I ran across Roni’s blog, Roni’s Weigh, a few years ago when I started my own weight loss journey. Last year, I met her for the first time during Fitbloggin’ and got to spend time with her again at BlogHer. She is every bit as warm, friendly, and helpful in real life as she is on her blogs. She’s the real deal. Roni is a wife, mother of two,  full time blogger, and all around awesome girl who chose to change her lifestyle for the better.

How does your lifestyle “now” compare to your lifestyle “before”? (You can see all of Roni’s progress pictures here.)

Oh boy is it ever different! I used to do nothing, and I’m not exaggerating. I’d work, watch tv or go to movies, and eat. That was about it. Now I try my best to be active and DO things. I take walks, go on hikes, read more, run in events, play board games and do puzzles with the family. Even though I’m still pretty food obsessed I’ve channeled that “hobby” by cooking light and finding new fun healthy foods. I more active now then I have ever been in my life and in better shape because of it.

Okay so I have to ask you something. You write 4 blogs GreenLiteBites, Roni’s Weigh, Roni Noone, and Poop Butterflies. You also organize Fitbloggin’ and manage a weightloss communities called Blog to Lose with over 5000 members! How do you do it and stay sane? Any time management tips? I know I need them!!

Sane? Who said I was sane?

In all seriousness, I do what I can when I can. I know it sounds kind of simple but it’s the truth. I have conference calls while baby is napping. I write blog posts while watching TV at night. I wake up early and work out when I can. It’s a lot of juggling but I’ve always been the type of person who’d rather be busy than bored.

What does your exercise routine look like now? Is it hard to find the motivation or time with so much going on in your life?

It has been hard but I’ve learned that I am much happier and have more energy when I’m working out. I even tend to handle stress better. Right now I wake up at 5:30 AM twice a week for a BodyPump class and I take a BodyCombat class in the evening one day a week. I also joined a gym that’s just over a mile away from the house so I run there and back. It’s been hard finding a schedule that works but I try to be flexible and not let more than 1 day go by without doing something active, even if it’s just a short run.

You love Weight Watchers and it helped you to lose a significant amount of weight. In a nutshell, what did WW teach you and do you still use it to maintain?

Weight Watchers gave me a quick and easy way to judge a portion and balance my diet. It also taught me to food journal, something I still go back to when feeling a little out of control. Right now I’m counting points to lose the last 10 lbs I gained from pregnancy.

I read your 3 Steps to a Healthier You series. My favorite part of that series is when you talk about turning off the tv and dancing with your son and husband. Do you still do that? Was it hard at first to start dancing? In other words, did you feel self conscious at first?

We still do it! All the time and now I have a new little once to dance with!

I’ve always been a music lover. My mom used to crank up the volume  when cleaning, my Dad was a musician, it’s just in my blood!

I noticed that the TV was ALWAYS on in my house and I hated it. So one day I simply shut it off and blasted the radio. It’s hard to be self-conscious when you are alone and dancing with a 1 year old. You’re just in the moment BUT that being said, I am self conscious dancing at weddings or parties because what I do at home is not really “dancing” it’s moving around like an idiot singing off key at the top of my lungs.

What about internet? How do you keep moving when your job requires computer hours? I know I could use some motivation in this area!

I think this is why getting those workouts in is so important for me. Most of the time I’m at my desk or on the couch with a computer on my lap. It is what it is. I’ve learned, however, to walk away. When I’m not at the computer I’m not at the computer, if that makes sense. I don’t tweet from my phone or check Facebook. I don’t walk around the mall checking email. I disconnect completely especially when I go to the gym. I never, ever, bring my phone when I go the gym. That’s my time and I don’t want to be interrupted.

How has blogging played a part in your weight loss and enriched your life? Any advice to new bloggers?

Blogging played a huge part in my weight loss. For me it was having an outlet to face feeling I never faced before. So many people (myself included) feel alone when it comes to how they feel about their bodies or how they relate to food. Once I put myself out there I realized I wasn’t alone. I also find motivation in motivating others. I love sharing tips and ideas and doing so helps me stay inspired.

What is something quirky that you do that makes you you? (Besides being the Queen of Zucchini?)

Hmmmm I’m not sure. I am little quirky, I guess, but isn’t everybody? Things people may be surprised to learn about me: (if they don’t already know because I’m pretty transparent on the blog) I’m a big fan of horror movies, I like all music except country (did I just lose a few fans?) and I have an unhealthy obsession with McDonald’s ice cream cones.

Thank you Roni for sharing your story. You are amazing and a Girl Hero in so many ways!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Check out our family’s adventures at New School Nomads as we take a year long RV road trip through the United States!

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“Beauty is a radiance that originates from within and comes from inner security and strong character.” – Jane Seymor

There are few things quite as lovely as inner beauty and spend some time on Lori’ blog, Finding Radiance, you’ll quickly see she posseses an abundance of it.  Lori has taken quite the journey and her determination to lose 115 pounds is nothing short of inspirational. Lori has been married to her husband, John, for 14 years and they have a 4-legged child. She works from home as a medical transcriptionist. Lori loves to garden and during the summer she updates her readers weekly with what has been blooming.  A woman of a million hobbies, Lori makes soap, roasts her own coffee, and is learning classical guitar.

Girl Hero Lori

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What was your catalyst for change?  Was there a defining moment or was it a gradual change?

I think that when you are overweight, you always are thinking about weight and weight loss.  At least I did.  I was always so conscious of being overweight for most of my life.  You just can’t hide an extra 100 pounds, no matter which way you turn for pictures or how baggy your shirts are.  When I actually saw 250 on the scale, it scared me.  I could just envision the scale going up and up and never stopping.  While that was a defining moment for me, it did take me a while to actually make much progress.

How does your lifestyle before compare to your lifestyle now?

My lifestyle is really different.  I never would have thought I would enjoy running (ever!!!) and I eat brussel sprouts now.  Sometimes I wonder who this lady is. My husband and I plan physical activities on Saturdays now, which usually is a really long bike ride (and we often reward ourselves with a cupcake).  It’s funny because way back, I would never have envisioned that this would be a lifestyle that I would enjoy.

You’ve tried a few different weight loss programs?  Are there any that come to mind that were particularly useful or you learned something particularly valuable?

I have done a lot of programs.  I don’t think there is anyone who is/was very overweight who hasn’t tried them all!  LOL!  I did Weight Watchers for a long time, but then hit a looooooong plateau (months).  It was because I wasn’t eating enough.  I also did Nutrisystem.  I know a lot of people knock programs like that, but I needed to stop thinking about food for a while and just eat what I was supposed to.  Losing a lot of weight is an exhausting process mentally and the same tools that worked at first may not work 6 months later.  So, I did NS for 6 months.  One thing that I really picked out from that program was that every meal and snack included protein.  That is a very satisfying way to eat.  That is something that I pretty much do to this day.

I read on your blog that you don’t eat much sugar.  Why not?  Was it hard to come to that place?

Well, I do eat sugar.  What I don’t eat are processed sugars for the most part.  When I want something sweet, I want it to be a good cupcake or good chocolate and not some 100-calorie snack pack that is very unmemorable.

About 5 years ago, I read a book (when I hit 250 pounds) called “The Sugar Addict’s Recovery Program” and realized that I was addicted to white things and sugar.  Not kidding.  It really is an addiction.  I slowly eliminated processed foods and actually went totally no sugar for a bit, including a pumpkin pie made without sweetener (which we will never mention again).  The hardest thing for me was removing the sugar from my coffee.  I always had that sweetened.   That took a lot of getting used to.

The benefit to doing this was that I learned what real food tastes like.  My tongue was so numbed by sugar and processed foods that I really didn’t notice what went into my mouth.  I learned that milk has a natural sweetness to it and fruit makes an amazing dessert.  I also was able to discriminate the different natural flavors of varietal coffees and have learned to appreciate those.  These are things that I would have scoffed at in the past.

I began adding more things back into my diet as treats and learned what my tolerance level is for having sugar without it setting off huge cravings or binges for me.  Not that I don’t cross that line from time to time (hello holidays), but I do so knowingly.  I still do not sweeten my coffee or lattes.

You say this on your blog “about” page, “I feel like I now have the complete puzzle put together on the best type of eating for me! I can eat this way for the rest of my life, and have learned that if I really want something – I should make room for it. I definitely don’t like feeling deprived and would eat it anyway, so why not plan for it and really, really enjoy it?” I love this and couldn’t agree more!  Any advice for planning?  Or how do you do it?

Eating for me has become so habitual.  I think advice for planning is to practice.  Yes, it takes time at first and it will feel like a real chore.  Maybe just start with planning your breakfasts for the week and really getting those down.  Then start planning lunches, too.  It helps when you have certain staple meals that you can rotate in for those days when you don’t want to think too hard.

What is one of your favorite “go to” recipes?

Well…I will give you 2 of my very favorite recipes.  I love my protein pancake/waffle recipe.

I also love custard style oats, which I give a tutorial on here:

Can you tell breakfast is my favorite meal of the day?

What part did exercise play in your weight loss?

Exercise played an enormous role in weight loss, but even more in maintaining the loss.  I like to eat.  So, I need to exercise to help offset some of that.  I also learned that I could eat more by building more muscle!

Have you always loved being active or was it something that you learned to love?

I do love the exercise that I do now.  I used to dislike any exercise a lot.  Being very overweight, it just was hard to do.  I used to think that I had to go all out for exercise (like go from nothing to running miles).  It wasn’t until I realized that I could actually start slow and progress that I finally found things I like to do.  With that said, I don’t love all exercise, though.   I found some things that I just don’t enjoy – yoga and kickboxing come to mind.  I thought I had to do those things and kept trying them, but really, what’s the point if you aren’t enjoying it?

What does a typical week of exercise look like for you?

I strength train full body 3 days a week.  I do cardio on other days, either running or biking.  I try to take 1 or 2 days off each week for rest days.

I know you’ve run races.  How many?

Officially, I have done 1 triathlon, 1 duathlon, 1 metric century bike ride, and 14 5Ks since I started running in 2008.  My husband and I also created a couple of our own events that we did (a 100-mile bike ride and a home duathlon).

What was it like to do a triathalon?  How long did you train?  Any advice for those who might be interested but don’t know where to start?

The triathlon was really amazing to me.  I cried when I finished, which surprised the heck out of me (and my husband!) It was never something that I thought I would want to do, so it was such a strange idea to have pop into my head.  I was already biking and running, so the swim was just something to practice.  There are many training programs out there for triathlons.  You basically just need to work on each event at least once a week.  Swimming was my very weakest area (and still is).  So, I spent more time with that.

One tip for training for something like this is to practice the transitions.  It feels really, really weird to hop off the bike and start running.  The more you practice that, the more used to that feeling you get.

I have learned that I just don’t like swimming that much, so I definitely prefer the duathlon format, which is run/bike/run!

How long have you been blogging?

I have blogged off and on since 2005, but kind of left the blog for a bit, then came back the last few years with really regular blogging.  It has evolved a lot.  I used to have several blogs, one for weight loss, one for fitness, and one for food.  Then I had the brilliant idea to combine them into one, saving myself a lot of time LOL!

What’s the story behind the title of your blog “Finding Radiance”?

There was a phrase in the Sugar Addict’s Recovery book about the 7 steps involved in giving up sugar and getting your life back.  The last step was something about finding radiance.  I just loved that turn of phrase because it really means loving yourself and finding the joy in life that shines through from the inside out.  Getting thin won’t make you happy.  Running marathons won’t make you happy.  You have to be happy inside and speak kindly to yourself and that will radiate outwards and make the rest of your life that much more enjoyable.  That’s how I want to live my life.

Beautiful!  Thank you so much, Lori, for sharing a part of your life with us.  You are clearly a Girl Hero!

If you haven’t already, please go check out Lori’s blog, Finding Radiance.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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It’s an honor to feature Jen from Making Messes as the first Girl Hero of the new year.

Jen is a committed wife, mother, friend and, as she puts it, has lost one Backstreet Boy in weight.  More than once I might add.  She has also run races and left her life in the city to experience life in the mountains.  Jen is as honest as she is inspirational.  Oh and she’s funny. Her blog is truly a gift to read.

Meet Girl Hero Jen

How long have you and Ed been married.

Ed and I have been married for 10 years. We met when we were 18, got hitched at 22. So, by all accounts, we should be growing apart and resenting each other. It’s been the opposite. For that, I’m so very grateful!

You’re a SAHM right?

I dabble in doula work from time to time, but I’m 99% SAHM. I was a latch key kid, raised by working parents. So being a SAHM was a shift in my view of home life and the average day to day. It’s far more challenging than I expected, but I wouldn’t trade these moments for the world. I told Ed we need to keep a “Therapy Jar” around and every time we screw up, throw some cash in there for when the kids are older. These days, therapy is more important than college, no?

Hobbies?

I enjoy knitting, but only make gloves and hats, as my attention span can wane and my 2 year old has a passion for unraveling my pieces when I accidentally leave them hanging around. I read a lot. Much more than I did in college. I’m all over the place as far as topic. Self help, spiritual, fitness, fiction, young adult fiction, fitness, whatever. I enjoy learning new things. Many life times ago I was a painter in art school. As I’ve grown, I’ve transferred my creative energy into all the things I love. Sounds cliche, but living your life as a work of art is much easier than living it perfectly.

How does your “before” lifestyle compare to your “after” lifestyle?

My “before” lifestyle involved a lot of anger towards inward. I was not at peace with myself or really trusted myself to take care of me. I was through and through an emotional overeater. I believed food brought me comfort, freedom and love. But all I ended up feeling was emptiness and self hatred. In 2006, I was 9 months pregnant with my second child and reached 230 lbs. I felt trapped in my body. In my mind, pregnancy felt safe to binge over and over again. It was then that I stumbled upon my first weight loss blog which was Roni’s Weigh blog (at the time called WeightWatchen). She inspired me to start a blog after my daughter was born to document and help keep me accountable for weight loss.

What was your basic food and fitness routine like when you were losing weight?

I joined Weight Watchers at 6 weeks post partum. I followed their nursing mother’s plan to the T. And I ate everyone of my Flex points every single week! Every Monday evening I went to the meetings. Even if I had a bad week, I promised myself I’d still show up for every single meeting. It really helped me focus. My leader was very inspirational and motivating, which was really key for me. The weight came off at roughly 3 lbs a week. In less than a year, I reached my goal weight was 139 lbs. Ironically, I didn’t integrate fitness into my daily routine until I reached my goal. I wanted to get more points!! So I became motivated to earn Activity Points. I started the Couch25k program and registered for a race to keep me accountable. Over time, I eventually began going to classes at my YMCA. That’s when I fell in love with Bootcamp style classes. Fitness brought a new sense of purpose for me. Gave me a confidence that losing weight alone couldn’t. When I felt strong, I felt more at peace with my body- no matter what shape it was.

You were/are a doula and you birthed three children so I think your are a good person to ask for advice about being kind to yourself and your body after birthing babies. So any advice? Or how were you kind to yourself?

I was a doula before I had children. For years, I encouraged and guided women through the pregnancy and childbirthing process. I became pregnant in 2003 with my first child. On October 25, 2003 (my birthday), I found myself with the flu, going through a very complicated, long, painful foceps delivery after planning a gentle home birth.

In addition, the next 4 months were filled with breastfeeding issues and multiple bouts of mastitis that almost landed me in the hospital. I loved my son so much, but I was suffering from PPD and really needed help. My first act of kindness toward myself was admitting I needed help. I saw a psychiatrist and found the right medication that helped me get my head above water and enjoy my sweet son. That experience left a bruise on my heart. So much of my hopes of birth and motherhood were lost. After my son was old enough, I started attending births again. Every time I witnessed a gentle birth, I’d almost wince. As happy and proud I was of my client, it was painful for me to witness. I was mad that my body seemed to abandon me. So, when I gave birth to my second child in 2006, I went the opposite extreme. I wanted to be numb. I was induced and asked for every drug in the book. My fear of repeating my last experience was too painful to bear. And I had a very comfortable, satisfying birth with my daughter. And for that moment, it was the right thing, so I suppose it was an act of kindness. By the time I was pregnant with my third child in 2008, I had been doing a lot of emotional work and took a wonderful Birthing Again class with my husband that really focused on fears and the emotional side of birth and motherhood. Our mind-body connection is so powerful!

On Dec 5, 2008 I had an empowering, beautiful, gentle waterbirth. It was the birth that redeemed me from my past. It gave me a gift that I so desperately needed. Looking back on all my births, I’m grateful for each experience. It showed me what I could go through and come out of. It also made me a better doula. It taught me how to love myself and how vital it is that our inner dialogue reflect kindness towards ourselves. It appears to me to be one of life’s most valuable tools. But then again, I’m only 32. I have a lot to learn.

You got a tummy tuck in 2009. What was that like? Painful? Were you scared? Would you do it again?

Painful? Yes. But I’d do it again in a heart beat. My body’s idea of pregnancy is excessive amniotic fluid and large babies. From 6 month pregnant and on, it’s not unusual for me to be asked if I’m carrying twins at least once a day. I gain roughly 65 lbs with each one. And my tummy juts out like a shelf where I can barely fit my own arms around my stomach. Needless to say, when I lost all the weight I was left with deflated skin that hung over on top of itself. It made me really uncomfortable and was always on my mind. For me, it was reconstructive surgery, not plastic. I had a fantastic surgeon and care team in place. The first few days were rough, but as long as I took my medicine, I was great. By 2 weeks I felt back to normal, other than feeling like I had done 1000 crunches. I had muscle restoration with my tummy tuck, so I gained a lot of core strength which was an unexpected bonus. I had been so focused on the excess skin that I hadn’t thought about my nagging back pain and strong, but separated abs. I wore a bikini for the first time in 15 years this past summer. That was the best!  (You can see Jen’s post and pictures on her blog here.)

How do you define balance?

Balance is all about forgiveness for me. If you can forgive yourself, you can strike a balance. A person that practices forgiveness and kindness will automatically have balance in their life. Balance is that moment in your day when things are piling up on your shoulders and you take that deep breath and tell yourself it’s going to be okay. No matter if you do it once or 100 times in one day, at least you’re doing. And it counts.

You say you exercise to keep your sanity. Can you elaborate on that? What does life look like when you don’t exercise?

Well, as I’ve shared, I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety for most of my adult life. I’m convinced daily exercise is one of the key ways I’ve been able to successfully manage a healthy balance in my brain. If I miss it, I can tell. My husband can tell. He used to hand me a glass of wine during the witching hour with the kids. Now he tells me to go for a run. For a person that struggles with anxiety, giving your brain all those fabulous endorphins is so important. Losing that extra hour of sleep in the morning to prioritize my workouts is an easy price to pay for some state of the art chemical balance!

You’ve done some races. What were those like? Do you plan to do any more?

I registered for a race before I ever started running. That’s how I roll. Jump, then think. I could not run a 1⁄4 mile when I started. I used the Couch to 5k program to get myself to 3 miles. Then it came easier. I’m an incredibly slow runner. Some people can walk faster. I won’t share my mile time because you will seriously laugh at me. But, I’m not about speed. I’m about finishing. I’ve done 5 k’s, 10 k’s and trained for a marathon that I never got to run because I injured my toe right before. Nothing like spending 6 months training and working up to that mileage, only to not run the race. But, as all marathoners know, the training is an accomplishment in and of itself. I really want to run a marathon at least once for my bucket list. These days I stick to easy runs in the 2-4 mile range. Anything beyond that is just unneeded torture, unless I’m training for something. I’m more of a “get in and get out” girl with workouts these days.

Back in Atlanta you started a bootcamp for women in your neighborhood. What motivated you to do that and did you enjoy the experience?

Oh just thinking about it makes me smile! I miss those girls so much!! The average bootcamp in Atlanta is roughly $350/month. I saw an interest and need and figured I’d start it for free. That way I’d get my workout in and others would too and we’d all save some cash. One positive side of my sometimes stubborn personality is that I often find myself saying: “Oh I can do that!” And so that’s exactly what happened. I had been taking bootcamp classes for years and just started planning the routines. We met every weekday morning at 6am sharp in the tennis courts in our neighborhood. And even though I was torturing them, we all had a lot of fun. Those ladies made getting up at the crack of dawn easy for me. I’d encourage anyone to get some friends together and do it.

In November you left Atlanta and move up to a remote mountain town (without a Starbucks!). How has that moved affected your fitness routine?

Well, I was a slug for a week or two! After just a few days of being here, I joined a gym and attended a few classes. Then we got snow dumped on us, which turned our 1⁄2 mile driveway into an Olympic bob sled slope. And my beloved gym I just joined was closed on and off for weeks. I accidentally left my weights in Atlanta in my garage when we moved, so I had none on hand. But I knew I had to take action or else I would go into hibernation along with the bears. And would more than likely come out looking like a bear in the Spring. So on one of the better days, I braved the driveway and made it to Wal-Mart where I loaded up on some 5,8, and 10-lb dumbbells and a 35 lbs kettlebell. I started out working out with the kids around or even participating. But, I don’t know what it is, but workouts are sort of sacred moments for me. It’s my recharge time. And I just prefer and enjoy them more alone or in a class setting. And preferably not little monkies clinging to me and asking for a snack. So I started setting my alarm again for 6am. And that’s my weekday workout time. When you live in a town with harsh winters, you start wishing for Spring in November. In the mean time though, you gotta make it work!

Speaking of that move how is it going? What is it like to pack up leaving the city and head to the mountains?

It’s been a culture shock. I knew it would be, but the reality sinks in and you have to adjust your lens a little bit. In a way it’s been a great exercise for me staying present. In a big city, you can easily distract yourself at any given time of the day. In the mountains, you are embedded in nature and once the “retreat” feel of it wears away, you have to learn a new way of seeing things and being. I’m an extrovert, so I miss my friends dearly. For me, that’s the most challenging part of all this. But I really believe there’s a plan for me and this was all part of the plan. And when you feel peace about a big decision, it makes all the adjustments easier to swallow. My kids are really enjoying discovering the outdoors, even in the snow! They often leave the back door looking like Ralphie and his brother from the Christmas Story, but they will play in the snow for hours. We’re all growing and learning our new way of life. And I dearly miss Starbucks and my old local coffee shop Octane. There are no drive through coffee houses here. That alone, took some major adjustment!! You moms with small, multiple kids get what I mean. And snow? Forget about it! I need Starbucks delivery.

If you were to write a book what would it be about?

It would be about how to write a book when you can’t think of what it should be about.

If you were to decided to go on a roadtrip right now where would you go and why? And what is a song you would play?

New York City! I have some dear friends there that I miss and would love to see. That and I just love walking, crowds, food, laughter and late nights. All of which comes in high doses there. And, ironically, I’d probably play The Suburbs by Arcade Fire.

Thank you Jen for sharing a glimpse of your struggles and successes.  Your perseverance, willingness to breath in the moment, and strength to speak what is on your heart is inspirational.  You are a Girl Hero.

Don’t forget to check out Jen’s blog, Making Messes and be sure to read one of my favorites posts of hers ever titled Is Your Diet Your Religion? So funny.  So true.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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It’s been a awhile since I’ve posted a Girl Hero interview.  It’s shame because these are favorite posts to put together.  There are so many amazing women out there and Girl Hero Jami is no exception.

Jami is a 41 year old “life coach” to her 14 year old quadruplets (3 strong rowdy boys and 1 artistic wonderful girl) and a part time psychologist.  She has been married for 18 years to a “buddy” from highschool.  Jami blogs over at Mom’s Flight School.

Jamie enjoys painting, reading, watching my kids’ activities, going shooting and just hanging out .  Her passions include her family, knowing God, listening to music, laughter, being an FCA Huddle leader, living a life that matters beyond “myself” and cherishing the countless blessings God has given me!

A few years ago she chose to overcome a string of hurts over the course of her life that she’d never really processed and released.  Regarding the experience Jami says, “God helped me to find real forgiveness in my heart and healed me of a lot of old wounds.  That is very freeing.  You have to let go of the armloads of old baggage so that your hands are free to grasp the joy that is possible each day.  Life is so precious.  We shouldn’t waste one moment being trapped  inside or embittered by the past.” Not only did she overcome emotional obstacles in her life she chose to take control of her physical health as well.

What was your lifestyle like before?

Before Body for Life, I was dragging myself through each day, scraping by on faith, candy bars, and Diet Pepsi. The food changes felt radical; sometimes I’d just eat what the kids didn’t from their lunch plates.  (mac and cheese…PB and J…coffee loaded with sugar & creamer and my diet soda). I cringe when I think about it.  Getting up at 5 o’clock was radical for me, but it was the only time I could get to the gym and not throw a wrench in my family’s schedule.  I was actually able to morph into a morning person.  It was just another miracle for me.

Now I have an appetite to truly live the life I was created for.  I am hungry for new experiences and am so much more tuned in to the beautiful world around me.  I don’t just mean scenery, but tuned in to the life surrounding me and most importantly being really tuned in to my kids.

What have been your biggest roadblocks and more importantly how do you get pass them?

My mindset has been a roadblock for me at times.  I have to focus on facts, not feelings.  My feelings can make me miss work outs, obsess on food, and get discouraged.  I use to have a whole list of things I told myself I couldn’t do and I don’t do that anymore.

I used to be a sort of worshipper of food, my whole life, really.  In the last few years, I am slowly and surely learning the beauty of being in control of my emotions and how food relates to how I feel.  I’m not perfect and sometimes I cave and grab the wrong thing..  I’ve learned so much about putting food in its proper place…a place where it is not the “be all and end all” of my existence.  Food is a wonderful gift to be enjoyed, not abused or something I obsess over.  I am just so happy that now that I’m in my forties, that I know what it means to eat to live, not living to eat.

STRESS is a constant roadblock, but I try to stay positive in my head and keep my body moving, knowing that some days are just going to be harder than others.

Does your husband share your lifestyle?

He is onboard with a healthy lifestyle-especially when I’m on track, we tend to influence each other to work…or slack.  We began our journey of health in 2007 with a couples Body for Life challenge and had great success…he lost 26 pounds and I lost 30.

Jami and her husband with the quadruplets!

What about your kids?  Is it a battle or do they easily share your lifestyle?

This is a funny one, because when I’m eating super clean, they always want what I’m having, like protein pancakes.  I always put protein powder in their pancakes and waffles.  They love healthy foods, but love ice cream and cookies too, which we don’t keep around.  I appreciate “junk food” occasionally, but we only do it once in a while.

When I go to the track or go run stairs, they all usually come with me.  I have so many great memories of being at the track with them over the last couple of years.  Somehow, that is always a great instigator of conversations about life.

I know you have a son who has been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome.  What exactly is that and how has it affected your family?

Aspergers Syndrome is a developmental disability, often called “high functioning” autism. It’s basically a brain wiring disorder.  It is characterized by a sort of “swiss cheese” type of development: that is, some things are learned age-appropriately, while other things may lag behind or be absent. Furthermore, children may have skills years ahead of normal development (for example, a child may understand complex mathematics principles, yet not be able to remember to bring their homework home).  Our son will talk your ear off about chemistry, but may not know what day of the week it is on any given day.  He has struggled behaviorally in school since pre-K.

In a mainstream time classroom, Aspie kids often experience melt downs, due to sensitivity to sounds and the activity of a classroom full of kids and an overdeveloped area of the brain that controls flight or fight mode.  Some don’t melt down, it’s a spectrum disorder and no 2 people with autism are “just alike”.  We have only met a few people who have kids who struggle so much at school, like our son.  We end up knowing the principal pretty well at every school our kids have attended. Some kids with AS are inclined to literally “flee” and run away in a highly stressful situation.  He’s run at least once from each school he’s been at since 4^th grade, once into the woods of a small neighboring town where his school was located.  He was found over 3 miles away just as Search and Rescue were en route.  That was one of my worst set of 3 hours I’ve ever experienced.  There are lots of land mines or grenades, as I call them, that drop into our family life because of autism.  Everything just stops-and there is a lot of emotional pain-and then we regroup.  Sometimes I despise autism like it is an evil beast that wants to kill peace and joy in our lives.  That is after the traumatic times, though.  My son has another side, one that, when anxiety free is compassionate, clever, and funny.  He is an amazing kid.

Mozart, Sir Isaac Newton, Jane Austen, Mark Twain, and Albert Einstein (among so many others) are believed to have had it.  Many experts in the field believe Bill Gates has Aspergers.  It can be a gift if a child is able to focus on their “specialty” and be encouraged to focus on it.  They are special kids who need a lot of understanding and can thrive, but most school situations are not ideal for them…hence all of the amazing people in history who did terrible in school, but achieved greatness in their work.

Here is a great video about a surfer with Aspergers:

What encouragement would you offer to other families who share similar challenges?

Read, study, know what makes your child tick and do whatever you need to do to keep hope alive.  I’ve had my share of despair about how autism has colored our family life.  You have to remember you are not alone even though you might feel so isolated at times. I pray a lot and spend quiet time with God.  We couldn’t do it as a family without God in our lives, He is my refuge and my strength when I am weak-which seems quite often.

Working out and nurturing my body with healthy food is one thing I can really control.  There is a great book called “Spark” that has reaffirmed my knowledge that working out helps ease stress and can battle depression.

Be informed and embrace the role as advocate.  This site below is helpful if you have a child on an IEP at school.  Being well informed about your child’s rights is VERY important to get them the type of help they need.  Some school districts are really knowledgeable about meeting special needs and others, not so much.  Some try to jam those square pegs into round holes.  Mom and Dad are a child’s best advocates and I’d give anything to have had this information 5 years ago!

http://www.wrightslaw.com/

You live and learn.  I recommend finding another mom to talk to who knows what it’s like to wonder each day of the school year if you are going to a phone call to come and pick up your child from school.  I have gotten very isolated at different points on this journey and held back from my friends…mostly because I get so mentally exhausted, discouraged, and I figure that no one needs to hear about my same problems over again.  Yes, we’ve all got problems, but we need our friends and I often miss them.  I feel like that part of my life has been on hold in some ways and that I have been an “absentee” kind of friend.  Within reach, but not very attentive.  I know the people who love me understand, though and I’ve been blessed with some women in my life who just accept me as I am and we pick right up where we left off last time.  (My mother included!)  I’m awful at keeping in touch, just ask her.  I feel like I save my everything for my kids,  I don’t want them going without something that only I can provide them.  Hubby, too-I long to make sure they all get their needs met, otherwise I have not fulfilled what I know is my number one purpose.

It is very difficult on the entire family when one member has special needs, whatever they are.  It takes so much extra energy sometimes to cope with the challenges. You’ve got to cut yourself some slack and try to create fun for the family, in whatever form fits.  We play a lot of board games and the kids play some computer games with their daddy-it’s a great stress reliever for everyone.  We have dinner together as a family every night that it’s possible, and breakfast too.  We have family movie night once a week, complete with popcorn and candy.  (I don’t eat the candy any more, but I do have popcorn-no butter.)

Speaking of popcorn (one of my favs), how do you deal with cravings?

Chromium picolinate every day is a must if I’m having sweets cravings…if I have my vitamins and that, I do pretty well.  When I REALLY need something, I make a protein brownie, or blend milk, a frozen banana (cut up), and scoop of vanilla protein powder and pretend its ice cream.  I also love vanilla yogurt, mixed with cottage cheese, mandarin oranges, and a sprinkle of sugar free Jell-O.  (Lime or orange)

I also have these wonderful little treats I made up a recipe for.  I like to call them Jami’s Amazing Protein Power Balls…lots of ingredients and chopping, but so worth it!  They are great to keep in your fridge and you can take a few in a small container if you’re meeting a friend for coffee and are tortured by all the goodies at the counter.  They are the ultimate trade up, healthwise!

Jami’s Protein POWER BALLS

1/3 oats
1 scoop protein powder of your choice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsps. Splenda (optional)
2 tsps. cocoa powder
2 Tbs. flax seeds
1/4 C. unsweetened coconut flake
2 Tbs. choc. (or carob) chips, chopped finely
1 sm. box of raisins (or 5 prunes), chopped
2 Tbs. almonds (chopped finely)
3 Tbs. vanilla yogurt (or whatever you have)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 C natural peanut butter
1/2 C chunky pb (or use a whole cup nat.)

Mix it all together (nice arm workout) and add a wee bit more yogurt as necessary if it is to dry. Roll into 1″ balls (like truffles) and then roll them into finely chopped (or flake) unsweetened coconut, nuts, wheat germ, flax meal, or cocoa powder…plain is fine, too, but they’ll stick together.

Place in an airtight container and refrigerate. This makes about 16 and you can substitute things you like better but have a similar consistancy…like apricots for raisins, sunflower seeds for almonds, etc.

I don’t know the breakdown on the numbers because I was winging it when I made it up. It is fabulous to bring a few in a snack bag if you’re meeting a friend at Starbucks and want a healthy “treat” with your coffee!

How often do you exercise and where do you workout?

I work out 6 days a week, alternating upper and lower body, with weights (3 days) and 3 days of HIIT cardio or running stairs.  In summer I do some swimming, too.  My overall wellness skyrockets when I’m eating clean and working out each day.  It’s such good medicine for about anything that ails a person.

What is your favorite exercise?

It’s a love/hate thing with the stairs.  We use the ones at the track or we go to a 3 story parking garage nearby that has a nice, glassed in stairwell where you can see the trees and sky outside and it’s covered.  It is challenging and makes me feel like I’ve worked hard in a short period of time.  It also sometimes makes me feel like I’m going to have a heart attack, but it is a reminder of have much further I can go in improving my aerobic health.

What motivates you?

I am deeply inspired by the stories of people who do wonderful things despite traumatic setbacks or people who chose to do hard things instead of the easy thing or what’s expected.  A few of my favorites:  Joni Eareckson Tada, Nic Vujicic, Temple Grandin, Cori Ten Boom, Anne Frank, Dick and Rick Hoyt.

Also, a sweet 14 year old girl named Jonnae, who battled leukemia inspired me with her view of life and I fell in love with her heart.  She said that we shouldn’t say “I have to” about anything, we should say “I get to” instead.  It’s a brilliant philosophy that served her well in her hardest days fighting that awful disease.  I don’t say I have to anymore.  When I was fundraising for Make A Wish, I painted “I Get To” in oils and auctioned it on EBay.  Someone who knew Jonnae’s story bought it and had me send it to her mom.  Her message has touched so many who never even met her.

What goals have you reached?

I became a mom after dealing with infertility for several years.

Trained for and placed in a bodybuilding competition.  It was my own personal “Survivor” episode.

I overcame the “I hate running” mindset I’ve had my entire life and did my first 5K last spring.

I have stopped running to food when I am upset.

I have let go of my concern over what the “scale” has to say about me.  Here is a photo of a mock up I made of a “Truth-o-Meter”, my silly named idea for taking true measure of my life.  Essentially, instead of waiting to see certain digits, I want to step up and check in with myself to see if I’m doing the right things to meet my life goals.  If I am actively doing most of those things…THAT equals satisfaction.  I’m no longer chasing a size on a tag or certain numbers on scale.  I’m so content with progress and have learned a lot more patience.  I want to be healthy in all the right ways.

What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of my kids, like all moms.   On the fitness front, it would be completing the Denver half marathon (slowly and with much knee pain) I was supposed to walk/jog the whole thing, but when the gun went off, I started to jog with my 2 friends and once the crowd thinned a bit, it was all running for 2 miles.  I should have stopped, but I was too excited.  I had never run 2 miles without stopping before.

"After the marathon"

I did it to raise money for Make A Wish foundation.  Our group helped 30 kids’ wishes come true as a group and my friends and family helped me raise over $2,000.  As corny as it sounds…thinking about those kids and Jonnae, helped me get to the finish line.  I occasionally thought “I am in pain, no one would fault me for stopping”.   It took me 4 hours, but was amazing because my running partners and I spent so much time laughing through the pain we were experiencing.  Around mile 10, an old lady in oxygen passed us and then about mile 12 we got heckled for walking.  Seriously…these two guys came out of an apartment and said…”Aren’t you guys supposed to be running?” as they laughed.  REALLY?  Ah, we just had to laugh.  We cracked up so hard at that.  What kind of person heckles someone trying to limp to the finish of a half marathon?  God gave me that day as a gift and I will treasure it always.

I love deciding to something that I am not sure I can do.  It’s then I get to see what God will do with my lack of ability!  I was having so much pain while training and finally went to see an orthopedic surgeon to see if I could get cortisone shot.  He checked me out and said, “You were not made for running…your ligaments are too loose and your knees are put on crooked.  You can run, but I don’t know if you should.”

In April, I finished a local 10 mile race called The Pear Blossom Run that has been on my “bucket list” ever since I was a teenager.  I had my daughter by my side and it was so amazing for us to do that together.

What goals are you working towards?

I have several things I’m working on.  I am working toward doing unassisted pull ups, it’s an exciting time in my life!  Seriously, I haven’t done one since high school and it’s my goal to conquer it.

I’m working toward lowering my blood pressure, which we believe is stress induced.  About 40 days ago I made the decision to give up alcohol for good, which will help that, too.  I’m done dabbling in things that are harmful and using alcohol to combat/soothe stress and anxiety is just not happening for me.  My doctor recommended that 1 “glass of wine” each night to relax, but I always ended up with 2 and maybe a headache to boot.  It’s just not for me anymore and I will learn to love my unsweetened lime mineral water as much as any smooth red wine.  If I can learn to drink coffee black (which I did during my BFL challenge), I can do almost anything, so I am really encouraged about this change.

I am working toward true balance in my life: spirit, mind, and body.  When one of those is lagging for me, my entire being suffers.  I know I won’t arrive, but I can improve more and more as the days go by.

Most importantly, I’m working on my goal of being the mom my kids need me to be.  They start high school this week and I only have about 4 more years to help prepare them for life “outside the nest”.  They are amazing people and I am so blessed to have the opportunity to be an “at home mom” full time.  Now, that they are getting older I can see how truly important we are as parents, not just feeding them and keeping things clean.  I see them living out so much of what we have tried to instill in them since they were babies.  They have such great character.  It makes me want to really finish well, my job as mom, while they are still here with us under our roof.

Another short term goal I’m working on is another BFL challenge in memory of one of the champs I was blessed to call a friend, Mike Harris.  I called him my BFL Yoda.  He was a judge in real life and one of the most caring, intelligent souls anyone could meet.  He helped Steven and I in our first challenge and was a big encouragement to us in our spiritual lives as well.
What would you say to someone who says they “can’t” change their habits?

One of my favorite quotes is “rid your mind of can’t” and I’ve been working hard at that since I came across it a few years ago.  There are a truckload of clichés about “can and can’t” and I’m pretty sure most of them are true.  There are countless people in this world who have overcome great obstacles to do amazing things.  I feel that saying I can’t is usually a cop out.  We can do so much more than we think we can, sometimes we just don’t “want” to do the hard things and it’s easier to think you can’t than to bust your bum and do it.

If you could play one character in a movie who would it be?

It would be amazing to play someone like Joan of Arc or Eowyn in Lord of the Rings and learn to use a sword.  However the role that would be more suited to me, since I’m a lousy actor, would be someone like Sandra Bullock’s character, Gracie Hart, in Miss Congeniality…she loves her guns and red meat, is kind of dorky and unpolished, but has a big heart and wants to do the right thing.

One of Jami’s favorite quotes is “The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that outlasts it.” by William James.  Jami, you are certainly a woman living up to that advice. Thank you so much for taking the take to share you story and your heart with yes.  You are a Girl Hero!!!!!

Please don’t forget to stop by Jami’s blog, Mom’s Flight School!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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I’d like to think for every creepy internet story there are a million happy ones.  Deb, from Smoothie Girl Eats Too,  is one of my internet “gifts”.  We met in person a few months ago and after our 20 minute turned 2 hour workout followed by a 3 hour talk on the beach, I knew I had a happy internet story to tell.  Deb is a doll.  Truly.  She is kind, thoughtful, and hilarious!  Formerly, a dentist by trade, turned hygienist by choice, Deb is now the go-to family caregiver as her dad battles cancer. Deb has been married for 16 years to a British chap, Derek, and they have one cat Samantha who lovingly controls their lives. When Deb is not caring for others (or being forced to work as a “brushie slave” for Samantha) you will more than likely find her enjoying the outdoors or making smoothies.  (Of course!)  As well as caring for others, Deb has learned to care for herself.  Formerly, a yo-yo dieter Deb lost over 90 pounds and learned to love exercise.  Read on to see how Deb changed her world by choosing health!

Was losing weight all that it is cracked up to be?

Yes, actually it was.  There is an incredible “high” that comes from losing weight steadily and quickly.  You feel better.  You look better.  You get compliments.  It seems easy once you are on a roll.  Sadly, it’s trying to maintain the new “low” weight that was hard.  I ended up gaining 15-20 of the 90 pounds and maintaining that for 8 years.  Then three years ago, I subsequently lost back about 25 lbs, then gained back about 5-10…confused much?

What caused you to make your lifestyle change?  Was there “a moment” you just knew you had to change your habits?

A girlfriend told me about a mutual friend who had always been chubby and had lost 60 pounds on HMR (Health Management Resources).  I had tried every other program, so I figured, why not try this too?  The difference was that HMR taught me how to weigh, measure, and count calories.  It recommended food and exercise records.  It was a weekly “class” that you attended, and sat and learned like in school.

What was your diet like before?  Your exercise program before?

I ate whatever I wanted whenever I wanted with absolutely no regard for calories.  I ate a ton of sweets, any fried foods I desired, and a lot of fast food. I basically ate if there was ever a TINY bit of room in my belly.  The only time I was not eating was when I was stuffed silly from a huge meal.  I never realized that it is NORMAL to feel a little bit hungry before your next meal or snack!  Shock!

How different was the HMR program from your current (at the time) lifestyle?  Was it hard to change?

Actually, HMR trained me to eat how I live currently.  I still have one to three shakes a day and the rest of my meals are balanced, if a bit heavy on the protein.  When I was “on” HMR, my calories were lower than they are now..  I currently eat lower carb than what HMR recommends.  I still weigh and/or measure my food.  I also still keep a food diary (I tried to go without it, with disastrous consequences), and I still make exercise a priority.  It’s a lot of work but it is worth it.

What were the top three things you learned at HMR that you continue to use today?

Making shakes, counting calories and making exercise a non-negotiable priority.

What have been your biggest roadblocks and more importantly how do you get past them?

Every so often I will hit a time where I am just not as motivated to keep the calories as low as I might want to achieve my weight goal range.  The last time this happened was after I got back from a vacation.  I found it hard to get back on track.

On your personal health journey have you had any moments that just made you want to throw in the towel and say f-it?  What did you learn something from that experience?

Not really.  I do say that I can feel bitter inside when I look over at a tiny little skinny woman throwing back 800 calorie pina coladas and then has a full meal on top of it.  Meanwhile I sit there with my ceviche and salad, washed down with a diet coke. Grr.  Life’s not always fair I suppose!

What do you find to be the easiest aspect of your lifestyle?  What do you think makes it “easy” for you?

Honestly the easiest part is the exercise.  For me, it’s like oxygen for my lungs.  I need to exercise.  Not every day, but consistently.  If I miss two days in a row I start to feel icky.  By the third day I’m nearly insane.

I’ve heard a lot of women who have lost a lot of weight say that they have a hard time seeing their “new body”.  Do you ever feel this way?  What do you tell yourself to combat this negative self talk?

I think that I see my body for what it truly is.  It’s far from perfect, but it’s a heck of a lot better than it was before.   I think I am pretty realistic.

What are you most proud of?

Being consistent in making good food choices, yet being able to treat myself too.  I can’t live without some treats.  Life would not be worth living.

How have your friends and family reacted to your transformation?

Everyone has been very supportive.  When I got very lean about 3 yrs ago, my Mom freaked out and was not supportive.  She was relieved when I put back on about 5-10 of those pounds.

Does Derek (husband) share your lifestyle?

Um, not so much.  He did Daily Plate for about 5 minutes and he is doing the 10,000 swing Kettlebell challenge this month (however I think he has a lot of catching up to do).  But otherwise he exercises not one iota and eats way more sweets (British) than I ever could imagine doing now.

You are known for your smoothies.  What is your favorite one??

Deb working the vita!

My PB&J.  (I’ve had it and it’s GOOOD. Check it out!)

Do you go out to eat a lot?  How do you eat when you go out?

Singing to her dad at his birthday last year.

When my Dad was not ill, we would go out to lunch all the time- perhaps 2-3 times per week. And the family would go out on the weekends at least one.  I make healthy choices but always have some small treat.  So I may order a salad and some protein, but if a place is known for its bread, sweet potato fries or dessert, I will definitely have some.

I have heard you refer to some foods as “Frankenfoods”. (Which always cracks me up.) What would you classify as a “frankenfood” and how do they fit into your life?

I do use a lot of Frankenfoods.  These are usually faux foods of the real thing and they are laden with chemicals and artificial sweeteners.  They work for me because I get to feel like I’m indulging, but for a fraction of the calories.  Examples:  Torani Sugar Free Syrups, Sugarfree pancake Syrup, Fat Free Reddi-Whip, Frozen yogurt (from the FroYo shops).

How often do you exercise?

Roughly 5 days a week

I know you used to be a cardio queen but then came over to the darkside with us grunting “meatheads”.    What sort of impact did strength training have on your life?

Deb at her leanest.

When I introduced heavy lifting to my life, I went from ~157 to about 133 and stayed there for about a year.  However, I should point out that I also concurrently re-introduced low-cal smoothies into my life and re-introduced my food diary (all HMR techniques)

What motivates you?

Fear of being heavy again.  That fear never leaves you.

What goals are you working towards?

Honestly the only goal I have is to lose a few vanity pounds.  Nothing more.

What would you say to a friend who was upset about having a lot of weight to lose?

I would say “when you are ready, you’ll know it.”  I would only ever broach the subject if they asked for my advice. One thing I have learned is that if you’re not ready, you’re NOT READY.  And there is nothing more annoying than a ‘slimmer’ person who has lost weight telling you how to do it.  Very very annoying.

What is your favorite part of the day?

I love the mornings because that is always my exercise time.  It is the only time of the day that is really and truly 100% mine all mine.  I love the afternoons because I love the orange glow of the late sun.

(I have a feeling that this is one of her favorite parts of the day, as well.)

Anything else you would like to share???

I see very busy people with poor eating habits.  They ask for my advice and I can only impress upon them that unless they take a good chunk of time to prepare their healthy eats for the day, they will have a hard time losing weight.  It takes a huge commitment, but it’s very important.

Also, learning to love exercise is the biggest gift that you can give yourself.

Thank you Deb for sharing your story with us!  You are a true inspriation and Girl Hero.  You can read more about Deb at her blog, Smoothie Girl Eats Too.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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