Day 30 (1 down 11 to go!)

I have to tell you that all day today, while at work, I was looking forward to coming home to exercise. Today is the 30t day of the 30 day challenge that I have been doing! I was excited to see how it would end.

I knew I would receive a trophy for completing the challenge, but I didn't know if there would be fireworks or something (lol--Wii Fit would do something like that). There wasn't. It was just Bob Greene congratulating me for completing the challenge. He flips his hair around, his mouth has A LOT of expression in it and his hands are extremely animated when he talks and that's all I can really focus on. LOL. Yes, I'm one of those. I do that when we watch the news and it probably drives my hubby crazy, cause I always have to point something out.

So I got a new trophy (for completing the challenge) and it was nice and shiny. I love me some shiny. It should have been pink though. lol. I bought this game in 2009 when I did my first 365 days of exercise, and I don't think I have ever completed the "30 Day Challenge" in one shot, so this is a yahoo moment (it's about time!). I really thought I did this in 30 days or less but it I didn't get that trophy, so I will have to try again for it in the coming months. Maybe if I do it tomorrow, I will get it. We'll see.


So I am excited to say that I have completed my first medium sized goal in 2011--to complete the 30 day challenge on EA Sports Active :). Yaay! 1 month down, 11 to go!

It was 14 minutes and I burned 94 calories.

I also wore my pedometer to work (the one that sleeps on the job) and it said that I did 5301 steps in 52:43 minutes.

I have to work again tomorrow so I'll be back in the evening.

Make it count! This year is already flying by pretty fast already. Can you believe it's almost February?? Soon it will be April and then it will be July again! I can't believe how fast time goes by.

Take care.

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 29 (1 day left!)

Today was my day off and I completely forgot that my MIL was giving me my birthday present today--a photo shoot of my son (he just turned 4). I exercised first thing when I got up, like I planned, but then we headed to the mall and I put on my pedometer (the spiffy one I mentioned yesterday) because I knew I would be doing A LOT of walking.

At home I did EA Sports Active's 30 day challenge (can you believe I have only 1 day left???) and that ended up being 12 minutes burning 68 calories.

I am surprised and a little disappointed w/ my spiffy pedometer, because I think it falls asleep on the job and doesn't keep track like it should. I noticed it this morning when I was outside with the monkey walking, while he was riding his bike. I walked down the street and up again, and it said I took like 4 steps. What the hizzy yo?

So when I got home from the mall, I looked at it (from being there for 4--count'em 4 hours!) and it said 4050 steps and that I was only moving for 43 minutes. *buzzer* wrong answer. Maybe it needs a new battery. Maybe I'll have hubby do that tomorrow while I'm at work and wear my dino pedometer (it's old).

Ok well I'm off to bed. Have a good weekend!

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 28 (If I can do it, so can you!)

Today was another workday. I guess I mention this because I want to show people out there that it is possible to work full time, have a family and fit exercise in, even if it is just a short amount. I work 12 hour shifts, have a mentally taxing desk job and can do it. If I can do it, so can you!

My family is very supportive in that they (my 4 year old son and hubby) let me exercise when I get home from work. It's truly a blessing because I get to take care of myself, and get to show my son, by example, how important exercise should be, and how important it is to make time for, no matter what's going on in your life.

Today I wore a special pedometer that I bought in 2009 during my first challenge. It keeps track of steps, calories burned (don't know how accurate this part is though), miles, time and length of time that you are moving. Today I only did 4987 steps, and was in motion for a total of 49:54 (out of 12.5 hours, isn't that sad?). It said I burned 151 calories.

I got home and put in EA Sports Active. I like that I can speed through it. Today's workout only took me 11 minutes, and I burned 74 calories. It was a lot of jumping. Jumping that I couldn't do when I first got this game in 2009. It's amazing how much of a change I see in myself over the last 2 years. It's great.

I also discovered that a co-worker that did the HCG diet recently (with his wife) has a website that he sells it on now (the stuff my other friend from work gave to me, that I mentioned here previously)! More on this later... very exciting stuff though.

Off to bed. I'm off from work tomorrow so I plan to get this done earlier than later (lol we'll see).

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 25

Today I had to go to work so I couldn't exercise until after I got home. I did EA Sports Active (1) again, and this time it had me do 15 minutes and burn 106 calories.

I was able to obtain my first set of lab work to compare with what I have now, and my numbers are definitely looking better. I'll post more details on my day off, but there is a difference of 24lbs to begin with, so that's a nice drop in number.

I'll be back tomorrow night after work again. This is my last week of my 30 day Challenge on EA Sports Active, so that's exciting to see a goal come to an end.

Have a good night!

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 23

Today is my birthday. I'm now 33! It's also the last day that I can't take HCG, yaay (it's been a rough week w/out it)! Since I haven't been able to take HCG hubby convinced me that I should go the alternate route (advised from a doctors office) and go off of the low calorie diet, and just do phase 3, when I can't take it. It's the best thing for my health right now, and I am not seeing any severe repercussions so it's all good (long, boring story). Tomorrow will be right as rain again.

My hubby surprised me with flowers this morning when I woke up (pretty pink and purple ones that remind me of my wedding bouquet), and I was greeted with a BIG happy birthday from my little boy when he woke up with a very hoarse voice (he's sick AGAIN). We went to lunch, shopping and came home and chillaxed for a little while cause the little one was in a crabby mood (can't blame him). We went to dinner, came home and I exercised.

I did the EA Sports Active (the first one) and did 18 minutes worth and burned 111 calories.

It's late and although the little boy is sick, we had a good day. I even got a group picture out of it (I can never get a decent picture w/ the Monkey Boy anymore).



Off to bed. Hope you had a great weekend and made it count!

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 21

Today was a LONG day. It was non stop almost from the moment I woke up, until now. I am glad I exercised first thing this morning, or I would be stuck doing it now, when I am very grateful to have my bed waiting for me.

I had a doctors appointment this morning and got some news that I didn't expect, at all. Some good stuff, some not so good, but either way I have a new reason for losing weight. I'll talk more about that later. It's a bit embarrassing because I feel like I have been naive to a certain part of my life. *shrugs*

Anyway today I did the EA Sports Active (1st one) for 19 minutes and burned 125 calories. I weighed in today at 184.8 and lost some inches.

It's late so I'm gonna hit the sack. Have a good weekend!

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 20... Man, I love me some pink + sparkly!

It was a long day at work and I just finished exercising (it's always a long day at work having to be there for over 12 hours). Today was my last day until Tuesday. Yaay! My birthday is this weekend and so I'm happy to have it off although I don't have any special plans. Hubby already spoiled me this year with my pink bling bling swarovski license plate frame, pink sub woofer and amp (accent colors on my silver '08 Scion XB are black and pink+sparkly ;)--did ya'll know I was into cars?) and by letting me buy EA Sports Active 2. What a generous hubby I have!

Today for exercise I did EA Sports Active (the first one) for 19 minutes and burned 125 calories. I am more than 1/2 way completed with my 30 day challenge and can see a change in my strength and endurance. I can totally do things this time around than I could previously. It's amazing how much more easily you can move when you have less junk hanging on you (aka fat). It was a good day for exercise.

I weighed in this morning at 185.2 (yaay). That's all I'm gonna say about that. I currently cant take HCG due to a protocol restriction at the moment and I am bumming on that (there are surprisingly a few reasons why Dr. Simeons says you should take HCG). Oh well. A few more days and I can start again.

On another note, I realized what my problem is, and I just need to meditate and pray on it. Prayer helps find all answers. I need to take this to heart and just do it. Tomorrow I have a doctors appointment with my awesome doctor to get the results of my (pre HCG--round 3) blood work, and get my ultrasound results. Then I have a nail appointment (time for some different pink and sparklies!). Then I'm going to Costco to stock up on asparagus and all that good stuff I can eat. Joy.

Plan to exercise in the morning, but we'll see about the actual blog post.

Take care!

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 19 (it was my stinkin' FIL (hehe))

So I just polished off 14 minutes and 86 calories on the Wii with EA Sports Active. I really didn't want to, but I knew it would end sooner than it would take me to whine about doing it, so I just sucked it up and did it.

So the last few day's I haven't mentioned weight/measurements because I was on a scheduled break and was cheating. Those numbers usually aren't too pretty. I did an apple day yesterday (cheated last night, ugh!) but had a revelation. Why should I not cheat? It's not because I want to be successful so that I can have a baby sooner than later...it's because my stinkin' father-in-law is doing it (the HCG diet--his 1st round, my 3rd)...and he is NOT cheating! If he can do it I can to. What the hizzy yo!?! pssht.

So today I did NOT cheat (can you believe that's what it took?). I had an apple day (ate apples all day again) but for dinner I had chicken. Just chicken. I feel pretty good. Tired from an exhausting day at work (super busy), but that's to be expected.

I don't remember what I weighed on Monday (forgot to write it down, doh!).
Tuesday I weighed in at 189.6
Today I weighed in at 187.4
Boy, at this rate, it feels like Christmas waiting for tomorrow morning to come! lol. I'm glad those cheats/scheduled break didn't hurt too badly.

Tomorrow will be interesting though, because I haven't been shopping and don't have any HCG approved veggies in the house. When I get home from work, that's usually a dangerous time for me (I just want to eat). Wonder what I'll do. My last round I was experimenting with fresh/frozen edamame. It's high in protein and I was finding several sources that said it was high in fiber and low enough in starch. I don't have any iodine to test it myself. Anyone experiment w/ it and have results? We'll see. Hopefully the strength from today will spill on over to tomorrow.

Off to bed.

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 14

Man I'm so tired. I worked today and didn't get the best sleep last night. I had to force myself to do something. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing at all.

I did the EA Sports Active (1) tonight. I wanted to do #2, but I promised myself that I would finish the 30 Day Challenge and I want to stick to it. I did 13 exercises, burned 52 calories in 9 minutes. It was a lot of leg stuff. It said it was an arm day, but it was totally legs (why is it so backwards??). Some basketball drills (arms/lunges), alternating lunges, squats, squat holds and some shoulder presses (maybe that's where they get the arm day from *shrugs*).

Off to bed.

Oh! I almost forgot.

R3P2D5 (Round 3, Phase 2, Day 5)

This morning I weighed in at 186.8 despite my cheating (-3.8 off of my start weight, -8.8 off of my highest weight from my load days)...

*sigh*

I cheated again today :(. I guess I'll try harder tomorrow. One of these days the cheating is gonna catch up w/ me...

Bust: 37.5 (-1)
R Arm: 11 (-0)
Waist: 33.5 (-1.5)
Hips: 42 (-1)
R Thigh: 21 (-0)

Ok this time I'm off to bed, for real.

GN! DLTBBB!!

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 13

I got a new toy! Last night we went to Target and they had EA Sports Active 2 on sale--40% off! I have been eying it for some time and hubby said I could buy it (an early bday present to me).

So this morning I woke up, did the original EA Sports Active, and then popped in #2. My USB thingy was faulty so it wouldn't let me use it. It tracks the info transmitted from the heart rate monitor and sensors that come with the game. Totally cool game (comes w/ a HRM?!? How awesome is that!). Needless to say I was disappointed that I couldn't do anything w/ it.

I called the customer service number and they said to send it back to them, and they would replace it (he said it was a pretty common problem w/ EASA2). I decided to just go back to Target and exchange it there, since I really want to play this thing. The replacement was not faulty and I was able to use it. Yaay!

I did the original for 21 minutes, burning 129 calories, and the EASA2 for 18 minutes and burned 91 calories. The 2nd one is different than the first. The first starts off w/ cardio (running or the like) and the 2nd starts w/ like a warm up-warm up (like active stretching), and ends with stretching. It has a real warm up and cool down, and tracks your HR the entire time--you actually see it up on the screen. Pretty cool.

Anyway, as far as my diet (R3P2D3) I'm not doing that great! Although my weight and measurements were the same as yesterday, that isn't real great. I think this round has been the toughest for me. I totally cheated last night and again today (I didn't do this w/ Phase 1 + 2). I would say that I don't know what my problem is, but I do. I was eating pretty healthy before I started round 3, and to go backwards and eat all of the "forbidden" foods to load w/, made me realize what I have been missing out on. It gave me a taste of stuff that I had forgotten that I liked. REALLY liked :(. I totally blew it again today, because I said that if I didn't gain, I wouldn't cheat... but I did, but only towards the end of the day. I was totally good until hubby got home and made something for dinner for him and the Monkey Boy, and I wanted a bite of. And I did. Then another and another, and by the time my fish was done cooking, I was pretty much full.

Oh well, I guess I will just try again tomorrow. It'll be easier because I have to work, and being confined to a desk makes it easy to not cheat. I know I can do it, if I can just make it a few days w/out cheating (lucky for me I work for the next 2 days). I will have to be really strong after that, because it's The Monkey Boy's birthday, and well, you know what goes w/ birthdays. Cake and/or cupcakes.

I'll be back tomorrow evening. Hope everyone has a good night!

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 11 (17 squared)

Today I saw a theme with exercise. 17. I did 17 exercises for 17 minutes and burned 117 calories (EA Active again). Fun stuff, huh? It said I was gonna focus on my arms again, but it was just a bunch of lunges in different directions.

R3P2D1 (Round 3, Phase 2, Day 1)
I weighed in this morning at 193.4 (*tear*) but didn't do my measurements. I'll start tomorrow. I Did 2.25 load days--2 load days and load dinner last night because I burned my fish *grumble* (I've never burned anything in my life until now! What the hizzy yo?). Yesterday I weighed in at 195.6 so I actually dropped!

Today for breakfast I had coffee and a honey crisp apple (yum!!)
for lunch I had a salad : dark green romaine w/ cherry tomatoes and ground chicken
for dinner I had garlic halibut and french cut green beans (I ran out of asparagus) cooked in some fat free chicken broth.

I also drank 5 bottles of water (17 ozs)

I couldn't help myself because they were staring me in the face--I also had 2 chocolate chip cookies. Hubby made me throw them away *cry*

Doesn't sound like a lot, but I feel great! Of course I took my HCG. I wouldn't eat like this w/out it.

I worked today, it's getting late and I want to snuggle w/ the hubby before bed. Be back tomorrow.

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 10 (a long time ago)

It feels like I exercised such a long time ago that it feels like I didn't exercise. It was only this morning, and I was done by 9am. Sweet.

I did EA Active Sports and burned 114 calories for 18 minutes. Later this afternoon I got into a cleaning frenzy and did some heavy cleaning for maybe 90 minutes. When hubby got home, he could tell because he said "wow, someone has been busy" lol. I guess that's a man's way of saying it looks nice :).

I had my ultrasound of my thyroid today (I thought it was Saturday but I guess I was wrong) but wont know any results until Jan 21st. Maybe.

Have to work tomorrow, so off to bed.

Have a good night!

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 8

Today is another late day. I just finished EA Sports Active and it's almost 10pm! I'm just glad I did it. I think it was supposed to be a "rest day" because it mentioned something about rest days --I aimlessly hit the "A" button so I didn't catch what it said--but it gave me a workout anyway. I'm pretty sure the pattern is 2 on 1 off, and today was a 3rd in a row. Anyway it was focusing on upper body, was 16 minutes and I burned 99 calories.

I noticed something today when we were out and about. I'm not sore! I don't know when this happened, but it just feels like I have recently used my muscles, like I have muscles (I am more aware of them again lol).

I woke up this morning w/ a 2lb gain, so I'm back to around the +10lb mark (I started the week off at 180). I really don't get it. I decided to go ahead and start w/ Round 3 (starting off w/ the homeopathic HCG that a friend from work gave to me). Today was load day 1 (tomorrow is the last). People talk about how there are 2 really awesome things about this diet--the load days and the weight loss. Although I do agree w/ one of them, it's not the first. The load days are torture to me. Stuffing myself and eating all the stuff I normally don't eat isn't as great as you'd think it would be. The HCG makes me feel full too, although I'm sure tomorrow will be a whole lot worse. The positive part is that the Monkey Boy is having a growth spurt so he is eating a lot to and that makes me VERY happy (who isn't happy when their baby dolls eat?). Here are my stats, although I'm a little embarrassed to be throwing them out there in the wind:

190.4 (ugh!!!!!!)
Bust: 38.5
R Arm: 11
Waist: 35
Hips: 43
R Thigh: 21

This is my 3rd round and I am wondering how my body will react. My first round, I lost a lot pretty quickly. My second round was pretty sluggish, but I still lost a fair amount of weight. Since I started this resolution (again) I have gained 10lbs, so I just want it off. If...when I get down to my magic number, then I want to try to have another baby. That's the whole reason why I'm doing this again. I want people to know that I'm pregnant when they look at me. Not that I'm just a "rolly pollie."

Off to bed!

See you tomorrow. The plan is to get this done and over with, sooner than later ;). We'll see.

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 7 (Stickers!)

Today I woke up and exercised right away. I did EA Active Sports on the Wii, in medium intensity. It was 23 minutes and I burned 153 calories.

There was a point where I wanted to just stop (jumping squats...ugh!) and my little boy was a great motivational coach! He told me "just do it" and I said "I can't" (reversed roles this time) and he kept telling me I could do it, and then he said that I would get a prize if I did it. So I did and my prize was a sticker wad lol. How sweet is that. I <3 my Monkey Boy.

Today I procrastinated w/ blogging. 1030pm and I'm just getting around to it. lol oh well. Oh! My partial egg day worked. I lost 2 lbs, so I didn't start round 3 today. Maybe tomorrow. I keep putting it off because technically I shouldn't start until the 10th, but I want 2 days at home so that I can load properly and I have to work on Tuesday (hard to do a load day when you are confined to a desk). We'll see what tomorrow brings. If I gain again, maybe a day or 2 early won't hurt.

OK off to bed, after I finish playing Bejeweled 3.

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 6 "You made that look easy"

Duh, maybe that's because it was! I just got finished doing Wii's EA Sports Active and it focused on upper body strength. It was only 16 minutes long and I burned 92 calories. "You made that look easy" was the last thing that my "trainer" said lol (so dumb).

I guess I'm done. It's late, I'm tired and I exercised. I'm just happy I am sticking to this. I feel like it never stopped, with the blogging and the procrastinating and the working... like I am back in the same place that I was at the beginning of last year. *shrugs*

Oh! I gained ANOTHER 2 lbs. What the hizzy yo? I did a partial egg day, eating 8 egg whites and a large chicken salad for dinner. It came w/ dressing on it, so I was a little bummed about that, but whatever. I'm really considering starting HCG tomorrow. If I gain again in the morning, I'm definitely going to start. I havent gotten my order in yet, but a friend from work gave me the homeopathic drops that she had (she had an allergic reaction to it. yikes!). Isn't that nice of her?

Ok off to bed. See you tomorrow! Hope everyone is well and blessed!

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 4 is procrastination day!

It's 10pm and I JUST finished exercising. I thought for a second that I was going to blow it. I did the EA Active Sports 30 Day Challenge (day 2). I think this thing is playing mind games, because I swore I read AND heard her (my "trainer") say that we were focusing on upper body today, but all we did were various lunges (reverse lunges w/ a leg lift, side lunges with toe points and forward lunges). In my book, this counts as a leg day. We did some tennis drills, shoulder stuff and bicep curls too, but a lot more leg stuff. I exercised for only 22 minutes and burned 140 calories.

I was able to get in to see my doctor today and am so happy! It's the first time I have seen this doctor for personal reasons (I see her at work often) and was a little nervous. A while back I had mentioned here that I was doing the HCG diet and saw great results (have lost 40 lbs total) and wanted to discuss it with my doctor. I want to get blood work done again to compare with my previous lab work as an "after" and kind of as a "before" as I plan to do it again soon. My last doctor was completely "anti" so I was afraid of what her reaction would be.

She was 100% supportive and on board! She even offers the HCG diet in her office for $300 though--I buy mine online for $56 (3-5000IU ampules) and the supplies for $30-45 depending if I'm doing injections or sublingual AND this lasts me for 45 days. I'm seeing great results and have had no ill effects. She said that the research is 60 years old and no one wants to put in the effort to challenge his research. She follows the book Dr. Simeons wrote (like I do) and was so supportive. I was stoked! I am getting lab work done tomorrow and will compare it to what I had done before I started on the HCG diet with my previous doctor. When I have results, I will share them. Maybe. lol. Oh, and my sinus infection is almost gone (the whole reason why I went in the first place!). Double yaay.

I'm sure some of you are wondering why I didn't post my measurements and picture yet, like I did with the 2009 challenge (I would post a picture and measurements at the beginning of every month). I wanted to wait until I started the HCG diet again, so that will be soon!

I procrastinated all day with exercise, and see where it has left me? Exercising at 9:30pm when I should be in bed.

I'm off again tomorrow, so I'll be back... hopefully much earlier next time.

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 3 (it's not a TOO-mah!)

I am so glad to be home. I thought I was going to have to work an hour later tonight, but everything played out the way it was supposed to in the end. All day long I was looking forward to coming home to exercise. It's a nice feeling to have again.

I got home and threw my gym clothes on (the Hubby and Monkey Boy were still at Nana+Papa's house), turned on the Wii and got to business.

I restarted my EA Active Sports 30 Day challenge (lol) and sped through it, on the low setting. I had so much energy! Come to think of it, I had more energy today than I have in a while (make sense though, right?). It ended up being 16 minutes worth and 111 calories burned (5 METS baby!). Then I threw in the Wii Fit disk and did 10 minutes of the boxing thing. My back is gonna be sore (I hope). That was 13 mins and 70 calories.

I don't have to work tomorrow. Yaay. Have a doctors appointment though. It snowed here in Vegas, and I completely missed it. Got to work before it started, and when I got out, it had left no trace at all that it had ever been there. I miss the snow.

Hope everyone is starting 2011 off with a bang!

I'll be back tomorrow.
Like the terminator.
(it's not a TOO-mah!)

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

One baby step at a time...

In the last week I have done some serious soul searching. I have gained a lot of weight since the beginning of the year and I am unhappy because of it. It forced me to sit down and just think. I am a firm believer that we are the only ones that can make us feel the way that we do, so if I'm unhappy, it's my fault. So now that I know that I am unhappy, and can point a finger, how am I going to fix it?

I just started over.

I let everything go. Everything that made me angry, all of the "what if's" (what if I had kept exercising 24/7? What would I look like now?) and all of the bad habits that speak louder than the good ones. They just aren't worth it, and sometimes we have to learn that the hard way. I did. Again. It sucks but I'm over it and I'm back.

On Friday I did my measurements *gasp!* and don't like what I see. I am into most of my fat clothes again, and my semi-fat clothes, the ones that I was so proud to wear again, are just semi-fat clothes again. The kind I can't really wear comfortably. I didn't take a picture, but I should (will have to take some pathetic begging and kissing up to the hubby). After a month (on 5/16) I will share my results with all of you, and continue to do so each month. It's about time that I started doing this again!

Anyway, after I took my measurements and weighed myself, I exercised. Everything that stands in my way on a daily basis (on my non working days) was there. The monkey boy woke up early--he is EXTREMELY opposed to my exercising as it gets in the way of his Fresh Beat Band time and I just wasn't feeling it. I feel fat, and when I feel fat, I don't want to exercise. Isn't that kind of ironic? I turned on my EA Sports Active on the Wii and set it to a hard workout, because, well lets face it, I needed a HARD workout. I got 13 minutes into it and quit. I was frustrated because I could do this easily last year. What the heck is my problem?? I totally let go of that. I told myself 13 minutes was better than nothing (and it is), and just tried to move on.

Then I had an epiphany. I cant expect to just start up where I left off. I am a firm believer of baby steps, and although I had taken them once before, I had to do them again, because I let myself stop. Another blessing of momentum. I miss momentum, but in the last 3 days I have started to gain it back. Yes, that means I have exercised everyday since Friday. Not a big deal, but it's a good start.

I also can't expect to just exercise for a few days, or really hard one day (like I tried on Friday) and get my results back. I got my results one day at a time, and unfortunately I am going to have to achieve them that way again. Remembering this, put my mind at ease. All I have to do is exercise daily. One time, once a day. Not all day, like I was when I was staying home, and didn't work. I don't have to do that, and it's unrealistic for me to think that I should have to. Baby steps, one step at a time.

Friday 4/16: 13 minutes EA Sports Active (Hard mode)
Sat 4/17: 21 minutes, EA Sports Active (Medium mode)
Sun 4/18: 26 minutes, EA Sports Active (Medium mode).

Three days in, and I feel better about exercising. I still feel fat, but I am doing what I am supposed to. Time heals all wounds.

Now I just need to focus on food again. Thank goodness for Sparkpeople, that's all I gotta say.

I officially started my new job 4 days ago (a lateral move w/in the hospital), and my schedule has changed to one hour earlier. The good news is that I get off one hour earlier, but the bad news is that I have to wake up, and be to work much earlier *cry* (exercising before work is not an option anymore). Exercising during lunch is not an option either, as I have 30 minutes for lunch and 1 (technically 2, but I never take the 2nd) 15 minute break, to eat breakfast/lunch/dinner during. Have you ever tried to eat a salad in less than 20 minutes? It's hard. I want to try to exercise after work, but I have 3 things against me. Mentally drained, hubby is home (For some reason I can't seriously exercise when he is around) and the Monkey Boy is home (he hates when I take up the living room to exercise). We'll see. I won't stress myself out w/ it yet, and will just take it one day at a time, one baby step at a time.

I hope you all are well. I have been lurking in the background still, and still get my daily dose of so many of you. I never in a million years thought that reading your blogs would be therapeutic for me. Who'da thunk it?

Have a great weekend, and I'll see you soon.

I can do this. I am a star!

Shame, embarrassment and addiction

It's been a week since my last post but I haven't given up or stopped my 30 day challenge. In fact I even added a new exercise to my regimen that I am a little ashamed of (have I mentioned it? It's been so long I can't remember).

Here has been my week so far:

Sunday (day 7):
Work, 12,038 steps, 5 minutes of EA Sports Active before work
Monday (day 8):
work, 13,980 steps, 12 minutes of EA Sports Active before work
Tuesday (day 9):
22 minutes of EA Sports Active, 85 minutes of a new shameful, embarrassing addiction (521 calories burned total)
Wednesday (day 10):
work, 13,068 steps, 11 minutes of EA Sports Active before work
Thursday (day 11):
43 minutes with my shameful addiction after discovering more than one way to do it (246 calories burned)
Friday (day 12):
48 minutes (2 parter) EA Sports Active and walking for an 1.25 hours (a slow 3.22 miles)
Saturday (day 13):
24 minutes EA Sports Active, walking for 60 minutes (a slow 2.3 miles)
Sunday/today (day 14):
20 minutes with my shameful embarrassing addiction (so much fun) and walking 2 miles in 45 minutes.

Have you ever done something you swore that you would never do? Something that you see other people doing and you think to yourself "what a douche" when you see them doing it, because you are just too good to lower yourself to that kind of level? I am there and I am ashamed. It's embarrassing. I have to do it when no one is around. Not even my 3 year old son because even he mocks and laughs at. I was embarrassed to walk to the check stand, because I knew the checker would think, "well he isn't doing it" of my husband, "he isn't doing it--he's too young," of my son, and laugh to think I was the one doing it. The dainty young man at the counter in fact "o.m.g. hearts" it. Of course.

I'm just kidding, not about the checker though. Or my son laughing at me. He laughs hysterically with every single step that I take, like it's a joke that never gets old. It's not at all as dramatic as I drew it out to be though. It's sweet and beautiful and I even joined a group on Sparkpeople to support my new love for it. Something I never in a million years thought that I would jump on the bandwagon for.

Dance Dance Revolution.

Some sparky friends mentioned it last week or the week before, and I was curious to find out that it was a good workout. I honestly can't remember if I mentioned it here before, but it's my new addiction. We got it, I played it, and I have the songs stuck in my head 24/7. I want to dance like the characters on the screen, but instead I'm left with hip swinging, hard punching (cause they don't register if they aren't hard for me), hula hooping arrows that flash on my screen in "workout mode", and videos to songs that I love, that I can never watch, because I am too busy paying attention to the arrows because I want to get a good grade (I am a C average student for the first time in my life--I've only gotten 2 B's one on a Coldplay song and the other on a Black Eyed Pea's song--the rest C's and a few D's! doh!).

I just discovered that the songs have a bpm rating, like 138 beats per song, or 155 beats per song (a Kiss song) that makes me feel spazzy like I could be strung out on crack or something. The faster the beats, the faster the arrows scroll through and the better your coordination must be. Great workout. Still embarrassing to do. I am addicted.

I also still really love my EA Sports Active. My muscles are very sore but I feel MUCH stronger and it's been only like a week since I started. Also a great workout. I feel so blessed to have found motivation again, even though it's something unrelated to exercise. EA Sports Active has trophies, like Sparkpeople. Friends, for me it's about the trophies. One of my recent trophies is running 25 laps on the virtual track. I jog around my living room literally doing it. I sweat a lot, but I do it. I'm excited to do it. I hope I never lose this excitement.

Anyway I hope you all are having a wonderful Hallmark holiday! I had today off so I am happy. I work for the next 3 days in a row though, and I guess I'm happy about that too. The work is hard, but at least I have a job to go to.

Have a great night! See you soon!

I can do this. I am a star.

*falls over on the floor*

I can't believe that I almost forgot to blog for today. I have been on the computer on and off, and for some reason had the feeling like I had already posted for the day. lol.

Anyway today was a day off from work, and I put on EA Sports Active again. Day 6. This month is going by pretty quickly (it's only day 6, but before I know it, it will be day 10). I said it yesterday, but I REALLY love this game. I feel like it was totally worth the money. I woke up this morning and was sore, so it did it's job yesterday. I was pretty sore but remembered from last year (365 days of exercise) that when I am sore, it feels better to follow up with exercise, because I end up not feeling so sore--a double negative if you will? lol. It worked.

Today, was a little different than yesterday, which I loved and hated all at the same time. We did a lot of lunges. So many lunges (*falls over on the floor*)! Side lunges with a toe touch, raised knee reverse lunges, alternating forward lunges---so many lunges. We did a lot of running and knee ups and butt kicks (I forget what they call them) also. It was a GREAT workout! We also did some arm, shoulder and core stuff.

The thing that I like about it is that it is like a trainer is with you. I can't cheat! It makes you hold the lunges, curl, or whatever you do the way a trainer would and it wont move on until you do. It tells you if you are running too slow, or not slow enough (on the slow parts, of course). Totally worth the money. This is by far, my new favorite toy. I thought I loved the Wii Fit, and I do, but this is going to get me where I want to be.

Yesterday a few of you Sparkies mentioned Dance Dance Revolution, and how much of a great workout it was as well. I would have never thought it, and have never even done it in an arcade, but my hubby bought it for me, for the Wii. I feel so lucky that my hubby will buy me these things, because he knows I will use them (and lucky that it's in our budget this month). Anything exercise related, he doesn't even question--he just gets it, if it's in our budget :). Anything else (household gadgets) he teases me about and doesn't get them. I guess I feel blessed in this way, because I have proved myself to him, and he takes me seriously with it. How often do we buy things, say we will use them, and never use them? Two years ago, that was me. I am happy to say that I have changed! Yaay! Anyway, I haven't tried it yet, but I will. I am going to throw that in if/when I get bored this month.

Anyway, tomorrow is a workday. I know I will be sore in the morning, so my plan is to wake up early and get some exercise in, just so that I won't be sore at work. That's the worst feeling in the world. Being sore, and being forced to be on your feet, using your legs for 12 hours. I'm pretty certain that I won't be sore. I just hope that I wake up early enough and don't punk out!

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Thanks for reading :).

PS. I turned the anonymous comments off. The junk ads/comments are becoming a daily thing and it's starting to annoy me. Sorry to those of you that comment anonymously!

I can do this. I am a star.