Morning Motivation!

This morning has been a great one so far! I let the kids sleep in a half hour later than usual, and we still got to the school on time. Silvana & I walked Deslin in. I just cannot wait until next year when they're both in the same school! It will be so much fun for her, and they are looking forward to being in the same school for the first time.

This morning has also been full of a lot of positivity so far! I love logging onto facebook to see positive thoughts & such being shared! So far one of the things I've seen is a link someone shared to a website that has 50 ideas for clean-eating snacks! [Click HERE to check it out!] There are some fantastic ideas on there, and also a link to a recipe for 'Skinny Nutella'. Nutella is one of my absolute favorite things ever, so I am super excited about this. It's chocolate AND 'somewhat' healthy. The Skinny Nutella recipe only has 57 calories per serving, whereas the regular stuff has 100! 



Another cool thing was a link to a website where there is a photo series showing you how 200 calories looks in different foods. Example: Roughly a tablespoon of butter is 200 calories, but over a pound of Broccoli also equals 200 calories! It goes to show that there are no 'I'm not full enough' excuses when it comes to weight loss... there are plenty of low cal things to fill yourself with. Here is the link to that. I highly suggest checking it out! Click Here To See The Photo Series

Well, I'm off to have some coffee and get in my date with the treadmill! After I get Silvana on her bus I am heading down to the fitness center to pay for the 'Kickboxing Classes' I joined that start tonight! It's twice a week. Mondays & Wednesdays. I'm super excited for that! I am one of those people who needs an extra kick in the butt when it comes to motivation sometimes until I get going. So having this class to go to will keep me moving! Plus once I get going and exercising as much as possible,  I always have so much energy, and want to work out even more. I'm also thinking about joining this "Battle of the Bulge" challenge... you pay $25 and get weighed and measured in. Whoever loses the most body fat% wins all the money contributed! I think I'd have a shot at that! I'm going to chit chat with Joe about it.. since we are the type of couple who pools all of our money together in the same account, and to use towards bills, etc... we always have a little chit chat about any and all expenses. I think it's a good thing! We budget every dollar we make towards something, whether it's savings or bills or fun money. So we shall see what the boss says. ;)

Midnight Musings

Leave it to me to feel a blog coming on at midnight!
 

I've always been a night owl,  and used to stay up super late painting or writing stories when I was a child and teen, but since having children....nobody has time for that! Especially when your day begins at around 6a.m! There's no way I can stay up pondering life and being creative, and then survive a full day on like 2-3 hours of sleep like I used to.

Well.. this blog posting for one,  isn't entirely about losing weight. But I feel it needs to be posted. So I'm going to do what I do best, and just randomly type thoughts as they come out. I apologize if there's typically a lot of spelling or grammar errors, but I just type away and hit 'Publish" most of the time. It comes straight from the heart. ;)

Almost exactly a year ago, one of my best friends, lost her baby boy.  It was very shortly after the entire Sandy Hook  school incident. Both of these events had a huge impact on me, and were /continue to be super frightening.

I have never lost a child myself, but I lost a baby brother. At that time I was only 4 years old, and it was my first experience with death. It was such a sad and confusing thing at the time, and continues to be today. Any loss of any person really gets to me. It can be a complete stranger. I always wonder 'why'? I am far too good at putting myself into someone else's shoes. I'm very empathetic, and can imagine how deep of a hurt must be felt when you lose a loved one.

One thing that absolutely baffles me is..... knowing how deeply saddening losing those we love is.... HOW do so many people take their loved ones for granted? How? Knowing and seeing and feeling and witnessing the sad and loss of people around you who suddenly have their heart and soul ripped from them, how could you not cherish and hold dear every single second you have on Earth with your own loved ones? Are people becoming desensitized to basic human 'feelings' and passions? Why do so many people just not seem to care, until it's too late?

On that note...I hate how time goes by so fast. It seems like just yesterday I was 10 years old, hanging out at my grandma's house across the street after school. I probably got off the bus there as usual. She's cooking food in the kitchen, and the entire family is there, laughing, talking, and just living our lives. Fast forward to now...what feels like only a few years at best has passed, but in reality it's been at least 10 years...and it's a whole different environment. They are very aged. There's not tons of cooking, not tons of conversation that makes much sense, and not so many huge smiling faces around..There just isn't. That's just the way it is. Time passes, and people and memories fade. People grow up and have families of their own, and hope to build their own happy, smiling, loving environment.

 The time in each day, as well as time in general, never seems enough.Every day, there is never enough time to do ALL of the things I'd like to do.  Every year, I'm thinking, " I wanted to do this or that, but didn't get to."  It's so frustrating! Also,  it's frustrating how fast years pass, and how fast children grow..

To children, time passes slowly. They've only been on this planet for say, 5 years... so to them, that 5 years has been an eternity. It's the longest time frame they can possibly, physically imagine at that point. The older you get, the more you realize how fast time truly passes. When you're turning 25, and realizing that you're probably at best 1/4 of the way through your life.. it's pretty shocking. At that point, you feel like yes, alot has happened in your life.... but it went pretty fast in retrospect, and you THOUGHT you had tons of time left. But, in reality you're actually probably closer to being 1/3 of the way through.

Are you letting all of your loved ones know how much you care? Are you letting them know they're important to you?

I've been thinking a lot lately about how this year.... one major thing I'm going to focus on aside from my weight loss, is letting EVERYTHING fall 2nd to my children. I'm usually really good about that, but I do get stressed from time to time. One example: when my house is messy and I have no time to clean it. There have literally been days where I would come home from work with plans of taking the kids to the park, to see a trashed house. Immediately I would declare it 'cleaning up your messes' day. We would all stay home and clean our house. Sadly, it's happened quite a few times.

Why? It's not like we have an abundance of visitors. Even if we did, hopefully they would see the happy, smiling faces on my children enjoying life and look past their messes. Instead, visitors have seen a clean house with disgruntled children. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with teaching children about responsibility and respect and cleanliness. NOTHING at all. I find it very important, in fact, maybe too important. However, I sometimes feel I'm fighting an uphill battle. Kids are mess makers by nature. It's just what they do. The point is...will my children remember me for the happy, fun-loving, adventurous soul I had always been, and know I am inside? Or the mom who is strict and crabby, and worries more about appearances  and 'rules' than quality time with her family?

Today we have all been fighting off a cold. Sore throats, sniffles, and sneezes. We completely just lived our lives, and aside from about 20 minutes worth of straightening up and loading the dishwasher, did absolutely nothing productive. We did, however, play a board game, and snuggle up to watch "The Hobbit". Joe and I  had the entire weekend off from work. A while back, I probably would have declared this ' Doing Chores & Stuff' weekend.. This time, I was determined to just let everything be. My phone died earlier today and I didn't charge it. I didn't open the laptop. I just enjoyed every second with my family. I enjoyed every conversation we exchanged, and every hug we shared. I just lived in the ever-fleeting moment. It felt great!!!

My goal this year..is to be that person more often than not. It's a hard task as a mother or parent in general, daily balancing the:

 *Cooking a good, nutritious hearty meal

 *Doing all the dishes that somehow stack halfway to the ceiling daily

*Cleaning the bathroom like every other day [ it needs it that often! Doesn't yours!?]

*Vaccuuming our house every other hour [ we have 3 cats..... and 2 kids who like to wander with crackers ]

*Doing the laundry for 4 people who probably each change 4 times a day on average

 *Planning the budget

* Raising the kids to be responsible, respectful, educated adults

* Bringing to sports practices & games

*Volunteering and being active in their sports and school life

* Etc, etc, etc, etc

*... and for some of us, working full or part time on top of it all.

I am convinced that we need to take every second we can get with these kids. We need to soak up every smile, every hug, and every single moment we can with them. There will be PLENTY of time to bustle around and worry about mundane, unimportant things such as a pristine house once my sweet babies have grown and left the nest, heaven forbidding. [LOL... I've convinced them both at this point that they want to live with me forever!]

In reality, these moments will be here and gone before we even have a chance to really THINK about what we will be missing down the road.  I know it will feel empty going down to the laundry room to do only mine and Joe's laundry. I know it will be sad, making Silvana's room into my computer / guest room. I know , being myself, that I will stand and bawl about these things when the time comes. Heck, I am already just thinking about it. 

I don't want to have any regrets.A HUGE part of the reason I decided to take my health into high priority last year at this time, isn't because I give a rip what anyone else thinks. It's because I want to have more energy, and be more of an active, happy, fun-loving mother. I want to be the best mother I can be, and I want to be a good example. I want my children to grow up to be healthy, so they can live long healthy lives.

 I was at a point I couldn't ride on rides with them at the fair, because it wasn't comfortable. I wasn't fitting in them right. Well, last year at the fair I rode every ride on the fairgrounds with Silvana and my heart was just beaming with happiness. I want to live. I don't want to die young of health problems. My family is more important to me than any kind of food, and as hilarious as that sounds it's true. I mean think about it. People say I have such strong will power sticking to a healthy diet. When I look at junk food, I often ask myself. " Do you want to be with your family as long as possible, or do you want to eat that?" No I'm not perfect, I do enjoy treats with my family sometimes. But not often, and in moderation. I consider chocolate a necessary part of a happy life!

 I want to look back and feel completely good and happy about how much time my family and I spent together, and how many times we left the house a mess to do something memorable. I want to live, and I want to share every second I can with my kids. Last year my goal was to focus on my health, and I have definitely been doing that. I'm not where I want to be physically yet, but I am working on it. It's not only a physical process, it's a mental process too to get in shape. Sometimes you fight with struggles such as a touch of the winter blues, or being frustrated with your messy house... haha.

This year, I AM going to continue to focus on my health goals, and I am going to make quality time with my family equally as important. I thought I was doing well all along, but when you look back at your year and remember how you sacrificed 'family beach days' for 'cleaning days', you have to admit you've had your priorities backwards!

Life is short. The sooner we all realize and accept that, the sooner we can focus on making the most out of every second we have, and appreciate every person we know. We often tend to think that we'll be here forever. We think there'll always be time to do all the things we want to do, and say all the things we want to say. The sad fact of life is, there isn't time. NOW is the time. It's the only time we ever REALLY have. Time that has passed is gone, and time that is to come isn't promised. Make the very most of "NOW" that you possibly can...

For people asking me for tips... lol

Okay, so the last 2 days we have had "cold" days, like snow days....so the schools and everything have been closed.

Yesterday I worked 11-7, and did NOT do anything as far as fitness, but I am happy to say I have been sticking to my 'eating well' plan pretty darn well I'd say!

I have a good handful of people who have said we should go to the gym together when I do start going. Some of them already go, some of them want to start up. On top of that, I have a handful of people who I find SO inspiring and who, by their actions, prove that it CAN be done. They do it! They eat well, workout a lot, and are fit! I'm on my way!!

I NEED to get my gym membership paid for so I can start going. Seeing as all the schools have been closed, I figured the OCC has been closed too. I mean the gym is still open, but it's doubtful anyone  would be there to sign me up. :(

Aside from that stuff... I have had a few people asking me for food/ eating ideas! Well, although I am fairly confident about what I'm doing I'm definitely not an expert. I have talked to nutritionists a few different times, and done some research myself , but please... anything you hear from me, make sure it sounds right to you before you do it!! lol. I also go by my own tastebuds and likes / dislikes, so I may leave out foods you love, and eat foods you hate.

Basically ... I TRY to base what I do around this 'clean eating' idea, but then again I know it's not fully clean eating so I'd hate to call it that.

** I aim to eat only lean meats, eggs [usually only the whites, but leave yolks in from time to time], nuts, occasional peanut butter or nuts such as cashews, and greek yogurt. But I will definitely eat regular nonfat/lowfat yogurt if that's all that's available at the time, low/nonfat cheese.

* I eat veggies and / or fruit with all meals.

* I will typically have fruit as desert. [sometimes I have sherbet.... :S And hell, sometimes I have chocolate! I consider a small amount of chocolate a necessary part of life. ;)   ]

* I love to make healthy smoothies. My go-to smoothie consists of a handful of blueberries, a large handful of spinach, a banana,  a squirt of flaxseed oil, about 1/4 c hemp seeds, a squirt of lemon juice, about half a cup or so of greek yogurt. I rarely measure things such as that out, that are pretty much ALL healthy, low-cal things.  But....I measure food everyday at my  job so I'm pretty good at guessing the right amounts.

I stick with this smoothie most of the time because I've made other smoothies experimentally that I hated, but I drank them anyway... and this is one that the kids also really like, shockingly enough.

* I do eat a serving of whole grain bread, cereal, crackers,oatmeal, cream of what, or a granola bar once, twice a day max.

* I also drink a TON of water, and green tea. I steer clear of pop & juices. TONS of sugar & empty calories. I will have a cup of coffee a day sometimes... and sometimes I'll have 2. I do have cream & sugar in my coffee...2 tsp of each.


Now, I know I can list little tips like that all day , but it still makes it hard to see exactly what a day looks like for me. So from time to time , I'm going to include what I ate that day in my blog, starting today. I know that stuff can be super boring to read, but it can be easier to get the jist of what I like to try to do.

 If calorie amounts are listed on my foods, I go by those.. otherwise I look them up on myfitnesspal.com.
 
Today so far::

Breakfast:

Coffee: about 50 calories 

1/4c cashews       150

1/2c greek yogurt   140

1 orange     86



Lunch:

2 large eggs::  185

1c onions & green/red peppers:   25

1 tbsp minced garlic:  15

1c spinach:    25

1tbsp crushed red pepper::   15


This picture is what my lunch was. It might not be appealing to some people, but it's my FAVORITE go- to meal!!

So far, that's all I've eaten. 691 calories. Plus I jogged half an hour on the treadmill, 250 calories it said. That leaves me room for dinner, and a snack at some point, and I am 'allowed' to have 1170 calories more according to my fitness pal.com My food goal is 1600, but then working out allows  me to have that many more calories, but I always try to come in as under as possible, without being hungry. If I'm hungry, I definitely eat and don't starve myself.


It's usually the early afternoon [2-4pm-ish] when I start to REALLY crave chocolate or sugar. It's usually at this time I chug chilled green tea, and maybe have a snack. I chalk my hunger / cravings up to the fact that I typically get really tired at this time. So sometimes even a cup of coffee with my cream & sugar works. On a sidenote: I really wish I could find a good replacement for sugar.... any ideas!?!




Anyways... that's about it for now! When I update next, either tonight or tomorrow.. I will include how the rest of the day went. I would like to get in another half hour on the treadmill as well, but we'll see!



[Still loving my hair!! :)   ]

Finding inspiration; Deep [or shallow?] thoughts from a haircut!

So, as I sit here watching the snow fall, I am happy to say I am so hopeful and excited for this entire year!

Last week an amazing stylist I know, gave me a makeover..and I LOVED my hair!
The sad thing about me is, sometimes I tend to over-do things I LOVE.[ Thus, the reason for this entire blog in the first place :S  ]  So, thinking it would be fun and exciting, I had my hair cut EVEN shorter somewhere else. [Only because I had a gift card there..otherwise I would have SO gone back to her!]  Well, I got my hair cut short.....like, super short. As in.... the shortest it has EVER been.


A few years ago I had a similar hair cut, but it was a bit longer, and I adored it. Now , this current haircut... I loved at first, but then I'll be honest.. I BAWLED about it for a day or two. It's just shockingly short. LOL

That being said, I am super happy with it as of now!And here's why....[this is a little bit deeper than it seems, trust me. ;)  ]

It has a sort of odd shape when it's down and curly, but wearing it in a half-pony keeps it out of my face. It seems to look decent that way, but obviously now that it's short and I can't hide it in a bun, you can see JUST how naturally curly my hair is. Which I don't mind. I used to hate having curly hair but I have learned to embrace it. I think I always wore it in a bun, because it does draw attention. And, I don't like attention! Hardly anyone I know has hair like mine.

One of the main reasons I decided to cut it in the first place, was because after much discussion Joe & I realized that... I hardly EVER wear my hair down, other than the few times a year we go out.. it gives me headaches, and I get SUPER hot all the time especially at work. It's just a hassle! It's usually in a big ol' bun on top of my head, and I'm always self conscious about it because... well, honestly who wears a bun in their hair !?!?

So now that it's short, and it takes me LITERALLY 5 minutes to straighten- and I LOVE the style when it's straight..... it is pretty nice. :) Plus, wearing my hair in a half pony when it's curly, is better than a bun, right? And although I don't like ponytails either... it actually looks kinda cute I think!?

Joe swears he loves it. He's actually the one who pushed me to get it shorter, for something different. I can't blame the poor guy, he's the one who has to look at me all the time! ;) So, as long as he truly likes it, that's the most important thing here as far as I'm concerned.


Anyways.... the reason I posted any of this here, is because having short hair has shockingly made me realize a few things about myself.

#1.... I had / may still have, a super crazy and irrational emotional attachment to my hair. In all honesty, all of us females probably do, don't we? I mean, our hair is a HUGE part of who we are.. it reflects our personality. This is the very reason I actually was excited to get short hair. I see so many people with cute short hair, they look so well kept and so stylish, and so in control.. and here I was with a big bun on my head. LOL..

#2..... Although hair is important in some ways...... I am NOT my hair. I  needed to realize, that my hair does not define me. That may sound absolutely NUTS, and I'm sure this whole posting does so far.. lol... but, as crazy as this sounds... upon waking the next day after my hair cut [ the day I bawled all day long] I was convinced that this whole year was going to SUCK, everyone would look at me like I'm crazy for cutting my hair, people wouldn't talk to me anymore, and people would avoid socializing with me. Um, yes. My hair literally did make me think those thoughts. It may not have helped that I was taking a muscle relaxer I was prescribed after my concussion. :/ But I was in complete panic mode. Thankfully, with much messing around with my hair, taking pictures, and asking opinions.... and convincing from Joe that he loves it, I am over the panic stage. :P

#3.... No matter what my hair looks like.... I can pull it off! And really, I'm pretty sure I can! Because  even though my hair is frighteningly short, I actually kind of like it... and I never would have dreamed I would! People were commenting on my picture that I have a nice face so that makes it easy for anything to work well... and, without sounding vain, I guess I can't disagree?!

#4.... It was kind of freeing, cutting my hair off. I feel like not having to deal with the immense amount of hair I had, I can focus on my FITNESS aspect of my appearance, rather than stress about my hair, . Because, it's pretty much all gone! It's so short, I literally can only do 2 things with it: Straighten it,or throw it in a half pony tail. Or, wear it down & curly, but that's still going to take some getting used to.. it's so so curly! lol...


So, now that my incredibly insane and embarassing hair dilemma is out there..... I have to admit, yes!! I do feel incredibly shallow for even thinking any of these thoughts in the first place. There are people allll over the world, the country, the state, and even this TOWN dealing with bigger, more pressing issues and dilemmas. And I can see, and totally understand why anyone would roll their eyes at every word I've just typed. So yes I feel like a complete idiot for obsessing over my hair.

Feeling like an idiot for obsessing over my hair,  however, shows me that hey.... you really don't have anything valid to complain about, so shut up and move on. Hair grows. Focus on your fitness, and attain those fitness goals!!!

I used to hide behind my hair... even though it was in a bun, it was like a security blanket for me. Now that it's gone, I'm like, " This is me! Take it or leave it! " I have nothing to hide behind anymore, and that is SO freeing.

Right after my haircut I [irrationally]  thought this year was going to really suck.... but now I realize I was SO wrong.  Because even though this really is a mundane thing in the big picture of life,  it has somehow been the perfect  tool in showing me that I am far more than my appearance.. . and that people can love and like me for who I am.[And, hopefully I'll find that I am someone people find WORTH liking and loving ] And that makes me feel more confident and ready to kick this weight-loss in the ass, than ever before. ....as my sister pointed out, it is literally kind of  saddening that I'm just realizing this, and that it took a haircut... but, I'm thankful to be entering this year with confidence and determination, to be the best me physically and as a friend/ person in general that I can be! Although it really IS just hair, and it does grow... this has definitely been a blessing in disguise!!



BEFORE::

AFTER:::

Moment of Truth; Reflections & 'Resolutions'

WOW it has been a long time since I’ve posted last!! The last time I posted was November 20^th, and I was posting about how I was in a ‘slump’ with my exercising & eating habits.

It is now January 1, 2014!! I am so excited about this.. I love new beginnings, I love change, and I LOVE reflecting on the past, and dedicating to make changes!

In fact, I think New Years has really got to be my favorite holiday!

That being said.. it’s time for some cold hard honesty.

I have only worked out a handful of times in December, and I’ve gained around 10 pounds back!! It is super frustrating, and at one point I was so down about it, I was thinking” WHAT is the point in even starting back up!?”

But then I got real, and realized that …. I have lost 2 pants sizes in the last year, and I haven’t gone up a size in anything....I have lost a TON of inches..........10 pounds is SO manageable! I got this! IF I continue with what I did this past year by losing 4-5 pounds each month, [ and towards the end.. I lost 6 pounds in 2 weeks!] Then I can easily lose those 10 pounds by the end of February….. and better yet, I am going into this FULL FORCE this year, so I’m guessing I will lose it even sooner than that.

Last year, I ate ‘mostly’ healthy, but allowed some ‘junk’ calories into my calorie counts.

NOT this year.

Last year, I worked out for 30 minutes-60 minutes ‘most’ days on my elliptical.

This year, I am going to eat ALL healthy except maybe ONE cheat day a month, and I’m not going crazy on that day either.

This year, I am going to incorporate my new treadmill into my cardio workouts so I can hopefully be more into jogging as time progresses, and I am going to ALSO incorporate some group fitness classes to keep me motivated, and some strength training at the gym.

I’m not a huge fan of sweating my butt off in public, so I’ll still do my cardio at home. I have no problem sweating while doing my strength training. But, my ultimate goal is to someday have a complete home gym or at least a bowflex so I can do my strength training at home, too. I love being able to work out and not worry one BIT what I look like, so I can focus on my performance.

This is not just a ‘resolution.’ I hate that word. To me it’s a word to describe a fad that people do for a few months, and then resort back to their old ways. This … is a life style change.

This past year, I have completely transformed my lifestyle. Then I veered off course for almost 2 months. I feel super guilty about that, but feeling guilty isn’t going to get me anywhere.. I know I need to take action and just change things for the better. Its like an alcoholic who is clean, and then delves back into drinking for a couple months. Does that mean they should give up? NO. It means they  just need to get their shit together & get real & change. I haven’t undone ALL of my hard work just because I gained a few pounds back. I still carry with me a lot less weight, and a lot more determination than I had previously.

I have already signed up for the kickboxing classes that start mid-January, and I have bought my treadmill. I am going, probably today, to buy my gym membership. That is the biggest battle I foresee in front of me, is getting to the gym. Once I go a few times I know I’ll be more confident about it, but as it goes right now I just wish I had a personal trainer, or someone to tell me what exact workouts I needed to do on what exact days of the week to get the optimal benefits. Because I’m pretty clueless when it comes to that. And sadly, I don’t have a personal trainer. 

All of that being said, I am very confident about what this year brings. I am thankful for our overall health & happiness. I foresee a LOT of good and fun and exciting things ahead of both myself, and my family as a whole.

Bring. It. ON!!! 

MEASUREMENTS & Being in a slump!!

I am in SUCH a slump with my working out!! I didn't believe the nutritionist when he said I would probably start to slow things down this time of year. I figured, No way.... I started working out in February when we still had snow... I'll totally keep up my pace when we get snow and cold weather again. And here I have only been working out 2 to 3 times a week for the past month! It started out with me having a really bad cold for about a week, and then I just never got as motivated since then.

The thing of it is, there's a lot of reasons or excuses, as to why I haven't been working out.
Working is NOT one of them. All summer I worked full time hours and still made time to work out almost daily.

During the school year I work part time hours. So, that's not an excuse at all.

* One of my reasons, to be flat out honest is..... I TOTALLY enjoy just relaxing with my family during the very very rare free time we have.

* Another reason, is that we are super busy, especially as soon as they get home from school.. Most days when the kids get home from school, they have time to do their homework and have a quick snack, then we have to get to the rink for skating or hockey. Once we're home, it's late and I have time to give them showers quick, make dinner, and get them to bed. And by that time, I'm pretty pooped myself.

* Despite being exhausted, the strange thing is that the past few days I have had ZERO luck sleeping. I think I slept a total of 7-8 hours in the past 3 nights. So I have been just a little irritable and tired. Yet, I've been spending my time when the kids are in school doing chores and running errands since there is ZERO time for any of that once they're home. I'm pretty sure that once I get my butt down stairs to work out I will sleep easier at night. I'm thinking maybe the lack of exercise is what's preventing me from being able to fall asleep as well.


Well, I don't know. Those are the reasons I'm not working out. I guess they can be looked at as excuses. I should MAKE time. But it's hard when I literally have no time except when they're in school, and even then it's like " OMG I have so much to do before they get home and we're busy for the rest of the day!". So, it's hard. But I do intend to find a way to figure it out and get  back to it.

Today I am not bringing the kids to open skating after school. They have gone almost every day for 2 weeks now, so I'm declaring it a 'stay at home' night. I'm planning to nap while they're in school, so when they get home I can slam some coffee and hit the elliptical. I am far too tired and crabby to care much about working out at this second.

I Should really nix my cleaning and errands when they're in school and work out instead.... I've done it before! lol.. only problem is, it's nice to have clean dishes and clothes. They don't make too much of a mess otherwise, but the dishes and the clothes pile up fast! :/

If anyone has any good tips or advice on how to re=motivate myself, and find/ make time that don't involve neglecting my kids or my house... PLEASE share!!!!!!



I almost forgot... I need to do my measurements!!!!!! :( I am SO not looking forward to this. The last time I took measurements was September 27th. I lost 6 pounds since then, but am not feeling super confident about my measurements with all of the slacking I've done this month!


LAST TIME SEPTEMBER 27, 2013

weight: 211

Waist: 37.5"

Hips: 48"

Neck:: 14"

Forearm over birthmark: 10.5"

Upper Arm: 13"

Calf, an inch below the knee, widest part: 17"

Mid thigh: 21"

Upper thigh: 26"

Body fat %: 49.16%


NOW:::::

Current Weight 205

Waist:  36.5"

Hips :  46"

Neck: 14"

Forearm over birthmark: 10.5"

Upper Arm: 13"

Calf : 17"

Mid thigh: 21"

Upper Thigh: 25.5"

Body fat %: 46.12 %


So, my body fat % has gone down 3% and I've lost 6 pounds in just under 2  months. Not very happy with that! I'm glad it's going in the right direction, but those 6 pounds I lost happened all in a 2 week period and right after that I was really sick for a week, and never got motivated to get back to it full force. I just need to figure out how I can make time. Step #1 as I found out the hard way once before, is getting enough sleep so I'm not tired the entire next day. So, I am going to get in a nap right now, Joe is going to get the kids from school at 3, and then I'm going to stay home with them tonight so I can make sure to get my hour elliptical work out in, and my laundry folded. IN THAT ORDER! lol... Also going to do some weight training stuff here. I really need to get a gym membership too. A couple of girls I know suggested that we all get memberships and make time to go, and I cannot wait for that! I'll feel a lot more comfortable going with other people rather than just walking into a new place by myself. Then once I'm comfortable going I'll most likely be more comfortable to go alone.


Either way, I really NEED to kick it in to high gear if I want to make my goal of being under 200 for the New Year. I would be so annoyed if I didn't meet that goal..

That's all for now!! And again, please.. if you have any tips on time management or how to stay  motivated, please pass them on!!! :)

Back after a break!

It has been a couple weeks or so since I posted last... I was SO sick for at least a week and it was horrible. I would wake up with a pounding headache, a burning throat, runny nose, you name it. I didn't want to leave my bed! So for about 7-8 days I didn't work out AT ALL. Then that Saturday I worked out... then didn't for a couple days .. then did one day.. then didn't for a few more days... lol.

So, in the past 2 weeks roughly I've gotten in about 3 workouts. I don't feel bad about it because I was sick and there was no way I was going to do it. Plus I've been eating well, and that's a huge factor.

There was a few days though where I was feeling really guilty, and feeling like I had ruined all I had worked for... feeling a little depressed, etc. But I got over that. You have to forgive yourself and be realistic and understand the fact that sometimes your body just needs a  little break. So, the night before last I got in a workout, then I set my alarm for 5:30a.m. and worked out again before work yesterday. That felt AMAZING! Today I am off, and don't have anything at all going on other than bringing the kids to open skating later, so I plan on getting my work out in shortly after I finish this blog.. Getting back on track makes my mind & body both feel so great that I could never foresee quitting this for good. It's a lifestyle change for sure.

The elliptical workouts do feel a bit redundant and repetitive sometimes. I have snowshoes and plan on using them this winter. I am for SURE going to be taking the kids to the little ski hill to go sledding this winter as well! It is a phenomenal work out walking up & down that huge hill and it's super fun, which is obviously a huge bonus! lol.. I cannot WAIT for the snow to accrue so I can get sledding...

We've been ungodly busy lately, too. I have been busy with a few different organizations I'm involved in, and the kids have started figure skating and hockey this week. We will be spending a majority of our days each week at the ice rinks, which is good and fun.... but time consuming. I am hoping to get a pair of skates so I can skate too but I am a little nervous.. it has been at least 15 years I think since I skated last. But I'd love to get back into it! It'd be a great workout too.

I am holding off on my measurements for now. I typically measure and post my weight around the 27th of each month.  I had lost that 6 pounds in 2 weeks just before getting sick, and I should have taken my measurements then! hahah.. but I didn't. So, although I know I didn't ruin my progress by taking that bit of time off, I am just going to wait another week or two before taking measurements again.

One thing that has helped me feel motivated is people coming up to me and asking me how I'm losing weight. They kind of act like I'm losing an immense amount and it's baffling to see how they act about it, but I still don't see a  huge drastic change when I look in the mirror. I do see it when I'm trying on clothes though! The other day I went to JcPenney and tried a few things on and was SO HAPPY with how everything fit and how my reflection looked. Before starting all this I was starting to hate shopping because I hated the mirrors that showed every angle. hahah... I am hoping that by next spring/ summer I will be TOTALLY  ready for a new wardrobe!!! Exciting!!!

Aside from the sicknes, and my slacking off I don't have much else to report! I haven't been physically keeping track of each thing I eat on my 'my fitness plan' app either while I've been slacking. BUT I have been writing most things down and keeping track mentally. I do need to get back to tracking it on my app though because of course it's much more accurate. A few unaccounted  for calories can  make all the difference in how fast I'm losing.



I imagine the next blog I post will be my measurements and weight blog post around the 20th or so, unless something unexpected or exciting happens between now and then. In the meantime I'm going to devote my extra time to working out and tracking those cals. :)