June Tune Up - Week 4

Well this week definitely wasn't my most stellar week. I lacked on most of my goals and it showed on the scale. I was also not on my thyroid medicine the entire week because he went out of town so I had to wait till Monday to get into see him. Now I'm waiting for the dr to get the test results back to let me know what the dosage needs to be. He did say that he saw an improvement in my health and according to his scale I had lost 6 pounds in 2 months that I was on the medicine. Not great but better than gaining 6 pounds in 2 months!

I stayed the same weight this week as I was last week, which in the grand scheme of things is ok, and so did Jen, my partner in the June Tune Up challenge at the Sisterhood
.

I'm hoping that I have at least a little loss over the next few days so that I can say I had a good month of losing weight in these 30 days!

For the next few days I need to lay off the chocolate, eat more salads (only had 2 salads this week!), and finish up the month strong with exercising. I took a couple of days off this week and that always ends up costing me. I have been doing the #JuneToneUp and I really do enjoy doing these little workouts. I added in some 3# handweights the past few times I did them just to change it up a little! That made it MUCH HARDER! and I actually liked it better...go figure!!

Hopefully y'all are finding ways to stay cool. I'm spending a lot of time inside the apartment and tomorrow we are going to a water park all day! Here's hoping I don't come back looking like a lobster!

June Tone Up - Week 3

Here we are 20 days into the month of June, and it's Wednesday so that means it's time for a weigh in with the Sisterhood and an evaluation of my goals for the month.

Starting with weight:

Start of month 207.0
Today: 203.2

Loss of .6 from last week which isn't great but it is a loss so I'm good with that. It's also a loss of nearly 4 pounds in 20 days and I'm not on some fanatical diet that I can't maintain. I'm eating "normal" food, adding in a salad (almost) every day and I'm cutting the soda out (most days). I'm also exercising everyday (even if it's only 10 minutes) so I'm on my way to a great change that will be maintained after this challenge at the Sisterhood.

Jen and I are making good progress on our goals and are losing weight. That was really our main goal which is why we named our team Kick A$$ WIPs. We are progressing toward our goals in a kick a$$ fashion - slow and steady wins the race!

So how are you doing this month?

June Tune Up Week 2

Here we are at week 2's check in for the June Challenge and I am happy to report that I LOST WEIGHT AGAIN!!

Last week I was at 205.2 and this week I am at 203.8.


Honestly I wasn't sure what to expect on the scale this morning so I just hopped on and held my breathe!

My goals for the challenge are pretty basic because I figure that's where I need to start to really make this weight loss thing happen. So far it is happening!!

Goals:
EXERCISE EVERY DAY: I skipped Friday night...I was really tired and didnt feel well. I didn't want to do something stupid and end up sick!

EAT A SALAD EVERY DAY: Um, I didn't do all that great on this one this week. I hit 4 out of 7 days, but if I'm being honest that is a huge improvement on my "normal" and that is what this journey is all about. Improvement!!

TRACK MY FOOD: Yep! I did this every day! Even over the weekend when I went way over on calories I still tracked it!

NO COKES: Um, I was really craving coke this weekend, so I caved in and had 1 large one on Saturday and 2 on Sunday! I got that out of my system though so I'm back on track with no cokes!

I have been doing the #June Tone Up workout with the Sisterhood and I'm really enjoying it. So much fun but it is getting harder!! Last night I did 2 sets of 12 squat knees, 70s wacky jacks, and 1 m high knees all AFTER doing the #Ironsisters Stage 2A workout. My legs are pretty sore today, but in a good way!!

Overall I think I'm doing good on the challenge. I started off weighing 207 on the 1st and today, the 13th I am down to 203.8 so I'm pleased.

The Kick A$$ WIPs are doing great on this challenge and we are finding that we are definitely "works in progress" but the great thing is we are making progress daily!!

**And on a totally unrelated note: My Marine graduates today from his MOS school and will be heading to Quantico, VA on Friday. He's not being deployed yet and I'm a happy mom!!!

June Tune Up Week 1

It's Wednesday so that means it is time to check in with the Sisterhood for the newest challenge!

It's been a crazy busy week but I have stayed on target, completing my goals and sticking to a good plan.

I have done some kind of exercise every day of the month so far. I even joined an inexpensive gym so I can workout with real weights and machines. I love it!!

I have tracked my food every day since the first. Even on Sunday when I consumed 5 donuts! Yep you read that right!! It wasn't my best day for sure!!

I have eaten a salad 5 of the 6 days of the month. Yesterday was the day I didn't have one but I did have lettuce on my tacos so that kind of counts, right?!! ;)

I have not had a soda all month even Sunday when we went out to eat and my hubby and That Other Kid had one! I drank lemonade instead! Best part of this is I'm not really missing it! As long as I can have something besides water to drink I'm good!

It's been a good week and I lost 1.8 pounds since Friday!!

Yes!!!

Challenge start weight: 207
Today's weight: 205.2



I'm happy with that loss especially considering Sunday I ate enough calories for almost 3 days!

But as our name points out I am a W(ork) I(n) P(rogress)!! There will be days when things don't go according to schedule but as long as they are the exception not the rule I will meet my goals- to be healthy, fit and strong!

Jen and I are doing great and we are Kick A$$ Wip's! Together we lost over 6 1/2 pounds in just 5 days!! We are kicking it!!

ShrinkYoSelf 2012 - Week 7

Last week I failed to post about my "weight loss" cuz honestly I didn't feel like coming here and telling you I had gained weight AGAIN! I almost didn't post today for the same reason....

So, let's just get the boring hum-drum details taken care of then we can move on to something more exciting, k?

I started this challenge on January 1st with high hopes of losing 20 pounds in 2 months. Honestly if I had stuck with my goals and plans I would have made it. BUT...I haven't and I won't. I started January at 205.0. Today's weight was up AGAIN to 202.6. I'm upset with myself. I'm upset that I can't seem to pull myself up by the bootstraps and do what is needed to get this weight off.

I know what to do, it's just a matter of doing it, right? Oh...I have a great list of excuses. But, really I'm just tired of them all! I want to look in the mirror and feel good about what I have accomplished. Not look in the mirror and see my clothes fitting too snug.

For the past week I have been suffering from migraines, and a sinus infection. Sunday I finally decided to go to the doctor and get some medicine. I'm finally feeling a bit better although the migraines are still there. I'm tired ALL THE TIME and have no motivation and energy to do anything beyond the basics of taking care of the house and people in it! Laundry that I washed Monday is still sitting in the basket to be folded and hung up.

Exercise hasn't been happening which is contributing to my depressed state of being. I was doing so good with exercise. I was doing the #FabAb February workout with Bari and Nancy, then it got to the point where laying on the floor was painful so I stopped. I managed to do it this morning (Day 11)...but now I am 4 days behind! Can I catch up when we are supposed to be doing 40+ situps a day? and 40second+ planks? I don't know. This morning those 40 situps were REALLY difficult! I'm gonna try because I like the accountability I am getting from these girls....

As for my Biggest Loser for Kinect workout? I was doing good with it, too, BUT sinus infections and migraines suck the life out of me! I haven't done anything in a week! Now I'm behind on that, too! I hate being sick!

I've been doing decent on my 52 Small Changes Challenges over at the 'hood, but during the past week I have fallen into all the bad habits....time to get back on target! I started tracking again this morning so that's a good place to start, right??

ok...enough of that drivel....My Marine is NOW stationed at Fort Meade, Maryland for the next 3ish months for his MOS (marine name for on the job training) schooling. He arrived this morning and I got a text from him saying he was at his "new home sweet home"! I think he is glad to be out of California! lol Fort Meade is just a short distance from Baltimore and the hubby and I are looking at the possibility of a trip out there! We've never been out east and now we have a great reason to go! And besides I know a lot of my friends live out that way!

Most of you know that I am a BIG supporter of Susan G. Komen organization. I am planning to walk AGAIN in the 3 Day for the Cure Walk in November. Another one of my friends sent me a message earlier this week telling me her aunt was just diagnosed with breast cancer! We MUST find a cure for breast cancer! It affects too many people and I don't want it to be someone else I know! It's time I get going on my fundraising so tomorrow I am holding my first "give-away for donations" for the year. I'm giving away a $25 Starbucks gift card this time! Last year when I did this I was very happy with the results and Thea was the lucky winner of a $75 Target giftcard! Who will be the winner this time? Come back tomorrow for details! All you have to do to enter is donate $10 or more to my fundraising page! Easy peasy, right?!! If you donate today you will get an extra entry...so don't wait! Get a headstart (and an extra chance,k?)!

ShrinkYoSelf 2012 - Week 4

I saw this picture this morning on Facebook and it seemed to fit perfectly so I borrowed it for today's Weigh in post with the Sisterhood.

For the first 2 weeks in January I was on track and doing great with my goals for health and fitness. The last week and a half I have seriously been slacking. I could give you a laundry list of excuses but instead I choose to just suck it up and say I haven't had my head in the game. I have been going through the motions but haven't been doing what is necessary to apply the knowledge I have to lose the weight I want to lose.

So...here are the facts based on the numbers:

Starting challenge weigh in: 1/1/12 - 205.0

Last week's weigh in: 1/18/12 - 199.6

This week's weigh in: 1/25/12 - 201.0

Like I said I could give you tons of excuses for why I gained more than 1 pound this week but bottom line is I have been eating more calories than I should and at least 1 day this week I ate more than double the calories I should have eaten in 1 day. I HAVE been tracking my food and calories and workouts in MyFitnessPal app so I knew things on the scale were NOT going to make me a happy momma. I got off my "eating ONLY low glycemic index" foods and it is hurting me.

I HAVE been VERY consistent with working out. As of this morning I have worked out 25 days in a row, doing the Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred and an additional 10 minutes of Ab work, since that is the area of my body I am most unhappy with. I'm looking at options of different kinds of workouts for the month of February and feel like it is a good idea for me to commit to doing a couple of different kinds of workouts. I think my body gets too used to doing the same things too quickly and then doesn't change. My Marine bought me The Biggest Loser for Kinect game for Christmas so I want to use that at least 3 days a week and then do something else the other days of the week that I work out. I am most content and happy with myself if I am working out most of the week so I will probably commit to doing a workout 5 days a week but most of the time I will workout every day.

As for my discipline issues with the eating right??? I just need to do what I know is right. I need to decide I want this weight loss badly enough. I need to accept that there are some things in life that aren't easy or fun and this is one of them. I know I can lose weight. I know I can do it! Every time I have decided I'm going to do something and pour myself into it 100% I have done it!

Now, the question is "how bad do I want to lose the weight?"
I guess next week's scale and My Fitness Pal chart will be able to answer that pretty clearly!



Speaking of pouring myself into something I am once again pouring myself into the Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure Walk. This past weekend we had a team meeting to go over details for this year's walk. I am getting excited to start raising my $2300 and doing my part in finding a cure to breast cancer. You can help me by going to my fundraising page and making a donation! No donation is too small or too big! Please help by donating HERE!

10 Minute Confession

I literally have 10 minutes to write this but I feel I MUST get this out in the open so here are bullet points. Short and sweet!

* Exercise has been excellent! I have completed all 24 days of exercise his month! I have exercised before doing anything else in my day! Meanig sometimes school starts at noon! But I am done with exercise for the day!!

* My food choices for the past week have pretty much SUCKED! I'm guessing it will show up on the scale tomorrow, too! Sunday ate enough calories for 2 days!

* That Other Kid learned to ride his bike Sunday and I'm hoping to get a bike later today so we can start bike riding together! I LOVE BIKE RIDING!!

* I'm starting to think about what kind of exercise program to start in February, cuz I will be done with the 30 Day Shred on the 31st!

Hello From 2013!!

ChristieO wants us to write a letter to ourself about the things that happen in 2012 from the point of view of it being 2013. Confused? Yeah, me too! But what a great exercise in goal setting! I did it last year and didn't have great success, but this year will be different! Read and enjoy the year that I'm about to embark on.

Good morning!

It's been a year since I talked you into taking a chance with yourself and convinced you that you are indeed worth living a healthy lifestyle! I'm so glad you listened and took the bull by the horns and stopped half-assing your workouts and your diet! I know you are too because you are so much happier now than you were at the beginning of 2012! This was a great year full of learning how to live without constantly thinking of the "what-ifs". You now concentrate on the "nows" and that makes life so much less stressful! Speaking of stress, yes there is still plenty of it but you have really learned how to keep yourself from freaking out about every little thing that doesn't go according to plan. See that Charlie Brown cartoon up there? You saw that cartoon and applied it to your life! What a great way to live 2012 (and beyond)!

The hubby had a great year...full of meeting some pretty significant goals. It was a wonderful thing to watch the transformation!

My Marine is doing better than you imagined as a Combat Photographer and is getting to see some pretty awesome sites! He emails and sends you pictures all the time. This helps you feel more connected and helps you not miss him so much. Yes, you still miss having that day to day connection with him but it is getting easier! He's been a Marine now for a little more than a year and it feels wonderful being able to tell people that your son is a Marine! You raised a good person!

That Other Kid is growing up and excelling in school. Not that that is a big surprise to you. He's always been a smart kid but it's good to know that as a homeschooling mom you are doing the right thing with him! He still knows how to push your buttons and make you want to throw him out to the windowdoor world but you know in your heart of hearts that you are his best teacher! He has learned that school comes first, then building all his wonderful lego creations can come next! You have learned how to keep him focused on his school stuff and it helps you as well!

How have you accomplished this wonderful feat? You both exercise every morning before starting school! Yes, you decided that if it was good enough for you to exercise in the morning then it was good enough for That Other Kid too! You get up and do your morning exercise routine then you both do some kind of exercise together! It's a great way to spend some quality time together doing something fun as well as good for you! Some mornings you play a Wii or XBox game, some mornings you go walking, biking, or playing catch with the football! And your favorite? Is using the punching bag you bought him for his birthday in 2011! It's a great cardio workout for both of you! And what's more...he loves spending this time with you! After this great workout you sit down and get some good book-learning done! You are both focused and ready to take on the day!

AND you have lost a ton (well not literally) of weight this year because of your constant exercise! It feels so good to finally be at a healthy weight and be able to do so much more because you have gotten the weight off! I'm so proud of you! You have learned how to balance eating right and exercise into your day to day life as well as tackling that ugly stress beast!

You also raised the money necessary to walk your 2nd Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure! This definitely was one of the high points of the year. Finding a cure for breast cancer and helping bring awareness to others has become such a passion for you and you did a great job bringing it front and center this year! Not only did you walk but unlike last year you didn't gain a bunch of unnecessary weight while doing it! You were smart with your calorie intake and made it a wonderful experience without gaining weight!

At the beginning of the year you started reading and following the book 52 Small Changes with all your sisters over at the 'hood and I am happy to report that you made it through all 52 weeks and yes, you are happier because of it! You have made great changes to your life this year that you will carry through with you the rest of your life! Another wonderful thing you accomplished this year!

Another highlight from this past year is that you finally got a handle on your organization skills! You made organizing a priority for your household and family and it shows in every area of your life! What a great feeling!

It's been a great 2012 and I can't wait to see what 2013 brings your way!

Hugs to us!

Your 2013 self

ShrinkYoSelf 2012 - Week 2

Yes, it's already the 2nd week of the new year. And it's also Wednesday so that means it's time to do a weigh in for the Sisterhood. As I was watching The Biggest Loser last night I was thinking about how normally the 2nd week of any diet/exercise plan is a small weight loss week. I was also thinking about how to ensure that I wouldn't be disappointed if the scale reflected that this morning. I decided that I would look at it this way. If the men and women that are working out with Bob and Dolvett are only losing 4, 5, and 7 pounds I should keep my eyes focused on what I am doing and be happy with any loss this week. Regardless of the size of the loss as long as it is a loss I would be happy!

So I got on the scale this morning and I was indeed HAPPY!

Starting challenge weight: January 1, 2012 - 205.0
Last Wednesday's weight: January 4, 2012 - 201.8
Today's weight: January 11, 2012 - 200.0

So that means in 11 days I have lost 5 pounds! Yes, that's 5 pounds that I have shred from my body in just 10 days! Like the men and women on the Biggest Loser I wish I could have seen a number in Onederland BUT I did lose 1.8 pounds this week! I am going to be happy with that and continue working toward my goal of losing 10 pounds in the month of January and another 10 pounds in the month of February! Heck, I'm half way there for the month of January and I still have A LOT of month left!

So as far as the challenges for the week - we are supposed to be exercising a minimum of 20 minutes/3 times a week for vigorous exercise or 30 minutes/5 times a week for moderate exercise.

I am happy to report that I have done a minimum of 34 minutes of exercise for every day of this month! Yes, I have gotten up early (or not so early) and exercised! I am beginning to like exercising in the morning...shhhh, don't tell my head that! Yes, I still have a hard time actually making myself get started but once I do I like that it is over early in the day and I don't have to worry about it in the afternoon or evening!

I am following along with the 'hood groupthat Christy set up for 52 Small Changes. Last week was getting enough water! Clear, plain water! I do that one by drinking a minimum of 100 oz of water every day and was successful even on Saturday when I was out most of the day without access to extra water! This week's challenge - is getting between 7 & 8 hours of sleep a night! This is a HUGE challenge for me but so far I am doing it! Yay me! My goal is to go to sleep at 12 midnight and sleep till 8! Last night I got in bed at 12:03 and woke up at 5:34 but went back to sleep fairly quickly. I slept till my alarm went off at 8! Then I got up and got started exercising BEFORE 9!! Yay me! The night before I went to bed at 12:16 and slept THRU my alarm at 8 and woke up promptly at 9:01! Even though I got up an hour late I still exercised in the morning! Another Yay me! Normally I would have said "ugh I'm already an hour late, I will just do it later!" But the new me said "screw the schedule, exercising is more important!"

I'm running behind on my assignment for the year; my "Dear Me" letter. A letter written by the 2013 me telling me what great things my 2012 me did this year. I don't really have an excuse for why I haven't done it yet, I just haven't taken the time to do it yet. These letters take a lot of mental focus for me and I haven't had much of that lately! BUT...I am committed to doing it by Friday night! I will get this letter written and posted and linked up. I think it's a very important process to do this and it's kind of fun to think of what I want to do this year!

So how are your goals going for the year? Honestly, my health and fitness goals are going great but the others not so much! I guess I can only focus on one thing at a time till I get the hang of it, so I'm not beating myself up over it. I'm just going to focus on the accomplishments that I have made and keep striving for improvements one day at a time!

ShrinkYoSelf2012 - Week 1

Well here we are at Wednesday! Over at the Sisterhood that is the day we weigh in and tell the world (or at least our hookersisters) how we are doing and get cheers or a kick in the booty if we need it! I was actually looking forward to hopping on the scale this morning BUT almost forgot! I have been exercising every MORNING (yes, ME EXERCISE IN THE MORNING and if you know me well you know it's hard for me to do anything in the morning!) So this morning I got up did my usual stuff, got dressed, etc and then right before I left the room to exercise I remembered "it's Wednesday! Time to weigh in!" so I went back into the bathroom, undressed and got on the scale! See how dedicated I am?

I was thrilled to see that since Sunday I lost 3.2 pounds! After doing a little happy dance right there in my undies I got dressed and went out and let Jillian Shred my butt some more! It made it a little easier to workout this morning knowing that I lost 3.2 pounds in 3 days! Yes, I realize that most of that weight is probably detoxing the crap out of my system and water loss BUT STILL it looked mighty nice to see a nice loss on the scale! Especially since I baked chocolate chip cookies for my Marine last night (and didn't even want any for myself!) and there are still 3 left and I haven't eaten them! No cookies or crap for me! YAY!!!

I'm participating in the 52 Weeks for Healthy Living Challenge over at the 'hood! This week is easy...WATER! Drink 1/2 your weight in water, nice clear yummy water! Not a problem for me since I got into the habit of drinking water some time ago, I am accustomed to drinking somewhere in the range of 100 oz of water but NOW I am making a concerted effort at drinking that much and even more! I spend a lot of time in the bathroom, but I know I am getting enough water!

We are also supposed to get in 30 minutes of "moderate" exercise 5 days a week or 30 minutes of "vigorous" exercise 3 times a week. This fits in with my own personal goal for the month of at least 30 minutes of exercise every day! I am happy to say that I have been working out with Jillian's 30 Day Shred this week (planning to do it the whole month - every day!) and also adding some ab work to round out my 30 minutes. It feels great to get up in the morning and get it out of the way! This way in the evening if people want to watch tv or play video games I don't have an excuse!
I "think" it's getting easier although my knees were pretty sore this morning so my lunges certainly weren't deep enough, but I kept moving and that is the point!

Ok..so here are my goals for this challenge (and at this pace I should make them, PLEASE??):
Starting weight for challenge: 205.0
Today's weight: 201.8

My goal weight for this challenge: 185.0

Yes, that's a loss of 20 pounds in 8 weeks/2 months! I know that if I stick with the Low Glycemic Index Diet Plan I can do this! It's that big IF that always gets in the way!
How am I planning to reach this goal? I'm going to follow the plan exclusively for the month of January....that means 31 days of nothing but the foods on the plan. That means no soda. That means nothing fried. That means my choices for eating out will be limited but certainly not non-existent. That means I have to prepare healthy foods for myself and keep myself busy when I "think" I want something that doesn't follow the plan. That means I can't stress out when My Marine goes back to San Diego for his next stage of training, in less than 2 weeks. That means I have to focus on MY goals!

The next thing I will need to do is continue exercising. I actually like exercising and I love the way it makes me feel so the biggest problem I have is not making the excuses of why I don't have time! I really do have time! I'm a SAHM who homeschools! What the heck am I so busy doing that I don't have 30 minutes to workout? goofing off on my phone, playing #WordsWithFriends, checking emails 30 million times a day, checking facebook 1 million times a day Yeah, lots of really important stuff there! Yes, I do homeschool That Other Kid. Yes, I am responsible for a household. Yes, I constantly prepare meals, do laundry, run errands and everything else a mom does, but really can't a mom spare 30 minutes to take care of herself?! I think we all know the answer is YES! We just need to make that decision to do it!

Exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes EVERY day for the month of January, and then at least 5 days a week for the month of February. I would like to set the goal at every day for both January and February but I want to allow myself some leeway! For the month of January there is NO leeway! I gave myself a whole year of leeway! There is none left!

My next goal for this challenge is to follow along with the 52 Weeks of Healthy Living. I have the book coming and we have the group set up on the 'hood, so there is not a reason why I can't follow along with these.

I think that's all for this challenge. I want to change my life so much this year and this is the beginning of it! I can't wait to see the difference 2 months can make!

First Confession for 2012

Today is Tuesday and over at the Sisterhood that is when we confess the good, the bad and the ugly! Sooooooo here are my confessions for the first Tuesday of 2012.

Late last week I decided I was going to make 2012 my year of finally meeting my weight loss goals and not just talking about meeting my weight loss goals! I looked at what I would need to do to meet my goals and started formulating a plan. Almost 3 years ago when I started my journey of losing weight I weighed 226.8 pounds and the doctor told me some key things to do to lose weight and get my health under control.
Sunday morning I weighed 205.0 pounds....so I guess I can say I have lost and maintained 21 pounds but that's not the 75 pounds I should have lost and maintained by now!

The first thing he told me to do was EXERCISE! Simple enough - exercise at least 30 minutes a day to get a decent sweat and the heart rate up! (If I would have consistently done this 3 years ago I wouldn't be sitting here telling you how I need to lose weight still!) I started with Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred then and I didn't die 3 years ago, so I knew it would be a good place to start 2012 with!

I have been so inactive the past couple of months that I knew I would be basically starting over and let me tell you, Jillian is kicking my butt! In a good way of course! My muscles hurt and are screaming but I know it will work.
I also wanted to add in some additional abdominal work, so I found a nice short ab workout on Netflix Instant. It is off the 10 minute Toning for Beginners and I'm just doing the ab portion. That gives me a little more than 30 minutes with the warmup/cool down from the Shred and the 10 minutes of ab work!

The second thing he told me to do was to STOP DRINKING SODA! Another no brainer! Soda has no redeeming qualities (except it tastes good!) Again I managed to go 6 weeks without one soda 3 years ago...I can do it again!

So...Saturday evening I drank my last soda of 2011 and my last one for some time. Now in all honesty I know I will drink soda again. BUT....I can't make it my preferred drink. I need to make it a "special treat"! Not something I get when I'm thirsty or because it's "happy hour" at Sonic or because my hubby wants one.
My plan is go the entire month of January and February without soda. I'm determined to not drink ANY for the month of January. We'll see how things are going then! For these first 3 days of January I am having some pretty intense cravings for coke which means I was drinking WAY too much! Having it in the house isn't helping either but my will power is stronger! Right?? I'm doing great on the water challenge that is going on over at the 'hood! I'm supposed to drink 102 ounces a day and I have nailed it on both days so far. I am already at about 45 ounces today so I'm certainly on track for today, but I am spending a lot of time in the bathroom! lol


The third thing the doctor told me to do was to follow a low glycemic index diet plan. He gave me some guidelines and told me to look it up for more specifics so I went home and looked it up BUT I didn't really follow it! It looked too hard, but in reality I was just being stubborn! I didn't want to change my life completely. I still wanted to eat crap food. I still wanted to eat fried foods. I still wanted to eat sugar loaded desserts! So, although I did lose weight (quickly and a significant amount) I wasn't completely committed.

BUT....now that I've decided to really make this change and lose the weight for real I've started following the plan strictly. For the month of January, I have committed to ONLY eat what is on the low glycemic index diet plan. Really it's not that hard...and it's what I already know I need to properly fuel my body. Whole wheat grains, lean meats, moderate amounts of fruit, and lots of veggies. If you are interested in it feel free to use google to find out more about it. I'm a pretty picky eater so I just found the foods that were approved on it and wrote them down on a piece of paper and I'm only fixing foods that are on that list. 'Lissa told me last night it sounded a lot like South Beach Phase 2. I've followed the plan before and had great results...I just didn't stick with it long enough.

Ok...so now that y'all know what I'm doing I will tell you I am really struggling with getting myself together. I have been exercising shortly after I get up (which is hard enough for me!). Then I have been sitting down to record everything and eat some breakfast, and I have ended up sitting at the computer for at least an hour! That's gotta end. I can't be hitting the shower at noon! I need to be able to start school no later than 10:30. Today we are taking another day off since the kiddo is sick but he won't be sick for the whole year, ya know?! So time management is an area I need to work on!

I'm also having some serious junk food cravings. I know its normal to go through these withdrawals but still! Makes it harder for me that the hubs and kiddo are sick too! But, I know I can do it...it just takes will power and the determination to want it bad enough and I DO!!

I heard this quote about 6 weeks ago on the Biggest Loser and it really spoke to me! I think it's gonna be my mantra for this time in my journey.....

"If you believe you can achieve!"

It's A New Year - 2012

It's a new year and I'm ready to make the most of it! The Sisterhood wants us to start it off right so they are offering a great new challenge to start 2012 off with a bang!



I'm excited and ready to see what I can do when I pour myself into it 100% and that's exactly what I'm planning to do! In fact I already started, by getting up this morning and changing clothes, putting my contacts in and EXERCISING! Yes, that's right I've decided that I need to exercise first thing in the morning so I have no excuses to NOT do it!

For the month of January I have decided to do Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred! Yes, I know January has 31 days but I figure I can start February a day early since it only has 29 days in it! Since Jillian's workout is only about 20 minutes (plus about 4 minutes of warmup and cool down I decided to some sort of ab workout to bring my minumum total of workout to 30 minutes. Today I pulled up Netflix's Target Toning and I did the 10 minute Ab workout. Normally I would say that this workout would not be a good enough workout for me but after Jillian it was enough! I feel like I'm starting over with my fitness and this was a great start!

As for my starting weight for this challenge: Sadly it was 205.0 and honestly I was surprised it wasn't more. Over the past couple of months I have basically not had any exercise and I have been eating and drinking way more than I know I should! This challenge lasts 8 weeks and goes till the end of February. That gives us plenty of time to make some good changes and a great start to meeting our goals for 2012!

At the end March of 2009 I started my journey of weight loss and I weighed in at 226.8, so over the course of 2 years and 9 months I have lost and maintained a loss of 21 pounds. For that I am happy. For that I am grateful. BUT I really want and NEED to get the rest of this weight off. It's for my health! It's for my sons! It's something I need to do for ME! So here I am again at the beginning of a new year saying one of my goals for the year is to lose weight. I really believe that if I follow the Low Glycemic Index Diet Plan (that the doctor told me to follow nearly 3 years ago) I will meet my goal of 150 - 155 pounds by the time my birthday shows up on the calendar in late July.

So...how will I ensure that I follow the diet and exercise plan I KNOW will work for me? I will hold myself accountable. I will beg my friends to help me! I will make sure that I don't buy junk that I will be tempted to eat! I will focus on the things that help me do what I know I need to do. I will also make sure I exercise EARLY in the day so that I'm not "too tired" to exercise! Just an excuse really since I don't EVER go to bed early but it was an excuse I used for the past couple of months!

So...my goals for the month of January?

** Workout with Jillian every morning as well as an additional 10 minutes of ab work! (My abs will thank me!) for a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise a day.
** Follow along with the challenges that the Sisterhood throws out there!
** Follow along with the "small changes" that Christy will share with us on the 'hood!
** Follow the Low Glycemic Index Diet Plan! If it's not on the plan it's not going into my mouth this month! (I'm not planning to be this strict the whole year but I really think my body needs some "detoxing" and this is a great way to do it!)
** Weigh in at the end of January at 195!

If I do everything I have set out to do I know I can meet this goal! Yes, it will be challenging. Yes, it will be hard. Yes, I'm gonna need my friends to help me out sometimes. BUT....I know in my head and heart that I am worth the effort!

So are you participating in the new challenge? It's gonna rock!! Let me know what your hopes and dreams are for the new year so I can encourage and help you meet them!

Happy New Year friends!

Just A Few More Hours!

2011 will be over in less than 10 hours! This has been kind of a "stand -still" year. So many things were just "there". Nothing special, nothing much to discuss, the kind of year that just was! I didn't lose weight this year, in fact I've gained. I haven't gotten organized like I wanted. I didn't complete the Christmas stocking that I started for That Other Kid 8 years ago. I did a lot of stressing out over my son being in boot camp. I just kind of let the year slip me by. I don't want that to happen again!

There were a couple of significant things that happened this year that will forever change my life (and that of my family and friends). First of all my best friend, Glenna went through breast cancer treatments, surgeries and recoveries. I watched her deal with this and helped as much as I could. She has tackled it head on and has had a recovery that is amazing!

Through her cancer diagnosis I decided that it was time to follow through with something I have wanted to do for years! The Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure Walk- 60 miles in 3 days! It truly was an experience I will never forget! I'm already signed up for 2012's walk and I'm gearing up to start training and fundraising again. I loved it! Except for the blisters while training and the cramped calf muscle during day 2 of the walk! Lol

The third thing that happened this year that is worth taking note of is that my oldest son went from being "that kid" to My Marine! He left in September for Marine bootcamp and graduated December 16th! I am now the proud mom of a United States Marine Private! I couldn't be more proud to say that my son is a Marine! He gets to be home on leave till January 16th and so I'm enjoying having him home for this month since I don't know when he will be home again.

These are all very significant things that have made me the person I am at the end of 2011 BUT they don't come close to meeting the goals I had for the year. So I have been reflecting on a lot of things I want for 2012 and have decided to break them down week by week and month by month into smaller goals that will help me reach my bigger goals.

Honestly, I'm still working them out but here are a few of my goals, in no particular order.

Christy threw out a great challenge of following 52 small healthy living goals to make us healthier by the end of 2012 so I'm going to follow along with this.

Another thing I'm implementing first thing tomorrow is a Low Glycemic Index Diet Plan. When I follow it it works amazingly well! There's just that big IF so I'm making it a priority for January and eating only from the plan! Will power will be necessary but I know I can do it!

Another thing I'm going to implement is moving my body a MINUMUM of 30 minutes every day! I have video games, DVD's, apps on my phone, Netflix instant! So many options, all I have to do is DO IT! I'm starting with Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. It will give me a great benchmark for starting over!

A couple of other things I'm wanting to do is start consistently reading my Bible, getting organized and rid of clutter! I love to read but lately I just haven't taken the time to do much. This will be another area I'm going to work on.

And probably my most challenging goal that I have decided I want to work toward is "less frivolous computer time"! This means not checking emails, Facebook, twitter, words with friends, etc a million times a day! I'm going to give myself time limits and designated time during the day and that's it! I've wasted far too much time goofing off on the computer (or phone) so that has to stop!

Consistently is gonna be a big key to my success this year! Wish me luck!

Btw, if you want to get another quick tax deduction I have started my fundraising for my 2012 3 Day for the Cure Walk! Once again I need to raise $2300 and I would love to have your support! You can donate here

Thanks bunches for all your support and love and virtual butt kickings you have given me this year! I hope you have a wonderful 2012! Xoxoxo

Burst Into Summer -- One Week to go!

Ok...So here's the deal. It's Wednesday and over at Shrinking Jeans we hop on the scale and report back in and let everyone know how the weight loss journey went this past week. Although I haven't taken this challenge seriously and put much effort into the weight loss aspect of the ourney I don't want to be a slacker on all fronts so I am checking in, reporting back and owning my errors. They are mine and no one elses. I can't blame the gains I have made on anyone but myself.

So...here are my numbers:

Starting weight: MARCH 25, 2009 -- 226.8

Starting challenge weight: 6/15/11 -- 194.6
Last week's weight: 200

This week's weight: 198.2

So I must have done something right this week. I *think* I know what that is so we will see how that works out for me this coming week. Since we only have one week left in this challenge I'm hoping that I can at least get down to my starting challenge weight this week but since I have to lose 4 pounds I don't know if that is feasible....I'm gonna give it a try, though!

I think part of my issues for not losing weight is my hormonal issues, so I started taking some homeopathic supplements and I'm going to see how that works for me. Just gotta remember to take them EVERY DAY! I also need to remember that eating crappy food isn't gonna help my stress levels in a positive way! I kind of forgot that this weekend AGAIN! But...every day is a new day. Time to forget about the past and move forward. Eating healthy foods helps me in so many ways and I KNOW I will feel better both mentally and physically if I'm eating right and exercising. Which I haven't really been doing much of lately. Walking over the weekends is about all I am doing and that needs to change. We have been going non-stop lately during the week and by the time I get That Other Kid to bed all I feel like doing is sitting down and goofing off on the computer! But...that's gotta change, too! Need to find my computer time some other way.

Too much to do to waste time goofing off. I still have fundraising things to prepare for for the Komen 3 Day for the Cure and I'm trying out some new things for our homeschooling year with That Other Kid this year. Both take time that I haven't been devoting to them. So I need to get back on a schedule so I can get it ALL done!

Priorities are important so I am prioritizing my life:

ME comes first! That means eating right, spending time reading my bible, and exercising DAILY. I have found that is the way I make sure I get it done consistently.

Secondly, I have to make sure the family is cared for properly. That means the house is clean (relatively speaking, of course! since my house is never REALLY clean!), meals are prepared, laundry is done and I am spending quality time with That Other Kid. I'm finding that this is a biggie as it gets closer to the time when 'My Marine' leaves for boot camp. Once he leaves it will be even more important (for both of us). I also want to make sure that when hubby and I get a chance to spend time on the weekends I am spending quality time with him, not trying to do other things at the same time.

Thirdly, comes homeschooling preparation and school "stuff". I need to make sure I devote time every week (and even every evening if necessary) to school preparations. I have been seriously slacking on this.

Then last but not least, I need to devote time and effort into raising the funds for my Komen 3 Day for the Cure walk. This is even more important to me this week since I just got an email from my hubby's stepmom that she has to have a double mastectomy on Monday, the 29th. Cancer SUCKS, and we must do everything we can to make sure there are cures found!

Ok...enough rambling out of me. I need a shower so we can get out the door! We are attending a "Not Back to School" party with a bunch of other homeschooling families since all the public school kids went back to school this week! We get the place to ourselves!

Hope y'all have had a good week and met your goals for the week!

Bursting Into Summer - Week 3

I don't get me! I mean here I am telling myself and everyone around me how desperately I want to lose weight, get healthy, exercise and be fit BUT my actions tell everyone just the opposite! I haven't been losing weight (in fact this week I gained to the tune of 1.4 pounds), I haven't been exercising, and I'm definitely NOT fit! I'm doing stupid stuff to sabotage my own efforts. I buy and then eat crappy sugary foods that I know will not help in my weight loss journey. Instead of exercising (now that my legs feel normal again) I just sit around on my computer or in front of the tv vegging out. I don't get me!!

The month of May I lost more than 8 pounds and I was so happy and proud of myself! The month of June I just went back to my old habits and now here it is July (half way through the year) and I'm still NOT doing what I know it will take to lose weight! I guess I need another "AHA" moment in my life to kick me back into high gear!

Yesterday I had planned to do the bootcamp workout that the Sisterhood is offering us and about 3 p.m. I cme down with the most incredible headache! I didn't even do the #tworkout and I almost always do it! I took tylenol, put That Other Kid to bed and got ready for bed myself! I took a picture of the clock on my nightstand because I wanted to have proof that I can and in fact did go to bed early! I was in bed by 9:35p.m. I read in bed for a little bit and then went to sleep. I slept till 9am this morning and I feel much better! My neck seems tight but maybe that is just cuz I need to pop it.

Anywho, here are the numbers for this weeks weigh in -- just for the record, I was not surprised to see a gain. I didnt really pay much attention to the calories this week and it definitely showed!

Beginning challenge weight: 194.6
Last week -- 194.6
This week -- 196.0

The challenge for this week is to NOT EAT FAST FOOD for the week! It will do my body good to stay away from this crap so I plan to do my best on this challenge.
Last weeks challenge was to eat 5 servings of fruits/veggies and I failed miserably on this challenge. There really was no reason either as I had plenty of both in the house. Just being lazy and not wanting to do what I know is right, I guess!
I have continued drinking plenty of water (I usually get about 100 ounces a day) and there were days over the weekend that I drank more than 124 ounces cuz it's so stinking hot outside that is the only thing that really helps quench my thirst!

Ok...off to get my lazy butt moving....hope ya'll had a great week! and if you didn't lets motivate each other, k?? Here's to a better week for EVERYONE!

Bursting N2 Summer Challenge - Week 2

Well here we are in Week 2 of this 11 week challenge for the Sisterhood. I'm actually glad that this challenge is so long....maybe it will give me time to get my act together and lose the weight! So it's weigh in time -- let's get to it, shall we?

Starting challenge weight: 194.6
Last week's weight: 195.2
Today's weight: 194.6

Yes, that's right I weigh exactly the same as I did 2 weeks ago! I know it sounds lame but I am actually pleased to see that I have lost the weight that I gained last week. I have been sidelined from exercising more than just basic stretching since Sunday. I took Friday and Saturday off from exercising since I was having some good "mom time" out with some friends. So....basically I haven't exercised since Thursday! That's nearly a week without exercising and that's a long time for me! i am pretty consistent with my exercise, even if it is just something easy and light-weight I try to do something nearly every day. BUT...having such intense leg cramping that I can't walk isn't very conducive to exercising. I'm feeling better tonight thanks to Roo's advice and @ArcticEase's great wrap! I'm planning to go for a short walk tonight after dark (since it's nine million degrees here in Texas!) and see how I feel after I do that. I'm hoping to get back to the ShrinkingJeans Bootcamp soon! I need it sooooo badly! and I want to push myself beyond my comfort zone!

This weeks challenge was to eat breakfast! I am happy to report that not only did I drink all my water but I also ate breakfast everyday! Saturday I almost forgot, but just as I was walking out the door I remembered that I hadn't eaten anything so I grabbed a protein bar and ate it on the way to meet my friend!

This week's challenge is to eat my fruits and veggies! The times where I actually do this I am consistently shocked at the fact that I can eat so much more food and feel full longer! and my calories are so much lower -- cuz ya know fruits and veggies have WAAAAAYYY less calories than say a coke or a bag of chips or almost anything!! So this is definitely gonna be a goal of mine for the week. It is almost 7:30p.m. and I am happy to report that I did indeed have all my fruits and veggies for today! I ate a nice big salad for lunch and that helped a lot!!

Ok...so it's time for me to get some stuff done around here...since I have been in and out alot for the past few days, the house is starting to fall apart!! Does this happen to anyone else? or is it just my household??

Hope ya'll had a great week and are doing well with this challenge! If you are struggling just get back in the saddle, k?

May Your Way (or The Month I Lost 8.4 Pounds!)

May has gone very much my way for losing weight. I can safely say that this month has been one of the most successful for me in A LONG TIME!! So a big THANK YOU goes to the Sisterhood of Shrinking Jeans for being here to encourage, push, and challenge me to a great weight loss this month.

So here are the stats:

Starting weight 3/25/09: 226.8

Starting weight for challenge: May 1st, 2011 - 201.0

Last week: 195.2

Today's weigh in: June 1st, 2011 - 192.6

so what does this mean? It means I lost a freakin' 8.4 pounds in just a month!!! Even with my set back last week I still managed to lose weight and recover from a few bad days last week, get back on track and pulled out of the slump I was in and I started losing weight again!!

How did I do it, you might ask? Well first of all I set out 3 goals for myself and I stuck to them pretty well, ifIdosaysomyself!

1) Follow a Low Glycemic Index diet (as much as possible): Accomplished I have a list on the side of my fridge of foods that follow the Low Glycemic Food Index and every time I ate something I looked at that list to see if what I was about to eat (or had eaten) followed that plan. I'm a pretty picky eater so my list of foods that are eat-able(yes that's a word!) is not too hard to browse through quickly. I'm also in charge of the cooking and grocery shopping so I pretty much know what is in the house and available to eat! Shockingly, it wasn't that hard to stick to this plan...I don't know why I didn't stick to it 2 years ago. BUT, I'm sticking to it now and that is what matters, right?

2) Exercise a MINIMUM of 30 minutes a day: I admit I missed a few days on this goal but I'm not beating myself up over it. (Shocking, right?) I'm still calling this goal accomplished because the only days that I didn't exercise 30 minutes were not because of laziness. They were simply days that things like caring for a family got in the way. That Kid moved back home this month, my hubby has finally gotten extremely busy with work, therefore making me busier cuz he can't help out as much and then this weekend That Other Kid got sick. I still have managed to exercise MOST days this month and that has certainly helped me lose weight!

3) Track food and exercise on MyFitness Pal/Livestrong: Accomplished
Yes indeed, every day this month I have tracked my food into My Daily Plate. There were a few days that it was not pretty and I really didn't want to record those brownies bananas that I ate, but I did it anyway. It was very eye opening, too. We eat out one fast food meal a week and those nights I got online and checked out the food choices that I wanted to eat. There was one week I went to 3 different places just so I could get something that wouldn't blow my plan out of the water!! And did you know that a hot fudge sundae from Sonic (yum Sonic) has 342 calories?? It was soooo not worth it so I TURNED IT DOWN, thankyouverymuch!! And did you know that a huge salad that you make at home only has around 60 calories without dressing?? That has been a huge help in keeping my weight going down this week, because I've had a salad nearly every night!!

My final goal that I set up for this month was to lose 11 pounds so that I could be at 190 pounds by today, BUT I felt this was a pretty unrealistic goal for myself. I'm not holding this against me because although I had set out to lose 11 pounds this is the first month this year that I have actually lost a decent amount of weight! I'm counting this as a "mostly accomplished" goal since I lost 8.4 pounds this month and that was even with having a gain last week!

I also found I was having a harder time getting a decent amount of sleep so I added a goal of getting to bed by 1 am and getting at least 7 hrs of sleep. There were a few nights that I didn't get to bed by 1 am but if I didn't I made sure I managed to sleep enough to get my 7 hrs or more of sleep. One night this weekend I think I got about 4 hours of sleep but that was because That Other Kid was sick and kept waking up....he's better now but still has a cough and a stuffy nose...allergies suck is all I can say about that!!

So...overall, I am very pleased with the way May has gone and I'm happy to be 8.4 pounds lighter than I was a month ago!! I had fun participating in SisterChats and the SisterSays challenges. This week's challenge was to try new fitness/exercise - I did a couple of different things; I did a 30 minute Nike Training Club app routine and I did a Netflix Instant dvd exercise routine - Dance off the Inches - Fat Burning Jam. It was nice to push myself in a different direction with these exercises although That Kid thought my "dance" moves were a bit goofy! But that's what he gets for coming through the living room while I'm exercising! lol

I missed the SisterChat this week and for that I am bummed. I heard it was just Mary and one other lady so apparently everyone else was busy or forgot too! It was nice to sit down and chat with my sisters for a bit and I got lots of laughs and a lot of information too! I hope this feature hangs around cuz I need this!!

I did manage to do #Tworkout every week this month...even the week the Dallas area was hit was tornados and everyone was telling me to get to shelter!! See I'm telling you the love is thick around here!! I did head to one of our bathrooms and I took my phone so I could keep up with everyone and the weather! I did the tworkout mostly on my own that week but at least I did it, right??!!

All in all it was a great month and a super week! I hope you guys have had a great May and are looking forward to a wonderful summer! It's already stinkin' hot here in Texas so I'm looking for things to do INSIDE or late at night! I'm also checking out the apartment complex pools to see if any of them are clean enough for us to use this summer so we don't have to go to the community pool and pay money to use them!

Hugs!!!

May Your Way

Let's get right to the facts today: Starting challenge weight: 201.0
Last week's weight: 194.4
Today's weight: 195.2

Not a good weigh in for me today 195.2....I got on the scales 3 different times this morning trying to get that number to change but it was set right on 195.2 - didn't even vacilate the way it usually does when I first get on the scale!! Not a happy momma today but I'm not making excuses. I'm admitting the errors of my way.

I was stressed out this weekend and didn't move my body enough. I made brownies one night cuz the guys wanted a treat...they didn't like them...um, I'm guessing you know they didn't get thrown away, huh? No, I ate more than I should have.

I also fixed nachos last night for dinner...I piled mine high with grilled chicken and veggies but there was also a fair amount of cheese and salty chips!! Then I didn't flush my system enough with drinking water last night. I justified it by saying I had already had plenty of water for the day....um, apparently not enough to get rid of all the salt!!

I have been sticking to the low glycemic index diet pretty well (except for the brownies, of course) and I have been eating lots of fruits and veggies (my 5 a day!).
Overall I just feel that this weigh in is a little glitch in the system but I am going to be very careful over the next 5 days because I still want to see how much I can lose this month! My original goal was to be at (or below) 190 by the end of the month. With this gain I don't know if that is likely but I can certainly give it a shot, right??

As for the SisterSays challenge for this past week: We were supposed to look in the mirror and say something good about ourselves...this is very hard for me to do but I managed to do it everyday. I even wrote them down in my notes so I could remember them! So here are my nice to me compliments: I have nice lips, I could wear a pair of MEDIUM yoga pants at Target, I have strong arms (strong enough to carry 2 full 5 gallon water jugs), I have nice eyes, my legs are strong, my hair is healthy, and for being nearly 46 I don't have very many wrinkles. Looking at these compliments really do show me that I have a lot of good things going for me! So thanks Sisterhood for making me look deeper!

For this week for the SisterSays challenge we are supposed to try something new. This is always a challenge for me but that's what makes it more fun!! I'll ave to think about what I can do but I will do something new --hopefully something that will burn a lot of calories!! lol

I have been doing well with tracking my food in My Daily Plate (even my indulging brownies and nachos) and I have been getting my exercise in. I did miss one night because by the time I got around to it it was past time to go to bed. Last week I had decided that I needed more sleep so I made a decision to be in bed by 1 am and not up till at least 9 am. I did pretty well on this one. The only nights this didn't happen was when the hubby needed my help with some work stuff and so I stayed up with him. I did manage to sleep in a little later to ensure I got enough sleep though so it all worked out.

I started out trying to do the #tworkout last night and then DFW got hit with a round of tornados and thunderstorms. Everyone on twitter told me to get in shelter and not to worry about the #Tworkout and since I've lived through enough tornados to know when to take cover we hid out in the bathroom and I tweeted some with my phone just to keep everyone in the loop! WE were safe but others in the area got hit pretty hard. The tornados went all around us. Really strange how that worked, but it did and I am greatful! Thanks for caring ladies!! I did do the #tworkout after I got That Other Kid in bed and the storms passed through the area so all was not lost! But...this all happened right in the middle of Biggest Loser so I didn't get to watch so I'm staying off Facebook and Twitter till I can watch later today!!

Overall I am feeling good about my goals and my accomplishments. This week is the last week of this challenge and I'm planning to adhere to my goals strictly and come as close to my goal of 190 as I can! Eating a low glycemic index plan will definitely assist me in reaching my goal. So will eating lots of fruits and veggies and moving my body!!

So how are you doing this week? Hope May is going Your Way!!

May Your Way Weigh In -- Going My Way!!

The "May Your Way" Challenge over at the Sisterhood has definitely been going my way!! I am happy to report that I once again lost weight!! And not just some piddly amount!!

Starting challenge weight: 201.0

Last week's weight: 196.6

This week's weight: 194.4

Did you hear me squeal with delight about 9:45 CT this morning??? I'm shocked if you say no! I am indeed one happy lady. It's been a long time since I could safely say I have been happy with my efforts at losing weight. But this month apparently something inside me just clicked and I am actually doing what it takes to lose this stupid weight!! In just 17 days I have lost 6.6 pounds!! That's more than I have lost this whole YEAR!!

What have I done different you ask??? Thanks for asking.
I have logged my food (every chip, coke, fruit, vegetable, glass of orange juice) into My Daily Plate/Livestrong and paid attention to the calories of foods that I am eating (and not eating), I have consistently drank 100 ounces of water, I have gotten off my hiney and exercised (not as much as I want to but apparently it's enough for now) and I have been following my Low Glycemic Index eating plan that was set up for me nearly 2 years ago.

I have met my goals in this challenge and that makes it even more special to me. I have decided to add something to my list of "things to accomplish" the rest of this month. I have been going to bed WAAAAYYYY too late and waking up even earlier than normal over the past couple of weeks and it seems to have gotten even worst since That Kid moved back home. This needs to change...so starting tonight I am going to make sure I get in bed early enough to get 7-8 hrs of GOOD sleep! This means I will be in bed no later than 1 am. I will have to plan my evening a little better to accomplish this and I will have to make sure exercise doesn't get pushed off till too late in the night and I don't read for 45 minutes before bed unless I start at midnight!

This weeks Sister Says challenge is to "say nice things to yourself in the mirror" every day. This will will be an even bigger challenge for me than the fruits and veggies one but I accomplished that so I can do this too! I know that I need to be nicer to myself when I look in the mirror and this will certainly push me in that direction!

Ok...enough from me today. I just want to let ya'll know that if you get to be at FitBloggin I will certainly miss you, but hopefully next year I will get to attend too! Take lots of pictures, learn lots of great stuff to pass on to me and hug all the Sisters that you meet there!! Much love and hugs being sent from Texas!!

May My Way - Weigh In Week 2

It's Wednesday so that means it is weigh in day for the Sisterhood. This month's challenge is very cool for me, since I am only focusing on myself and what I need to do, and I have to admit it has been going well for me! It's about time, don't you think?

Anywho, here are the stats:

Started challenge weight: 201.0
Last week's weight: 199.0

This week's weight: 196.6

Whooohhoooo!! I am so excited to see these numbers going down at such a good pace!! It has been a while since I have had success with my weight loss and I have to say I am thrilled that my constant contact with Livestrong/MyDailyPlate is paying off!!
This means in 11 days I have lost almost 4 1/2 pounds!! Whooohhoooo!! Reaching my goal of weighing 190 or less by the end of the month looks like it COULD happen!!

As I mentioned in my confessions post yesterday I have been really busy and have been trying to get in my 30 minutes of exercise however I can! Did you know that pushing a wheelchair with an adult woman in it is just like a workout for your legs and arms?? Trust me it is!!

I participated in SisterSays which was getting at least 64 oz of water in daily...this one was a easy one for me. I drink around 100 oz of water everyday and if I don't my legs cramp up and let me know I didn't. Not to mention I feel so dehydrated by the end of the day and don't sleep well!

This week's SisterSays will be a bit of a challenge for me: to eat 5 servings of fruits/veggies every day! I love fruit but not so much on the veggies (don't hate me Karena) but getting 5 servings always seems to be a challenge. I will do my best....besides I KNOW it will be good for me!

I got to participate in some of the SisterChat on Monday night and that was a lot of fun! It was kind of like a big party with a bunch of women all trying to join in the conversation at the same time and trying to keep up! I had fun with it but fell wayyyyy behind! Kind of hard to keep up with all these speedy typist and get That Other Kid ready for bed at the same time! But I will definitely be back next week!

Last night's Tworkout was kind of choppy for me....Twitter was acting weird, That Kid came home in the middle of it and started talking and moving about and of course doing the #tworkout with That Other Kid is always a test of my patience. I'm glad he wants to do it with me BUT he's 7 and thinks he is 20!! If you know any 7 year olds I'm sure you understand that!!

Well I need to get off the computer and accomplish some stuff so I gotta cut this off now...hope you are doing well with the May Challenge. And if you have no idea what I'm talking about head over to the Sisterhood and check it out!

btw, my next post will be my 600th post! I'm trying to come up with something special for the post....so keep checking back. Hopefully I will get it up by the weekend!