75 Hard - Goals - I am alive!

Never mind how long ago it was since my last post.  And you can go ahead and disregard the fact I'm making SLOW progress.  Progress is progress....

Finding the best platform for me isn't easy.  I've done Instagram, Facebook, and even the Connect on my WW app.  Yet, none of those make it easy for me to get my words out like blogging.  It's almost like a diary for me.  I know, blogging is probably a dying platform.  But until then, let me do it.

For starters, I did a thing.  I completed the #75Hard challenge created by Andy Frisella.  Every day there were tasks that had to be completed for 75 days.  And, if you notice it's not just the 75 day challenge, it's the 75 HARD.  

It was not easy.  

And I will admit, I was not "perfect".  BUT, I still consider that I COMPLETED it.  

2 workouts/day, follow a diet plan, drink a gallon of water, no cheat meals/no alcohol, daily progress picture, and 10 pages of reading (nonfiction).  

There were days I did not want to workout.  There were days I REALLY wanted a drink!  There were days I just wanted to call it quits and say SCREW IT...but I didn't.  I lost almost 13 pounds, but I gained much more than the loss.  I got back in the routine of working out daily, walking more than sitting, I drink water, I learned so much while reading.  I got my health back.  

The pandemic had not been my friend.  I gained literally the "Covid-19".  I was drinking daily.  My legs had started swelling at night.  My skin was dry and places like my knee caps were blackening.  I had heartburn DAILY.  My skin looked terrible, and I had acne like a teenager.  I couldn't sleep comfortably.  I just felt horrible.  Inside and out.  

Then someone I followed on Instagram kept talking about this 75Hard Challenge.  I could see her glowing.  Her reasons she listed, were ALL the reasons I needed to do this.  So, I asked my friend (who also is my BeachBody coach) if she was interested in doing it with me.  Surprisingly she was, so we DID IT!!!    

I am so thrilled to have my health back.  And to have regained the things I had slowly lost sight of....BONUS.  

Drinking my water, and eating the right foods for my body (HEALTHY FOODS) are a huge part of who I am and want for my family.  If I have the "I don't care" attitude, then what am I teaching them?  My body is the ONE thing I truly have control over.  What I do with it, what I put in it, how I treat it...these are all up to ME.  The weight loss was a benefit and the reason I wanted to do the 75Hard Challenge, but honestly just getting those healthy habits back in my life was my top priority!    

I plan to do it again, with some tweaks for ME, after the first of the year.  But for now, I'm just going to use the habits I have gained to get through the holidays, and the remainder of 2020.  I still have some hefty goals, so the habits I gained (relearned) will come in handy.  

With all that being said, I am coming up on the end of a Dietbet.  Not sure I will reach my goal, but I'm not giving up.  This is one of the reasons I decided to blog.  I need to write out my goals, so that I can hold myself accountable.  

My goals for this week (with my Dietbet ending on Sunday Nov 15th - which is ALSO my birthday):

• TRACK TRACK TRACK!  If you don't track, you don't know where you're screwing up! LOL
• Get 4 Blue Dots (WW)  It was my goal last week, and I Failed miserably
• Drink a gallon of water - I dropped down to 96oz...but I really do need the gallon
• MOVE MOVE MOVE - continue with my daily Beachbody workouts (Turbo Fire) 
• aim for 15k steps/day!

What about you - have any goals this week?

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

Sometimes the scale likes you...

I had myself talked out of weighing in today. I mean, it was only going to set me up for destruction, and slap me in the face right? The past week was HORRID with eating. I tracked everything I ate (WW points and calories in myfitnesspal) and I was over nearly every day...yeah. Oh and add I didn't/haven't worked out!

But late last night I changed my mind.

I decided to make myself some May goals (plans are good for Mandie)...one being to start the JM 30 day Slimdown. In doing that, I was going to need a starting weight. So, it's kind of like the book "If you give a Mouse a Cookie...", things just start reminding you of other things. So yep...I decided to get on that scale this morning. Beforehand I actually prayed about it! Now who does that?! I wasn't trying to make a deal with God by any means, just asking for some support. I envisioned seeing the 170's again, and honestly I deserved it. I was scared. I needed comfort and support from Him.

You imagine my shock when I see an actual loss. WTH?! I'm supposed to being seeing 3lb gain (maybe a maintain), so seeing a loss (.4lb) is just nutty. But you know what, even though it's an undeserving loss...I'll take it with a smile and Thank God for it!!

You know what this means though......... yeah, it's got to be the start of a fire. I want a blazing fire to come out of this!!!

So, without further ado .... my May goals

• Continue getting up early to spend time with God (prayer and the Word) 
• Journal every day staying within points/calories (I know this won’t always happen, but I really need to clean up my eating to get anywhere, so I NEED to get serious about it) 
• Drink 100 oz of water
  Get back and stay on my 10k running training schedule 
• 5 days of exercise (whether it’s at the gym or at home, not including my runs) 
• JM 30 day Slimdown 
• Lose 8lbs and/or drop a size 

Have you made goals for May yet??

Weekly Weigh In

If ya'll remember last week I was on vacation in VEGAS...yeah, Vegas. Though I had an awesome time I ate and drank crazy. I did walk a ton...but seriously, I didn't do great. Needless to say I was SHOCKED, stoked, happy, thrilled, excited and flabbergasted to see a loss today! I checked like 10 times (do ya'll do this too?) just to make sure. A NICE 3.2lb loss! Woohoo! Down to 174.4.

You know what a loss like that does for someone like me? It MOTIVATES my butt! Seriously! I'm on fire and so excited. I want to get out of the 170's like you wouldn't believe. I want to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight (which is also my lowest weight as an adult) of 156. I want it, I need it...I'm GOING to get it!!!!!

OH, and I'd like to add that I REALLY wanted Qdoba at lunch yesterday, I mean I could TASTE it....and was all set for that, but then talked myself out of it and went to Subway instead! YAY ME!!!

So...here's my journal for yesterday...MUCH better than it had been!

Ugh...plyometrics....

That's all I have to say..."ugh". It's no easier nor harder at 5am either! Plyometrics is HARD! And I have a feeling it's not ever going to get any easier...I will just be doing higher jumps!

So, I restarted P90X this week, without hubby. This means I can do it in the morning, and on my schedule...so far so good. It's SUPER tough waking at 5am...BUT I want to get it done!

Yesterday I did P90X in the morning, and then at lunch went to the gym for some good cardio on the Stepper and then on the treadmill using Cardio Coach. Check it out...it ROCKS!!!

THEN I attacked the freaking cake balls I'm making for the boys bake sale! Ugh! That sucks! My goal/plan today though is to eat fruit and/or veggies INSTEAD. I don't need those cake balls, and I don't want to count 15 pts on them ever again! BOLOGNA!

Hubby and I watched our show and then that was it... I was ready for bed. This is a record people...I was in bed ASLEEP by 10:10! HOLY MOLY! It's true...and I needed it. 5am comes early, and 2 hours worth of workouts I REALLY need it!!!

I want to lose 8lbs this month (or 10 better yet), and to do so I have the path clearly in front of me. I have the month's menus ready....I know what I'm going to do be doing at 5am...so really there is no reason I can't be successful. :)

Root me on ya'll!

Week 1 COMPLETED!

That's right folks, hubby and I completed and survived Week 1 of P90X. We missed ONE measly workout, due to a funky Saturday (Yoga X), but I'd say that's pretty good. So, I know you're curious...I lost 5lbs! Yeppers .... 5 full pounds!!! Now, those 5lbs were recently regained, so sometimes those are easier to lose, but still I'm totally proud of myself for doing P90X AND losing 5lbs! YIPPIE!

Tonight is back to "Day 1" with Chest and back. Hubby has left the pull-up bar up all the time, so that I can whenever I want practice/try to do them. By the end of this 90 days I had BETTER be able to do at least 1!!! It's frustrating to me that I can't, and that I have to cheat with a stool. PHOOEY!

Eating is up to par, about 90% I say. I did have kind of a "free day" yesterday, but literally was mad at myself for it...and decided it's NOT worth it! When I say free day, I still journaled, still got my veggies in, and drank my water...I just made a poor food choice at lunch (Penn Station French fries!), and then had the munchies later where I ate a little too much. All in all it wasn't THAT bad...but I still didn't like it.

Well, until my next update....BRING IT :)

I'm back...and P90X

So, it's been too long since my last post. Life has been absolutely crazy. We finally moved into our new home (after 10 long months!), and things are settling down. I now am ready and have no excuse to get on track and get where I want to be.

In the midst of the chaos the last oh...month, I managed to gain 10lbs. Nice. WRONG WAY MANDIE! So, I now am 20lbs heavier than my lowest. Ugh. More work cut out for me. But, when I saw the number on the scale on Monday (Wed is my actual weigh day, but this week I decided to know on Monday) I knew it was time to really focus and get back in the groove. *side note that it amazes me how easy is it to gain 10-20lbs, but how extremely difficult it is to LOSE it! Phooey!*

On Monday I was ready. Well, actually it started Sunday night. I cooked 2 of my week's meals, so I wouldn't have to worry about it! That was super nice!! And Wednesday's meal was in the crockpot (which unfortunately was overcooked. I always forget that I'm gone for 10+ hours, and can't shut the crockpot off at 6-7 hours like most recipes require). Tonight I didn't prepare ahead of time (which I should have since it's my sons tball practice night), but I'm not too worried about it. I do need to finish up the weekend menu...any ideas anyone???

So besides meal planning and cooking (which helps me stay on track!!) my husband and I started P90X on Wednesday! We both agreed back in January (?) that when we moved into the new house we would do it together. Well, we've been at the house 2 weeks now, so it is time!

Day 1 was Chest, Shoulders, Back for 60 mins, and then 15 mins of Ab Ripper X. Ouch! But we did it...and I'm proud of us. We took our before pictures, and will be taking 30, 60 and 90 day pictures as well.

I'm trying to follow the nutrition plan as much as I can, while still doing WW. I'm not sure how it will work though. P90X is about getting the RIGHT FOODS, and unfortuantely higher calories. I'm used to taking in LESS calories to lose weight. So, it's going to be tricky and experimental. I am at least focusing on the food groups and trying to niche it to work for me.

I'm also adding more cardio in to the plan. I think cardio is a huge factor for losing fat/weight...and P90X doesn't do cardio every day. *This is another reason I really need to work hard on my nutrition...if I'm not careful I could have reverse effects by not eating enough and the right things.* Today at lunch I will head over to a Cardio Kickboxing class (45mins), and then tonight is Ploymetrics (which will be cardio too). It's all so exciting .... but remember, I've only made it 1 day! I (we) have 89 more to go!!! GULP!!!

When the light goes on....

I don't know how or why it happens, but sometimes you just fall off that wagon. The key to losing this weight for good though is to pick up the pieces (hopefully not too many days later) and move forward.

It happens to the best of us, ME included...and often. I hate it...but as I keep telling myself, baby steps all the way! I will get there if I keep trying. The key is to just keep trying.

I had a terrible weigh in on Wednesday, but that didn't bring me down...instead I moved forward and I'm doing better NOW. And I will continue.

I'm trying to help one of my best friends lose some weight before her wedding in September. To do so, I must be a good "role model". I am pledging to lose 1lb/week, right along with her! We are going to check in with each other, and plan together. I KNOW if we have each other we will succeed!

Half Marathon training....

So I decided to actually start training and run a 1/2 marathon this year! I'm excited about the new training program, and actually loving it. I'm proud to report that on Sunday (2/22) I ran my first 5 miles...and OUTSIDE! I bought some new shoes, and some cold weather gear, and with a little push from my hubby... I went out and DID it! SO proud of myself!!

And then, I splurge and eat like crap. It's true. I can't tell you why I would sabotage myself this way, because I really want to lose the weight.

I guess the key is that I keep getting up from the fall and trying again. If I keep doing that, eventually I will succeed. Shoot, I already have. I've come a long way...and I'm STILL on the right path :)

Tomorrow is weigh day...and I admit of being nervous. Maybe just maybe I will see a maintain from last weeks' nasty gain...or better yet see a loss. Whatever it tells me, I MUST continue with the journey and get to where I need to be!!!!

Fighting the Fat

Greetings! This is my official first blog post. Little nervous, since I'm not a very creative writer, but the purpose and goal of the blog is for ME...to help me finally get rid of this fat.

A little history....

Weight Watchers on and off since 1995. My all time highest weight was 233. PUKE. After having my first child, and leaving the father I dropped 60+lbs. I met my husband, got pregnant, gained a bunch of weight again. After his birth I got back on WW and have lost 48lbs. I'm about 30lbs from my goal.

The past year has been a struggle though. I work out HARD 5 times/week, but still the weight sticks on. I think that the culprit is my pathetic attempt of WW. Not weighing, measuring, and journaling REALLY makes a difference. So now I'm working hard to change that. I'm hoping to push myself and see that fat finally gone by July!!!