Day 240, 241, 242 + 243

This morning I did 20 mins if Cize, "in the pocket," but had to take the kid to school so I stopped early.  After I got home,  I restarted it and did 47 mins.  I had to pause several times because it was difficult and needed to practice on my own (the video was moving much faster than I could keep up with).

Yesterday I did Cize also, "full out," (38 minutes) which was difficult, but not like today. This week is much harder than last, and I bet next week is going to blow my socks off.

Sunday I did push ups and leg abductors, 3 sets of 15.

Saturday I did Cize, Crazy 8s for 32 mins.

I need to do better with posting. Haha

One dayat a time. One choice at a time.

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength.

Day 172

Today I failed when it came to exercise. My plan was to wake up early and get on the elliptical, but little brother came into my room again and so I ended up just staying with him until he woke up and then we just got ready for the day and time slipped from their. We had swim lessons for a little one early this morning, and tryouts for a swim club for the big one in the late afternoon that didn't pan out. We have to come back again next Monday because it was too hot IN the building (108F) so they closed the pool. We had swim for the big one in the evening and so we were pretty much out all day.

Anyway, I forced myself onto the elliptical before bed for 20 minutes but I was really just going through the motions.

Whoever said, "the more you exercise, the easier it gets," was wrong (I think I might have said of this at some point??? LOL). Today is day 172 and I still struggle everyday.

Another day over and done with and I really need to do this in the morning tomorrow. I don't know why I let myself procrastinate. I know where my trouble areas are. And knowing is half the battle right? LOL

One day at a time. One choice at a time. I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength.

Day 152

Today I was a good girl and I got up early and got onto the elliptical. I got on for 20 minutes and then took the boy to school. Hoping for the same tomorrow. I can't believe it's the last day of school!

One day at a time. One choice at a time.

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength.

Day 140

I got onto the elliptical for 20 mins this morning before school. I'm glad that I did bc I didn't have time throughout the day to get on again.  I'm hoping I'll wake up early to get in sins time before work (Starting to sound like a broken record).

One day at a time. One choice at a time.

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength.

Day 137

Tonight I got onto the elliptical for 20 minutes. I'm going to try to get up early tomorrow morning to get on after I wake up.

One day at a time. One choice this time.

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength.

Day 136

Today I got on the elliptical for 20 before going to work. I hope to get back on tonight to watch Once Upon a Time,  but we'll see how that goes. At least I'm ahead of the game. Setting the bar high for good choices today...

One day at a time. One choice at a time.

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength.

Day 127

Friday I got onto the elliptical for 20 minutes while processing my hair.

One day at a time. One choice at a time.

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength.

Day 107

I woke up early this morning and got on the elliptical for 20 minutes before work.

I got in almost 10k steps, which is great for a work day.

I'm exhausted so I'm going to bed.

One day at a time. One choice at a time.

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength.

Day 21

This morning I didn't get on the elliptical bc I had an unexpected meeting @work, so I got on tonight before bed. I did 20 minutes off to bed!

I took measurements at the beginning of the month and the end quickly approaches. I feel like since I've gone rogue with my diet so often,  I might not see the kinds of changes I hope for.  I didn't take a before picture either mainly due to embarrassment. Maybe if I go out of my comfort zone a little more,  that might be the motivation I need. We'll see.

One day at a time. One choice at a time.

Day 15

Today was just another day, nothing special. I spent most the day preparing for my older son's birthday party tomorrow. I got on to the elliptical for 20 minutes. See ya tomorrow.

One day at a time. One choice at a time.

Day 14

This morning and got onto the elliptical trainer for 20 minutes before school. We were running late so I wasn't able to stay as long as I wanted but at least I got on.

In the past couple of years I've gotten into decorating cakes and this weekend I get to decorate a cake for my first son's birthday party. I'm nervous because I've never let anybody outside of the family try my cakes (my family is very forgiving) but I'm also excited at the same time and will post a pic when it's done.

Have a good night!

One day at a time.  One choice at a time.

Day 3 Commit

Today was a typical workday for me.  I am a telemetry tech so I'm locked away in a centralized telemetry room for 12 hours in a hospital monitoring between 32-60 cardiac patients. In a nutshell, I sit all day watching up to 4 monitors with 16 patient on each and don't get to get away much (pretty much just bathroom breaks and my 30 minute lunch). I pack my food usually and put it in an igloo backpack (like a cooler) and eat all day long, but sometimes I allow myself to get something from the cafeteria. I mentioned yesterday that I made my food for today and that was very helpful to keeping me out of the cafeteria. 

I decided with this 2016 challenge, it would not be safe to allow myself to eat from work,  as I cannot "count" what I get from the cafeteria and I feel like doing that just sets me up for failure anyway.  I don't plan to eat anything I cannot "count" and I feel pretty confident with this goal as I've done this a lot in the past years with success. 

I feel like I am mentally preparing myself for this long haul and I see myself combining small goals with previous small successes, to get a good start. 

That being said,  I really didn't want to get on the elliptical tonight. It was a long and mentally draining day and I just didn't want to do it. Everything seemed to set me up for failure--my fitbit broke, couldn't find my slippers for the elliptical (the footing has this strange speedbump tread that hurts my feet without wearing shoes) and it just kept getting later and later discouraging me even more. I eventually found my slippers and hopped on. Only twenty minutes tonight, but it's definitely better than 0 minutes.

Small steps...

When thinking about my goals for this coming year, God always comes to mind. I know I cannot be successful without His strength and involvement and I felt this scripture was perfect.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3

No other words can be more perfect for the place that I am in right now. 

Off to bed so I can get up early to exercise before the chaos begins. 

One day at a time,  one choice at a time.

Day 37

You know what bugs me each time I do this exercise game (EA Sports Active 2)? It says at the bottom that I can go to their website for a more in-depth Workout Results, which I REALLY want to do. When I first go this, it made me create a user name so I could do this. Well when I go to the website and type in the user name I created, to get my workout results, it tells me that it's already in use. Well duh! By me! The website is making me create a new user name. What's the point in prompting me to make a user name, if I can't use it?

*shrugs*

I feel as though I have complained about this already lol. It just bugs me ;).

I get to work in the morning. yaay me.

Have a good one.

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

Day 352 (day 2 / week 50)

Today was a long day.

I woke up early and hit the treadmill for 20 minutes (I think--I can't believe I forgot how long!) @ 3.6 mph. Then I walked around with the fam.

I read somewhere recently that food wasn't a good reward system when it comes to exercise (it leads to unhealthy stuff) and that's what I have been doing. We had brunch at my hubby's Gram and Papa's house, and then we hit a few dealerships. Yes, I said dealerships. Reward... dealership... reward... see where I'm going here? I bought a new car today. My (old) car is fine, but my son is growing out of the backseat. The kid can literally kick me in the head, sitting in the middle of the back seat if he wanted to. Every once in a while he would put his foot on my shoulder. He wouldn't even fit behind either of the seats, so in the middle he stayed.

So anyway, I decided that I wouldn't mind trading in my car (2007 Toyota Corolla S), if my payments were the same or lower (they are like $20/month lower). I really like the new 2010 Scion XB RS in purple (which is what started it all), but the only dealership in town that has one (just one and no one else) wouldn't make a good deal w/ us. They didn't really want to sell it I guess--horrible horrible deal (my credit is good too), so I ended up buying a new 2008 silver Scion XB--I jumped on the XB bandwagon (my hubby and his father both have one).

Anyway this was my reward for sticking to my resolution all year. There is no change for us financially as I was able to put my car payment for the month down as a down payment, and the payments are a little less. I'm happy, my hubby is happy and so is the Monkey Boy. I'm mostly happy because I just really traded it in evenly (financially) and don't have any extra expenses. *whew.*

I walked a total of 3.45 miles (7292 steps) including my 20ish minutes on the treadmill this morning.

I'm tired and have to go to work in the morning. I'll post a picture of it soon.

Take care everyone!

I can do this. I am a star.

Day 337 (day 1 / week 48)

I can't believe how fast this month is going by. I also can't believe that this year is practically gone. Next year I want to incorporate more strength training into my exercise. I hope Santa brings some weights, or my hubby gets them for my birthday (late January).

The Monkey Boy was even sicker today than he was yesterday. I feel bad because it's totally my fault. I should have just gotten on the treadmill. He almost went through an entire box of tissues today, all by himself (and he can't even blow his nose yet--any tips? lol). The poor thing keeps whining, "my nose, my nose!" It's cute, funny and sad all at the same time.

I tried to put my video on (30DS) and he whined. I was able to get the Wii Fit on, but only because he wanted to play too. I did 62 Wii Fit minutes, all spaced out throughout the day. I did some golf, yoga, cardio and balance games. I also cleaned the living room for about 20 minutes (you wouldn't know it looking at it now though lol). He hung on my leg for the majority of everything that I did today, and he refused to take a nap. I hope his cold passes soon, and that he doesn't get us sick.

Off to bed. I hope to get my measurements and picture taken for tomorrow. *fingers crossed*

I can do this. I am a star.

Day 226 (day 2 / week 33)

I have to make this quick because I'm running late.

Today I only did the 20 minute workout (Turbo Jam). I wore my sculpting gloves and burned only 194 calories. I adjusted my calorie burn on SP from 900 a day to 400 a day, so that it adjusted the amount of food that I am eating. I will leave it this way until I figure out a better system of exercising on the days that I have to work.

Make today count! It's Friday! Do a Friday dance and burn some calories!

See you tomorrow :).

I can do this. I am a star.

Day 221 (day 4 / week 32)

Today was very much a (non)rest day. I did very little cardio (like 10 minutes worth) and did my Quickfire Challenges:

3 sets of 10 reverse lunges throughout the day,
2 sets of 20 chair assisted calf raises
and I added side lunges with windmill arms.

I did them throughout the day, so total it probably took like 20 minutes to do it all.

We just got back from spending the day with Oma and Opa and I am bushed. Have to get up early for work! So strange saying that lol. I work 8-4:30 tomorrow, so we will see what I will do as far as exercise goes. Should be interesting!

Make it count and have a good Monday!

I can do this. I am a star.

Day 212 (day 2 / week 31)

If you haven't already noticed, I changed my background again. I like this one, and think that it represents my blog the best. I said I was going to play with others, but it took me almost all day yesterday playing with other backgrounds and such and I finally got the HTML the way I like it with this one, getting rid of a bright orange at the top and getting my widgets back up--so it's a keeper. What do you think?

This was my favorite choice out of all of them anyway. I like it because I think it represents my blog better. It's peaceful looking--the way I feel when I am in my zone exercising, and there is a trail--my journey, and a reflection in the water of the mountain that I am climbing (my blog reflects who I am), which is perfect and what I wanted! When my hubby first saw it, he said that it was gloomy looking, because I guess it looks like it's going to rain. Maybe that represents my blog too--come rain or shine, I am out there exercising!

I am kind of excited. I took a big leap outside of my comfort zone yesterday and am going to start a "couch to 5K" program. There isn't any 5Ks scheduled for my area that I could sign up for, but one of my walking routes is exactly 3 miles, so that works perfectly. I can just use my timer on my HRM to do that route when the time comes.

There was a thing on sparkpeople that was from couch to 5K but I can't find it! I'm so bummed about that, but I will keep searching. I know it's around there somewhere lol. I ended up joining a sparkgroup called Couch to 5K, for the support there too. That's where I found that link to the cool running program (still bugs me that I can't find the thing I originally found in sparkpeople though).

It suggests that I train 3 times a week, for 20 minutes a day (for the first week, then 25 minutes week 2--etc), no consecutive days. I do consecutive days now and have been, and I do a lot more than 20 minutes a day--sometimes up to 90 minutes a day, so I am confused...am I supposed to go backwards? I am already doing some jogging, and was doing 1 min jogging 1 min walking...I don't know. these are the thoughts that stream through my head. I will probably just follow what it says and do videos at home. That being said...

Today I did Turbo Jam's Cardio Sculpt (45 minutes) and Ab Jam (20 minutes). Before I started getting outside, I didn't mind the videos so much. Now I just feel cooked up in the house. *shrugs* We do what we gotta do to reach goals, even if we aren't too fond of it. What's 60 minutes exercising in the house? I can get over that (I hope) lol.

Well off to take a shower. Tomorrow I am going to start the Couch to 5K thing...although I really want to go for a long walk. Maybe I will try to incorporate the 2 somehow so I can still walk everyday....like only "train" every other day, and just walk, to walk the other day--lowering the intensity of my walk or something. Something for me to ponder over.

Have a good weekend! Make it count!

I can do this. I am a star.

Day 209 (day 6 / week 30)

Wanna hear something amazing? Since I started getting outside and trying to jog, I have walked, jogged and/or skipped 89 miles! I think it's been in the last 2 months...I can't remember when I started taking things outside. This is another thing that proves to me that small goals turn into something big. My goal is to walk 2 miles a day. Two+ miles a day turned into 89 miles! Sweet! I can do 2 miles pretty easily now, so I do it on most days, if not more. Some days I walk 4-5 miles. Anyway seeing a bunch of days go by to make such a big number is so inspiring to me and such a blessing. This is what I mean by "make it count!" I couldn't say that I had walked 89 miles, if I didn't get out there everyday and try to make it count. I have a new goal of walking the distance across the United States. How cool would that be, to say that I walked the distance acrossed the US in xx amount of time. I don't know how long that will take me, but I am tracking it on this site:

http://exercise.lbl.gov/index.html

It shows me pictures along the way lol. I am 7.38 mi to Ashland, VA, Hanover County.



It just amazes me that I can say that I have walked 89 miles! In my not so new running shoes! At the rate that I am going at, I am going to have to retire these bad boys soon (I read somewhere to replace your shoes after 200-300 miles).

Anyway, I got up early today, and didn't go walk (go figure). It was almost 90F degrees by 6:15am and I was not about to head out. The first thing I thought was, "Awe man! Now I am going to have to get up even EARLIER to beat the heat!" Typing this right now (it's 110F btw), I kind of chuckled to myself and thought, "Oh well, I'm gonna have to do it anyway!" lol...the downside of going back to work.

Today is another (non)rest day. I didn't really plan for that, but it just turned out that way and continues to turn out that way. I can do that. So can you :). Just don't let it turn into another day followed by another day! Up until this resolution, that had always been my problem (I'd lose momentum). Today I did 20 minutes of exercise, The Firm, Cardio Sculpt. I am still in my exercise clothes because...well because I am a nerd. Part of me is itching to do more and part of me wants to just stop at 20 minutes. I keep telling myself that I will do more when the Monkey Boy goes down for a nap, but it's the middle of the afternoon, and he is showing no sign of sleepiness--he's probably not going to take a nap. Besides, when was the last time that I exercised for only 20 minutes?? It's been a long time. I think I am turning into a workaholic with exercise. If I let it, exercise will consume me the entire day--thinking about it, tracking it, reading about it... Anyway I should probably just leave it at that. :) I think I will :).

I hope you all have a good day! If it's raining in your neck of the woods, do something inside! Sparkpeople has a ton of free videos...yes absolutely FREE! I am thinking about doing the 15 minute ab video (See, there I go again!). Looks fun!

Make it count!

I can do this. I am a star.

Day 205 (day 2 / week 30)

Today I did a lot. I wanted to make up for my busy past couple of days. Boy, did I make up for it.

I went for my usual 2 mile walk this morning (31 minutes, 456 calories) and then got in a little Done Girl dancing (still had my Walkman on) and put on The Firm Cardio Sculpt. It is hard to follow along listening to good music, did you know that? lol I got in only about 20 minutes before the Monkey Boy woke up and came in. He was in a good mood but I could see a glimmer of moodiness in his eyes, so I just stopped and went and snuggled with him (gotta pick and choose those battles now).

After a few hours of really nothing, I decided to go for a walk--my modified 1/2 city block, which is 4.16 miles in 80 minutes 1763 calories. Let me tell you this was a bad idea. Good in theory, but just a bad idea all around. I won't be walking this late in the day again, when it is hot like this.

For those of you that don't know, I live in Las Vegas, NV. It gets hot here. It's not so hot today as it has been (it's been close to 110 and some days ++ for the past week), but it was still hot, 92-93F when I was out there and that is pretty hot to exercise in (the high today is supposed to be 96F). I was about 1/2 way into this walk with the Monkey Boy and I felt like I was going to die. My HRM said my HR was over 150, and so that confirmed my theory that you exercise harder in the heat, and which is why I burned so many more calories today (almost 1800 in 80 minutes!! That's crazy!). I sweated more today, than I have in a long time. It was dripping down my arms, face and neck and even my feet are soggy (so gross, TMI, I know--sorry lol).


Even the Monkey Boy was all sweaty, so I guess it's fitting to have him in the picture (such a ham). This isn't a great picture, but this is us after the walk--it's really hard to tell just how red and sweaty I was (it's late, but here ya go Jen!). Side note: the shirt I'm wearing is a shirt that my hubby and I got at a Scion convention when we lived in Washington about 2.5 years ago. At the time, it was the largest shirt they had (an XL), and I couldn't fit into it. It was too small for me. Now it's REALLY big on me. Closet victory! Woo hoo!

Funny story--the Quickfire Challenges I did yesterday, were actually today's QFCs but posted early! lol. Yesterday's QFCs were actually butt kicks--like Jillian Michaels makes us do in the 30 Day Shred, and computer crunches. I don't think I am going to do anything more for the day.

I think I deserve a treat for all of the work I put in today. I think a No Sugar Added Fudgsicle with only 40 calories sounds perfect! Woo hoo! ....*drool*

Make it count!

I can do this. I am a star.

PS. I am going to be testing out backgrounds in the next few days. My favorite is a little gloomy looking, but represents my journey (not the gloominess)... there is a path and it's peaceful looking and there is a reflection of the mountains in the water. My blog reflects my journey (the path) and is a reflection of who I am at this point in my life (the reflection). I should have it up shortly, if the coding isn't still cooky.