Thrive with Anne Lindauer Fahey

I started working with an industrial engineer back in 2018. He still coaches me today.

I really liked how he takes the challenges of work and brakes it down into smaller and smaller buckets of a process until the next step is actionable and easy. He made it easy to see what the next logical step would be in making the process flow.

I wanted to practice and get really good at this idea so I started applying the tools to my own life.

My first step was a tracker. I needed to understand my routines. I broke it down my morning, afternoon, and night and just write down everything I did. I was building my current state value stream.

From there, I put a value on each step and asked Was this action serving me? I put a + if it was and an X where it wasn’t.

I did this daily for weeks and started to understand my routines, my triggers, my cues, and the consequences. I started to see how my thoughts and emotions fueled my cravings and behaviors.

This was the beginning of building better days for myself.

Do you do anything like this?

I had a frame aka a story I would tell myself that I am a dancer not a runner. I started this story in school many moons ago because even though I liked running, playing softball, and dancing, I would often get praise for dancing and made fun of for the way I ran. I heard things like “you run like a girl, Cute you look like Betty Boop running, and your arms are funny when you run.” I placed in track and was chosen for relays, but the negative stuck and I withdrew.

Then approximately 16 weeks ago, age 43, my friend Ashley told me about an app she was using to jog 30 minutes per day. I told her I was a dancer not a runner…there is that story again…, but she motivated me to try. So I downloaded the app and hit play. Here is the secret…hitting play is the hardest part!

Well today I ran a 5k! First time in I can’t remember how long…. I think of myself as a jogger and a dancer.

So if that frame isn’t true, what other stories am I telling myself that aren’t true?

What stories are you telling yourself that might be just a story and not true!?!?

I’m not back teaching zumba yet, so I thought I’d share what I’m doing to stay healthy!

Today’s topic is meal prepping.

I have a CSA weekly box from fry family farms that is right down the street from me. When I pick up my box, I get an organic soup to go and an organic dinner for everyone. The soup is usually my lunch for the next day.

Then I get home and prep all the veggies. I roast the root vegetables, sauté the greens, chop the leek, etc. i find if I don’t prep the vegetables immediately, they will not be used.

On Sundays, I go to the store (3-4 stores) and get the rest of the food for the week.
I buy other veggies for a daily vegetable platter, fruits that are easy to grab and eat, eggs, beans, meat, etc.

I prep 3 healthy dinners and make enough to be leftovers for lunch the next day. I make overnight oats for breakfasts.

The kids like pizza, spaghetti, and tacos so I make sure to have lettuce for wraps, spaghetti squash, cauliflower thins, and zoodles ready for a swap. If I’m really good, I’ll make a soup and freeze half of it in single servings. Split Pea, non dairy potato leek, and beef barley are my usuals.

Anyway, that’s what I do.

What about you?!? How do you eat healthy all week? Let me know!!! I am always up for new tricks!

👋 Friends! Anyone interested in a virtual zumba class? Zumba created a virtual studio where we could all meet. Details to come after I figure it out 😝

Some learnings when going to Zumba.

1. Remember deodorant or you won’t want to lift your arms;
2. If you are going to stand in front, remember your deodorant; lol
3. Be kind to yourself. My body has changed a good deal and the moves don’t come as readily. Jumping and squatting are painful, but I can do it all at my own pace and I’m thankful my body is strong and can do everything I need it to!;
4. I used to tell participants to let it all go and jiggle all of it...turns out when you haven’t exercised in a while all of it will jiggle no matter what. Whoops now I know; and

5. Finally, Zumba is fun no matter what shape or size you are so go for it!

Went to Zumba night and it was a lot of FUN! Haven’t done that in a LONG time

How I modified my diet.

1. Got rid of the daily chocolate treat. This one hurt! I used chocolate as an energy boost around 3 pm when I needed it the most. I knew it was the first thing that had to go.

2. Stopped snacking between meals. I would walk into the kitchen and grabbed something as I passed through. I started to mindfully go through the kitchen and found a light snack quickly turns into a full meal so I had to let it go. I drink a lot of water between meals.

3. Let go of the complex carb during meals. I made my meal plate half veggies with 1/4 protein and 1/4 starchy carb. In order to achieve this plate, I had to rely on zoodles, stuffed bell peppers, riced cauliflower, soups and salads.

4. Measure my fats. I added a food diary that calculated my macros and micros...it said I was enjoying an abundance of good fat. I now measure 1 teaspoon of oil when I cook, 1 tablespoon of nut butter in my smoothie, and one slice of avocado 🥑

Starship Log 09152019

I wanted to check in with my wellness.

With each pregnancy, I’ve gained 40+ lbs enjoying every bit of it. With my first pregnancy, I started working out 6 weeks postpartum and had lost the weight in 22 months after I stopped nursing.

After my second pregnancy, for lots of reasons that include love, grief, new opportunities, and busy schedules, I couldn’t return to exercise to help me lose the weight so I just enjoyed my time losing each pound at a snails pace.

About 3 months ago at the beginning of summer, I decided it was time. I still couldn’t commit to a consistent exercise routine so I focused on my diet. Presently, 23 months postpartum, I am down to pre-pregnancy weight.

Interesting, my clothes fit differently. For example, I am a whole size smaller in underwear but my waist is larger. Things like that.

I feel good so good that my body is craving more activity. I am ready to move again.

So after one year of not doing Zumba or exercising regularly...I weigh the same but am two sizes bigger.
Also my stomach aches have returned as well as anxiety. 🤔😳😱🧐

Quick Update: I am still on my maternity leave. It’s more like a sabbatical at this point!