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Today is Guinness World Records Day. And hopefully, I had a small part in breaking one.

There is something called sport stacking. It’s where you take a bunch of brightly colored plastic cups and stack them quickly into specifically ordered pyramids and towers. When done competitively, it’s timed. It’s even an event in the Junior Olympics.

Today, the World Sport Stacking Association sponsored their 7th annual Stack Up. They asked people around the country to play this sport for 30 min today so that they can beat the World Record for Most People Sport Stacking in Multiple Locations on One Day. (Yes, I didn’t realize there was a record for that either)

They hope to have 450,000 people participate, mostly children from schools. It turns out, this sport is great for kids. Stacking enthusiasts claim the sport engages both the left and right sides of the brain, is great for hand eye coordination, and improves attention and focus.   

The Stack Up came to my attention through my newfound job, working as a correspondent for the local paper, the Daily Herald. I went out on the assignment and met a PE teacher who was just about the coolest lady ever. I wished I had someone like her as a gym teacher when I was a kid. As part of her curriculum, Angela Anderson, has the kids practice sport stacking. She said it’s great because any kid can do it. With a little practice and a timer, it is a great way to help kids find success and show them that they are improving. She believes it gets gets involved and engaged in a fun way, teaching them focus and discipline.

I went to Coach Anderson’s school for her Stack Up, and I was blown away by how much fun these kids were having.

Today is the last day of my month long goal rush. I gave it my all, but some days were better than others. The thing is, even it didn’t go perfectly, I feel great.

Sometimes it’s not the end result that is the reward. It’s the effort it took to get there. I’ve learned I feel much better without the Halloween candy (If I’m gonna gave chocolate, it better be the good stuff). I slept way better on the days I found the time to exercise. And I once again confirmed that Life cereal is a gateway snack for me.

When I look back at this past month, I will not be counting the days I screwed up. I will counting the days that I tried my best. Plus the fact that I made it the whole month without just saying, “Screw it” and eating a pint of Ben and Jerry’s.

How did you do and what did you learn? And for anybody that got through the month alive and tried their best, you deserve a finisher medal!

I am so excited! In two months the book, Finished being Fat, will be released. But it’s available on Amazon for pre-order now. 

Cedar Fort did an amazing job on the cover.

A year ago, I was trying to put all my thoughts and experiences to paper. Figuring out how to share my journey in an honest and funny way. Now that dream is coming true. It’s a completely surreal experience.

I have no illusions that this book will be on the New York Times bestseller’s list. (But I wouldn’t complain if it ended up there ) I just wanted to share my story and maybe help a few people like me. People that feel trapped by past failures and are tired of the little voice in the back of their saying, “I can’t because I’m a loser that can’t finish anything right.”

The title of this blog post is somewhat tongue in cheek. I may have lost seventy-five pounds and kept it off, but I will never be Ms. Universe with tight abs. I will never be society’s vision of a “Cover Girl”.  A few people have already pointed out that if I want to be a “fit” role model, I should make sure I look like one. Sorry, but I look like any other mom in the grocery store, not Jillian Michaels.

But that’s the pot of gold I found at the end of my journey. Being okay with me, from the inside out. I’m really excited to share my adventures with everyone, and cheer them along on theirs.

Tomorrow starts the last week of goal rush. I made it through Halloween without eating all the kids candy. But I am really struggling with one of my goals. Late night snacking. This past week, I have been going over the final proofreads of the book before it comes out in January. With two little girls, about the only time I have to do it is late at night. I keep reaching for the life cereal, or a pita with some hummus. Not terrible food for me, but extra stuff that my body doesn’t need.

What is it that makes us eat late? Lower inhibitions as the night wears on? Or boredom? Stress?

Don’t know. But it’s like a bad one night stand (not that I’d know anything about it personally), I wake up in the morning roll over and find the evidence of last night’s indiscretion. The paper plate on the floor, the bright shiny wrapper – whatever – it all builds up to a big guilt sandwich for breakfast.

With one week left of goal rush, I’m recommitting myself. I’m going to make it through this week without any errant snacking.

Are you struggling with any of your goals?

It’s Halloween, and you know what that means –  kids returning home with a big pillowcase or otherwise giant bag of scavenged treats.

Want to avoid this?

Have this?

After your little pillagers walk through the door, you probably temporarily confiscate their sugary plunder to check for tricks and unsafe candy. Consider this, loading up on candy is, in its own way, unsafe. I’m not advocating taking any candy away. Walking for a mile or so in an itchy costume is hard work and they have earned those goodies. But try portioning it out for them. Put 5 or so treats into a sandwich baggie and dole them out once a day. It’s great since it makes Halloween last a little longer (always a good thing), avoids the sugar crash (and the resulting tantrums), and the tummy aches (because cleaning up throw up is definitely on the bottom of my todo list).

You can even bring the little ones in on it. Have them help you pick what treats go in which bags. My kids love stuffing things, so they get a kick out of counting then sorting the candy into little bags.

While this works especially well with young children, older kids might not be so enthused. This is where you have to decide what you want to teach as a parent. Portion control issues is one of the leading causes of obesity. I believe it’s important to start early, teaching the right size meals and treats for their little bodies. So I suggest for older kids, talking to them what you’re doing and why, then having them help decide how many candies go in each baggie.

So have a Happy Halloween from Finished being Fat. And remember, no snitching treats in between trick or treaters ringing the bell. (ok, maybe just 1 per hour. But that’s it and only if you jog in place while you’re chewing)

Today I went for a five mile run. It’s the first time I’ve run in more than two months. Some of you know that I’ve been recovering from an injury. I cracked my kneecap hiking when I tripped and fell knee first on a rock.  Apparently, I’m still not the most graceful bull in the china shop.

But last night I thought of my daughter. A while ago, she fell off the horse at the carousel. She’s been super skittish about it every since, flat out refusing another ride. Until we went to the zoo last month. They have a wild animal carousel, more specifically, one of the “horses” was a buffalo — my daughter’s favorite animal. I had to drag her off of that thing before the zoo closed.

Today starts the second week of goal rush. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, check last weeks posts.

So how are you doing on your goal or goals? Now is a really good time to look at them and maybe adjust is needed. If one hour at the gym is just killing you, or it turns out that time is not on your side, maybe try making sure you get a half hour of some type of exercise. Mow the lawn, rake the leaves — hit exercise and chores with one stone.

If you’ve stumbled a bit last week, (I’ve had my own blips as well) remember that we are not perfect people. The only way to lose goal rush is to give up and not even try. You can still succeed as long as you keep at it.

That is the whole point of the philosophy of finishing. Knowing that I might mess up, and that I won’t be the best at something — but pushing through to the finish. That means trying to reach those goals everyday, even if that pint of Ben and Jerry’s found its way into my stomach somehow.

If it’s tough, that’s okay. Modify if you have to, but maintain your bravery and courage and do it anyway. At the end of the month I want all of my readers to look at the effort they’ve put in, not count all the days that they’ve messed up.

So keep it up. If you need some back up, friend me on Facebook and I’ll be the nut cheering you on in the peanut gallery. Send me a line and let me know how I can help you.

At yoga today, a friend pointed out that I can be a little scary sometimes. To be honest, he said he wanted to throw something at me. Sometimes, I forget that where I am now, is not where I was two years ago.

Shoe to the head taken.

The goals I listed in the last post are what’s right for me at this stage in my life. Two years ago, my goal was to just wake up and crawl out from under the blanket. Then, maybe get through the day without cringing in the mirror. If I was super lucky, I might go outside.

When I look back at where I was then to where I am now, I get a little over excited. I want to share what’s working for me now, and I forget what it was like to cry at the mere thought of signing up to go to a gym. Let alone workout for a whole hour at one.

But that’s the great thing about Finished being Fat. Wherever you are right now, is the perfect place to be today. Whether you can run 10 miles or walk for ten minutes. Maybe even wanting to walk for ten minutes is an improvement.

So I’m going to start giving a few different levels of advice, because it takes time to work up to the big goals sometimes. And the little ones are every bit as important and get you that big satisfaction of finishing. If choosing three goals this month is a little scary or intimidating … try one. Maybe make an effort to park in the farthest spot away from the door. Or take the stairs at work instead of the elevator. Try looking in the mirror and saying one nice thing about yourself.

Remember that starting small can lead to big things. Or in the case of pants size, smaller things. Sometimes the hardest part of making a change is having the courage to start. The next step is finding the courage and will to finish.

Start with me. Finish with me.