My Life's Little Lessons: Part 7

 

Photo: Dad, Me, Chris at the Cincinatti Men's US OPEN Series Final - Federer def Fish. August 2010

Total Weight Lost: (since September 2009): 47 LBS!

Total Weight Lost on Nutrisystem (since November 2010): 7 LBS!

My Lesson: It was a 1 pound loss week and I'm happy with that! When you start doing what you really want to do in life, life starts feeling a little easier than it did when you were fighting upstream. For me, this is all about work and a little about weight. I’ve been seeking new work and looking to blend my athletic life into a job. I am a spinning instructor as of this week at the YMCA. I joined the Y, then got a brief 10-hour/week part-time job as a fitness advisor to get in the fit mindset and bond with more of the local community.

How I Landed the Spinning Position: I have always enjoyed the spinning workout and the calorie burn is amazing (800 – 1000 calories/hour) and the classes at the Y are 60 minutes long. After about a month of attending, I felt like I was strong enough to consider getting certified to teach the classes myself. (Plus, I LOVE great music and I already had dream set lists created.)

I began training my friend who had her first child 3 months ago and while coaching her through a private spin lesson, my Y boss came out and asked if I would like to take over classes starting Dec 28th every week. They’ve also asked me to join their stable of swim coaches next season. Working in the athletic industry seems to be defining this new South Carolina season of my life and I am loving it. Back to my old Aquatics Director college days, except this time around, I’m in better shape than I was in my early 20s!

My Nutrisystem: Nutrisystem Select is the bomb.com. There, I said it. Yes, I use that phrase occasionally and I really mean it! I get two weeks of the awesome frozen foods and two weeks of the regular Nutrisystem program, mainly “energy bar heavy”, which I need and happily use as quick recovery food right before or after a hard workout with fruit. Besides a bagel that I desperately needed for energy after an intense workout this week and a little slice of my own coffeecake made for a holiday breakfast, I’ve nixed almost all bad sugar and carbs out of my diet. I’m eating a lot, but I know it’s all good for me.

Words of Wisdom: Listen to your body and every tweak, minor injury or pain. I’ve had some early arthritis problems in my neck and shoulders that has gotten pretty severe and threatened my working out the last 3 months. I’ve been getting multi-weekly treatments, working on my acceptance of these injuries and giving myself a break from being angry at my body for not being able to always keep up with my mental drive to run, bike, swim or play tennis. I have changed my workouts to make my body happier and I am healing. Once I accepted the injuries and stopped being irrationally angry with myself, my body started to heal.

FTC Disclaimer: I am receiving the Nutrisystem program complimentary in exchange for my personal reviews each week.

My Life's Little Lessons: Part 6

 

Total Weight Lost: (since September 2009): 46 LBS!

Total Weight Lost on Nutrisystem (since November 2010): 6 LBS!

My Lesson: Staying motivated during winter months is really difficult for me. I moved to South Carolina to get away from the cold, but there are still a couple cold months and it's been a chilly December so far. Any temp drop below 60 degrees and I want to hibernate and eat for the winter - it's been in the low 30's a lot lately. I know that sounds ridiculous because it isn't all that cold, but I was not built for cold weather. I've also been sick this week, work has been a struggle and my car was also broken into (nothing valuable was in there to be taken, thank goodness!). It was a bit of a tough week and I definitely used food as my coping mechanism. A bit of a fail this week, but I'm allowed to break down occasionally. I'm going to forgive myself and move forward to next week.

My Nutrisystem: I've found a few Nutrisystem dinner foods that I think I could live on forever from their frozen foods Nutrisystem Select Program option. I cook them from freezer to oven and the food tastes fresh. My two favorites of the week are the Ravioli Formaggio and the Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells. Both are filling and feel like complete meals with fresh chunky tomato sauce and spinach. My favorite new lunchtime bar is the Double Chocolate Caramel - it may as well be a candy bar it is so delicious!

Words of Wisdom: I am allowed to slip up, but not give up. I know it was a hard week but I have to push through, stay positive and focus on my goal and breaking down all my attachments to food for comfort. I know I can do this, I've been doing it and I will never give up. This may be a lifelong fight against my desire to use food for things it is not meant to be used for, but I love how I feel, how I look and how I have been able to shift my beliefs about the way things really are.

FTC Disclaimer: I am receiving the Nutrisystem program complimentary in exchange for my personal reviews each week.

Two Brits and a Blonde.

 

 

 

 

Pictures from a chilly and fabulous Sunday night Oyster Roast with my two fave Brits, other than Baby Spice and Victoria and David. We need a reality show. Or a radio show. Tom's (my Lowcountry activity buddy) friend JP was visiting him and we had some memorable times.

It was a packed weekend with all of my Lowcountry friends outside - first a Smores Roast on Friday, then an outdoor TV viewing of the Gamecocks painful loss and dancing at Plum's on Saturday. It culminated in a lof of Arrested Development viewing, Christmas Parade watching and Oyster Roasting on Sunday. I'm lovin' the Lowcountry life!

My Life's Little Lessons: Part 5

 

Photo: My friend Tom (13th place), me (86th place) and my brother, Chris (7th place) after the Bluffton 5K Turkey Chase.

Total Weight Lost: (since September 2009): 46 LBS!

Total Weight Lost on Nutrisystem (since November 2010): 6 LBS!

My Lesson: I am mentally tougher than I ever thought possible. After a week of not losing any weight, I knocked off 3 pounds this week!!!! I hit an all time low weight that dates back to my early middle school days! Plus, the three of us (in the pic above) killed it at the Bluffton 5K on Thanksgiving morning. My big goal of the week was to beat my 30:34 personal best time and I did it. I ran the 5K in 28:56. All those times my dad and others said "if you believe it you can acheive it", finally mean something. I get it. I believe in myself.

My Nutrisystem: Thanksgiving dinner or not, I'm still watching the pounds melt away. I eat when I'm hungry and I'm not focused on polishing off any leftovers. I have a kitchen chock full of healthy Nutrisystem food, fruits, veggies, cheese, nuts, milk and protein. I've really narrowed down my grocery shopping to only what is good for me. I've still got some white flour, sugar, pretzels and a partial box of cereal in the pantry, but besides that, my home is full of quality food. I'm forced to eat healthy and as I lose more weight, the motivation to eat right gets stronger.

My Nutrisystem Weekly Favorites: There is a great new addition to Nutrisystem food and it is their delicous Nutrisystem Select Program option! I got a delivery of their new frozen foods which include a few of my new favorites - obviously, the ice cream sandwich and creamy fudge bar are hits. There's a yummy ham and cheese sandwich, steak & cheese melt and turkey pepperoni pizza. A few come with mushrooms, so still avoiding those.

Words of Wisdom: If I made it through Thanksgiving with success and weight loss, I know I can do the same with Christmas. I'll be traveling for 10 days visiting family and friends with my brother, so I'll lean on him for some help keeping up with workouts. I'm also packing a lot of Nutrisystem bars for a healthy food option when on the road. It helps to have a close friend or family member who is active, athletic and/or a super healthy eater. My brother is an all-around support for me on this journey, because he's a great athlete and friend to me.

I really appreciate everyone's support. My #NSNation team, led by Meredith, my longtime and new friends, my mom, my dad and everyone in my life is helping me push through all of my past beliefs and excuses to see that I can change and transform my life any time I want. I have so much positive energy helping me out!

FTC Disclaimer: I am receiving the Nutrisystem program complimentary in exchange for my personal reviews each week.

My Life's Little Lessons: Part 4

 

Photo: Me about to run across the finish line of my first triathlon in August 2010. Proud moment and photo for me.

Total Weight Lost: (since September 2009): 43 LBS!

Total Weight Lost on Nutrisystem (since November 2010): 3 LBS!

My Lesson: Some weeks, I may not lose weight, but I still love and respect myself and honor how far I have come so far. It was a busy week and for a combination of small reasons, I just couldn't knock off any weight this week. I was pretty frustrated the first part of the week, but then I realized how healthy I have become and that I need to take care of myself and be proud. I need to love my body at this size to move forward and lose more weight. I also have a 5K race on Thanksgiving morning that I have been training for and my goal is to sprint it to the best of my ability! I'm really excited to try and beat my personal best time of 30 minutes. (This time may not be fast for longtime runners, but it was exciting for me when I hit it!) Stay tuned for the results!

My Nutrisystem: It was hard to stick with Nutrisystem this past week, because I had a lot of events and parties, like an Oyster Roast on Saturday night and a party at my own house on Friday night. I could have done a MUCH better job of limitting some of the bad for me food, but I didn't and though I was fairly careful with calories, I need quality food! In light of that, I'm happily back to Nutrisystem food for the core of my meals again, even with Thanksgiving this week.

My Nutrisystem Favorites: I have recently fallen in love with a few rocking NS food items. I'm picky, so I'm hard to please food-wise, but these items blew me away this week. The italian herb flatbread pizza, the chicken with dumplings, the bbq sauce with pork wrap and the cinnamon roll. To their credit, I'm kind of dreaming about warming up the cinnamon roll as I type. I won't, but it is that good!

Words of Wisdom: Thanksgiving Edition! My mom, dad and brother will be at my home in South Carolina and I get to cook the big meal. It's a tradition that I've had every year since college. This year, I'm cutting back on just a few cals and will be careful with portion control on my own plate. I'll have all the goodies - the turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, rolls and a pumpkin pie. And all from scratch, because if I can't put the effort in there, then it's not worth eating! My goal is to have 3 vegetables as well this year, sans the normal casseroles I'm so used to putting the veggies in. I can try a little bit of everything and enjoy it all. I am also making less of each item. I don't need leftovers for the next week to tempt me!

Thanksgiving Day Bonus: I convinced my brother and one of my friends to run in the previously mentioned Turkey Chase 5K with me. If you can't do a turkey day run/walk race, find another way to get in some exercise in the morning. Get family and friends involved. Take a long walk, go on a bike ride, drive to a park, play football or soccer. Act early so you eliminate guilt later. The activity gets the blood pumping, the joy flowing and you'll have great memories and maybe even photos of you together in sport.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

FTC Disclaimer: I am receiving the Nutrisystem program complimentary in exchange for my personal reviews each week.

My Life's Little Lessons: Part 3

 

(Pic is of me, about 8 lbs ago in September - playing tennis in Myrtle Beach.)

Total Weight Lost: (since September 2009): 43 LBS!

Total Weight Lost on Nutrisystem (since November 2010): 3 LBS!

My Lesson: Like my Dad, Ken Will, always told me, "Eat to Live, Not Live to Eat!" I've got the handle on the fitness, now I really need to cut back even more on food portions and meal sizes. Losing these last 20 lbs is really going to test my mind and my ability to overcome my desire to eat for the sake of eating.

My Nutrisystem: I lost 1 lb this week on Nutrisystem. I really desperately wanted to knock down another pound, but I can tell I am going to have to kick it into high gear as far as food is concerned. I need to eat healthier than ever and cut the white sugars, which is a great plus for the Nutrisystem plan. Their meals really are loaded with the nutrients our bodies need. Good carbs and loaded with proteins. Their vegetarian chili is great - I add a little salsa to it and it is a complete meal with a salad. I'm still resting at 2300 cals a day and I must go down to 2000 this week. If I want to shoot for a 2lb loss this week, I've got to hit that goal!

Nutrisystem Knows Recycling: I also want to throw out a huge hug to the team at Nutrisystem that handles their packaging. Almost every bit of it is recyclable paperboard and #1 or #2 plastic which truly is recyclable. Those other high # plastics rarely are!!! I am so proud of their company for making huge efforts to help the environment. So many companies are STILL not doing this.

Words of Wisdom: Drink water. Besides a little skim milk each day, the only(*) beverage I drink is water on a daily basis and that has been something I've done for at least 5 years. I don't bother with anything else, because I don't need to make my body work at processing anything else. I am definitely not wasting any of my precious calories on sodas or juice. *I do like to drink alcohol occasionally and will have a glass or two of red wine at dinner with friends. Sometimes a light beer and every once in a while, I still have a champagne night!


FTC Disclaimer: I am receiving the Nutrisystem program complimentary in exchange for my personal reviews each week.

Metalskins!

 

Pic is of me in my Metalskins - this is the link to my latest feature on Alicia's fab NYC company!

And here is a link to my latest Beaufort Gazette feature on new pal, Davis Marshall. Nice guy, cool local rocker.

All the motivation I need!

How can you not be motivated, if you're a woman who likes to dance, by this video??? Jennifer Grey is KILLING it every week on Dancing with the Stars and this Rumba is her best so far. She scored all 10's, and they were well-deserved. Any time I need gym motivation or motivation to keep me away from excess eating, this is it. Look at her at 50! Super hot and in the best shape of her life. Jennifer Grey is my new healthy life icon. I might actually vote this season - she should win!

Click on the YouTube screen and it will take you to the full size version on YouTube.

My Story: Part 2

 

My Story: I left you last, on my trip to New Zealand with my best friend, Maria. (The pic above shows me jumping off the pier into the bay in Wellington, NZ in Feb. 2010. Wellington is the capital of New Zealand. The water was freezing and I had just finished a 3 mile run through the city. I figured I might as well wrap my afternoon of activities with a memorable jump into the bay!)

I traveled all over Australia and New Zealand with Maria and her now-fiance, Patrick. We travel a lot together and were having the time of our lives as usual. Just before I left for Australia, I made a commitment to myself that I would push my workouts through my travels. I had just reached the 3 consecutive miles mark while running and I was terrified of backtracking over the next 3 weeks.

I've never seemed to have the stamina or drive on our many world travels together to actually workout daily in addition to walking and touring cities overseas. For me, a New York City dweller, a few miles of walking is not a workout. It's nice exercise, but if I don't sweat, I am not burning many calories. My body is far too used to walking around a lot. I digress - back to NZ. I took my committment to my health very seriously and worked out almost every day of the 21 days I was out of the country. Something about turning 30 and thinking about my 30 years of issues with food and weight had taken it's toll. I had finally grown tired of my own excuses and there were millions of them! So tired of my own issues that I fought cravings for naps after exploring new towns, cravings for food and cravings for a casual swim in the pool, to don my workout gear and head to the gym.

I should tell you, in case you aren't one of my superfriends, Maria worked on Holland America Cruiseships, so there was always a great gym available to me during our many adventures. I hit the gym every morning, afternoon or evening. Many nights you could find me running laps on the upper deck because I was very nervous that if I didn't keep up my running I'd get back to New York and have to start over back at 1 mile. A bit of a workout obsession had kicked in. I'm not normally supportive of any kind of obsession but for me, this was something helping me, so I kept at it. I was able to keep up with a very fit Maria and Patrick thanks to my new gym routine. It felt great and I relaxed more, felt more comfortable in my clothes and my own skin and soaked up so much more of the culture because I was so comfortable. I found the people and port towns of NZ to be a dream. A place I immediately wanted to live forever. In every town, people our age were in shorts and sneakers, casual workout gear or hiking boots. I could get away with wearing leggings, sneakers and tees everywhere and completely fit in. I had never been so content while away from home.

When I got back to New York, I knew that my time in the city was coming to an end a bit prematurely. Over the last 2 years, I had planned that upon completion of my 8th year in NYC, it would be time to look around for a coastal town in America where I could settle down and maybe, MAYBE start thinking about my personal life over my career. Maybe even work towards real dating and think about having a family. My trip to NZ had opened my eyes to the quality of life that some very lucky people get to enjoy and I knew I wanted it. Having that taste of a truly active life made me want out of NYC and into a small community where I could activate.

I should warn you, I don't make slow decisions when it comes to life-changing stuff. I make them fast. Within 1 week of returning to NYC, I had planned a move, based on a Google search. That Google search was for the "10 best coastal towns" and it led me to a place I now call home. Beaufort, South Carolina. I departed NYC a few months shy of my 8 year anniversary.

My Life's Little Lessons: Part 2

 

Photo: Me in Melbourne, Australia at Rod Laver Arena, home of the Australian Open! (Feb. 2010)

Total Weight Lost: (since September 2009): 42 LBS!

Total Weight Lost on Nutrisystem (since November 2010): 2 LBS! (I'll take it!)

My Lesson: My body needs healthy food and nutrients to be strong everyday in my normal life, but especially during my workouts.

My Nutrisystem: I've lost 2 lbs in one week on the Nutrisystem program and it hasn't been much work. I'd say I've actually averaged about 2300 calories a day - a little high. My goal is 2000, but days are long and my workouts are hard! (She whines!) I love ANY and ALL of the peppermint bar products that Nutrisystem created. They are absolutely delicious. I recommend the Peppermint Cookie Patty, Thin Mint Crisp Bar or Mint Chocolate Crunch Bar. I stick to bars for breakfast, dessert and most lunches and then eat their dinners. I really love the Cheese Tortellini for lunch. I was bummed to find mass quantities of mushrooms in the Cheese Ravioli w Basil Tomato Sauce - not a fan of mushrooms at all but i love the pasta solo, without the sauce or with my own sauce. I would love it if it was a strictly a basil tomato sauce - I find the two giant ravioli pretty filling.

Words of Wisdom: Our bodies need the right kind of food energy to get through each day. Overeating, undereating or not eating right can really interfere with everything from brain and overall muscle function to my personal ability to kick it up a notch in spinning class. I had a tough day today and ate way too many homeade cookies I had made for a friend. Bad Kelly. Spinning for 60 minutes was agony because my body was trying to burn all that butter and sugar. If I had just stuck to my usual diet I would have been blasting through the ride.

Here are a few of my winning weight loss foods that go great along with Nutrisystem or with a regular diet: Low Fat Cottage Cheese, Deluxe Nuts Mixes, Apples, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Broth Based Soups, Mozzarella Cheese, Lean Sliced Turkey or Ham, Chicken Breasts and Salsa. More details and recipes to come and of course, as many fruits and veggies as you can get - I just named a few faves.

FTC Disclaimer: I am receiving the Nutrisystem program complimentary in exchange for my personal reviews each week.

My Story: Part 1

 

My Story: I am about to start a relatively new journey, one of MANY I have taken on this year and this will be one I document weekly on Blonde Rules. I am teaming up with Nutrisystem for the next few months. I will be blogging weekly about my health and fitness and dining partially on Nutrisystem food that they have given me. The rest of my meals and calorie intake will be based on my typical diet. I am going to do my best to dispense as much helpful food/exercise/psychotherapy information into my weekly blog posts in the hopes that if even one thing resonates with one person, this will all be worth it!

It's been a big year for me. A great year and a difficult year all at the same time, but one that leaves the kind of mark you want in your memory. It all began last September 2009, when my beautiful and smart cousin Amy, pictured in the below post to my right, told me all about a triathlon she did last summer. I thought it was such a feat for a mother of 3, a few vague years older than me, to tackle. If she could do it, certainly I could try to do it. And that's where my health and fitness journey began.

I realized that at 30 years old, after years of great therapy, if I didn't take my health, diet and exercise seriously, I never would. Weight has been my core struggle my entire life and I suddenly decided to take back my personal power and make a change with a sense of commitment and excitement I had never had before. I made a plan to do a triathlon with Amy in Summer 2010. I am a natural swimmer, swam competitive all my school years up to college, so I knew that part of the triathlon would be cake for me. I had a pretty, green hybrid bike and felt confident with that portion of the tri as well. The real struggle would be the run and I knew I needed every bit of the year to train for it.

One memorable Sunday in September on a brusk day at home in NYC, I decided I was going to turn myself into a runner. It wasn't magic, it didn't happen overnight and it wasn't always easy, but each week I ran about 4 or 5 days. I started with a slow mile and I worked my way up to 3 slow miles (about an 11-12mph pace) nonstop by January. Simply from exercise and no real portion control, I lost 15 pounds by January. I traveled to New Zealand with my bff, Maria, in February, and I was able to run miles and miles in every seaside port. Becoming a runner was beginning to change my life and the way that I got to view the world, literally, on foot. I was starting to view myself in a new light as well. I was starting to see the internal me that I always imagined I was, merge with my external image. I felt good and I wanted to feel better. I also began to understand how much easier I could run if I lost more weight. My body began craving healthy foods.

I came back from 3 weeks overseas and was ready for a bigger challenge than just doing the triathlon. Stay tuned! I'll continue my journey in next week's post! xoxoxKelly

My Life's Little Lessons: Part 1

 

Total Weight Lost: (since September 2009): 40 LBS!

My Lesson: I'm always learning, growing and changing. In order to be happy, I always like to have a goal or a challenge to work towards because that is what brings me a sense of success and accomplishment.

My Nutrisystem: My food arrived today. The giant box contains a month's worth of food. I got to pick out exactly the foods that I wanted. I get part of breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert for each day. I will still be cooking, thank goodness. If you know me, you know I LOVE to cook for me and especially for friends! Since I'm in athletic high gear right now, I'm going to try to eat about 2,000 calories a day. That should allow me to continue to lose more weight at a healthy pace. Their desserts and breakfast bars are a highlight in Day 1.

Words of Wisdom: I know it's tough, but if you really want to lose weight, you need to count calories. Know how many cals your bod needs with or without exercise. I never deprive myself, I still eat whatever I want, but my stomach and brain have learned the act of moderation. You really can train yourself to eat what your body needs, even if you are an emotional eater like me. For the emotion part of it, I recommend a therapist...it did wonders for me. Weight gain or loss is not about will power or lack of it. It's usually the feelings that are driving you to eat. Don't be ashamed to ask for help. I knew I needed it to overcome the food monster that controlled my life.

FTC Disclaimer: I am receiving the Nutrisystem program complimentary in exchange for my personal reviews each week.

All the Hits: Halloween Edition

 

 

 

 

Here are a few more Halloween pics from our little St. Helena island party out at Boondocks.

Halloween at Boondocks!

 

 

 

 

We had a great time - so many good costumes by all my new Lowcountry pals. Leigh as Marge Simpson and Jonathan and Heather as the Voodoo Doll and Doc were amazing! Kerry was Leon Phelps, The Ladies Man, played by Tim Meadows on SNL. When she hit the mic, she snagged the first place costume contest prize because she's hilarious!

Diane von Furstenberg & Barry Diller...

 

Were in Beaufort, South Carolina this weekend and I saw them! The two were soaking up the Tour of Homes and the Art Walk on Bay Street downtown and she walked into my friend's shop, M, and I died. It was fabulous. You know you moved to the right place when your all-time favorite dress designer loves the same town you live in.

Friday Night Lights and Lowcountry Life

 

 

 

 

Took Kathleen and Natalie to the FNL football game at Beaufort Academy last Friday - Beaufort High also has a great team and most Friday's, you can find me being all Connie Britton as Tammy (Friday Night Lights TV reference) at the BHS games. The rest of the photos were taken at the Port Royal Fall Festival - all these little festivals and church bazaars are tons of fun and such inexpensive weekend entertainment!

It's Pumpkin Season!

 

Norma - a GREAT Beaufort & Port Royal Neighbor

 

Read my good friend and neighbor's story - I was lucky enough to be able to feature her in my weekly column in the Beaufort Gazette. Her well-lived and well-traveled life is a great inspiration to me. She and I have plans to go out for a day or so on one of the local captain's shrimp boats. That will most definitely be covered in my local writing! Norma's South Carolina Life!

South Beach on Hunting Island State Park

 

My brother drove down to the Lowcountry this weekend to visit, play tennis and eat some home-cooked meals. We had a great couple of days of beach time and fun! We explored Hunting Island a little more and snapped some awesome photos at sunset. This weekend is full of fall festival fun and next weekend is the tour of homes. I'll be photo documenting all of my South Carolina weekend adventures! I'm not sure I've ever enjoyed my life as much as I do in South Carolina.

Sunset on South Beach at Hunting Island State Park