Hello, everyone! I hope Christmas treated you well this year. We started our morning by getting up at 6:30am to open our stockings and gifts while Owen was still asleep (to save time). I waited not-so-patiently for the word of the week to be posted so I could finally weigh in and guzzle my coffee. When I weighed yesterday morning the scaled showed 247.4, a loss of 0.2lbs. I was completely fine with this because I hadn't been careful with my food on Monday and hadn't worked out since Saturday. I was just happy to make it another week in the competition. Well this morning I decided to weigh again, just to see what the damage was from yesterday. Down almost two pounds! 245.6. I'll take it. This is the weight I sent in for this week and I'm very excited about that.
So. Here it is.
12/26/12
245.6
I'm gonna keep this up and hopefully see a little bit of a difference when I take a photo in that tight black dress next week. Can't wait to post it!
I'm feeling very good about 2013. Very capable and empowered and hopeful and optimistic. It's really going to be a good year for us. Yesterday we were shocked to receive a family membership for our local rec center. What an amazing gift! Owen can take swim lessons, soccer, gymnastics, etc. I can take aerobics, spin, Zumba, etc. plus use all of the equipment. Andrew is even really excited about working out again and lifting weights, playing raquetball, etc. It's going to be awesome. I also got the new Fitbit One! This handy little gadget is worn like a pedometer. It tracks steps, stairs climbed, calories burned, miles walked and sleep activity and syncs all the info wirelessly to my laptop. I stayed up late last night getting it all set up and haven't taken it off since. Woot!
So you see, 2013 is our year. We're getting our health back, our bodies back, our comfort back. Makes me excited for next Christmas, because it will have been one full year since this recomittment. Can't wait to see the comparison!
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Someone take these chocolate away from me...
Well I'm a day behind with my update, so I'll fill you in.
12/18/12
Weight: 246.6
That put me at just about 1.5lbs under last week. Great! Except then we had Pizza Hut for dinner. So I weighed again this morning and was 247.6, and this is the weight I emailed in for my weigh-in. I know, I know, you're wondering why I'd send in the higher weight. Well, honestly, in the competition it doesn't matter how much you lose in the week as long as you lose something. So there's that. The main reason I sent in the higher weight, though, is because I'm trying to squeeze under the radar through Christmas. If I can make it through Christmas I'll be great! So, a higher weight this week equals less pressure to be a tight-wad with my calories before the next weigh-in. This way if I only lose another 0.5lb I'll still be in the competition. Following me? I didn't want to have an excellent loss this week then have my body/metabolism/whatever freeze up on me next week. So here I am!
I did not stick to my goals last week. The first was to eliminate coffee. I made it to Friday without and it wasn't worth it to me. It didn't affect an ounce of my weight and really just made me kinda sad in the mornings. Ridiculous, I know, but my giant mug of steaming fresh coffee is one of my favorite parts of my day. I sip on it while Nugget snuggles up to me drinking his milk and eating his banana while we watch PBS cartoons. I cherish it. I suppose the coffee isn't necessarily the best part of that scenario, but it certainly takes 2nd place.
Another goal was to not have any soda. I actually completely forgot about this one. I did fine until Thursday (again) when I was finishing up Christmas shopping and about to die from thirst. Without really thinking about it I got a Pepsi (not really a thirst-quencher) and there went that committment.
The third goal was to eat when I was hungry and to not eat out of boredom/stress/anxiety/emotion. I'm going to try this one again this week. I have no clue how I did with this last week except I do know that I don't recall making a conscious effort when eating (or not eating).
The fourth and final goal was to do the elliptical a minimum of four times. This didn't happen either. It happened zero times, actually.
SO, there ya go. This is a new week and I already feel better about it. Today I did Tae Bo with Nugget, then "ran" on my elliptical for 40 min during his nap. I've made wise (and conscious) choices with food (besides the handful of Christmas Cadbury chocolate things). I've had nothing but water and one cup of coffee.
My new goals between now and Christmas:
1) Elliptical- twice more before Christmas day. I'm not putting a ton of pressure on myself about this because we have family coming in from out of town and lots going on with that.
2) Tae Bo- twice more before Christmas day, just like above. I don't care if I stagger these with the elliptical or do them on the same days, but I'm gonna get them done.
3) Water water water- nothing but water and my 1-2 cups of coffee in the a.m. Now until Christmas day. Come Christmas, though, I AM having a mimosa (or four).
That's it for this week. These are all easily attainable goals and I'm looking forward to reporting back on Christmas (or the day after) and letting you know that I followed through with all of them!
If I don't update again before Christmas (I'm sure I won't) I hope you all have a very merry and blessed Christmas!
p.s. Two weeks from today I will post an updated photo of myself in that super tight black dress. Can't wait to see the change!
12/18/12
Weight: 246.6
That put me at just about 1.5lbs under last week. Great! Except then we had Pizza Hut for dinner. So I weighed again this morning and was 247.6, and this is the weight I emailed in for my weigh-in. I know, I know, you're wondering why I'd send in the higher weight. Well, honestly, in the competition it doesn't matter how much you lose in the week as long as you lose something. So there's that. The main reason I sent in the higher weight, though, is because I'm trying to squeeze under the radar through Christmas. If I can make it through Christmas I'll be great! So, a higher weight this week equals less pressure to be a tight-wad with my calories before the next weigh-in. This way if I only lose another 0.5lb I'll still be in the competition. Following me? I didn't want to have an excellent loss this week then have my body/metabolism/whatever freeze up on me next week. So here I am!
I did not stick to my goals last week. The first was to eliminate coffee. I made it to Friday without and it wasn't worth it to me. It didn't affect an ounce of my weight and really just made me kinda sad in the mornings. Ridiculous, I know, but my giant mug of steaming fresh coffee is one of my favorite parts of my day. I sip on it while Nugget snuggles up to me drinking his milk and eating his banana while we watch PBS cartoons. I cherish it. I suppose the coffee isn't necessarily the best part of that scenario, but it certainly takes 2nd place.
Another goal was to not have any soda. I actually completely forgot about this one. I did fine until Thursday (again) when I was finishing up Christmas shopping and about to die from thirst. Without really thinking about it I got a Pepsi (not really a thirst-quencher) and there went that committment.
The third goal was to eat when I was hungry and to not eat out of boredom/stress/anxiety/emotion. I'm going to try this one again this week. I have no clue how I did with this last week except I do know that I don't recall making a conscious effort when eating (or not eating).
The fourth and final goal was to do the elliptical a minimum of four times. This didn't happen either. It happened zero times, actually.
SO, there ya go. This is a new week and I already feel better about it. Today I did Tae Bo with Nugget, then "ran" on my elliptical for 40 min during his nap. I've made wise (and conscious) choices with food (besides the handful of Christmas Cadbury chocolate things). I've had nothing but water and one cup of coffee.
My new goals between now and Christmas:
1) Elliptical- twice more before Christmas day. I'm not putting a ton of pressure on myself about this because we have family coming in from out of town and lots going on with that.
2) Tae Bo- twice more before Christmas day, just like above. I don't care if I stagger these with the elliptical or do them on the same days, but I'm gonna get them done.
3) Water water water- nothing but water and my 1-2 cups of coffee in the a.m. Now until Christmas day. Come Christmas, though, I AM having a mimosa (or four).
That's it for this week. These are all easily attainable goals and I'm looking forward to reporting back on Christmas (or the day after) and letting you know that I followed through with all of them!
If I don't update again before Christmas (I'm sure I won't) I hope you all have a very merry and blessed Christmas!
p.s. Two weeks from today I will post an updated photo of myself in that super tight black dress. Can't wait to see the change!
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Last Loser Standing: Week 1
Beginning Stats
Weight (as of last night): 248 (weighed right after a super fatty dinner at Red Robin to give myself a leg-up. lol)
Shoulders: 46"
Upper Arm: 15"
Chest: 45"
Waist: 38"
2" Below Belly Button: 46"
Hips: 52.5"
Upper Thigh: 32"
2" Below Knee: 18"
Okay! Now that that's out of the way, here are my goals for this week.
1) No coffee. This is a big one for me. I've only been a big coffee drinker for about a year, but I don't drink coffee without creamer, and creamer is garbage. Delicious garbage, but garbage nonetheless. My body doesn't like it, it doesn't make my guts feel good, and so as a test I'm going one week without coffee to see how my weight reacts. I will, however, be drinking hot tea with agave, honey or Sweet n Low and plenty of water.
2) No soda. I gave up soda for months, but the last few weeks I've been guzzling it any chance I get. It makes me feel terrible, it hinders my weight loss (duh) and it hinders the quality of the food I put in my body. No more.
3) Eat when I'm hungry, don't eat when I'm not. Sounds easy, right? Not for this girl.
4) Elliptical. Minimum of 4 times.
I hope to be down a minimum of two pounds at my next weigh in (Tuesday the 18th) and I plan to take my measurements once a month, so the next time I post those stats will be Tuesday, January 8th.
I also included a new "motivation tip" that I came across on Pinterest. It helps you to see something physical even on the days when you're seeing nothing. I'm super excited about it!
Believe it or not there are exactly 100 beads in those two glasses. It looks like a lot less which is what's helping me realize this will be easier said than done.
May you all have a blessed week! Can't wait to report next Tuesday!
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Newfound Motivation
Hello friends! Today is December 4th. How close am I to my 30lbs loss goal by the end of the year? 23 pounds away..... I've lost seven pounds in three months. Not my best efforts, by far! But it's time to get back in the game. I don't care that we're in the holiday season, I don't care that I will be tempted almost daily by some sort of baked good or hot, cheesy dish. I will resist most of the time and give in some of the time. I want (and need) this to be realistic for me, and saying I'll never "indulge" is not realistic. However, it's my definition of indulgence that I need to work on.
I talked to my doctor last week about wanting to have another baby sometime next year. I expressed to him my intentions of losing a bit of weight before getting pregnant. I would like to be 20 or more pounds less than I was when I got pregnant with Owen, which puts me right about 30 pounds from now. I feel this is very realistic, and if I find my inner-exercise goddess I hope I can lose that in 4-5 months. I would LOVE for it to take less time than that, but I'm trying this new thing where I don't set myself up for failure. ;)
I joined a weight-loss challenge on FB called Last Loser Standing. There are 500 spots and I snagged one of them, silently having an anxiety attack while clicking the "Join Group" button. I don't know what I was thinking, except that this might be the motivation I need. This challenge involves a weekly weigh-in, and if I don't lose or maintain (within one ounce of the previous week's weight) I get disqualified. I'm excited about it for many reasons, but the main reason being that I can focus on this "journey" on a week-to-week basis and not the big picture. The big picture scares me. It's a lot of weight to lose and I can't think about it without getting discouraged and wanting to throw in the towel before I even put a dent in it. So here I am! I think it's a good challenge, uncomplicated and very doable, if I can just stay focused.
So that's where I am at this point. I'm still seeing my trainer once a week on Tuesday mornings (getting up out of the chair after this post will be difficult). I've really slacked off on cooking healthy meals and most days I struggle to get my arse on the elliptical, but I'm determined to get in 5 sessions of 35-40 minutes on the elliptical each week on top of the work out with my trainer. I also intend on doing another session with weights at home once per week. Just typing this makes it feel like a bigger commitment than I want to make.... soooo let's say 3-4 days of elliptical. Then if I do more I can pat myself on the back. :)
In addition to all of that I scoured my cook books and manilla envelopes of recipes for some healthy, clean meals to cook. I pledge to cook three healthy meals per week. Including leftovers, this should only allow room for one "indulgence" meal per week and I intend to eat that meal the night after I weigh in for the challenge, then I have a whole week to sweat it out. :)
I need to hold myself more accountable, and one of the ways I'll do this is by posting once a week with my weigh-in results, meal ideas and exercise results (miles, hours, etc.). (I'm borrowing this idea from my friend over at www.2012losingit.blogspot.com :)
Below are my new "before" pictures. They were taken about a month ago when I tried to squeeze into a dress that's about two sizes too small in the belly/ass areas. I thought it looked GREAT but boy am I glad I got out the camera to see what it thought. I saw something completely different after uploading the pictures than I saw while looking in the mirror. Funny how that happens.
I talked to my doctor last week about wanting to have another baby sometime next year. I expressed to him my intentions of losing a bit of weight before getting pregnant. I would like to be 20 or more pounds less than I was when I got pregnant with Owen, which puts me right about 30 pounds from now. I feel this is very realistic, and if I find my inner-exercise goddess I hope I can lose that in 4-5 months. I would LOVE for it to take less time than that, but I'm trying this new thing where I don't set myself up for failure. ;)
I joined a weight-loss challenge on FB called Last Loser Standing. There are 500 spots and I snagged one of them, silently having an anxiety attack while clicking the "Join Group" button. I don't know what I was thinking, except that this might be the motivation I need. This challenge involves a weekly weigh-in, and if I don't lose or maintain (within one ounce of the previous week's weight) I get disqualified. I'm excited about it for many reasons, but the main reason being that I can focus on this "journey" on a week-to-week basis and not the big picture. The big picture scares me. It's a lot of weight to lose and I can't think about it without getting discouraged and wanting to throw in the towel before I even put a dent in it. So here I am! I think it's a good challenge, uncomplicated and very doable, if I can just stay focused.
So that's where I am at this point. I'm still seeing my trainer once a week on Tuesday mornings (getting up out of the chair after this post will be difficult). I've really slacked off on cooking healthy meals and most days I struggle to get my arse on the elliptical, but I'm determined to get in 5 sessions of 35-40 minutes on the elliptical each week on top of the work out with my trainer. I also intend on doing another session with weights at home once per week. Just typing this makes it feel like a bigger commitment than I want to make.... soooo let's say 3-4 days of elliptical. Then if I do more I can pat myself on the back. :)
In addition to all of that I scoured my cook books and manilla envelopes of recipes for some healthy, clean meals to cook. I pledge to cook three healthy meals per week. Including leftovers, this should only allow room for one "indulgence" meal per week and I intend to eat that meal the night after I weigh in for the challenge, then I have a whole week to sweat it out. :)
I need to hold myself more accountable, and one of the ways I'll do this is by posting once a week with my weigh-in results, meal ideas and exercise results (miles, hours, etc.). (I'm borrowing this idea from my friend over at www.2012losingit.blogspot.com :)
Below are my new "before" pictures. They were taken about a month ago when I tried to squeeze into a dress that's about two sizes too small in the belly/ass areas. I thought it looked GREAT but boy am I glad I got out the camera to see what it thought. I saw something completely different after uploading the pictures than I saw while looking in the mirror. Funny how that happens.
Starting weight: 247
Side shot- note the 5mo pregnant-looking belly...
Rear-shot..... no words....
There you have it! Wish me luck! 3408024570845th time's a charm, right?? ;)
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Scale Says One Thing, Measuring Tape Says Another
Hi all! So since Andrew and I started our weight-loss challenge on September 10th, I have gained and lost the same five pounds several times. Grrr! My problem is not exercise. I've found multiple ways to be active that I really enjoy, the most recent being walking outside. My problem is food. I grocery shop alone or with my munchkin, so generally I stay in the very healthy areas of the store and make it home with lots of veggies and fruits, eggs, etc. So I can stock our fridge and cupboards with the nutritious stuff, but we still battle with restaurants and fast food. There are a couple of very tasty places within seconds of our home and most days we do just fine, but, well, you know... we have moments (ahem, days) of weakness, as well.
So from 9/10 the scale says I've gained two pounds. However, my measuring tape says I've lost 10.25in off my shoulders, chest and waist. I'll take it!
For now I'll keep walking and doing my elliptical. I've realized in the last couple of weeks I really need flexibility and my daily goal right now is to do one active thing. I recently started walking with a friend and with Hubs when said friend is preoccupied. Last week I walked 13.5 miles over the course of four days. It's not a lot but it's a start and I feel incredibly good and refreshed by the time I get home. When I'm tired after only a mile and want to stop, what drives me forward is this thought- Why did I let myself get to the point where walking in flat ground for 3 miles is difficult?
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Day One of Shred
Well, I just finished my first day with Jillian. There were a few minor moments when I took a small break, but I finished strong and probably won't be able to sit on a toilet tomorrow without crying.
I missed my weekly workout with my trainer this week. Munchkin woke up at 4:30am and I wasn't about to do anything that required changing out of my pjs and putting down the coffee pot. I should've just stuck a straw in it, really. I did pretty well with my food until evening, when I came across a bag of those dark chocolate covered pomegranate pieces.... let's just say we don't need to worry about them anymore and leave it at that...
The last two weeks were pretty chaotic and strange and we had some "family stuff" going on, but this week (or today, really) I've recommitted to this adventure and I'm ready for the soreness and the energy brought on by kick-ass work outs and eating to fuel.
On another note, I'm on the hunt for a gently used jogging stroller. As soon as I get my hands on one Munchkin and I will begin a Couch to 5k program. I'm eager to start exercising outside. I've always loved walking with Hubs and friends, but there's something about those joggers I see every day, sweating their asses off and loving it... for some strange reason I've always envied that, for as long as I can remember. I am a little nervous about being alone out there, but we're gonna be going on the local green belt late in the mornings, so there should be a decent amount of other SAHMs out there. Maybe we'll meet new people! Or maybe Mister will want to start the program, too, and we can go together.... we shall see...
Munchkin is asleep, then we're headed out for a walk with some friends. What are you doing to be active today?
Happy Wednesday!
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
A Year Later ...
And I've lost nine pounds. Really? In a year? I'll tell you why- from last October until, roughly, six weeks ago, I stopped caring. Don't get me wrong, I cared about wanting to be thinner and more fabulous, but I didn't care ENOUGH to really clean out my pantry and get my booty back on the elliptical.
I started seeing a trainer again. This one is polar opposite from the one I had a few years back. While she was great and definitely helped me accomplish my goals, this time around I want to come at it from a different angle. I don't want to feel micromanaged, or like someone else is going to be disappointed in me if I mess up. The disappointment and joy are mine and mine alone. I'm taking responsibility for myself, giving the credit and glory to myself. Karin kicks my ass one hour per week, but the other six days I'm on my own and, while last time I had a trainer this terrified me, this time I am totally stoked.
So here's where we're at...
Mondays: elliptical, 40+ minutes, make sure I'm dripping but not dying.
Tuesdays: circuit/strength training with Karin, 60 minutes.
Wednesdays: elliptical, 40+ minutes
Thursdays: Power 90 3-4 (not P90x), 35 minutes, elliptical, 40+ minutes
Fridays: elliptical, 40+ minutes
Saturdays: same as Thursdays.
This is what I'm HOPING to accomplish each week. If I must I'll rearrange things, but I'm trying to do three days of strength and five of cardio. Sunday is a rest day. I'm only allowing myself one day off, because for me, well, it's a slippery slope.
Are you guys tired of this yet? I'm thinking you stopped reading this blog two years ago.... but on the off-chance there's still someone out there who isn't bored of my yo-yo-ing, bring on the encouraging words!
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