The Cheesecake....

Cheesecake, CHEESEcake, CHEESECAKE!! I hear it calling to me from the fridge. While it's tempting to go get a slice and nosh away, here I sit at the computer, blogging. Much more constructive, I do believe. Why do I want cheesecake (other than the obvious... because it's there)?? It's 7:30 pm and everyone else is asleep or at least tucked into bed. I'm slightly bored, hence the urge to eat, and hey, there's cheesecake and treats in the house lol. I really tried to get the stupid thing out of the house today but hubby says he wants to eat more of it. Bugger it...really?! You complained that it was dry, and you don't even really like cheesecake that much!
:SIGH:
Okay, yes, I'm being dramatic. But it's entertaining me.

Soooo, I think I've got enough control now to walk past the refrigerator to get my book. I may yell at the cheesecake on my way through, but the urge to eat it has mostly subsided...amazing how that works sometimes ☺
Goodnight all!

Stop the insanity....

Hey there party people! Well, I survived Christmas. I'm a few pounds heavier, so I guess now the work begins again. As much as I want to dive into the leftover candy and cheesecake this morning, I won't. I've got to stop the insanity at some point, and this morning is as good a time as any. As long as I don't indulge first thing in the morning, I'm usually pretty good about staying away from the "treats" (until late afternoon rolls around). I'm still working on a plan for the pre-dinner time frame. I haven't quite figured it out yet, but I'm working on it. I'm thinking gum and hot tea may play an integral roll in my afternoons for a while....

I sat down this morning and set up a concrete timeline to get to my goal weight. Having a time frame is generally helpful for me, but I realized that I hadn't done one in a while. It's time to get back to basics and start using the tools that have helped me lose weight in the past. One of those things is setting mini goals, so here they are-

Mini Goal Weights:
Jan 15th- 149 lbs
Feb 1st- 145 lbs
Feb 15th- 141 lbs
Mar 1st- 137 lbs
Mar 15th- 134 lbs Final goal

I'm not 100% sure what my exact weight is today, and I really don't care. My jeans are fitting snug, and that's really all I need to know. The plan this week is to get back to basics....exercise, eat plenty of vegetables, protein & good fats and did I mention exercise? Gotta make use of the new workout clothes I got for Christmas!
Onward and upward...oh wait, onward and downward ☺ Happy Monday!
*UPDATE: I just got home from a run. Haven't been running much lately, but the mood struck me once I was out there. Ended up running 6 miles!

Forging on...

Fighting, scratching, clawing, dragging. I'm not gonna lie, things have been tough lately. I could give you a list of excuses reasons, but the truth is, they really aren't important. I have allowed myself to justify poor eating and bingeing "because of....". Post-Thanksgiving was a bit of a nightmare food-wise. Over the past few days I've managed to break the cycle and turn things around, but some of the urges to "EAT< EAT< EAT" are still there. Thankfully I've realized (having done this a time or ten) that once I severely limit sugar and carbs, the voices in my head urging me on start getting quieter and easier to shush.
So where does that leave me? Well, I'm up a few pounds on the scale, but I'm okay with it. I've stopped the upward movement and started back down. Exercise has fallen off drastically so next week I'm really going to concentrate on making time to get my burn on.
Just keep pushing, moving forward and searching for the right path....

Pushing the Crazies away....

Hi bloggy-world!! What's shakin'? Thought I'd pop in for a quick post and update. Things are going very well right now. I went off sugar and back to eating lower carb "paleo-ish" because that's when I feel my best. The change in my mood, energy level & cravings is so drastic that it seems silly to live and eat any other way. There will always be exceptions of course, like yesterday. We celebrated my daughters' first birthday so I licked the frosting, ate a cupcake, & drank some spiced cider....you get the picture. What I didn't do though was let the crazy in. You know, the little voice that says, "You've already had a little, so GO FOR IT, EAT EVERYTHING IN SIGHT!!". It occurred to me that just because I have the thought, doesn't mean I have to indulge in it (insightful, right? lol). I acknowledged the thoughts and then asked myself "Why??". I didn't really want to eat anything else but the compulsion was there because I had already "messed up". But here's the rub, I didn't mess up. I enjoyed myself, and today I'm going back to eating the things that make me feel good. Period.
This morning I'm staying off the scale. It's just a number. Obviously it's a great tool to track a downward (or upward) trend, but on a day to day basis it can drive you crazy if you don't keep it context. Yes, in general I weigh every day but mostly to track the trends. I know whether or not I'm doing the right thing with my food intake. Yesterday wasn't a stellar day so I'm going to have some water fluctuations. I know that already and seeing a higher number can just screw with my head and throw off my positive momentum.
I've also taken a similar approach to clothing sizes lately. Now that I'm doing more shopping for myself, it has become abundantly clear that there is no standard sizing (especially with pants). So now if it fits and looks good, I'm buying it. I could care less what the number on the tag says. I might wear a 2 or a 9 or anything in between. It's about feeling good in my own skin. Why should I let a number dictate that?? (Climbing down off my soapbox now).
For the next 3 days I'm going to concentrate on eating lots of veggies, good fats & protein. I'm going to enjoy Thanksgiving and then eat more veggies, good fat & protein. I'm going to be active, play, fit in a workout or two if I can swing it, and move forward...
Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!!!

Pulling it together....

As promised,(several times), here is an updated "progress" picture. Not much change from the last picture. I'm struggling to keep things together at the moment. I started Insanity again this morning in an attempt to snap myself back into the proper mindset. I've also decided to give myself a bit of an incentive. WHEN I finish the first 2 weeks I'm going to get a reward. I'm thinking a new outfit for Thanksgiving.... something along these lines.Or maybe like this....Obviously not these exact things, but I'm going to shoot for something that "feels" like these outfits.
Since I really want some new clothes and boots, this should be a great incentive. I've been coasting and letting myself get a bit out of control. Time to pull it together...again.

Snap shot...

I promised you updated progress pictures in the last post. Well, you're getting something a little different. I decided that I needed to put up some others as well. This is a random sampling of how I've looked over the past few years. Some of the lows, some of the highs, some of the in-betweens. I need this reminder right now. I'm having a difficult time really seeing myself and what I look like. Looking at the pictures helps. It shows how far I've come.



A new progress picture is coming, I PROMISE... soon.

Sporadic's my middle name...

Hi y'all, it's me, your favorite sporadic blogger ☺ I had a few rough days since I last posted, but I'm back on track now and rockin' an rollin'. Last week was my daughters' birthday and the cake really threw a wrench in things. Plus I brought Oreos into the house...bad call!! I was okay for a couple days and walked away from them and then I decided to "just have one". Bahahaha! RIGHT!! Like that's gonna happen.
In the space of a few days my weight shot up from 146.8 to 156.2. Yeah, 9.4 lbs! Of course this was not all fat gain, but seriously, that's sooo not cool. And worse than that, I felt like crappola. So I buckled down on Friday and set out to undo the damage. Happy to report that today's weight is 147.2 which practically puts me back where I started. I can handle that.
The next couple days will be interesting as I'm going out of town with the kids. The basic plan is to stick to low carb "paleo-ish" since that's what makes me feel good and doesn't seem to send me to the dark side with my eating. I'll be packing alot of my go-to snacks so I'll have options, and I'm going to enjoy a visit with my parents.
Next week I'll be posting some new progress pictures. I ordered some clothes online and when I tried the stuff on, it all fit. I probably could've even ordered a size 4 in the jeans, the 6's fit just fine (woo-hoo).
An now, I'll leave you with this little nugget.....

Looking for a new book?

Once again I've got a book suggestion for you all. I'm actually working my way through this book for the second time. It's got a lot of great information in it and I want to make sure that I comprehend everything fully. I'm considering taking some notes as I read just so I have a quick reference. This book definitely appeals to my nerd side. If you are at all interested in the science behind how your body works in regards to fat, this is a must read! Even if you aren't interested in the science, you should read this. I learned so much while reading, it almost made my head spin... in a good way. It explained a lot of the things that I had noticed on my own weight loss journey. It also challenges many of the conventional schools of thought on weight loss. Gary Taubes uses science and studies to actually show the how and why and explains it in such a way that the layman can fully understand.
Bottom line, get your hands on a copy of this book! ☺
Has anyone else read this book yet?? Thoughts?

Perfect? Not me...

Current Weight:147.8
Previous Weight:149.4
Change: -1.6
Total loss on Paleo: 7 lbs (2.33 lb/wk average)

Sorry I didn't update y'all last week. We have alot going on right now and I didn't take the time to sit and write. I tried a couple times and just couldn't get my brain to engage. The past week with paleo was probably my hardest. I had a surprise visit from my monthly visitor. Since I'm still nursing my cycles are a bit out of whack. I had one day that stress and emotions got the better of me and I went off paleo and ate some candy corn, a grilled cheese sandwich and drank a beer. I ate it, it's done, moving on. I'm done feeling guilty if I eat something I "shouldn't". I think if I'm making good choices most of the time, I'm okay. Some days are better than others and I don't have to be perfect. Perfect is boring...
Now, on to the workouts. This will be my 3rd week doing the Mama Wants Her Body Back workouts. I like the series. I'm shooting for 4-5x a week (20 min total body + 10 min abs). Plus, I walk and occasionally run and am generally active. There are a few things I like about the Mama Wants workouts: 1) I don't feel like I'm killing myself and can't go on with rest of my day, 2) It's easy to fit into my day time-wise, 3) I'm seeing better muscle definition, 4) It's great for my core! Overall, thumbs up.
So, now you're all up to date. I'm looking forward to a great week. Hopefully you are too. Happy Monday peoples!

Paleo week 1 review

Last week's weight:154.8
This week's weight: 149.6
Weight change: -5.2

It took a few days to adjust my thinking, but after the initial adjustment phase into eating paleo, thing got easier. I didn't have to think so much. It also brought to light for me how much I was grazing. I'd grab a slice of cheese, a handful of goldfish or animal crackers while I was getting something for the kids. All those little calories add up though. It's almost like I thought if it wasn't on a plate or it wasn't on MY plate, it didn't count (silly I know).
I had two major things to deal with this week: 1) Family BBQ, 2) Date Night. Happy to report I handled both. I brought a yummy fruit salad and fresh toasted coconut to the BBQ plus chowed on the tritip and enjoyed myself. Date night was a little more difficult. It was a benefit dinner so I had to eat what was being served. Plus I had to get hubby to understand that I wasn't going to drink this time. Thankfully there was a big salad (which I ate with some lime juice, just how I like it) and green beans. The chicken had some sort of mushroom cream sauce but I picked one with the least amount of sauce and called it good. Sometimes you just gotta do the best with what you have available. Were these 2 meals perfect paleo? Nope. Am I okay with how I handled them and the foods I ate? Absolutley.
Since I've gotten the eating thing pretty dialed in, this week I'm moving on to exercise routine. I got a new toy this weekend.... my Mama Wants Her Body Back workout collection.
I'm a bit of a sucker for new exercise DVD's. This set appealed to me because it's designed for moms. I'll let you know what I think after week 1. I found the lecture DVD that's included to be
very appropriate and helpful.
Here's to a great week! Hope yours is fantastic too!

Bye-bye blankie...

Some things have been rattling around in my brain. I've been thinking and analyzing why I have a difficult time getting to goal, why the number on the scale has freaked me out in the past and sent me into binge/gain mode. What's my payoff? I firmly believe we don't do things or act certain ways without one. For me personally, it's partly about security. It's uncomfortable for me to be thin. Seriously. I have major insecurities and body image problems. When I lose weight people comment and complement and that makes me VERY uncomfortable. I've always had a large chest, from the time I started developing, and when I lose weight my waist gets smaller and the hour glass shape emerges. Men notice. Again, a huge source of discomfort. I can remember a few instances during my adolescence, getting looks or comments from guys and just feeling dirty. A friend of my brother's once sent me inappropriate letters, during church. Another time, some guys hung out their car windows as I was crossing the street and I was told that it was because of what I was wearing (which wasn't provocative btw). Negative attention was my fault (not the creepy guys').
So weight became an unconscious security blanket. The focus came off what I looked like. Then I'd reach a certain point, get fed up and lose weight. Till I got to about 160ish. Then the weight loss would stall or get very, very difficult because that's when I'd start getting my shape back. And then the weight would creep back. I binge. I take comfort in food. I soothe discomforts with it. This is my payoff. Security. But it's really not. It's just a way to hide.
Obviously this is just a piece of my puzzle, but it's a big piece for me. I don't want to regain the weight again and I need to look at the things I am doing to keep myself from getting to where I want to be. I need to make the choices that will get me the results I want. I want to feel confident and good about myself and how I look. I'm not saying I'm gorgeous or anything but I know I didn't fall out of the ugly tree either. I want to leave the security blanket behind, once and for all.
It's easier not to think of the underlying issues. It's easier to eat crap and not care. That's not what I want for myself though. I am consciously choosing to make the changes and do what's best for me, not just what's easy....
My request to you now is to dig deep and think of your own personal payoffs. Do some analyzing of your own. What's holding you back? You don't have to put it out there for world, but think about it.

30 days of paleo

Hi guys! So I've been a bit busy lately. Had to take the baby to the ER last week, she got a tummy bug which led to decrease in food/nursing which led to mild dehydration. Dealing with a sick child is never fun, but when they're small it's even worse. It took some IV fluids and a few days to perk her up, but her appetite has returned so we're back in business. My own food intake was kind of all over the place as I tend to overdo it when I'm tired, stressed or PMSing. I was all three at once...yay! NOT!!!
Anyway, this mornings' weight: 154.6. Not bad considering some of my poor choices lately. So, I'm brushing it off and moving on. I don't know if I've mentioned it, but I've been playing around with a "Paleo" type diet for a while but haven't fully committed. No time like the present though. I feel better when I eat this way so I've decided to go full Paleo for 30 days. Today is day 2 for me. If you're wondering, "What the heck's paleo???", I'll give you a nutshell... mostly lean proteins, fruit (in moderation), veggies, tubers & good fats (coconut, avocados, olive oil, nuts etc). No grains, dairy or legumes. The theory is based off how our Paleolithic ancestors ate. I don't have to weigh, measure or count calories. I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full. There's lots of info out there, if you want more just google "paleo diet" or "paleo solution".
Currently I'm reading Everyday Paleo by Sarah Fragoso.
If you're interested in paleo, this is a good source as it has lots of recipes. I'm really excited to try some of them. Be sure, if I find one I really like I'll definitely share ☺
So that's where I am. Still plugging along, focusing on eating well and being active...one day at a time.
I'm curious, have you heard of paleo? Tried it? Are you interested?

Shifting directions...

So, yeah, that 30 day Challenge I told you about....I'm redefining my personal parameters. Day 1 of the workout I realized that I couldn't hang. Last time through when I got to week 3 of Ripped I started noticing pain in my left hip flexor so I quit doing it to give my body time to heal. Unfortunately, it's not fully healed. As soon as I started doing some of the lunges and squats, the pain flared up. Not as bad as it was, but it's there. Grrrrr!
So, what's the alternative? Well, I decided that my personal challenge would be to exercise every day in September. Even if it's just power walking, I'm going to move every day. And, it has to actually be exercise...not just walking my kid to school in flip flops lol. I'll also be concentrating on body weight exercises like push ups, stretching things out with pilates and yoga and working with my dumbbells 3x a week.
As promised, I took an updated progress picture. I had to go with black and white this time to cover some of the lack of makeup and my major tan lines ☺
Food has been out of control for about a week so the scale is not my friend and it's causing me to go to a bad head space. I'm working on reigning it in. I've got to do some research on natural remedies to help regulate my hormones as I think this is a key component for me.
I think I've shared this before, but this weeks' motto is: "Do, or do not, there is no try"- Yoda
Have a great week peoples...

Join the 30 day Challenge!

Maybe against better judgement I joined M from ...my magic bean... in her 30 day Challenge. Essentially it involves doing this...every day in the month of September. Yup, 30 days straight of Ripped. Oh boy. It's actually a good thing though, because I've been struggling to keep it together the last few days (food-wise) and having a fitness goal usually helps me focus. So, if you wanna join in feel free. Or, pick something else and do it for the next 30 days.
Really, it's not that hard to do anything for 30 days, it just takes commitment. So, I'm committing. "Before" pictures are coming. I've got a lot going today (it's my 3 yr old's birthday) but I promise to take them. Happy Friday!!

Remember me??

GACK! I've been MIA for 3 weeks. Sorry guys! Things are actually going well, I've just been busy. The scale was stuck for a while but then I cleaned things up with my food and guess what?, it dropped (shocking, I know). This morning's weight: 153.6. So close to the official 50 lb mark that I can practically taste it. I know it's just a number, but it still feels like a major deal. What's even more important though is that I can wear my "skinny" jeans again. What a fabulous feeling! Another fabulous feeling...having to retire some of my other clothing items because they are just too big. Some are so loose it's slightly embarrassing. Time for a closet makeover I believe. And maybe, just maybe, some shopping.
Basically I'm just trying to live the best, healthiest life I can. I've been doing a lot of thinking and analyzing lately about what things are important. I've cut WAAAY back on my computer & TV time (partly to blame for the lack of blogging) and I'm trying to focus on being more active. While I love blogging, sometimes it takes alot of time for me to write a post. Rereading, correcting, rewriting, rereading again...you get the picture.
As soon as I hit the 50 lb mark I'll post a new picture plus I have some new fitness goals and running priorities I'll be sharing soon. I promise! But for now, I'm gonna keep moving forward....

Rise and shine!

I've started a new morning routine. While I've tried this in the past without much luck, this seems to be sticking. Here's how it goes, the alarm rings at 5:25, I stumble over to throw it against the wall jump brightly out of bed with a smile on my face and head for the coffeemaker (thank goodness for automatic brewing). Having a bit of quiet time in the morning before the kids start waking up is so nice. I take my coffee and book outside and watch the sun come up. Right now I'm reading Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food. It's really good. If you're looking for a new book, I'd suggest checking this one out. Talk about a peaceful way to start the day. Doesn't get much better in my opinion.
I think that's the reason this is working for me, I'm enjoying it. While the first few minutes are rough, once I'm up and moving it's all good.
Next thing to work on is getting rid of the coffee. I've decided I'm going to start transitioning to green tea. I ♥ my coffee, but I'd like to be able to start my day without the jolt. We'll see how that goes.
School starts again next week so I'm working to get this down so I'm not running around like a crazy person trying to get out the door in the morning. I like calm mornings and this seems to be the first step...
What's your morning routine like? Do you take time to relax and wake up or are you running from the time your feet hit the floor?

The crown goes to...

I've got a bit of the BLAHS today. Nothing really serious, just... ugh. It feels really hormonal like it's that TOM but since I haven't started cycling again because of nursing, it's tough to time this stuff out. The phantom period crap sucks....all the symptoms of TOM without the end result lol. Not that I'm complaining...much. Okay, yes, I'm complaining.
I should be happy, I got the scale down under 160 and it stayed. I ran 5 miles yesterday at a stellar pace. I signed up for a 10k race. All these things are good. I think this weekend's questionable choices are catching up to me. I didn't do horribly, but I did have a few extra treats "Because it's hubby's birthday". Break out the crown, the queen of excuses is making an appearance.
Again, I'm just gonna say....ugh. Maybe a good sweaty workout will help kick the funk. Since the baby just went down for a nap I think I'll seize the moment. Week 3 of Ripped in 30 HERE I COME!
Note to self- You're on a mission to be strong and lean...get your butt in gear mama! Pack up the excuses and go...

Try these!

I love sharing yummy things with my readers. One of my new finds....Beanitos Chips.They're corn free, gluten free, have good fiber and fats (omega 3's) plus a whole list of other things.
My mother-in-law gave me a bag of the Cheddar Cheese Pinto and Flax to try (I know, I know, it doesn't sound that great). To my surprise by the 2nd chip, I was hooked. Then I was cruising the health food section at the grocery store and found out there were other flavors...and they were on sale 2/$4. So I grabbed the Black Bean Chipotle BBQ.....DE-lish!!!
One serving is 10 chips, and while that may not seem like a lot, it is satisfying....with 5 g of fiber.
I've been trying to "JERF" lately- "Just Eat Real Food", and while these aren't technically in that category, I can look at the ingredients and recognize what goes into making them. I would put these in the "good alternative" column especially when cravings hit for some other, worse options.

Darn Skippy!

There's something about peanut butter. It flips a switch in my head, turns me into a uncontrolled, by-the-spoonful, maniac. Generally I don't keep it in the house for this reason. Plus, 2 of my 3 kids are allergic (and the baby isn't quite old enough to try so I don't know about her yet). If it's in the cupboard it can be a very bad thing for me. So why do we have 2 enormous Costco-size jars in the cupboard? Good question. Last time we bought it I donated 1 jar to the food bank just to get it out of the house! My husband doesn't get that it's like crack to me. A little jar of kryptonite staring at me when I open the cabinet. He likes the occasional pb&j sammy, I like to inhale it. I should've told him I'd get a small jar at the grocery store, instead of buying the "bargain" twin pack at Costco. But I thought "Surely I can control myself". Wrong. Lesson learned. I came to this realization yesterday as I was digging out a second tablespoon. Thankfully this process is teaching me that just because the urge is there, doesn't mean I have to indulge myself. I wanted more than just 2 tablespoons. I was able to recognize what was happening was a chemical brain response. I stepped away from the jar and was a happier girl for it. It wasn't easy, but I did it. Now I also know that the smell of pb can send me over the edge. Now I know to be careful. I knew I had an issue with Skippy, but I didn't really realize how big of an issue until yesterday.
The moral of the story.... recognize your triggers. I have others, but this is a big one. Being aware, instead of mindless, is also a big deal.
My weight is kind of stuck right now. It's time to go back in and tweak. This morning's weight- 160.0. Sunday morning it was at 162.0. Some of this "stuck" is from eating random things that aren't the best, having a few drinks, and a new strength training regime. I know I've lost some body fat (unfortunately that part of my scale is on the fritz and I need to figure out if it can be fixed), but that number is bugging me. I'd really like to see 150 something, and have it stay in the 150's. Consistency. Consistency. Consistency. I know. I keep telling myself to take a day or two off the scale, and I keep getting on anyway. Thankfully now that I understand water fluctuations, the number doesn't have the power it once held. My mood used to be dictated by the number. How I ate and behaved was often affected by that silly number. At this point, while I'm frustrated by the lack of movement on the scale, it doesn't send me into a downward spiral. It's more of a curious science experiment. What will happen today with the number? A much healthier approach. Since that's what the ultimate goal is... a healthier approach to life, I'm going with it. Strong and lean right?
How are you at recognizing your triggers? This has been a process for me. How do you deal with your responses??

Quick update

Once again the scale is playing games with me. After seeing 158, the scale promptly jumped back to 160 and there it sits. While I know I just need to ignore it, it's still slightly irritating. It's like it's taunting me lol. I think sodium may be the culprit, so I'm really going to concentrate on whole foods today.
Other than the scales' head games, this week has been good. I've been running and getting my Ripped on. Fingers crossed the scale gives me some love...

Wedding recap...

Hey y'all! Hope your weekend was fantastic. Mine was pretty hectic. The wedding we went to was beautiful. Besides some family drama that seems to be a requisite and a broken down car, the weekend was a success. Yesterday's weigh-in: 160.2. I was pleased with maintaining because my food choices weren't stellar (not horrible either though). I just tried to keep my portions in check. I ate some dessert, drank some beer and had a good time. This is real life for me.
After getting home I made a run to the grocery store and restocked the fruits and veggies. I had planned on a run but just didn't have it in me. Not an excuse, just reality.
Yesterday though was an on-point day. I got in 2 good workouts- Ripped in 30 and a 4 mile run. My eating was good and I really pushed the water because I knew some of my previous food choices had caused some retention. This mornings' weight- 158.6!!
With a number like that, I can't help but be motivated! It also helps that my size 10's are getting some room in them and the 8's are feeling pretty darn comfy. Non-scale victory!!
This week's goal is to complete 5 days of Ripped and get all my runs in. Also, keep the eating clean and controlled.
Now, I leave you with one of my favorite pictures from the wedding-
Here's to a good week!

Look at the lovely colors...

As I was mowing through daintily eating my salad yesterday, I had to stop for a second and just admire how pretty it was. All the bright colors just popped, the yellows, greens, reds. So much good fuel for my body to work with. And it hit me...I need to eat a rainbow, every day. No not Skittles(though I do ♥ me some Skittles), but a rainbow of fruits and veggies. Not only does it look pretty, it makes you feel pretty too. So I'll be challenging myself on a daily basis to incorporate as many colorful fruits and vegetables as possible...cause you know what? It tastes good too!

Today's weight: 160.6- gotta ♥ water flux
Planned workout: Ripped in 30- wk 2

Do you eat a lot of colorful fruits and vegetables? What are your favorites?

Mmmm....fat!

Weight today- 159.6!! I finally dropped into the 150's. How awesome is that? I've been trying a few things new this week and obviously they're working. As most of you know, I track my food using MyFitnessPal.com. I had noticed however that I lost more weight when I didn't track my food and winged it. So, the expirement was this....I would write down everything I eat through out the day and input it at the end (just to see where the numbers are). I eat when I'm hungry, stop when I'm full and really try to choose the highest quality foods that will give me the biggest bang for my buck.
So far, so good. Because the reality is this....I DON'T WANT TO TRACK MY WHOLE LIFE. Obviously it's a fantastic tool, but I'm getting to the point where I need to be able to figure out how to eat so I won't put the weight back on after this is all done.
One trend I've noticed by doing this, I eat quite a bit of fat. The nice thing about that...I feel satisfied longer. Something to remember- Good dietary fats will not make you fat. Again I say- "Fat doesn't make you fat!!". Excess calories or "energy" from any source, be it fat or carbs or protein, will be converted into fat stores. Period. It took me a long time to understand that. While it seems simple enough as a concept, we've been bombarded for years with the idea that we need to have a low fat diet to lose weight. So we eat "low fat" processed foods loaded with carbs usually, and we're hungry (because it doesn't have good fats to trigger satiety) so we eat more, which gives us excess "energy" which our body turns into fat. (This is a very simplified example of the process, but I'm trying to make the point simple). I use carbs as an example because of all the groups, carbs are the easiest to overeat.
Anyway, the point is, eat more good fat. Slice up an avocado for your salad. Eat a handful of almonds. Use olive oil. You might be surprised how your body responds.
So tell me, do you eat a lot of good fats?? Was any of this news to you or am I preachin' to the choir?

Busy bee...

Since I'm finding it motivating to post my daily weight/exercise updates I think I'll continue doing it...at least for a while. Hopefully it's not annoying. This morning's weight was 160.6. Down another 1.4 lbs. I'm a bit surprised actually because we went out to dinner last night which usually means some fluid retention. As a preventative measure I drank a bunch of water to counteract that possibility. On the exercise front, I did make it out for my 4 mile run yesterday. By the time hubby got home from the shooting range I didn't feel like going but I was already dressed so that was half the battle. I just had to make it out the door. I had contemplated changing into "regular" clothes a few times over the 4 hours he was gone but didn't because I KNEW if I did, the chance of me actually going for a run decreased dramatically. Even though it wasn't the best run, I got it done, and that's what counts sometimes.
This week is a busy one...hubby's brother is getting married out of town this coming weekend, my mom is coming for a visit midweek, one of my kiddos is sick, I've gotta pack for the wedding, haircuts etc., all on top of my normal stuff. I'm a little overwhelmed.
I plan on doing Ripped in 30- week 2 this morning for exercise. Hopefully that will help clear my head and help me be get through what needs to get done.
What are you doing for exercise today??

I did it!

Official weight for the week...get ready, here it comes-162.0!!! Wa-hooooo! On top of hitting my goal (which I didn't think would happen) and making back to the 40 lbs lost mark, I feel fantastic!!!!!!!!! Seriously great. I have a ton of energy when I eat right....duh! This week I've been concentrating on eating good foods and incorporating more raw food as well. I haven't been perfect, but it's been solid. Good fats like those that are found in avocado, olive oil, nuts, and coconut milk are my friend. And, I made time to exercise. Today I've got to squeeze in a 4 mile run at some point, but it will happen because it's important (not only to my overall health, but mentally as well).
Wish I had time to write more, but I've got lots to do today. Busy week coming up. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
What are your goals for the coming week? I wanna hear...

Off to the Farmer's Market

Weight- 163.4. Nice little drop again this morning. Tomorrow is my "official" weigh-in and I'd really like to see 162. All the more reason to keep it clean today. Off to the Farmer's Market this morning to stock up on more fruits and veggies. Happy Saturday lovelies....

Doing better...

Today's weight- 164.4. Down another pound this morning. Creeping closer to the "40 lbs lost" mark again.

"When you know better, you do better."
— Maya Angelou

Reading, listening to podcasts and generally finding out more about nutrition lately is changing my perspective on food. I need to do better. Not just for myself but for my children. Living a wholesome, healthy life is worth it!

Movement in the right direction....

This mornings' weight- 165.4. Down another pound. How is it that the weight shoots up so gosh darn quick but going the other way it's like molasses? So not fair!!! Penalty I suppose for my own bad behavior.
I'm going to try and do more frequent updates as I get my butt back on track to the strong and lean me that I wanna be. I went for a run this morning and then went and mowed lawns. Exercise is covered. Now the hunger is in full swing so it's time to go feed myself....something with good lean protein and veggies I think.
Happy Thursday folks! How's your week going??

Puttin' on my game face...

Well bugger it! I had a BAD few days. Period. Between stress, hormones, and a holiday, I managed to gain 11 lbs in the space of a few days. Seriously... 11 lbs. Yes, some of it's water weight, but not all. The scale at it's worst was reading 171.2. This morning it was down to 166.4. Progress...that's what counts. These types of things are going to happen. Holidays are inevitable as are some of my other triggers for overeating. While I'm disappointed, I have to keep moving forward.
Excuses won't get me to my goal. I went for a run last night....even though I had to wait till 9 pm because it was 104* yesterday. I did Ripped in 30 today....even though the kids made it difficult and I had to stop 3x to put on my "Mommy hat". Even though, even though, even though. Excuses are easy. I know what I have to do. Time to put my game face on and get it done....grrrrr. LOL
I have a wedding to attend in 10 days and while that's a motivator, getting to a place where I feel strong and lean is the ultimate goal. That's why "Strong and Lean" is the new catch phrase. All together now- "Strong and Lean, Strong and Lean, Strong and Lean!" Wooo!!!

You put the lime in the coconut....

A few weeks ago the hubs brought home some coconut water. To be perfectly honest I kinda shrugged my shoulders, stuck it in the fridge and said "whatever". He tasted it and didn't particularly care for it, and so there it's been sitting. Then I noticed some in the cold box at the register at the grocery store, next to the sodas and energy drinks. And then I heard mention about it on a podcast by Jillian Michaels. So, I thought, what the heck, let's look into this. Turns out, it's pretty good for you. I found this article on the topic.
I personally have to refuel quickly after a workout or my body won't make milk for my lil bambina, so the coconut water I'm finding is great to help me get back on a even keel and rehydrate properly. Of course, as with anything, don't go over board. I think it's great post-workout, but I wouldn't drink it all the time. It has calories, it has some sugar (natural sugars, but sugars just the same) but I think it has some merit as a whole which is why I'm sharing with you.
To be clear, this is coconut water...not coconut milk. There is a distinction. The water comes from the unripened green coconut and the milk comes from pressing the meat of a "ripe" brown coconut. The taste is a little different then you might expect. I ♥ it in a post-workout smoothie instead of almond milk though. Drinking it straight up is an acquired taste. I don't mind it straight, but it's not my all time favorite thing either.
I'm looking forward to using it when I start my longer training runs because I do think it will be beneficial. Drinking about 8 oz after my Ripped in 30 workout today was good too. All in all, a good find....thanks hubby ☺
Have you tried coconut water? Has this peaked your interest at all?

The newest news

The time has come for me to start training again. I can comfortably run 3-4 miles and the only way I can keep myself consistent is to plan for a race. So, I found a local half marathon (that's 13.1 miles for those of you non-runners) in October and I'm making running a priority. I busted out my pocket calendar and set up my training schedule and mileage from now till the race on October 23rd. And now I've told all of you. I also ordered Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 DVD. It came in the mail today(I ordered it from eBay for $7 brand new) and I'm going to get started on that too. The fitness bug has definitely visited my house and bit me on the ass....probably because my muscles are becoming more defined and I love that "look". To say that I'm excited is probably an understatement.
Fitness and nutrition podcasts have also become a bit of an obsession lately and I have my iPod in half the day while I'm working around the house. The science and theory appeals to my nerdy side and I'm loving learning new things and listening to different perspectives. The "Paleo Diet" has peaked my interest and I'll be doing some research and sharing as I investigate. Anywho, that's all for now. Hope your week is going well...

Yummy in my tummy!

Are you a snacker?? Me, I like to eat several small meals throughout the day. For that reason I've been searching for the healthiest foods to give me the most bang for my buck. My husband will tell you I'm becoming quite the hippie LOL.
Anyway, most of you know I ♥ beans. I wrote a whole post about it. Then I heard about something called roasted chickpeas. Intrigued? I was. So yesterday I made some. THEY ARE AWESOME!!!! The hubster tried them and said "These taste kinda like CornNuts". They're easy to make and are a quick healthy snack that gives you fiber, protein, carbohydrates and good fat. I ate some at lunch with an apple, string cheese and some veggies and hummus and I was FULL for a long time (and who doesn't want that).
Want the recipe so you can try it yourself? This is the one I used here at allrecipes.com. The only thing I did differently was cook them at a lower temp- 350*. I find that when roasting things (like almonds etc) that a lower temp over a longer period gives me a better result.
Hope you like them as much as I do....

Checking in...

Okay, we're back from Disneyland. Had a blast! I allowed myself a little latitude with my eating but didn't go crazy. I ate some desserts etc that wouldn't normally be "allowed" with the mindset that it was a treat not something to be indulged in all the time. Since being home I've settled back into my "normal" without difficulty. I'm also happy to report that as of this morning I have officially lost 40 lbs! That's all for now. Gotta go pamper the hubs for Father's Day....

Jillian fever

I hadn't planned on posting again till after I got home from Disneyland, but I had to share this. First, let me say, I'm a Jillian fan! About a week ago I found out that she does a pod cast. Yesterday I decided to check it out. I ♥ it!! Being home with the kids all day I often have the TV on as background, but this is so much better. She talks about a lot of different stuff from nutrition, exercise, emotional stuff....the list goes on. I suggest you check it out. It's free on Itunes. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Changing my perspective...

Summer vacation time is upon us. Next week we're going to Disneyland. Between now and then I have lots to do, but I wanted to check in really quick. Things have been going well. I've been concentrating on making choices that I feel are sustainable going forward. I don't want to have to lose this weight again so I'm working on making sure this is a lifestyle I can maintain. All in all I'm feeling good about the direction I'm going. It used to be that if I blew my "diet" on a meal it would send me into a downward spiral and the rest of the day, the rest of the week, and maybe the next week, would be spent shoving my face or feeling guilty and trying to recover. Unproductive. I've decided to change my perspective slightly. A higher calorie meal is just that... a meal. Move on. Having a splurge on occasion is not going to add 10 lbs. Overeating for an extended period of time though will. Understanding that it takes 3500 extra calories to gain a "real" pound of fat helps me keep things in perspective. I'm also working on being more active than ever in everyday life. I walk places if it's feasible which saves on gas too. Example: I've got to go to the bank later...it's 2 miles away. Why not combine my errand and exercise into one?
While I still want to lose another 20lbs, I'm not as worried about getting there quickly. If I'm keeping my activity up and eating well I think my body will follow along.
Here's my newest progress picture (sorry, no makeup!). My size 10's are fitting comfortably again which is nice.
I'm looking forward to updating my weight after Disneyland. Till next week....

You LIE!!

I'm so irritated by the scale right now. Quite simply, it lies!! Even though I know it's water weight, seeing the scale creep up every day this week is flippin' discouraging! I've been eating pretty well, except a little higher than norm on the sodium and working out (sore muscles= water retention too). So basically, I'm doing it to myself. Add to that I haven't been as strict about getting in my 6-8 bottles of water. Time to buckle down, push the water, veggies & lean protein and get the number back where it "should" be.
On a nicer note, some of my "skinnier" clothes are starting to fit. I pulled out the tub this week and started trying things on, just to see. Another 10-20lbs and most everything should be wearable.
The mental disconnect has reared it's ugly head again though. I know in my head that I've lost 35 lbs, but I'm having a difficult time seeing it or feeling like it. I think it's time for some pictures. Visual aides tend to be helpful...
Anyway, that's all for now. Happy Friday blogosphere!

National Running Day

'Nough said ☺

I've started June off with a bang...and a 4 mile run. I haven't run that far in a long time... probably a year. I also managed to do it at a 8:56/mi which is progress from the 10/mi I started out at post baby. It was one of those runs that felt AMAZING and I'm so glad I went! Happy National Running Day people!

a new month, new goals...

Somehow it's May 31st and I haven't blogged all month. How did that happen?? Blogging used to be a priority. Lately I'll admit, not so much. I'm going to try and change that. I ran my first official 5k at the beginning of the month and didn't even share the results (29 min 24 sec for anyone interested). It used to be that I'd come home from a race and immediately sit down at the computer and write my race recap. To be honest, I miss that. Tomorrow starts a new month though and I'm going to strive to be a better blogger!
So, I had 2 main goals in May...."no-weigh May" and "Move my @$$" 90 miles. Both failed miserably. I think I made it 5 days without my scale. Pitiful. My mileage challenge went slightly better but I was not able to hit the total I was originally shooting for. But, now I have a jumping off point for other goals. My mileage goal for May was a bit unrealistic if I'm being perfectly honest. It did, however, get me moving more than I would have otherwise, so that's a positive thing. June's mileage goal- 65 miles. Doable I think. Slightly more than I did this month, but not anything super crazy.
Goal #2 for June: strength training 3x a week. I've been doing alot of thinking about what I want to look like, feel like, ultimate goals etc. I LIKE when my muscles are defined so I need to put some effort into building and toning them. Add to that, muscle burns more calories. More muscle= better body composition and less fat.
Ultimately it's not the number on the scale, it's how I look and feel that matters. However, I use the number to help motivate myself. I used to set a monthly weight goal for myself so I've decided that it might be beneficial do again. I'm within a few pounds of what used to be a "comfortable" weight for me and it's made me a little lazy. Now comes the time when I have to work harder to hit my goals...and I'm up for the challenge! June 30th goal weight- 157 lbs.

What about you? Do you have new goals for the month of June? Please share!!

Move that Tushy...

Yesterday I set my goals for May. Today I've decided to commit to walking or running a minimum of 90 miles over the course of the month. And now I'd like to invite all of you to join me. Set your own mileage goal and leave me a comment. The more the merrier. Plus, it's motivating to tell others your goals...at least it is for me. Are ya in for "Move your A$$ May" ? I dare you...

Throwin' out the scale...

It's happening again....I'm getting obsessive with the number on the scale. It's to the point where I'm getting on and weighing multiple times a day. Not healthy. Not to mention stupid. Like I'm going to lose 10 lbs between breakfast and dinner?? It's irrational and unhelpful. Sooo, I've decided to challenge myself in a couple ways. First, I'm declaring next month "No Weigh May". Next, I'm shifting my focus back to eating as clean as possible. No more junk, even if I can fit it into my calorie count for the day. I'll admit that lately I've been fudging here and there with the sweets, especially after Easter. Unfortunately that leads to more sugary stuff and usually bread slathered in butter then ice cream then...well, you get the picture. Snowball effect. Downward spiral. Weight gain.
Hopefully taking the scale out of the equation will be helpful. Lately seeing the number drop has been causing me to sabatoge my success. Especially as I get closer to the 30 lb mark and breaking into the 160's. I freak out and eat.
So, no scale and no junk in May. My next challenge is nailing down the exercise this month. I'm shooting for 5 days a week. Something. Anything. Even if it's just swinging my kettle bell for 10 minutes. I've got the stuff here at home to make this happen. Now, to implement and follow through. Focus. Eat good quality food when I'm hungry and quit when I'm full.
Now, I leave you with a couple pictures. To be honest, I was disappointed when I looked at my "now" picture this morning after taking it. Then I pulled up the "before" picture. Progress has been made. Sometimes it's hard to tell since I see myself everyday in the mirror. But now, I'm starting my day with a renewed sense of can do attitude because hey, look what I've done so far ☺












Have a great weekend!

Help me!!

It's been a bad morning. I just keep eating. Time to put a stop to it. There is no way in hell I'm going to undo the hard work I've done. I'm gonna go brush my teeth, pop a piece of gum and get busy doing something else!

Hospitals and Stress...

So we've been having a rough go of it lately in our house. Last Saturday (the 16th) my 2.5 yr old son had to be hospitalized. We were finally discharged on Tuesday afternoon after spending the better part of 4 days in the hospital. He has asthma and allergies and when he gets a virus it tends to go straight to his chest and often turns to pneumonia. Which happened. He had to be on oxygen for several days. Thankfully he is doing much better now but the whole experience was stressful to say the least.
On a brighter note I was able to maintain my weight during all this. I've been able to slide right back into my normal healthy eating and I'm feeling good about that end of things. The exercise part of things is where I'm struggling right now. I plan to focus my energy on that next week. One other thing to note- I've picked out my first (post baby) 5k. I'll be running it May 7th. More about that in another post.
So that's the update. Hope everyone has a great weekend....

Finding the sweet spot...

Good morning lovelies! Did you miss me? Somehow the days and weeks have just been flying lately and I haven't been blogging. If you remember I was sick, the kids were sick, then hubby went on vacation. Totally threw me off my routine. Last week was a "normal" week though so I was working on getting everything back in order. And here I am. I've had a few successes (and a few bad days). I busted into the 170's which is an awesome feeling. My BMI no longer categorizes me as obese...now I am simply overweight lol (I really hate BMI because I think it's screwy, but I still look at the number as a bit of a guideline). I dropped 4% body fat this month and overall I've lost almost 10% which means I've lost 30 lbs of fat since starting this process. I'm very close to fitting into my size 10 jeans...I can get them on and buttoned but the spill-over effect is not pretty. Another 10 lbs or so and I think they'll fit.
I did have a few bad days though in the past couple weeks. Thankfully I'm learning to brush it off and get back on the right track immediately. It used to be that a bad day or two would morph into a bad week or two. Not so anymore. I LIKE eating healthy and being active so getting back to it is that much easier. This isn't something that I'm doing just to lose weight but it is an added perk.
That last point is an important one. The changes I'm making are sustainable. Not always easy, but doable long term. Otherwise, what's the point? I had to motivate myself out of my little funk last week. How? I bought myself a double jogging stroller. Something I've been wanting. Something that's going to make exercising with the kids easier. And I love it. I took a 6 mile walk yesterday and burned 750 calories! And I enjoyed it, I'm excited to take the kids on walks and get little bits of exercise wherever I can.
Something else I've learned the past few weeks- a tip for those of you hitting a wall or having a tough time losing right now, start tracking your sugar. I started tracking my intake on MyFitnessPal.com just for fun really. I was frustrated the first few days because I kept going over their suggested levels. So I quit tracking it. Then I figured I'd try again and give it a couple days and see what happened. Let me tell you people, the weight fell off for a couple days. Unfortunately I didn't think about the effect it would have on my milk supply...that dropped too :( So now I am aware of my sugar intake and searching for that sweet spot number that will allow me to drop weight easier but not compromise my ability to feed my child. Being aware is the first step though...
And now, I'm hearing the pitter-patter of little feet which is my signal that the day is starting. Have a great day peoples!!

Movin' right along...

I'm so close to hitting my first "official" 20 lb mark. This week's weight- 182.8! Only .8 to go and I'm treating myself to a pedicure. It's keeping me motivated since the tootsies are in need of some major pampering. It also hit me today that I'm basically 1/3 of the way to my goal! Go me ☺
I'm still not back to 100% after being sick but things are improving every day. This week I'm focusing on pilates and walking for my exercise, at least till I'm feeling back in tip top shape. I walked the monkey to school yesterday and was reminded how much I enjoy that little bit of extra exercise. Hopefully the weather keeps cooperating and I can do it regularly. It also hit home that I need to start looking for a double stroller. While it works to put the baby in the carrier on my chest and push my 2 yr old in the stroller, it would be more comfortable just to push a stroller.
On another note, running is starting to call to me again. I miss running. Now the question is how do I fit it into my daily routine? I'm still working on that. But right now, I've got some bathrooms to clean and floors to mop...ta-ta! Have a healthy day!

Jinxed myself...

I guess I spoke too soon when I said I seemed to be getting better. Yeah, the cold came ROARING back, worse than before. I lost my voice, got pink eye and have just generally felt terrible since Tuesday afternoon. Since swallowing hurts so bad my food intake has been much lower for the past few days which has led to nice drop on the scale...silver lining I suppose LOL.
Anyway, just wanted to check in. Next week hopefully I'll feel up to exercising again. After talking with my husband I've decided to do the first month of Insanity again. The second month's workouts (which I did Monday) are longer and tougher and I think too much while nursing. We'll see how it goes.
Happy Friday everyone!

Go AWAY sickies...

We got hit with the sickies in our house this week. Thankfully I seem to be on the upswing. Unfortunately my weight seems to be stuck (most likely due to the fact that I've been eating whatever and not exercising). This past week was my recovery week for Insanity so that worked out pretty well. Tomorrow starts the 2nd (more intense) month...should be "fun". I'm a little scared LOL. I'll be working on bringing my eating back on track today so hopefully I'll see a little drop on the scale in the morning but I'm not holding my breath. Happy Sunday...

I.FEEL.GUILTY

I apologize in advance if this post turns into a rambling piece. I've been thinking a lot lately and wanting to get the chance to sit down and write, I just can't seem to find the time. Going back and reading my past few posts I'm actually a little embarrassed by my writing. It just doesn't flow (at least to me). So apologizes...
Anyway, part of the reason my blogging has suffered is exactly the reason for this post...GUILT. I'm struggling with this feeling of failure because I'm not SuperMom. I want to be able to do everything and I can't. Yes, I know that's insane and I'm driving myself nuts trying. I'm potty training and nursing, trying to keep the house clean, doing laundry, paying bills, doing the shopping, tracking my food, exercising, trying to be a loving wife and mother....YIKES the list goes on! And I feel guilty. When I take the time to stop and eat and track my food. When I take the time to exercise. When I take the time to blog! Taking time to do things for myself is hard because I KNOW there are other things I could be doing. The list of things is never ending!

On the bright side, I am taking the time, even though I feel guilty. I know it's important to take care of me so I can take care of everything else. It just gets overwhelming sometimes. And yeah, more often than not, it looks like a bomb exploded in some part of my house.
Only thing, I know some of it could be handled with better time management. So next week I'm going to try and get my exercise done before taking my daughter to school and see if that helps free up some time to get more things done. Right now it feels like I'm just spinning my wheels in certain areas (like taming the explosions).
Fingers crossed that it works...toes too for that matter! I don't want to feel guilty about taking my time...

I knew it!

I knew if I kept doing what I should, the scale would show me some L♥VE. And guess what? I was rewarded by a 4 lb drop from last Monday's weigh-in. YAY!
On the exercise front, Insanity workouts have entered their 4th week. My muscles are definitely getting more toned and I can push harder. Hubby is now thinking of joining in the "fun". I did miss Saturday's workout though because I just couldn't hang. The "Dig Deeper" mentality was completely missing- I started the DVD and was just too tired to go more than a couple minutes. I'm really trying to learn to listen to my body and my body told me I needed a break...3 weeks of working out 6 days a week caught up to me!
We took the kids to the Zoo yesterday and I am happy to report a NSV. I took healthy snacks (for everyone) and we avoided the snack bar completely. Another YAY!
Here's to a great week!

Haha...you aren't serious, are you??

I feel like my body is laughing at me. At my attempt to lose weight. I know that in reality it's just holding at this weight since I lost so much last week, but it's still frustrating to be doing what I need to and the scale doesn't move. I'm going to stay the course though. I know if I do the scale will give me the results I'm looking for. This past week I know I was doing more "picking" than normal so the goal this week is to cut that out. It wasn't a lot but I know the calories add up.
Off to workout...got one kiddo at school, another napping and the other plugged into his morning "Go Diego, Go". Mommy's time is short...gotta hop to it!
This weeks' mantra- Stay the course!

The magical fruit...

My newest obsession these days....beans! I love 'em! I love how I feel after eating them for lunch especially. They fill me up and keep me full and I have tons of energy. I've started making a big pot on Sundays and eating them about 4x a week for lunch. So freakin' good! (And good for you!)
Out of curiosity, I searched "health benefits of beans". I found this article toting 9 reasons why you should eat beans. One of the most interesting things I learned out of the article-

"The most popular theory of dieting and weight loss for decades has revolved around calories. Experts have loudly proclaimed that there is an immutable formula for calories in, calories out but, in fact, all calories are not the same because some calories require much more digestion than others. The harder your body has to work to digest those calories, the less of them will be absorbed. The difference between a spoonful of sugar and a spoonful of beans is startling. In fact, if you’d like to reduce your calorie “price” by 10%, add an extra 14 grams of fiber. This means that if you eat 2,000 calories per day, and add 28 grams of fiber to your meals, those calories will only “count” as 1600. Cool!"

I'm so IN! Who wouldn't want to have their body working harder for them? No brainer for me!

So tell me, are you a fan of beans? Have I given you "food for thought"?

Weigh-in and Super Bowl Wrap-up

This weeks' official weight-192.2 (that's a 5.6 lb drop from last Monday). Yee-haw! I'm .2 lbs away from my first official 10 lb mark. Oh yeah, and I dropped 3% body fat in the last month! Next week I'm really hoping to be down into the 180's.
If you read my previous post about my worries about Super Bowl, you'll be happy to hear that I did great. I didn't feel out of control, I ate moderately and enjoyed myself! I indulged in 2 beers but had figured that into my plan before hand. The "goodies"- homemade oreo ice cream cake, and homemade mac 'n' cheese- I ate 1 bite of. They were tasty but a bite was enough. I filled up on raw veggies from the veggie tray and some chili. I also ate a half a hamburger patty. I didn't trust myself to have any of the spinach dip and sourdough. Seeing the loss on the scale definitely encourages me to keep on the right path!
I started week 2 of Insanity today. This is actually working great with my schedule right now since I can do it at home when at least one kid is sleeping.
Happy Monday blogosphere! This week's motto- DO SOMETHING! (The irony- I saw it on a Dorito bag LOL)

A little scared...

Tomorrow is Super Bowl and poker...at my house. I've had a great week and I'm just a little worried about having junk around all day long. Usually I'm pretty good the day of an event, it's the days after when the leftovers get to me. I'm going to try and send stuff home with guests though. I'll let you know how it goes.
I know exercise helps keep me in the right mindset so I'll be back at Insanity first thing Monday. I'm very proud that I kept to the schedule and worked out 6 days this week. Today was the most difficult to get in the workout but I made it happen. Had to shoo the kids away a few times which broke the rhythm, but that's life.
I started out this week with the weight back up at 197.8. Depressing to say the least. This morning's weight was 193.6. Monday morning is my official weigh-in so I have even more incentive to be good. I think I'll change my middle name to "angel" tomorrow LOL. The nice thing about having a week of clean eating under my belt, the junk really doesn't taste as good and the cravings are way down. I'm optimistic about tomorrow since I'm starting to pinpoint triggers. No spinach dip and bread for me :)
Have a great Sunday everyone!

You should've seen his face...

My husband tries to be supportive of my weight loss efforts for the most part. He grumbles from time to about the time I spend blogging or tracking my food, but he goes with it. Last night though when he realized I was going to make meatloaf using ground TURKEY, he gave me this horrified look. It was actually pretty hilarious. You see, Wednesday nights are usually "Eat Out" night, but I had the turkey already thawed in the fridge. Meatloaf is something my mom made pretty regularly, but not something I generally do. It sounded fantastic but I wanted to try making a healthier version with the turkey. I had to promise the hubby that if it was terrible we could still eat out. The verdict- it was yummy! I paired it with steamed green beans and mashed califlower and VOILA! A twist on a "traditional" meal with these stats: Calories- 291, Fat-9, Carbs-29, Protein-25, Fiber-9. Not bad if I do say so myself.
So I'm curious, do you have a recipe you've converted to be healthier? How'd it turn out? I'm looking for suggestions people! Weight loss shouldn't be about eating salads 24/7. I want to eat good healthy foods. My newest obsession is beans...more on that topic in a future post.
What's your favorite new thing I need to try?

Calculate the BURN...

As you know, I've been tracking my calories using MyFitnessPal.com. I also track the calories I burn with exercise. MFP has handy shortcuts that allow you to use the "average" burned during specific exercises. While I think that's great, I'm also anal :) and want to track my actual numbers. So I found this handy little tool online. It allows you to input your heart rate etc.and gives you your calorie burn. Now I know you could do this with a heart rate monitor, but I'm cheap. So for any of you like me that don't want to spend the $, you can do it my way...

Not Just Crazy...INSANE!

So, I've decided to bite the bullet and commit to Insanity's 60 day plan again. To be perfectly honest, I'm a little scared! It's been about a year since I last did it (maybe more). I know it's a kick butt workout though and that's what I need. Nothing like high intensity cardio intervals
to melt the fat and rev the metabolism...

Monday Weigh-in

This morning's weight 195.2.... another 2.4 lbs down! I probably would have lost more but I had a short bad spell yesterday. I can't even really pin point what touched off the "Cookie Monster" but it happened. Anyway, I'm working on my menu for the week now, going shopping in a bit and then getting in my exercise when the kids take their nap after lunch (and also taking care of the many other chores around the house). Busy day!
NSV- the jeans I bought recently that were really snug are feeling more comfortable! (even after I washed AND dried them :P)
Motto for the week-Everybody gets knocked down...how quick are you gonna get up?

My food diary... an open book

Happy to say my mood has improved. Hormonal swings are not alot of fun! In a few minutes I'm off to do a little kickboxing (one of my new favorite exercises) but I thought I'd share the link for anyone interested in checking out my food diary http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/campi_mama
I'll put the link in the sidebar too. I've been doing really well recording my foods and the results are showing on the scale. In the next few days I'll also be putting a new "before" pic back up (I HATED the other one).
Off to workout while the little bean is sleeping....

Monday Weigh-in...a little late

It's been one of those weeks so far. I've been trying and trying to make the time to blog but it just hasn't happened. Good news- I lost 4.4 lbs last week! Awesome! The last few days I've been struggling though. It's hard to explain. I haven't been overeating (which is usually my "problem area"). My tummy is just not liking me right now. I don't know what the deal is! Hopefully it will straighten up cause it's not fun. I'm also struggling with feelings of inadequacy and thoughts that I'm just not good enough...at anything. While I know these negative thoughts and feelings aren't accurate, I'm having a hard time shaking it. Guess I just have to keep plugging along.
This week's motto-One step at a time....

I won't melt...

Yesterday was definitely a test for me. I tend to make excuses. So yesterday when it got time to exercise and the clouds had rolled in and the rain started, I wanted to use it as an excuse. I had a couple choices- the treadmill, brave the rain or not exercise. I gotta say, I really don't like the treadmill especially if hubby is home to watch the kids. So, I laced up the kicks and out I went. I got around the corner and the skies opened up. While it wasn't the most pleasant thing, I just kept reminding myself that I wasn't going to melt! (Something my momma used to tell me and something I say to my own kiddos). And I didn't melt, though I think I may have melted some fat ☺
I'm so proud of myself! Here's what the radar looked like when I got home... My hysband thought I was crazy for taking a picture of the radar btw :) but I had to share.
I also got on the scale this morning (even though it's not my weigh-in day). The results are encouraging. Just got my South Beach book today too. I'm thinking I may give it a shot, I'll let you know after I do some reading. I'd love to hear input from anyone who has used the South Beach Diet...
Happy Wednesday friends! And remember- Eye on the prize baby!

Eye on the PRIZE

Today was weigh-in day. And I gained....just like I knew I would. You can't eat ice cream and chocolate cupcakes and not gain. Official weight this morning...202.0. Two pounds up. But it's okay, it didn't send me into a downward spiral for the rest of the day. I deserved to see that number on the scale.
Better news, the week is off to a solid start. Today was great. I kicked some butt on my workout and ate well all day long. Makes me wonder why I keep doing this to myself with the crappy eating. I LOVE how I feel when I eat good food! Don't you?
One thing I'm trying to do again this week is making lists. I sat down this weekend and planned my week...chores, workouts, dinners etc. Then I made a spreadsheet and posted it on the fridge. Gotta say, I ♥ my lists. There's no "What's for dinner?" or "What do I need to do today?" bs slowing me down. I even "scheduled" time to make next weeks' spreadsheet lol. Having 3 kids necessitates some more organization on my part I think (for those that don't know and love me, organizations not one of my strongest suits ☺). Baby steps people...baby steps!
My motto for the week: Eye on the prize baby! Eye on the prize...

Rollercoastin'

AHHHHHHHHHHHH! Okay, virtual screams aren't as satisfying as actual screams. I'm feeling off kilter, out of control and ready to shove anything and everything in my mouth. It's like PMS from hell that won't quit. My kids are driving me bonkers and even though I got 7 (straight) hours of sleep last night I still feel tired. I think part of it's the weather, it's cold, damp and overcast, and part of it's hormonal and part of it's EVERYTHING. Monday is weigh-in day and I know I've gained. Feeling like a ship without a rudder at this point. Crap...