Fiber

     It is starting to get really cold here at nights. Okay so for here 32 is not really cold but it sure feels that way. Hard to believe that in a month we will be hoping to reach 32 during the day. One thing I am not looking forward to is the bundling up of the kids. Takes me 15 mins to find snow gear and get it on them; so that they can head out and play for 5 mins; and it will take me another 15 mins to get them back out of all their gear, hang everything up and make the hot chocolate.

     My morning routine consist of getting ready for work, double checking kids backpacks and then having breakfast with Holly. I love reading about her daily adventures. Her life always seems so exciting. I often sit and wonder if it really is or if she is just a better writer then me. :) I am sure it's both. This morning she wrote about feeling like Fred Flinstone when she runs. I love the analogy even though if she is Fred then my short 5' 2' legs and size 8 1/2 feet make me Barney (maybe Rubble, maybe purple dinosaur). I find myself making daily characacher's of myself. I hate my big feet, my short body, flat hair, long fingers, teenage ache. By the time I am done I am left with a bad self image, instead of how I want to feel... 
     My morning routine consist of getting ready for work, double checking kids backpacks and then having breakfast with Holly. I love reading about her daily adventures. Her life always seems so exciting. I often sit and wonder if it really is or if she is just a better writer then me. :) I am sure it's both. This morning she wrote about feeling like Fred Flinstone when she runs. I love the analogy even though if she is Fred then my short 5' 2' legs and size 8 1/2 feet make me Barney (maybe Rubble, maybe purple dinosaur). I find myself making daily characacher's of myself. I hate my big feet, my short body, flat hair, long fingers, teenage ache. By the time I am done I am left with a bad self image, instead of how I want to feel... 

     To help with this bad self image I have been working out. I am not dropping a TON of weight yet but I am working on it. I have been hitting the gyms a couple times a week and really pushing myself while I am there. It is one thing to go it is another to actually put in the effort. A couple days ago my husband suggest that I start taking fiber so I jumped on the fiber bandwagon and have been drinking my fiber every morning and trying to remember every night. I read up on it and a woman my age should be getting 25 grams of fiber a day. Let's talk a little TMI; are you pooping your banana a day? Dr. Oz says it takes 20 hours to push out what you eat. Without enough water and fiber it can take up to 100 hours which is bad because your food is essentially rotting in your belly. You should poop a banana; shape and texture a day at least but no more than 4 a day. 

     Okay that's enough.. I am off to work. Until next time; happy pooping ;) 

 

Which Cardio Exercise Burns the Most Calories?

I found this article online. I am trying to figure out which cardio program will help me jump start my workout. Below are the top 10 cardio exercises which burn the most calories in 30 minutes.

1. Step Aerobics - one of the most favorite cardio exercises preferred by women. Step Aerobics mainly target your legs, hips and glutes, and can burn approx. 400 calories in 30 minutes.
2. Bicycling - stationary or outdoors is a great cardio exercises, depending on resistance and speed can but 250 to 500 calories in 30 minutes.
3. Swimming - like cross-country skiing is an excellent cardio exercises as it is a full body exercises. Swimming is a great cross-training for other cardio activities. Doing the breast stroke can burn approx. 400 calories in 30 minutes.
4. Racquetball - side to side sprinting makes racquetball and excellent cardio exercises. A 145-lb person burns over 400 calories in 30 minutes.
5. Rock Climbing - is not only a cardio exercises, but also uses arm and leg strength and power. Rock Climbing can burn up to 380 calories in 30 minutes.
6. Cross-Country Skiing - whether on a machine or outdoors on snow, is an incredible cardio exercises as it involves both upper and lower body. A 145 lb person can burn approx 330 calories in 30 minutes.
7. Running - Running is an excellent cardio exercises because all you need is a pair of quality running shoes. Running burns serious calories. A 145 LB person can easily burn 300 calories in 30 minutes.
8. Elliptical Trainer - is an excellent cardio exercises and a great way to build endurance. A 145 LB person can burn about 300 calories in 30 minutes.
9. Rowing - is both a cardio exercises as well as giving your arms an incredible workout. 145 LB person can burn about 300 calories in 30 minutes.
10. Walking - Brisk walking is a less strenuous form of cardio exercises. Walking can burn up to 180 calories in 30 minutes. Sprinting, adding hills or an incline can increase amount of calories burned.

For the real high intensity cardio people out there who love the H.I.I.T training (HighIntensity Interval Training), below are the top three cardio exercise which will provide amazing results!

1. Jumping Rope - This is one of the simplest, yet most effective exercises one can do. In just 15 to 20 minutes, jumping rope will give you an unparalleled total body workout. Jumping rope is ideal for cardiovascular endurance and enhances performance in virtually any sport - tennis, basketball, football, skiing, volleyball and more. This simple exercise is also great for eye-hand coordination, lateral movement, foot and hand speed and agility.
2. Sprinting - Sprinting not only burns HUGE amounts of calories while sprinting, it also keeps your metabolism flying for days after. Sprinting combined with running / jogging can bring amazing results
3. Spinning - These high-intensity workouts to music simulate a challenging bike ride, complete with hills, valleys and varying speeds, all dictated by the group instructor.

Trader

It's starting to get cold here in Northern Michigan. We have seen snow several times but nothing sticking; which is a good thing. I am not looking forward to snow gear.. It takes mom 15 mins to get kids into snow gear, for them to play outside for 5 minutes; then another 10 minutes getting gear off, hung up to dry and the hot chocolate made. I really hate winter...

Over the weekend a good family friend competed in the Iceman Race. The Bell's Beer Iceman trail consists of paved roads, dirt roads, two tracks (majority of course, abandoned railroad beds and the world famous Vasa Nordic Ski Trail. It's 30 miles long. Race is done no matter the temperature or winter conditions. Friday night we got a sitter and stayed overnight in Traverse City so that Saturday morning we could attending the opening event and see Greg off. Even though he is crazy it was so cool to see him start and finish. He completed the race in 2:48. It still amazes me. That is just crazy to think of riding a bike in the cold 32' temp through the mud, snow, rough wooded terrain 30 miles.

It got me thinking one that I am pretty out of shape but two how much I enjoy competing in my small 5K races. I am not a runner and not sure I want to be but I really enjoy the feeling you get from finishing. Maybe I will consider running/walking another one this spring.

I have started working out again. I started back up a couple weeks ago. I decided to challenge myself to lose 10 pounds by Thanksgiving. This wasn't going to be that hard until I hit a plateau or what felt like one. I did a two pound gain that I held onto for 3 weeks and really discouraged me.I am 5.6 pounds away still and have less then 3 weeks to drop and unless I have a wonderful week this week not going to happen. I am trying not to get discouraged and have been trying to mix up the workout and increase the time and speed. I switched over to the elliptical a week ago and hoping that will help my Saturday weigh in. I would love to see 2 down this week. I feel like a trader though - I have always believed in walking to lose weight and have had success but.... I need to mix it up.

We are planning to take the girls to Chicago over Valentines Day weekend and I would love to be down in the lower 160's or even see the 150's by then but I am 16 pounds away from 159 so we will see. There is time; 15 weeks but three food holidays to get through. Baby steps.

Depression

Millions of Americans suffer from clinical depression each year. Most depressed patients first seek treatment from their primary care providers. Generally, depressed patients treated in primary care settings receive pharmacologic therapy alone. There is evidence to suggest that the addition of cognitive-behavioral therapies, specifically exercise, can improve treatment outcomes for many patients. Exercise is a behavioral intervention that has shown great promise in alleviating symptoms of depression. Some researchers believe that the rise in the core body temperature following the workout is what does it. Some believe that the release of endorphins. What ever the reason it is clearly worth the effort. 

For years I have struggled with depression. Relationships, family, school, weight all contributed to my self-doubt and depressed state of mind. I think the key is finding balance. I try to find a way to manage my daily life but there are days. I really hope that now that I am taking sometime for myself and working out that there will be less of the bad days and more good. 

Birthday's and Weight Loss

How do you stick to your diet when you tempted with birthday treats? Today is my birthday and as tradition at work we had danish brought in.. I did it; I ate...

Small "BIG" Town

Holy Cow our town is falling apart. I live in a smaller town.. Population last year of 10,349, so were not talking hole-in-the-wall small just small.Today news headlines were:

Citizens Bank was broken into this morning at 10am.
All schools on lock-down due to robbery.
Water main breaks at junior high forcing students to drink bottled water and use high school's bathrooms.
Sketch has been released of man who attempted to abduct woman in TC.
Father convicted of sexually abusing and killing his daughter last year.

Really crazy stuff.. Normally our news is of silly stuff like... City council fighting over rights to a corn field or vacant lot. Or who won citizen of the year.

As parents we wanted to raise our children in a small town for multiple reasons:

1. Slower pace of life.. a calm place to live. Where people walk to work, or shops. 
2. Low cost of living.. housing is much cheaper in a small town then a high rise in the cities.
3. Better schools.. (not always) but that is why we picked a good school district.
4. A sense of security.. you don't have to lock your doors when you run to store down the road.
5. Less traffic.. Here a 10 mile commute takes 10 minutes where in the cities a 10 mile commute could turn into an hour fast.
6. Easy access to the great outdoors.. fresh, clean, wonderful air.. trees, birds, oh how about stars.. Can you lay in your yard in the city and see stars?
7. A sense of community.. local shops close up early for the "big game". Run into someone you know anywhere you go. People helping people.. 

Is this "American Dream" becoming a thing of the past? When did we need to start worrying about letting our kids play outside alone? 

Frog Pee

It's been a long crazy busy weekend.. My life is an on the go circus always. With three children as unique as they come and all three super active we are always running. After a busy Friday and Saturday we decided to veg out Sunday. I vowed to do just that. After successfully doing that most of the day my Mother-in-law stopped by so I had to get dressed.

So Sunday night I notice that there is pee all over the toilet seat. Confused I ask around and find out that my Jasmine (6 years old) has decided that she likes to "Frog Pee". Okay new term for me also - but here is the definition for you.. Frog peeing is when you get naked, facing out, place your feet up on the either side of the toilet seat and pee. Oddly when doing this pee sprays everywhere... That girl..... or at least I think she's a girl. Some days she comes up with the oddest "boy" ideas.

That is how I spent my weekend..

Discouraged Weigh In

This weeks weigh in isn't anything to brag about. I stayed the same. Now if I was at goal already this would be great but being that I have a long way to go this is pretty discouraging.

Here is my condensed walking schedule this week:

Thursday 5 miles
Friday (rest)
Saturday 4 miles
Sunday 5 miles
Monday (injury off)
Tuesday 2.56 miles
Wednesday 3 miles

As for my diet I watched my carb intact and fat. Not sure if portions are still my problem, if it's not getting my breakfast in every day or what the deal is. I am so discouraged.

Flash Back

I was going through some pictures on my computer when I came across two very interesting pictures. The first is of me as a teenager. I was my thinnest those years.

The second photo I found was from our friends wedding a few years ago when I was my heaviest at 212 pounds. 

My face is so round and the turtleneck does not help. WOW - I am 35 pounds lighter but still have a long ways to go. 

Here I am in June at 181 pounds. 

Monday, Monday, Monday

Sadly it's Monday again. I had a nice weekend with the family but could really use a day in my house cleaning it - instead I will have to find time tonight to clean it. What I really need is a maid or a cleaning fairy to come while I am at work and do the dusting, mopping, and bathroom.

I started back on the diet and exercise two weeks ago and have done pretty good. But, I know here is the but... I am not happy with my weight lose. I am pleased that I lost 3 pounds last week but worried about this week. I have done fairly well but I am not seeing positive on my daily weigh in's. I know that over the weekend I ate some pretty high sodium foods and feel pretty bloated. Hoping that wont have any affect on my weight lose this week.

I have been doing my indoor cardio walking dvd's rather then walking outside. I have 6 dvd's; ranging from a 1 mile to a fast 5 mile. Last night while doing my workout my ankle started to bother me. It felt weak and sore. I am not sure what was going on with it, this morning it feels better. My ankle might be feeling better but now my knee on the opposite leg is bothering me. I feel old and broken. I think I might need to take tonight off and see how I feel tomorrow.

Weigh In

Hello everyone,

I decided that I need to first weigh in and blog again and second switch my weigh in date. The reason for the switch is that I feel like Monday doesn't reflect my week's hard work honestly. I feel like I have weekend bloat and I don't want to feel that way anymore; so I am switching to Wednesday. 

With all that said; it is Wednesday!!! I had a very long night last night. When I woke up this morning I thought for sure I would have a gain since all I did yesterday was snack; but I was wrong. The scale read 177.9.. I am so excited!!! This means that I lost 3 pounds this week. 

It sucks that I am losing the gain I had a couple months ago, but something I have to do. 8 more to go before I am back to were I was in March when I went on vacation.  

Lazy Day

It's my Friday so I am feeling pretty lazy. Not only is it my Friday but it's also day one of my period and that drains me mentally and physically. Work seemed to drag and drag and drag. It rained today so that didn't help. I decided not to walk tonight and use this as my day of rest but I hate that I didn't workout. I feel really lazy now. I had a good dinner but ate too much as always.

I have tomorrow off but need to run around and get a few things done. Saturday I am hosting my nieces 10th birthday party so I need to clean my house for that. I am also taking MiKayla to see Sugarland Sunday night so I need to get a good walk in tomorrow. Maybe then I wont feel as bad about unhealthy eating Saturday and Sunday night.

Let's see what tomorrow brings.. Night all...

Just a Blogger or Good Friend

Good Afternoon,

Today has been an okay day. I am on day number 4 of my starting fresh, starting over diet "life style change" if you buy into that. It's a diet - plain and simple. Monday was a good day; but the first day back always is. You are feeling talk, proud and confidant that this time - the diet is going to work. Tuesday is a little harder - still feeling good but tired, hungry, moody, and life is getting busy and excuses start... By Wednesday you are tired, moody, hungry, and deciding if your going to workout or not and if this diet is worth missing out on the good things your family is still eating. I walked Sunday night and Tuesday night. I walked Wednesday night. I decided back in January that I was going to drop weight by eating right and walking. I normally walk at a good 15-17 mph pace and I am happy with that. This woman I know and envy just posted today that she is going to do a half marathon in October - running....I would love to be a runner - it just isn't in me to run. The only way I am going to run is if something is chasing me. Remind me of this post later if I get in shape and start running. :) Speaking of running I follow this amazing woman Holly's blog. She posted a blog yesterday about the fear of being kidnapped while out running alone. I can so relate. Last night after a really long day at work and really just wanting to go home and crash not head out walking; I decided to walk after dinner. I wanted to try to push myself to walk 4 miles. So I laced up my sneakers and out I went. We have this path that is about 0.80 miles from my house. I normally walk to the path, down a ways and back home. It comes out to 2.5 if I don't get creative. I decided last night to walk to the path, turn left on the path and walk about 0.5 meet back at entrance and walk right my normal way and complete a "normal" walk. When I got back to the entrance I was at 2.67 on the GPS which didn't seem right but I went with it and though okay I need to get to 3.2 and see if I can reach 4 miles; so I walked the left side of the path again. When I got to the entrance it read 5.8 miles which clearly isn't right. By the time I got home last night it read something like 6.74 miles in like an 1.13 hours. I am bummed that my GPS went crazy last night because I really do not have an accurate account of what I did. I think it was 4.5 miles but it could really only be 4. I thought about Holly though during my walk because the path is really woody and shaded and there are times when you can't see anyone nor around the next corner. It is a beautiful path but a little freaky if your walking alone. Last night there was a man walking his dog - I passed him when I turned left onto the path and I saw him coming at me when I turned right onto the path. I looked up and saw him up ahead glanced away and when I looked up again he was gone. One of those moments like is he hiding in the bushes, am I losing my mind, is there another path off into the woods? Walking carefully up to where I saw him last, expecting to get kidnapped I see a path that leads to another road and he is walking on the road. By the end of my walk I thought about Holly's final words of her post "burned some calories, didn't get kidnapped." All in all a good workout. Glad I pushed through the mood and did the time.  I am thankful to have Holly. She is such an amazing woman and motivates me to want to push through my moods and keep on walkin'. She is more than just a blogger to me she is my good friend and we have coffee together every morning.

20 Fittest Foods

After reading several articles online I found the top 20 fittest foods. Here they are:

20) Turkey Breast
72 calories per 3-oz serving
Eat 3 servings per week
Buy it skinless and you get seven grams of muscle-building protein per ounce.

19) Olive Oil
119 calories per tbsp
Eat 2 tbsp per day
Olive oil is rich in good monounsaturated fat, making it an ideal food for heart health.

18) Quinoa
318 calories per half cup
Eat 2-3 servings per week

17) Black Beans
227 calories per cup
Eat 2 servings per week
Tiny as they are, beans can help you feel energized and fuller longer than almost anything else you can eat. The reason is twofold: They're incredibly high in fiber, which swells in your stomach and promotes a feeling of fullness. And, they're stuffed with a highly complex form of carbohydrate that can take your body a long while to convert into energy. Like meat, they're also packed with protein. 

16) Green Tea
2 calories per cup
Drink 1-3 cups per day
From cancer prevention to weight loss to potentially slowing the development of Alzheimer's, green tea has been shown to help fight almost every major medical ill.

15) Eggs
74 calories per large egg
Eat 3-7 eggs per week
Eggs contain a heavy-hitting 4 grams of pure muscle-building amino acids inside every shell, in addition to boasting some of the highest naturally available doses around of a vitamin called choline, which is thought to help enhance memory. 

14) Milk
118 calories per cup
Get 3 servings of dairy per day

13) Water
0 calories
Drink Eight 8-oz glasses per day
You know you need to be drinking more water, and for good reason. Water flushes toxins from your system, regulates body temp, acts as an insulator for joints, prevents kidney stones, and supplies the body with a raft of crucial minerals.

Although water helps in every way, it may be at its most powerful when it comes to weight loss. Drinking a glass or two of water a half hour or so before mealtime, for example, can help take the edge off your hunger.

Getting in all that water each day seem like a drag? Try making a half gallon of sugar-free lemonade you can sip throughout the day, or buy a pack of calorie-free flavorings to add to your water bottle at work.

12) Sweet Potatoes
100 calories per med. potato
Eat 1 per week
A four-ounce sweet potato holds more than 100% of our daily supply of beta carotene, a hefty dose of iron, and a plentiful shot of vitamins C and E. 

11) Soy300 calories per cupEat 2 servings per weekSoy nuts and the soy protein used in some protein shakes and bars not only taste great but are very guy-friendly.

10) Beef
163 calories per 3-oz serving
Eat 3-4 servings per week
It's not only high in muscle-building amino acids, it's also a powerhouse of iron and zinc, which aid circulatory health. 

9) Whole-Wheat Bread
140 calories per 2 slices
Eat 6 slices per week
White flour doesn't just rob you of fiber and protein, it also digests incredibly quickly in the body, giving you a rapid spike of energy-but one that comes crashing down just as fast. Over time, those spikes in insulin production wear on the body, damaging cells and promoting excess storage of fat. So why would you ever eat white bread?

8) Almonds82 calories per 1/2-oz servingEat 3 servings per weekHigh in protein, fiber, and vitamin E, almonds are great for your heart, digestive system, and skin. 

7) Yogurt
154 calories per cup
Get 3 servings of dairy per day
Yogurt has all the benefits of milk, plus active cultures that boost the number of germ-fighting bacteria along your intestinal walls.

6) Spinach
7 calories per cup
Eat 2-3 servings per week
What do button-down dietitians have in common with brawl-happy cartoon sailors? They all love their spinach! And for good reason. One serving of these leafy greens is loaded with fiber, calcium, and virtually your entire day's recommended dosage of beta carotene, a nutrient vital for immune-system health, good vision, but not-as far as we know-huge wrist flexors.

5) Broccoli
31 calories per cup
Eat 2-3 half-cup servings per week
It's rich with a healthy supply of iron, calcium, fiber, and vitamin C, meaning it's good for the circulatory system, bones, and fighting colds. 

4) Tomatoes
83 calories per cup
Eat 4 servings per week
This powerful antioxidant, which comes from the pigment that gives tomatoes their red color, may actually help fight off a number of diseases and ailments-most important for men, prostate cancer. 

3) Oatmeal
148 calories per half cup
Eat 3-4 servings per week
When it comes to eating breakfast in the morning, there's nothing better than a bowl of oatmeal to spike your energy levels and provide you with an hours-long supply of fuel. Oatmeal is also filled with stress-fighting and immunity-boosting zinc.

2) Blueberries
41 calories per half cup
Eat 1-2 cups per week
Of all the fruit you can eat, blueberries may be the absolute best. Whether you're getting them raw, tossed into cereal, mixed in fruit salad or a smoothie, blueberries pack more fiber, vitamins, and minerals per ounce than any other fruit in the produce aisle. 

1) Salmon
121 calories per 3-oz serving
Eat 3-4 servings per week
Salmon made out list for a number of reasons, but the biggest has got to be because its so densely stuffed with omega-3's. These fatty acids are thought to slow memory loss as you age and boost heart health by regulating heart rhythms and keeping arteries and veins supple and free of blockages.A three-ounce cooked serving contains 20 grams-making it ideal for building muscle and trimming fat. Besides helping stimulate your metabolism three to four times more than carbs or fat, protein is the absolute best food for helping fill you up, so you take in fewer calories and burn more. And that's what being a fit food is all about.

Sick

Okay stop reading now if you don't want to read another "I am depressed blog post'. Here it is.. I am so depressed today; okay for the past week to be honest. I worked so hard to lose weight and had lost a nice amount of weight but as of this morning I have gained almost all of it back. I am so depressed and every pound back on I sink further down into a deep depression. I have now made myself physically sick. I don't know if it's because it's so hot out and we have had company and not getting much sleep but I gained 4 pounds this week and can't get out of a mental slump. Why can't I get back on the bandwagon and start losing weight? I did it before and can do it so what the hell is wrong with me?

I don't want to hear advice or really hear anything from anyone. I know what I need to do and how to do it. I know how I feel when I do - I just am not ready to do it. So for now I am fat, ugly, and depressed..

Open the Tool Box

It's been 6 months since I set out to lose weight and change my life. For the past 6 years I have allowed excuses to get in my way. I thought that the excuses that I don't have time nor money to do anything about my weight were accurate and really the reason I was not able to lose weight. Boy was I wrong... Jan 1st I started working out every night before bed. I watched what I ate and started losing weight. I didn't lose a ton each week but I lost. By March 21st I was down 14 pounds and feeling amazing! I did it by finding 40 mins to workout each night and watching my portions. I didn't change our diet, just changed how much I was eating. Our family took a 2 week vacation and during that time I fell off the bandwagon and haven't been able to get back on. I have paid dearly... It is now July 11th 3 months later and I have gained back 9 of the pounds I had lost. I am so ashamed. I have eaten my success and laid around whining about it. I don't know if it was the drive to look good on vacation that pushed me but I need a push. I thought setting goals along the way would help keep me motivated but it doesn't seem to be enough. Depression is setting in again and the spark is gone. I wanted so badly to be at 154 by Sept. 15th but right now just getting the 9 I gained off would be nice. Dropping 25 wont happen.

I have all the tools and I know how to use them but it's one thing to open the tool box it's another to actual use the tools.

Inch by Inch

Inch by inch I plan to drop weight, sizes, and inches. Starts with the first inch..

Chest = 39
Waist = 39.5
Butt/hips = 45
Thigh = 27
Calf = 15.75
Upper Arm = 13.5
Neck = 13.5

Arbonne

I recently became an Arbonne consultant. Going to try this out over the summer and see how it goes. Check out the site and let me know if interested in hosting a party or purchasing products. I could use your support.

www.arbonne.com

Thanks

Not about anyone else but ME!

I haven't blogged much lately and I need to. I have just been upset with myself for gaining weight and falling off the bandwagon. Really though - who do I have to impress? When I started blogging I did it for me but some how during my journey I lost sight of goals and reasons why I started the journey in the first place. I started off wanting to lose weight for myself. Not because of some contest, or because I hated what people saw when they looked at me - but because I wanted to feel better inside and out. I want to lose weight for myself. I went into my fat secret account today and changed my diet plan around some and plan on jumping back on the bandwagon. Again I am not going to try some fad diet or workout route. I am going to watch what I eat, drink my water, and walk. It works for ME and that is all that is important.

Painful Truth

Tonight while studing I over heard the girls talking downstairs. Jasmine to MiKayla "I wouldn't eat that if I were you. It will make you fat like mommy. Do you want to get fat like her?" Ouch.. I really have a problem and need to do something about my weight. I never wanted to be the fat mother on the sidelines.

Yo-Yo

Up and Down the scale goes where it stops no one knows. Since going on vacation I haven't gotten back into working out nor watching my diet. The scale has gone up 2, down 2, up 1, down 2, up 2. This morning I did my weekly weigh in and what do I see 170.2 so up again. Why not?! I am so frustrated and I know it's my fault. I know what to do to lose weight. I know what I am doing wrong. I just can't get back on the bandwagon.

I have three events coming up that I will want to look my best for. The first one is May 12th. (3 1/2 weeks away) We will be having family pictures done. We haven't had family pictures done since 2006. When we did them last time I was sitting at about 190 pounds I think. I am only 20 under that and not happy that I am not closer or at 30 plus. The next event will be my college graduation which is June 8th.(7 1/2 weeks) I ordered my cap and gown staying that I was at my current weight but I would still like to drop another 10/15 pounds by then. The event after that is summer which is basically the same date and I would like to be at about the same weight lose as my graduation hopes. I know I can't drop 10 pounds in 3 weeks for photo's but I couple drop 10 by graduation if I can get my head on straight.

Ashamed

It's Thursday and I have finally decided to confess. I am embarrassed and ashamed of myself and this weeks weigh in. Tuesday I stepped up on the scale and saw yet another bad week weigh in. I weighed in at 171.8. This is not what I wanted to see. Does it surprise me? No! I ate horrible. I didn't workout at all. Plus I have my monthly visitor. This is no excuse though. I didn't need to finish off the bag of chips. I didn't need to eat Easter candy. I didn't need 3 slices of pizza. I can find an hour to workout. I gained weight because I wasn't smart about the things I ate and the lack of exercise. I would love to say that today is a new day but for whatever reason I can't break out of this mental funk and am already struggling. I need a kick to help me jump start my new goal. Come on Melody - 8 weeks until graduation and you want to look great!

New Small Goal

Four and a half years ago I felt that I had a goal unfulfilled and that I needed support while I attempt to complete my goal. My goal has always been to go to college. I wanted to prove to myself and everyone else that a poor girl from a small town that not only came from a troubled past but also has dyslexia could hold that piece of paper in her hand with her head held high saying I did it, and I did it on my own. I applied to college, was accepted and off I went. Now I am just a few short weeks away from graduation. Not a doctor like I had hoped 15 years ago. But, I can say that I earned my degree and I did it on my own. Something I hope my friends, family and children are proud of.

With graduation 8 weeks away I thought, why not work on dropping a few extra pounds before hand. I am going to shoot to see the 150's on the scale by that day. This is a bigger goal then I should shoot for. I need to drop 10/11 pounds in 8 weeks. That means I need to pick up with workout pace and watch my calories closer. We will see. I will keep you posted.

Running Shoes

Today for no particular reason I decided to buy my first pair of running shoes. Being that I live in a small town I really only have one store to shop in. I asked the clerk (who looked younger then me and not sure if he even runs) which were the best and he suggested these..

I bought them. They were a bit pricey but I like how they feel. Not sure if I am in love with the hot pink and black but feel good. They are Asics Gel-Blur33 shoes. Reviews look good online. Not sure how much running I will do verse fast walking but we will see. I plan on getting a walk in tomorrow. Actually I plan on attempting to kill it on an outdoor 5K trail and see how I do.
Results coming soon...

Easter is coming!

Sunday is Easter Day. My husbands family makes a huge meal filled with high fat, high sugar, high carb foods. How do you survive the holidays? The this is the toughest thing for me. There are so many wonderful things to eat. Unless I am cooking the whole meal; I have to pick and choose my items without offending people.

Two of my girls; Jasmine and Nicole.

This year for Easter my husband and I bought the girls new bikes. We plan on passing on the junk toys, and junk candy and shot for healthier things we can do as a family. What are your Easter plans?

Fatty get off the couch!

As always I need a pep talk and a kick in the butt. I took some time to read over some old post. I found that I had some great weeks. Those weeks I noticed that I got my 3+ pounds in every night, watched my calories and had a good attitude. So I tossed the pretzels, passed on ice cream and got my 5k with a twist DVD done. That doesn't make my 3 small tacos go away nor the pre-pms any easier but it will help.

Weigh In

I gained.. I am so upset with myself. I have allowed myself to gain weight yet again this week. I have been beating myself up all day. I stepped on the scale this morning and 171.2 that is over a pound close to 2 pound gain. That is crazy. I really don't have any excuse either and nothing to say for myself.

Calorie Tracking

Track your daily caloric intake. It sounds simple enough. However, for some people this can be a daunting task. Most people are busy balancing their work life and their home life and adding a calorie journal to the mix doesn’t really sound feasible. Despite the barriers that may exist to doing so, tracking your calories is actually your first line of defense in the battle to lose weight. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to create a calorie journal that can easily fit into your daily routine. Many websites offer free calorie trackers and there are numerous applications that you can use to track your calories on your smart phone. Knowing your caloric intake can help you get a better understanding of the steps you need to take in order to lose weight. 


I had a friend recommend http://fatsecret.com/ for tracking and like this one. I like that it has barcode scanning and I like that I can find most things I eat. The app is easy to use as well. I have a sparkpeople account as well and like this one, but haven't used it in awhile. The problem I have is that I love my runkeeper but I have to manually key my exercising into fatsecret.com in order to have everything in one place. I wish I could find an all in one solutions that gives me all the things I love. 


The question is how many calories do I need. In order to lose a pound per week, you somehow need to cut 3,500 calories from your weekly caloric intake. You can do this either by decreasing your caloric intake (consuming less calories by restricting your diet) or by burning 500 calories a day. Or, you can combine these methods and both restrict your calories and burn calories through exercise. Being conscious of how many calories you consume daily will help you make healthier choices. That cake at Starbucks looks great but is it worth the 400 calories? I found a wonderful link online that has 100 ways to cut 100 calories from your diet. I found that some of these are simple and easy to do. http://www.prevention.com/100calories/


Many people are not able to reach their fitness goals because they are simply unaware of what they are consuming. Take control of your health by tracking your calories.

Sunday

Took our first family bike ride today. We rode almost 3 miles. Man my butt is sore. There has to be a tool I can use to reduce sore butt? I bought a new seat but still not helping.

I got my workout in as well. It was a day for fitness but for some reason I am up on the scale today.

Calorie counting again, starting tomorrow.

Vacation

Vacation is over and I am left with tired kids, dirty laundry, empty fridge, and thankfully only a pound of extra weight. The negative person inside me says that I have that one pound plus the 2 I didn't lose last week plus the 2 I need to lose this week - so 5 pounds to lose this week, but I am not going to be negative. I am though going to try to lose my 1 pound gain and at least another pound this weekend before Tuesday's weigh in.

Vacation was good. The girls had a wonderful time. Overall it was a great trip. It was hot though.We spent a day at Universal, a day at Sea World, two days in Daytona Beach, a day at Disney and a day and half relaxing in the hotel/poolside.


I am still debating the 5K in April. I allow fear to hold me back from doing something that I want to do. My fear is coming in last. This isn't a large race. Right now only 20 people are registered and I don't want to be in last place and not even last place but way, way in last place. The last 5K I did, I was towards the end of the pack and that was bad enough. Right now I see only runners registered. I wont be able to run it all; if at all. I have until April 11th to make up my mind.

Weigh In

12 weeks ago I set out to change my life starting with my body. My first mini goal was to lose 15 pounds by the time I left for vacation. As the weeks went by the weight came off; slower than I wanted and hoped but came off. The closer I got to my vacation though, the slower the weight loss. I began to lose motivation and found myself getting discouraged. Over the past couple days I really have allowed this discouragement to take over and all the excuses I have used for years started flooding out. It's too hot to workout. I don't have a fitness buddy. I am tired. One day off isn't going to hurt me. This has gone on now for 3 days and I need to get back into the mindset I started off with. What I need is some positive motivation to get me moving again. I was really worried about my weigh in this morning. First off I haven't given it my all the past couple of days. Second I ate a ton of salty jerky last night. Third I want to reach my first mini goal so bad that not would really suck. I am happy to report that I stepped on the scale this morning and...... I lost this week. 169.2 which is a total of 2 pounds even this week. Total of 15.4 pounds in 12 weeks and almost 43 pounds lost from my all time high weight.

Man that feels good. Let's set another goal and see if I can find my fitness MOJO again. This next one is a longer goal but close to the same amount of weight. My goal is to reach my Pre-Nicole weight by her 8th birthday. That means I need to reach 155 (we will say 154.6 to keep things even) by September 15, 2012.

I am going to start this goal off by joining a fitness challenge though fatsecret.com. It is a 12 week challenge that I hope helps get my butt moving.

Looking back..

Today I spent sometime looking at old fitness logs with all the sites I have joined over the years and came across what I have always thought as my "fattest" me picture. I was shocked when I read the weight I added to the caption. It read 167 pounds. WOW that is only 4 pounds less then where I am, and this was my fat me picture?! It was taken 4th of July 2002.

167 pounds, 2002

Gross!!! My face is fat and round. My leg looks huge. I look as big as a house. Could this really be me? Talk about discouraging..

Vacation is coming!

Going on vacation!!! Can't wait but have so much to do before hand. Let's talk about the exciting things first.. The girls are finally getting excited! Jasmine has been counting down the days. She can't wait until we get to the "castle" (we are going to Disney). Nicole is excited about meeting her grandma (my mother). MiKayla well MiKayla is just now starting to warm up to the idea of being away from her boyfriend and having to spend time with her family. Aaron is excited for warm weather and the rental car. :) I am excited about it all. I take that back I could careless about the rental car. :)

There are a ton of things to do before we go. I need to clean the house.  I need to speak with my friend down the road and see if she will pick up the mail and check in on the cat once or twice for me. With a big sigh... packing. I have no idea what the girls have or don't have. I know I need clothes but not sure it's in the budget for me. Might be jeans the whole time; which isn't a bad thing considering how I feel about the way my legs look. I have lost almost 15 pounds since last summer and not sure if my swimsuit is going to fit or not. I need to try it on. I am afraid to though. Part of me hopes it's too small so that I can feel good about my weight loss. The other part of me says that I can't afford a new one. Also, what if it fits. What does that mean?

Work has been so wonderful about my time off. They have altered my schedule so that I can work 4-10's now (normally we start mid April) so that I don't have to take a vacation day for Friday or Monday. The bad thing is  though that I have to be to work 1/2 earlier and stay 1/2 later. Later doesn't bother me; earlier does. I hate the mornings.

I have a confession. I am worried about gaining weight back. I have worked so hard these past 12 weeks and I am not ready to face temptations.


This weekend

This weekend was wonderful. The weather was amazing. It was so nice out that I forgot to clean the inside of my house. I was able to get out and walk some this weekend though. I walked 2.4 miles Saturday night with a girlfriend and another a couple with the kids Sunday. The odd thing is that my legs hurt this morning. I walk at home with my DVD's almost every night. I walk anywhere from 3-7 miles and never hurt this bad. I don't get it. I am worried about doing a 5K now. Not sure I could handle it. Still time before I need to register so we will see. I want to do an outside 3.2 and see how long it takes me. Maybe tonight even. We will see though, I heard it's suppose to be really nice tonight. Normally 5K is ran in the early am before it gets hot out.

I will keep you posted on all that.

Spring fever

It has been unusually nice this past week here in northern Michigan. The birds are back, and singing just as loud as ever before. I feel like I should be out walking. The problem for me and outside walking is that I hate going alone. I really want to be able to cross off walking around the lake off my things to do but don't want to risk not being able to make it. The lake is 7 miles and I should be able to do that without a problem but just not sure. Thanks to my wonderful friend Keri I was encouraged to get off the couch and walk 2.4 miles yesterday. That was my first outdoor walk of the season and it felt good.

We grilled out last night and boy was it good. I need some good healthy grilling recipes so send some my way.
I plan on attacking the yard today. See what's going on in the beds and what I need to buy when I get home from vacation. I know that I need some more soil to fill in an old bed and plant grass - I also need to replace all the wood chip this year. Can't wait to see what all my plants do this year. I think I need to move a few around but don't remember which ones yikes. My flower beds could get out of control. I would also like to move my rose bush but worry about that. Regardless of all the work I have I enjoy it and can't wait..

So, get off the couch, out of the office and enjoy the great outdoors.

On the lighter side..

I want to address the lighter side of weight loss today (no pun intended). I are tired of being overweight. I am always stressed. I want to lose weight so bad that we can taste it (also no pun intended). I have tried and tried and tried, but there seem to be set backs. I might lose a little only to gain it back the next week, lose it again and so on (the yo-yo syndrome).

Things are not perfect, nor will they ever be. As long as you are making a concentrated effort do not beat yourself up. Lighten up your heart!

It is easy to become discouraged when you are trying to lose weight. We all want instantaneous results. This generally does not happen and we do not necessarily want it to. The slower that we lose weight the easier time we have keeping it off. This is according to several studies done on weight loss. Be happy if you are even losing a pound a week. It is something and you have adjusted your body to eating that much less. The loss may be slow, but it is a loss nonetheless. When you feel stressed out regarding the time it is taking you to lose weight, do something to take your mind off it. Do something besides eating, that is. You can read, watch television or write your thoughts or feelings down. The list of things that you can do to take your mind off it is endless.

Remember, anything that is hard to obtain is worth having. This just means that you wanted it bad enough to keep striving toward your goal. You must also remember that you did not gain overnight, therefore you will not lose overnight.

Lighten up and read some jokes to help ease a little stress while you are taking those baby steps and remember to keep on moving.

Weight-Loss Challenges

Expecting ups and downs is the perfect way to make them work for you, rather than against you. Here are a few of my weight-loss obstacles that have challenged me along my weight-loss journey. 


#1 Guilt - This one is my most common challenge and I have recently come face-to-face with it. Knowing you overindulged can be upsetting, but instead of punishing yourself, learn from the lesson. 


#2 Temptations - This is so hard for me. I have my weakness just like anyone else. I love salty foods when on my period. I can sit down and eat a whole bag of chips with cheese dip in one sitting. I love my carbs. I can't stay away from bread; garlic, cheese, buttered, herb. You name it bread I love. My mothers burritos. Love, love, love them. If you have favorite foods that are very high in calories, and you really love them, deciding you'll never eat them again is a recipe for disaster. Because then, when the temptation wins (and it probably will), you'll feel as though you've failed. The trick is to find ways to fit the food in without going off track. Look for low-fat versions, for example. Or allow yourself an occasional splurge. Plan accordingly knowing and understanding the pros and cons of eating this temptation.


#3 Unrealistic Goal Setting - Years past this has been a huge obstacle for me. I set these unrealistic goals and then allow them to depress me when I can't reach them. This time around I am shooting for small, realistic goals. Be patient with your body. Set realistic goals, then work hard to get to them. Remember, reaching your weight loss goal will feel just as great if it takes you longer to get there, and taking the time to establish healthy habits will help you stay at your weight goal for life. 


I set my first goal at 1 pound per week, not counting holiday weeks. This allows me to lose more one and gain or flat-line another. 


#4 Plateaus - Let's start off by first defining a plateau. "A point in an exercise program where additional progress cannot be made, such as weight loss or increase in strength or endurance. This usually happens 6 – 8 weeks into an exercise program. http://www.weightlossndiet.com/definition/plateau" The key words in this definition is cannot be made. Understand that it's totally okay to reach a plateau in your weight loss. The reasons could be your body's natural reaction, or it could mean you've loosened up on the good habits you've developed. Here are 5 ways to beat the plateau. 

•  Kick up your fitness level.  Look for simple ways to get more activity in: Take the family (or the dog) for an afternoon walk. Park the car farther away, or get off the bus a stop or two away from your destination.  
• Write it down - if it goes in your mouth, it goes on the paper. Track everything. Make sure not to forget those BLT's. 
• Eat right - eat your fruits and veggies. Don't cheat yourself. Just because you think your eating right, doesn't mean you are. Take a good look at your diet. 
• Spice things up - you know I like this one. Summer time is just around the corner, so add a little flavor to your BBQ.
• Get busy and stay active -  Join an after-work volleyball league, attend art openings or just chase your kids around outside. The less you're in the kitchen, the less tempted you'll be to eat. Summer is coming so why not get out with the kids and kick around a ball. Put up a net and play some badminton. Plant a garden or work in the yard. 

Just be patient, and you will make your goal!

Wednesday

What makes Wednesday better than Tuesday on the scale? Tuesday is my normal weigh in day but it never fails that Wednesday is always nicer to me. Is it that I am less stressed and there for lose weight? Is it another day of working out after weekend eating? Would Wednesday become Tuesday if I switched my weigh in day?

All I know is that this morning the scale was VERY nice to me. Hope this good weight loss plus more more follow me to Tuesday. Cross your fingers and toes.. Keep the positive (negative loss) scale vibes coming.

Weigh In

It is weigh in Tuesday. Sadly I have to report that I did not reach goal this week. I however did have a loss so that's good. I can't bring up last weeks weigh in right now but this weeks number is 171.2 - as you can see not below 170 yet.

Next week on Tuesday is when I hoped to be there so we will see.

This morning has been interesting. We do not have Internet nor phones at work. Normally I would be excited but, I have a boring day at work today and was hoping to work on my presentation for Thursday night class.

5K

Two years ago I did a 5k with my beautiful daughter MiKayla and our good friends. I was able to walk/run some of it but mainly walked. The weather was warm but raining. My feet felt like they weighed 100 pounds soaked with water.

I wanted so much to complete the 5K running the whole way, I just couldn't. I ended up finishing though and am determined to try again. I am debating on two different races or maybe even both. One is April 21st and the other is Memorial Day. If I do the one Memorial Day I will get to do it again with MiKayla. The debate is whether I do the April one and see how much I can improve my time by May or just let MiKayla have her race day to herself. Thoughts?

MiKayla finishing the race!

Feeling Good Today

We all have good days and bad days. For someone who is over weight we tend to have more bad then good. Every time we go shopping and things don't seem to fit. Every time we go out to eat and we see someone watching us (your sure that they are wondering how much that fat person is going to eat). Every time you get asked if your pregnant. Anytime you catch a glimpse of yourself in a mirror or window. Lately the bad days have out weighed the good ones. I have been depressed over weight, acne, money, school, pto, and just plain life. I really need a positive boost to pick me up and get me back on track. I was lucky enough to get one. I stepped on the scale (unofficial) and I was down 2 pounds. That was enough to get me excited and kick my butt into high gear. I watched my portions all day and did an hour of cardio. Feeling pretty good. Less then 2 weeks until vacation. I am a little nervous about vacation and weight gain. Hoping that park walking, fresh fruit, and fresh air will be enough to keep the weight off.

Long depressing night.

I am a fat cow who is out of control. I tried to get my head on straight tonight and couldn't. Came home and ate like I hadn't eatten in days. I attempted to do my 5 mile walk and was winded after 2 miles so I quit. I feel like it's day one of my workout except mentally my head is ready to give up. Dressed in my gym clothes I shouldn't weigh anymore than 174 but I am 175.6 so what the hell. I am so depressed. I need a good nights sleep and maybe tomorrow will be a new day.

Weigh In

Here it is short and "bitter"... I gained -- first time since starting my weight loss journey 9 weeks ago and I feel depressed, fat, ugly, nasty, and discouraged. I weighed in at 173.2.

Good but BAD

I had a wonderful weekend full of parties which made it an amazing weekend but that also means I had an opportunity to do bad on my diet. My baby girl turned 6 this weekend. She had a wonderful time. We rented out the theater for a private viewing of the Lorax. We ate popcorn. Drank "diet" pop. and... ate cupcakes.

After her party it was time to clean up the house and prepare for my first "Girls Night In". I planned to host with munchies, chocolates, and wine. I made up a meat, cheese and cracker tray. I also served some petit fours, chocolates, and cookies. After several cookies, two glasses of wine, and also a ton of crackers. Needless to say I ate a ton of junk that day. Pizza rolls, french fries, and tatar tots. I became a pig. Another bad habit I picked up was drinking diet soda. I have stayed away from all soda for a while now and very disappointed in myself.

So mother nature blessed me again. Like clock work I am cursed every month - so now I am very depressed in myself, bloated, and gaining weight. This morning I was up almost 2 pounds and fear my weigh in tomorrow. This maybe my first gain since I started on my mission 9 weeks ago. I was so depressed that I came home tonight and continued on my destructive ways. I ate 3 cookies, 1 pickle, 3 leftover petit fours, a turkey burger, and two string cheeses as dinner. I feel sick. I am in a funk. My workouts have been lacked this week. I have only worked out a couple times and small 2/3 mile walks rather then my normal 4/7 mile ones.

Really hoping I get luck tomorrow and can hold a flat line or a loss but don't see how it is possible. I am going to need to shake out of this funk I am out. 

Weigh In

This mornings goal was to reach 174.6 or lighter. I stepped onto the scale hoping to see the 174.6 fearing 175.0 but wait for it...... 172.0 that is a 3 pound loss this week. I am so ecstatic. I am only 2 1/2 pounds from reaching my first mini goal of being below 170. I haven't been below 170 since my little brothers open house and I was at 168 pounds.

168 pounds, 2008

I was 162 the last time I saw my mother. Feels good knowing that I am only 10 pounds from that. The lowest weight I have been since having children was 154 pound and that was my weight right before I got pregnant with Nicole. I have 3 weeks until my vacation and I really want to clear the 170 mark by then. Here I go...

Running numbers are 12.4 total lost since the 1st of year and 40 lost since my largest recorded weight at the doctor.

Night before

I have weigh in, in the morning. This past week the scale has been amazing but not today. I am pretty worried about it. I did good today food wise, and I got my workout in so I really hope that will be enough. The goal number is 174.6 cross your fingers and toes.

The dressing room.

Our family vacation is only 4 weeks away so I have started working on gathering some spring/summer clothes for everyone to wear in sunny Florida. Today I dared to venture into the store and into the dressing room. I started off at JCPennies. I found myself between departments mentally and physically. I love the styles found in the juniors department but most things found in there do not fit me. I am short so I need "short" pants and those can typically be found in a couple different departments. Also I am wide so I need plus size but don't like the styles found there. I am also a business woman so I like some items found in the womens department. I started walking around from department here and there trying to fix and match and put a few things together in my arms. I did it, I put together three really cute outfits now it was time to hit the dressing room. This is normally my least favorite part of shopping. I step into the small room in the back. I lay out my treasures and hang up my purse. I can feel the stess and anxiety whelling up inside as I undress. I put the shirt on first; and it fits infact it's a little big. I put on the flannel and it fits perfect. I head next to the pants. First the capri's. Now I had picked up two different pairs. One from the juniors and one from womens. Neither one really fit right. I had picked up two pairs of jeans. First my normal size 16's. They fit comfortable and look okay but a little long. There is no way I will fit the other pair they are a size 14 short. I step one leg in and then the next. The legs feel a little tight but not too bad. Length is perfect. I button them... wait I can button them. I zip them. Can this be? I fit into a size 14. What a feeling. I been in a 14 since my little brother graduation which was on goodness almost 4 summers ago. I had really been working hard on losing weight and was about the same weight as I am today. School got in the way and I put on the freshmen 15 a couple times.


XL top, 14 bottoms @ 175 pounds

 So here is what I looked like. I know not the best photo but it's a photo. I stood there for a couple minutes debating do I buy or don't I buy. After sending a text to my not much help husband I decided I coule buy the flannel. I would look for a size smaller in the top and I would pass on the jeans. I didn't want to pass on them since they were a size smaller but I really don't need jeans right now, I need capri's. I figured also that I have 4 more weeks and maybe another 3-4 pounds would make them feel even better. I headed back out (personal assistant had the day off so I had to get dressed again so that I could find smaller sizes and come back in and get undressed again) to find a smaller top. I love the color and it works perfectly. I headed back to the plus size where I found the top before and guess what 1X is the smallest size they have. I CAN NOT FIT PLUS SIZE ANYMORE!!!! I checked out juniors they had one close to this same color in an XL and in the womens department they had another one close to this same one in an XL. So I picked up those ones plus a L just incase. Headed back into the dressing because I was feeling pretty good I thought I would try the L on first. Fits but not the right look. A little tight in the chest. I tried on the Juniors XL and no way - it hugs all the wrong places. I tried on the XL women's top and it looked the best.

It was a long trip and had some emotional ups and downs but in the end I got two tops and a braclets. I also left the store knowing that even though I am still in an XL that Plus is too big and I can fit a 14 again. Overall I would say it was a good trip. I am still in need of a couple pairs of capri's and a couple more tops but that will have to wait for another day - and maybe 3-4 more pounds down.

The scale

If I were a superhero then the scale would be my arch-nemesis. We decided that since the scale started acting up we would move it from the uneven part of floor to a stable part. After doing this it became real friendly. Today during my unofficial weigh in I showed a 2 1/2 pound loss. I really hope that it's for real and that it's from all my hard work not just uneven flooring. We will find out come Tuesday.

Girls Night Out

I have decided that I need a girls night. The guys in our lives go, go, go and we sit home. The only time I leave the house really is to either take a child shopping, attend a PTO event or some other child school related activity. Don't get me wrong I love being part of the PTO and feeling that I have a say in what happens. But, mommy needs time away also. So I sent out a text to all my close friends saying let's do it. Don't ask permission, just plan. That is what we are going to do. We need this. Now we just need a fun name for our girls night. I think once a month will work and we will plan, try, and do different fun things each time. Drink a little wine, eat a few chocolates, and gossip until we run out of things to talk about. I can't wait. I think the first one will be on March 3rd at my house. I have a ton planned that day but I think really it's the best day for most so I will make it work. I can't wait!

Long Night

Is it bad that I am not getting my workout in tonight? I am so tired, my kids are wired and not going to bed, and I think I am getting sick. So do any of these excuses work? I normally don't miss my workout but maybe missing this one will shake up my weight loss.


One reason I love the internet, it allows you to find articles supporting anything you need it to. I found one that says that you should take a day to rest. Give yourself at least one full day off from any kind of official exercise routines. A day off from working out is a great way to not only allow some well-deserved rest for your body, but also to help you relax mentally and emotionally. Even though working out is mostly a physical activity, your mind and emotions are involved too, and pushing yourself too hard can actually have some adverse effects in the form of feeling stressed, frustrated, overwhelmed or burned out. It went on to say that on your day off, you can still engage in physical activities, but try to keep them unofficial – activities like window shopping, playing with the kids in the backyard or taking a relaxing stroll on the beach are great ways to relax, recharge and restore your physical and mental energy.


I really need some motivation, r&r, and a little push.

Love this sign. I need it.. okay maybe that's part of my problem.

Weigh In

This sucks... as you can guess I didn't reach goal today. I knew going into the week that it was going to be a bad weigh in. At one point this weekend I was up almost a pound. When I stepped on the scale this morning I thought for sure I would still be up a pound, but was hoping for a scale miracle. What do you think happened? I flat lined and stayed even at 175.0.

I am trying to stay positive. Just really hard when a weigh in goes this way.

Feeling sorry for myself..

Spent the day running around the house cleaning anything and everything I could find to clean. I can still smell the pinesol and mop n' glow. As soon as I finished, Jasmine managed to spill fruit juice on the floor so guess what sticky again. So happy!!



Our wonderful friends from out of town stopped over to say hi. They are such wonderful people, but I can't help to get jealous of her and how great she looks. She has two kids; a 4 year old and a 7 month old yet she looks amazing. I had a chance to talk to her and found out that she is juicing for breakfast and snack. Eating Lean Cruisine for lunch and dinner. She is also working out twice a day. She is in the army and has a weigh in coming up and has been struggling to drop her last little bit of weight before then. I undertstand our lifestyles are different as well as our environements, but still doesn't seem fair. Why is it that she has time to workout? Why is it that her body is happy with this type of diet and responding to it? I find myself cheating still and I know that is part of my problem. I guess you can say I am still allowing myself to use stupid excuses and feel sorry for myself. Still just doesn't seem fair. I workout EVERY night at least 45 mins. some nights closer to 55 minutes. Do I need to increase my workout? I am not tracking my meals like I should, so maybe that's what's wrong. I just don't know what to do. You would think after 7 weeks on this "diet" I would feel better about it and myself but after tonight I am not so sure. I feel the same or worse then ever before. I am worried about Tuesday's weigh in. The scale hasn't been nice this week and I just know it will show a gain this week. I have 5 weeks until our trip and still 5 1/2 pounds from goal weight. I am ready to lose those pounds plus set my next goal weight. I guess you could say that I am pretty depressed tonight and should go to bed. I am going to take my pills, wash my face, and hope for some positive motivation to find me in the am.  

Saturday

Saturday should be used for relaxing, cuddling, movie watching, and sleeping in. Not my Saturday, no no. It is used for house cleaning, grocery shopping, and power walking. Feeling pretty good. I got a good 5 mile cardio walk in. I felt like I needed a good workout to work off the 6 cups of popcorn I ate. That's right 500 calories of popcorn. I feel like I need to walk another 5 miles though.

Today's menu is as follows:
- Sausage, egg burrito for breakfast
- Venison Burger for lunch (not too good)
- Popcorn as snack
- Lean Cuisine for dinner

Tomorrows plan is to sleep in.. Ha Ha - mother of three that isn't going to happen.

Butt Belly

That's right I said it; I have a butt belly. I have lost some belly fat and have been left with this freaky looking belly. I look like I have two butt cheeks with the folded wrinkly looking crack in the middle. It is so nasty, I need to do something with it. 


I started looking at some exercises to tighten up that skin if at all possible. Below are some examples I found that claim to tighten up mid-section in no time! The goal is to try to do at least 15 – 20 repetitions of each exercise listed below.

• Leg up straight arm crunch -- This exercise will help tone your upper abs and can be performed using a dumbbell to make it more challenging. Lie flat on your back with your legs up at a 90 degree angle from the floor. With your arms straight (hold a dumbbell if you desire), curl your shoulders and upper back off the floor using your abs while pulling your arms up towards the ceiling. Hold for a second; then slowly lower your shoulders and back down toward the floor. Keep your arms straight and legs up during the entire exercise.

• Air Bike -- The air bike is performed lying on your back as well. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows bent and your knees pulled slightly toward you. Using your abs, curl your shoulders up off the floor and pull your right elbow to your left knee until they are touching (or almost touching). Then alternate by pulling your left elbow to you right knee. Continue alternating right to left until you’ve reached the desired number of repetitions.

• Side Bridge -- The side bridge will strengthen and tone your obliques. The exercise is performed lying on your side. Resting your weight on your elbow and forearm, raise your mid-section until your torso and legs form a straight line (sloped upward). Simply holding this position will help tone your abs; hold the position as long as you can.

• Lying Leg Raises -- Lying leg raises will help you tone and tighten skin around your lower abdominal muscles. Lie flat on your back with your legs straight and up in the air (90 degrees from the floor). Keeping your legs as straight as possible, slowly lower them out in front of you until they are almost touching the floor; then lift them back up to your starting position and repeat.

• Pelvic Thrusts -- Pelvic thrusts will also help tone up your lower abs. As with leg raises, lie on your back with your legs up in the air (90 degrees from the floor). While keeping your legs up, slowly lift your pelvis off the floor and upward using your lower abdominal muscles; then lower yourself back down to the floor and repeat.