SUCCESS! Small, but still SUCCESS!

A couple weeks ago I was still weighing in at 170, even after doing Insanity Month 1. I was struggling. Weekends were getting to me. I need a CHANGE. Last week I started Weight Watchers again. I worked hard all week, ran every day and did my "off week" of Insanity, which is still a 38 minute workout, but not as hard. Friday I weighed in at 165! Yep, you heard right! This weekend I took Saturday off. I will admit it was a day when I had a few (too many drinks) and didn't eat the best. So, when I got back on the scale today I was 167... but guess what it is NOT 170! I have faith that slow and steady wins the race and I will get there. I WILL! I started month 2 of Insanity today and it is challenging but I love to sweat with Shaun T! OH HELL YES! I was beyond excited to see that I burned almost 700 calories in 1 hour of Insanity. I am going to continue and am still going to try and run 2 times a week at least. I am going to kick this weight's booty! Here's to a start to a great week :)

Still struggling..... but still trying

Well, I started doing Insanity about a month ago. I hate to say it, but I have not lost a pound. The weekends are hard to deal with and lately I have been going out of town a lot. I know, NO EXCUSES. I could do better and I will. This is just a hard time right now, but I will make it through it. I have heard a lot of people say that they lose more in the 2nd month of Insanity, so we will see. I still jog a couple times a week and I still count calories. I have been thinking about trying out weight watchers again. It's been a long time since I have done that and maybe it's time to change it up. The key is to never stop trying. Keep working out, keep making better, healthy choices and eventually we can all get there! :)

I am back... after a LONG break! and the weight is back too!

After summer school ended and I actually was OFF work, I left this blog behind and took a break from it all. I had a great summer planned and I knew that although I still worked out and tried not to eat like complete crap, that I was probably going to cheat and drink and eat more than I should. It was great to just be able to enjoy life and live. I went on a trip to Vegas in mid July and I had still maintained my weight up to that point and actually after getting back. Then, I was hit with a bomb. My grandfather was put in the hospital in ICU and we were unsure of what was going to happen, at times we were even afraid he might not make it. During stressful times like that, you would think we would not be able to eat, but when you are sitting in a waiting room staring at the wall- eating sounds like a great break from that. That brought back 5 lbs and put my back up to about 170. Am I disappointed? Yes. Do I know that life happens and sometimes you can't always worry about your weight? YES. I will get back on track and even do better this time. I have faith in myself. I actually bought INSANITY. Yes, I think I may be insane for doing it. I did the first day on Saturday and could not walk correctly for about 3 days. My calves felt like they were going to fall off and hurt SO BAD. Yesterday I did it again and it was easier. Just like anything, if you put your mind to it- you can do it. I am hoping to see amazing results from it and will post before and after pics once I complete the 60 day challenge. :) Hopefully I don't die in the process of it all, because it is a brutal workout and Shaun T makes you feel like you might just fall over and stop breathing. It will be worth it though :) So, here I am- back on track with eating right and working out. We will see how this adventure goes.

STUPID, ANNOYING PLATEAU!

I HAVE! I am lingering around 164 and the scale is not moving! NOT AT ALL! (It makes me so mad!) I have been working out 5-6 days a week, alternating between circuit training and running and it still is NOT MOVING! I have been watching my food intake and alcohol as well (really hard to do with it being summer time!) I am trying hard not to get discouraged. I am goign to keep going, maybe change it up a bit, add more calories then take some away. There is no exact science to weight loss (unfortunately- but whoever makes a skinny pill one day will be a RICH woman!!!) It's not easy and this week has been very discouraging, but I know if I keep going, keep trying, it will MOVE one day- sooner than later I hope! I can't give up and neither should you!

It's not all about being SKINNY!

This is so true! Just a couple days ago, an older fried of my family's had a heart attack. It made me stop and think. Exercise is not just about being skinny, it's not about how you look in a bikini, if you have cellulite, if you like the number on the scale or not. It is about being HEALTHY! It is about wanting to live a long life, be there for your kids, your grandkids.... it is about making better choices, feeding your body what it needs instead of what you crave. I want to live a long time. I haven't even gotten married or had kids yet. I have a lot to live for. I want to make better choices so that I will be here 20, 30, 40, 50 years from now. Every day we make choices. Unfortunately for our friend, he chose to eat unhealthy foods, smoke daily, and drink too much. This caused 100% blockage and a heart attack, followed by emergency surgery. I hope it opens his eyes to what life is all about. Just like if you mistreat material things, they will break- same with our bodies... if we abuse them and fill them with bad things and never exercise, what do you expect to happen? I am making a promise to myself today to make healthier choices for my future. :) Health is really important. What do you think?

It's been ALMOST a MONTH! oopsy!

May was a very busy month for me. I had all kinds of things going on at work (I am a teacher), I had my birthday, I went on that trip to Canton, and Memorial Day weekend of course. It was busy and I didn't always do my best with eating and drinking. I had a great time though and I have maintained my weight. This summer my big plans are to keep it going and for sure maintain, if not lose some more of this jiggle before I go on the trips I hope to have planned. It's all about moderation. You can eat or drink anything in moderation. It is also important to keep going! Dont' give up and let yourself go, because you think "what's the point?". That's how we all end up fatter than we want to be in the first place. Keep trying, make better choices, remember moderation, and always exercise- if not for the sake of being skinny, then for the sake of your health. It makes you feel amazing as well. Fingers crossed this will be the first summer that I don't end up looking like a beached whale! hehe

Live life :)

I always feel like I never have time to write on this blog and when I do- I write about success AND failure... lol, oh well, such is life! I went out of town over the weekend, a little mother- daughter time. We went to the big flea market they have in Canton, Texas once a month. If you have never been, it is a MUST- they have GREAT stuff! I love going! Anyways, when we left on Friday I stepped on the scale and I was at 162.8. I was happy with that. I knew this trip would be a challenge and I knew I would probably fall off the diet train, but I was hoping the walking that we were going to do would offset some of what I was about to eat. So, on our way out we stopped to get breakfast at McDonald's. Yes, I know- bad choice, but there are all these itty bitty towns on our route and the choices are very limited. Anyways, I chose a sausage egg mcgriddle. I though "how many calories can that possibly have?". WRONG! They have 560 calories! No wonder America is FAT. Anyways, I ate it- I was starving by this point. Vowed to never make that mistake again for a long time. Hey, sometimes you gotta eat bad things, live a little. Anyways, we shopped all day- 6 hours of walking to be exact- which burns a lot of calories (something like over 1,000). My mom and I split a cheeseburger, which was literally so small it was like the size of the palm of my hand and had a few fries. That night was feast night- we split chicken fajitas and had a margarita in honor or the upcoming Cinco de Mayo holiday- ok maybe just because we wanted one! hehe! It was a bad meal, but I was SO FREAKIN hungry after walking all day, I know I burned that McDonald's off plus some! The next day we headed back out and had breakfast at the hotel. I had yogurt, eggs, one biscuit and one small muffin. Nothing too serious and it was yummy! We did 4 hours of walking this day and we snacked on fried pies (I know, it's getting worse and it's not over yet), but that line was the only short one (darn the luck!) LOL.. they were delicious, but that is all we ate for lunch. By the time we got close to home that night we were both hungry. I got coconut shrimp and a baked potato- which I did not eat most of because it wasn't that great. The shrimp were great though and I did eat those! We also split a carrot cake. So, all in all I had a horrible eating weekend. It happens sometimes, at least in my world. I was fully prepared to come back and weigh in at 170! BUT, guess what? That walking helped, sweating in the hot Texas heat was good and I only weighed in at 164! WOW! A whole 1.2 lbs of weight gain for a GREAT weekend and a little indulgence. You have to do it sometimes. What I do know is I have to work hard this week and get back on track- which I have been doing, eating better and the workout and running begins again today. Everything is good in moderation- I don't eat like that all the time, hardly ever really... so I am happy and I had a great weekend and my goal is still in sight! 9 lbs to go!

check it out:
http://www.cantontradedays.com/

Small success!

So, yesterday morning, I wasn't too happy when I jumped on the scale. It said 164.8. Yep, I still gained 1 pound over the weekend, even though I was good with eating and working out. I wasn't GREAT with it all, but I was really good. I watched my portions, did not drink alcohol at all, and worked out Friday and Sunday. I was a little discouraged, but then fellow blogger Mama Laughlin told me- baby steps! At least I didn't gain the weekend normal of 3 pounds. SO TRUE! It is a small victory. Usually after I gain those 3 lbs, it takes me the whole week to get back down to normal (163-164ish). This morning I saw this- yep, 163.4- WOO HOO! If I can have a really good week, then maybe I can use a few pounds. Challenges this week- I am going to a workshop today, which means eating out. I am also heading out of town Friday with my mom, so I will not be able to workout Friday or Saturday. I hope I can maintain this weight, if not lose something this week. Thinking positive! :)

P.S. Sorry for the fat feet, I broke my toe this weekend, so one foot is slightly swollen... good news, I can still run! yay!

WEEKEND CHALLENGE!!!

I am challenging myself this weekend! The challenge is to not overindulge be a PIG! Not drink alcoholic beverages. Continue to workout all weekend. Sound easy? It is never easy for me. Every weekend is a struggle. I think it is mostly because I have friends that come down, people around me always, and I make bad choices when I am surrounded by it. I have to use my willpower this weekend to say no to the big cheeseburger, no to that beer, and stick it out until I meet my goal weight! Sure, I will have a cheeseburger again and I will drink again... but I am going to do my best to hold out until I get to where I want to be! That is my GOAL. Wish me luck! I weighed in at 163.8 this morning (should have taken a pic)! Hopefully Monday I can show you the scale with less than that! :)

HAHAHA

My running stamina is BACK! But so are the weekend pounds- boo!

Last week, I had a really hard time running. I felt like it was a big time struggle. Friday I was determined to run and I did- 3 miles. It was amazing! I was so happy and felt like I was BACK! :) Yesterday I was able to knock out 2 miles without a problem. It felt good. I think I just have to listen to my body and realize when I need a break. It's hard, because I am one of those people who will beat myself up if I don't eat right or work out at least 5-6 times a week. I also have issues with weekend weight gain. I have been in a rut lately where I tend to lose and gain the same 3 lbs every week. I have set a new goal/challenge for myself: I am going to stick to my good eating plan for the next couplesweekends and not drink (big deal for me, I love to kick back and have a beer on the weekends- sue me!). I really want to get to my goal weight though, so I am going to have to suck it up and do it!!! I am going to continue to run 2-3 miles a day and alternate all my Jillian Michaels tapes. I am also going to stick to my healthy eating plan and do the best I possibly can! I can do it!!!

So, what do I run in?

I am cheap when it comes to shorts and tops to run in. I usually get them at Academy. I like anything that is moisture wicking, because I sweat a lot! I get racerback tops and I love running capris.

Shoes! This is where I don't mind spending money because you can't have your feet hurting when you are running! These are my current running shoes- this is the 2nd pair of RunTones I have owned and I love them! I have been looking into the Nike Free Runs and I have heard good things...hmmmmm

I also wear compression sleeves on my legs. Some people say they wear them to recover, some say they only wear them on longer runs. I wear them almost every run. I don't get shin splints with them and my legs are never sore. It's great and I figure- whatever works for you! They are from Zensah and no, those are not my legs...hahaha!

Other than that, all I need is the treadmill (I rarely ever run outside anymore- it's getting HOT), my iPhone with music, and a set of headphones and I am gone. I am so glad to have met my goals to run and I encourage anyone to do it for some great exercise, makes you feel wonderful!

What do you run in?

Running RUT!

This week I have been in a huge running rut! I used to be able to knock out 2 miles without even thinking about it, and even 3 miles some days with hardly any extra effort. This week, not so much! It has been a real struggle to run 2 miles. I now run only on the treadmill. Texas weather is so unpredictable, some days it pours and some days it is SO HOT! The treadmill has become my new friend. When I say I have been struggling, I mean huffing and puffing, stopping to take a breath, and hating almost every moment. I am not sure exactly what is going on, but I am determined to get myself out of this rut. SOON, I hope! Running has been a big part of my weight loss, so I want to continue it. I am weighing in at 162 these days. Can you see light at the end of the tunnel? I can! There will be pictures and much jumping up and down on the day I see 159. that will be something I haven't see in almost 2 years. Today's mission- run 2 miles and suck it up and do it RIGHT!

What's on the menu today?

Breakfast: The Big Green Monster (I have blogged about this before) SO GOOD Recently I exchanged the milk for Sprite Zero (I know, not the healthiest choice, but it is 0 calories and when you are watching every calorie, it helps)
2 slices of Cinnamon Swirl bread

Lunch:
Cut Green Beans
Carb Balance Tortilla with Heart Smart prego sauce, low fat shredded mozzarella, and turkey pepperoni. (This is my version of a little pizza, kinda healthy way)
CarbSmart yogurt (found at Kroger, amazing and only 4 g carbs!) 

Dinner:
Easy dinner tonight, making chili dogs- I will somehow cut calories here with whole what buns or no bun at all and of course put a salad with it!


Have a great Thursday!!!

Where have I been hiding??!

I guess I decided to take a break from this whole blogging thing... or my brain did! I kinda forgot about it, or pushed it to the back burner for a little while. I have been busy with Easter, family, work, everything. No excuses though! I have still been busy working out. My scale has not moved much at all. I weighed in at 162 this morning, so one pound in the 10 days since my last blog. I am perfectly fine with that though, considering I had a cheeseburger, drinks, and an amazing Easter feast in those 10 days!!!! :) Sometimes you have to take a break. You cannot be HEALTHY 100% of the time, you will not eat right 100% of the time, and some days you will miss a workout. It is ok, because every healthy choice you make, every step in the right direction is a good one! I did not run last weekend because I had a pain in my leg. I didn't want to push it. So I took three days off. I did workout all days though- circuit training. I finally ran again on Tuesday and it was ok, not the best run I have ever had. I took Thursday and Friday off. Tomorrow I fully plan to run and workout and get back in the mode of losing again. I know I can do it, I am excited to do it!

P.S. I did measure myself a while back- the scale is not the only way to tell!

Waist-35 (down 3 inches)
Hips- 37 (down 0, but I really have no hips anyways)
Thighs- 22 (down 1 inch) I will always have thunder thighs!
Arms- 12 (down 1 inch)

I am happy with it all :)

Like it says- You'll get there, just keep going! I am!

Slowly getting there... again

Saturday I felt bad....sick, allergies, sneezing, blowing nose, blah blah blah! Sunday I felt a little better and decided to go for a 30 minute workout and walk (not run like I really wanted to!) on the treadmill. I did put in 2 miles, which I felt was good for being sick. Yesterday was a little better and I did another 30 minute circuit workout and then jogged 2 miles on the treadmill. I was a little slower at times, but I got it done. Today was even better and I did the same and my jog was better. It is a small setback, but I will be back up to 3 miles again. If tomorrow I feel almost 100% again, I am going for it. My goal is to jog 3 miles regularly. At least, that is  my goal for now. I want to be able to jog more miles and faster. I will get there, slowly but surely. I have been weighing in at 163 all week and am hoping to see the scale go down more this weekend. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel (the 150s) and I want to get there SO BAD! I have lost 12 pounds so far and it has not been easy, but the next 13 to get to my goal weight will be just as hard, but SO worth it! There will be setbacks, there will be things that happen, but just KEEP GOING!

A great run... then SICKNESS :(

So, after struggling at the beginning of the week, ok almost all week with running, I was able to run 3 miles on the treadmill Thursday. I was so excited to finish. It was a great feeling. The best feeling :) I had an amazing Friday night with good friends. Then, I woke up this morning SICK. Allergies, cold, yuckiness, call it what you will, but I am sick. I am more annoyed with blowing my nose and all the aches and pains that come with this kind of sickness. I am even more upset that I can't piggyback that great run with another great run. I even googled exercise and being sick. According to what I read, resting releases the right amount of endorphines that help your immune system. Exercising releases too many endorphines that can weaken your immune system if you are already sick. BLAH! So, here I am stuck on the couch and hoping tomorrow I feel better so I can bust out some kind of run/workout. Fingers crossed! GO AWAY NASTY SICKNESS!

The struggle continues!

I can officially say that this week has not been a good running week for me! Monday I struggled with outside running. Tuesday I decided to hit the treadmill again and busted out 2.25 miles before stopping. Yesterday I was so exhausted (had a field trip- I am a teacher so that = exhaustion) so I could only do about 1.6 miles before I collapsed on the couch. I was in bed at 8:00 if that tells you anything! Today I am JUST going to run. I usually do 30 minutes of some kind of circuit training, usually a Jillian Michaels tape. Today I am going to leave that alone for the day and focus only on running. I am hoping, praying, shooting for 3 miles solid! I will let you know how that goes. In good news, I did weigh in at 164 this morning. Not a BIG difference, but hey it is something and I am happy. :) Gotta keep going!

Some days are better than others!

Well, yesterday's run was horrible. I have been struggling with the last few runs. I have been running outside again, since the weather has been beautiful!!! LOVE IT! (the weather that is... my runs, not so much!) It's harder than I remember. I instantly get thirsty and my lips are dry, I huff and puff down the road, my leg muscles feel as though they are going to give out. The whole thing sucks! Saturday I was able to keep going, even though I really wanted to stop. I made my 3 miles, barely. Yesterday, I couldn't do it! (I hate saying that). I stop about 1.5 miles and went home to the treadmill. It upsets me, because if I ever want to run a 5K, which are outside, then I have to practice running in those conditions. I just feel so much more comfortable on the treadmill and I feel that I can talk myself into a longer, better run. Like I said, some days are better than others. All I can hope for is today will be better. Seeing this sunrise out of the back porch of my school today helped me believe that today will be better! :)

What's on the menu for today?
Breakfast: The green monster- I have talked about this before! Two pieces of lower sodium bacon.
Lunch: Salad with shrimp and a carb master yogurt (love the carrot cake flavor!)
Dinner: Not sure yet!
Snacks: Fiber one brownie (so delicous) and probably a spoon of peanut butter before my run!

First successful weekend!

Some people may not call the weekend I had a success, but I AM! I did not gain any weight at all. I didn't lose any either, but I didn't GAIN any! That is what I keep repeating in my mind! It is a start. I even enjoyed myself a little and had a few drinks and some crawfish and my favorite- Mexican food. I just made better choices with my portions, did not overdue it all, and worked out hard Saturday. I jogged for 3 miles. I wanted to stop after 4 laps, which is about 2.4 miles, but I decided to push myself. I can do this and I will. It is all about willpower and wanting to reach your goals. I am still at 165.. which is 10 lbs down from where I was when I started this journey. I have at least 10 more to go. Then I will think about it and see if I want to lose more. Let the week begin. I can't wait to jog this afternoon. :)

This is so true! TRY HARDER! Never give up on something you have worked for. I am trying to remember this as the weekend approaches and I face the challenege of trying to maintain my diet lifestyle change. I weighed in this morning at 165, so I am back to where I was nearly 3 weeks ago. Imagine where I could be if I kept trying and didn't fall to disastorous eating and drinking on the weekends. I want to see what will happen. I want to test myself to try and stay healthy this weekend! :) Another great thing going on- I am at the end of my running program. I am up to 30 minutes straight and 2 miles. I am going to work on distance and timing! I am so proud of myself for sticking to it this time! :) WOO HOO!

Well...

I love this quote: "If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always got!"
This is SO TRUE! I am learning it is true with weight loss. I have talked before about how hard it is for me, especially on the weekends. I work all week to gain it all back on the weekend with drinks and bad food. I am so tired of it! I think it is time to start saying no and making some real changes. I need to lay off the alcohol and bad food until I get where I want to be. It's a big change for me, BIG, but I think I can do it! :) I hope and pray I can. It's nice to have a cocktail after a long week, but it's not nice what it does to your weight loss and metabolism. It's not nice to see the scale go up again. I am making a commitment to myself to make changes and lose weight!!! FOR GOOD!

Spring Break and weigh gain/loss

Well, the Friday BEFORE spring break started, I weighed in at 164. I was happy with that, hard work does pay off. That weekend I had a bachelorette weekend, had people at my house, and the eating and drinking were HORRIBLE! I gained 4 lbs back, but I am happy to say, even with nights out to eat with friends I have lost 1 again. Not much, but I am happy with that. I have managed to work out almost every day this week. I have still been jogging, but it's been harder. I think it goes to show that what you put in your mouth makes a huge difference and the healthier you eat, the better off you are. I have confidence that I will be able to get back on track and keep going. I know I will win the war with weight loss and exercise, even though I may not win every battle. The key is to keep TRYING! :)

Weight loss is hard and the weekend scares me!

It is true! Weight loss is really hard! It sucks sometimes! It is not fun and sometimes you win (lose) and sometimes you lose (gain). I can't tell you how many times I have wanted to cuss the scale and just cry during a workout because it's not fair that I have to work so hard! On top of that, the weekend scares me. It scares me A LOT! I have battled the "eat healthy and do good all week, then gain it all back on the weekend and repeat." I am so sick of it. SICK SICK SICK of it. I think it's just the inevitable that I am going to behave on the weekend. Is it worth it? Heck yes! I can do it. WILLPOWER, people, WILLPOWER! :)

There is me, getting ready for my 25 minute jog today. I am in LOVE with jogging and I think I could go longer and I will. My shirt is an amazing running shirt from "Ruffles With Love". You can find them on ETSY. Super cute and they even have a bow on the back. Stylish running gear. I have been thinking lately about getting some compression sleeves for my legs, but still researching those. I am one happy runner! :)

Mondays... blah! Fridays... yay! :)

I have officially decided that Mondays are not the best days for me to get on the scale. It is actually the worst day. I am trying to be realistic with my weight loss. I know that I will have dessert sometimes, I will splurge and eat too much on occasion, but all in all, I am making better choices. So, this weekend my cousin has his girlfriend's birthday party... crawfish, cake, dip, the whole nine yards. I went for it. Did I eat too much? Probably. Did I make a pig of myself, NO! I have learned when to say enough is enough. I do not like what it does to my scale on Mondays, but my hard work this week will get me back on track. I know it will! :) I have faith in myself and my lifestyle change. After all, I did complete a 25 minute run yesterday! I am so PROUD of myself. So, although there will be days when I eat, there will also be days I really watch it and have a good, healthy eating day. It will all work out in the end... because I am just at the beginning of this change to become a RUNNER!

Hello 10 lb weight loss!

I AM SO EXCITED THIS MORNING! My hard work is finally paying off! :) I have lost 10 lbs since my first weigh in at New Year's! It is a great accomplishment and I think running has helped me get there, for sure! I am not done though. I want to lose 10 more lbs for sure, then I will reassess and decide if I want to lose more than that. Now, comes the hard part...maintaining those 10 lbs. I always go back and forth and I am sure the battle is not over, but for today I am going to bask in the glory of a 10 lb loss and enjoy my off day from working out! (I still have to watch what I eat, as always, and am not going to go crazy!

I think I need to throw away my scale! LOL!

I am trying not to stress too much about the number that I see on the scale these days. It's a hard thing to do! I have heard so many people say muscle weighs more than fat, track your inches (which I fully plan on measuring again when I go home tonight). I think sometimes that is true. My body seems to be changing , but the number doesn't change much. I feel that my stomach is shrinking, my legs getting more muscular and thinner, and pants are fitting looser in certain spots. I even had to go to the last rung on my bra this morning, which I never used to do. I have to have faith that all my hard work is paying off! One day the scale might say what I want it to, but it might not. I have to be happy with what I see in the mirror! :)

Measurements as of January 17:

Hips: 38

Waist: 37

Thighs: 23

Arms:13

We will see tonight if this has changed!

What's on the menu today:

Breakfast: I had oatmeal (love it, but I have viewed carbs as the enemy for so long that sometimes it's hard to eat carbs! but it was good!)

Lunch: Turkey burger patty, salad, light mozzarella string cheese, and carb master yogurt

Dinner: Ribs, salad, green beans

 

I am trying to make healthier choices, but also incorporate more carbs into my diet! I feel like I need them, because I run and my body needs that or it goes into starvation mode. It's all about moderation!

Sometimes you gain, sometimes you lose....

The battle continues with the scale. It's so funny how quickly that thing changes. Saturday morning I was 165... this morning 168! UGH! I am trying hard not to pay attention to it and keep going. It is a little discouraging though. I know you can gain muscle and it weighs more than fat, so I am just going to keep on going with hopes that I see a change in my body, no matter what that scale says. Weight loss is not easy, but it is something you have to work very hard at. I am willing to do it. This week will be all about keeping up with the jogging and watching what I eat closely. I look forward to being back at 165 very soon!

I did it!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am happy to say I did it! I completed a 20 minute run! Yep, 20 whole minutes of running without stopping. Was I super fast? No. Did I want to quit? Maybe. But did I finish? Thats a big HELL YES! So excited! A year ago I couldn't go to the stop sign, that's about a minute, without huffing and puffing and now I ran 20 minutes! I don't know who I am, but I like the change and this girl is a runner! :) big smile on my face!

It's true! I love running! And a little about me!

I never in my LIFE thought I would EVER be able to say this, but I LOVE running! I have ran 4 times this week.. I am addicted... I have to complete 20 minute runs this weekend (today is my off day, my only off day). I am excited and nervous for 20 minute runs. I know that I CAN do it and I know the feeling afterwards will be AMAZING, it's just getting there. I have determination and I will work hard. I can promise I will write a blog talking about how great I am... lol... for a girl who used to not be able to run to the stop sign and back, I am proud that I ran 8 minute runs this weekend and I will be even more proud when that little voice comes on and tells me my 20 minutes is up! :)

So, here is a little about me (maybe one day I will have followers on my blog that will care! lol)

Age: 28

Birthday: May 20

Concert last attended: Gary Allan (he is hot!)

Dog: No, don't have one.. one day I want a little inside dog though!

Eggs: Eat them a lot on low carb diet, scrambled please!

Flown on a plane?: Yep, quite a few times!

Giver or taker: I love to give to people and I rock at gift giving!

Height: 5'7"

Ice Cream: chocolate chip cookie dog PLEASE! (haven't had this in forever!)

Jewelry: I never take off my rings, I have quite a jewelry colelction (a girl can never have enough, right?) ;)

Kids: No, not yet... one day when I met the man I want to share my life with!

Laid back: I like to think I am, although I do like to plan things and sometmes my OCD gets the best of me. lol

Movie: I think my fav movie as of now is Dear John- so romantic and no matter how many times I watch it, I cry!

Night or Day?: I would have to say night... I am not a morning person!

Only child?: No, I have a little BIG brother (he is taller than me!)

Pet Peeve: dirty people! I can't stand someone who doesn't keep themselves or their house clean!

Quiet?: At times, I can be quiet.. but at times I definitely speak my mind!

Reality TV?: Gotta have my Jersey Shore and my weekly fist pumpin! lol

Season: My fav is definitely summer.. I am a teacher so I am off and I LOVE THE BEACH!

Time you wake up: 6:00 a.m. every day of the week.. weekends, you never know!

Underwear: ummmm yea and none of your business lol

Vacation: Last one was New Orleans... next one I want somewhere tropical!

Work: Teacher

X-ray: had one a LONG time ago when I broke my wrist.

Yesterday: I worked, ran, worked out... typical week day for me.

Zodiac: Taurus and I am definitely one!

Here's to a GREAT weekend and me kicking butt on those runs! :)

The big green monster!!!!

So, yesterday's jog was a success! I actually got to do it outside this time. It was great. The wind was a bit of a challenge going one direction, but I kept on and completed 2- 8 minute runs. I am happy with that :) This morning for breakfast I had the most amazing shake. I was turned onto this "green monster" by a blogger that I follow www.mamalaughlin.com . As I have said before, if you haven't read it... you should! She is funny, an inspiration, and has great ideas! Anyways here is what it is:
1/2 c frozen mango
1/2 c frozen banana
1/2 c frozen pineapple
a handful of baby spinach
1 c 1/2% milk
2 truvia packets

It might not sound that great and I thought "baby spinach, yuck!".. but it is delicous! I love it! I have had 2 this week for breakfast. It seems to be very filling, not high in calories (a little over 200) and it has servings of fruits and veggies in it! It's all about trying new things and making healthy choices! So, cheers to the "Green Monster"!

What a surprise this morning!

Yep, you are seeing right! I am down 2 lbs! I was surprised when I stepped on the scale this morning and saw this! That means I am almost to a 10 lb weight loss! WOO HOO! I thought I was forever stuck at 168 and would never move, but now I know I can and I am more motivated than ever! Running is helping so much with weight loss and confidence! It's EXCITING! Who would have ever thought I would LOVE to run/jog???? Not me... I used to get winded trying to jog for a minute. Today, I am due to jog for 8 minutes and I know I can do it. Will it be easy? No... but nothing good in life comes easy! Happy Wednesday! :)

Let the week begin!

Well, bad news is- I did not lose any weight over the weekend... but good news is- I didn't gain any either! :) I can deal with that...especially considering I ate mexican food Friday and yesterday I had sushi... and I might have had a couple (meaning 2) beers the other day. I am totally ok with that. There will be weekends like that..period.. that is life. I am still working on my jogging plan and yesterday I completed week 5, run 1. It was not bad. I jogged for 5 minutes straight and did that 3 times. I am constantly amazed at myself! I feel even more confident that I can become a runner and I will. I think I am going to have to because the end of this week I have 20 minute jogs coming up! OH MY! I pray I can do it! Just to think in 4 weeks I will be jogging 30 minutes without stopping! Bring it on!

Weight loss can be so confusing!

So, yesterday I did really well.... AT FIRST! I had bacon and eggs for breakfast and a salad with a piece of tilapia for lunch. I was on the right track. I decided that yesterday would be my off day from working out, because I was really tired and knew I would have more time to workout this weekend. Well, dinner rolled around and I decided mexican was what I wanted. It is hard  impossible to eat healthy at a mexican restaurant..I don't care who tells you different! Unless you want to eat JUST chicken fajitas and nothing else.. you are screwed! I had enchiladas and rice and beans. Yep, you heard me- I ate BAD! I was fully expecting to wake up this morning and have gained at least a POUND...but guess what? I didn't gain a pound! I am the same and happy! I am ready to get this day going! I had one packet of oatmeal, 2 slices of bacon, and some grapefruit juice for breakfast. It is raining pretty bad where I am and so the day will be spent cleaning and working out, to work off all that mexican food, plus some. I can't wait to hit the treadmill!!!! There will be days when I eat bad but I am not afraid to get right back on the bandwagon and keep going. :) Life is too short to worry about everything.

P.S.- the confusing part is that I feel when I stay so strict on my diet I don't lose much.. but then I start eating a little bad here and there and I either stay the same or lose... hmmmm, does our body tell us it needs more? Should we listen? I think I will, at least every now and then!

Working hard!

I know, it's not the prettiest thing! LOL! I have seen this quote a million time: "If you still look pretty after your workout, then you didn't workout hard enough!" If you don't believe that, just look at the picture above. That was me yesterday after 30 minutes on the treadmill, jogging week 4. That is 3 minute and 5 minute runs. I was SWEATY! :) But I love the way I feel after I jog. I am really hoping for nice weather this weekend so I can get outside, but they keep saying RAIN (BOOOOO!) so guess on the treadmill I will be.

So, I decided to just do healthy eating instead of a strict diet. I did eat bacon and eggs for breakfast this morning though. I find that they keep me fuller longer than that cereal I ate yesterday. I am also taking a salad today. I think I will go back and forth and some days still have little/no carbs until I reach my goal weight. BUT, there will be days when I do have carbs. I am trying to be realistic with my goals and I know that going the rest of my life without carbs is, in fact, IMPOSSIBLE. Fingers crossed I do good on my diet and exercise plan this weekend! I believe I can!

P.S. this is what the scale said this morning! 4 lbs down since Monday (including water weight) and 7 lbs lost total :) yay!!!

Decisions, decisions!

For the past 5 weeks I have been on a strict diet (with the exception of my NOLA trip- sue me for eating! lol). It has consisted of:

• Breakfast- 2 eggs, 2 pieces of bacon, grapefruit juice
• Lunch- salad with any meat, grapefruit juice.
• Dinner- Any meat and vegetable and a salad, grapefruit juice

It's called the MAYO CLINIC diet... link here. For some it works! I saw a lady at work lose a LOT.. but every diet isn't for everyone.. I gave it my best shot and not to say I won't do it again, but for now I am done. I can't say that the whole things was a complete bust. It did help me to learn more about carbs and nutrition. It also helped me see that I can survive the day on WAY LESS than I ever ate before. I used to have carbs at almost every single meal. I have lost 6 lbs on this diet and that's more than a pound a week, so I think that is still something to celebrate. I did decide last night that I just can't continue to do it every day anymore. I have to change it up. So I have decided to incorporate carbs back into my diet, but still continue to eat VERY healthy and be more self conscious of what I am putting in my mouth. I read a blog every day: http://www.mamalaughlin.com/ She is awesome and if you haven't checked her out, you should! She is very motivational and funny too!

So, this morning I had a bowl of cereal! OMG it was so good.... lol, not really anythign to write home about honestly, but I THOUGHT it was going to be heaven in my mouth. It was a nice change though. For lunch, I will have tilapia and squash and dinner tonight is chili which I will skip the rice and crackers and have a salad instead. I can't wait to go run tonight. I am on week 4 of my "Get Running" program. I rested my legs yesterday and am ready to go again! LOVE IT! I think with these positive changes I am sure to see results. It might be slower than I would like, but I think this will be more of a lifestyle change than a diet for me... that's what it is supposed to be right?! So, cheers to bringing carbs back (in a healthy way) I HAVE MISSED YOU SO! :)

Jogging is getting a little easier!

Thanks to the mosquitos moving in here in southeast Texas, I am not able to run outside right now. The mosquitos weren't that bad yesterday, but the wind was cold! We are due for more rain today and that means... MORE mosquitos! UGH! I really love running outside more than I do running indoors on a treadmill, but this week it honestly hasn't been that bad! I have been able to run my week 4 runs on the treadmill and boy do I feel it in my butt and thighs. I think there is some kind of "high" that you get from running.... your heart pounding, sweat rolling down your face, and the thought that fat is leaving your body as you take each step. I can easily see why people get addicted to it. I am starting to LOVE running! With the Valentine's Day chocolate out of my sight, nothing can stop me now! :)

 

The day of CHOCOLATE!

So, I am proud to say I am on my way back to the 160s! I weighed in this morning at 170. I lost 2 pounds of water weight since Monday morning. I have been drinking water like it's going out of style! I also got on the treadmill yesterday. I am up to 5 minutes jogging straight at a time and on week 4 of my plan. By mid March I should be able to jog 30 minutes straight. I am getting excited. The only bad thing is this morning I was showered with lots of love from my students at school, which includes lots of CHOCOLATE! Oh my! It's hard to say no and I did have a few pieces but I am not going crazy! :) Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

A weekend in NOLA!

Well,I can officially say this weekend was a BUST! It was worth everything I put in my mouth though! LOL! I have come to understand that there will be times in my life when I will chunk the diet out the window for a few days and eat and drink what I want. We are human and sometimes we have to live FREE a little. I stepped on the scale this morning and weighed a WHOPPIN 172.. yep, that is 5 more lbs than before I left. I have to say that some is water weight (from the alcohol I drank on Bourbon Street) and it will go away within a few days. Some of it will not go away that easily though (that will be the fried oysters and chips and everything else I had to eat). I am ok with that and I ready, SO READY, to get out there and jog today. I am ready to get back on track and stay focused on my goal. :) No reason to beat myself up. I had a great time and I think we all deserves those "Free weekends".

Slowly, but it will happen!

So here is a run down of what I have been doing since the first of the year when I made my SERIOUS vow to work hard at this weight loss thing: (I really mean it this time! REALLY!)
I have been on a low carb diet that consists of eggs and bacon for breakfast, salads with meat for lunch, and meat and veggies for dinner. It has not been easy and I have cheated a few times (shame on me!) but it is working. When I weighed in at the first of the year, I was at 175! WHOA! I am now at 167. I know, not much, but I will take an 8 pound loss. 
I workout at least 5 days a week. I started the "Get Running" app on my iPhone and I am at week 3 right now. It calls for 1 1/2 minute runs and 3 minute runs. I did hit an all time high last night. I actually ran for 8 minutes straight and it was GREAT!!! I know now that I can do this and I will become a runner. 
I also alternate between Jillian Michaels (or the devil as I like to call her) and Biggest Loser workouts (Bob is no better, he is Devil #2). 
I have faith that I will get there, in time. My goal is 150 and it seems attainable now. More so, I want to be a runner to be healthy. The low carb thing will not last forever, but I am researching lots of low carb, low fat options to continue to make good choices in the future. I will get back in my fav jeans! :)

Here goes nothing!

My first entry! I have used blogging for so many things in life and it amazes me that I never thought to use it to share my weight loss journey. I think part of me has always been scared to actually write it down, in fear that I would actually be accountable. I am tired of struggling with my weight. It hasn't always been a problem for me. Let me start at the beginning! When I was a child, I was always a little on the chubby side. I admit it, my family LOVES to eat! They love to DRINK too, on the right occasion. It's just a part of who they are. I truly love my family and am very blessed. They are wonderful people, but some of the habits I grew up with are not the best and have probably landed me where I am today. When I went to high school everything changed. I lost quite a bit of weight. I was really happy with the size I was. I was anywhere from a 2-6 in my high school years and never imagined I would have to workout or worry about my weight. Well, boy was I WRONG! That all changed the moment that I graduated and entered college. Then, I moved out and lived on my own. Everyone knows what that translates to= drinking, eating out, fast food, junk, junk, junk, gain, gain, gain. Not everyone is that way. Some people are just naturally skinny and I usually cuss under my breath at these people. LOL! Well, it happened to me. I was devastated. To add to that, I worked in the hotel business, so time was limited and I ate to get a break. I also went out and drank a lot to escape the crazy boring life of studying and working and studying and working. I was FAT. I don't think I realized, but when I look back at pictures I cannot believe I let myself go. A couple years ago I finally realized that I did not like what I see in the mirror, so I took charge. Since then, it has been an up and down journey. I gain and I lose... I gain, I lose. I think I can still "cheat" and drink what I want. I never stick with a running program. I just flat out have failed myself. It is time to take charge!!!! So, today is day 1... more to come! Pictures below to begin:

Me in high school.. I probably weighed between 130-140 at this time. (secretly I thought I was a little chunky! What was I EVER thinking?) 2000

Here I was after college in 2006 on a trip with friends. I didn't think it was THAT bad. Those were a size 13 pants. YUCK! I was probably 190ish at this time.

Since then I have gone up and down and up and down! Here was my skinniest in a while- this was in 2010, I weighed about 158 and work a size 29 from Buckle easily!

Not the best pic I know, but I think you can definitely tell in my face! I was thin and happy :)

Below is the most recent pic of me over Christmas. I was easily back to 175. My fav jeans no longer fit. I have currently lost about 7 pounds and weighed in this morning at 167. I am hopeful to get to 150!!!