It's that time again! Time to really work on being fit and healthy. I can't believe it's been almost two years since I was really dedicated to working out and eating right. Gosh, that sounds horrible, but here I am ready and willing to work hard.
I'm not going to lie. I've been lazy and super lax on my diet. I've eaten what I want, when I've wanted and have had to talk myself off of the ledge from eating ice cream all day long on more than one occasion, but that's all going to stop. I can still have ice cream, just in moderation and proper portion sizes. I would like to try to not count calories this time around, but we'll see how that goes.
My motivation is simple: I need to lose weight and get healthy so that my blood sugar doesn't end up too high. Yes, I've been checking my fasting numbers lately and they've been higher than I like which puts me in the *gulp* pre-diabetic category. That's about all the motivation I need since having gestational diabetes so here I am ready and willing to work hard and see where this gets me.
I've ordered a few crucial things (namely, a scale that works) and I've been working out for about a week already so it's mainly continuing that and changing my diet hard-core. I'm big into moderation and not giving up on any given food unless I have to. I guess we'll just jump on the bandwagon and see how this goes!
Here are my starting stats:
Weight: 214.6
Waist: TBD*
Hips: TBD*
*I'll be measuring tomorrow morning.
I would honestly love any and all encouragement along the way that I can get. Realizing that I'm at this starting place with my weight and fasting blood sugar is very sobering. I need to get healthy for myself and to set a good example for my family. Any tips?
Finally! I am seriously so excited about this! I've worked hard and it looks like I'm going to make my goal of 30 pounds lost by Christmas.
This makes me officially weigh in under 200 pounds!
Clearly, I am not able to work out this week (or probably next week) because of my sprained ankle playing softball, but this shows how important your diet and water intake are for weight loss. In addition, I am now taking Metformin for my PCOS which can help aid with weight loss by helping your body produce the right amount of insulin needed. It is not a diet pill. Weight loss just happens to be a side effect to getting your body working right. Not sure if it has started helping yet since I've only taken it for two weeks, but I'll take it!
Let's start this week off by saying that we got our new scale in the mail! Now, I'm able to have an accurate reading of my weight and I couldn't be happier with that.
This week I managed to get in a good cardio workout and some yoga. It seems that the more I want to get to the gym, the more comes up to try to prevent me. And, you know what? That's life and that's ok. I am learning to manage my ever-changing life in regards to exercise. In the dieting world, I'm still doing a great job! So it's still a win because the numbers are still going down.
I'm still on track to lose 30 pounds by Christmas so I'm happy about that!
Due to my new schedule {adding in the dr and meeting with someone for AWANA}I have not yet gone to the gym this week. But, I am signed up for yoga today at 9:30am so I'll be there.
I'm not upset about finding out that I have PCOS. I mean, it's been suspected and they have things that can help. I'm trusting God and feel at peace.
I didn't make dinner until after my husband got home last night. I really try to have it ready for him when he gets here, but that was not happening.
I think that maybe I am "that girl" that annoys my nurse/doctor. I like to look things up ahead of time and research what they may have me do so that I'm not shocked when they tell me what tests they're going to run.
I forgot to charge my iPhone last night and it was dead this morning. It wasn't plugged in the dock right and I'm glad I woke up in time.
I spilled a little ink on the floor refilling our printer cartridges. It's expensive to buy new ones so I bought a refill kit to save money!
Wow, this week has definitely been busier than usual, but that's a good thing! I'm sticking with my minimum of three days a week for exercising and hoping to have some time to add in another day or two since I really liked going five days a week.
I like to do my best to stay motivated and determined to continue to lose weight. It's important for me not to give up on the plan and I make sure to stick in my calorie range daily.
Here are the results:
Starting Weight: 224
Last Week's Weight: 205.6
Current Weight: 205
Down -0.6pounds for the week!
Total weight loss: 19 pounds!
Very happy with the continued loss! I'm definitely on track to lose 30 pounds by the end of the year!
The pictures from left to right are Day 1, Day 7, and Day 15.
Whether or not you can see the difference in pictures I definitely see a difference in person. I can actually feel abs now and can see him bulking up from Day 1.
Have you tried the Ab Challenge yet? My husband {and I} have encouraged a few people and even my mom is doing it now!
Since I've been working on getting fit and healthy, my husband has been working on it too! It's so great to have such a wonderful support system at home and to know that he's in it with me and I'm not alone.
My husband and I each have our own different goals for getting fit. Mine is to lose weight and tone up and his is to take his super lean body and add muscle. I focus on more cardio and he's focusing on muscle-building exercises. Since I know more about fitness, he's enlisted my help to get him started.
I've read that a few bloggers have had great results with the 30 Day/300 Ab Challenge so that's what I wanted him to start with first. I don't know about you, but I think that a man with toned abs is hot! So, with lots of guidance, my slightly uncoordinated husband got through the first workout.
Every night since the first day, he's been religiously doing the Ab Challenge. I am so proud of him and he's already completed the first week!
Here are his results so far...
The picture on the left is Day 1 and the one on the right is Day 7.
As you can see, he's super lean. I'm not sure if you can tell in the pictures, but we can already see a difference! He's definitely getting more toned already and I'm so happy to start to see his abs coming through.
In addition to the Ab Challenge, he's now incorporating push-ups and squats alternating days to get more definition overall.
My husband has inspired me to do the Ab Challenge and I have completed four days so far! Unfortunately, I have a little more fluff than my husband so my pictures won't show as much of a difference.
This week was much less painful than last week. I've been more tired than normal so it was a little hard to get going, but I'm determined to get fit so I sucked it up and worked out out anyways.
Here's what I did this week:
Workout Schedule: Monday-Thursday. As always, we'll do something active or go to the gym this weekend.
Sunday
Rest day.
Monday
60 minutes on the Arc Trainer! Oh my gosh, that was hard, but so worth it.I even dropped my sweat towel in the first 15 minutes of my workout and didn't stop to pick it up. I was dripping in sweat. Fortunately, a really nice, older man realized it and picked it up for me at 47 minutes into my workout!
Tuesday
15 minutes on the stationary bike followed by a leg workout on the machines. I ended the workout with a 20 minute walk on the treadmill. Overall...35 minutes of cardio and legs.
Wednesday
I took my mother-in-law to the gym with me! It was so exciting to have her there and to show her what I do and some new things she can try. It was her first time EVER in a gym {she is an avid walker at home}! My husband made me promise not to push her too hard so we did 15 minutes on the Arc Trainer, an ab workout, 10 minutes on the elliptical, and a 5 minute cool down on the treadmill. We had to break up the cardio because she said that she couldn't do any more with her legs after the Arc Trainer! She did a great job keeping up. Overall...30 minutes of cardio and abs.
Thursday
Oh my was I tired on Thursday. I decided to go to the gym anyways and managed to do 17 minutes of walking, 30 minutes on the elliptical, and 15 minutes on the stationary bike. Overall...62 minutes of cardio! I also did a little arm workout, but I was so tired that I didn't do much.
Friday
Rest Day
Saturday
Either the gym or a day trip to DC or somewhere to walk around.
Diet
I did so well this week with my water intake! Most days were 10-12 cups and always the minimum of 8 cups of water per day. I stayed under my calorie limit every day and was only hungry if I forgot to snack!
Starting Weight: 224
Last Week's Weight: 218
Today's Weight: 215.4
I'm down 2.6 pounds this week and down 8.6 pounds from the beginning!
I worked hard, upped my water intake, and stayed under my calorie limit and it payed off!
Measurements:
Starting Waist: 44"
Last Week: 41"
Current Waist: 40.5"
*My natural waist
Starting Hip: 54"
Last Week: 49"
Current Hip: 49"
*Right under my belly-button where I was the most round overall.
I lost .5" in my waist and stayed the same at my hip area. My pants are still fitting looser so that's always a good sign!
Next Week's Plan...
Keep my water intake up and continue to work up to 60 minutes of cardio per day (less on days where I do weights).
I called my mother-in-law late last night to see if she wants to go to the gym with me today. She's coming over to go to the chiropractor and it makes me happy to have her see how hard I work and what I do in the gym.
I dropped my gym towel 15 minutes into my 60 minute workout and did not stop to get it. I was a hot, sweaty mess and was so thankful when a man picked it up for me 30 minutes after I dropped it.
All I think about lately is going to the gym, what I'm going to eat, and sewing an order for a friend.
I wrote an email to the property manager when they closed the pool 15 minutes early yesterday. The lifeguard went around telling everyone that the pool was closing and to get out with no warning or explanation. And, he was throwing tennis balls at people while they were swimming.
I spent most of my afternoon yesterday watching Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition on the internet. It inspires me and I love to see the transformations.
I want to encourage and inspire others to work out and eat right. If I can do it, just about anyone can!
I still need to write the follow-up posts for my Tyra Banks show episodes. I'm thinking I'll get the next one done this week and post it Monday.
Weight loss is definitely a journey filled with highs and lows. This week was more difficult than last week. I got in four workouts (Sunday-Wednesday), but I had such a hard time with some of them. My allergies were crazy, I had pain in my left arch with walking, and my calves have been so tight. I still managed to work out, but some modifications were definitely needed.
Here's what I did this week:
Workout Schedule: Sunday-Wednesday...still planning a Friday and possibly Saturday workout!
Sunday
10 minutes on the treadmill followed by weights. It was an arm day so we got that done. I wanted to do more cardio, but it was so hot and humid that my husband started to feel dizzy so we decided it was best to get him home.
Monday
30 minutes on the elliptical followed by 20 minutes on the stationary bike.
Tuesday
30 minutes on the treadmill and 15 minutes on the bike. I also went back and did the 30 minute circuit class!
Wednesday
This was the tough day for me. I tried to walk on my in-laws' treadmill since we're house-sitting and it sucked. The belt is looser than the ones I'm used to and my calves were on fire. I did 10 minutes and felt like I was going to die. I managed to go to the gym later that day and did 10 more minutes on the treadmill and 10 minutes on the stationary bike. It sucked and I was so disappointed in myself.
Thursday I woke up and my calves were so tight and sore. It was horrible. I ended up using this as my rest day, stretching a lot, and having my husband use a rolling pin on my calves to attempt to loosen them up.
Friday
Ugh, I need to make up for this week somehow. I really enjoy working out, but this week has been awful. At least 30 minutes of cardio somehow, but trying to avoid the treadmill since it makes my calves hurt more.
Saturday
Something active. Either the gym or maybe hiking? If you knew me at all, you would know that me wanting to go hiking is a miracle.
Diet
I need to drink more water. I made sure to get in the 8 cup minimum per day, but I really like to stay around 12 cups per day. We have been at my in-laws a good part of this week and took Gram to dinner last Friday, but I managed to check out the calorie and fat content and did well with that. I'm eating out too much being here so I'm looking forward to my routine at home.
Starting Weight: 224
Last Week's Weight: 218.8
Today's Weight: 218
I'm down 0.8 pounds! I worked hard, but you can tell it was a hard week.
Measurements:
Starting Waist: 44"
Current Waist: 41"
*My natural waist
Starting Hip: 54"
Current Hip: 49"
*Right under my belly-button where I was the most round overall
I managed to stay the same in my measurements, but I've noticed my yoga pants are looser in the front so that's good!
Next Week's Plan...
Drink more water! I also want to get in more cardio and work up to 60 minutes per day. I also want to eat more fruit this week. I like having fruit as a snack and since we weren't home this week, I slacked in the fruit department.
This week was a fantastic week for me! I was able to push myself and get in more time and hours working out than previous weeks and I felt great after my workouts.
Here's what I did this week:
Workout Schedule: Sunday-Thursday...5 days in a row!
Sunday- 20 minutes on the elliptical. It was supposed to be my "day off" but I really wanted to get in a workout. We had limited time, but I pushed myself and made sure to make up for it.
Monday- 30 minutes on the elliptical + 35 minutes on the treadmill! I also did yoga at the end of the day.
Tuesday- 10 minutes on the bike + 20 minutes on the treadmill. We also attempted to do the ab circuit workout, but I'm not a fan. I also did a yoga stretch video that night.
Wednesday- 20 minutes on the treadmill. Yes, we were at the gym on the 4th of July. We also did a lot of swimming at Phil's Aunt's house. I did a yoga video again in the evening.
Thursday- I tried out a yoga class at a studio here in town. It was definitely interesting and I would do it again, but classes are expensive.
Friday- rest day. I might get in some yoga at home.
Saturday- I'm hoping to do at least 30 minutes of cardio.
Diet- I definitely drank a lot of water (about 10-12 cups a day) and added in a low calorie Gatorade knock-off to get back some electrolytes. I've also been using My Fitness Pal online to help track my calories and exercise and I've been under my goal to lose weight!
Starting Weight: 224
Last Week's Weight: 222
Today's Weight: 218.8
I'm down 3.2 pounds! I worked hard and it definitely shows.
Measurements:
Starting Waist: 44"
Current Waist: 41"
*My natural waist
Starting Hip: 54"
Current Hip: 49"
*Right under my belly-button where I was the most round overall
I lost 1" in both my waist and my roundest part!!!
.
My plan for next week: Continue with the water and try not to eat out at all. I want to try some new recipes and make sure that I'm incorporating more fresh fruits into my diet. I also want to make sure to snack on more protein-rich foods like Greek yogurt after my workouts.
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.
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!
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.
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!
With the wedding six months away, I'm being asked a lot of questions about my weight.
"So, how much weight are you planning to lose before the wedding?"
"Are you planning on losing any weight for the wedding?"
Ok, so maybe not a lot in the form of different questions, but I'm being asked these questions a lot.
It gets tough for me because I feel, once again, like my motivation is gone. I start to eat healthier and feel like I am starving all the time. It also sucks to see everyone around me eating whatever they want because they don't need to lose any weight. My will power is non-existent as seen last night stuffing my face with dessert yet again.
I need a new game plan.
My gym has been giving me the run-around with renewing and I'm unsure if I want to stay there or go to the other gym that is more expensive and further away. There are perks to both places, but I really feel that the most important thing is to actually get there. I have the time, but it's not something I think about too much any more.
I have resorted to thinking that I'm always going to be fat. I didn't realize that I was gaining weight until it actually happened. I remember not even knowing until there was a picture of me and I was trying to figure out who the "fat girl" was standing next to my mom (it was a side shot so you couldn't see my face). Then, I realized it was me and I cringed. At that time, I knew.
The hard thing is, that in my mind I am not heavy so when I see it in pictures or the mirror it can seriously come as a complete shock...I know, right? It may be hard to believe, but this is part of the problem. Every time I think I'm doing well I'll see a recent picture and realize that it looks the same as before. I feel like there is no hope and no point in trying anymore and I gorge myself on desserts. I do manage to eat less overall still, but that doesn't cancel it out.
It all comes down to this...I need people to not hide food from me, they may think they're being helpful, but it does the complete opposite for me. I need to feel like I'm accomplishing a lot and see the results. I need some motivation, hope, and encouragement.
