New font.

They need to get some new ones for this whole "blog thing". I'm working on getting a new body, so I'd like some new font options as well. Is that really too much to ask for? I think not.

Today was okay. I lost 1.5lbs this week. Eh. It's good, because it's something, but it's not great. However, I did cheat quite a friggin' bit this last week, so I'm sure that has something to do with it. I went to my workout this morning, and it went well. I got a teensy bit lightheaded, but mostly I was just so short of breath because she really wanted me all over the place. I definitely work my a** off when I'm there!

So this is a new week. I'm going to try to go the whole week without cheating, or at least cheating as little as possible. Now when I say "cheating", I don't mean I'm going to Cold Stone or eating pizza every day. This week marks my 1 month anniversary without soda, and I'm not planning on breaking that any time soon! No, no, by cheating I mean a piece of cheese. Or a glass of chocolate milk. As all of you well know, these things that I seem to be "cheating" with are still MUCH healthier for me than the things I was eating even a month ago!

Today was three weeks since I started this whole program. I've officially lost ten pounds. It's going well. I'm trying to be patient. It doesn't all need to come off within two months. It's better for me in the long run to take my time. This is just as much, if not moreso, about forming healthy habits as it is about losing weight. Habits that I will have forever, so I can control myself when occasions arise that provide certain temptations.... And eating this way isn't FOREVER. It's just until I'm fit, healthy, and happy with my new body (soooo excited to see that, by the way!) At that point it'll just be about "maintaining the goods". Lol!

Andrew's doing very well, too. He's lost around 10 pounds. I can tell in his belly. :) He's been really good about running on the elliptical when he has time; on average probably 4 or 5 times a week. He's also LOVING the food we have. He's a rare human being. I say this because he craves fresh fruit and veggies and meat. He basically craves everything that's good for you. I don't. But I'm getting there. I definitely enjoy most things I'm eating. Tonight I went to the store and bought a Litehouse dressing. It's pomegranate blueberry vinaigrette. 20 cals per serving. I'm excited to try it on my spinach and strawberry salad. :)

Anyway, we're getting there. I'm sooo excited, also, for my friends who are making these changes in their lives. We're all becoming healthier, happier people, and it's SO worth it! I'm very proud of you, girls. We're doing this! Finally! Keep up the good work, and just think about how we'll look in a few months. And also, thank you so much for the support you give me. It means the world to have friends that care about my happiness. You're the best! *MWAH* (that's a smooch)

Why can't I stop watching America's Next Top Model marathons....

So I had a great workout with Jenn today. However, it's Thursday. And every Thursday marks the four days/week that I'm without Jenn.... and during those four days I usually feel like I'm suffocating from too much healthy food. She told me, though, that when I weigh-in next Tuesday, if I've had a good week (which means lost minimum of 2 pounds) I can start having low-fat string cheese. :D YAY! Definitely looking forward to that.

My parents left town yesterday, and I'm "in charge" of cooking dinner for my brother, Evan, tonight. What does he want? Does he want baked chicken and salad? Noooo. Does he want turkey with spinach and hummus? Noooo. He wants LASAGNA. I'm not gonna lie, I make a pretty mean lasagna. (Ignore the last time I made it, Amanda. It tasted like crap. Lol!) And I know that I'm going to eat some. I'm not going to put the time and effort into making something like that and NOT eat any of it. I just need to control myself. And honestly, I think I'll be fine. I'm going on three weeks without much sugar or salt, so I'm thinking it'll taste so salty that I won't be able to eat much of it anyway. So I'm excited, in a way, to try the lasagna. It'll be a good test for me.

(Nigel from ANTM is so sexy.)

Well, I don't have much else to say. I should probably get started on dinner. Wish me luck!!

I Hate Titling These Every Time....

So I had a FANTASTIC work out with Jenn yesterday. When I first started this "journey", there were two sessions in a row where I almost passed out. It was insane. And you know, it really scared me. It made me feel completely helpless. And it made me think, "There is NOTHING that is worth feeling this way." The good news is, this hasn't happened the last three sessions. My body is starting to build endurance, and my heart doesn't think that I'm trying to kill it. :)

So she always weighs me on Tuesdays, which I believe I told you about in my last post... anyway, I had a great week last week, and according to yesterday's weigh-in I lost two pounds, which brought my total to 8.3 pounds in two weeks! Well I always weigh in before my session, and then I secretly weigh myself again the next day. (I'm somewhat addicted to my scale right now, as all I've been getting are good results.) This morning I had lost ANOTHER 2 pounds! And I know they're different scales, but I've done the math and calculated the differences in each one, so I know it's for real. Aaaack! *Sweat Drops*Sweat Drops*Sweat Drops*!!!!!!! I was so unbelievably excited.

I worked all afternoon today, and absolutely HATED the idea of doing my cardio, but I did it anyway. I did my 35 minutes, during which I burned 407 calories. Then I got off the elliptical, drank some water, and thought, "Hey... I could go again. I feel great today!" So I got back on for another 30 minutes! I ended up burning 754.6 calories, total! I feel soooo good.

It feels amazing to be seeing results. Yesterday I told Jenn that I want nothing more right now than to be able to have string cheese. She said, "MAYBE in two weeks... I'll think about it." (she's not mean, she said it with a smile). It was then that I realized I don't care. I can live without certain things pretty easily now, because I know it's working. I can feel the changes taking place inside my body, and yesterday I started seeing them. Not only are my clothes (slightly) fitting looser, my skin is clearing up. I hadn't noticed until this morning, but I haven't had a breakout since before I started eating "clean" and exercising on a regular basis. Weird, yeah? I dig it, though. :)

Anyway, I'm starving. I'm gonna go shower off my sweatiness and make some (boring-but-worth-it) dinner!

Thundercats Are Gooooo!

Ugh, there's SO much to say. I've officially started over. As you can see, it's been a while since I logged in and updated this!

I've started a new lifestyle. Most days I feel pretty good, but I have my bad, bored, wannabe self-destructive (food-wise) days, too. Andrew's been EXTREMELY supportive thus far, and thoroughly enjoys coming home to an actual cooked-from-scratch dinner every night. It's a total 180 from Freschetta pizzas and grilled cheese. :)

I won't go into details unless someone asks for them, but I'm basically eating 5 times a day. I eat three "square" meals, and two snacks; one in the afternoon, and one right before bed. I'm on a very low calorie plan in comparison to how I was eating before, so I have to make sure I eat often to keep my energy up. It's kind of weird, actually. I eat fewer calories, and twice or three times the amount of food. I feel less bloated, and more.... regular, if you will. ;) Sorry, probably t.m.i., but it's true. It's amazing what eating fresh, "clean" foods can do for your body. I have virtually no preservatives in my system anymore.

I've also been seeing a trainer. Her name is Jenn, and she's fantastic. I see her Tuesdays and Thursdays for weight-training. She weighs me Tuesdays. I also stay at the gym after my workout with her to do 35-40 minutes of cardio. This has been a little bit trickier, mentally and emotionally. I find myself relying on her to "make" me lose weight, when really that's not her job. Her job is to encourage me, motivate me, and remind me of WHY I want to get healthy. It's not her job to force me to do it. So when I make improvements (and when I don't), I find myself either thanking or "cursing" her. I just have to get over that. This is my life, this is my choice. Nobody is making me take this road, I chose it because of the future I envision for myself and my family.

On a lighter note, the first week I lost 6.2 pounds! It was an amazing accomplishment, and I'm sure most of it was water weight I'd been carrying around because of the soda and everything. It's been over 2 weeks since I've had soda, so that's exciting, too! :) On top of my time with Jenn, I'm doing 4 days a week (minimum) of cardio, and I'm supposed to be doing 1 day a week of yoga, though I haven't been super committed to that yet.... I'm supposed to do it to help improve my flexibility and to lengthen the muscle I'm building. Maybe I'll do it today...

This last weekend my lovely monthly friend came to visit (and I'm not talking about Amanda.) :) So I've felt extremely discouraged, because of the bloating and the laziness. I literally forced myself to do two extra days of cardio this week, and I was still up a pound this morning. *growl* Amanda and I decided I need to put my scale away. Technically I'm not really supposed to know what I weigh at all. Jenn wanted me to "give that worry to her", so I didn't dwell on it.... I haven't done a great job of that so far. :) I'll try, though, from now on. It can be bad to know what you weigh down to the ouncy every single morning, because a glass of water could make you feel fat!

Anyway, today I'm supposed to do my cardio, and I've been in my p.j.s all day. I hate when I'm lazy like this. But I haven't been able to turn off the tv with this ANTM marathon going on!
Wish me luck, world. I'm out to kick fat's ass.