Friday, June 29, 2012

Fit Fridays- Week 4 Check-In

I have successfully completed four weeks of my new fitness routine! Week 2 was definitely the hardest for me since I was constantly hungry and exhausted from not being used to working out.

Here's what I did this week:
  • Workout Schedule: 4 days of cardio (every other day) starting with Sunday.
  • Sunday's workout- 7.5 minutes on the ArcTrainer (my knees were clicking and it was really not ok) followed by 20 minutes on the bike. It was a horrible workout, but I did it. My left tendon under my knee started feeling strained on the bike so I stopped earlier than I would have liked to avoid injury.
  • Tuesday's workout- I walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes making sure to switch up my speed to keep my heart rate up.
  • Thursday's workout- 30 minutes on the elliptical followed by 30 minutes on the treadmill! Honestly, the elliptical was so hard yesterday and I couldn't get my heart rate down under 180 no matter how hard I tried. When I switched to the treadmill, I was able to keep it down to a more comfortable level.
  • Diet- I made sure to drink plenty of water and have been cutting down on my portion sizes. I had a couple of rough days where I was craving salty and sweet things, but I monitored them and made sure to not give in too much. I've also been adding in a lot more fruit and making meals from scratch more.

Starting Weight: 224
Last Week's Weight: 222.6
Today's Weight: 222

I'm down 0.6 pounds! I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but I'm steadily decreasing my weight so I'll take it.

Measurements:
Starting Waist: 44"
Current Waist: 42"
*My natural waist

Starting Hip: 54"
Current Hip: 50"
*Right under my belly-button where I was the most round overall

I was so excited with my measurements this morning! I have been noticing that I'm less round in my hip/belly button area and the measurements don't lie!

My plan for next week: Continue to drink more water and track more meals using Myfitnesspal online. Workout three times (every other day) and up my cardio and try to get five more minutes in for a average of 35 minutes of cardio each time.




Wednesday, June 27, 2012

So What Wednesday!

This week, I'm saying So What if...
  • This baby blanket quilt is killing me to make. It is not going together easily and I've had to put it down a few times already so I don't go crazy. My mil is coming over today so hopefully she can help me troubleshoot it.
  • I am taking on a huge order for a friend. It's for her baby due in November and she wants me to make a valance, two curtains, crib skirt, bumper, two pillow covers, a quilt, fleece blanket, three pacifier clips, ten burp cloths, and a door stopper.
  • I know that I am sometimes too reasonable with pricing my items. I like to make things affordable and know what it costs for me to make. I just don't end up putting my time into the pricing equation.
  • I have no idea how much shipping costs for any given thing. I went to ship laundry soap to someone and charged them $5.00. Too bad the total was actually close to $11! Yes, I ate the extra cost right there.
  • I seem to always want to go swimming when it's too cold out and the water would be freezing.
  • My hormones have been getting the best of me lately and I wanted to cry the other day in the ice cream aisle because I was hungry and couldn't find an ice cream that my husband and I both agreed on.
  • I use my own photos from a few years ago for inspiration on my weight loss journey. I want my face to look like this again...
Look, I have definition in my face! Lol.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Sometimes and Always


Sometimes... I want to sleep in as late as possible when I have no plans.
Always... My body wakes me up early and I can't go back to sleep!

Sometimes... My husband is able to take an extra day off of work (thank you, credit time!).
Always... I love spending that extra time with him.

Sometimes... I get overwhelmed that my sewing room and our bedroom are never completely picked up.
Always... I'm thankful that the rest of our apartment {almost} always looks decent.

Sometimes... I wasn't sure how this quilt top that I'm working on was going to come together.
Always... I end up figuring something out and making it look decent.
This is a baby blanket scrap quilt I'm making for a friend.

Sometimes... I get a new follower and comment on my blog!
Always... It makes me so happy and I'm so thankful that y'all stopped by and showed some love :)

Monday, June 25, 2012

Tyra Banks Show {Diet Wars} Part 1

I mentioned last week about how I was on the Tyra Banks Show a few years ago for weight loss. The show was shot in 2006 in Los Angeles, CA

How we ended up on the show:
 I filled out a form on her website and was called a couple of months afterwards to come in and do an interview for the show. They asked if I had anyone else I could bring with me so I brought my sister who was also not happy with her weight. We were told that we were not going to be on the show {because they already had their cast picked out}, but we were needed for the interview. A couple of days after the interview, we were asked to come down for the show and sit in the audience. At this point they said that there was a slight chance that we might on the show! They told us to come in a couple of hours early for hair and make-up just in case they wanted us on the show because Tyra really liked the "sister angle." Honestly, we knew that we were going to be cast for the show at that point because why would there only be six people in hair and make-up when they said that "everyone" in the audience had a chance of being called up on stage.

Prepping for the show:
After we got our hair and make-up done, we were sent to wardrobe to make sure that we were wearing something that they would like. They had a closet full of clothes and shoes and promptly went to work. It was fun having someone dress and accessorize you. Then, we were sent to a green room where we sat and waited for what was to come. The producer came in and "prepped" us by asking a lot of questions and having us rehearse our answers. She kept telling us that no one knew who was going to be called up on the stage so if we were called, we had to act really excited.

The show:
We were strategically seated on the end of a row so that we would have easy access to the stage. The premise of the show was easy. There were three teams, each made up of two women, and three diet/fitness gurus who each claimed that their way was the best way. Each guru was assigned one team to work with over a three month period of time. Each team had to follow their expert's plan and try to lose as much weight as they could in that time frame.
We were the second team to be called up.

Here's the video that we edited to show you our segment on the show!


My comments on the video:
Yes, Tyra totally botched our last name...badly. It was awkward and weird. Also, Tyra is freakishly tall, like 6 feet tall and she is wearing a slutty top that exposes her bra. Ya, she's fun like that. Another fun Tyra fact? Her make-up doesn't go all the way up to her hair (weave) line. It stops a good two inches or so before the hairline...lol.

I can tell you one thing, when you are up on that stage, you can't even think about what to say! There are so many people in the audience looking at you and Tyra is asking you all of these questions that she's reading off of the teleprompter or cards. It's kind of nerve-wrecking at the time, but you get over it.

Our team name? LAME! No, we did not pick that name, in fact, we wanted to be called the "Chubby Bunnies", but they told us that was not ok and they picked the "Nanny Pack." Seriously? We thought it would be awesome and funny!

The three experts were Dr. Ian Smith (from Celebrity Fit Club), Jillian Michaels (the Biggest Loser), and Alyssa Cohen (Raw Food Diet). Of course, y'all saw who we got and at that point I was just thrilled that we didn't get the raw food lady because I would have died on a raw food/vegan diet! You can seriously see me mouthing the words, "I'm so happy. Oh, thank God!" Hahaha.

Fun fact: They don't actually weigh you on the show. You weigh yourself at home and they call and ask what it is so they can get everything ready for it to happen on the show.

So, that pretty much wraps up the first show! I'll be writing another post telling you what we did during the three months of working out and dieting with Jillian in the next post and I'll have one last post with video clips of the Results Show with who won!



Friday, June 22, 2012

Fit Fridays- My Story

My weight loss journey has been a difficult one, but I wasn't always heavy.

In high school, I played softball in the summer, played soccer my sophomore year, ran cross-country for two years, and threw in track and field. I was very active. I even rode my bike a mile and a half to school my junior year.

Once I got out of high school, I worked a lot and late into the night. Oftentimes, I worked the closing shift at Disneyland and wouldn't get off work until 2 am. Taco Bell and McDonald's were my best friends when I was starving after a long shift.

In 2006 I was ready for a change. I went online to the Tyra Banks show and answered a casting call for weight loss. To say that I was shocked to receive a call back is an understatement. My sister and I went on the show and were one of three teams in the "Diet Wars." Each team got a diet/exercise guru and ours was Jillian Michaels. We trained with her once and kept in regular communication over the next three months until the "Results" show was scheduled.

Yes, this is me on the show when we met our trainer.

I ended up losing 12 pounds in the 3 month time frame and was berated on national television for it. Want to read about it? Check out this blog where someone saw the show and was appalled at the way we were treated. Yes, we were told that we "failed" and it was a horrible experience. I ended up not keeping up with it after that and gained even more weight.

It was a couple of years after that incident that I got back into exercising. I had just ended a three year relationship and felt fantastic! I started walking and was no longer eating to fill a void and I ended up losing some weight.
My Photos by
This is what I looked like when I started dating my husband in 2008.

I started dating my husband and started eating out a lot more. I gained more weight and reached the highest weight I had been at up to that point. In 2009 I started seeing a trainer at my local gym and started working out 4x/week! For the first time in my life, I loved exercising! It was such an awesome feeling and I looked forward to going to the gym.

In January 2010 things changed once again. I was in a car accident and the airbag deployed, hitting my right wrist in the process. Many doctors and physical therapy appointments later and I ended up getting a year and a half after the accident. During that time I tried to work out only to have my wrist hurt. It was terrible. After the surgery, it took a while to heal and didn't get better until my chiropractor started adjusting it. I went through a period of depression from the accident and my job so I ended up gaining even more weight.

I started weighing in at 224 pounds three weeks ago...Now, I am clocking in at 222.6 pounds...ouch! I have gained 50 pounds since I first met my husband.

I have a plan and so far I'm sticking with it. I am in my third week of working out! I go to the gym three days a week and do cardio and weights. I'm focusing on getting fit and not just pounds lost. The weight will come off in time if I'm making the right changes.

The first three weeks are the hardest for me and they're officially over!

I'm doing not doing this for anyone else, but for myself and for my future. I can't wait to be able to do more and I'm taking it all one workout at a time :)

*Due to many comments asking about my experience on the Tyra Banks show, I will be posting a more in-depth blog about it scheduled for Monday. If you have any specific questions, please leave me a comment and I will answer it in Monday's post!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

So What Wednesday


This week, I'm saying So What if...
  • I get a little annoyed when someone asks for my help, I go out of my way to help them, yet they still choose to not take it.
  • I am so frugal right now it's ridiculous. Seeing others in a lot of debt makes me take a closer look at EVERYTHING I buy.
  • We try to time going to the pool when there aren't a lot of kids there. These kids are usually unsupervised and have no sense of personal space.
  • We have friends coming over for dinner and my apartment is not picked up. It will happen today, after the gym.
  • I didn't want to post about starting up a fitness regimen until I knew I would stick with it. {Look for the post on Friday}
  • I was on the Tyra Banks show and had a less than pleasant experience. Yes, it's true and it was awkward to watch.
  • I want our upcoming vacation to be a vacation, but my mother-in-law wants to have us run all over Boston for the week. Hey, we like to sleep in and be leisurely on our vacations!


Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Sometimes and Always


Sometimes... I go the gym and feel like I'm going to die.
Always... I'm glad I did it and look forward to liking the gym again.

Sometimes... I get sad that our Netflix subscription is ending this Friday!
Always... I know it will be better for us not to be watching it all the time and it will save us money.

Sometimes... I get so much done in one day that I am exhausted the next.
Always... I'm thankful that I have an understanding husband who is ok with me taking a day off.

Sometimes... I want to throw away all of the clutter in our apartment.
Always... My husband doesn't let me and will look through the bags to make sure I didn't go crazy with it!

Sometimes... I think about the money I could be making if I went back to work.
Always... I know that staying home is the best thing for us right now. My health and our marriage is more important than making more money.

Monday, June 18, 2012

I'll Admit it...

When I first met my husband I liked to spend money. I loved going to Starbucks and eating out whenever I could. I liked buying clothes and spending money. It made me happy to be able to do all of those things. He, on the other hand, grew up with the mentality that you don't spend money unless you need something. Saving is better than spending. He never really liked to go out to eat, buy new clothes, or go to Starbucks. He's been on me for years now to cut back on my spending and nothing makes him happier than hearing me tell him that I didn't buy something. Oh, but the tides have changed...

Now, I'm cheap. I don't like to spend money unless there's a good reason for it. I still like to go out to eat, but I limit it to when it's necessary or a special occasion. I buy clothes when it's necessary and try to cut back on spending just because I want something.

This weekend it really hit me how much I've changed in my spending habits. Saturday morning I woke up thinking how nice it would be if I got up and bought donuts for our breakfast. Then I thought about the cost of the donuts and how it would make my husband happier if I didn't. Yes, I'm that person now. That person who will invite you over to eat instead of going out to eat just because it will save us money. And, you know what? I'm ok with that.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

So What Wednesday

Life After I Dew

This week I'm saying So What if...
  • I was really upset that my friend cancelled our gym date ONE hour before we were supposed to go!
  • I only worked out for 12 minutes. I didn't feel well and I was still upset.
  • I picked up this little beauty at Target for $3.76!
  • I made my husband listen to Christmas music last night. It makes me happy :)
  • I scared my husband in the kitchen and thought it was so funny that I was on the floor laughing so hard.
  • My stomach was still sore from laughing when I went to bed!
  • Sometimes I let my hair air dry without brushing it and put it in a top knot. I like how it looks when it's more wavy and it's hard to get it that way.
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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Blog Star: Hi, I'm Kate


Hi. I'm Kate. I grew up in Southern California and moved to the East Coast in the summer of 2007.

My blog is basically random tidbits about my life. I love a fun link up and saving money. 

I am a former nanny of five years and former English teacher as well. I am now a stay-at-home wife and I love it! I have an Etsy shop because I love to sew and it gives me something fun to do.

I just started working out {again} and I am looking forward to getting fit and healthy.

I hope you take a chance to look around. Feel free to leave a comment so I can visit you too!

Monday, June 11, 2012

On Our Decision for me to Stay Home

The decision for me to become a stay-at-home wife wasn't easy. It came out of the blue and we thought it was going to be a temporary situation. I had a job lined up to start part-time in August and turn full-time in September. I felt like God was telling me to focus on myself and our family and not go back to work. I called my future employers and let them know our decision and they accepted it.

I had a feeling that I was supposed to stay home since the beginning of the school year. It was something that I just knew was meant to be, but I never thought it would have been in the middle of the school year. God works in mysterious ways and this series of events were definitely not expected.

Once I began staying at home, I quickly changed a lot of my bad spending habits. I knew that we could no longer afford for me to eat at McDonald's for breakfast almost every morning during the work week or every other day for lunch. I knew that me wanting to eat at restaurants as often would have to be minimized and I knew that shopping for fun {or fabric} would have to be cut as well. There were a lot of changes that needed to be made and I welcomed them with open arms with this new chance of me staying at home.

We've done a pretty good job at maintaining our finances up to this point. We had one tough month where there were more expenses than what we had budgeted for, but we worked through it and figured it out.

Sometimes I question our decision for me to stay at home. It's hard to think that I could be working and adding money to our savings account faster than we can now, but it's not worth it. It's not worth the stress that I was under while working or the many doctors appointments that I had because of it. It's not worth me being upset and exhausted every day when we can do this another way.

We've made the decision for me to stay at home for my health, well-being, and for our marriage. That's more important to us than more money in the bank. It's a decision that we have chosen and will continue to choose until that decision is no longer right for us. For now, I love being at home and focusing on making me the best version of myself I can be.

It's all about priorities. And this, is ours.


Friday, June 8, 2012

TV Diet {Update}

Last week I posted that we are cancelling our Netflix streaming at the end of June. The reason? I was completely obsessed. It was a problem and it needed to be fixed ASAP. In the meantime, I wanted to actively watch it less to see if I could get it under control or would cancelling it be the only option for my Netflix obsession.

It's been a week since I've been watching less tv. I no longer watch it while eating my breakfast or dinner and I try to keep it off at night when my husband comes home. I have definitely been more productive and I don't feel as lethargic. I do watch a few shorter shows here and there when I have some downtime, but it's not the main focus of my day anymore.

I really like how I've been feeling with it turned off. I like my husband coming home and telling me that he can tell how much I've accomplished that day. It makes me feel good that I'm not sitting on the couch all day and I'm able to get so much more done.

At this point, I'm not entirely sure if I'm going to cancel it entirely. I do like the option of having it when I've been productive and have some down time. I figure that I'll give it another two weeks to see how much I would like to keep or get rid of it, but in the meantime, I'm enjoying more time with my husband with the tv turned off.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Sometimes and Always


Sometimes... I surprise myself and choose to eat something healthy instead of fatty.
Always... It makes me feel good about myself.

Sometimes... I spend a lot of time with my husband's family and it can be overwhelming.
Always... I am blessed to have them in my life and love them.

Sometimes... I decide to take care of a problem that needs to be addressed.
Always... I realize that by writing it down and sending it as a letter, I come across more professionally and it is taken better.