number of homeless (not injured, but homeless) veterans since beginning at OFO. It deeply saddens me to see anyone homeless, but to see a veteran.. one of our own, young or old, struggling is even more disheartening. We have conversations about the duty that they have fulfilled for our country and how as a country we fail them. Therefore, I've wanted to bring awareness around this and raise money for a charity closely related. I cannot even fathom the struggles of injured, physically injured, veterans. If you would like to read more about the charity and to support my efforts here is a link to do so: <a href="http://hfotmcm14.kintera.org/ashleywarren">http://hfotmcm14.kintera.org/ashleywarren</a><br />
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I thank all of you that have supported and encouraged me thus far. I know that finances are a struggle for many... oh I know this all too well, but please consider any amount. A little goes a long way. I am more than half way to my goal already!<br />
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So, with that being said. I officially started training today. My goal was to complete my task at hand within an hour and I told the girls to call 911 if 2 hours had passed. My goal was to run a "country block." For those of you that know where I live you're probably thinking... okay, "where?" Yeah, I made a left out of my driveway... with my bonehead of a dog that's never ran with a human before. Over an hour later we returned. :-p<br />
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It.. Was... Awful... <br />
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First of all.. I haven't ran in months, but that's okay.. I was prepared for that! Secondly, Ruby is a Border Collie/Aussie mix. A herding dog. And that's all she did to me the entire 5 miles was herd me. I take that back. Around mile 4 she got tired... and then she was absolutely perfect. But the first four miles were a workout that I did not anticipate. I knew that she was going to be moronic. But I did not expect her to jump at my feet each time a car came. I really think that she was overly excited and just couldn't wait to see what was next! Going down hill was awful. Trying to hold her back without wanting to kill her was a workout in itself. Of course going uphill she wanted to stay behind me at that point... so almost dragging her or at least having a taut rope the entire time. See:<br />
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She's a bright dog... and needs some work. JW is to run with her from here on out until she gets a hang of it!</div>
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So, I did just over 5 miles in just over an hour... This is what a country block looks like:</div>
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That orange part in the upper right? That's a hill. A muddy, messy hill. These pictures do not do justice:</div>
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So, any time you wanna run a "country block," let me know. The pace will be significantly faster and there will not be a dog in tow!!!</div>
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There's a lot of training to be done. So, what better motivation than signing up for a few races. My tenative race schedule is as follows:</div>
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April - Cider Mill 5k -- haven't registered</div>
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May - Base Race 10k -- haven't registered</div>
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June - Spartan Sprint</div>
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June - Race the Lake 13.8 (http://www.clarksportscenter.com/events/race-the-lake/) -- haven't reigstered</div>
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July - Boilermaker 15k</div>
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Aug - Camp Chingachgook Challenge 1/2 Marathon (http://www.areep.com/events/acc/) -- haven't registered</div>
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Sept - Ragnar Adirondacks -- haven't registered</div>
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Oct - MARINE CORPS MARATHON</div>
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Please feel to join me on any of them! You can even sign up for your own charity bib for the MCM if you wanna take part in that! Really, you can!!</div>
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I thought that this would be the year for me to do so because I will be turning <span style="font-size: xx-small;">30 </span>in July. My BFF Kimmy will be running the Boilermaker with JW and I. I cannot wait! :) I'm so excited for that one. But I figured, I'm turning 30, I have Saturday mornings free... I can do long runs then and run for about a half hour on my lunch breaks... so, it should be ooookay-ish. We will see... and I'll be blogging about it along the way! I really need to get registering for these races though. It's so costly.. and catching up on 8 months of ... hell?... is going to take awhile. :) If only I could have sponsors... or if races could be free. But, I truly and thoroughly understand the costs of them. People ask me, "You pay to run in races..." Yeah, I do. I never take the opportunity to explain why... but many races are raising money for charities, organizations and to bring awareness to a cause. I guess it's the social worker within me... I dunno!</div>
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So, if you ever wanna hit pavement on a Saturday morning, let me know. I am following a schedule until June and then a different one after that to train for the full marathon. I'm willing to share that with you if you want to train for the Race the Lake 13.8 with me!! :) It's local to my home. It's a long Cooperstown lake and will be a challenge in itself, but so entirely beautiful. I am thankful that I heard about it... it's the first annual race and to be able to say "I've raced that one since the first year" will be a great thing to brag about years to come! So, what do you think?</div>
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<br />AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-28763268860934582762014-03-20T11:05:00.000-07:002014-03-20T11:22:39.907-07:00One Size Fits All.cal•o•rie <div>noun \ˈka-lə-rē, ˈkal-rē\ : a unit of heat used to indicate the amount of energy that foods will produce in the human body </div><div><br></div><div>Now, I know that this blog may upset some people and feel targeted to a few others, but that is not my intention whatsoever. I just want to raise awareness, spark your own curiosity and for you to ask questions. </div><div><br></div><div>So, in weight loss where does the 1200 calorie number come in? Where did that number come from? As women most of us have heard that we need to eat 1200 calories to either lose weight or to remain skinny. I want to send out a public service announcement that this is soooooo noooooooot truuuuuuuuue for everyone. At all. I really don’t even know where to begin, so I am going to speak from my own experience!! Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist, just a nerdy social worker that has struggled with her own weight loss and was most recently described as “an info-mercial.” </div><div><br></div><div>Therefore, I just want to speak to what I know, but it may not be true for all. </div><div><br></div><div>With that being said, eating 1200 calories is not true for all. Have you done this sort of calorie restriction?! We pretty much ALL have, to only gain back what we lost and probably some more! Do you know WHY this happens?! Because you are STARVING your body. You may not feel like you’re starving, physically speaking.. but you may be experiencing other physical and mental symptoms… </div><div><br></div><div>So, when you starve, you obviously shed fed… your body needs those calories, to produce energy for the body (calories). When you starve yourself of calories, it needs to be taken from some place. </div><div><br></div><div>Therefore, yes.. you will drop weight and probably rather quickly if you restrict calories to this extreme. BUT, as sooooon as you feed your face your body is going to store that food. And it’s going to store that food as fat. Don’t believe me? Google it. </div><div><br></div><div>So, my experience. I was informed by a professional that I needed to be at a 1200 calorie diet. Okay. I didn’t question it, but looking back I want to know where this number comes from. So, being the nerdy social worker, non-nutritionist that I am… I googled it. </div><div><br></div><div>And there’s no real answer; other than it’s the number between keeping our body energized and being in starvation mode. Simple. </div><div><br></div><div>Back to my experience… I stuck to this 1200 calorie diet and did well, weight loss speaking. I was tired, unmotivated, cranky, had headaches, etc. Who doesn’t have those symptoms with two young children? I lost weight and I lost it quickly. At the same time as starving myself I was doing an abundance of cardio… burning MORE calories. Burning more energy. It caught up with me, quickly.. and I gained it back, not all, but some. Enough. Enough for me to say “enough is enough” and start over. I didn’t restrict my diet though. I did research, surprise! I started lifting and doing less “cardio-only” work; with my weight training was a portion of cardio with it. </div><div><br></div><div>Today, I couldn’t tell you how many calories I eat. But I can tell you that I am officially down 38.3 lbs from when I first started entering my weight into MyFitnessPal (March 2012). I LOVED that app and I swore by it, because it worked at first. I only use it now to track my weight and I will never ever count calories again. </div><div><br></div><div>Since this summer I have collected every fitness magazine there is for women. But I only use them for the workouts (ideas) and recipes (ideas). And in each of them are articles on how to burn calories the fastest; it’s what we are looking for and CONDITIONED to look for. Think about it, how did you originally learn that 1200 was the number? Even myfitnesspal encourages that number. I would much rather you speak to a number of professionals, they all have their opinions, as to the number that’s most appropriate for you. And it’s interesting, because myfitnesspal vs. fitbit, vs. whateverotherappgadget will all tell you differing numbers. Look it up. </div><div><br></div><div>But in my boyfriend’s magazines or in lifting books it doesn’t mention calorie restriction or burning calories. </div><div><br></div><div>Therefore, like with most of the media, I am soooo annoyed with the misinformation fed to us by the media about how to be fit, what weight loss is, what fitness is, what works., etc. All of these quick fad-diets, pills, energy drinks, drops, shakes, etc…. It’s soooo frustrating to me. When people ask me my “secret,” what I do, what I did…. I say, eat a lot. And I do. I eat every 2 hours. Literally. </div><div><br></div><div>Nothing like warming up chicken breast in your office at 10 am in the morning and being asked how much chicken I can possibly eat in one day. I guarantee you it’s more than 1200 calories worth (well, not all chicken, but brown rice and bell peppers with it!).</div><div><br></div><div>I just want women to see that we do not need to skip meals, restrict our diets, be miserable…etc. Look into eating unprocessed foods, natural, organic, lean meats..etc… That’s not to say I don’t eat “junk.” Panera has my name all of it. Every morning. With it’s caramel latte. </div><div><br></div><div>We NEED calories. We need energy for our body. Our body is a machine and we need to fuel it. If we don’t, it stops working, it gets ill, we’re more receptive to getting illnesses (physical and mental) when we are starving. </div><div><br></div><div>The best advice I can give to anyone.. and for those that have asked me already know the answer that I give… don’t starve yourself. You want to lose inches, eat more and lift heavy, do cardio.. but don’t starve yourself. </div><div><br></div><div>I’m not saying I eat a HIGH calorie diet, I don’t even know.. what so ever. I portion control. I eat lean meats. I eat lots of veggies… and I also did my research around a different scientific method of weight loss/muscle gain called “If It Fits Your Macros.” For some, it’s too much.. but I took the underlying message and went with it. We need high protein and we still need fat and carbs. I’m not going to go there, unless you want me to.. in that case, hire me as a life coach, lol. Seriously. I won’t mind doing the work for you to show you what you need to be eating, even creating a meal plan for you. I can give you an idea of what I eat on a daily basis and what’s worked for me. </div><div><br></div><div>The bottom line is the fact that our bodies are machines and they need to be fueled appropriately. We wouldn’t put kerosene in our gas running cars, so don’t put shit into your body that doesn’t belong and will only make it spit and sputter….</div><div><br></div><div> and most importantly, don’t restrict it. We wouldn’t expect to get to a destination in our car across the country on a quarter tank of gas…. </div><div><br></div><div>Just a tid bit of info that I found in my research, that makes most sense to ME:</div><div> Find your activity level below (“And Your Number Is...”). Multiply your weight by the number indicated. (You may fall between two categories. If that's the case, adjust the number by adding a point or so.) The result is the number of calories you need to maintain your weight. Let's say you weigh 135 pounds and do light exercise one to three days a week. Multiply 135 by 13.5 to get, approximately, 1,800 calories. If you want to drop some pounds, try cutting out 250 calories a day. In a year, if you make no other changes, you could be 26 pounds lighter. Exercise more and you could lose more, too. </div><div><br></div><div>And Your Number Is… </div><div><br></div><div>You exercise: Almost never </div><div>Multiply your current weight by: 12 </div><div><br></div><div>You exercise: Lightly, one to three days a week </div><div>Multiply your current weight by: 13.5 </div><div><br></div><div>You exercise: Moderately, three to five days a week </div><div>Multiply your current weight by: 15.5 </div><div><br></div><div>You exercise: Vigorously, six to seven days a week </div><div>Multiply your current weight by: 17 </div><div><br></div><div>You exercise: Vigorously, daily, and you have a physical job </div><div>Multiply your current weight by: 19 </div><div><br></div><div>Our mindsets need to change… really. When you getting ideas to “lose weight” you really should be looking up FAT LOSS…there’s a difference. I keep trying to inform people how bad the scale is.. I hate the scale for defining success. Our scales may not budge because we are gaining muscle pounds, but losing fat pounds. We need to pay mooooooore attention to the non-scale victories… Have any questions about that, refer to my blog post entitled “Numbers.” We let numbers define us too much, to the point of using a number to define our eating habits. </div>AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-63474604838975114032014-02-25T15:54:00.001-08:002014-02-25T15:54:26.654-08:00A Little Motivational Interviewing... Spoken Like a Social Worker<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“It may be that the freedom to eat whatever you want, whenever you want, is so important to you that you’re willing to put up with the consequences no matter how severe.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So, I was reading “Motivational Interviewing: Preparing People for Change” in attempt to get me to feel more comfortable in giving a speech in less than two weeks. And in doing so, I read that quote and it struck my fancy. This was my reality for a very long time after graduating high school (eeek…12 years ago). I wanted to change the way in which my weight was increasing, my body was changing, my mood was worsening, self-esteem going down, etc. However, I guess it was more important to me to be able to eat what I wanted, when I wanted, how I wanted, etc., versus doing anything else. I tried fad diets for a day or two or three… I went to HealthLinks and spent way too much money to run on a treadmill only to quit a short time later.. I did it all. And none of it worked. UNTIIIIIILLLL, something within ME changed. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I guess I just had enough.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">That happens a lot. I’ve had enough of something and I realize I need a change. We’ve all been there through m any different examples. I guess that’s where the saying “enough is enough” comes from and we deliberately create change.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So, how do we do that? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Come to the Health and Fitness Expo in a week and a half and find out! ;) (<a href="x-apple-data-detectors://0" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0">March 8</a><sup><a href="x-apple-data-detectors://0" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0">th</a></sup>, Holiday Inn, Oneonta, NY <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://1" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1">from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm</a>). Just kidding, I’ll give you some insight.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The fact of the matter is that change occurs within our self. You have to want it. And you have to want it bad. It could take years, literally, for this to happen…for you to get the drive that you need. You may have the desire and you may have the motivation… but do you have the confidence?!? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">That’s what was lacking for me. I didn’t have the support, I didn’t have the confidence, etc.. at least, not the right kind of support. I did have someone asking me if I wanted to go to Jack’s for a burger and a beer twice a week; not my thing. I did have someone enabling me to eat out every night; I love going out to eat, but it’s detrimental, I feel, to my well-being. I did have people that thought my diets were good, yet came home with whatever food or beverage and only enabled my weight gain, mood worsening, dilemma (“this one time won’t hurt.”). A big dilemma. Soooo, I created change. I had to learn about ME and what I wanted. Sometimes it was intentional. Other times it felt forced…err, was quite forced. Yet, I couldn’t dwell on that. I had to dwell on moving forward, to creating change, to having the drive to get out of whatever situation, mess, dilemma, etc., that I was in.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So, do you have what it takes?? Do you really want it? How bad? Are you confident? How confident? Do you have the support you may or may not need? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA62OVnr4TLgoOyxJuUvaoGTMD8APEV3vDcZSG5NFDGEfRY5DTLHsLvl6Ec2Y9GEs71VjLsMAPqvAQqMp5C4xZXCH5xoMmm5b7N7R2zyLCmu1zy9vQvE15aGtuLZFjYkK-LnOqMaUaN-4/s640/blogger-image-864974539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA62OVnr4TLgoOyxJuUvaoGTMD8APEV3vDcZSG5NFDGEfRY5DTLHsLvl6Ec2Y9GEs71VjLsMAPqvAQqMp5C4xZXCH5xoMmm5b7N7R2zyLCmu1zy9vQvE15aGtuLZFjYkK-LnOqMaUaN-4/s640/blogger-image-864974539.jpg"></a></div><br><p></p>AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-39036992121131342872014-02-15T12:13:00.002-08:002014-02-15T12:13:50.042-08:00Wake Me Up<i><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">"Feeling my way through the darkness</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Guided by a beating heart</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">I can't tell where the journey will end</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">But I know where to start</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">They tell me I'm too young to understand</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">They say I'm caught up in a dream</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Well life will pass me by if I don't open up my eyes</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Well that's fine by me"</span></i><br />
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So I've been sleeping for like a week straight, literally. This sickness has whooped my booty and it feels like I have been in a fog this whole entire time. But that's okay, because a few things happened that may have felt like a dream but are becoming my reality!</div>
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First of all.. I had to go shopping... and this is what happened:</div>
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my butt fell down.</div>
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Looks like somebody needs to be doing some heavy duty (dooty?) squatting with some heavy duty metal! Therefore, I have challenged Jeff and the girls to take on a "Grow a Bigger Booty Challenge" with me. Who the heck eck would have ever thought that I would need to challenge myself to grow a butt, I mean really. From J-Lo in high school to my mama ain't got no back in my almost 30s. I used to picked on my mom saying, "I'd rather have a fat butt, than no butt." I'm sorry mom. This is my karma. Karma takes awhile apparently. Or gravity happened. Whichever. </div>
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But speaking of karma. </div>
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I've had some good karma lately. Remember how I said I was interviewing for a few jobs? Yeah, well I have been offered all of them... to only turn them all down. Then, these nice "cop" type people, (yeah, they exist ;)) put the word out for me for this position that would fit me entirely. Well, I start next week as the Mental Health Therapist for Violence Intervention. It's the perfect job for me; treating victims of crimes and it's the complete opposite from what I am used to. I will enjoy being the go-to person when it comes to having to respond to crises and crimes that arise in the middle of the night or having to go to the hospital because someone was victimized (I say that now...)... So yeah, all of this time has finally paid off.. </div>
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And I know hindsight is 20/20 (especially Jeff's... if you could only bottle that stuff up;))... and I'm sure ALL of this "stuff" was a blessing in disguise.. to be able to be home with the boys and girls, to be able to attend basketball games and make sure that everything was done on time.. to be present during the adjustment phases of becoming a completely blended family. If I was working 40 hours a week, it would have been difficult and chaotic and who knows what else... who really knows. But it's over. OVER. I just wish I had an end date in sight when it all happened. But that's how life works. I just wish it was.. "Wake Me Up When It's All Over." But that's not life.</div>
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Life is a series of moments; good ones, bad ones, happy ones, sad ones, anxious ones, helpless ones, hopeless ones, love-filled/hate-filled, wishing for the next best thing moments... It's hard not to dwell on whatever it is you are feeling. But the reality is to simply be. No need for worry, it doesn't really change anything except your mood and that will bring you down. I knew not to worry and it was easier said than done at times, because of the moments and them catching up to me from time to time. But holding it together, whatever that means, was key... or at least trying to. In the beginning, that was rough... just like with any negative change, especially change that was out of your complete control and entirely blindsiding. Nothing like waking up and having your identity completely taken away from you and having to go sit in your car on Market Street and cry to your boyfriend because "I told you she was like that." Well, I didn't ask for it. But, in the end... I don't ask for much. Just a happy life. And THAT, my friends, I can control.</div>
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<span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">"So wake me up when it's all over</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">When I'm wiser and I'm older</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">All this time I was finding myself</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">And I didn't know I was lost"</span></div>
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So maybe I was lost. Or we all were... </div>
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And this was a higher beings way of taking it out on me to ground all of us.</div>
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To let us know what life truly is... </div>
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what the definition of family means...</div>
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AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-43739057857608709732014-01-31T11:08:00.000-08:002014-01-31T11:08:24.700-08:00OWL Help You, while you've helped meI know it's been a long time coming since I last hit that "publish" button on this page. <br />
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In the mean time I have been developing my own company entitled "O.W.L. Help You: Opportunity, Wellness, Life." Check it out at <a href="http://www.owlhelpyou.org/">www.owlhelpyou.org</a> and on facebook at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/owlhelpyou">www.facebook.com/owlhelpyou</a> (make sure you like it!). Please provide constructive criticism as you see fit... I am totally new to this webpage development, as well as creating my own little "side hustle."<br />
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So what is it that I do with this? I provide Life Coaching, Wellness Coaching and pretty much therapy while I'm at it... since I AM a clinical social worker and all. I just do not accept private insurances for the time being, but that will change eventually. Whatever the issue, I should be able to help. However, if a higher level of care is deemed appropriate I WILL make that referral. :) Thank you all for your support and encouragement thus far. I hope to be able to coach people with running, all while training myself. So many times people complain or use the excuse that they do not want to go to the gym alone or they know no one else, etc... well I'll be able to take that excuse away and go with them. I'm pretty excited about that. :) It will keep me on track and what's more encouraging than providing encouragement for someone else along the way?!<br />
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But since I last hit publish, what else have I been doing? Well, interviewing for various positions trying to find the best fit while awaiting credentialing for private practice (ugh, tedious). Within the past couple of weeks I have received a large influx of opportunities, so we will see where that brings me. It's funny though because as I interview and look at job opportunities my second priority is finding a local gym, hehe.<br />
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I went running once... (I think, since hitting the last publish button). It was a nice, lonely run in the frigid cold... but so awesome. Okay, maybe I've gone twice. I also went to TRX three times, but only went in twice because one of the times I forgot my sneaks... yeah, I KNOW. ONLY ME. <br />
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However, in going to an interview last week I had to obviously dress up and avoid my workout/lounge clothes... ha, that was a joke. I put on my "skinnier" dress pants from this summer to find that I am already swimming in them. A single digit dress pant size and it's big on me. Looks like I will have get a whole new wardrobe when I do begin to attend the professional atmosphere once again. <br />
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See:<br />
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....<br />
and then my mom came up from North Carolina. Don't worry. I went to TRX today at Fit Coalition for the first time. I already popped an Aleve. :-p But I am most certainly going to be sore tomorrow! Or this evening. <br />
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I think it's fascinating how every trainer is so different. It's definitely all about finding one that will work for you. That goes with any relationship in life. You need to find a husband that works for you, with you, not against you. You need a therapist that works for you, with you, not against you. You need a boyfriend that works for you, with you, not against you. You need a Life Coach that works for you, with you, not against you. You need a doctor that works for you, with you, not against you. You need friends that work for you, with you, not against you. I think you get the point.<br />
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The really awesome thing about that?.... yeah, you get to CHOOSE those people. I know that many grapple with the fact that everything in our life is a choice, everything.. from how we think, to how we feel, to what we do next. <br />
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<span id="goog_718432420"></span><span id="goog_718432421">YOU have the power. Sometimes we feel as if we don't. But we do. It's all about taking that first step...</span><br />
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<span id="goog_2114432535"></span><span id="goog_2114432536">I have learned in my short 29.5 years that we get to choose. Even when things are difficult, we still get to choose... just as we get to choose when things are at their all time high. Just move forward, tip toe if you must! (if you want to continue seeing these daily motivators, like facebook.com/owlhelpyou)</span><br />
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My good buddy is now blogging about his own change in his life, as well as how to change, when to change, why we should change or why we shouldn't. If you want to read about that, check out: http://thechadanthony.blogspot.com/<br />
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Some people or maybe all people will not agree with your change or your choice. I have learned that in a very difficult choice that I made in my past. You win some, you lose some... but in the end, you are right where you need to be at that moment. Even in the movie "Planes", Dusty arrives in India and asks something similar to the question, "am I where I am supposed to be?" That is the question to life that we must answer. And only YOU have the CHOICE to CHANGE the outcome.<br />
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<br />AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-6396515330555562692014-01-04T08:19:00.000-08:002014-01-04T08:19:01.429-08:00Two thousand and fourteen.So... my "life" recently has not been all that exciting. It's been a month since I last updated this blog. Which also means it has been a month since I last worked out. I continued doing the tea detox and ate as mindfully as I could without getting my emotions involved. I am down to 141 and maintaining that weight... which I think is around the most healthiest weight for me. I haven't really taken any pictures of myself recently... just head shots... and God knows... we ALL love selfies:<br />
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Begin rant:<br />
I am SO sick of reading about people hating "selfies" and that people that take them are just "oh so self centered." Do what I do... unfollow them. It's not like a post a gazillion of them a day. And if I did... so what... I would just scan over all of them like anything else that doesn't hold my interest. You wanna know what else has deterred me from working out?... reading a comment that showed up on my Facebook wall implying that no ones workout is as HARD or as DIFFICULT as a specific workout that they have experienced and that those working on their fitness have no reason to complain. YA KNOW WHAT... that <strong><em><u>REALLY</u></em></strong> got to me. I haven't worked out since because why should I? Apparently my workouts are not that hard or difficult and I shouldn't say anything about them. I <strong><em><u>SHOULD</u></em></strong> use that as fuel to burn my ass off. But it just really irritates me that there are people that are constantly AND consistently putting down others... at the sake of what?! Themselves, really. I shouldn't let it get to me, but I know it's personal. However, I digress. My workouts are HARD and they are DIFFICULT. If they weren't, I would still be doing them. But they ARE HARD and challenging and difficult... I have lost interest because people are assholes and have to constantly demean others just to get their HEAD a little bigger. <br />
End rant.<br />
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Therefore, I am going to start over and get back on track. Because, I am human. I do fall off the wagon. I do let my emotions get the best of me... and quite frankly, December was awful. I have started pushing people away and am just getting so sick of rejection (for many, many reasons). I know it's all in my head, but that doesn't make it not real to me.<br />
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I am hoping for a more positive 2014. I have started making changes and am only in contact with those that I find most supportive of me. <br />
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In the mean time I have been gathering tools and resources so that I can be the most successful me when I do get back at it. I know you're probably thinking to yourself.. well what are you waiting for?<br />
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Honestly?<br />
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For this negative feeling to subside. I know I have mentioned before that being a social worker defines who I am.. and without that I feel like I am nothing. This credentialing thing is taking far too long and I have started to seek out other avenues for obtaining a paycheck. I am so behind on everything it's not even funny, which has obviously taken a toll on "doing me." How the hell can I concentrate on anything when I don't know how I am going to survive; keep a roof over my head, food on the table, car on the road, etc. I have cut everything back to only the necessities and with Christmas last month, it just took it's toll. I'm hoping the office is ready for me this month because I am ready to get back it. In the mean time, I AM looking elsewhere and elsewhere just isn't cutting it much lately. All while trying to be mindful and live in the moment... which I have gotten VERY good at recently, because there's no point in worrying about paying for something when I ain't got the funds or a money tree. I think it's frozen. And it's not from a lack of trying. <br />
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I've thought about going back to school and starting over, but that doesn't put food on the table or pay the mortgage, I'll just accumulate more debt. Therefore, I have started applying for jobs that "interest" me, even if I don't qualify for them... such as a fitness coach. I'm a quick learner, smart and a goal setter. Tell me what to do and I'll go above and beyond what you expect. I have a significant track record for that. :) <br />
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I want to truly thank those that have reached out and know how much I've lost motivation, my true friends for sending me class passes to my favorite workouts (which I have yet to attend :(), sending me an e-book on meditation and running, giving me shoutouts for being their inspiration, for texting me on the "how to's" and asking for my advice, etc. I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I promise you that I will show you who's boss in 2014, once I find my motivation that I seemed to have left behind in two thousand and thirteen.<br />
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<3<br />
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ooops.. a "selfie". Piss off...<span id="goog_1040647470"></span><span id="goog_1040647471"></span><br />AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-33491432936665824252013-12-04T12:18:00.001-08:002014-03-02T17:07:34.319-08:00Just over here being human and allSo, I had McDonald's last night. GROSS. All out of pure convenience. Time is short with both girls playing basketball, on two different teams in schools forever away. I know, I know. If only I had a 6-pack bag and could carry all of my goodies with me, so we would not have to resort to eating crap. *siiigh.*<br />
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I wish that were the real excuse. The underlying issue and the biggest reality is STRESS. I. Am. So. Stressed. Out. It's not even funny. I thought for sure I would be back to work by now. And by work, I mean at my job where I facilitate mental health therapy, I'm quite busy working at home too, but that's besides the point. I have been out of work going on 6 months now. That's half a year...(not by my choice WHATSOEVER. I should have tallied how many resumes I've sent out and applications that I have redundantly completed (close to 100, I'm sure)). With no income but child support. I don't consider that income anyway. If it weren't for child support and me depleting my savings and maxing out my credit cards and with the help of some, I don't know where I would be at. But things are toooouuuugh around here. Jeff's supporting all 5.5 of us, I say .5 because L is only here 50% of the time physically. And because things are tough, my emotions are so high... plus, I hate the holidays, which doesn't help. I hate the holidays because it's quite lonely when your parents are 13 hours away. I don't know why I make it about them. I guess it's because I'm a kid at heart still.. and it's just weird to be away from them. Yeah, I'm 29, so what (I can't imagine, at all, what the girls must be experiencing emotionally).<br />
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But anyways, because emotions are high, stress is at it's breaking point, my mind is in the negative.. well not really, I still tell myself positive things, but it's hard when your reality isn't all that positive. Therefore, I haven't been as strong at my workouts or WANTING to workout. But, what has helped is being able to get to the gym. I have found a new love for TRX (Total Body?) suspension training. It's amaze-balls and I could not physically move for two days after... therefore, I didn't workout for two days, which only made my workout-thoughts worse. Plus, Jillian Michael's is sooo annoying to me at times. UGH. If only I had access to a gym, all of the time, with childcare, that didn't cost money.. my life would be mostly complete. Instead, I have to switch it up every now and then... I can't wait for my R.I.P.P.E.D. DVD to come in. Google it. I loooved the classes with Stacy Mitchell, but see the sentence before; money, childcare..yeah.<br />
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I am so thankful for my partner-in-crime who is helping us get through this rough patch. Although, he's starting to feel the impacts of it, too.. financially. Plus, all of the other drastic changes to our lives and I don't say drastic negatively. J gained physical custody of the girls in June, their mother moved to S.C. and they obviously miss her and are upset with the situation. Therefore, stress has occurred there. <br />
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We are doing the best that we can, with the resources that we have. But despite the fact that I appear strong and driven, I still struggle. I cry a lot. I get upset. I get emotional. I don't understand people and why they do things. I don't get the way of this world very often anymore... but what I do know is that I care about people, as a whole, I want to protect the innocence of my children, of any child, and I want what's best for every person. There's so much negativity out there, it's hard to not bring it into the house, especially when stress is occurring or outsiders bring it in. But we (J and I) try very hard not to. We continue to talk about the positives of the day; what's going well, what did you learn, what can you do differently, etc. I come from a strengths-based perception, mostly learned in grad school, but I also feel that it's truly innate within me. <br />
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I just want you all to know that I am completely human. I struggle like all of you. I talk about it. I read about it. I cry about it and I obviously write about it. <br />
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My hope for 2014 is to get my goals in check, to know what I am working towards. I have a few weeks to do that.. and I hope to get the kids on board, too. There's nothing more fulfilling than crossing off things that you have completed. :) I am hoping, with all of my fingers and toes crossed, that I will be working. I am credentialed with a number of insurance companies, it's mostly about the office space at this point. Technicalities... hurting my bank account, credit and mental well being. <br />
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But I'll be okay. We will all be okay. Really, we will. Just keep in mind that while you're struggling, so is someone else. It doesn't matter the "depth" of the reality and what the struggle is, just know that we are all human and we do feel pain, as much as we want to think we are numb to it... it's there. Just never undermine anyone else's struggle.. or compare yours to theirs. <br />
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So in the mean time, I'll keep pushing through my workouts and making sure I do not go more than 2 days without a workout (that's been a goal for the past 6 weeks), I'll be more mindful of what goes into my body (oh my god, I had three beers on Thanksgiving, never again... light weight and holy hell do I feel gross when I do drink), and I'll continue to do my VERY best for my children, all 4 of them. I'll continue to create positive, ever-lasting, weird, crazy memories with them. I'll make sure the Elf on the Shelf does his antics, despite me not wanting to get out of bed after I just got comfy and remembered that the Elf is still perched on his shelf... I'll read 8 gazillion stories 500 million times because Dusty the Cropduster needs to be read, I'll make sure "mommy-do it" because "I need want you" and I'll kiss those fingers and toes even though you are 5 years old, I'll let you wear your cape to a basketball game... <br />
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and oh, you want to have a different cup than the one I just poured your chocolate milk into?!... all while trying to grumble less and doing some mindful breathing, because you are only little for so much longer. I'll make sure you are well dressed with what you think is the utmost fashion, despite the teenaged angst and mood swings and talking back, and the fact that those jeans realllly don't fit. I'll ensure that you are at your practices and have the tools needed to succeed. I will support you, emotionally, mentally and physically; going to every activity that I can. I will annoy you and ask you if your homework is done 18 thousand times. I'll ask if you're sleeping alright or if you need anything... because that's how it should be. I will get annoyed and pissed off when you talk about disrespecting teachers, classmates and peers on the bus. And I'll bite your head off if I experience anyone bullying their sibling. I will always hope that you never have to experience a loss due to suicide.<br />
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I will always be a step ahead of you, because well.. been there and thought I was really smart and manipulative, too. <br />
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I will pick you up when you fall and I'll always have your back. All of you. <br />
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All with a smile on my face and hiding the tears from my eyes. <br />
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AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-36022229245609640402013-11-27T12:25:00.000-08:002013-11-27T12:25:08.232-08:00No-way did I make it through No-weigh NovemberYep, it's true. I weighed myself. The scale didn't move. It didn't budge. Not even an ounce. I am thankful that I took pictures though. I also measured myself. This is also because I started a detox tea. All-natural, GF, tea from <a href="http://www.skinnyfoxdetox.com/">www.skinnyfoxdetox.com</a>. I think it tastes yummy. I thought it would be a nice addition to my routine, whether it works or not.. we shall see. I'm only a week in. I had to take stomach pictures before starting. Those are saved to my phone and I'll reveal those after the challenge is up (3 weeks from now). I do have difficulty cutting out dairy though. Whether it be the cream for my coffee or greek yogurt. I just can't seem to shake those two. Better effort coming forth....<br />
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Anyways... here are pics from my start of Phase 1 of Jillian Michael's Body Revolution to today, the start of Phase 2... four weeks apart. I missed three days throughout the month. All three of those days were cardio days. I did TRX (oh em gee, love it) on Monday and did a "Better Booty" workout two times... that I would like to incorporate into my routine 2x's a week for a month and then up to it 3x's a week... I just haven't gotten there. But none the less.. here are the 4 week progress shots:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgElJrzTUmOPy8mBnFI-HLL_tFlQmGewqMzw0DtJVfeC70MsOgxeFOs4QwGEGMnz4bXdXfMJ_j39qW-zAoLB0HveLQf6BlUlgK6Eg1QOx5uTeMMW6FDkjZ3F0AqxwLuxSeWrF0YEUvM1JY/s1600/ash21127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgElJrzTUmOPy8mBnFI-HLL_tFlQmGewqMzw0DtJVfeC70MsOgxeFOs4QwGEGMnz4bXdXfMJ_j39qW-zAoLB0HveLQf6BlUlgK6Eg1QOx5uTeMMW6FDkjZ3F0AqxwLuxSeWrF0YEUvM1JY/s320/ash21127.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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*biceps seem to be coming along nicely, as well as the shoulders*</div>
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*<em>I really don't know how to flex*</em></div>
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<strong><em>*My lighting is terrible*</em></strong></div>
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*Back is looking good, too*</div>
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I purchased some Yaktrax to be able to run in the snowy, icy cold weather. Yep, it's snowing here like cAArraaazzZZZy. And I love it. <3<br />
I have never really run in the snow-snow. JW and I ran a race in the cold in November and December of last year... but there was not any snow on the ground.<br />
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Well.. like I said.. it's snowing here. Which means all four of my kids are outside playing in it. No one's crying. No one's screaming. No one's shooting nerf discs at anyone. It's quiet... and I'm going to take a shower. In peace.<br />
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That is.. until I hit publish and TOTALLY jink myself.<br />
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Happy Thanksgiving y'all.. make healthy choices. Be mindful. Get out and play! :)AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-24231342893151504682013-11-20T11:50:00.001-08:002013-11-20T11:50:09.627-08:00Soooo, when does something become a habit?Habits are hard to break... so I've heard. I also heard that it takes a certain amount of time for a habit to form. I was hoping it would be around now.. 4 weeks in. I did not want to work out today. Or yesterday. Or the day before. Tuesdays are my "calendar" days off. Monday I was supposed to do cardio, but I thought, "ehh, I'll just do it Tuesday, on my usual day off." Well, I didn't. So I went two whole days without working out. That's the first in 4 weeks. I know I shouldn't beat myself up over it, so I didn't. I literally made myself work out today though. I dreaded the work out. I texted the boyfriend and said just that, "I dread working out :(" He wrote back, "you will feel better." I got it after I worked out. :) This morning I kept telling myself, "I'll workout and then I'll blog about how I didn't want to work out." Boring.<br />
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<img alt="Displaying photo 1.JPG" class="aLF-aPX-J1-J3" height="400" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=6e8aa3700e&view=fimg&th=14276fbd99c17b5a&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&attbid=ANGjdJ8_Kr_2lRaia1h2eoqDoJbSab7z18E2vU6_R6I4M1uiEKHNLTWYgd6ZJnRcJnGTNClhkOjwe_cX6S5E0H5O4kMnLdOsWbYZxrKpy_4qqeE41FV-RiOeXOs8iu8&sz=w1600&ats=1384976133894&rm=14276fbd99c17b5a&zw" width="300" /><br />
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But I'm going to be honest... today was the first time in weeks that I really felt like I don't want to work out anymore, as in.. ever again. I REALLY dreaded changing my pants into shorts... I already had the sports bra on.. just kept the long sleeve CoopLoop shirt on. Then I hit "play." I really wanted the 2 year old to be asleep, but there was no luck on my side for that one. But hey, he's asleep now.. snoring away:<br />
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<img alt="Displaying photo 2.JPG" class="aLF-aPX-J1-J3" height="240" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=6e8aa3700e&view=fimg&th=14276fbd99c17b5a&attid=0.3&disp=inline&safe=1&attbid=ANGjdJ9Iosc3z_-vZvSX07LSBXXY4uivCQEE3W-wWK7xiyYCeaI0BOn4gmCAEeJKBc_ZaCyt-fWkDZN2WhaqY9UjDKUaOXGo1FPQaCF2H3NZ56iV40zRrDfW29EfT6g&sz=w1600&ats=1384976133895&rm=14276fbd99c17b5a&zw" width="320" /><br />
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I can't give up. I can never give up. Nope... So what do I do to hold myself even more accountable? More than doing the positive self talk.. because let's face it... actions speak louder than words... I sign up for really *dumb* things. I say dumb right now because I'm thinking in my head, "now why would I sign up for a 200 mile relay race?" Yeah, you read that. I SIGNED UP FOR A 200 MILE RELAY RACE. Relay is the key-word. Thank goodness. Which means, I'll run 3 legs of it over a 2 day period with no sleep. I joined a team out of Albany and will be traveling to Cape Cod Mother's Day weekend to compete in this challenge. The rest of my clan will meet me there on Saturday.. at the finish line and we will spend the rest of the weekend on the Cape and relaxing. :) <br />
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<a href="http://www.ragnarrelay.com/"><img alt="Ragnar Relay Series" src="http://www.ragnarrelay.com/images/ragnar-logo-wonky.png" /></a><br />
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And then I am going to do another 200 mile relay race in September. This one going from Lake George to Lake Placid. And I'll then earn the double medal:<br />
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<img alt="" height="400" src="http://www.ragnarrelay.com/images/double_medals/large/DocksDacks.png" width="167" /><br />
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The only other race I am signed up for at this point is the Spartan Sprint. The boyfriend and I hope to also do the Super and Beast to earn our Trifecta in 2014. I'm sure most of you are thinking, "ugh what?" So here's the link: <a href="http://www.spartanrace.com/spartan-trifecta-members.html">http://www.spartanrace.com/spartan-trifecta-members.html</a>. <br />
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<img alt="Spartan Trifecta" class="img_left" src="http://www.spartanrace.com/tmp/trifecta-badge.png" /><br />
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The only reason we are not signed up for any other races is due to a lack in funds. It's expensive, adds up and we just cannot justify it right now.<br />
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However, that should change REAL soon. I have been credentialed with at least one insurance company... so I am that much closer to being in private practice, whoop whoop!:)<br />
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And I have a whole lot of races that I want to sign up for... !! <br />
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Anyways, back to the habits forming. It's crazy how so much of our not wanting to exercise is in our heads. Crazy I tell ya. My thoughts this morning:<br />
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* I don't want to get sweaty<br />
* It's going to suck because I hate push ups<br />
* I just want to weigh myself<br />
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Okay. So then I had to change those thoughts around:<br />
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* Sweating is fat crying<br />
* Push ups suck because they work<br />
* What the eff for?! You look good, you feel great.. you wore leggings the other day and leggings aren't pants. <br />
<img alt="Displaying photo.JPG" class="aLF-aPX-J1-J3" height="640" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=6e8aa3700e&view=fimg&th=1427709fd41fe2ef&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&attbid=ANGjdJ-tLDduL_4yZmZqamlbSMGcqEOj2PA83i4LgCyZmo0e_7oe3APSGCPQkeq0zuo2zhNZ26NnxmMUxJS6Miyt_t5IeaphOo5wHUDU3nogHw1SeMkYug0w-QC7rTQ&sz=w1600&ats=1384976620510&rm=1427709fd41fe2ef&zw" width="234" /><br />
<em>*Don't mind the mess behind me.. it's not mine...* I need a mirror in my bedroom*</em><br />
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Yeah, those leggings? Freaking comfortable. Check out: <a href="http://www.privityboutique.com/">www.privityboutique.com</a> for some super awesome $15 leggings. Again, another Instagram motivation. <br />
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I knew I wasn't going to get much else done today.. so I did me. And I feel great. AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-2786132494676881622013-11-13T12:06:00.001-08:002013-11-13T12:06:06.109-08:00Mind/Matter. Mind OVER Matter.So much of life is mind over matter. Really. Our brains talk to us WAY too much. I mean, I thought I talked a lot, personally. But my brain really doesn't shut up. EVER. So, recently (like a day ago), I decided that I need to do more of this: <br />
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<a class="irc_mutl" data-ved="0CAgQjRwwAA" href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=t7aCVBL84mvEdM&tbnid=1Q-uvhhm3Tu_7M:&ved=0CAgQjRwwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F1196337374392580%2F&ei=LNuDUu_1Oome2wX0noDgCg&psig=AFQjCNE6eb3woAb8PV9o2dEgYhn9PcRNeQ&ust=1384459437030926"><img class="irc_mut" height="320" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSkAjJ5IYUbZ0IpQKXNvQVjFPL4LAomn5TAMQTAt1W80y84oeNr" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="247" /></a></div>
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A few posts ago I mentioned how so much of my life is about being mindful. In that we need to be mindful of our every day thoughts. When things are bothering you do you REALLY pay attention to what your brain is saying. REALLY pay attention? If it's negative, change it. Flip it around. Tell your brain to shut it and press on. <br />
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This morning I had no motivation WHATSOEVER to work out. I had a plan though. My intention was to have lunch with the little dude, give it a half hour, put him down for a nap and blast thru a video. And I did. Why? Because I kept telling myself I was going to. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. I just did it. I am thankful. I was simply one workout away from a better mood (I have been a grump-ass the past 24 hours and it really needed to stop)... and I TOTALLY JUST HAD AN EPIPHANY. <br />
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Now, in being mindful of my thoughts... why was yesterday a total grump-ass day? What was yesterday.. a really cool date (11/12/13).. but it was my "rest" day. I did no exercise. I can't tell ya what I ate because I really don't remember. I know that the majority of the day I kept thinking about exercising, even talked about working out with someone in the near future... but I didn't exercise. Why? Because my calendar said "rest." <br />
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I designed that calendar three weeks ago. I only rested because it said to. Perhaps I should be mindful, listen to my thoughts, see what's so grump-ass about them and do the opposite. I probably should have just worked out. Duh. It's all I thought about and researched throughout the day.<br />
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P.S.: Even retail therapy didn't help yesterday. That's gotta tell you what a natural anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medication working out is and how beneficial endorphins are for your body. <br />
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Just listen to your thoughts and... just do the opposite... until your brain is trained to only say the good stuff. ;)AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-36730581039574408342013-11-08T10:02:00.001-08:002013-11-08T10:02:41.260-08:00#Numbers#Numbers. Why must they define our success or progress or where we are at?<br />
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I'm having a very tough time in not getting on the scale. I know how unhealthy it was for me, mentally and physically, to constantly weigh myself (daily and sometimes multiple times in a day). I asked Jeff's daughters to hide the scale on me. Jeff said, "weird, right?" to them. Yeah, it's weird. I agree. But what's even more weird are the constantly annoying thoughts in my head in almost wanting to search for the scale. I promised myself I would not weigh myself until December. It's only the 8th of November. It's only been a week and two days since the last time I weighed myself. I lived a whole 2.5 years without a scale; sneaking a weigh-in at work and at the gym was the only the other place where I had access to a scale. And in that 2.5 years is when I was at my worst..err, heaviest. Maybe it's a cognitive, irrational belief in that I need to weigh myself to know where I am at. Even though I feel good. For the most part.<br />
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Probably the same goes with my checking and savings account. Pssh, don't measure my success there. There's nothing there!! However, I constantly feel the need to check it. Daily. Even though I am not putting anything there... maybe I have another irrational belief that perhaps someone else may put something there. Ha! :)<br />
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Anyways, I am going to continue to hold myself accountable and not weigh myself.. just to see what the scale shows in 3 weeks. After that, I want to only weigh myself weekly. That's what I did when I first started this journey and then it became obsessive for some reason. I guess because I lost weight so quickly, it was almost an excitement for me to see the numbers lessen (while my checkbook has the opposite effect..weird). Maybe I'm reaching a "plateau" of sorts. <br />
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But in that the numbers are going down on the scale why are my jean sizes not going down? I have been wearing my "fat jeans" from college. I have almost always been able to "fit" into them (at times not so prettily). They seem to fit differently now; definitely tight in the quads and way, way loose in the waist. Maybe it's because I haven't really gone shopping and automatically grab the size 12s because that's what I am used to... and they "fit." Ish. Maybe it's because I'm afraid to look in the mirror to see what it really looks like on me. It's so sad how destructive our brain can be. We need to change that. I HAVE tried on a pair of hand-me-down 7s.. I was able to get them on and button them. But I still won't wear them. WHY?!!!<br />
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I was wearing leggings the other day. Ya know, those reallllly tight tight, leave nothing to the imagination pants, that every girl wears with their boots and a cute sweater or their boyfriend's buttondown?.. yeah.. I looked in the mirror. A few of them. Then I immediately texted my boyfriend and said, "Why haven't you told me how ridiculous these pants look on me?!" They aren't tight. They are loose and bunchy and I look like a frumpy mom. I DON'T WANNA BE THE FRUMPY MOM. Come on now. He didn't respond. I brought it up at dinner. He said because he didn't want to hurt my feelings. I think it's because he doesn't want me lookin' too good ;) haha. (ILY).<br />
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I could go on and on about numbers and how they define us, but I think many other people have written about that. Instead, I'll continue with my purpose of this blog: to motivate myself and others. And in that I have taught myself and y'all that the key to success is positive self talk. If we tell ourselves that we must be a certain weight (number), pant size (number), make a certain salary (#) or have a really big house with lots of square footage (number)... we are only hurting ourselves and not living. Really, you aren't living if you have to define everything with a number and are constantly working towards that number. Living is right now. NOW. We have already lived in the past and we can't go back there. We can't transport into the future, we aren't there yet either. So live nOw. In the moment. There is no number on that. There is no number on the feel good feel after a workout. There is no number on the satisfaction of cooking and eating a really tasty, yummy, good for you, filling meal. There is no number on the fun you have when you go down the slide with your 2 year old because you can fit comfortably in the slide and are not winded from running around.... because there's always "<em>one more time, mommy!"</em> <3AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-78739829217315271802013-11-04T12:37:00.000-08:002013-11-04T12:37:00.836-08:00Abs are made in the kitchen. For real."Both belly bulge and love handles are about excess body fat, not lack of muscle. Crunches and ab exercises are therefore not the solution. The best way to reduce these problem areas is to reduce your overall body fat percentage, and we all know that requires diet and exercise." - Jillian Michaels<br />
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However, exercise will only go so far. I don't know how many years I have spent trying to justify what I eat by comparing the caloric intake to calories burned on a treadmill or as calculated by my Garmin. It just ain't gonna work that way people. <br />
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I want to say it's ALL diet. ALL diet. If you continue to eat crap; you are going to feel like crap and ultimately "look" that way. Our bodies are machines. We need to fuel them. If you don't get on point with your diet and continue to eat processed foods, doing a thousand crunches a day is not going to get you too far because you will still have that lovely layer, that lovely pouch, that tire.. whatever you want to call it. It's going to be there. Nothing burns that fat off. You need to shed it by not fueling it anymore garbage. <br />
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As a rule of thumb, you need to begin to fuel your body in the morning. Think of it as a fire in a woodstove. Start heavy and then feed it lightly throughout the day. You don't want to give it too much or you will smother it. You only want to give it the good stuff too. I am not a dietician or a nutritionist. But I do know that I feel like I need to be a chemist to read our food labels anymore. Sorry, but when there are so many consonants next to each other, followed up with a few "x"s here and there... I don't need to be eating it. Neither do you.. and I won't feed it to my children. OR, at least I try not to and it's in moderation when I do. STAY AWAY FROM PROCESSED CRAP. If you cannot pronounce what is in the food then don't eat it. If there are ingredients that sound like chemistry class, don't eat it. If there are a large quantity of ingredients in one food item, don't eat it. It's simple, really. <br />
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<img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" class="spotlight" height="500" src="https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1380409_10151895159688490_1532951174_n.jpg" style="height: 500px; width: 530px;" width="530" /><br />
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Here's my soap box and my own little conspiracy theory. We live in America. We are bound by the almighty dollar. Everything is money driven. People are in it for the big buck. I know I mentioned before that we have "sickcare" not "healthcare." We go to the doctor when we are sick, they prescribe medications to make the symptoms go back to baseline. That's it. We go back if there continue to be symptoms. Why not try something different? Why not look at what we eat and how that impacts us; physically and emotionally. I am a FIRM believer, hate me if you wanna, in the fact that we give money to the doctors, they prescribe medications. Pharmaceutical companies often times fund the research to make us believe that medications will work... So, who is going to make any money off of telling you that Apple Cider Vinegar will cure so many ailments? No one. <br />
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<img alt="Photo" class="scaledImageFitWidth img" height="504" src="https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/p480x480/1452257_10151718225522499_538111670_n.jpg" width="504" /><br />
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WE are driven as a society to eat what is placed in the grocery stores, in the center aisles, that is loaded with toxins, preservatives, additives, color enhancers, etc... it's easier, it's cheap, it lasts awhile... but what else does it get to you? Behavioral issues. Emotional issues. Cancer. Significant physical issues; stomach problems, IBS, obesity, headaches, migraines... etc. But we are quick to pop a pill and make it go away. Doesn't happen at my house. And it shouldn't happen at yours. Google "Monsanto." Do your own research. Compare our rates to that in other countries. It's not rocket science. <br />
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<img alt="Photo: http://rawforbeauty.com/blog/" class="img" height="352" src="https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/p480x480/1375649_464678393640837_302842507_n.jpg" width="504" /><br />
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Losing weight is only a positive side effect from eating clean and healthy, by shopping the parameter of the grocery store and visiting our local farmers market. Even then, be careful. What is labeled as organic and all-natural may not be ALL true. Again, we are driven by money and when the FDA approves something as such, keep in mind that they are run by the government. :)<br />
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<img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" class="spotlight" height="402" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/1451373_584838864905063_117832175_n.jpg" style="height: 402px; width: 459px;" width="459" />AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-14365463384801831182013-11-02T10:16:00.000-07:002013-11-02T10:16:34.624-07:00Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end... or something like that.So.. since "publishing" my blog (weird.. I have a blog, all the haters are prolly thinking... great, now she's writing about it)... so many people have inspired me to keep going in SO many ways. In their inspiration and their words of praise many of them have asked me how I got started. I started answering some of the messages and texts and realized, heck.. I can blog about it! <br />
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Like I said it in my first post, I have started so many times. So many times. SOOOOO many times. But what really got me going was a handful of things:<br />
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1). The C25K program. There are many apps that take the guess work out of it. Back in the day (haha) when I started it I had to hand write it out and carry it to the treadmill with me. Yep. I started "running"... "wogging" (walking/jogging) back after I separated from my husband. I needed something to take my mind off the pain, the rumors, the hurt, the change, the fact that my kid was going to have to be in banana splits... so, that was back in 2009/2010. After each time I ran on the treadmill I wrote the distance and time it took. I kept a log of it. I used to have it but threw it away, I wish I didn't.. LOG everything. I have so many notebooks around my house. For real. I love notebooks.<br />
2). An inspiring friend at the time. That still inspires me. Yet, she doesn't know it and I don't know how to tell her. Maybe someday I can. <br />
3). The Oneonta Running Group (ORG). It wasn't the Oneonta Running Group at the time. Even though I didn't join them often and still don't, their Facebook page inspires me to be a runner. I guess I can call myself a runner. I mean, I ran a half marathon once. That will be a whole other blog.<br />
4). Pictures. <span style="font-size: x-large;">PICTURES</span>. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">pictures. </span><span style="font-size: small;">You may not feel change and you WILL get discouraged... so take pictures. Do it. Naked, half naked, fully dressed, sitting in front of the mirror, straight on, from the side, from behind.. every position. For reals. Put them in a folder on your computer and look at them when you aren't feeling so positive. </span><br />
5). Hearthbreak. Yup. Heartbreak. I knew that with the anger I had within me I could not project it as such. I had to place it elsewhere, in a positive-medium. Thank a higher being for heavy stuff, and I mean iron.. not liquor.. although, that would have been "easier" I think. Start throwing heavy shit around. Run. That'll make you less pissed. Until, of course, you feel like you can't run.. then you are too tired to be mad. When that doesn't work, lift after running. :) That was me, last summer and I haven't looked back.<br />
6). Pinterest. Pinterest has ideas and motivation for everything. Quotes are my lifeline. For some it's music, same thing. I loooove quotes. And yep, I have a notebook with quotes in it. Nerd.<br />
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Wait, so what got me started? Many things. Physical and emotional. I had hit rock bottom and didn't know where to look but up. In that I KNEW I had to take care of myself. I am therapist. A mental health therapist and a damn good one at that. I had to start practicing what I preach. If I can't help myself then who can I help? For reals. No more hypocrisy. I started living for me and my boys. I incorporated them into my workouts, my runs, my diet, my whole entire life. I didn't live for anyone else, but my little family. I knew when facilitating groups and counseling that the reflections I gave to others I could easily give to myself. I could see my patients from week to week and realize they were not incorporating the work that was done IN therapy outside of therapy. I had to take a different approach. Motivational interviewing baaa-by. <br />
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Ugh.. what? <br />
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Positive self talk. Motivation. How motivated are you? On a scale of 1-10 how much do you want to change? How do you get to a higher number? Why aren't you at a lower number? It's all about motivation.<br />
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I struggle with motivation. <br />
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I JUST struggled with motivation. The 2 year old needed a nap. He was clearly overtired and didn't want to sleep. I put him upstairs and he cried and cried and cried while I worked out. Do you know how annoying it is to listen to a child cry and cry while you are trying to concentrate on reps and getting frustrated because you are winded?! It sucks. But, I knew that I was one workout away from feeling better. So, I finished my workout, reminded him that I love him dearly (he wanted his blankey and if anyone knows Silas..."mommy do it" and I'm trying to stop that) and here I am.<br />
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So, what motivates me... what keeps me going?<br />
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Pictures. The feel good feel after a workout. Peoples' feedback. YOUR words to me. The way it lasts all day long, until the next workout. The struggle. The fact that I can do it and I will live. Shit, I haven't died yet from a workout or a run... almost, but it hasn't happened yet. You won't die either.<br />
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Some days it's a matter of just pushing the "play" button on the DVD player. Believe me, there are days where there has been too much stuff on my mind, the 2 year old feeling he needed to be underneath me during a plank, and I've had to shut it off. And that's okay. I don't look back. I don't give up. I just do it again. AND again.... AND AGAIN. <br />
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I follow programs that are written out and obvious.. taking the guess work out of it. What I am struggling with right now is knowing how much to eat. There's soo much science to it. I know baseline is to burn more than you consume, but you don't want to go into starvation mode either. So, I am listening to my body and feeding it when it's hungry.. and then some. I drink lots of water and pee wayyyy more than I ever have. EVER. And I hate it. But, I tell myself that there's a reason for it. It means my body is working and the toxins are leaving my body.<br />
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Back to the whole "positive self talk" thing. It works. You tell yourself you can't do something or be something, you start believing yourself. You tell a kid they are worthless and not college material or they are gonna end up like so and so, they can start to believe it... (maybe that will be another blog in itself...sheesh).. OR you can do the opposite.. tell yourself that you can do it. And then... for some reason (whatever yours may be)... you just do it.<br />
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No wonder Nike is a multibillionaire company. They are right on. JUST DO IT.AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-65963977490616045102013-11-01T14:10:00.002-07:002013-11-01T15:15:42.276-07:00Not fat? How about "not post pictures because I was fat."No offense to those that say I wasn't "fat." <em>Really, that's nice of you</em>. However, I know what I saw. I know what I felt. I know that I did not like having pictures taken of me... and if any were do you think I would post them anywhere?! Helllllssss-nah! But, here they are. The photographer is Lisa Brooker (my mamasita). Her webpage is <a href="http://www.lisabrookerphotography.com/">www.lisabrookerphotography.com</a>. Minus the chub-ness these are very nice pictures. I'll have to have her take some of me when she comes back to New York next. I don't know how much I weighed. I didn't have a scale then for obvious, QUITE obvious reasons. I know that at my last doctor's visit when I was pregnant with Silas (age 2 currently) I hit <span style="font-size: xx-small;">200</span>. Yup. It's true.. and that's me announcing it to the cyber world. After having him I hovered around <span style="font-size: xx-small;">175-178</span> for the looooongest time; probably about a year I would say (p.s. I am about 5'6''). Then I started doing Body by Vi shakes, randomly.. nothing consistent and dropped about 14 lbs... but then... then I found the female-love of my life (Body By Stacy) who I hired and she came to me, so I had NO EXCUSES. Find her at <a href="http://www.bodybystacyny.com/">www.bodybystacyny.com</a>. I found her and she was life changing for me. Very much so. At the same time was another gigantically horrible change in my life. I became a single mom of two little boys. That may or may not be another blog in itself, we shall see. There's still pain there like no tomorrow. But it doesn't make me cry anymore, so I guess that's growth.... <br />
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Any-who... let's get on with the show: ::<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><em>bow-chicka-wow-wow::</em></span><br />
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Obviously completely miserable.... Summer 2011.....</div>
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These are from Myrtle Beach.. a year ago:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2oZtCVNqQgTve7zoqQmMcGTuWqKyUk3tt0Jh-8FetPWT2-9_YDydVIbASWs6XpQROFYpTM9iLilm5BFWF_5QuftM1kd1SHT4cfUZ2Dw-XYCUWX0-kS7p9dsB4RSfLrebGMVjkfkGq7k/s1600/beach+001a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2oZtCVNqQgTve7zoqQmMcGTuWqKyUk3tt0Jh-8FetPWT2-9_YDydVIbASWs6XpQROFYpTM9iLilm5BFWF_5QuftM1kd1SHT4cfUZ2Dw-XYCUWX0-kS7p9dsB4RSfLrebGMVjkfkGq7k/s320/beach+001a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Silas is saying: "Shhh, my mom thinks she looks good here... let her."</div>
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And the worst day of my life and when it ALL changed for me (May 2012).. a blessing in disguise (again, maybe another blog):</div>
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AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904723851331485523.post-54223613487999142202013-11-01T10:25:00.000-07:002013-11-01T10:25:21.545-07:00No-Way(weigh)-VemberNo way, no how do I meaningfully allow for people to impact my mood, my hopes, my dreams and my desires. This blog is coming to you from a non-working social worker. That will be a whole other rant some other day as to why I am not working at this present moment. Wait, not working? Simply because I don't obtain a pay check I am not working?! Psshh, puh-lease. I have never worked my ass off... quite so literally, than I have these days! Yup... from fat-so to fit-so with a few jealous, annoyed people in between with a two year old always around and a five year old here half of the time... as well as two teenaged girls who I have to be completely mindful of in that my behaviors impact their perception of adult women.<br />
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Sooo... guess what?! There will be no direction to this blog. I'll write/type whatever comes off my pretty little fingers. And they are quite little. You should see the size of my pinky. It's really not normal. <br />
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Anyways. I started my weight-loss journey at no particular time. It's always been one fad after another, followed up with one excuse after another. These days it's none of that. Why? Because they aren't <strong>days</strong> anymore. It's one day a time. When that's too much for me... it's one moment at a time. Even then those become overwhelming, so I just do one second to one second. That seems to help. Minutes to minutes can be too long; a microwave minute, a Shaun T minute, a Jillian Michael's Minute.. a man's minute (6 months later...).<br />
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Especially with weight lifting. <u>Wait.</u> Weight lifting? But you're a girl. Oh really? I didn't know those with vaginas can't lift weights... but they can. And heavily at that. Without...WITHOUT...getting bulky. Get this, if you burn what you put in your pie hole, you won't bulk. You will bulk if you eat more than you burn. I call that getting fat though. At times I will want to bulk. Why? To turn it into muscle. Bulk and then shred and see what lovely little surprises are underneath that "bulk." Someday. I am not quite there yet.<br />
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Back to the "no-way"... so.. I was inspired to write this blog to hold me accountable and for inspiration from followers... I might have them someday... and I feel like I already do, somewhat. I posted a rant on Facebook earlier today because there are some negative people that I am "friends" with on there. I put that lightly. And in that rant, I found my true supporters and inspiration, as well as maybe some followers. Followers are cool.. the right kind anyway. I follow lots of people on Instagram. That's also where I get my inspiration. Some may feel that I am little weird or might "bat for the other team" considering what I follow on that. To me it's girl-crushes... someone I strive to look like or find inspiration and motivation within..someone I could be really good friends with. Just don't look over my shoulder if I am checking Instagram or Facebook, unless, of course, you are like me and don't find a half naked body as having to be sexual. Nope.<br />
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The other part of "no-weigh".. I am not weighing myself, for a MONTH. The month of November. Nope. I am going to make Jeff (the boyfriend) hide it on me tonight when he gets home from work. There's no reason for it. I want to see if I can do it. That scale is stupid and soooo inaccurate. What is accurate are pictures. Pictures such as these:<br />
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July 27, 2013. No idea how much I weigh.. but beginning to be more mindful of eating and working out. Nothing really consistent. That was just a couple of weeks after running the 1st 15k of my life. :) The Boilermaker 2013. I'll write more about running in another blog.<br />
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Yesterday: 146.7 pounds. And my peace-out to all my of Cub-scouts. Those that need not support me or get offended by my posts need not to be in my life any longer. See ya.... don't wanna be ya...<br />
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Today. The beginning of a new beginning. Posting this and being held accountable by all of you. It is what it is. </div>
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... and here it goes. "Publish."<br />
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AshleyWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17195531139329962369noreply@blogger.com1