day 151 (day 4 / week 22)

Today was a late day for exercise, but I was able to get my hubby to come with me :). We walked slower than I usually do when I take the Monkey Boy walking, but I was happy to have him with me :). We walked a total of 3.36 miles, in 2 batches. The first was 2.30 miles in 45 minutes, and then on the way home, we went a different way which was exactly 1 mile and it took us 25 minutes.

There is a water park that we walked to today--it's a kiddie park and it has this section that has water squirting out of the sidewalk and it has rain falls and such squirting out of these really big upside down fish hook looking things. It's not like a typical water park that you (I) normally think of with "water park" (like wet-n-wild) but a park with water stuff :). We probably could have taken 5 minutes off of our route, both ways, because of the traffic lights that we had to wait for, but it's all good :). I'm just so happy that my hubby came with me, and that our son had fun, although it took him a good 1/2 hr to not run away from water spray lol.

I can't wait to go again :). This time I will come better prepared for fun in the water lol.

I hope everyone has a great weekend :).

Make it count!

I can do this. I am a star.

day 150 (day 3 / week 22)

Today is a (non)rest day. I started to do Slim in 6 (Start it up) and decided to just do the intro, over and over again. I counted each segment 10 times then did the whole circuit. Then counted 20, then 30 and so forth, for each segment for 20 minutes. I'm surprised that just a "warm up" could get me pretty sweaty. Maybe it's just a warm up if you only do it twice through like Debbie Siebers does :). It's hard to explain what the intro is, so I will count it as low intensity cardio. It's a lot of knee lifts/arm raises, horizontal bicep curls/1/2 squats, triceps kickbacks/ham flexes, pectoral flies/steps--really hard to describe if you aren't familiar with Slim in 6.

Anyway, I did 20 minutes of that, and anticipating a lot of walking today. If I don't do as much walking as I think, then I am satisfied with the 20 minutes of low intensity/impact cardio.

I am extremely excited about school! I am finally taking the steps I need to go back and finish college. I printed out all of my unofficial transcripts and am only 3-4 classes (in Nevada) away from getting my AGS (Associate of General Studies Degree), which is the most generic Associates Degree someone can get! Changing my major multiple times will finally pay off somewhere lol! I also decided that when I go back to college (hopefully sometime this year) that I am going to take another physical education class, so that I won't have the excuse not to exercise. I will be scheduling it in, and making specific time for it plus I will have gym equipment, without the gym price! I am taking this blog and my new years resolution very seriously, so I do not plan to miss 1 single day of exercise, or cheat either (like count walking from class to class as exercise--total cop out!). I think this will be my best bet, but it's too soon to tell what exactly will happen (especially if I start working soon) but it sounds like a good plan :).

Hope you all have a great weekend! Make it count!

I can do this. I am a star.

day 149 (day 2 / week 22)

Today I did a total of 64 minutes of exercise--speed walking 2.20 miles in 34 minute and 30 minutes of circuit training all of this:

Crunches with Twist	2 sets	15 reps
Seated Dumbbell Concentration Curls	2	15
Standing Abduction	2	15
Standing Adduction	2	15
Seated Dumbbell Triceps Extensions	2	15
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press	2	15
Modified Pushups	2	15
Back Extension	2	15

At the beginning of the week, I mentioned my "swollen" left ankle. Well, it's still "swollen" so I don't think it has anything to do with the jogging. In fact, I don't think it's swollen at all, I think that my left ankle is just a little fatter than my right. lol. I guess it's has always been this way, and I just didn't notice until this week. :) (maybe I should start measuring my ankles to see if they are getting thinner too lol).

On my walk today, I tried to jog a little, but my knees would not cooperate. I probably need to start over again, although someone told a friend of mine said that jogging was like riding a bike--it's easy to get back into after time away. I think she is skeptical, and so am I. I will just take it slow, again. :)

It's Friday! (just in case you live under a rock but have internet access) I am so glad I exercised early. Now I have the whole day to not think about it!

Make today count, it's so worth it!

I can do this. I am a star. who can't stop thinking about all the yummies that Erin has been baking lately

day 148 (day 1 / week 22)

Today I stayed home to exercise again. I did Slim in 6's Ramp It Up (48 minutes) again. My tummy is still trying to recover from those sugar free coconut chocolate things I had the other night. It was a party and everyone was eating pie and ice cream, and I chose to have 3 of those sugar free candy things for 200 calories--it hit the spot, but I probably wont have any ever again lol.

I really like Slim in 6. You guys know this though :). Between the cardio, yoga and strength training with the resistance bands, I feel like I get a good workout. There are squats, lunges, push ups and all sorts of slimming goodness in just 48 minutes.

For the last few weeks I have been tweaking with my calories. Sparkpeople has me eating 1200 calories everyday along with my exercise. I realized that when I eat 1200 calories a day, I stay at a stand still with my weight. This small delay tells me that I'm not eating enough. I added another 100-150 calories to that (still staying in my calorie range that sparkpeople gives me), and my body reacts to it better. I find this fascinating. Exercise/diet misconceptions say that the less you eat, the more you will gain weight. Very NOT true. I learned this in school and have read articles about this over the years (including recently on sparkpeople), so if paraphrasing isn't accurate enough, please don't bark at me. I am not a professional! This is what sparkpeople has to say about it:

The SparkPeople program will NOT allow any female to eat less than 1,200 calories daily or any male to eat less than 1,500 calories daily.

When calories drop too low (usually below 1,200 calories for women and 1,500 calories for men), your body’s protection mechanism switches on because the body thinks it is starving. In order to conserve energy, the body lowers your metabolism and you will not burn calories as quickly. This results in a slower weight loss rate, or sometimes prohibits any weight loss from occurring.

At SparkPeople we call this “Starvation Mode”. When your caloric intake falls below these levels, it is also extremely difficult to obtain all the nutrients that your body needs for health and survival. These very low calorie intakes can also lead to other health problems such as eating disorders, gout, gallstones, and heart complications.

Your body, our bodies go into starvation mode, when we don't eat enough, and it starts storing, instead of burning thanks to our ancestor, Captain Caveman. They never had a guaranteed meal so their bodies had to adapt to that. I guess we still have this gene. Anyway, make sure you are eating enough! Eating too little on your weight loss journey can hinder your results! Sparkpeople provides and actually incorporates the formula into your account so that you are getting the estimated correct amount of calories to your lifestyle. You can even go in and see the formula, and do it yourself (I did!). Maybe I'll post the formula here someday so you guys can do it too :).

I can't believe it's almost Friday. Time is flying by waay too fast, so I am glad that I am not sitting here, saying "I'll exercise tomorrow." Tomorrow is gone, and today will be soon. Make it count!

I can do this. I am a star.

day 147 (day 7 / week 21)

Today I woke up early to go for my walk, but decided to stay at home and do 44/48 minutes from Slim in 6's Ramp It Up. I also did some more strength training (see below). I ate something a few days ago that my stomach didn't agree with and for the last few days, I have been paying for it. They sure are super yummy, but really did a number on me! I decided to trust my instincts again today (and the sound of my stomach lol) and just stay close to home.

My workout was really great and I wasn't able to finish the last 4 minutes of yoga because my son was just so darn funny and wouldn't stop what he was doing. Debbie Siebers said "downward dog" and when Logan heard that, he immediately crawled underneath me and through my arms, barking! I laughed and so that instigated for more. He is such a riot--he ALWAYS makes me laugh...funny kid.

This is the strength training I did today:

Crunches with a twist -- 2 sets / 15 reps
Reverse crunch -- 2 sets / 15 reps
Low Mount Seated Rows with Band -- 2 sets / 15 reps
Seated Dumbbell Concentration Curls -- 2 sets / 15 reps
Squats -- 2 sets / 15 reps
Forward Lunges -- 2 sets / 15 reps
Overhead Tricep Extension -- 2 sets / 15 reps
Seated Dumbell Overhead Press -- 2 sets / 15 reps

I heart strength training. It's a very empowering feeling to work your muscles to fatigue and see them getting stronger. Then you get to go flex them guns and muscles in the mirror! *flex*

Jim Carrey as Vera De Milo

Hope you guys have a great day! My husband's "Gram" (Oma to our son) is in town. She and her hubby, "Papa" (Opa) is moving back to Las Vegas from Texas and I'm so excited! She is so much fun and my son loves them both so much. I'm glad that he will get to know them growing up, and that I will get to know them better as well :).

Make today count!

I can do this. I am a star!
*Vera De Milo muscle flex*

day 146 (day 6 / week 21)

Today I walked with the Monkey Boy 2.5 miles in 45 minutes. I figure since I am not going to be jogging, I will just do my speed walking with my son, since he enjoys being in his stroller outside. I didn't go as fast today as I did yesterday, but it's all good :).

I didn't mention it yesterday, but when I was walking down the street where that house is (that I posted a pic of a few days ago), there were broken beer bottles all along the sidewalk and cigarettes, like people had just been there. As I was approaching that short broken part of the wall, I heard voices in the backyard, and they stopped talking, when I walked by and as I was leaving, I could hear them walking to the wall. It was like a mad dash for Flamingo for me, because if anything were to happen on that road, I don't think anyone would know for a while, especially if I didn't have my phone. Flamingo is super populated, so I feel much safer there. That entire road is just quiet, with back to back high walls (peoples backyards) and it's not that busy. It looks like an okay neighborhood but you never know with people--especially with all of the foreclosure homes in the area, the "gangs" (could be teenagers, whatever) have really had a ball with the houses. The last time I lived here in Vegas, I realized that most people here would rather not get involved with something, than to help. I know not all people are that way (I'm definitely not) but it's better to be safe than sorry. Hearing those voices and them approaching the wall really scared me. That's not the first time that I felt bad vibes on that road. Total wake-up call! Always listen to your instincts! That's what God gave them to us for :).

So today I decided to play it safe, and stayed in the well populated areas especially since my son was with me. I am going to change my walking/jogging route from now on, to make sure that I am never on a road like that, despite the area, just because you never know. My new 2 mile route is now 2.5 miles, and it's much prettier. I'll talk pictures someday so you can see what I see :).

I can't believe it's almost the end of the month again! I don't think I have made as much progress as I did in the past few months, but at least I'm still making progress! :) I've also made progress with physical agility and stamina--things that I haven't really been keeping track of like the measurements, but I know I have improved with.

Hope you all have a great day! Make it count!

I can do this. I am a star.

day 145 (day 5 / week 21)

Today I did about 50 minutes of exercising that included a 2 mile power walk and circuit training with my strength training, to keep my HR elevated.

I came to the conclusion today, after pretty much power walking my 2 mile route, that I don't really jog any faster than I walk lol. I can jog/walk 2 miles in 30 minutes, and I power walked pretty much the entire thing today in 33 minutes. lol! I feel like I need to be really careful with my problem foot/ankle (the left one) because it has been swelling a lot lately--even when I'm not exercising, and it stays swollen all throughout the day, even if I keep it elevated. I can't remember, honestly, if it's always been this way and I just haven't noticed it until now, or if it's a new thing. Maybe my left ankle just has more fat on it than my right...lol (that's not unheard of!). It doesn't hurt, so that's a good thing. I think I am going to slow things down a notch...don't get me wrong, I love this new liberating feeling and goal for jogging, but I think it would be best for my physical health if I just power walked, instead of trying to jog all the time--at least until my ankle stops swelling on a regular basis. I will see how things go in the next week, and see if anything changes. I'm fine with this, seeing that I walk just as fast as I jog (lol that is so funny to me!) and it feels A LOT better on my feet/ankles when I just walk, instead of jogging. I have the rest of my life to jog! No hurry :).

Today this is what I did for my strength training:

Crunches with a twist -- 2 sets / 15 reps
Back extension -- 2 sets / 15 reps
One-arm dumbbell rows -- 2 sets / 15 reps
seated dumbbell concentration curls -- 2 sets / 15 reps
lying adduction -- 2 sets / 15 reps
standing adduction -- 2 sets / 15 reps
overhead tricep extension -- 2 sets / 15 reps (manually entered, so no link for this one)

Ok well I'm off to eat some breakfast and start the day! I hope you all have a great Monday, if you are off or not. Make it count! ;)

I can do this. I am a star.

day 144 (day 4 / week 21)

Today I feel *blah.* I feel completely and totally lazy, and I feel like I could sleep all day, if my hubby and son would let me lol. The funny part of this is that I got in my 8 hours of sleep last night.

I might have overdone it yesterday, with the 3 miles and then mowing the lawn with that crapola push mower--too much time in the sun really conks me out, my ankle is a little sore and my hands hurt from the mower (darn blisters). I've always had allergies to the sun, so this just one of those many perks living in Vegas (sometimes I even get hives!).

Today I did close to 45 minutes of exercise, but I am calling this a (non) rest day, because it was very low intensity. I did Slim & 6pack, Slim & Limber (both from Slim in 6) and Ab Jam from Turbo Jam.

I'm glad I did something. Something is better than nothing.

Today my hubby wants to go to Bonnie Springs, an old Wild West town (replica of the 1880's) that has a petting zoo, and stuff that Logan will really enjoy, but we'll see. These things can get expensive when you factor in food, the entrance and stuff. Cute idea though! :). We just want to get out of the house--but it's too hot to go outside! (lolol)

Have a marvelous Sunday! Make it count!

I can do this. I am a star.

day 143 (day 3 / week 21)

I'm so proud of myself. Today I went for a walk/jog, but I went on my 3.18 mile route (according to sparkpeople's fitness map tracker), that I usually power walk with the Monkey Boy. I was able to complete the entire thing in under 50 minutes (48 to be exact) taking 12 minutes off of my normal time...but I didn't have a monkey boy or a stroller this time and I jogged some of it (although very slowly).

I am definitely able to jog for longer periods now. Today I didn't focus on running for a given amount of time, but I would make visual goals--run to the bus stop, run to the tree around the bend, etc. I am taking it really slow, being careful not to go fast, but to mind my form, and make sure that my feet are landing properly, that I'm not slouching, my pelvis is slightly tilted forward, that my stomach is tight and I am engaging my muscles. This all sounds a lot easier than it is, coming from the girl that trips over air when chewing gum. Man! mental coordination mixed with physical, is hard for me! lol.

I don't have a picture from my bowl from last night, but I think I will have it in a few weeks--it needs to be fired and all of that good stuff.

Hope you all have a relaxed weekend!

Oh! One more thing that I have been meaning to share. When I started trying to jog about a week ago, I became aware of something that I am constantly reminded of, and it gives me HUGE strength, confidence and faith that I can do this. I took a picture of it:


His word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105). God is the strength under my feet, He guides my way and supports every step I take. I just thought that was so awesome, and IS so awesome that I am continually reminded of that, because of the cross on the sole of each of my shoes. :) :) :).

On a different note, (not taking anything away from what I just said), but aren't my new running shoes cute? lol

Make today count! It's so worth it!

I can do this. I am a star.

UPDATE: I just got finished mowing a REALLY long lawn (unfortunately ours) with a push mower! 45 minutes burning roughly 385 calories (according to sparkpeople). :) :)

day 142 (day 2 / week 21)

Today is my strength training day (from sparkpeople) so I decided to exercise at home instead of walking with Logan (which I might do later anyway) or jog/walking by myself.

I did Turbo Jam's 20 Minute Workout and Ab Jam for my cardio, and this for my strength training (using a 5# hand weight):

Crunches with a twist -- 2 sets / 15 reps
Back extension -- 2 sets / 15 reps
One-arm dumbbell rows -- 2 sets / 15 reps
seated dumbbell concentration curls -- 2 sets / 15 reps
lying adduction -- 2 sets / 15 reps
standing adduction -- 2 sets / 15 reps

I did a little math yesterday and am excited! I am losing on average about 1 lb a week, so by the time Jan 1, 2010 rolls around, I should be around the 160's! That is amazing to me because it will be a total of 80 lbs that I have lost total. When I reach 190 lbs (I'm 5 lbs away!!), I will have lost a total of 50 lbs since Jan 2007 but 25 lbs of it will be lost from Jan 1, 2009--the start of this blog. Hope that's not confusing! I don't really count my weight loss before this blog, because that was in the past, and I am trying to move forward. Besides, it doesn't seem fair to my blog to count that lol (cause I didn't lose it in 2009). :)

Hope everyone has an awesome 3 day weekend! My MIL signed us up to do some artsy stuff at church tonight, so I'm excited! I think I will be painting a bowl so my mind is busy thinking of all the stuff I can do with it (I'm an abstract kinda gal :)). Spending time with my MIL, using God given talents, with other like minded people, in His presence, is such a blessing! I can't believe He chose me to be the artsy-fartsy type! He has blessed me with so many talents, it's just amazing to me :). I wish I could find a job doing something artistic...a gal can dream! I'll post a picture of it tomorrow, when it's done! Should be lots of fun! :) :)

Make today count!

I can do this. I am a star.

day 141 (day 1 / week 21)

Today I woke up early again, but decided to take Logan with me again for another power walk. We went for a 3 mile walk (3.27 miles to be exact) and I finished in a little over 60 minutes. I probably could have finished sooner, but Logan and I were playing through his little "peek a boo" window on his stroller visor, and I stopped to take a picture with my phone, of a house that had been vandalized in the backyard (the only house on the street with a low wall).

My heart rate stayed between 130-142 for an hour, for the most part, so this isn't too bad of a workout :). I'm excited because I am seeing my weight drop (195.6 this morning!!!) and my semi-fat clothes are starting to fit looser :) :) :).

I have finally drilled in my head that "food is for fuel--not friends, fun or feelings." This really helped me to change my eating habits permanently. I guess I just needed to hear it in a certain way, ya know? I can't remember where I read this originally, but I have been trying to make it a mantra since and it's starting to become one.

I am one happy mama! :) :)

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thursday! Make it count!

I can do this. I am a star!

day 140 (day 7 / week 20)

Yesterday after I exercised, I got ready for a Job Fair that they had here in Las Vegas. I dropped my son off at his Papa's house, went to the Job Fair, and then came back to pick him up (about 2 hours). I stayed for a while and told Papa about the Job Fair (I promise this story has a purpose!) then gathered all of my stuff (I had picked up a lot of junk there lol) and headed home. A few hours later, my hubby came home, and that's when I realized I left my phone at Papa's house. It was too late to drive there to pick it up--it's about an hour in the car, round trip.

Today I wanted to go jogging again, but my hubby let me sleep in. I woke up when I wanted to have my foot out the door. It's a love hate relationship--I appreciate that he lets me sleep in, but I don't want to! If I plug my alarm clock in, I have a hard time sleeping throughout the night, because the light keeps me awake (I'm kind of a light sleeper), so he has agreed to be my alarm clock, but I think the batteries are dying. Waah. lol. Anyway we talked about it and I said, "No big deal, I'll just go and I'll be back a few minutes after you leave at the most," and he can call me when he's about to leave, to see where I am. We couldn't do this, because I don't have my phone. YARR!

I decided to just not go, but it was eating away at me, because I really WANTED to go. I'm bored with my videos. I feel all cooped up in the house, now that I have had a taste of exercising outside. I woke my son up early (he sleeps until I wake him--am I the luckiest gal, or what?), plopped him in the stroller and decided to try to jog with him in the stroller. I kept stepping on the brake stopper thing lol. Didn't work, so I walked the 2 miles today in 40 minutes.

I came home and did the strength training, that Sparkpeople assigned for me to do today:

Crunches with Twist	2	12-15
Back Extension	2	12-15
One-Arm Dumbbell Rows	2	12-15
Seated Dumbbell Concentration Curls	2	12-15
Lying Adduction	2	12-15
Standing Adduction	2	12-15

I think all things considered, I got a pretty good workout today. I didn't jog, but that's okay because I still got out there and did something :).

Sorry for the rambling today. Off to Papa's house to pick up my phone, now that he is awake!

Hope you all have a good day today. I can't believe it's already Wednesday!

Make it count :).

I can do this. I am a star.

day 139 (day 6 / week 20)

I am so proud of myself! I woke up at 6am and had eaten some yogurt, drank some water, gotten dressed and was ready to go jogging by 6:30, so that I could make sure that I was home before my hubby left for work at 7:15.

I stretched outside a little bit and left my driveway at 6:46am. I jogged for 1 minute, and walked for 1 minute, keeping my heart rate between 150-160 (walking) and 160-170 (jogging). I stepped foot back into my driveway at 7:16am, so I did 2-15 minute miles!

I tried to be mindful of my form, although I still haven't been able to get my grubby hands on a ChiRunning video yet. I've just seen some snip-its from youtube, but it's hard I think without someone helping me. I'll get it down soon enough. When I felt like I wasn't pain free, I would stop and just walk--luckily enough, I felt good today! There weren't any barking ants following me this time either, or the last time I jogged, but lemme tell ya, they were everywhere the first day though...(lol).

When I got home I stretched really well. I put on my 15 minute stretching video, Slim & Limber (Slim in 6) and it felt GREAT. After I stretched I grabbed my hand weights and did 2 sets of 2o arm curls, 2 set of 20 over head press, and 2 set of 20 one-arm dumbbell rows (back/shoulder and bicep day) with my 5# hand weights.

It feels like a real sense of accomplishment to try to do this. Knowing that someday in the next few months, I will be able to run this whole thing, really motivates me! Heck, 5 months ago I couldn't do a jumping jack or jog in place. Today I jogged for at least 15 minutes--outside, in public, no less!

My MIL really blessed me by buying me these shoes for mother's day also. They have really helped me to step up to the next fitness level. They are actual Nike Running shoes (Nike Run) so they are made for what I'm doing (I would love to go get fitted for some running shoes someday, but we just can't afford it right now), AND they cute on top of it--black and silver with a pink logo :).

Anyway enough of that. Gotta go jump in the shower and start the day!

Hope you all have a great one! Make it count!

I can do this. I am a star!

day 138 (day 5 / week 20)

I can't believe it's Monday again. My weekends usually go by pretty slowly because I procrastinate with exercise with my hubby around. I went jogging first thing in the morning, so the day's just flew by.

I love this new found strength that I have found with getting outside and making a big effort to jog (although I do power-walk a big portion of the time). I decided today, though, to take it easy, and give my body a rest, to see if it has anything to say about this new high impact exercise (compared to what I have been doing). I did Slim in 6's Slim & 6pack and Slim & Limber, and will probably go for a long walk with Logan today, to see where this road goes to that I have been turning off of for the past 2 days.

Yesterday Ellie mentioned a few things for me to check out in regards to running again, and I am so excited about one in particular--ChiRunning. It's a philosophy that my previous running partner used to talk about a lot, but I never knew the name of. Reading about it yesterday brought a flood of memories back.

ChiRunning.com explains more to give you an idea of what ChiRunning is:

ChiRunning combines the inner focus and flow of T'ai Chi with the power and energy of running to create a revolutionary running form and philosophy that takes the pounding, pain, and potential damage out of the sport of running. The ChiRunning program increases mental clarity and focus, enhances the joy of running, and turns running into a safe and effective lifelong program for health, fitness, and well-being.

I went to youtube and watched a few videos from people that swear by this technique and philosophy and I am excited! I am going to take it one day at a time and not push too hard to avoid injuries. Once I get the form/technique down, and have it down, I will start running really slow, to practice and practice that. Then I will focus on some of the training aspects for a new runner that Ellie also mentioned from CoolRunning.com, and apply ChiRunning to that. There is a whole section just for new runners, including the couch-to-5k running plan.

I feel so blessed that you guys are out there cheering for me and helping me with this goal! I have learned so much through you guys and I wish I could just give you all a hug! I'm just so excited with all of the potential I see, and it's because of you guys and your support (and of course our Saviour!).

I will update my labels to reflect the other exercises I do today. Yesterday I did some general swimming for about 20 minutes, so I am just going to add that to today's labels (it's easier for me).

Hope you all have a great day! Make it count!

I can do this. I am a star!

day 137 (day 4 / week 20)

Yaay! I went jogging again today! I'm a joggin' fool! Yesterday we drove my route and it is 2 miles exactly in the car (plus some change on foot). Woo hoo! 2 miles!! (not 1 block lol *happy dance*). As soon as I stepped foot into my driveway, I did a little gardening, since I was there, and since it's not 100F+ yet (it's supposed to get hot today). I jogged/walked for 35 minutes and played in dirt for 25 minutes. I planted some bright pink vincas and yellow, pink and red celosias (just like the picture!) :). So purty!

Yesterday I started out slowly as a few of you suggested to prevent injuries, and today I tried to work a little harder. I don't want to push myself too hard (which is easy to do for me), because I don't want to keep myself from being able to exercise another day (as you guys also suggested). My heartrate monitor is inaccurate and totally douchy, I can't rely on that, so I went by my time. I know my distance is constant. Yesterday I did 2 miles in 45 minutes, jogging and walking. I could only jog for 30 seconds (on average) at a time. Today I was able to jog for 1-2 minutes at a time and took 10 minutes off of my total time! Yaay!

I really have to focus on my stride, and making sure that my body weight is balanced and centered, so that I don't hurt my knees and ankles (or look like Pheobe from Friends running lol). A long time ago when I first started running, my running partner told me to make sure to place my feet directly underneath me when I run, to prevent injury and so I did that too (it used to help me back in the day). When I wasn't focusing on these things, I felt wobbly (like Pheobe) and felt like my left ankle and knee hurt a little. I tried to focus on my leg muscles pushing also. *shrugs*

Fun story...when I was gardening, my hubby kept messing with the hose (men need to feel like they are useful outside--well mine does...j/k *wink*) and he broke the nozzle on the hose and BLASTED me with water lol (accidentally). It was quite funny but he was annoyed that his new nozzle broke (his fault for messing with it! lol). It felt good, I was hot :).

Hope you all have a great day! I am going to a 3 year old's birthday party! We bought him a bath blizzard, because he likes a few bubbles in his bath. Make today count!

I can do this. I am a star.

day 136 (day 3 / week 20)

Let me tell you a tale, a smelly tale, about an ambitious semi-fat girl. She set out on an adventure to lose her butt and instead got lost herself. As she found her way home she sounded the trumpets the entire time--rest assured the dogs knew she was there.

none of that makes sense. lol. it sounded better in my head. oh well :).

Well I did it! A semi-fat girl (myself) who hasn't run in a VERY long time, ran (well jogged)! I didn't get very far, but I tried it, and now I know what I'm capable of (not a whole lot lol).

I set out to walk/jog for 30 minutes, and it turned into 45 minutes. Not bad for a big girl! I started off jogging and made it to the end of our street before stopping--lungs burning, heart pounding--man that was tough. I caught my breath and then kept going. I would walk as fast as I could (HR around 135-140) and then I would jog for 10-15 seconds, and then speed walk again. Toward the end it was getting easier to jog for longer periods of time--30 seconds and more. The last lick I jogged was for over a minute, which isn't bad at all considering I haven't ran in YEARS! The best part was that every time I went to jog (like took a running step), the trumpets would sound, and all the dogs in the area would start barking. I was laughing so hard--it was just so funny to me. Every time I tried to jog I would fart and it was almost with every step. You could hear it echoing between the walls (which is why so many dogs would bark)! TMI but it was funny for me :). My son and hubby would have been right there laughing just as hard as I was. lol.

I got lost. lol. No, not lost...I think I just didn't know where I was (lol, yes that's the definition of lost)--it's a new neighborhood, but I knew I would find my way home, so I don't consider that "lost." I had a plan, and was going up this r.e.a.l.l.y loonog street and then I thought I saw a school and I was hoping it would be a High School, so I could go onto their track, but it was just a stupid park. I walked and walked this different way, for what I thought was great distances, because I was speed walking, ya know, and then I found a street that sounded familiar. So, I took a right and I walked down that one and it took me to Flamingo where I took another right, and found myself literally 1 street away from mine! *grumble* I need to get in my car now and drive what I walked/jogged to see how far I went, cause I know that I didn't just go around the block lol. . That's what it seemed like though, coming off of that street lol.

I worked my butt off today. I am dripping sweat! My HR monitor acted lame, when I was jogging, it said my HR was 52. pssht. then when I finished jogging it said it was 124 but I felt like I was going to push out a lung, I was breathing so hard. *shrugs*

At least I did what I said I was going to do. I jogged! Not very far or very much, but I did it! yaay!

Hope you all have a great weekend! Make it count :)

I can do this. I am a star!

UPDATE: So I clocked it and it was exactly 2 miles, that I jogged/walked today :). My first running goal will be to do the whole thing jogging, and not having to stop! Yaay!

day 135 (day 2 / week 20)

Today I started off my workout (Ramp It up from Slim in 6) with the word of the day, from yesterday, resonating in my mind....boredom. If I think I'm going to be bored with my workout, then I'm going to be bored with my workout. Why am I letting myself be self defeating? I am a star! I can do this and have been doing this! I know I can do this!

With that attitude in mind, I didn't focus on the workout anymore, but on my body. My muscles. My movement. My breathing. The task at hand. I just closed my eyes and focused. You'll be surprised with what you can accomplish when you approach every task with this kind of focus. Before I knew it, I had done every single second of Ramp It Up, as if I had been doing it for a month straight...including those tedious leg lifts! I did EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM--IN A ROW! I definitely felt the burn, but that burn just made me focus even more!

The moment I decided to let go of the workout and focus on my body, my entire focus of the workout changed. I am no longer thinking about the mundane and monotonous workout--the time that it takes to complete it, but that the more I do this, the stronger I am going to get.

A friend of mine that lives next door to my in-laws here in Vegas, runs every Saturday morning with her "running group." When we first moved here and she saw that I had been losing weight, she asked me if I wanted to go running with her. First I thought, "wow that would be a great way to lose this weight faster" but then reality set in and I kind of chuckled in the back of my head thinking, "that's a good one, a fat girl 'running.'" But instead of saying "no," I said, "when I have a pair of running shoes that fit me w/out causing pain, I will go running with you," knowing fully well that that wasn't going to happen. I think it was the next weekend that my MIL bought me these shoes (I love them so much!).

I saw my friend the week after I got these shoes and I was still on the high from being able to fit in these shoes, that I mentioned to her that I had them now. Well she invited me then. The idea of going to run, is more exhilarating to me at this point, than doing it. I am scared! She said she would email me some information and we left it at that.

Two days ago I got that information and it's been gnawing at the nape of my neck ever since. When it was just the thought of her and I running, I was ok with it. Now she has a runner friend coming too! They want to run 5 miles for 2 hours. How on earth am I supposed to do this??? I have not ran a single step in a VERY long time--at least 5 years. I used to run all the time when I was fit, but I had some problems with my foot, that I am afraid will come back to haunt me.

All of this went through my mind as I found my focus in my workout today. How will I ever become a "runner" and get into the best shape of my life, if I don't just do it? My friend knows that I am overweight (duh it's obvious lol) and she knows that I will probably not be able to run like her and her friend. She knows she will probably have to stop for me a million times, and she still wants me to come (I think, lol). What's the worst that will happen? I go and all of this happens--I'll stop, my foot will hurt, I will have to walk, I'll slow them down, annoy her friend, yadda-yadda-yadda. No the worst thing that would happen, is that I think about it, and that's all that I do. "What if I went running with her?" "Would I have been able to do it?"

I think I'm going to do it. I woke up this morning planning my email to her, telling her why I couldn't do it. I will tell her exactly how I feel, and if she still wants me to go, I will. If she doesn't, then I will go running in my own neighborhood, by myself, just to see how I do. What's the worst that could happen? I find out that it's just not the right time for me yet, and I know, not assume, but actually know :).

It amazes me that when God sees us grabbing for the strength to do something, He gives it to us. We can do all things in Christ, who gives us the strength to do it! ALL THINGS. (Philippians 4:13).

I can do this. I am a star!

day 134 (day 1 / week 20)

Today I did Ramp It Up again (Slim in 6). It took me almost 2 hours to finish 48 minutes of exercise due to numerous interruptions. I guess I'll be doing this workout for 2-3 weeks, until I move onto Burn It up. I need to figure out how to trick my brain so that I don't get bored doing Slim in 6 for the next 6 weeks. (on a side note, my son is standing next to me watching me type this, and he laughs hysterically as soon as I type something *shrugs* 2 year olds will laugh at anything lol) Today is only day 2 of doing Slim in 6 again, and I can easily see myself getting bored. I'm sure I'll figure out someway to trick my brain into happily doing it--after all that's what I did to get myself to exercise for 20 weeks straight so far!

Yesterday I was never able to do Slim & Limber like I wanted to (when I am done here, I am going to fix my labels so that it's not accounted for). The monkey boy just never went down for a nap, making him a tiny terror for most of the day, so I wasn't able to get anymore alone time than to type my post. We did, however, go for a walk to the park down the street. It was nice because it was windy yesterday, but it was still close to 90F and the sun was so bright I ended up with a headache (I need to find a cute sun hat or something).

Today I want to do Slim & Limber and Slim & 6pack when he goes down for his nap, but I'm not going to hold my breath. If it happens, it happens, if not, oh well. We will probalby go for another walk as well.

I hope everyone has a great day. I can't believe tomorrow is Friday?!?! These days are going by a little too fast for me. Make it count!

I can do this. I am a star.

day 133 (day 7 / week 19)

This morning I did Slim in 6's, Ramp It Up (48 minutes) and sometime this afternoon I want to do, Slim & Limber (it's basically just 15 minutes of stretching).

Do you know how God helps women to forget just exactly how painful childbirth is, so that we will continue to have children? I don't know if that's for that exact reason, but I'm focusing mainly on the forgetting the pain part :). Like, we have an idea, and remember that it hurt horribly, but we--well, no one I have ever spoken with, and certainly not myself--can remember exactly how horrible the pain was (my epi didn't work correctly--I could feel everything on my right side).

Well, lol, just like in that instance (not really), God had me forget how much the leg lift/kick things hurt in this workout, so that I will come back to do it again. OMG I can't believe I forgot about those horrid things! I do remember now dreading the leg kick variation part, but wow. They truly truly suck, but I am going to have an awesome butt and legs for sticking to it. Man, I wish there was an epidural for that! (haha I'm j/k ;)).

My left pectoral muscles are pretty sore from yesterday's push-ups. Today I just pushed through them (I even did a "man" push-up!). If I'm sore tomorrow, I will not do the push-ups.

I wasn't able to finish the last few minutes of the workout which is just stretching anyway, because Logan decided to sit on my stomach while I was doing a full body stretch. He just about had a cow (bouncing up and down on my stomach) when I tried to get up and asked him nicely to move so that I could finish stretching. He must have gotten confused though and thought "get up" meant to lay his head on my shoulder (silly boy). All good :). I can't resist my baby doll's lovin' and I will just get a good stretch in this afternoon :).

I hope everyone has a great Wed. Can you believe it's Wednesday already?!?!?! Make it count! Before you know it, it will be Thursday! :)

I can do this. I am a star.

day 132 (day 6 / week 19)

So today I started the Slim in 6 series again. I did, "Start It Up!" (25 minutes) and planned on doing, "Slim & Limber" again, but did ",Slim & 6pack" instead (11 minutes). Going back to something that I have already done has great advantages. I can see how much I have gained from exercising everyday. I realized while I was exercising today, some of the things I can do now, that I couldn't do at all before or w/out some sort of a struggle:

1) push ups! (shedding 15 lbs helps!)
2) I can touch my toes with my legs straight and am A LOT more flexible :)
3) I can sit on my knees (resting my bottom on heels) (my legs were so big before that I couldn't do this--at all!)
4) I can do squats AND lunges! (15 lbs really does make a big difference!)
5) Lying on my back, I can pull my knees into my chest (like I'm hugging my knees)
6) I can stand with my legs together, knees together and have my feet also be together! (and do a squat at the same time w/out falling!)
7) I can kick AND I an jump--more than once in a row!

There are others, but I like the number 7 :) (I know, I know, #7 is really 2 points, but I'm allowed to make it 1 lol) . I am still a big girl, but exercising has given me my life back. I can do pretty much do anything that any average person can do--maybe more! (I say this just because I'm pretty sure that I exercise more than the "average" person). I couldn't say this before, and that is such a blessing.

So amazing!

Doing "Start It Up!" today really excited me. It's different from Turbo Jam, but I think it will help give some muscle definition. I think I might do Slim in 6 for 2 6week periods, and use my sculpting gloves from Turbo Jam, on the 2nd round (we will see).

I feel like I am moving onto a new level of exercise, and I have energy again!

On a side note...I think I might have developed an aspartame allergy and that's why I've been so tired, and have had so many headaches! I stopped using my protein/fiber water things, that I mentioned a few weeks ago (the South Beach Tide Me Over things that you mix in your water), and I feel much better!

I hope you all have a great day! I feel great and hope you do too! Make today count!

I can do this! I am a star!

day 131 (day 5 / week 19)

Today I did Turbo Jam's Cardio Party, but felt like I had to force myself to do every minute of it. I even skipped through a few minutes of it *gasp!* where I literally wanted to just sit down and watch. I don't know if I feel tired, but I'm a little sore from yesterday. I think I'm just bored with Turbo Jam now *gasp!*. Don't get me wrong, I truly <3 size="1">*gasp!*

It sounds ridiculous, and maybe boring for you guys, but I think I am going to do the Slim in 6 series over again--for another month. I had great results in the first month I started exercising, and I have no doubt (after yesterday's workout) that I will see great results again. It still blows my mind that I thought, "this is harder that what I have been doing," when I was doing "Start It Up!" yesterday, because it used to be REALLY easy for me to do when I was doing Slim in 6 often.

So that does it, tomorrow I will start Slim in 6 again. Maybe I will feel more energy due to a lack of boredom. I will definitely have to bring my own music into the mix though, cause going from club music in Turbo Jam, to elevator music in Slim in 6, is music shock (kind of like culture shock, but with music lol). We'll see what tomorrow brings!

I hope you all have a great Monday. Before we know it, it will be Friday again, so make today count! The day's fly by so fast if we don't stop to smell the flowers!

I can do this. I am a star.

day 130 (day 4 / week 19)

Today I tried to switch it up a little... ok. I lied. I actually just didn't want to do "punch, kick and jam" so I did 40 minutes of something else, to get out of the 48 minutes of PK&J (such a dork! lol should have just done the 48 minutes).

I decided to pop in my old friend, Slim in 6, today. I did the first one, "Start It Up!" and Slim & Limber. Wow! I thought it would be a breeze because I started out my resolution doing Slim in 6, and I felt that I had mastered it--after all, I could get through the toughest workout without a blink. Man, it was tough! It's A LOT different from Turbo Jam, but I knew this. Slim in 6 is more Calisthenics (squats, lunges, plies, push-ups--utilizing our body weight) and Turbo Jam is like aerobic/kickboxing/dancing. Turbo Jam is definitely a lot funner :). I'm sure I will feel today's workout tomorrow with all of the lunges and squats I did. My knees really don't like Slim in 6 lol. They really don't. lol.

Anyway, off to go help my friend move and spend some time with family!

Hope you all have a Happy Mother's Day!

I can do this. I am a star.

day 129 (day 3 / week 19)

Well I just finished my workout and I feel great! I wish this feeling would last throughout the entire day.

Today I did Turbo Jam's 20 minute workout and Ab Jam. It's really neat to see how much stronger I am getting, and such a blessing that people that I haven't seen since Christmas are blown away by, "how much weight I have lost." Yaay *claps*!!! Their reactions have made every second of exercise, that I didn't want to do, so worth it!

Today I am going to wear my FAVORITE pair of "semi-fat" jeans (they are a size XL so I guess a that would make them a size 14-16 (?) yaay!) I used to wear these jeans all the time 3+ years ago and haven't worn them probably since I got married (3/06) mostly because I worked a lot and had to wear scrub. I have a fairly large muffin-top in these pants now, but my shirt covers it, so I don't care! I just can't believe that I can wear them, and walk comfortably--they don't hurt at all or make me feel like I can't breathe lol!

I'll try to get my hubby to take a picture so you guys can see how happy I am in my favorite jeans :D.

Have a good weekend everyone! Make today count! Every second that you do, is so worth it! Have a great workout :)

I can do this. I am a star.

day 128 (day 2 / week 19)

Today I did Turbo Jam's Cardio Party. I felt a little tired at first, but pushed through it, and now I feel great! I am all sweaty again, but it's all good. I would have to question my intensity if I didn't sweat at all, ya know?

Well today's post is a quickie, because I have a ton of stuff I have to go do!

Hope you guys have a great Friday and a great weekend! Make today count! It feels great when you know you did!

I can do this. I am a star.

day 127 (day 1 / week 19)

I just wanted to start off this blog entry by saying if anyone out there has a sparkpeople.com account, and you would like to add me as a friend, please feel free to do so! My username is:

heynowbnice
(hey now b nice -- without the spaces :))

I didn't know until recently that you couldn't have spark-buddies until you had a profile. If you had searched for me before, it would have said that I didn't exist on sparkpeople lol. I finally have a profile now (after like 4 months lol), so now I can have spark buddies! I find the site and all of the people that I have met on it, to be extremely motivational and inspiring. We are all in this together, and that rocks!

Anyway, this morning we were woken up pretty early by ghetto birds circling just above the house, and it ended up being a horrible car accident not far from our back yard. A police officer died and the driver in the other vehicle is in the hospital (please take a moment to pray for all people affected by this accident). I have been up for a while, so I did my thing, as usual. It's surreal because it's really quiet right now--they closed off Flamingo where this happened (a larger vein in Vegas just on the other side of our backyard wall)--it's usually buzzing with traffic, but now all we hear are helicopters.

I did Turbo Jam's 20 minute workout and Ab Jam. I decided that when I do this combo, I am going to count it as 30 mins cardio and 10 mins ab work, because Ab Jam is 10 minutes standing ab work (low intensity cardio) and then 10 minutes floor ab work.

I hope everyone has a great day! Count your blessings--we never know what's around the bend (or beyond the fence). Make today count whatever you do!

I can do this. I am a star.

day 126 (day 7 / week 18)

I just got done exercising and now I'm salivating over a cookie that Erin over at Nagle5 News posted on her blog today. She linked the recipe to that scrumptious looking cookie, which led to even more goodies! I must joke around about wanting sugary treats, more than I actually want them, because my former self (before the sugar strike) would have gladly baked them. right now. But I feel fine. I miss it, and think it looks absolutely delish, but I think I am fine without them :). for now. (lol).

Today I did Turbo Jam's Cardio Party and if I thought I was sweaty yesterday, I was seriously mistaken. Today I am super sweaty. Just what everyone wants to hear about, right? A big sweaty girl drooling over cookies. mmmm.

Ok well off to take a shower and start the day!

Go check out Erin's blog. Bake those cookies, and eat some for me! :) *evil laugh* muahahaha! muahahaha! If you don't like the cookie idea (shame on you!) then go check out the cute bag she made. Yes! She made that! (super talented chica). i totally want one now lol

I hope everyone has a great one! Make today count!

I can do this. I am a star.

day 125 (day 6 / week 18)

Today I did Turbo Jam's Turbo Sculpt and it felt great (I sweated a lot). I know it's gross, but I love when I sweat when I exercise--itt reminds me of the old days.

Today my hubby's grandparents, Gram and Papa, arrive from Texas for my sister-in-law's graduation ceremony from UNLV this weekend. I am so excited to see them! They are so much fun and there is always at least one smile in the room (Gram is really funny).

Even though there are times that we hate being here in Vegas for whatever reason, it makes it all worth it to be able to see our family like this. If we lived in Reno or Washington, it would have been a lot harder and probably more stressful. We don't have to worry now, and that is such a HUGE blessing!

This will be a busy week for me so I am going to make an effort to wake up even earlier to exercise (6am instead of 6:30-7).

I hope you all have a great Tuesday! Make it count! You can do it! You are a star!

I can do this. I am a star too :).

day 124 (day 5 / week 18)

I just got finished doing Turbo Jam's Ab Jam. Man I love that workout now that I can feel my muscles again. Earlier this morning I did Turbo Jam's 20 minute workout.

According to my workout schedule, I am done with the month it gave me, but I am going to do the "Advanced" month now. This is what I am scheduled to do this week. I modified some of it to fit where I am a little better (for the first week), so the workout in the parentheses is what Turbo Jam has us do (if I modified it) and what I am doing is next to it, outside of the parentheses.

Mon: (Learn & Burn) 20 minute workout and Ab Jam
Tue: (20 minute workout) Turbo Sculpt
Wed: Cardio Party
Thu: (20 minute workout)--I am going to do this but am adding Ab Jam
Fri: Cardio Party
Sat: (rest day) 20 minute workout and/or Ab Jam
Sun: Punch, Kick & Jam

The "learn and burn" threw me off, so that's why I am modifying it so much. next week i will do what the schedule tells me too :).

I hope everyone has a great day! Make it count! :)

I can do this. I am a star.

day 123 (day 4 / week 18)

When I think about it, I can't believe that I have exercised for 123 days IN A ROW! That blows my mind, but only because I take baby steps, and take one day at at time (I don't think about it as a bigger picture). A lot of littles, turned into one big HUGE number! I can't thank you guys enough for your encouraging words and support. You really don't know how much you lift me up!

Today I did Turbo Jam's Punch, Kick and Jam. I am really tired. I didn't get much sleep and was up 4-5 times throughout the night. While doing my workout today, I was trying to break in my new shoes. I returned the shoes I mentioned yesterday (my feet felt like they were trying to curl in!) and exchanged them for a pair of Nike's. My feet feel much better today, but I definitely have some breaking in to do with these (they are stiff!). My feet hurt a little, but what do you expect? I haven't worn actual real tennis shoes for like 3 years! lol. I only did 36 minutes today, out of the 48 minutes today.

For 3 years I have struggled with shoes (and clothes and a lot of other things because of my weight). At my largest, 240 lbs, and up until recently, my feet were so wide I needed to wear an 8.5-9 despite how stubby they are (I am wearing a 7.5 this very second) because my feet were so wide. Losing the weight and inches that I have, during this year, made it possible for me to wear shoes again--not flip flops, Ugs or Crocks--real shoes! Tennis shoes! With shoe laces! And not from a specialty store. This to me is a huge, huge blessing and proof that perseverance pays off with exercise. That's not to say that this is easy yet, and I don't still struggle, but I have faith! I'm so excited for the future!

I hope everyone has a great and blessed Sunday. Make today count. Your future self will be so happy that you did!

I can do this. I am a star.

day 122 (day 3 / week 18)

Today I woke up early to exercise and was excited (my MIL bought me a much needed pair of tennis shoes! Thank you Nana Jana Banana!). There is a pattern for this week, so I continued with it. Turbo Jam gave us a rest day--but I don't have those as you know, so I did the 20 minute workout instead.

I had a huge post typed out, and it kept getting longer and longer, so I decided to delete it. It was boring anyway. When I accomplish what I set out to do, I will mention it then. It has to do with my elephant feet and struggle with shoes, yadda yadda yadda--boring stuff.

Hope you all have a good weekend! Make it count! :)

I can do this. I am a star.

day 121 (day 2 / week 18)

Today is bittersweet for me. I am happy because I get to see how far along I am coming, but I am upset because my camera is on it's last lick. I have a digital camera (Sony, Cyber-shot) that my hubby bought, long before we ever started dating (so it's old), and it's what we have been using for all of our family pictures and outings, including my monthly photos. I also used it as our video camera. Today my hubby took my May 2009 picture. The camera works fine--takes great pictures. When I got it over to the computer to transfer the picture over from the memory card, the folder was empty. I put it back in the camera...the folder was empty. I think we took 3 pictures before we could actually get one onto the computer without the camera erasing it. I also had pictures in there from the last month, of my family, and another family (with their new-born). They had relied on us for the pictures, because they accidentally forgot their camera. I also captured some cute videos on it of my son and my hubby making each other laugh (it was hysterical). I feel horrible that I don't have these pictures for them! I usually take all of my pics (at most 15-20) off of the memory card, when I am doing my monthly picture.

They are all gone :(. I'm sad about that, but I guess there are worse things to be upset over, so I'll get over it. I just hope I get a job soon, so that we can replace the camera, so that I can take my picture a month from now. There is still a lot of time, so that is good :).

Onto the good news.

My measurements:

Measurements: (day 121 / 90 / day 10) (- "/# lost in current month)

Wt: 200.0 / 203.6 / 215 (-3.6#) (total lost 15#)
Chest: 39.5" / 41" / 43.75"(-1.50") (total lost -4.25")
Waist: 35" / 36" / 41.5" (-1.0") (total lost -6.5")
Hips: 44" / 45.5" / 47.75" (-1.50") (total lost -3.75")
Neck: 13.25" / 13.75" / 14.25" (-0.50") (total lost -1")
Under bust: 33" / 34.25 / 36.75" (-1.25") (total lost -3.75")
1" below belly button: 41.25" / 43.25" / 47.5" (-2.0") (total lost -6.25")
below my bottom (above my thigh): 40.25" / 42" / 44" (-1.75") (total lost -3.75")
R Thigh: 19.75" / 20.5" / 27" (-0.75") (total lost -7.25")
L Thigh: 19.75" / 20.5" / 27.5" (-0.75") (total lost -7.75")
R Calf: 13.75" / 14" / 14.5" (-0.25") (total lost -0.75")
L Calf: 14" / 14.5" / 15.5" (-0.50") (total lost -1.5")
R upper Arm: 10.75" / 11.25" / 14" (-0.50") (total lost -3.25")
L upper Arm: 11" / 11.5" / 13.5" (-0.50") (total lost -2.5")
R wrist: 5.75" / 6" / 6.25" (-0.25") (total lost -0.5")
L wrist: 5.75" / 6" / 6.25" (-0.25") (total lost -0.5")

Jan 2009

Feb 2009

March 2009

April 1, 2009
May 2009

I lost 10.25" overall and 3.6 lbs in April 2009. Yaay!

Onto the mentionables. I mentioned the first one yesterday. I cheated and got on the scale the day before yesterday, and to my surprise it said 200.4! I got on it again today (hoping it wasn't a fluke lol) and it said 200.0 on the dot. Twice! (I only stood on it twice lol). I havent seen that number in a LONG time. I'm so excited!

Onto the second (not as exciting as the first).

Did you notice that I am wearing a different shirt this month? My previous shirt is now too big for me to wear (it was a size XL). I miss my shirt--it was my favorite to wear, but I have to pull it in the back for it to give me any shape or it just looks like I'm wearing a tent (ok, over exaggeration) but then I have all this fabric in the back, and it just looks silly. The arms are also way too big. I swim in it. Yaay!

I am also wearing most of my pre-pregnancy clothing, which I haven't done for almost 3 years. The shirt in this picture I haven't been able to wear since before I got married 3 years ago--it's a size L--not a large from a plus size clothing store or anything just a plain 'ol regular LARGE. I am also wearing my old pants, and all (but 1 or 2) of my old shirts (14 or 15 shirts?). yaay!

Onto the boring stuff I have to mention...(lol)...Today I did Turbo Sculpt and used my sculpting gloves along with my hand weights. They just aren't heavy enough anymore. I also did Ab Jam except for the last 2 minutes because Logan turned it off lol. He was tired of Mama exercising and wanted his snuggle time.

I guess that's it! I still hate that I am not dropping pounds like everyone else I read about, but we are all different, and at least I am not at a stand still. It is also noticible that I am losing inches/weight, so that's all that really matters. I am not as disappointed as I have been in the last few months, because I can see it. Under my clothes, I look WAY different :).

I hope you all have a great weekend! Make it count! It's worth it--I'm proof! You are stars!

I can do this. I am a star.