Weeks 8&9 – Home Comforts and Back on Track

Going home...everyone always enjoys friends, family and their favorite foods. I did just that and put two pounds back on. :/ I fully knew what I was doing, even logged my calories still but I decided I was going to enjoy all the comforts of Chicago food. I would just work it off later and I did just that! Last week I got rid of the weight I gained and broke even of where I was before being sick and traveling. Down 12lbs and about 1.5 pant sizes!

Now that I am back on track and in my regular routine I hope to keep dropping more pounds. I have diet down for the most part. I know what's good and what's bad and still eat some of the bad cause I like it in moderation and I know I am not one to totally cut it out at this point. My physical activity needs to be kicked up though. Got to Zumba last week which was great and glad to be back but that was all I did. I just feel like there is not enough time in the day..especially me time at that, so I am lacking in putting me first which I need to work on from time to time.

In other exciting news my husband is having awesome success already since he started tracking his calorie intake. It has helped so much in our house that we are both in this together. He is being so good on food I start to feel guilty if I want to indulge just a bit on sweets (my weakness).

Hoping to get walking more and I really need to start a yoga or Pilates routine soon to help with my muscles and strengthening.

-Becca

Christy: Week 2 Training

Well, the first week was grueling and I had a few thoughts like "I'm not prepared to do this!"  However, I did it & it's over! Sunday, Tuesday, & Thursday I ran 3 miles. Saturday I ran 4 and tonight again (Sunday) I ran 3.   Tuesday & Thursday I was out the door by 5am because my husband leaves for work by 6am. In case you were wondering, it is still dark at 5am! Because I couldn't see, I stubbed my toe, smelled skunk more than once, saw a raccoon cross the road and a momma & baby deer. All this while running around my neighborhood before most humans are awake! The bright side is that I get to run in the street since there are no cars and it is much cooler than when I ran in the evenings. Did I convince anyone to join me? LOL  It is very rewarding to reach your goals.  Each week I have an opportunity to challenge myself in a new way and watch how far I've come.

Week 2 comes with its own challenges but is thankfully enough like week 1 that I'm not too freaked out about it. The only difference is that I'll run 5 miles on Saturday instead of 4. I'll also be running my first 5K (in over 7 years) on Sunday (June 30th).  I am looking forward to seeing my time and getting a feel again for the adrenaline that comes with the racing atmosphere. I won't be too concerned about my time only because I'll have had my long run the day before.

Some things I learned this past week are that I need to sleep more! I read somewhere that for every mile you run, you should go to bed 10 minutes earlier. So if I run 3 miles, I should go to bed 30 minutes earlier than I might usually go to bed. I think this will be a good habit to practice.

I also need to eat better. I don't need to say much about this...I need to keep up the protein, incorporate iron, stop eating junk known as fast food (same song and dance most of us struggle with)...maybe I need to go back to MyFitnessPal because this is one area of accountability that I've been slipping.

The other item I need to go back to incorporating into my weekly routine is weight lifting. I miss it so much! I am going to try to do 30 minutes once a week through the summer and then increase once the kids go back to school in September.

The main regret I had this week was drinking more alcohol than I usually might. The reason being is that we picked strawberries last week and so all this week we've been indulging in strawberry daiquiris! So yummy and the only time of year we do this! I can't keep up with the demand of running at that rate!

I'm so excited my Mom will be staying with us the next 2 weeks so I have no excuses for not meeting my goals! 

Christy: Week 1-Training

My apologies for missing a few weeks. No real reason why other than lots of "life" things and schedule changes now that the kids are out of school for summer. A little bit about where I am at right now:

I've essentially met my goals in terms of weight loss- since January 2013 when I started blogging. I fluctuate in the upper 140's and I'm completely comfortable with that! I feel great, I've got good energy, I am comfortable in my own skin, and so on! While I would like to work on getting more "definition" or tone for certain areas of my body (arms, stomach, etc)... I also know that I can't get back into lifting weights until the kids go back to school in September. Seems far away but in reality it isn't and I can wait because I've got other goals on my plate.

This week I postponed using MFP to keep track of calories. We are on vacation and I knew I wouldn't have time (or desire) to keep up with it! I am contemplating no longer using this tool for the rest of summer, again, mostly because I am on the go so much but also because I have a very good idea of what to eat so as to maintain my weight. In addition, in the summer months, we eat so many fruits & veggies...it is hard to go wrong this time of year! As long as I don't drink too many beers!

Since I have met my weight loss goals I was feeling a little out of sorts as to whether I should continue as a blogger on this site.  As I was thinking about this, I was also planning my next personal goal. If you've been following my journey then you know that I have used running as my main choice of cardio in my exercise routine. After all these months I can say that in some ways running has gotten easier and in some ways it is still so challenging. This combination is proof to me that running is the right fit for me. I recently joined a local running group called "Moms Run This Town" the Cleveland East chapter. Such an amazing group of women who have all turned to running as an outlet, source of strength, avenue to achieve personal goals, and so on! Being part of this group- though I'm still so new- has motivated me to keep running as a lifestyle.

This week I will start a 16 week training plan that will result in my ability to run 13.1 miles (a half marathon). Am I going to run a half marathon race? No...at least that is not in my plans for the moment. I do plan, however, to run a 10K in October. I am approaching this training plan with a grain of salt (if you know what I mean)...it is likely that I won't be able to keep up with it (due to vacations, illness, injury, the unknown) and it is likely that on a day I'm suppose to run 6 miles, I can only manage 4. You just never know and I'm not going to beat myself up about it. We'll see!

My guess is that through this new journey I will continue to lose a few more pounds, that I'll continue to eat in ways that support my body's need for energy & strength, and that I'll learn what I am capable of in ways I can't imagine at this moment. A very different approach to weight loss...but part of my journey none the less.

Goals this week:  run 3- 3mile routes and 1- 4mile route.
Regret from last week: Eating a Rosatti's turtle. I was thinking it was a tin roof- got the two mixed up and didn't realize it would have caramel & pecans...neither of which I'm a huge fan of but I ate it anyways because I ordered it! If I was going to ingest all those calories at least it should be for something I really love!

If anyone is interested in running with me I'd love the company! Early mornings or late evenings :)  It's good to be back!

Becca - Week 6&7

Well the past two weeks have been quite the roller coaster! Week 6 I had an awesome week. Ate well and did my  Zumba workout. I felt great! When I stepped on the scale for the week I had almost lost 3lbs! I was shocked! I was so excited! I am only 6lbs away from my pre-baby number 2 weight and she isn't even 5 months old! Wow it is an amazing feeling! I wish I had done this well after baby number 1! I even went to the pool that week and wore a swimsuit and even though it isn't where I want to be I was proud of myself for wearing the swimsuit and not being self conscious and comparing myself to everyone else like I have in the past. I did after all just have a baby and can use that excuse for a little longer. Also having pants that fit correctly make a world of difference on how I feel.

Week 7 was a whole different story. I got pretty sick one day and on top of that the baby started not sleeping well and was getting up every two hours so I did not get the much needed rest required to feel better. So at that point I was just trying to eat whatever sounded good since I didn't feel like eating much cause of my bad cold. This past week has just been a getting by week. I ended up a pound from my three but I will take it since I didn't workout or eat the best. I am still close to my first major goal and I really don't want to undo everything so I will keep doing my best as I continue to get better.

In other news I finally got my husband to join the MyFitnessPal app and he is starting to be more active in his fitness and eating better routine so that will help me too in making better food decisions and not doing impulse mocha stops and such. We were just talking about how great it is because it really makes you look at the fast food and beverages in another way and if it is really worth that many calories to consume whatever you are considering getting. It also helps pick possibly a better food option in the process. Nothing's perfect but it is a start!



-Becca

Becca - Weeks 4 & 5 - My pants don't fit!

My pants don't fit...it's a good problem because they are too big. It is a bad problem because I am still wearing pants that are too big. With the loss of over 9 lbs since April 1st I have lost a pant size which feels amazing. The only problem is when I went to get all my summer clothes I could not find my pants/capris in the new size I need. So I continued to wear pants that are too big. Besides the obvious problem of them practically falling off and looking bad in them I ate like I was "skinny" and feeling good. Lots of my friends suggested wearing yoga pants which are great and comfy but I can't wear those everyday. I need regular pants to help me gauge how I feel. If I feel a bit uncomfortable then that gives me motivation to continue my journey and be active.

So the last two weeks I haven't lost any weight nor did I gain any so I will take it over gaining. Now that the holiday weekend is over it is time to get serious again. I have new pants that fit and it is time to start wearing them and stop slacking!

I really want to work on carving out some more "me" time in my day to work out. Even if it is just 20 minutes. When I was on track I feel like I have was doing a good job with my diet. Still could be better but it is much improved from before. I need to up the exercise now to get more energy and burn more calories!

Here is to hoping some more progress is made in the next two weeks!

-Becca

Allyson | What's with all the 'racket'?!

I’m back! I’m back to blogging; I’m back to working out regularly; I’m back to drinking loads of water each day; I’m back to saying ‘no’ to sweets!

Preface: I wrote most of this blog over a month ago, just never finished or posted it. There is a bit at the end that is current as of 5/22/13.

It’s amazing the simple activities you can begin to enjoy when you don’t feel like death from carrying around so much extra weight.

I have always thought I hated tennis. Colin enjoys it quite a bit: he played on his high school team, goes out on weekends with his dad, and watches it on tv. A couple years ago he would drag me out from time to time to play with him and I absolutely hated it. I hated running around the court and I just couldn’t get the hang of how to use the racket. [I played softball growing up and just couldn’t shake whacking the ball with all my might…needless to say, not very many balls stayed in the court.] Since I hated it, I stopped going with him. I probably have not played at all since I have lost weight.

Saturday [sometime in April] was a little glimpse of spring in our nook of NE Ohio so Colin made plans to play tennis with his dad.  He asked if I wanted to go along and because I wasn’t thinking [as my thought process was scrambled due to the rare occurrence of sunlight], I agreed.  I was excited to wear my tennis ball-colored t-shirt, new hot pink sports bra and matching headband, so I didn’t even think about the activity in which I was about to participate.

To my total amazement, I actually enjoyed playing! I am absolutely no good- still trying to slam the balls out of the court- but I put forth effort to try to get to the balls and chase after them once I hit them across the three adjacent courts. [Colin’s poor dad…I really had him running all around trying to get the balls I hit to his side!]  At one point I even told Colin I was having a really good time [actually having fun, not just getting through it] and I think the reason was because I didn’t feel like I was dying as I chased after tennis balls. We realized that that day was the first time I played tennis since I lost weight and it was eye-opening to realize what a difference 40 pounds makes.

-------------------------------

Since that epiphany, we have been to the courts several more times over the past few weeks.  I must say, I am improving with each time we go out!  I actually WANT to get out and play, I don’t want to leave the courts, and I have to talk Colin into staying longer! Sometimes I still get down about not being a Williams sister, but Colin tells me I’m doing well and I’ll keep getting better.  I joked that I might be better than him one day but then quickly recanted, to which he responded, “You never know. You also never thought you’d run a 5K.”  What a great, encouraging guy! Colin’s dad is also very encouraging, gives me pointers, and picks on Colin to make me feel better =)

Physical activity in general is just so much easier now that I am fit.  For instance, we buy the mega 42-pound bag of Fresh Step from Sam’s and I could hardly get it in and out of the buggy. Well, folks, I just bought some yesterday and carried that sucker to the check-out [from the complete back of the store] and to my car all on my own!  You should see my guns =P  I can go on longer bike rides, take Brinkley on longer walks, challenge myself with more intense workouts, and participate in more events.

While looking good is a great outcome to weight loss, I’d say feeling better is an even greater accomplishment!

Christy: Week 18

Hello everyone! So much has happened in the 2 weeks since my last post. Lately it seems like I've been writing the same old stuff, stuck with no weight gained or lost, and I finally followed through with some advice that another blogger shared to help break through the plateau I had been experienced. It was so simple....she said "drink more water." I did...and I lost weight!  Ok, so I still don't have a good system to record or track my water/liquid intake. However, every time my glass was empty, I filled it back up. Every time I left the house, I had a bottle of water with me.

Something else happened that was a wake up call and possibly another (unknown) factor behind both my recent plateau with weight loss AND possibly also had something to do with the heart arrhythmia's I was experiencing (which have ceased with the removal of caffeine).  I had a doctors appointment last week which included a blood test. While the results came back great for the reason behind the tests...the physician reported I was "severely anemic." This is the first diagnosis of this kind I've ever had.

Honestly, I replied back to the doctor "Really? are you sure? what are the signs because I feel great!" I was thinking to myself "I've never felt better, never eaten better in my whole life! how can I be anemic?"  Seriously, I eat fish, spinach, bananas, raisins, and a host of other foods that have iron in them! And I've included that multi vitamin into my diet.  So I don't eat those foods every day and I forget to take the vitamin once in a while....but during the week I consume these for sure!  I exhibit absolutely NO signs of severe anemia.  BUT this isn't something to play around with so I started on an iron supplement. Crazy thing is it can take up to 6 months for my levels to get back to normal!

The other thing that happened to me over the last couple weeks was being invited to participate in a local "Moms" area running group. This is another area that will hold me accountable to follow through with not only running but challenge myself too as I strive to increase my distance. I am secretly very excited to be part of this group and can't wait to start meeting up with these women and hearing about their running-life stories! Good luck by the way to all the Marathon/ Half runners I know who are racing this weekend! You are very inspiring!

My current weight is 148- my short term goal is 145.
My focus lately and in the future is on my diet & water consumption
I plan to run more and more outside now that the weather is consistently nice (early evenings if anyone out there wants to buddy up!)
I regret not sleeping more lately. In other areas I've been good! No crazy splurges or cravings. Been meeting my work out goals. I regret not recording 2 days on MFP--they were two days when I did not work out & thus I just knew I wasn't going to make my calorie goals, so I didn't record the numbers because I didn't want to face the facts! I need to face the facts to stay on track!

I NEED to figure out my work out schedule soon with school letting out...may be a combo of running very early or late in the day.. squeezing 30min of weights on other mornings.. and at least 1 day/wk of putting the kids in the tot room (they can handle that right?) for my longer runs? Ugh...mixed feelings about the changes ahead! I'm not worried about staying active enough to maintain or lose weight. I am nervous about losing the stamina I've developed through running.

Becca - Week 2 & 3

Hi my name is Becca and this is my motivation and inspiration...

...To get to the old me. I didn't always look like this and only spent a few months like this but it was the best shape I have been in my life. Rewind back to 2008. My husband and I were enjoying life...maybe too much. We didn't have any children yet and loved to eat out. Eating out consisted of an app, entree and dessert. We were both members of the clean plate club.

It hit a breaking point when the clothes didn't fit and we were just uncomfortable and frustrated. I also knew before I ever got pregnant I wanted to loose the weight before adding more to it. So as 2009 approached we decided it was time to do something about it. We joined a gym and went every day after work for about an hour. I also joined an amazing Pilates class once a week. Over the course of the next few months the pounds just started to come off between modifying our eating habits, watching our portions and working out. It even got to the point where I didn't have to work out as much and I still lost two pounds a week. It was amazing! I realized the weight loss process isn't totally physical though..It is also mental. You need to be in the right mindset to be successful and really want it. I also knew I was an emotional eater at times if I was sad or stressed so by knowing my triggers I could better avoid situations. After about nine months I lost over 30lbs and my husband lost over 50lbs.

Fast forward now four years later...two pregnancies, job changes and a move to a different state. We are back up and it is time to tackle it again. I had our second daughter in January. I lost an initial 20lbs the first week and then the weight stuck. Would not budge! With my first I was dropping 3-5lbs a week no problem! I guess the home cooked meals were too good or something! So after 12 weeks I decided it is time. I started getting more serious on April 1st. Since April I have now lost 8.6lbs. I have had some up and down weeks. Weekends usually ruin my weeks but I am going to keep going. It feels amazing! I now have less then 10lbs to go to be at my pre-baby #2 weight. Then the hard part-tackling the baby #1 weight/moving weight!

I need to get even more serious as it continues to warm up. The challenges will be finding time for myself to work out with two small children and getting through the weekends without eating crazy amounts of calories.

My plan as of now is to do exactly what I did last time. Good old fashioned exercise and moderation of what I eat. I am still going to enjoy pizza, ice cream etc. just not as much or as often ideally. This time around I am using an app to count calories which I didn't do last time.

Exercise: elliptical, walking, Zumba, yoga and Pilates/core work are the ones I will focus on

By doing this blog I hope it keeps me even more accountable and it is something for myself. I have so many friends right now going through their own weight loss journeys it is inspiring and wonderful we can all support each other as we try to improve our health for ourselves and our loved ones.

Please join me and let's get healthy!

~Becca

Jenn Week 16 (I think)

Happy Mother's Day to all you Mommas out there in blog land!  This is off topic for our theme of this blog but my heart is always torn on this day.  I am so happy and excited for all the mommies out there who are celebrating with their little ones.  This year feels extra special as it is my first Mother's day and also the first for many of my friends.  It has been an amazing day and I am a blessed woman.  On the other hand my heart aches for all those who are longing to be mommies and it hasn't happened for them yet or they have lost their little ones all too early. (Your kiddos will always be your little ones no matter their age.)  There are those out there who are missing their own moms and wishing heaven had visiting hours.  Yes, this day truly brings mixed emotions for me,  I found my self all wet eyed on many occasions.   

Not quite sure how to gracefully transition from that to updates on my weight-loss and fitness goals  so I am not even going to try.

I have had two major wins over the last two weeks that I want to share.  As I have mentioned I tore my left calf muscle a little over four weeks ago and I have been very limited in the exercises I could do.   With that obstacle I still managed the following success;   I bought a pair of jeans right around the time I was injured.  I did not try them on at the store and when I got home I found out they were too small.  I had intended to return them but never got around to it.  Well last week I decided to try them on and see how much progress I had made and if they were any closer to fitting.  To my surprise the FIT!! Win # 1 all thanks to focusing on my nutrition.  I did not use the word diet there on purpose.  I am not on a diet and I plan to never go on one again. In my opinion diets don't work long term.  I focused on putting whole and healthy foods into my body.  And it worked I lost weight while I had physical limitations.   

Next I went to they gym yesterday and decided to try out a short run.  I had been told by two doctors that I shouldn't run due to knee injuries.  At the least not until I did some rehab and then maybe I could work back up to some short distances.  Add to that the whole calf muscle problem and I wasn't too optimistic.  Long story short I ran a 5k in 29 mins 45 seconds and I felt amazing the whole time.  My leg was a little tender but I was in the groove the I have greatly missed.  Win # 2!  I give credit for this win to doing the rehab exercises diligently and never putting the brakes completely on while my leg was healing.  I swam, I did core and upper body I worked other parts of my legs.  I did whatever I could to keep moving.  Once upon a time I would have taken the injury as an out to sit on my tush, but not any more. 

I plan to continue with the 5k distance as long as my knees still feel OK and as long as my calf continues to heal.  I trust doctors and their opinions but not running was very painful for me, it's what I love to do.  I am going to listen to my own body and trust that it will tell me if I need to take a step back.

Well there you have it.  Hope everyone has a great week! And just for fun here is a family pic from today.  It's nice when you can start to see a difference.

Christy: Week 16

Well, the most reassuring thing I read lately was that "plateaus" with weight loss are common...very common and will likely occur at various stages of the journey for various predictable reasons.  One of the main reasons people plateau is because in the beginning, you are mostly losing water. So when you lose a "pound" you may think it's a pound of fat when it's really more likely a fluctuation in water. Don't get me wrong, eventually on your journey, you build muscle which in term helps you to burn off the fat and lose more "weight." This makes weight loss feel even harder than it already is!

I've also been talking with a friend of mine who is an avid runner. I've been asking her advice/tips on maintaining a running regimen.  While I am interested in losing at least 5 more lbs and breaking through this plateau that has lasted over a month now, I am also interested in establishing a lifestyle of staying physically fit. She suggested that instead of taking the whole weekend "off" I should take 2 days off but spread them out (i.e. Saturdays and Wednesdays) to allow my body to recover.  Staying injury free is the first way to support my desire to stay active.  Today was the first day I included a Sunday run and this Wednesday I plan to re-incorporate weight lifting Wednesdays.

There are a couple more changes that I plan to make based on what I've researched.  Another common reason people plateau is because of those darn extra calories! Like the calories from condiments, eating a few chips left from the kids plates, that third cookie after having 2, that second/third alcoholic beverage.  I'm not going to give up everything- that is just not realistic for me, BUT I DO NEED to reduce the quantities and re-examine what little things in my diet need to be ditched.  I feel like a broken record which means this is obviously an on-going issue I've yet to conquer!  After losing 20lbs, I am the first to say I've let a few things slip back into my diet. I need to take advantage of the fact that there isn't a candy laden holiday lingering around the corner-aka a big excuse to eat junk- and continue to clean up my act!

The other concept I've been embracing is the importance of building muscle. If I really want to burn the fat off for good, I need to build more muscle. To build more muscle I need to increase my weights, eat more protein,  & weight lift more often. I tried going to the gym twice a day but that is not going to work with my family's schedule & needs- so it's not longer a realistic option.

I'm feeling a little stress about the upcoming changes that will occur in my daily routine once school is out. I will likely no longer be working out at the recreation center since I'll have both kids with me and I still can't do early mornings because of husband's work schedule. I'll have to run outside or much later in the evenings which is opposite of what I'm doing now.  I'll figure it out!

This entire week I had broke the 150 mark...until today. Man, it just doesn't take much! Like I mentioned above, I ran this morning. I ate a great breakfast. And then it was doughnut Sunday at church. Ugh! They are so delicious! I had 2 of them. I didn't feel bad at the time but because I ate them "in between" what was breakfast & lunch...it threw my hunger for lunch "off"...so I reached for some easy chips to tide me over til dinner which didn't really work cuz by 3pm I was hungry again, and so on...you are getting the idea. One bad choice can easily snow ball :(   I was so certain that this was the week...I mean....THIS WAS the week I broke my plateau...only to start this new week right back where I left off last Sunday

My regret was eating 2 doughnuts!!
My successes included the running I did this week...ran outside and on another occasion did a 3.20 (5K) without stopping.

This week, I'm going to continue to bust my bottom AND work on the tweaking I mentioned above. Understanding what's going on with me has bee immensely helpful in this journey. I would have given up by now. Knowledge is power and muscles burn fat! 

Randee: Week 15

I didn't weigh in this past week. I just ran out of time and didn't make it in to get it done. From my at home weigh-in, I stayed about the same. Exercise wasn't that great either. Just a ho-hum kind of week.....
I am supposed to be doing weight watchers, but I have been bored by counting points as I have been doing it so long. So then I tried Slow Carb. But I missed carbs an awful lot. So then, I thought I'd blend them together. But, it seems that if I let sugar and carbs back in- then I have no self control or will power. I had lots of will power when I did slow carb- so I know I have the ability to have will power. Really. I do.
But I just don't seem to be on my own plan right now. And I'm really irritated with myself.
So I really need to find some motivation. I need to dump the plump over here......
On the bright side- I signed up for a 5K in September with some friends- so I really need to get going for that. I need to try a couch to 5K program as I am not a runner at all. But- I will have peer pressure for this event.

If you have any motivation for me this week- I could seriously use some.....

Becca - Week 1

Hello!

I am the newbie of the group. Just a quick post to say hi. I will work on my "story" for next time. I am late to the game because I had my second daughter in January and at the time when this group all got started I wasn't quite ready to take on the weight loss challenge but now I am! Please join me and support me as I try to balance my life with my health, working part-time and most importantly being a the  best mother and wife I can be!

Until next time!

Becca

Christy: Week 15

Here we are at week 15.   105 days into this journey. I have had a good streak of losing weight however the last month has been up n down such that I'm basically stuck at 150lbs.

I have been wrestling with being content with where I'm at and whether I want to make the sacrifices that it will take for me to lose more weight. I like where I am at- I'm happy, I feel good, etc.  But the irony is that because I have changed my attitude about how a good diet & exercise routine can change a person, I want to do more of that changing!  Some people may be thinking "you look great, do you really need to lose more?" Trust me, I have more to lose! I like where I am at. I don't love it though. And my body would use more tweaking and I'm a little curious of how I can continue to push myself!

My focus isn't so much so on the actual weight loss as it is seeing how my body has begun to reshape, resculpt, and over come challenges.  It is super exciting to see the flab dwindle, to see muscle tone in my arms, to say goodbye to that double chin, and feel the sweat drip when I'm exercising. Running has been my choice of cardio during this entire journey. I think running is very intimidating for people- at least it was for me.  You see, I used to run "for fun" so to speak in junior high/high school on both the cross country team & track. But it had been 20+ years since I ran for a reason.  I chose running because I knew I could start slow & work my way at my pace. I can't recommend it enough! There is something freeing about being able to propel your body forward by your own devices.  A crazy thing happens too once you've been running for a while...it gets easier the further you go! I am being serious! After struggling to run just one mile it was beyond my comprehension how in the world people could run marathons! Now that it has been a few months and I can run 3 miles (on a treadmill) without stopping, I am starting to "get it." Our bodies are so dynamic...but mine has been unable to demonstrate it's power because of the extra weight. Not so much the case as time goes on and I stick with my exercise program.

This week I'm going to look into other ways I can tweak my diet that may help get my under the 150 hump.  If anyone has ideas, please share! I'm not looking to do anything crazy such as remove carbs or meat or whatever...but if there is balance involved, I'm all for trying something new out!

My only regret this week was having two beers at a night out. It was yet another situation where I was already hesitant about even attending and said to myself "only one drink and then go."  That didn't happen...I had 2 drinks AND some food to boot! Not part of the plan.  Second time this has happened. Summer is coming up which means even more temptations to engage in eating & drinking that can sabotage my progress. I NEED to learn from these experiences and make other choices!

Here's to a week of positive choices and happy running!

Jenn: I'm still here!

I just wanted to pop by and say I'm still here!  I've been absent for a few reason but the major one being I have been faced with another injury and to say it's been discouraging is an understatement.  Truthfully, the situation pisses me off!  Close to 3 weeks ago I tore my left calf muscle during a Zumba class.  It had been bothering me for about a week, it felt like there was a charlie horse in it that just wouldn't form.  Well during the second song of the class I felt a large pop and major pain.  I am thankful to be off of the crutches and able to work it a little bit.  Recovery is going to be a long process.
There is a bit of good news that I'd like to share.  Even with my recent set back I have been able to consistently loose weight.  I purchased a pair of jeans a moth ago, didn't try them on at the store and when I got home and tried them on they would not zip, bummer.  I never got around to returning them and the other night I decided to try them on and see if any progress had been made.  To my surprise the fit!  They are a bit snug but they fit!  I've only been able to do light work outs mostly arms and core but I've really been focused on my diet.
Moral of the story, if you are facing a set back do not use it as an excuse to just let loose and give up for a while.  Stay focused and good work can still be done.
I am looking forward to getting back to harder and more regular workouts, it's my therapy.  I'll also be back to posting more regularly, at a minimum every other week.    My format just might change a bit.  Stay tuned and have a great week!

Randee: week 14

Weight loss this week: 2.4 pounds
Exercise this week: 2 times this week- 2 short of my goal.... :(

This week, I stopped the slow carb and went back to weight watchers while trying to stay cut back on carbs. My first day with carbs got a little crazy. I was like a kid in a candy store. But, after the first day, I got back on track! I've been doing pretty good so far. I've enjoyed having those healthy options, like fruit and whole grains. But, I have had some other options I'd like to avoid since I have no will power- refined sugars!!!

As for exercise- I am just tired of being inside. I want to be outside. And the up and down weather isn't helping my cause. I also have to devise a plan to work out with the kids. Inside- I had it figured out. But it's harder outside. I can't just leave the kids home alone. They frown on that..... So I have to figure out how to find this balance!

Here's hoping to another good week!

Allyson | I'm Alive!

I'm alive; I'm still here! I actually began a post in a Word doc for April 10, but other things came up and I never did finish it (I’ll complete it and share next week).  I have just had a crazy busy month and blogging was the last thing on my mind. Unfortunately, not having the accountability of blogging took its toll on my healthy lifestyle.  The downward spiral began at Easter...the wonderful celebration of Christ's death and resurrection consisted of sweet treats out the wazoo! Once I was back on the Sugar Train it was hard to get off. I kept up with my workouts (including 30 Day Shred), tried to hit my FitBit goals, but slacked on tracking my food and indulged in desserts a bit too much. I kept justifying why it was okay to be devouring everything sweet in sight (I deserved it after being under so much stress; that time of the month was coming up; I should just eat all of the chocolate now so it makes its way out of the house sooner; and I listened to Tom and Donna when they told me, “Treat yo self!”).

My workouts came to a halt last week when I was in a fender bender.  My poor car suffered nearly $9,000 worth of damage (ahem, my 2012 car!), but thankfully I’ve only suffered from a sore neck and back.  I have been to my chiropractor several times in the past week and he has suggested I “take it easy” and that I don’t participate in activities that involve running, jumping, or free-weights.  I’m thinking, “I’m strong, I don’t need to take it easy. I got this.”  Tsk tsk. Wrong. Last Friday I went to Zumba and, even though I honestly did take it easy as far as Zumba goes, I had a headache the rest of the day.  On Sunday Colin and I played tennis and my lower back screamed with pain, but I pushed through until I hurt my shoulder from an overly advantageous back-hand. Okay, I guess I really should take it easy.

“Taking it easy” would be an easy excuse to do nothing.  But I refuse to let that be the case. There are plenty of activities I can still do that won’t affect my back or neck including the elliptical, biking, some pilates, and walking.  Brinkley will appreciate the walking, Colin will enjoy the biking, and my booty will benefit from the elliptical (check out this elliptical interval workout…you’ll almost die). 

I am hopping off the Sweets Train and will remain stationed for four days. (I have plans on Saturday that will probably include an indulgent sweet so I’m not even going to pretend like I won’t take part.) I am back to tracking my food, recording it on my FitBit Dashboard and living up to my FitBit goals. 

Even though I haven’t been blogging, I have been following the other ladies and have found new motivation from them! One of the gals has proposed a do-not-look-at-the-scale-until-June-challenge and I have accepted. Hopefully my body and clothes will be indicators enough of that I'm back on track with my healthy lifestyle.

Christy: Week 14

Even though the weather did not act very "spring like" this weekend, I still decided to wear capris to church today. Not just any capris either. Three years ago this June, I bought these cute-peach-color-lands end-capris to wear at a family reunion. At that time I was still breast feeding my son and I was one of those 'lucky' ones who lost all the baby weight from nursing (the unfortunate part was that I gained it all back when I kept eating as though I was still nursing! ugh!). Needless to say, I wore these pants all of 2-3 times before they became too small. On and off I'd try them on again and each time I could barely get them up my thighs much less come near to zippering closed. But today...today...they not only fit GREAT...but were loose!

Today it did not matter what the number on the scale read. It felt so good to be able to get into these pants and put them to use! THIS is what the journey for me has been about. It feels so satisfying to wear clothes that fit well! It sounds weird but I realized that because I spent less time fidgeting with my clothes: wondering if my shirt was covering my butt each time I stood up, or sucking in my tummy to reduce the rolls spilling over my lap...because I finally fit into my clothes I was able to spend more time focusing on the messages during the church service.

In fact, I've been able to spend much more time focusing on the things that matter...because I'm no longer focused on how "off" I have felt when I weighed heavier than I am now. I didn't like how I felt on a regular basis and this was communicated (without words) in the ways I interacted with my husband, my kids, and others. I may be spending time now exercising or counting calories. But this is time that can be quantified...unlike the constant feeling of depression due to poor self esteem. The latter sucked up much more of my time & energy than any time & energy spent currently on my weight loss journey. The outcomes of a happier Mom, Wife, Woman are unmeasurable!

I don't live by the number on the scale but I don't mind it either since my brain sometimes needs to see that number to keep things in perspective. Even if that number doesn't reflect how you physically feel or what you wanted to see, there is always the pants! The pants don't lie :)

This week I worked hard. Out of honor and respect for the Boston Marathon runners, I ran my own 5K on the treadmill on Tuesday. On Thursday I met another goal of mine which was to exercise twice in one day. Ran 2.75 miles in the morning and another 2 in the evening. My legs were so tired! Worked out 5 days and went to bed before 10pm at least twice-though I NEEDED more sleep!

I kept my eating very consistent too. A typical day last week went like this:
Breakfast: 1/3 Cup granola cereal with a 1/3 cup vanilla soy and 1/3 Kellogg's vanilla protein shake.
Lunch: Two peanut butter mini bagels, 5-7 baby carrots with hummus.
Snack: 2 Toll house cookies, half piece of fruit
Dinner: 4-6oz of turkey sausage, steamed veggie, piece of fruit
Beverages all day: water and/or tea

I don't have any particular regrets from this past week nor do I have any goals for the week ahead.
Hmmm, that might make for an interesting week! lol... I hope that everyone strives to feel good because it will make a positive difference in your life!

Randee: Week 13 (I think....)

Hello All!
This week, I weighed in with a weight loss of 1.4 pounds. I have been doing slow carb diet.
I also exercised 3 times this week- one time short of my goal.

Overall, I feel like I have been doing well! I have been doing the slow carb diet. Despite doing well, I miss carbs. I miss them alot. Now, I feel that with this low carb diet, I have been eating pretty healthy. So I think for a few weeks, I am going to try blending low carb and weight watchers together. My plan is that for most meals, I will stay low carb. Veggies and lean proteins. But, I am going to add in some carbs within my daily points allowance through weight watchers.

Maybe I'll get crazy and eat a piece of bread here and there. Or maybe I'll have a string cheese for a snack. Or some popcorn. Or yogurt..... Or- and here's the exciting part- how about some fruit???? I know, crazy.... But I do think the slow carb has forced me to exercise really good choices and will power. So if I can keep that part up- I think I will be good. Carbs and sweets have always been my downfall, so if I can stay on a lower carb plan, I think I will be good!

We'll see how it goes!!

Christy: Week 13

Why oh why oh why? Why is it so much easier to gain weight than to lose it? I mean, I KNOW the answer to that but can't help but wonder why!?!?!? It is a cruel truth.

So, I gained back a few pounds...yes, a few. Not one, not two, a few. And pretty much with every bite of cake, every beer, every piece of pizza over the course of 3 days, I was completely conscious that it would likely all lead to an overall gain.  I could blame it on my husband's birthday & a neighbor's party. But I've weathered these events before and resisted temptations. Or I could blame the fact that I blog on Sundays...which feels like a set up for failure in terms of timing because I do not work out on Saturday & Sundays...and those are the same days I am most likely out of my eating routine due to family events & crazy schedules. But my weight gain has nothing to do with when I post my blog.

This particular week has been unusually "off" for me. It has mostly to do with the items I was sent last Monday from my deceased Father's estate. I received 2 very large boxes of glassware & china and two extremely large boxes that held art work. Sounds cool huh? Its not. It is it's own mini nightmare. The glassware was filthy & needed to be cleaned. Also, as I unwrapped each piece I uncovered that half of the pieces have chipped rims. I've spent so much time this week trying to figure out what the heck to do with this glassware which is useless to me, yet sentimental, yet possibly of some value. The art work is a whole other issue. One of the pieces arrived with broken glass that I have yet to unwrapped because broken glass & kids just don't mix and dealing with the glassware has been handful enough. The other piece of art work...well...I don't want it & I'm pretty sure no one else does...so what do I do with it? And lastly the china dishes. The couple I've unwrapped are also filthy but seem in good shape. I need to clean them all to prepare to sell. But at the same time, my husband & I actually like the pattern! Ha! But we already have 2 other sets of china (don't ask!). On the surface, this may not look like a situation that would impact my weight loss journey. However, this "stuff" has been on my mind all week and I'm at the point where I just want my house & life back.

The boxes, the packing materials, the broken glass, the time spent on dealing with these items, the disorganization, the emotions behind it all, the indirect impact on my own family...that's the stuff that has had me a little "nuts" this week... leading me to just let it all go by eating/drinking whatever I wanted when the opportunities presented themselves.

And so, I've identified the problem(s). For now.

I can't wait for tomorrow...I find comfort in my workouts and the alone time I have when I exercise. I still have to deal with this stuff but spent some time today getting more of a grip on it by organizing to accommodate these items in my home. It is a fresh week to clear my head and get on track. Next weekend will bring it's challenges again. I've had my indulgences. I don't feel good...I feel bloated. I'll make better choices because I do not want to feel this way anymore.

Today I weigh 154.

I regret allowing myself to slide...even when I knew I was sliding, I still said "yes" to choices where I should have said "no." I need to realize that I can exert control by making positive health choices instead of allowing the bad choices to control me.

This week I'll work out 5 days/week for one hour.  I will incorporate evening walking or running too. I also plan to eat more fish this week and go to bed by 10pm. I need to go back to drinking more water and just in general, take more ownership of the behaviors that will lead me to continue my weight loss AND maintain it.

It was WAY too easy to slip up. I spent 4 days busting my butt (as usual) and another day doing weights...only to blow every drop of hard earned sweat in 3 days of really easy bad food choices. It didn't even out...my weight was blown out! I wish it weren't true...but it is the truth.

Jamie Story Time......

This week I just want to share a story with everyone. A story that broke my heart a year ago and I still think about it everyday.
Last year around this time we had our friends and family at work and we were really busy. A customer who shops regularly came in with her kids. Just a little background on her. She has 3 kids, then they were 16, 15 and 11. Her husband/their father had passed away within the last year and half from a stroke. She always comes in and talks about it and I would always listen. She is a waitress at the Olive Garden, we drive the same brand of car etc etc.
So this particular day it was unseasonably warm outside and she was summer clothes shopping with her kids. We grabbed some stuff and they went to the fitting room. Now this is around April and I was still actively in weight watchers and losing weight. I had recently fit into a size 9/10 at Aero. Which was a big deal for me I was feeling really good about myself.
I hear this mom being mean to her 16 year old, saying things like "I cant believe these are too small" etc etc.
I made my way to the shorts wall to fix it up a little and she comes up behinds me and says "Hey can you grab me that 9/10 for my fatty daughter". WHAT?????
I turned around looked her in the eye and said "Im a 9/10". She says ya but my daughter is 16 she needs to be a 00.
This says 2 things to me. Why does society think a 16 year old should be a 00, or at least this lady. And this poor girl has associated eating with losing her dad. Maybe this mom should help her daughter instead of putting her down.