Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Update, recap, lotsa pictures!

Yeah...I know, I'm not a good "keeping-up-to-date" blogger.  I get busy, I don't have anything to write about, no one reads, excuse excuse excuse.  I should do it JUST to hold me accountable.

Anywho...




Weigh in on Friday... well I amazingly lost weight, but not much.  0.4lb.  I will take it considering I had a drink fest over the weekend - oh yea and tons of food

2 weeks ago (11/1):  179.4
Last week (11/8):  177.4
This week (well last week technically 11/15):  177

I didn't meet my birthday goal of being under 175... but it's a loss.  Womp Womp.

I really did try, but honestly after looking at my Value Diary...yeah, not so much.  I lie to myself, and that's a huge problem.  Gotta stop the lying!!!

Last Wednesday I took the kiddos to the skating rink for a birthday party.  And this Momma actually put skates on and amazingly did NOT fall!  Whew.!!!


I was able to get in a few evening runs on the trusty, boring, ugh-do-I-have-to Dreadmill...  but still didn't meet my Pile On the Miles goal of 7lbs (UGH!).





I had a wonderful weekend with friends and family for my birthday...which of course resulted in lots of drinking and more damn food.  Blah!!!  So now I have to kick ass again this week to see ANYTHING on the scale gone.  Sigh.  I see a cycle.

I had Mexican on Friday with my Mom, best friend and all the kiddos... and yes, my little guy informed our waiter immediately that it was my birthday and I wanted to wear the Sombrero .  Yikes!

I then had an "Open House" with professional karoke stuff at my house so my friends could drop in whenever they wanted and sing while I didn't have to drive anywhere (i.e. I could drink like a fish and sing all night long!).  LOL!!!

Saturday my besties and I went to a Euchre Tournament which was a pitch in and another drink fest.  It was a lot of fun....


(I'm bottom right... this is what we call the Fab 5)
Euchre tournament winner in the middle (LOL)
 On Sunday my out-of-town friends left and I went grocery shopping after making my meal plan for the week.  Focused to get back on track and not let the weekend of eating and drinking detour me (SIX WEEKS until my 12 week goal and NYE).

Scary storms and tornadoes ripped through our state, and unfortunately the town where my little men were with their Daddy.  Thankful Daddy had a basement for them all to take cover in, because a tornado went through and flattened half of the town.  Talk about one scared Momma!  And my little men were terrified to say the least.

Sunday evening after the boys got home, we went to my parents house where my Mom slaved over my favorite healthy crockpot meal (Chicken Noodle Soup) and made me an Angel Lush cake.  (She even made the actual angel food cake).   She tries SO hard to help me stay on track.
The healthy cake my Momma made me for my 38th birthday!


My parents bought me an AWESOME camping hammock...we are a camping family!  I have a PopUp and my parents have an RV... we LOVE camping!


AND (because I seriously asked for it!).............(Tomorrow maybe I"ll give you my review after the first time wearing it!  LOL!)


Moving Comfort Juno Sports Bra.... I desperately needed this!!!



Some new, yummy healthy recipes I've made this past week... quick Italian Turkey Soup (Six Sisters) and Pumpkin Protein Bars





And everyone needs a selife.....



REMINDER TO SELF (even if selfies don't show the truth)






Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Weekend Recap

Things didn't go quite as planned over the weekend. I drank too much wine and too little water, ate some crappy bar food at 2am and never stepped foot in the resort gym.  Sigh.

The positives were that I walked a ton and got plenty of steps in on the 2 tours we took and the walking back and forth from our hotel room to the casino.  My brother and I acted like teenagers roaming through the halls at all hours of the night.  Because we had taken the tours concerning the hotel history we were really intrigued by the 7th floor living quarters, and how to find "secret" places.  I think my Mom loved it...and thought of us as her "kids" again.

All in all we had a wonderful time, it just may not have been great for my weightloss and getting healthy efforts.  Sigh....

Because I never made it to the gym, and I was too pooped by the time I got home on Sunday, I was unable to meet my Pile On The Miles challenge weekly goal of 7 miles.

Another negative is that I haven't been keeping up with the Arm Challenge!

Argh!!!

That's okay though, I am NOT giving up!  I have 7 weeks left in this 12 week challenge, and I'm about to LIGHT IT ON FIRE now!!!  (can someone push me, please?!!)

So, some pictures from our weekend at West Baden/French Lick.....









Friday, November 8, 2013

Weigh In



That's right... Friday's are now my weigh day!!  I worked my ass off this week, but yet there I was at 10:30 last night dancing in my kitchen, getting more sweat on, just so I'd see the appropriate number on the scale this morning - naked.  

Side note...I hate how the scale has that much affect on me, and yet I love it.  I love that it pushed me to dance around late last night and going to bed "hungry".  Though I also feared it that it wouldn't say what I needed it to, and I'd be disappointed.

Fortunately this morning I was not disappointed.


That's EXACTLY what I needed to see today...2lbs baby!!!!

Sure, I'd love to see 5lbs... but I know me... that doesn't happen.  Even when I've not been on track for quite awhile, I still never pull a huge number.  I'm okay with that.  2lbs/week is healthy!

Now I just need to kick ass this weekend and all next week, workout maybe 2 times/day, and see another great loss.  My "hidden" goal has been 174 by my birthday - next Friday... but eh, I'll just take 2lbs to be happy.  

Busy weekend planned...so I'll update / recap on Monday!!!!

Last weigh in (11/1):  179.4
This weigh in (11/8):  177.4

Thursday, November 7, 2013

My love/hate relationship....

Today I went out for a run at lunch again.  It took some coercing, I won't lie...   It would have been easier to go to the group fitness class.  Because honestly, running is still very hard for me.

In 2008 I started Couch 2 5k training.  Why?  I really have no clue.  I think because all he blogs I read, everyone was on this new running kick.



I remember driving along seeing runners and thought to myself..."look how easy that looks, I can do that!".  Mind you, this was coming from the same girl that came in dead last when we hard to run the mile in gym for our final exam.  Yeah...uh...gulp!  So did that really come from my mouth?

Sure enough I started the program and was literally in the best shape of my life when I finished.  I was getting ready for my wedding in Vegas (uh, we're now divorced - bummer) in the middle of this and I just felt amazing.  Amazing that I could do this!!!

As the weeks when on, the more addicting it became.  Then it was time for my first 5k (IU Mini Marathon and 5k). Wow, what an experience! (I must add that I did c25k on a treadmill, yes, the entire program!)  Needless to say it is quite different running outside than on a treadmill.  There are many other factors such as hills, wind, steps, cracks, not to mention people!




And this was when that love/hate relationship for running started.  I'm not even for sure how many 5k's I have ran now... I've even ran a Warrior Dash, and a 4-mile trail run.  Eventually...yes soon...I'm planning on running a 1/2 marathon (more on that another time).

I admit, I have always struggled, but mainly because I pushed myself.  I would up my mileage and/or speed (appropriately and safely) .... and yea it was tough!!

There are many reasons I still have this love/hate relationship with running... and while I was setting off for my lunch run today this came to mind.  WHY do I have such a relationship with running?  Here's what I could come up with...



I love running because....
  • Shapes my legs, amazingly!
  • I can do it without any other equipment or gym
  • I love telling people I went for a run
  • I love accumulating miles for my own self satisfaction - yes it makes me proud
  • It slims my hips and butt - no other workout has done this for me yet
  • I can do it anywhere, at any time
  • I now have many friends who do it...and I love motivating others 
  • It gives me personal time, listening to my favorite music
  • Races, number bibs, medals, free stuff
  • Other runners at races really push you... the whole running community is amazing!
  • The feeling I get when I see the finish line (either real or not)
  • That feeling I get when I'm finished (natural endorphins are my friend!)


I hate running because.....
  • Still is a struggle for me, and it always will be because I continue to challenge myself with more miles or faster times
  • The cost of shoes, sports bra, warm running gear (pants, jackets), shirts,.... 
  • The cost of races (and because they are becoming more popular they costs keep going up!)

So, as you can see the love outweighs the hate....I guess I"ll keep on running!!!!

This week I've already 4.9 miles for my Pile on the Miles goal.  I pledged 7 this week, with a monthly grand total of 35.  I can do this!!!!!!  Then I'm considering training for my first half marathon.... shhhh.... that's scaring my body!!!!!


Monday, November 4, 2013

Working on the 8 weeks...

Today ended the first 4 weeks in my personal 12 week challenge.  This goes along with the quote/saying, "It takes 4 weeks for you to see your body changing, 8 weeks for your friends and family, and 12 weeks for the rest of the world".

So, to recap the past 4 weeks... though the scale didn't budge a bunch, I was more consciousnesses with eating healthier, I pulled back on my drinking, and consistently worked out.  Sounds like a great start right?!

The best part, I DO see/feel my body changing!
I can run longer without dying!
I feel more energized.
I was able to go a full week without drinking (which included a weekend!).
And I am pushing myself more in the workouts!

The scale has gone down 3.6lbs, which isn't super...but I'm glad to take a loss for the month.

Plus, I wasn't looking for just a number on the scale, actually didn't a number down...instead my goal was to be able to wear my jeans.

Yeah, I'd gained enough that I couldn't even wear my jeans...and well here comes fall/winter!  I need to be able to fit back into them.

And guess what...THEY FIT!!!  Sweet!  That alone made me happy happy happy!!!!!

Now I'm totally stoked for the next 4 weeks.  Which my goal is to get into 3 more pairs of "skinny" jeans that are a tad to tight still...but I KNOW at the end of the next 4 weeks they're gonna fit and I'm going to feel SMOKING HOT in them!!!!

Here's how I'm going to fit into them - NOT SQUEEZE INTO....

Continue to track using my Value Diary
10,000 steps/day
Exercise 5 days/week
Arm Challenge
Continue to motivate my friends and reminding them we are getting closer to the goal
and of course....
Keep up with my #POTM2013 commitment (This week's mile goal is 7 miles)


There ya have it... my goals for the next 4 weeks!!!!  I know it's going to be successful!!!



Friday, November 1, 2013

Yes, I'm finally updating... and November Pile on the Miles 2013 Challenge

* Hanging head in shame *

For some reason I just couldn't get myself to motivate in any way, shape or form...obviously.  I didn't blog, I didn't track, I didn't succeed in getting back to my healthy self, I just didn't try.

That season is now over, and I'm emerging.  Finally.

It's been a slow one, but I think I'm ready to crack out of this shell and finish 2013 off strong.  I could go into great detail of how crappy this year has been for me...but I'm not going to.  Instead, I think I will focus on the good that is about to come, and my goals.

Last month I started this 12 week challenge.  I know you've seen the famous saying of 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks... well I decided to try it out.



On Monday (November 4th) my 4 weeks will be up.  And honestly...I can tell a difference.  Not so much on the scale, because my eating hasn't been up to par, but by clothes, yes.

In these past 4 weeks I have finally got better with my exercise, and have been eating better 60% of the time.  These next 4 weeks I want to finish even stronger.  Monday I will blog more about the next 4 weeks goals.

I have pushed several of my friends into this challenge (8 weeks left ladies!)... and believe me, that is helping me tremendously!!!  We are pushing each other, and that's truly what I need!!!!



Moving on....  I have decided to really rock out November and join the "Pile on the Miles 2013" challenge.  GULP!!!  I have set the realistic goal of 35 miles this month.  I'm still working on upping (and struggling) with my miles since I took a sabbatical, so 35 miles this month will be just what I need, and even push me some.

Come and join the challenge!  Seems like a ton of great prizes, and lots of people/support!!!  #POTM2013

Let's get started!!!!