Week 1 is in the books!

I have to say, I am pretty darn proud of myself. Hard work and determination paid off. I really tried to watch what I ate and made sure I was in my allotted calories; I also worked out EVERY SINGLE DAY since beginning this journey on Tuesday. I am beyond happy to say that I lost 2.5 lbs this past week.

I am super duper excited. I am gonna take measurements today and next week hopefully will be down in inches as well. (Didnt think to take measurements last week, was so angry with the number I had seen on the scale).

Here's to another week with weight losses!

My menu for today:
Breakfast: protein shake
Lunch: soup and salad
Dinner: pork chops (roasted), wild rice and brocolli

After dinner, we may take the kids to look at holiday lights, if so I will allow myself a small hot chocolate.

Another good day

Another proud moment last night. After church last night, I took the kids to look at some Christmas lights in the neighborhood. We always stop and get hot chocolates while doing so. So I pull up to McD's and order hot chocolates for the kids and a water for me!! I knew I didnt have the calories to spare and made a healthful choice, having already splurged on a piece of cheesecake earlier that evening.

Stepped on the scale and its moving in the correct direction, not gonna officially weigh in til Monday. But I have a bad habit of stepping on the scale habitually. I get a mini high when I see the numbers go down.

Got my hour of pilates in today, am gonna get on the stationary bike today for about 45 minutes....I hope!!

Tonight is my daughter's choir concert and we are going for desert afterward, but I have been very good about budgeting my calories.

Breakfast: protein shake and banana
Lunch: lean cuisine cheese pizza and salad
Dinner: roasted pork chop, rice and brocolli
Afternoon snack: apple and cheesestick
Evening snack: slice of pie

have been very good about my water too. Drinking almost nothing but water, the test is tomorrow when I return to work. I will pack my healthful snacks and water, hopefully I can avoid the vending machine

Day 2 going strong

First off, I am so proud of myself because last night when faced with cheesecake, I had only 1 slice! It was triple chocolate, but I told everyone, 1 slice last night and then another slice tonight. And I stuck to it, didnt get up in the night for a second slice! I also did 40 minutes on the stationary bike last night. Boy do I feel it, my legs feel like jell-o today!

Breakfast: small banana and chocolate chip granola bar
Lunch: Lean Cuisine swedish meatballs and salad
Dinner: baked chicken, stuffing, green beens
mid afternoon snack will be apple and string cheese
desert: cheesecake, gotta get rid of it!!!

My exercise plan is to alternate the stationary bike and pilates. So today is a pilates day. Want nice long lean muscles!!

My main reason for writing in here is to keep myself accountable, I am counting on whomever reads this to keep me accountable.

so far so good.

Today I have been doing very well on my new lifestyle plan.

Breakfast: scrambled eggs
Lunch: vegetable beef soup with barley
Afternoon snack: banana

As today is my youngest birthday, tonight's dinner will be somewhat splurgy. But still healthful, kinda.
Stuffed peppers (with ground turkey and brown rice), cheesy mashed potatoes, and corn. Desert will be cheesecake.

Tonight I will make every effort to work out, think I will jump on the stationary bike while I watch TV tonight.

Lifestyle 2.0

This is how I need to think of it. Not a diet and exercise plan, but a lifestyle change. I need to have better planning. Plan out meals and snacks. No more eating on the run or hitting up the vending machine at work.

I have only myself to blame for falling off the wagon, so to speak. I have a million excuses. But I am sick of excuses. I want results.

Need to go back to the healthy eating and working out that was so routine this past summer. I need to make eating correctly and working out a part of daily life, like showering and brushing my teeth.

I can do this, I have done it before. But this time I will stick with it

The results of poor planning

So the last 2 weeks were super not fun. Sinus issues (which are pretty much continuous until April or so), bogged down with school work, not being able to breathe due to said sinus issues, work, life, EVERYTHING, pretty much conspired against me.

Lack of being able to breathe led to me not wanting to work out. As a health care professional, I know that once I get going I will actually be able to breathe better, but laziness won out. For a few days I was pretty much flat on my back from these sinuses and didnt want to eat. But as soon as my appetite came back, boy did it come back. I had a lack of planning and didnt bring lunch with me to work, so guess who was doing the Mcdonalds run...yep ME. At home it was no better, pizza and fast food cuz I really didnt feel like cooking.

So was it really a surprise when I stepped on the scale this morning and saw I gained what my hard work had lost?? No not really. But I was still mad. And more than a little disappointed in myself. I need to change my perspective. To me, every victory is a battle won, but my set backs are battles lost. I need to take the set backs as they come and move on, learning from them.

Next week will find me with a loss. I need to at least even myself out.

ttfn

Current pic

Took the kiddos shopping today. I put it off long enough and summer is bye-bye. Had to get them fall clothes. While out, I knew I had to get a new pair of jeans. I had to pull mine up all the time, they were falling off the waist and making my crotch area look just "lovely". My problem with buying pants is that I have such an hour glass shape. If they would fit my waist, they wouldnt get up on to my hips and if they fit my hips well they would fall off my waist. Well I found a pair that I love. They are super low rise and sit on my hip basically. And to boot, I went from a 14 to a 12!!! And I bought a new sweater as well, I bought a medium, I had been buying a large.

Limitations on exercise and my week

I don't know if anyone else struggles with them, but I certainly do. I, although never diagnoses, belief firmly that I suffer yearly from bronchial asthma. The closest I got to a diagnosis was this past January when I ended up in the ER for shortness of breath and the Dr there suggested (as I heard 13 years ago) that I *may* have bronchial asthma. See no one wants to diagnosis it because I do not present with a wheeze. Instead I have coughing attacks so bad that I cant catch my breath and that they hurt my throat and chest. Anyhow, I have this *condition*, whatever it may be, from about September til April every year. I normally get an ATB and muddle through, but exercise goes out the window for those months. I already cant breath, I just can't put undue stress on my lungs. And I know that with regular exercise my lungs will get stronger, but ya know, its hard to get from point A to point B.

What I am thinking of doing is kinda easing up a little on the workouts, doing more pilates and maybe cardio 1 time a week to get my lungs a little stronger. Pilates, too, requires a great amount of breath control. I dont know. I hate to just stop every year, I feel as though I fall further and further behind where I know I could be physically every year


On a good note, though, I did make my goal for this week. My goal for next week is another 2 lbs.

Tomorrow

is weigh in day. Ugh. some days I did really really good, others not so much. So we shall see......

I havent posted here in some time and I apologize. Life gets in the way sometimes!!

I am continuing to win at the losing game!! And its getting to be a routine. Eating better is becoming easier. Its harder to fit the time in to work out and although I know it needs to be a priority, if I am honest, its not. Its really not. I have school, work, kids, husband and a home to take care of. I know the old adage, if you don't take care of you, who will, and I know it's true, it's just hard. But I have to make the time. Beyond that I have nothing new to report.

Tuesdays, at least for now, are a constant day off work for me, so I will weigh in on Tuesdays.

Curves works for me!!!

A couple weeks ago, I had an epiphany.....I realized it was very difficult to lose weight without help. The encouragement I received from my friends and family was great, but somehow not enough.

I was going to check out Weight Watchers, when my amazingly smart hubby suggested Curves. Smartest thing I ever did. I signed up for a trial week of Curves Complete, and in my first week, I lost 4.5 lbs and 2 inches.....go me!!!!

Of course, I signed up for Curves Complete once the trial was over!! My next weigh in is Thursday.....wish me luck!!!

Not doing well at ALL this week

It all started Monday morning with a step onto the scale. After all the hard work that I put in, I was really hoping for a loss of 2 lbs. Heck, I would have been happy with 1.5 lbs. I step on the scale and what did I see???? Only a 1 lbs loss.

I was angry, very very very angry. After all the hard work, working out everyday, all I managed to lose was 1 lb. Even though I was angry, I managed to do my C25K.

But Tues, Wed, Thurs, not so good. Tues I took a day off as a recovery day. I honestly would have taken the day off regardless, but Wed and Thursday I  just didnt "find" the time to work out.


So, today I need to pick myself up by my bootstraps and work out. I know when I step on the scale on Monday I will only have myself to blame for whatever number appears. I just hope I didnt do too much damage by not working out this week.

spectacular Saturday and Sunday

Wow, its only 10:20 on Sunday morning, and already I have gotten a LOT accomplished this weekend.

Saturday, I did some shopping...bought paint and groceries. We *finally* decided on a paint color for our main floor and we bought 1 gallon yesterday to test it out in the livingroom. Looks very good....kinda a mossy green, goes very nice with the furniture. I was told I had to LOVE it as it will be in the livingroom, hallway, and kitchen. Oh, and hubby will not paint again for some time.....lol!!! I got some good, nutritious groceries for the week as well yesterday. Made some chocolate chip cookies last night. OMG that recipe is gonna make like 8 dozen cookies......but I was good and had only 2 small cookies. Made 2 dozen of the cookies last night and put the rest of the dough in the fridge for later in the week. Spent a good portion of my day yesterday relaxing. Did get my workout in though!!!

Today, I got up and made a "Cracker Barrel" breakfast at home: eggs, turkey bacon, potatoes, biscuits and sausage gravy (for hubby (and totally from a can))....My family was impressed. I am not known to get up and make breakfast, its normally "Hey kid, you know where the cereal is, don't ya?!"

Then it was off to Home Depot for the rest of the paint. Hubby is painting, and I am getting ready to help Carlie  clean her room (for the umpteenth time!!). Gonna get my workout in today as well. Am worried about my workout tomorow, as I want to start C25K, but we are having a frigging winter weather advisory (its the end of April, darn it). May have to adjust and do indoors, walking laps around the pool table.

Oh well. Cleaning calls. No, not really....lol


ttnf

Fabulous Foto Friday

Today was a great day. After carting my kids to school, hubby and I went to breakfast. I ate good....well as good as you can eat when out!! Then I came home, did my workout (1/2 hour on the stationary bike) then caught up on TV and my sleep. Got ready for work and due to census being low, I was not on the schedule.....good for me tonight, but not so good on payday......

After I came home, hubby and I went to Lowes and Home Depot for ideas for our home, and picked up some paint for the main floor. Walked around the stored for about 2 hours. Came home and attempted to work out again but my legs were way too sore. Oh well. Tomorrow is another day.

Here is my progress thus far, although this is kinda hard to gauge without "starting" photos

Thankful Thursday

Life was good today. Woke up with a lot of energy. Ate a good healthy breakfast and lunch. Worked out and am feeling stronger everyday. My clothes are feeling a bit looser as well!!!!

Had a good day at work. One of my resident's family member brought in pizza for us, uh oh, but I had 1 small slice and filled up on salad.

Ok, so every Thursday I will list what I am thankful for

Ok, so obviously, I am thankful for my freedom, my family, my job, my home

But beyond that today I am thankful for my kids, they bring joy to my life and brighten my day. Believe me, they are not perfect, by any means, but they are good kids.

ttfn........

Day 3.....going strong

Today I did my 1/2 hour on the stationary bike. Hope next week is gonna be nice weather as I plan to start C25K (couch to 5K)....and I do not have a treadmill to work with. Now you guys who know how much i *LOVE* to run, (not a hint of sarcasm there) know what a big deal this will be. Me and hubby are thinking of doing a 5K next October.....we shall see.

Eating ok today, although my evil BIL left a late Easter basket for my kids today and I had a Reeses egg for breakfast *hides*.....BUT will eat much better for the rest of the day.

It is my goal to chronicle at LEAST 30 days of my weight loss, so get ready to hear from me a LOT!!!

Day 2

I really had to push myself today. After all the "whining" I did yesterday, I had to prove to myself that I could make me do what I had to today. Ate good for breakfast and lunch.....slimfast shake and turkey roll up. For dinner, I knew we were having BW3 (wings) for dinner due to Nick's fundraising dinner, so I watched my calories earlier in the day. Had some boneless wings and popcorn shrimp. And I came home and did 30 minutes on the stationary bike. Feeling good. Gonna be totally transparent. My weight this week is 166.2...next week I want to be 164.0...... I will do it, moving forward everyday......

Master.....of self sabotauge

Why, why, why do I keep doing this to myself??? I start off so strong, lose weight, then bam......I fall off the wagon. Its getting pretty pathetic how this occurs with regularity. I get to the point where I start having self doubt the moment I begin (for the umpteenish time) losing weight. I get that little voice that tells me I really can't do it. I may have shared this in the past, but growing up, I was a skinny kid. Long skinny limbs. Even after the birth of my first 2 children, I still was down to my pre-pregnancy weight in no time at all. I was the girl who could eat anything and not have it affect her. And exercise?? Yeah, I would work out here and there, but not with any regularity. A year or so before becoming pregnant with my 3rd child, I started noticing a little weight creeping on. I attributed it to my sedentary job and I started watching what I ate a little better and at that point I started working out with a little more regularity. After the birth of my 3rd child, I have yo-yo'd with my weight. I have gained and lost the same 15 lbs for years now. I am now at the heaviest weight that I have been in my life.....more than when I was fully pregnant with my son who was 9 lbs 4 oz. And it sucks. I have a closet full of clothes that I cant wear. My self esteem has taken a nose dive, and does so especially when I go off course. I need to really make myself accountable. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. Today I did 30 minutes on the stationary bike and could hardly handle it.....2 weeks ago I was doing an hour easily.....hate how easily I get out of shape. Please, if you took the time to read this, please try to keep me accountable. My goal for this week is to work out 5x week at least 1/2 hour per session. Ask me if I worked out. Obviously I cant keep myself motivated. I even made a Ilist of rewards for myself at certain mini goals (this was about 6 weeks ago.....I was almost at 10 lbs lost, then I gained it back over the holiday). I really need to just stick with it. No excuses. Plenty of people are tired and they still get up and work out. Plenty of people have kids and find time to work out. Plenty of people work full time and off shifts and still prepare healthy nutritious dinners. NO MORE EXCUSES My goal next Monday is to be down 1.5 lbs......... I WILL DO IT

its been awhile

I have pretty much been on a renewed mission since January to really watch what I eat and work out. In those 2 months, I have lost 9.1 lbs.!!!!

YEAH ME!!!!!!

So, I am almost at my first mini goal, which is -10 lbs. At -10 lbs I am getting a mani/pedi. So within a week I should be there.

I am feeling a LOT better, am breathing better and notice my clothes fitting better. I need to start tracking my inches lost as well.

At 10 lbs lost I will post a picture of my progress