Fighting for Wellness

Yesterday Was Hard, Today Will Be Better

Jun.14,2013

Yesterday was hard. More specifically, last night was hard. I should back up a little.

Last night Joe and I had planned to go out to dinner after I attended a women’s networking event organized by Wonder Women of Boston. I was careful about my food throughout the day to make sure that a small splurge at dinner wouldn’t hurt the progress I’ve been making.

I went to the networking event and had an amazing time. I met a ton of empowered and empowering women and left feeling like I had a clearer vision of my own purpose. As I left and started walking to the bus to meet Joe, I saw he had sent me a text saying he needed to cancel to help his dad with the family business, but that we could order dinner in once he finished. No big deal, so I grabbed the bus and headed home.

By this point it was almost 9 and I was super hungry. Some grapes from the networking event just weren’t keeping me full. I tried something from my foodie pen pal box (which arrived yesterday and I can’t wait to share in the reveal!) to hold me over until Joe finished helping his dad. Once he got back home and we ordered food, it was late. The place I normally order from if I want something fast but healthy was closed. Against what should have been my better judgment, I had Joe order veggie pizza.

This was a bad idea for several reasons, not the least of which is the gluten issue. I just feel like crap whenever I have it, but for some reason I keep coming back to it in a pinch. I always regret it.

Sure enough, the pizza arrived just after 11pm (eating so late is another reason this was a bad idea, but I felt like I needed something). By this point I felt like I was starving and I fell into an all too familiar trap. I ate WAY too much of that pizza.

I went to bed feeling disgusted with myself. I woke up feeling disgusted with myself. When I had breakfast this morning (out of sheer habit, not hunger) I almost got sick because my stomach still felt so full. All morning my stomach continued to feel that way. Miserable. All the gluten, all the cheese, all the CRAP, just sitting there in my stomach and not going anywhere.

My mind was going all over the place, but mostly to the self-shaming that tries to creep up in these situations. Then I looked back over the comments from previous posts where I’ve struggled and remembered how far I’ve come in life and in my weight loss journey. I also found a list of the 100 Most Inspirational Weight Loss Bloggers of 2013 and from there I found this blog.

I started reading out of sheer curiosity where it would go and couldn’t stop. I still haven’t stopped, only paused to write this post. Although I have never been 700 pounds, I find so much of what I’ve read so far to sound like it has come out of my own head. The physical limitations of being overweight, the emotional struggles, the need for something more in life and the absolute FIGHT to get it, no matter what. I’ve been moved to tears several times (virtually every post, if you must know) and that’s because it reminds me that this is such a hard fight for so many of us.

Obviously I don’t mean to suggest that I have struggled in the same ways or to the same degree as the blog’s anonymous author, only that we all struggle. Even more than that, we all have to find our way through our struggles in our own way. Sometimes the struggle is brief and we begin to easily navigate the potential road blocks that arise, other times the struggle seems nearly impossible and like it will never in. Sometimes we wonder if it’s even worth it.

As I sat reading I was so inspired. If a 700 pound man with legs so swollen that standing puts him in immense pain can get up and start walking up and down his hall 20-25 times a day to start his journey to healthier living, I can sure as hell move past one stupid pizza binge*.

So instead of wallowing in the misery that I still felt in the pit of my stomach and eating lunch just because it’s lunch time, I took some other measures. First, I dealt with my digestion issues with some Digestion Plus mixed in with a fizz stick.

It was a lifesaver. My stomach started to feel so much better shortly thereafter and I started to feel like a normal human again. Then I went for a short walk around the building, just to get up and get my blood moving, followed by some push ups for good measure.

Then I decided that when I actually feel HUNGRY I’ll get some lunch. I didn’t pack anything today because I wasn’t sure how my stomach would feel, but now that it’s feeling better I imagine that at some point my body is going to want something. At that point I’ll go grab a cup of soup and some fruit because that really is all my body needs. There’s still plenty of fuel in there from last night and breakfast, I’m sure.

The whole experience has reminded me that we really are responsible for how we feel because how we feel is mostly about how we react to things or people. In every difficult situation we can either let it overpower us and feel worthless and useless, or we can OVERPOWER it and feel stronger and wiser for what we’ve learned. I’m choosing to overpower the feelings I had last night and this morning. I’m forging ahead, stronger and wiser. Yesterday is hard, but today will be better.

xoxo,

Becki

*I use the term binge colloquially. My “binge” last night with pizza was not tantamount to a clinical binge as seen in bulimia or binge eating disorder. If you are experiencing binges or uncontrolled eating episodes, please talk to your doctor or mental health professional. Don’t go it alone.

Food Lately: Summer Veggie Pasta & Tuna Collard Wraps 2.0

Jun.13,2013

Last night Joe informed me that when he read the title of yesterday’s post, he thought it was going to be about our favorite Charlestown breakfast place called Grasshopper. I promised him I’d give it a shout out in today’s post to assuage his disappointment. Joe’s feelings aside, it really is a great restaurant, open only for breakfast and lunch. Their standard menu is always fantastic (breakfast burrito or crab cake benedict, anyone?) and their specials are amazing! Graduation weekend I had a cornbread eggs benedict (I can’t actually remember what it was called) and it was delicious. We also love their sides, especially the granola, yogurt, and fruit. For lunch I’ve only had their veggie burger, but it was also really great. If you find yourself in Charlestown around breakfast or lunch, be sure to check it out!

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Speaking of food, I’ve been doing my best lately to be mindful of the food I’m eating. That has meant much less eating out and therefore a lot more creativity with my food. Since I haven’t done a WIAW post in a long time and missed that opportunity yesterday, I thought I might share two recent meals with you today instead. Plus, maybe it’s time to resurrect Recipe Thursday!

The first dish, Summer Veggie Pasta, is a vegan and gluten free dish I had on Tuesday night for dinner. It totally hit the spot for something light that felt like comfort food. If I hadn’t made it myself I wouldn’t have realized it was vegan and gluten free.

Ingredients:
4 oz. dry Quinoa pasta, cooked according to package
1 tsp. coconut oil
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped baby bella mushrooms
6 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1/4 cup Trader Joe’s mozzarella style vegan shreds

Directions:
Cook quinoa pasta according to package directions. While quinoa pasta is cooking, heat 1 tsp. coconut oil in a non-stick pan. Add minced garlic, broccoli and mushrooms then saute over medium-high heat until mushrooms become fragrant and broccoli is tender enough to insert a fork (about 10 minutes). At the last minute add cherry tomatoes and turn heat to low. Drain pasta and add to non-stick pan with other ingredients. Top with vegan cheese.

Last night I was craving something a bit different, something fresh and very green, but with lots of protein. After a trip to the grocery store for some essentials, I ended up with a new version of tuna collard wraps, with several new twists on my original version.

Ingredients:
2 large collard green leaves
1 can chunk light tuna in water
1/2 small container of nonfat plain Greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
3/4 cup alfalfa sprouts, chopped
3/4 cup bean sprouts, chopped
1/2 cup pea shoots, chopped
6-8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
5 leaves of fresh basil chiffonade
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. mustard powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Wash and dry collard green leaves and remove thickest part of the stem leaving leaves pliable then set aside. Drain tuna and in a large bowl mix with Greek yogurt. Add sprouts, pea shoots, tomatoes, basil, and spices then mix well. Top collard green leaves on the lighter side of the leaf and roll tightly.

I hope you’ll give both of these recipes a try and let me know what you think.

What are your favorite summer recipes?

Are you creative in the kitchen?

xoxo,

Becki

Trying the Grasshopper

Jun.12,2013

I feel the need to start this post with a disclaimer: I am not engaged. I am, and always have been, however obsessed with weddings. Just ask my mother. My all-time favorite thing to play with my Barbie dolls was “wedding” and I got in big trouble for picking my dad’s thrift to use as bouquets. Oops.

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I’ve planned my dream wedding countless times. I love going to other people’s weddings. I love the music, the flowers, the decorations, the food, you name it.

Lucky for me I can live vicariously through a lot of bloggers, an experience that has opened my eyes to the very complex world of wedding planning that I never realized existed. Most weddings in my small hometown were simple. They were held in a local church with the reception in the church fellowship hall. The food was usually made by the family and decorations were minimal (and also usually made by a family member or family friend).

So reading all about finding the perfect venue, booking a DJ or band, finding a wedding photographer, etc. has been a whole new world to me.

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If you’re still with me, this is where everything relates back to healthy living – I promise. I’ve been thinking a lot about catering and the process of tasting the wedding menu before making selections. You see, Joe’s palate is not as well developed as mine. As a matter of fact he didn’t really start eating vegetables until he met me. So when I think about who should be the one tasting all the food for our someday wedding, the answer is obvious: me. Sorry, Joe. I promise your input matters, I just want some input too.

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Am I really going to try the chicken and beef (or whatever) options for my someday wedding?

The short answer is probably.

I didn’t grow up as a vegetarian. As a matter of fact I was a pretty hardcore meat-eater for a long time and one of my first jobs was at a steakhouse. I also grew up on a farm, so I’ve had my fair share of meat from our own animals. Too much? Regardless, my decision to become vegetarian (and now pescetarian) was primarily for health reasons. That said, I don’t think tasting the meat options for a HUGE event is going to kill me.

Where is this all coming from if I’m not getting married anytime soon? Last weekend when I was in NYC the topic came up in a slightly different way at dinner. I made the comment that I’m an adventurous eater and I don’t want to give that up just because I don’t eat meat. When asked what that meant, I shared that if I had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to try something super weird or crazy, I’d definitely do it.

Before becoming vegetarian some of the foods I had tried were sea urchin, chicken heart, and grasshoppers. Yes, grasshoppers. I like trying weird and new things. I think it makes me well-rounded. I’m very much of the mindset “Don’t knock it ’til you try it” with most things.

Sea Urchin
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So why is the answer to my previous question just probably? Because I’m not engaged, I’m not planning my wedding, and my feelings about all of this could change before then. But regardless of what decision I make, far in the future at my wedding or the next time I go out to dinner, I don’t want to mislead anyone. I am 99.9% of the time pescetarian. That last .1% is reserved for all the weird, freaky stuff I want to try just to say I have. If I were to tell myself I couldn’t try something because of a somewhat arbitrary restriction I placed on myself I’d go crazy! Restricting myself unnecessarily isn’t healthy living. I want a full and healthy life and sometimes that means trying the grasshopper!

Boston’s Most Active Tour: Freedom Trail Run

Jun.11,2013

This just hasn’t been my week – and it’s only Tuesday! From car issues and missed meetings because of it to broken headphones and all this rain, I’d love to just go back to this weekend. Luckily I can at least live through the memories, right?!

On Saturday morning I woke up bright and early (well, for a Saturday) to meet Dani from Weight Off My Shoulders for a chance to try out the Freedom Trail Run.

I was super excited because I love the Freedom Trail, which is a walking tour along 16 historical sites throughout Boston. The first time I ever walked the Freedom Trail was in college and I like to take all my visitors on the path, including most recently my parents when they were in for my graduate school graduation.

When Dani asked me to join her on the Freedom Trail Run, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. My first thought was that Dani is much faster than me and my second thought was about how I’ve never run in a group. You read that right, I’m a lone runner. Joe reminded me that the sites are all fairly close together, so my chances of getting left behind were slim.

I checked out the website and learned that not only does the run take you along the Freedom Trail sites, you actually get the chance to stop and learn some history as you go. Score! Despite my love of the Freedom Trail, I had never taken an actual tour before, so I was excited.

From the Freedom Trail Run website:

Freedom Trail Run is the active way to tour Boston’s historic Freedom Trail! Our unique running tour will show you the sites in an up-close and detailed way that’s unlike any other tour!

We meet on Boston Common (at the corner of Park & Tremont St.) and run a 5K course that passes some of America’s most important historical landmarks. We don’t just “run-by” the sites, we stop and explore them! And since we stop so often (16 times), even beginners can participate!

Luckily the weather Saturday morning was not as rainy and cold as it had been the day before, but I still wasn’t ready to head out for the run in a tank top and shorts so I donned some running capris and a race shirt and met Dani at Boston Common where we received our instructions and information for how the morning was going to be structured.

Eddie, the organizer of the Freedom Trail Run and also the Cambridge 5k series, also gave us our first taste of Boston’s history explaining all about William Blackstone, the hermit-like first inhabitant of Boston who showed the explorers who had ventured over from what is now Charlestown (a neighborhood of Boston where there was no drinking water at the time) where he had been getting his water.

Eddie also explained that the Freedom Trail Run happens every single Friday, Saturday, and Sunday year round, no matter the weather. Thinking about Eddie and a group of runners outside during Nemo made our chilly and cloudy morning feel a lot less severe.

With that we were off to our first official stop, the (new) State House!

Photo courtesy of the Freedom Trail Run

Although I knew that most of Boston was landfill from the tops of three hills, what I learned at the State House, which is on Beacon Hill, is that the hill used to be as tall as the gold dome of the State House. That’s a LOT of land cut off! I also learned that beside the State House is where John Hancock’s mansion stood and that its demolition and the subsequent outrage helped to fuel the modern preservation movement.

From the State House we made our way down some side streets to the first of three burying grounds we would explore on the tour. Along the way I chatted with Dani, which was great because we had never really chatted outside of social media and the time I first introduced myself to her at the Super Sunday 5 mile race.

I attempted to get some running photos, but my poor phone just isn’t as advanced as I’d like it to be.

At the Granary Burying Ground (where Park Street Church is now used to actually be a granary), we had the opportunity to see the burial sites of Paul Revere (who has two headstones, the second commissioned after he actually became famous from Longfellow’s poem), Samuel Adams, the victims of the Boston Massacre, and John Hancock. John Hancock, it should be noted, was robbed of his skull and one of his hands prior to entering his final resting places. The joke on the tour was that everyone else in the burying ground rests in peace, but Hancock rests in pieces.

After our tour of headstones in the first two burying grounds, we stopped at the Old South Meeting House, which served as overflow for many important meetings. Most notably, this is where the Boston Tea Party was planned.

It is also directly across the street from where Benjamin Franklin was born. That house is long gone, but Boston made sure to lay claim to Ben’s childhood.

Remember that water source good old William Blackstone showed to the colonists? Well, it was the only spring in Boston and so everyone had to carry their water buckets to and from the location. It isn’t a surprise then that the city was built around the spring and today you can see the site of the old spring right downtown.

A bit more running led us to the site of the Boston Massacre, which our tour guide noted would be a huge memorial in any other city, but in Boston it’s easy to miss.

This memorial is right in front of the Old State House, which was the seat of British Colonial Government at the time. I learned on this run that the lion and unicorn, which are on the Old State House, are both symbols of the United Kingdom and that’s where the unicorn on the Boston Athletic Association logo comes from.

Photo courtesy of the Freedom Trail Run

After our photo op we ran briefly into the Fanueil Hall area, the site of the Great Hall where many important speeches have been and still are held. Interestingly, Fanueil Hall used to be only two floors and was only as wide as three of the windows. An architect matched the older part of the building with the extension that was added years later. Pretty great job, I’d say! The far left window in this photo is from the old building, the middle and one on the right are part of the new structure.

From there we headed to the North End to get our Paul Revere history on, complete with a stop at his home (which our tour guides shared was always that house that over-decorated at holidays), the Paul Revere statue, and the Old North Church, from which the lantern was hung to signal that the British were coming.

Photo courtesy of the Freedom Trail Run

We then went to our final burying ground, Copp’s Hill, where we had a great view of the Old North Church as well as the narrowest house on the East Coast. There is, apparently, a house that is narrower in parts than this one, but it does get wider toward the back of the house. This house is the narrowest (10ft wide) all the way back.

From the North End we went on our longest leg of the run for about a half mile into Charlestown. After a brief stop right across the bridge in Charlestown, we made our way up the hill to the Bunker Hill Monument.

Photo courtesy of the Freedom Trail Run

An interesting tidbit that I knew, but which was also mentioned on our tour, is that the Battle of Bunker Hill didn’t actually happen on Bunker Hill, it happened on Breed’s Hill. The tour guide mentioned that Bunker Hill is a taller hill just a little further into Charlestown. As someone who often runs Bunker Hill, you don’t have to tell me it’s taller.

Our tour ended with a run down to the Charlestown Navy Yard to see the USS Constitution and then over to get our t-shirts and free drink, which were part of the sign-up. I opted for my first ever Chocolate Zico coconut water, channeling Rachael who has been telling me to try it for a while.

After downing our respective drinks, Dani and I posed for a photo with our shirts, which are awesomely soft by the way!

Photo courtesy of Dani at Weight Off My Shoulders

From the Navy Yard we hopped on a ferry (also part of the sign-up price) back downtown. Nothing is better than a view of Boston from the water, if you ask me.

After Dani and I parted ways I decided to run back home to Charlestown. Even though it wasn’t even noon, the tour is exactly 2 hours (8:30-10:30) from the time you start the run to when the ferry drops you off, I was starving!

I made myself a quick lunch and sat down to reflect about the Freedom Trail Run experience.

So what did I think of the Freedom Trail Run? I loved it!

I’m already kind of a history nerd, so I knew I would love the tour part even if I already knew a lot of the facts. What was so great about the running tour is that it was so easy to go at my own pace throughout. When I wanted to push myself it was a great way to essentially do sprint intervals. When I wanted to stay behind to take photos and catch up to the group, I did. If I wanted to jog slowly, I could. The participants were of all different fitness levels and abilities, which made the experience even more enjoyable. We were all getting in some exercise without feeling like we weren’t going to be able to keep up. Plus we got some great history, a t-shirt, a drink, and a ferry ride!

I highly recommend the Freedom Trail Run to both Boston locals and those who are visiting and looking for a touristy experience, even if you don’t consider yourself a “runner” necessarily. Overall the run was around 3 miles, but those 16 stops made it very manageable. The cost of the run is $40, which gets you so much! But if you’d like to try it for free, enter Dani’s giveaway! She’s giving away a tour to one lucky winner and the guest of their choice. Best of all is that this tour entry can be used anytime this year, so you don’t have to be local to win it (just visiting Boston this year). Head over to her blog for all the details, this is a giveaway you don’t want to miss!

I ran the Freedom Trail Run free of charge as Dani’s guest. All opinions about the event and organizers are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Xoxo,

Becki

The Universe Conspires to Help

Jun.6,2013

Something happened to me recently that I’ve been wanting to share with you all. It was very small and seemingly insignificant, but I’ve continued to think about it for over a week now and that’s how I know that it’s anything but insignificant.

When I was in Burlington the day after my marathon, I was standing outside of a restaurant waiting for Joe when I overheard a girl talking to a couple of guys. I didn’t hear the context at all, but I was really impacted by what she said.

“When you decide what you want to do and who you want to be, the Universe starts to conspire to make that happen.”

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It moved me because I realized how much my own mentality has changed in the past year. A year ago I would have said, “No it doesn’t! It’s like it conspires against you!” because in the past I’ve encountered a lot of obstacles to what I want to do, or thought I wanted to do. Every time I encountered one of those obstacles I let it bring me down. I started to wonder whether I had it in me to do the things I want to do.

Now that I’m more sure than ever that I’ve found a true calling, to help people lead healthier lives physically and emotionally, it’s like everything has turned into an opportunity. The Universe is always delivering little signs as if to say, “Yes, Becki, this is what you’re supposed to be doing. Keep it up!”

My girl Heather posted this on her Facebook page a couple of days ago and it really spoke to me. “When shit hits the fan, that is not the time to go back to old habits. It’s not an obstacle. It’s an opportunity to ask the Universe, “What can I learn from this?” and trust that you will be lead to the right people and the right situations to bring up exactly what you need to heal. You are being tested. Not because the Universe wants to annoy the crap out of you, but because it loves you so much that it wants you to build the mental muscles to become a pro at the lesson in front of you. Stay faithful and stay patient.”

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That’s how it is for me now and it’s becoming more that way every single day. Even the would-be obstacles feel like opportunities. I’m slowly learning to open myself up and just really listen to what the Universe is trying to tell me.

I don’t always know what I need in the moment, but if I can quiet all of my fears, anxiety, doubts, and what-ifs, the answer will be there.

Just stay quiet, and listen.

xoxo,

Becki

National Running Day: I Will Keep Running

Jun.5,2013

This post is part of the Under Armour What’s Beautiful Campaign. I was chosen to be part of this campaign through my ambassadorship with FitFluential. All thoughts herein are my own.

Happy National Running Day! What a year of running it has been for me! Since this time last year I have run multiple 5ks, the Bunker Hill 8k, the BAA 10k (my first 10k!), two half marathons, my first 5 mile race, my first 10 mile race, and my very first marathon!

All of this for someone who had never even run a mile just three short years ago! So why do I run? To push myself!

I have to be honest though, sometimes running is still hard for me. Leading up to my marathon I was struggling to enjoy the training. The long runs were tough and I was battling injury. I thought about breaking away from running a bit to reset and find my love for running again.

Instead my love of running found me again, right in the middle of the hardest parts of my marathon. I hope you’ll take a minute to watch this short video about the experience and what it inspired in me.

As part of the Under Armour What’s Beautiful Campaign I created the team Try Something Scary. My initial goal was to run my first marathon. During training I started to resent running and thought about not running for a while after my marathon. Now that the marathon is over, my love of running found me again and I’m prepared to do something even scarier than not running. I will keep running!

I hope you’ll all check out the What’s Beautiful Campaign and then join Team Try Something Scary.

I’ll be getting in today’s run on my lunch break and I’ll be very happy if it’s anywhere near as gorgeous as yesterday’s run!

QUESTIONS

What’s something scary you’re going to try as part of the What’s Beautiful Campaign?

Are you a runner? If so, how are you celebrating National Running Day?

The Package Tour & Tummy Troubles

Jun.4,2013

Happy Tuesday!

I hope you all are having weather as beautiful as we are here in Boston today. Unfortunately I’m stuck inside all day for work, but you better believe I’m getting in a run this evening. This weather is just too perfect.

Last night was the second night of The Package Tour in Boston. That is, New Kids on the Block, 98 Degrees, and Boyz II Men. I shared my love of the New Kids yesterday, so I was pretty excited about the show. I had, however, been dealing with a little bit of nausea at work, but chalked it up to not eating great over the weekend.

I was supposed to meet Dani and a group of her friends before the show for dinner, but there was an issue with the bus I was on and I was super late getting down near the TD Garden. I sent her a message that I would just find a quick bite near the venue instead and try to meet up with her soon.

I ended up at The Four’s because it’s super close to TD Garden and was one of the only places nearby with a solid vegetarian option. It didn’t, however, have any gluten free options to speak of. Since I don’t have an actual gluten allergy I decided just to say screw it and get my grilled mushroom sandwich on the bread it came with. I had my sandwich and sweet potato fries and chatted with the bartenders and some of the other patrons. I was still trying to get rid of my extra ticket, but didn’t have any takers.

After Joe got off work I invited him out to share a drink with me before the show and he obliged. It was good to see him because he had gone to work so early yesterday morning and I was getting home so late that I was afraid I wouldn’t see him at all yesterday.

As it got closer to show time we made our way outside to try to sell my ticket once more. Again there were no takers and the scalpers just wanted to give me $10 for it. $10 for a $100 ticket? No thank you, I’d rather keep it than deal with your bs.

Joe left and I got chummy with a couple of girls who were standing outside. They helped me try to sell my ticket for a bit longer, but we were all unsuccessful. As we went into the show we decided to exchange numbers and see if there were any spare seats near us where we could either all switch to my section or have me go to their section.

Turns out their section had an empty seat! Not only that, but their view was AWESOME! Too bad my camera is terrible.

Boyz II Men opened things up, but thanks to a long bathroom line we missed the first couple of songs. We had all been under the impression that 98 Degrees would go on first, but they actually went on second. I knew I would love the Boyz II Men portion, but wasn’t sure how I would feel about 98 Degrees. They actually ended up being really great! I kind of forgot that during the whole boy band craze of the late 90s (I was a Backstreet Boys girl at that point) 98 Degrees had a lot of songs that I really loved.

Of course the main reason I was there was New Kids on the Block, so when their intro started I was super excited even though my stomach was not feeling very happy. Whether it was the ickiness from earlier in the day, the gluten at dinner, or some combination I’m not sure. All I know is that I was bloated and in a ton of pain. Still, I smiled, danced, sang along, and screamed!

As always the crowd was into every single song, every dance move, and every time Donnie raised or took off his shirt. Who wouldn’t be into that?

Again, sorry for my really terrible cell phone camera. I forgot my regular
camera and my cell phone camera doesn’t even really deserve to be called a
camera. As a side note, does anyone have suggestions for an Android
phone with a good camera? I’m in the market!

I loved so many of the things they did with this show. The New Kids are always really great at really creating a relationship with the audience and their intro this year was amazing. Then there were lasers, confetti, smoke, fire, you name it and they had it! A shirtless Donnie also never disappoints!

Unfortunately all the dancing, screaming, and singing finally took its toll on me. Just after what I think was the midpoint of the New Kids set, I had to leave. The pain and overall discomfort with my stomach was just too much. I was so disappointed, but still very grateful to have not only made it to the show, but met some awesome new friends! There was a point before the show when I considered just selling both tickets. I’m so glad I didn’t do that!

Today I’m still not feeling quite 100%, but am enjoying some Arbonne Essentials Detox tea (one of the main ingredients is peppermint) to help settle my stomach. My coworker said her bout with the stomach bug just lasted a day or two, so hopefully I’ll shake this thing (whatever it is) soon.

Thanks to the New Kids, 98 Degrees, and Boyz II Men for an amazing show and to my new friends Laura and Theresa for letting me enjoy your view!!!

xoxo,

Becki

The Versatile Blogger – Or Is That Just Rambling?

Jun.3,2013

So many exciting things today, folks! Okay, maybe not that exciting, but I’m trying to pretend it isn’t Monday. Before I get started on some random tangent and forget again, it’s time to announce the winner of the 8-class 30-day pass to The Studio Empower. Congratulations, Jane!

Things have been going pretty well with being more conscious of what I’m eating and when, though an unplanned barbecue this weekend threatened to derail me. Luckily Joe and I made a pit stop at the grocery store to pick up some gluten-free snacks, veggies for grilling, and a couple of mushroom caps to ensure that I didn’t get too off course.

I also got the chance to talk to a friend from college that I haven’t spoken to directly in ages and she signed up to be part of my team with Arbonne! I’ll be driving to NYC this upcoming weekend to help with her business launch parties and I can’t wait!

Tonight is also New Kids on the Block night! To make a long story short, I’m a bit too young for the New Kids, but I grew up obsessed with them anyway. My obsession started before I could even really form full sentences and was only mildly dampened when they split up.

I moved to Boston with the hopes of someday meeting them and got that chance in 2008 and again a year or two later! So tonight I’ll be at TD Garden reliving that obsession while also enjoying 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men. Can we take a moment to talk about how funny it is that it’s called The Package Tour? Umm…

While we’re on a roll with all of this random fact sharing, why not go ahead and share more? I was nominated by Erin for the Versatile Blogger Award, so this rainy Monday seems like a good a time as any to do some sharing. Thanks, Erin!!

Rules for the versatile blogger are as follows:

1. Add the versatile blogger award photo on a blog post. Check!

2. Thank the person who presented you with the award and link back to him or her in your post. Check!

3. Share seven things about yourself.

4. Pass the award along to 15 favorite bloggers; contact the chosen bloggers to let them know about the award.

7 Things

1. I just discovered that this exists and I need it. I carry protein powder with me almost daily and ziploc bags just aren’t cutting it anymore. Also, I think I’d do a better job of remembering my vitamins. Who wants to buy it for me?

Blender Bottle GoStak

2. San Francisco is pretty much my favorite place in the world and I’ve only been there once, just over two years ago. I need to go back as soon as possible.

3. Over the past few weeks I watched the first (and sadly only) season of Firefly. I’ve been told by many people for a long time I should watch it, so I finally did. It’s worth all the hype. Super lame that it was cancelled after one season.

4. I love horror movies. They’re my absolute favorite! Recently Joe and I watched The Cabin in the Woods. It wasn’t at all what we expected and certainly wasn’t your average horror movie, but it’s great! I highly recommend it.

5. My all time favorite running song is Eminem’s “Lose Yourself”. It came on during my second half marathon when I was really struggling and totally carried me along. Ever since then it seems to always come on when I need it, so it’s become something of an anthem.

6. My favorite combination of the moment is Arbonne chocolate protein powder, unsweetened original almond milk, Digestion Plus (Arbonne’s probiotic/prebiotic/enzyme mixture), Arbonne fiber boost, a couple of handfuls of raw spinach, and a cup of frozen berries. It’s addictive.

7. For anyone who doesn’t know, I’m one of the co-leaders of a Healthy Living Boston Blogger group along with Kelly. We have a Facebook group and organize various meetups and events, one of which will be a meet and greet in June because we have so many new members! If you’re a healthy living blogger or healthy living blog reader in the general Boston area, you should join! We’d love to have you!!!

So those are my 7 random things for today, now for the bloggers I’d like to nominate! Shout out to some of the other bloggers in the Healthy Living Boston Blogger group!

15 Bloggers

1. Kelly @ Cupcake Kelly’s

2. Erin @ Creative Soul in Motion

3. Kendall @ On an Inhale

4. Rachael @ Ready to Get Sweaty

5. Stellina @ My Yogurt Addiction

6. Jil @ Big City Lil Kitchen

7. Stacey @ Sweat, Savor, & Smile

8. Sarah @ Blonde Bostonian

9. Amy @ Mac & Cheese & Peas

10. Stephanie @ I Train Therefore I Eat

11. Dani @ Weight Off My Shoulders

12. Liana @ Run To Munch

13. Katie @ K is for Kale

14. Athena @ Fitness & Feta

15. Jen @ Boston Bachelorette

Vermont City Marathon 2013 Part 3: Post-Race Experiences and Reflections

May.30,2013

Let’s get some housekeeping out of the way before we begin, shall we? The giveaway for a 30-day 8-class pass to The Studio Empower ends tonight at midnight. If you live in Boston, don’t miss out!

Next I want to thank all of you who have left comments, sent emails, contacted me on Facebook, etc. in response to today’s earlier post. It relates to this post as well, so it serves as a pretty good lead in.

The morning after the Vermont City Marathon, which was beautifully sunny and warm by the way, I was up before 7am and sat down to gather some of my thoughts about the race the day before. The thought I kept having over and over was, “The body really can do just about anything the mind allows it to.”

Although I’m no stranger to the psychological barriers to exercise in general or that can occur in training and races in particular, a big part of me felt like I had no business at all being able to finish a marathon. I was, after all, heavier than when I started my training and hadn’t stuck to my training plan after my injury.

I had no business finishing that marathon, but I did.

I made the decision that I was going to finish and I pushed all of the “I can’t” thoughts out of my head and just focused on finishing.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to say I didn’t work hard or struggle, because I certainly did, but the day after the race I couldn’t figure out why I hadn’t worked harder. I knew immediately that I needed to run another marathon and absolutely CRUSH IT.

When Joe woke up we packed up all our things, checked out of the hotel, and made our way to breakfast. I must have still had speed on the mind, because I was pulled over on the way to breakfast for the first time in my life.

Thankfully the officer just gave me a warning and informed/reminded me that all speed limits in Burlington are 30 or below and sent me on my way, but not before totally psyching me out. I basically crawled the rest of the time we were in Burlington and the drive back to Boston that night.

For breakfast we went to Magnolia Bistro after finding out that the wait at Penny Cluse was over an hour. Luckily by sitting at the bar we were able to sit down without a wait at all at Magnolia. It was a great decision too because our server/the bartender was amazing!

After a lot of thought I finally decided on the gluten free pancakes made with almond flour and paired with a mimosa. There were so many amazing options on the menu I was afraid I would regret my decision, but far from it! They were the best pancakes I’ve ever had, and that’s saying a lot.

As Joe and I were sitting at breakfast, I told him that I wanted to run another marathon and that I felt like around 6 months might be a good time frame. He agreed and I immediately started looking up marathons in November. I found several! We talked about what information should go into the decision about which to run, including travel expense and average weather. I’m still trying to decide which to run, but at least I know Joe is supportive of the idea of me running another full marathon! My goal in the next one is to definitely make it under 5 hours.

After breakfast we started walking around Burlington. I had been once before, actually just a few weeks before meeting Joe for the first time, but he had never been and it was fun to show him around a bit (as well as I could). I mostly hobbled, but was feeling pretty great overall.

We walked down to the waterfront and near where the finish had been the day before and not only was I able to enjoy the amazing scenery around me, I was beaming with pride that the day before I had crossed the finish.

After we left the waterfront we started heading back toward downtown to go in several of the shops and just do a bit more exploring. Unfortunately everything from the waterfront is uphill. Luckily I got to enjoy the beauty of the park we walked through.

After that bit of walking and peeking into a few bookstores in downtown Burlington my legs were starting to ache. We stopped in at The Farmhouse for a quick rest. By this point it was lunch time, but The Farmhouse didn’t have much on the menu I could eat. Instead we opted to grab a quick drink while we researched other options. Here I had my very first gluten-free pale ale!

The Farmhouse was apparently the place to be for lunch because the place got super packed, super quickly. We found a place nearby that seemed to have some good options, so we finished our drinks and left The Farmhouse. On our way to the next place we enjoyed more of the shops in Burlington and paused to watch a street performer briefly.

Finally we arrived at Duino Duende, this super eclectic and awesome restaurant attached to Radio Bean, which I had been to my last time in Burlington and ordered some drinks and food. The Bloody Mary I ordered could have been eaten with a fork it was so thick.

For lunch I ordered the Mission Burrito with black beans, coconut rice, cheddar cheese, avocado, a hot sauce in a gluten free wrap. It was delicious!

I was grateful there weren’t any fries or anything alongside this burrito because I certainly didn’t need them and I almost certainly would have eaten them anyway if they had been there.

After Duino Duende we decided to do one more trip along Church Street to see a few more things and then make our way to the Ben & Jerry’s factory about a 20 minute drive away. At this point I was feeling just like a tourist and not particularly “special” after having finished the marathon the day before. I was also very conscious of the people who were walking like they were sore and those who weren’t.

We stopped in at Saratoga Olive Oil where I sampled more infused oils and balsamic vinegars than I could have ever imagined existed. I can’t even begin to tell you about the combinations because my brain wouldn’t hold them all, but it was amazing. I decided to skip the oil for the time being, but bought two balsamic vinegars: a fig balsamic and a pear and cranberry white balsamic.

As I approached the register I was nervous. I knew that with my race medal I could get a discount on my purchase, but I was almost afraid to bring it up. Finally I mentioned it and both people at the front register were incredibly congratulatory and made me feel very special. That’s when I realized that I had been afraid to mention it because I was afraid they would judge me. I was afraid they would think I didn’t belong in a marathon and that I was too fat to have possibly run the day before.

That’s when I made the decision that not only would I run another marathon and beat my time, I would make sure to wear my medal proudly and remember that I DO belong.

After that we left Burlington and drove to Waterbury, VT to see the Ben & Jerry’s factory. The tour was great and the free sample at the end was yummy, though Joe thought it had too much cinnamon and I left a suggestion for some candied ginger pieces or more ginger in general (it was a chai flavor). Of course no trip to the Ben & Jerry’s factory would be complete without a photo on the way out.

After Ben & Jerry’s we started our long drive home. It wasn’t too eventful, but we did decide to stop for dinner in New Hampshire. Who would have thought that a Brew House in New Hampshire would have one of the most amazing veggie burgers I’ve ever tasted? If you’re ever 90 minutes outside of Boston in New Hampshire, make sure you go to the Flying Goose!

Over dinner I mentioned again to Joe that I wasn’t feeling great about how I looked or the weight I had put on, but he reminded me that losing it is something I just have to put my mind to and then I can do it. “We’ll just have to start being better about what we eat.” He’s so right.

We left the Flying Goose and made it back to Boston by 9pm where I made sure to do some foam rolling and then practically collapsed on the bed. My mind was filled with thoughts about the race, the day we had in Burlington, everything I had eaten, and I was just overwhelmed. I think this is when Joe mentioned that it would make for a good blog post at some point. He said, “You gained weight and you were still able to run a marathon,” he reminded me and what he meant by that is that hopefully my story might help inspire someone else to run, even if they aren’t in the greatest shape. Once again, he was so right.

If I can run a marathon, so can you.

xoxo,

Becki

Like a Ton of Bricks

May.30,2013

I promise that part 3 of my Vermont City Marathon recap will be posted later today, but I felt I needed to share this first.

More than anything I’ve always tried to be up front with this blog. I’ve shared my success, my struggles, and just general random thoughts for over a year now (that’s right, I somehow missed my blogiversary, oops).

Sometimes though, I don’t realize that what’s happening in my life is particularly noteworthy. Sometimes it hits me like a ton of bricks afterward and I realize I should say something, but can’t quite find the words. So this is me, trying to find the words.

Back in February I completed the Arbonne 30 Days to Feeling Fit program. It was amazing. I was diligent about staying on program and eating as healthy and nutritiously as possible. I lost 12 pounds with the program and continued to keep it off for over a month even after re-integrating alcohol, dairy, and the ever-so-occasional gluten.

Feeling so good about my weight loss and thinking that I needed to eat more to fuel my long runs put me in an interesting position. You see, fueling my body for performance is something completely new to me. Food served as a comfort my entire life, not as a source of energy. So the idea of fueling my body for these runs translated in my brain to simply eating more.

That’s what I did.

I started out eating more of the healthy stuff I had on hand. Joe and I tend to eat fairly healthy anyway so it wasn’t much of a struggle. Then all of a sudden it was. I rationalized eating whatever I wanted because I had lost so much weight. I also rationalized it because I would be using the fuel, surely. Then I stopped rationalizing it.

Looking back I know exactly when the switch from healthy food to not-so-healthy food happened: April 16. After the marathon bombings on April 15 (a day I couldn’t eat much of anything) I started to eat almost compulsively. What’s worse is that I stopped working out almost entirely. I chalked it up to being busy or being too tired, but the fact of the matter was that I was dealing with a post-traumatic reaction and it was affecting me both physically and emotionally.

For the past month and a half I knew I was gaining weight, but I tried to remind myself that it was a stressful time what with my upcoming graduation and marathon. When my family came to town for graduation my eating certainly didn’t get any better. I was suddenly able to put away quantities of food I would never have been able to consume just a few weeks prior.

Several times I thought about going for a run, but was too ashamed. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to run because I felt so huge. I let my training slip because I just didn’t want to face reality. I did manage a few really amazing long runs. I was lucky in this respect because they kept my spirits high for the upcoming marathon. Unfortunately it also served to help me further rationalize my overeating.

On the day of my marathon I put on my running capris and just stood in front of the mirror. These capris were the ones I wore in my very first half marathon in 2011. At that point in my weight loss journey I had lost about 70 pounds, still a long way to go until I made it to my loss of 90+ pounds that has made me so proud. When I put those capris on the morning of my marathon they were tight. I shouldn’t have been surprised because all of my clothes lately are tight, but I felt like I had been hit by a truck.

I tried to push it out of my mind because the day was so important and I knew I was about to accomplish something amazing. I succeeded all throughout the race and then I saw the photos Joe took. I was so upset with every single one of them. The next day I got the email with my official photos from MarathonFoto and was even more upset.

I didn’t even look like the same person I saw looking back in the mirror at the end of February or even the end of March. I shared with Joe how upset I was and he was nothing but encouraging. He reminded me that I would be able to lose it again and that it’s okay to slip. He also noted that it would make for a good blog post in a month or two when I had lost the weight again, to remind people that this is all about the fight for wellness that may be much longer than we realize. At the time I thought he was right and I should wait to even mention it.

Then last night I made the decision to finally step on the scale to see the damage I had done in pounds. It’s true that the scale only tells part of the story, but given that I could see a difference in my appearance and how all my clothes were fitting the scale was going to tell a huge part of the story. This wasn’t going to be one of those, “Well you gained weight, but you look awesome.” Nope, this was the other kind of gaining weight.

I stepped on the scale and didn’t even believe what I saw. I’m not ready to share what that number actually was, but suffice to say that I wanted to vomit, or throw things, or both. Instead I walked into kitchen where my laptop was sitting and logged into MyFitnessPal, something I haven’t been doing hardly at all. I made the decision to update my weight and start from there. I set a weight loss goal and a reasonable exercise goal. Then I made the decision to share all of this with you.

I could have waited a month or two until I got rid of some of this weight (after all, with any luck at least PART of this is water weight/bloat that will go away quickly), but I made the decision that you all deserve more than that. You deserve to hear about my struggles as they happen, not once everything is resolved and all happy and shiny.

That isn’t what this blog is about. That isn’t what this blog has ever been about. I’m here to talk about the FIGHT for wellness and what that means every step of the way. I’m here to talk about the amazing workouts and share great healthy recipes and I’m here to share when it gets tough and how I get through the tough times.

Life happens. We all make mistakes. It isn’t your mistakes that define you, it’s what you learn from them. I’m still learning. I will always be learning. There is no end to this road where I’ll suddenly have all the answers and know exactly what to do every second of every day. I am human.

It’s so funny because whenever people ask me if Arbonne really works, I’m so diligent about telling them that it does, but that it’s a stepping stone to a healthier lifestyle. I make sure they know that it isn’t some miracle that puts you in a place to eat ice cream and cookies all the time without repercussions. I remind them that they have to keep eating and living healthy after the detox if they want to be healthy. I somehow missed my own memo. Arbonne didn’t fail me, I failed me.

So starting last night I am making a change. I am not waiting until tomorrow or after the weekend. The time is now. These next few days are about just getting my body used to normal-sized portions again. Then, starting on Saturday I will be doing the Arbonne detox again, this time focusing on the changes I can make afterward to put my body and life in “maintenance” and not spinning out of control.

For the next few weeks my blog is likely going to become more of the daily journal format again while I try to stay on top of my plan for regaining control. You’ll probably hear more about my workouts and food than you ever wanted, but accountability is one of the main reasons I started this blog and I’m struggling without it.

I apologize for how long this post has become and I hope you’re still with me. If you are, thank you. If even one person is helped by this story and by knowing that it isn’t all sunshine and roses it will all be worth it.

xoxo,

Becki