A Pleasant Tuesday Morning!!

This morning, I woke up not too excited because I had a Biology final exam at 10:45am. However, I had the urge to do measurements and a weigh-in and I was so surprised! Not only was I was down 3 lbs (making a total loss of 12 lbs), I even lost 4.5 more inches!

My progress so far is 12 lbs and 10 inches lost in 15 days. I'd say that is pretty great! My hard work is paying off and I'm starting to notice. I just need to keep my eyes on the prize because usually I will eventually hit a plateau and get discouraged and fall off track. I REFUSE to let that happen and I know the supportive people in my life will not allow it either.

This weekend was pretty busy so I wasn't able to post. Stephen and I walked in the March of Dimes walk on Saturday (which was my off day for workouts) and it was a 3 mile walk so I still got some good exercise in. Sunday was another hair/makeup trial for the wedding. Not the most active day but it happens!

Monday I was supposed to run 1 mile for time however, my body just does not allow it. My herniated disks in my lower back and my knee were not happy. I still tried on a treadmill but it wasn't any better. I fast-walked the mile though because I did not want to give up. It took me 17:40 min. to do it. When I got home, I did Ab Ripper X which was SO tough because my abs were still sore from the last time I did it! I kicked butt though.

Today I have Core 20+Stretch 40 to do. My diet has been pretty clean too!

Today so far:
-Shakeology, 1 scoop
-PB2, 1 tbsp
-Fat Free Organic Milk, 8 oz
-Splash of water

-Quinoa, 1 cup
-Sauteed zucchini, 1 cup




Measurements taken on April 25, 2012:
Neck: 15 inches
Bicep: 14 inches
Forearm: 9.5 inches (-0.5 inches)
Chest: 44 inches (-1.0 inches)
Waist: 36 inches (-1.0 inches)
Hips: 45 inches (-1.5 inches)
Thigh: 25 inches
Calf: 16 inches (-1.0 inches)
Total Inches Lost: 5 inches

Measurements taken on May 1, 2012:
Neck: 14.5 inches (-0.5 inches)
Bicep: 14 inches
Forearm: 9 inches (-0.5 inches)
Chest: 42 inches (-2.0 inches)
Waist: 35.5 inches (-0.5 inches)
Hips: 45 inches
Thigh: 23.5 inches (-1.5 inches)
Calf: 16.5 inches (+0.5 inches)
Total Inches Lost: 5 inches

Finally Friday!

Today was the last day of classes for this semester! Yay! Finals are next week, I only have two, thankfully. I'm actually really excited that this semester is over because I will have so much more time during the summer (even with taking 3 classes -only one is on campus) to do my workouts and plan meals, etc. I can't wait! I think summer will be my time to shine and really get a lot of this weight off. I'm determined so I can finally start wedding dress shopping.

Anyways, yesterday I was just not up for eating anything. I felt fine but it was SO HARD for me to get my calories in. I just didn't feel like eating. I took it easy with my workout yesterday since I barely had 1000 calories in me. Didn't want to push it. Today has been a lot better.

So far I've had:
Oatmeal (1/2 cup) with 2 tbsp PB2  and 3 tbsp flax seeds mixed in, a banana, and a tiny dash of milk.

Homemade baked kale chips

Shakeology (1 scoop) with 10 oz. fat free organic milk and 2 tbsp chocolate PB2.

I've been waiting to do my workout today because our landlord has been here showing the downstairs basement apartment and I don't want to be doing a crazy workout. haha. Today's agenda is P90x Shoulders & Arms, Ab Ripper X, and a 2 min plank. I'm also still doing the opSLIM burpees challenge so I will have 26 burpees on top of my workout! AWESOME! :) I haven't weighed myself for a couple of days so tomorrow I will just to see if there's a difference.

Tomorrow, Stephen and I are doing the March of Dimes Walk at 10am. It's a 3 mile walk so even though it's my rest day, I'll get a little bit of exercise in and get to do it for another great cause!

I have some other stuff to get done today like laundry, cleaning the house, dishes, etc. so I've been pretty busy. Excited to get my workout in though. Hopefully my arms can handle it! They're still sore from the Chest & Back workout from the other day! I will just have to push myself!

Updates for Thursday, April 26, 2012

Last night, I mentioned that we were going to Olive Garden for Dinner for a friend's birthday. I scouted the menu beforehand and consulted with my WW book to see what meals did the most damage. And FYI, did you know that their Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara has 88 GRAMS OF FAT!?!? 88! Holy bananas. Anyways, I decided to get the Venetian Apricot Chicken (400 cals, low in fat, 9 WW points). It was delicious! Came with some asparagus and broccoli as well, and I got a salad with no dressing and avoided the breadsticks completely. Everything was fine and good until about 10 minutes before we left. My stomach was KILLING me. I was down for the rest of the night feeling awful. 

I really cannot believe the difference between eating clean versus not eating clean. I've learned that I really can't tolerate much food at restaurants anymore etc. It's a good thing because it makes me not want to eat anything but food I have cooked and prepared and know what is in it!

My body literally rejects crap food or food that has a lot of sugar etc. Stephen had a BBQ for work last Friday and I had been doing SO well with my workouts and diet that I wanted to splurge on a hamburger. I also had half of a hot dog. I DEARLY paid for it later that night. My body completely rejected the food and I was sick the whole night and some of the next day. 

Anyways! Today, I woke up and weighed myself and I lost another pound! Woo hoo!! Later today, I have to do Fire 55 EZ and 10 burpees per Coach Kelley's workout plan! :) Yesterday's workouts were brutal and I am so sore today but in a good way! 

Later, I have a BBQ for the NSSLHA Club. I'm making pasta salad because they needed side dishes but I'm just going to drop it off and stay for a few minutes then head home. I do not want to be tempted by bad foods right now. I'm really working on my willpower but sometimes it's hard for me.   Stephen won't be able to go with me because he's doing some training for the Sheriff's Dept. today so I wouldn't have him there to help me stay accountable. Just easier this way :)

I'll update later with my food for the day!

The Beginning of My Journey!

This is my first post since getting back on track with my weight loss journey. I have started the Beachbody program Turbofire and gotten back on Weight Watchers. It is great so far! My great friend, Kelley (an outstanding Beachbody Coach!), has created a modified workout plan for me that includes both Turbofire and P90x. Today is my first day doing it! I wanted to get back into blogging after Kelley had suggested it. I also think it's a great way to vent my frustrations and get excited over my successes. I know this will take more than a month but I am seriously dedicated to my health this time.

I have about a year to lose 60-65 lbs before my undergraduate graduation and my wedding in May 2013. I want to look back at my wedding photos and be proud of my success and how healthy I became. I do not want to dread sharing my wedding photos. I don't want my wedding photos to be shoved deep in the closet because I am ashamed of myself. I want my fiance to be overly proud and amazed by the woman that will be standing next to him on that day, ME! I want to be healthy and fit so when we want to start a family, I will not be a high-risk pregnancy and miserable for 9 months.

The biggest thing is proving to myself and my family that I am more than just an overweight girl who is a health risk. I have always been heavy and I have never felt proud of my body except for one time in my life when I finally lost weight and I was 150 lbs. I still needed to tone up but I felt great! I want to feel that again. I don't want to be embarrassed to be naked around my fiance. I don't want to feel ashamed of my body and what I've let myself become.

So, this blog will be a personal account of my struggles and success. I hope by doing this blog, I can help someone else who may be lacking the motivation or the vision to get started. If I can get through these workouts with my asthma, extra weight and even with taking breaks throughout the workouts, you can too.

Since I have gotten back on Weight Watchers and started Turbofire, I have lost about 8 lbs. I took my measurements today as well (second time since I started back up) so I can keep better track of my true progress and not just what the scale says!

I did my measurements on April 17, 2012 first:
Neck: 15 inches
Bicep: 14 inches
Forearm: 10 inches
Chest: 45 inches
Waist: 37 inches
Hips: 46.5 inches
Thigh: 25 inches
Calf: 17 inches

Today's measurements on April 25, 2012:
Neck: 15 inches
Bicep: 14 inches
Forearm: 9.5 inches (-0.5 inches)
Chest: 44 inches (-1.0 inches)
Waist: 36 inches (-1.0 inches)
Hips: 45 inches (-1.5 inches)
Thigh: 25 inches
Calf: 16 inches (-1.0 inches)
Total Inches Lost: 5 inches


Measurements are SO IMPORTANT. The scale may not always show the true progress you've made. With the difference of these 5 inches, I've only lost ONE POUND from April 17 to April 25. 


For my workouts today, I completed:

• P90x Chest & Back
• Ab Ripper X
• HIIT 20

It took me a while but I finished them!!!!!!!

I also want to track my food on here as well. I use a FitBit which is GREAT and I can enter everything in on the FitBit website.

Today's Food Log:
Breakfast:

• Oatmeal (1/2 cup)- 4 points; 150 calories
• Flax Seed (3 tbsp.)- 4 points; 160 calories
• Almond Butter (2 tbsp.)- 5 points; 195 calories
• 1 banana- 0 points; 110 calories
• Total Points; Calories- 13 points; 615 calories

AM Snack:

• Silk Soymilk, Chocolate (8 fl.oz)- 4 points; 140 calories
• Total Points; Calories- 4 points; 140 calories

Lunch:

• Fage Greek Yogurt 0% (1 cup)- 3 points; 130 calories
• Blueberries (3/4 cup)- 0 points; 53 calories
• Total Points; Calories- 3 points; 183 calories

PM Snack:

• 1 medium apple

Dinner:

• It was a friend's birthday tonight and she is celebrating at Olive Garden. This will be EXTREMELY difficult for me to avoid the bread sticks, appetizers, etc. I've already decided on what I am having for dinner to avoid being tempted even more!
• Venetian Apricot Chicken (1 dinner serving)- 9 points; 400 calories
• Side salad with no dressing- 0 points
• Water with lemon and MIO- 0 points
• Total Points/Calories- 9 points; 400 calories +- salad cals

So, thank you for reading my blog! And if you are looking for some extra motivation, check out the group OperationSLIM on Facebook (owned by my friend Kelley). This group helps me more than I can describe. These girls are like a second family and they are all on the same journey as me, trying to get healthy!