Change is in the Air

I have been hinting for months about changes happening.  I am finally ready to announce that I am going to be making a career change soon.  I have been doing research for months and finally chose a program and will be getting my Nutrition and Wellness Certification.  I am finally going to do something with a passion of mine.   

I am nervous and excited to make this change.  I’m a little scared to make the leap but know it will be worth it.  Change is seldom easy but important for growth.  My goal is to help people learn how to help themselves. Empower them, if you will.  When I first started out I was so lost.  I tried all kinds of diets, weight loss plans, deprivation and gimmicks.  I put tons of pressure on myself.  It is no wonder I failed so many times.  I was not realistic and built my lifestyle on fear of failure and guilt.  I set myself up with unrealistic expectations and only caused more self loathing and negative self-talk.  It was a vicious cycle that was hard to break.  It has been a long and difficult journey that I hope to make easier for others. 

I’m realizing that everything I am trying to do with this new career is taking a lot of time.  I knew it would be intensive but it’s a little more than I expected.  It is a tad overwhelming and I’m feeling pulled in different directions.  There is just so much to do with my current career, this new one, being a mom, wife and still getting in my exercise.  I feel like I need another 8 hours in my day. 

The other night I skipped my workout due to fatigue and needing to get some studying done.  I was freezing and feeling a little crazy so I decided to take a hot bath (since running is out for clearing my head).  It helped a little but then it was right back to the grind.  I cooked dinner, answered questions on Facebook, studied and "dealt" with my child.  Any advice for dealing with a pre-teen?

where the magic happens

PlowOn Gum Review

About a week ago I finished my packet of PlowOn Gum and have been planning to write a little sum’n sum’n about it.  Here it is FINALLY…

I was so excited to receive my pack of PlowOn Gum in the mail and could not wait to try it.  Unfortunately, I was dealing with an injury and had to wait a couple of weeks before I was doing enough to warrant chewing these babies.  I did not want to waste them or get myself amped when I had no way to burn it off.

The first thing I noticed when I finally did pop a piece was the flavor is really strong and unique. It was a little overwhelming at first but grew on me.  It definitely awakens your taste buds.   

The flavor lasted a long time.  This thrilled me.  I hate when gum runs out of flavor within minutes- you could call that a pet peeve of mine.  I did not set a timer but would guess the flavor lasted at least an hour.  

The first time I chewed it was just before a weight training session and I was feeling sluggish.  By the time I was working out I felt alert and ready to get the show on the road.  I was not sure if the perkiness was because I had finally ended a stressful day at work or if it was due to the gum.  Luckily, I had a few pieces left so I could try it another time and see if it had the same effect. 

The next couple of days I tried it at work when my 2 pm energy dip hit.  Whaddya know, it perked me up.  Yay!  I was able to make it to my “closing time” and through great work outs.    

The last two pieces were chewed together but I did not notice a significant difference from when I had only one.  More is not always better.  It was great to be awake and full of energy with out having to increase my coffee intake.  I cannot wait to use it on a long run and really test it.  

There are 5 pieces in each pack and I would recommend them for when you need a little pick me up or are doing an activity that requires endurance.  I am not typically a person that uses supplements like this but I am a big time gum chewer and I was happy to have the little extra oomph thrown in.  If you go to their website  you can order a free sample and only pay shipping.  It is worth it. You can also find out all the deets on what makes PlowOn Gum so special.   I always love when I can try something out before complete commitment.  In this case, I will be ordering more.   So go order your little green balls of energy today and PlowOn.

Someone Wanted to Share MY Story

I was recently contacted by Anna at Rules of Dieting to do a blog on my weight loss journey.  I was excited to share it until I sat down to start writing.  It wasn't easy to be so honest nor was it easy to face/admit who I was. I have come so far in this journey and have won a lot of battles. Like everyone, I still have struggles but I try to no longer let them consume me. I've learned to be kind to myself and that makes all the difference in the world. When I have my bouts with depression I remember it will not last and try to find something positive to focus on. I am also less afraid to admit who I am; the good, the bad and the ugly. I had no idea how freeing that would be.  Here is the link to the post. http://www.rulesofdieting.com/ambers-weight-loss-success-story/. Enjoy!

They're HOME!

My boys have finally returned home after a week away.  FINALLY!  It was a long week and I’m still green with envy.  I wish I could have been on their trip but it wasn’t meant to be.  We had decided at the beginning of the school year that the hubs would go since I am usually the one involved.  I know it was the right decision but I still wish we I could have attended.  Turns out it was a really good thing I was not the one going given my current ankle condition.  They had a blast and did all kinds of fun things. Have you been to Hume Lake?  If not, check it out.  It’s pretty spectacular. 

This was the first time I have been away from my son for this long since 2006.  I don’t consider myself over protective or unwilling to leave him but a week is a long time.  It’s even longer when you are the one left behind.  I found it hard to get myself moving since I didn’t have a long list of things to complete each day or anyone else dependant on me (except work of course).  It was kind of a strange feeling to come home and not have anything I HAD to do, to use the bathroom without interruption and to have complete control over the TV.  I never once heard “MOOOOOOM, I’m HUNGRY!!!!”

The mornings were the hardest part.  The silence was deafening.  I missed the drive to school and listening to his stories.  He is a smart and funny kid that always entertains me.  I love hearing all the things swimming around in that head of his. 

So they are home and sharing all their stories.  I was shocked when my son said chapel was his favorite part.   He liked that they didn’t just sit there.  They made it fun with singing, dancing and geared it more toward kids.  I guess, I should expect that after all it is all about the kids.  His second favorite thing was paintball.  This does not surprise me at all.  Seeing the pictures of his bruises hurt but he’s fine, it was fun and the bruises have already faded.  To hear my husband tell the stories of the paintball “war” is hilarious.  I think he had more fun than anyone.  He tells of rolling, diving, hiding, strategizing and winning with only 3 seconds left.  I definitely wish I could have seen him.   It makes me laugh just picturing it. 

Moral (or whatever) of the story: We all survived and normalcy is returning to our little family unit.  My son matured a little, my husband revisited his youth and I pretended to be a grown-up for a week.  I am happy to go back to just being me, not making all the decisions alone and having coffee brought to me each morning.   I may even cook a meal next week.