Commitment to change & the "Chub Challenge"

You know, it's that time of year again when everyone has overindulged in all their favorite tasty treats and start to think about those New Year's resolutions. I have to be honest though, I'm not much of a resolution girl but it is a good time when the holiday's are behind us to get back on track.

Last year was my year to finally get a grip on the weight side of things. I was at my heaviest.

Image courtesy of Bordeaux Studio

My complex about my weight began as a teen. I took every diet pill on the market, tried every fad diet, starved myself, yadda yadda yadda.

I was probably at my smallest when I got married as a lot of people are. Then come the kids. After each one, I held on to more weight then when I started. At various points of trying to lose weight I'd get down to a more appropriate weight but then I would somehow gain weight back. Story sound familiar?

I love to eat. Who doesn't? Everyone has their comfort food and different reasons why they overeat. Some people eat when they are depressed. I tend to be more of a happy/bored eater. Ha, I guess I'm generally happy because I eat a lot!!! I have no appetite if I'm in a depressed mood.

Image courtesy of Sandra Pierce

As a child I was taught to eat everything on my plate. Are you part of the clean plate club too? To this day I want to eat everything on my plate if I can. This has lead to issues with portion control for me. I typically choose to eat off smaller plates now and have to remind myself that it's ok to take home half my meal and eat it later. It will still be there.

It takes a lot of commitment and dedication to make a change. It was finally time for me to make this commitment to myself for myself. We owe it to ourselves to be good to ourselves. To love ourselves. "Nobody is going to love us if we don't love us". We've heard that before. No more excuses. No more being lazy. No more being careless.  This is about being healthy and making healthy choices.

This image is especially painful for me to look at. Ugh! Gross!

When we moved to NY the summer of 2013, I joined Vent Fitness in Guilderland toward the end of the year in November. A friend from Chicago was heading up a "Biggest Loser" weigh loss challenge for the new year. We all had to put in a good size chunk of money and whoever lost the most weight percentage wise won the cash pot. This helped to light a fire under my butt and really I was only competing against myself. It was nice to have a support group to keep us all going. Everyone did really well. And I came in second! There is no money for 2nd best. I think there were 10-12 of us. I forget now. But DANG IT!!!!! Cash would have been nice! Think of the plane tickets I could have bought! Oh well, I came away a loser and that was much more rewarding in the long run. I had lost 32 lbs in about 3.5 months. I went to the gym almost everyday doing a variety of classes and chose to eat Paleo style. It wasn't always easy to get up and out to the gym everyday but I made myself go and sometimes I would still eat that treat I wanted. Fast forward to August and a fitness challenge had begun at the gym. By now I've met my main workout buddy and a few other regulars. We joked and referred to the challenge as the "Chub Challenge".  I continued eating the Paleo diet, worked out everyday, sometimes a couple times a day and tracked my food with MyFitnessPal. By the end of the 12 week challenge I was down another 11.5 lbs. It was a lot harder to lose weight since I had already lost a good bit. But I toned, lost more inches and I was stronger. Best of all, I came away with the best gym family ever! 

Before and After Front

Before and After Side 

Still no 6 pack. It's under there somewhere! But I've got a pretty good start. There's no doubt, since the holidays, I've gained back a few more pounds than I want. I. Ate. Everything.!!!!! I'm scared to step on the scale. And I have to get myself back off refined sugar and flour. Thank goodness another reinVent Challenge is just around the corner. I look forward to working out again with my gym family team and welcoming more people into our challenge family. Go Team Brown!

 Below are a few photos of our gym shenanigans.

Strong, Beautiful & Brave-Surviving Breast Cancer

"Never let a stumble in the road be the end of the journey".

The month of October recognizes breast cancer in a big way. So many of us have loved ones that have been effected by a form of cancer one way or another and we are reminded of it a lot more than once a year. 

Tonia is a friend I've met since living here in the Albany area. I never knew her pre-cancer. She is an amazing, lovely person with such a beautiful, positive spirit and I wanted to capture that image to celebrate her recovery. She was diagnosed just a little over a year ago, 9 days after her 41st birthday. Like most that receive the news, she was devastated but knew she had to remain positive for her daughter. Thankfully they caught it in the early stages and she has been in the clear for almost a year now. Tonia credits her faith for carrying her through the storm and reminds herself to live life to the fullest and not to sweat the small stuff. I think we all should live that way no matter what. Don't you?

Special thanks to the makeup artist, Heather for her awesome skills!

Here are some of my favorite shots!

 

Feeling Inspired By One Of My Best Friends

This is my beautiful friend Gail. I know she's going to probably love/hate/cry, probably hate me more for this because she is the type of person that would never, ever draw attention to herself  or be the center of attention and she probably would never describe herself the way I'm about to. In fact being in front of the camera was very uncomfortable for her at first until I got her to relax a little and then we just had a blast. But I've been wanting to do a blog post about her ever since we did her photo session almost a year ago last winter.

I first met Gail when both our husbands worked together at the same grocery company in Michigan almost 14 years ago. Ever since, even though most of the time miles would separate us, she has become one of my most treasured friends. She is technically old enough to be my mother (not that age has anything to do with this, I often find that I click better with those older in age than I am) but she really is more like a sister and I appreciate her wisdom as I go through the things she already has. We've cried together, laughed even harder, eaten everything in sight, shopped til we couldn't any more, crafted together, exercised together, traveled together and have talked and talked and talked for hours. She always makes time for me and is always willing to help me with anything.

Recently I was lucky enough to have her close again when our husbands crossed paths once more in their careers in Central PA.

I was always knew this about her but was happily reminded again of what an amazing woman she is. She is talented in so many ways! Give this woman a hammer and a nail and she could build you a house! Don't tell this girl from Kansas her place is in the kitchen, although she's amazing there as well. Her craft room is filled with all the things necessary to make you the most beautiful quilt you've ever seen! Need to spruce up an old antique or just some old furniture that needs a little love? This girl can paint for days! She definitely has the patience and  passion to work with her hands. I'm convinced she's capable of building, painting, cooking, creating anything. But what strikes me more about her is her heart. Faithful. Loving. Giving. Kind. Caring. Soft. Open. Willing. Strong. Warm. Passionate. Loyal. The list could go on. I know the most important people on earth are her husband, her son and his family, and all of her extended family and friends. She would do anything for any of them. I'm lucky to have met her and to have her in my life. She is a HUGE inspiration! And the most down to earth person I know. Count your blessings if you ever have the privilege of crossing her path because your life will be richer as a result.

The following images are my favorites from our session together. Be sure to click on the images to see them larger.

 

Fall in Upstate NY

No matter what the weather, I love looking out my windows only to be reminded that I basically live in a park. Friday morning the sun was coming up in between some stormy looking clouds. It was evident that it had rained. The clouds were a darkish blue grey, the ground was wet, and there were rain droplets everywhere. As the sun was filtering through part of the clouds, the light was amazing and illuminating the brilliant colors of the fall leaves on the trees. There's something built into my brain to pay attention to the light and the effects of it. Harsh light, soft light, reflections, shadows. Pretty much 100% of the time I see light in this way, watching how it falls all around me and I'm constantly taking pictures in my mind even when I'm not actually using a camera. Maybe it's the curse of being a photographer? I did however grab my camera and macro lens and rushed out before the sun disappeared.

Be sure to click on the photo to see a larger version. 

I love the moody sky in contrast to the sunlit trees, showing off that golden fall color.

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”-- Ferris Bueller (John Hughes)

 

A Taste of N'awlins-Mardi Gras 2013

Ever since my first visit to New Orleans, I became just a little bit obsessed with the place. To say "I love it there" is an understatement. I somehow have a soul connection to the place that I can't explain. There is so much history, culture, music and color and so many interesting people. I then put it on my bucket list to one year do Mardi Gras. This was the year. For those that have never been, Mardi Gras is NOT what takes place on Bourbon Street, that happens all year long. There is so much more that goes on during Mardi Gras in my favorite city. 

This is some of the never ending eating that took place on this trip.
 I love Creole food! Wait, I just love food!

I have to admit. I had no idea what a King Cake was. It went really well with my
coffee in the mornings. 

One of my favorite scenes in NOLA are the street performers. 

This lovely man was on his way home from work. I commented on his
bike and he let me take if for a ride!

Tons of people on Bourbon St.

The streets were covered in broken beads that people missed 

Ah, I love the little jazz bands parading through the streets

Krewe De Seuss

Ha, this couple is pictured on Wikipedia for Mardi Gras

We started off our Mardi Gras celebrations with the Mardi Gras Indians.
This was a great cultural experience that took place in the oldest black neighborhood
in the U.S. 

The Northside Scull and Bone Gang go around early in the morning waking
people up!

Little and Big Scull Boys

Monica McIntyre

A local guy that lived right in the neighborhood. We hung out on his front step
people watching. 

So many parades. So many throws.

This fine gentleman was sitting on a corner as we walked around one evening.

An attempt to clean up after Mardi Gras.

This art sign was located in the Frenchmen Art Market on Frenchman St. where local arts are sold.

One of the coolest finds right close to where we were staying.
A Banksy of an umbrella girl.

Marie Laveau's resting spot. 

One night we went to hear Charmaine Neville band. We ended up staying for
both sets. 

Smoking Time Jazz Club was introduced to me shortly before my trip to NOLA.
I fell in love with their sound right away and made sure I caught a show while I was
in town.