An update from the Savage Girl...

Well it has been a long time since I blogged! Too long to be exact. Life got to rolling right along and busyness overtook this Savage Girl. So I thought why not give you an update?!?!? So here it goes....

Here are 5 updates on the Savage Girl and her crazy life...

1. Today marks 6 months of being with an ANGEL! I'm truly blessed that God gave me him. I thank God often for Clifton. We have laughed together, cried together, had many ups and downs, got stuck in the mud and lived to tell about it, and tons of other mushy details I'll spare from blogging about.  
   
    
2. After hanging a few Christmas decorations to decorate and beautify our downtown area in November my back went into shock mode. A couple of back disc herniation's later, tons of pain, the addition of stress, multiple doctors visits, an MRI, and physical therapy...I am almost 100% healed. Hopefully at my upcoming appointment I will be released and given the OK to do whatever I want. Needless to say this Savage Girl has slowed down and tried not to act like Superwoman. Sometimes I still think I can conquer the world and do it all but I try to take it easy and wisely plan out my options so I don't re-injure myself. FYI the decorations looked great by the way...see below ;)
   
3. I could really use your help. I'm requesting prayers for my family. Cancer has made a reappearance in my family. My dad, grandmother, and cousin-in-law are all battling the big C right now and could really use your thoughts and prayers. My sister is doing great...she has been cancer free for three years now!
   
4. Lucy has been a member of my family for 8 months today. She is still my precious bouncing bundle of joy! There is never a dull moment in the Savage Girl's house with Lucy around... 
   
     
5. Last but not least...here is an update on my weight loss journey. The scale inched up a little during my back injury and the holidays. I'm not happy to report this, but all I can do is start making small changes to get back in the swing of things. Once I get the OK from the doctor I will start back with my normal exercise routine of walking Lucy daily and the wellness center for water aerobics and the workout room. I still would like to lose about 20-25 more pounds, so we'll see what happens over the course of the next few months as I get back into my routine. 
   

Until next time...

Love, 

Lara

The Savage Girl Challenge

I have chosen TODAY the 21st day of July 2013 to reevaluate my healthy living goals, create a new game plan and challenge myself more in order to take off the last 25 pounds off so I can meet my goal weight.

To be 100% honest here lately I've been slacking in the department of physical activity, drinking more water, and portion control! We are at the peak of the summer and the humidity & heat are killers to my will power. I've used the excuses of having the lack of time and the extreme weather when in reality I've had a lack of will power A LOT here lately. This has become a road block in my weight loss success and today this has to STOP. So I'm challenging myself to reevaluate and set a few new goals for myself! My Weight the Reality Series (Take 2) program at work starts on Tuesday and I expect my participants to help hold me accountable to my goals and I will do the same for you...If you want to join my program the information is located in the post called "Upcoming program the Savage Girl is hosting through work...WTRS!"

So here are my new goals:

1. Measure my portion sizes. 
2. Start tracking my daily food intake (again) including my water intake. 
3. Aim for 4 to 5 days of 30-60 minutes of exercise a week. Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday are my best days to achieve this because of my schedule at work...so if you see me out and about on one of these days please ASK me if I've moved yet!
4. Get back in the habit of packing a healthy lunch and snacks to work.
5. No food after 8 p.m. in the Savage Girl household. 

So you now know my new goals. I will keep you posted on my success, challenges, and failures on this blog, so stay tuned. I will try to reevaluate each week and keep you posted...

Is there anyone out there in the blogging world having the same problem as me? Or am I am the lone ranger out there with these challenges? Well join the Savage Girl Challenge and set a few new healthy living goals and game plan for yourself. If you want to join The Savage Girl Challenge "like" the post, leave me a comment, or send me a message...please tell me (and other readers of the blog) what your new goals are. I'll help keep you accountable if you replicate for me! If it takes a village to raise a child it is going to take an entire online virtual community of family and friends to help the Savage Girl meet her goal weight.

Keep in mind I am not on a diet. I'm trying to live a healthy lifestyle for a healthier body in order to prevent the onset of a family history of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. So far I've done pretty well except for the roadblock I've recently experienced. I've lost 50 pounds thus far and would love to shave 25 more pounds off. Losing 10% of your body weight can help reduce your risk factors associated the disease and hopefully delay and or indefinitely postpone the onset of the disease. Let me know if you have any questions...      

Small Changes

My personal “get Lara healthy” and “weight loss” challenge has been stalled for the last little bit. I have been stuck, so when I started the Weight the Reality Series program at work for my community a few ago I decided that I was going to make a few small changes with what I was doing to hopefully change things up a bit and to jump start my loss again. Guess what? It worked! ( And YES I am going to blog about a work program on my personal blog again!)

These are the changes I made 2 weeks ago when I kicked off my program at work:

1. I bought a new water bottle and I started carrying it with me every day. Every day when I make my breakfast, I have tried to fill my bottle up with ice and fresh water for the day. I also try to refill it a few times throughout the day. I know that I do not get enough fluids. I am not a drinker! I sometimes can go almost an entire day without consuming anything besides my cup of coffee in the morning…, which is not very healthy! Drinking water instead of sugary drinks is one of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. Drinking more water is a proven behavior of successful losers. Sometimes I make it a little more exciting by adding lemon, lime, or strawberries and I have tried flavored sparkling water. Choose foods and drinks with little or no added sugars. There are about 10 packets of sugar in a 12-ounce can of soda. Choose 100% fruit juice instead of fruit-flavored drinks.   
2. I also started to add more fiber to my diet. I was already consuming 100% whole grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, and pasta, and lots of fruits and vegetables, but I knew that I needed more. Therefore, I changed up my breakfast routine and started adding a slice of whole grain bread in addition to my morning cereal and fruit routine (cold cereal or oatmeal). In addition to my usual fruit as a snack, occasionally l will add a fiber packed cereal and grain bar.
3. I also tried to stick to my physical activity routine by exercising 4-5 times per week for 30-60 minutes no matter where I was whether I was traveling for work or at home in my normal routine. Normally when I travel I just ignore my physical activity for a few days and then pick back up when I get back home, but not last week! I purposely decided to stay in the conference hotel where I would have to walk the furthest to get to my meetings and I got up early to squeeze in a little exercise before the activities of the day consumed me. Maybe you need to add this to your routine. Pick a few physical activities that you like and start by doing what you can, at least 10 minutes at a time. Every bit adds up, and the health benefits increase as you spend more time being active.

I am currently 17 pounds from my goal weight. There is a light at the end of the tunnel! My goal for the next month is to keep making small changes so I can meet my goal weight. My challenge to you is make a few small changes in your routine and you might see a difference like me!

If you need motivation from a group or someone to be accountable to then contact me at work and join my Weight the Reality Series group we meet Tuesday nights in Tompkinsville. Weigh in is from 4:30-5:30 p.m. and our program is at 5:30 p.m.  

...some of my biggest cheerleaders! My mom Leah and my sister Anna.
They joined me in my WTRS group & collectively we three have lost 7 pounds in 2 weeks!

 

Weight ~ The Reality Series

Yes, I am going to blog about a work program on my personal blog! Call me crazy, but it is something that I believe in and want to be successful. Here is a press release I just sent off to the newspaper about a program that I having coming up in Monroe County. It is call "Weight ~ The Reality Series" and it is open to anyone. Continue reading for all the details. I hope that you will join me in the series if you want to be healthier too! If you need to contact me my information is below also.  

Warm temperatures and sunny days add up to spring fever and that means getting outside and becoming more active after a long winter. For some warm temperatures, also mean that many will begin to think about their body. If you are anything like me then shorts, bathing suits, and tank tops give you the heebie-jeebies! Whatever the case may be, it is important to make sure you are healthy and have a plan in place so those heebie-jeebies do not send you into hiding for the summer. If you are in search of a new program to help you think about your body in a real way instead of how the media wants you to think, then look no further. The Monroe County Cooperative Extension Service is offering a new program that you might want to take advantage of this Spring & Summer!

Weight ~ The Reality Series is an 8-week series we will offer on Tuesdays April 30-June 18. We will explore an aspect of weight control through healthy eating and living, share healthy recipes and ideas, weigh in, and engage in learning about the human body. Based on the latest research, this program gives you more options to create a plan that will work for you. Whether you’re interested in learning some new ways to eat and be active, or exploring how your clothes influence the way you see your body, Weight ~ The Reality Series offers many choices. There has to be a better way to achieve a healthy weight than the latest fad diet! You’ll learn how to make your plan flexible and to keep it working over time.

I know my personal goal is to be healthier and reduce my body size. Heart disease and diabetes run in my family, so over a year ago I decided to start living healthier. So far, it has paid off and I have been able to lose over 50 pounds. If you want to reduce your body size like me, then this series might be for you. Your concern might also be your health, but you might also be thinking about looking better in clothes, having more energy, enjoying new and favorite foods, being able to move more easily, and feeling better about yourself. Whatever your case may be, consider joining us with our new series called Weight ~ The Reality Series.

We do not yet know how people maintain weight loss after the 8-week course. National research suggests that maintaining a lower weight is very difficult, but one way to succeed is to create your own program designed specifically for you.

The series dates are April 30 ~ May 7 ~ May 14 ~ May 21 ~May 28 ~ June 4 ~ June 11 ~ June 18. The series is open to anyone and will be held at the Monroe County Cooperative Extension Service. We will weigh-in each week from 4:30 p.m.—5:30 p.m. and then we will have a short program at 5:30 p.m. The cost is $10.00 and is due by April 30 when you weigh-in. If you divide $10.00 by the 8 weeks that is just $1.25 each week! At the end of the 8-weeks the participant losing the most percentage of weight will win 50% of the “money pot”. The remaining 50% of the “money pot” will go towards costs associated with running the program and for door prizes that will be given away throughout the series each week. The winner will be announced on June 18. If the group wants to continue the series in July we will continue and/or if new participants want to join the group that can do so at that time.  

If you’re ready, so are we. Contact your Monroe County Cooperative Extension Service office to register for this series. It’s a better way to a healthier you. Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

A Savage Girl’s Confession: 1 of My Guilty Addictions

I am addicted to Diet Coke.

This is an honest confession...seriously.  

I am a “Southern Girl” with all the southern goodness, southern charm, and southern accents you could ever want! So whenever I say “Diet Coke” I am meaning any beverage that is diet. “Coke” is the general name for any carbonated canned or bottled beverage yet “Coke-Cola” is a brand name. In the South, it is not soda, pop, soft drink, or soda pop…it is simply coke and in my case here diet coke. LOL.       

It has been 1 month and counting since I drank my last carbonated artificial sweetened calorie free drink of goodness. To be more specific and exact it has been that long since I drank any carbonated beverage unless it was in some punch secretly added without my knowledge! Tea, coffee, water, milk and lemonade have been my drinks of choice for the past month. Why you might ask? Well, this Savage Girl is trying to live healthier and make wiser lifestyle choices to improve her overall health and well-being.
 
So let me get all technical on you now. Research shows that sometimes one dietary change in one’s daily habits will decrease ones calorie intake 100 calories, which will in turn help you lose weight. There is also strong evidence that shows those individuals who drink more carbonated and sugar-sweetened beverages are heavier when compared to individuals who consume less. More research shows that non-nutritive sweeteners cause ones appetite to increase and in turn cause more calorie consumption, which would lead to weight gain. People think they can drink a diet coke and eat a piece of cake, but what we need to keep in mind that the diet coke isn’t causing us to gain weight it is everything else we are consuming with it! And yes the Savage Girl is guilty of this!  

Then there are studies where consumers lost weight drinking diet cokes. Therefore, the evidence to drink diet coke or not to drink diet coke is undecided. If you are like me and want to lose weight & have a healthier lifestyle then choose whatever drink you want but do not forget about your lifestyle, eating habits, and physical activity.

I had been hanging onto weight since Thanksgiving. Technically speaking I hit a plateau from November through February. A plateau is a stall in the weight loss journey but one should not get discouraged! Deep down I knew that in order to get back on track and lose the last 25 pounds to reach my goal I had to make a change, take charge again, and it was not going to be easy! It did not matter how much or how little food I consumer. It did not matter how much I moved or when I exercised. I was stuck so I made the big decision to cut out my “Diet Cokes” from my daily drink consumption. In addition to the research, I mentioned above, I also know that diet cokes contain sodium and artificial sweeteners, which cause fluid retention and blooding according to the FDA. I am happy to report an update on my recent health and lifestyle change…admitting to myself that I have a diet coke obsession and addiction helped me refocus and get back on the healthy lifestyle bus.
 
As of today, March 29, I have lost 50 pounds! In the last 8 weeks since I last updated the blogging world on my success I have lost an additional 7 pounds, 1 inch in my waist, 2 inches in my hips, and 1 inch in my bust while gaining a ½ inch of muscle in my arms and staying the same in my thighs. I am 3.7 points away from reaching the BMI that I desire to put me in a healthy range to avoid the chronic diseases associated with being overweight and obese. I know I cannot run from my inherited genetic pre-deposition in life but I know the choices I make can have a direct effect on my current health and future lifestyle. I know that I can not prevent the inevitable but maybe I can prolong it or lessen the affects.

Making the small change of cutting out my diet cokes I believe can be a testament to my success and moving off the plateau! It is a pleasure I miss, but I know I can do without it. We were warned in 2 Timothy 3:4 about being lovers of pleasure instead of God. In Ecclesiastes 2:1-2 we are told that pleasures, like my Diet Coke addiction, are meaningless because it does not accomplish anything. On a series note and with keeping with all those things I mentioned above...what guilty addiction or pleasure are you hiding in your closet? You might not want to blog about it like me, but maybe you need to admit and confess your addiction to yourself or maybe God…Just a thought.            

Resources:

The Power of One Dietary Change in Losing Weight

Rethink Your Drink

Are Drinks Making Us Fat

FDA

Low Calorie Sweeteners and Weight Gain...Do Diet Drinks Make You Fat?

Making Healthy Beverage Choices: What You Don't Know Can Hurt You

 

 

My Plateau is looking a Little Brighter!

Yesterday I celebrated Valentine’s Day along with millions of other Americans. I am thankful my sweetie sent me flowers instead of chocolates for me to overindulge in…although I was not that nice to him because I sent him his favorite combination peanut butter and chocolate…sorry sweetie! I will admit that I could not resist a slice of homemade fresh apple cake with caramel icing after dinner with my sweet family yesterday. My justification was that it was Valentine’s Day and it was just one slice. Who was I kidding…sometimes I need more willpower! 

Flowers from my sweetie...I love the orange ones best...he said "yuck & that explains why they were so cheap"...Gotta love lines from a true UK fan to his TN born and raised girlfriend. LOL!

Reality hit today when I was reminded that is was “weigh-in day” via the automatic reminder set up by the weight loss app I use on my tablet. So, I stepped onto the scales this morning to check in on my weight loss success…actually the success has been nonexistent for the last little bit. I have been at a “plateau” for the last three months. My scales told me that yet again, I stayed the same for another week, but I thought I needed more motivation…so I got out the measuring tape to check on the “inch” progress since I had not done this “check-in” since October. So today, I am celebrating 3.5 inches lost in my waist, 2 inches in my hips, ½ inch in my arms, 1 dress size, 2 pants sizes, and 1 inch in my thighs. My fitness routine is still paying off! YAY! My plateau is looking a little brighter now!

In order to continue the weight loss success maybe I need to avoid those overindulging moments of eating sweets that I have a weakness for sometimes! I am still hoping to reach my goal in order to get these remaining 26 pounds off. I want to note that I have been able to drop my BMI 7.1 points since I started this journey January 2011. I have 3.5 points until I am at a healthy normal BMI putting me out of the overweight & obese range that currently make me at a higher risk for the chronic conditions of high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. It is not all about the weight loss for me as it is for the “health” aspect of being healthier. I want to live an active productive life. I have many health risks that run in my family like health disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. In order to help prevent them for occurring at a young age within my life I decided last January to be healthier so that’s why I started on this journey. I hope that these last few pounds, inches, and BMI points will keep melting off.

Check out these publications from my employer the “University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service” if you want to understand weight loss, BMI, how to build a healthy plate, or how we should be eating to live instead of living to eat.  

http://www.ca.uky.edu/hes/fcs/factshts/HEEL-LR-908.pdf

http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/FCS3/FCS3562/FCS3562.pdf

http://www.ca.uky.edu/hes/fcs/factshts/FN-SSB-154.pdf

Until my next reminiscing blog post comes to me please help me celebrate a little of my sweet plateau success. Thanks!



Most recent photo of me and my new self made this week :)

Work + Life = ME

If you are curious about what I do professionally, I am the Monroe County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences. So occasionally, you might hear me blog about my work life and what is going on within that avenue of my life because it is a big part of who I am and what I do on a daily basis. For those of you who have no clue what this is and what I do on a daily basis…I am a community educator who brings research based information back into the county to encourage Kentuckians with new knowledge and skills to improve their life for their families, schools, and communities.

Last year in 2012, I decided that I was going to be healthier and actually practice what I tried to “preach” and encourage others to do with their lives. I thought of myself as healthy but occasionally I let things slip because I did not have “time”. Having no "time" was just a big cover-up and excuse because being healthy in our crazy world is hard and takes dedication and I was not willing to do it until 2012! Last year on my quest to be healthier, I set a few goals for myself. I wanted to lose 71 pounds and be more physically active. As hard as this sounds I am slowly making progress on these goals so I thought I needed to celebrate a few on my successes!  

As of January 15, 2013 I have lost a total of 45 pounds! I have been pretty faithful to my new physical fitness routine and my "healthy challenge". I  try to move more "4-5 times per week" and make healthier eating choices every day. Do not get me wrong this has been a challenge and I am still working hard at it!  I am 26 pounds away from my goal but I believe that I can do it! I feel better and I am in love with my new self!

Life is all about the choices we make on a daily basis. Balancing those choices within life and sticking to a plan while meeting our own physical and emotional needs in life can sometime be a challenging task. If you truly want a better body and better health for yourself and your family, I believe you can make “changes” within your life that you need to make if you are true to yourself and what you really want. That is what I did and so far it has worked. So with all that said, I am almost to my goal…I have the last 1/3 of the race still to run but I know that I can do this! That is why “Make healthier lifestyle choices to improve my overall health and well-being” was one of my goals for 2013.

Follow me as I share all of my favorite tips and tricks to losing these last 26 pounds of extra weight. I would love hear your ideas, questions, and comments! 

Lara

Professional photo of 2011-2012

The official "before" picture in 2012 with my mama

Me "currently" as I celebrated the start of 2013 with a "special" friend ;)