Little Red Riding Hood Race 2009

Many of you know that Aubrey and I have been training for our first bike race which we completed on June 6th. This was an all girls race in order to raise money for breast cancer research. Aubrey and I did the 15 mile distance, Samantha (Taylor's sister) did the 39 mile distance and Stacey (my sister) did the 47 mile distance.

Here we are before the race, excited and raring to go!

(Aubrey, Stacey, me, Sam)

Here's one of Aubrey and me. We had fun trying to find matching clothes!

Samantha ... just about ready to head out


and she's off!

Aubrey and I were the last group to leave. We couldn't have asked for better weather!

Taylor and Braden met us on the tailend of our race, this is with about 4-5 miles left to go. Still smiling!

Here we are coming into the finish ... feeling great! We finished in 1:29:03 which was right on for our training pace. I'm proud of Aubrey, she was a little worn out for the last little part (the wind was blowing REALLY hard on the way back which meant you had to peddle twice as hard to go half as far) but she did a great job and stuck it out!

This is Stacey coming in to the finish line. I can't remember her time (just over 3 hours, I think) but she did great! The longest she had ridden previously was under 30 miles, so she really pushed herself ... way to go sista!

These lais were our medals!

Samantha coming in at a strong 3:30 hours!

Way to go, Samantha!

Here's another group shot after it was all over. Maybe a little tired, but happy for sure!

I've decided I like bike riding MUCH more than compared to running. (Last year this time, I ran the Ogden half marathon) So much so, I splurged and bought a bike trailer so that I can bring Braden with me and Aubrey and I can ride bikes whenever we want all summer. The biggest reason we didn't do a longer distance is that we didn't have time to train any longer than we did because we had to juggle the time from when Taylor got home from work and the other committments we had going on during the week.

I've got a list started of girls that want to ride this race next year. Let me know if you want to join us! It's a fun, non-competetive race for a good cause. With distances from 15 miles up to 100 miles, it works for every rider.

Mind over ... FOOD!

Hello blogger land! Is anyone out there, heeeeellooooooooooooooooo?

Okay, just joking! ;)

I am realizing, that I have a very addictive personality. Maybe, this is human nature, maybe it's just me. I have never struggled with drugs, alcohol or any of the "normal" addictions, but that doesn't mean I don't have them. I never really thought I had a problem with food, because I could always find others that ate more and worse than me. Who was I kidding?!?

Let me share a battle I won:

Last night, I was craving sweets. I found some COOKIES in the pantry and while one would have been okay (calorie/carb wise) I thought, "I really want two with some milk." So I got the cookies out and starting pouring milk.

As I was doing this, there was a mental battle in my head:

• "You're not really hungry for this, in fact you are still full from dinner"
  
• "Oh, but I really want it"
  
• "You're going to feel bad if you eat these, then you will want to eat another one because you feel bad"
  
• "No, I just want to eat these"
  
• "Is it worth it?"
  
• "They are just two cookies, not a big deal!"
  
• "That's how your weight got out of control missy, remember how sweet it is to fit into jeans you haven't worn for years."

I then realized what was happening and stopped to listen to my body (not those darn voices in my head!) and realized that I WAS full. I knew that if I ate the cookies, I would be uncomfortably full, which would make me not only physically but emotionally feel bad and it WASN'T worth it!!! I put those cookies away and poured the milk back in the carton. I felt AMAZING for the rest of the night, knowing that I no longer have to be ruled by food!

Confessions of an over/emotional-eater
As I come to grips with the real problems that led to the weight problems I have struggled with for years, it is time to embrace the ugly so I can throw it out once and for all! I'm sure I have blocked out the ugliest, but here it goes:

• I have, more than once, eaten an almost entire package of cookies (think Uh-Oh Oreos) with a huge glass of milk. Of course I left a couple of cookies in the package, so that I wasn't actually eating the WHOLE thing. Course, I would clean those off an hour or two later.
• It was my nightly staple for a long time (this was a HARD habit to break), of eating a bowl of ice cream each night before bed. Mint chocolate chip (3-4 big scoops) smothered in hard shell chocolate (I'd get maybe 4 servings out of one bottle) I often hid the hard shell, so no one else could eat it.
  
• Milk chocolate chips. Yummmmmmm ... I'd buy these so that I could make cookies with the kids, but would end up eating handfuls of them at night. Maybe after I finished my ice cream.
• I could easily eat an entire box of Kraft Mac & Cheese myself. The creamy version of course, that uses 1/2 stick of butter.
  
• The way I cooked before, was just like those commercials about the "Buttertons." You know the one showing the 1950s housewife who puts whole sticks of butter into everything she cooked? I read a while back that butter was better for you than margarine, and I ran with that! I would buy 2-4 packages of butter each shopping trip (depending on the sales) 'cause we really went through that stuff.
• We used sour cream about as much as we used butter. We always had 2-3 containers in the fridge, because often my dinners called for a container. I LOVE creamy, rich sauces.
  

There they are, just a taste (pun intended!) of the habits I had. Going a step further, I can see many triggers that make me want to eat:

• I am stressed
• I am bored
• I am overwhelmed
• I am sad
• I am stuck
• I am celebrating
• I want to feel special
• I am trying to block something out
• I am tired
  

What's funny, is really I can always find an excuse.

Realizing and facing this problem has been a HUGE help in taking the steps to OVERCOME this addiction. Here are some questions to ask myself next time I am faced with temptations:

• Am I hungry?
• Is it worth it?
• How will I fell when I finish this?
  

I so get, that it is not about eliminating the unhealthy foods, but about moderation. It's time to take back the power that I have ... It's MIND OVER FOOD!!!

Chalean Extreme

Here's an bit from the infomercial about Chalean Extreme ... love this program!

7 miles down ...

And we actually did it in under an hour. Don't know the exact time because I forget to look at the time or set my timer. We ended up going down our hill to the train tracks and riding a trail along there for a bit. The hardest part was getting back up our hill, but we did it! Here's our ride:

Checking in

Hello! So, I have been totally slacking when it comes to my blogs lately, but that's okay. I've been outside for the last hour weeding and planting flowers, so I do not feel guilty in the least bit!

I can't remember if I posted last week or not, but I got side tracked from working out midweek due to getting sick ... AGAIN! While I continued to do my best eating wise and staying active, I decided to push the official start of my 90 day rotation back one more week (to this week) so that I could get in the complete workouts. I am feeling much better (knock on wood!) and have totally been rocking it this week.

Monday I did Burn Circuits 1 ... that workout had me gulping for air ... and it's all strength! It was mostly legs and chest/back.

Tuesday Aubrey and I did just over 5 miles on our bikes. It still took us just under an hour, so I don't know which distance we'll be doing in June. If we can increase our pace to 10-15 MPH then we could manage 38, but right now it looks like we might be doing the 15. I decided to stop pushing too hard, because it is supposed to be fun. I did a couple of intervals to get my heart rate up including on hill that was KILLER. I mean it is worth than the hill I live on!

Wednesday I did Burn Circuits 2. I really liked this one. Don't know if it's because I gained back my strength completely, but I didn't feel nearly as wiped out as Monday, but that doesn't mean I wasn't working hard. My muscles were shaking by the end. It worked biceps, triceps and legs.

Today I am going on a bike ride with Aubrey again. She prefers neighborhood riding, but we might try another trail today. I think on trails we could end up with a faster MPH since we are not stopping to cross streets or wait for cars. I think the only reason she doesn't like the trails as much is last time her tire went flat and we had to walk 1.5 miles back.

How's your workouts going? What goals do you have?

Biking today

Ah, what beatiful weather we had today. If only I would stop being SICK. I actually took a nap this afternoon so that I could get enough energy to go on a bike ride with Aubrey. We had limited time, so we were gone for a total of about 35 minutes. Felt great while we were out, but felt crappy again as soon as we were done. Now, I'm crashing and hoping that tomorrow I feel better!

Okay, enough whining for me!

Feeling good in the skin I am in

I have been on such a HIGH lately and want to record some of these feelings because I know that the lows will come and I want to remember these things. I really hope that this does not come across as self centered. It's more me trying to explore the journey so that I can have total freedom.

It has been a long time since I have felt good in my skin ... I mean truly good in my skin. I have always wanted to have a good body image but never really had it, even at my lightest weight. I had moments of feeling good, but they were few and far between. I have always admired women who are curvy and are able to flaunt what they have with total confidence. Women who were the same size as me or bigger, and felt like a million bucks. I have known that I need to learn to love my body NOW or I will never be able to love my body, no matter the size.

I am still on that journey, but I think that I am closer than I have ever been before and it feels amazing! Looking back at the cruise, I can honestly say that 95% of the time, I had good body image. Was I at my goal weight? No. Do I still have cellulite? Yes. Did that matter? Heck no!

In the past I have dreaded wearing a bathing suit in front of everyone, waiting until the right moment to shred my clothes. I'd hate it if there were cute thin girls around because that would make me feel even fatter. There was none of that for me this trip ... I enjoyed the snorkeling we did without worrying about what I looked like or being self conscious.

I am just realizing how much time I have spent in the past measuring myself against other women. Now, this is not something I ever did outwardly, it was always more of an inner dialog. You know all those thoughts that come in and are so damaging?

I have been receiving a lot of compliments this last week from my dear friends and last night I was wondering, what is really so different? Yes there are some outward changes I have made (new cut/color, contacts, tan skin) and I have lost weight these last few months, but why NOW would so many people be making comments? I think it totally has to do with how I am feeling about myself. I am noticing more and more, that instead of having those degrading thoughts ("Ugh my thighs are so big" "Why did I eat that THIRD helping?" "Why are you SO lazy?", etc.) I am having more positive thoughts, ("Wow, I can see muscle in my leg!" "You look nice in that dress" "You DID it!").

How can I keep this and improve upon it as I move forward? Here are some ideas:

• Listen for the negative thoughts and turn them away. These are the thoughts that pop in with no warning. I can't control them popping in, but I can control if I listen to them and how long I let them stay.
• Acknowledge myself for the changes/improvements I am making. In other words, create positive thoughts. This could be from any number of measures from weight, to a new record time on a bike ride, to being able to complete a strength measure (pushups, pullups, etc.), to finding news ways to eat and enjoy the healthy foods and on and on. Right now as the weight is dropping, that is a very big motivational tool, but I know eventually it will slow down and one day I'll be maintaining, so I want to learn now to find the progress in other areas as well.
• Take care of myself. There is such a balance when you are a mom, a wife and all the other titles we wear in life. But I truly understand the importance of taking care of ourselves. I haven't always done it, but there are so many small things even that I can do, I just need to take the time to do it.
• Present myself. It really doesn't take that much longer to put on a little makeup or put a little thought into what I am wearing, but it makes a huge difference in how I feel. So, why not take an extra 20 minutes before I leave, so that I can feel confident in how I look.

I'd like to modify and add to this list as time goes on, but I think that is a good start. Kudos to you if you got this far! ;)

Starting a new round of CLX

Hello! Glad to be back to things, even though the Caribbean was QUITE delightful! ;)

I was planning on starting my 2nd round of CLX last week, but the timing just didn't work for the workouts. I did do some workouts and really cleaned up my eating. Today will start my official first week of BURN (2nd time around!) I am really looking forward to the BURN month ... with only 3 extremes each workout!

This past week I managed to lose the 2 1/2 cruise bulk PLUS an additional 4 lbs!!! I SO get that for me, it really is 85% eating. The workouts are good and help me to feel good and LOOK good in my skin, but when it comes to weight loss, it's all about the food. On my ticker I am picking up from where I left off (not counting the weight I lost when it went up from the cruise).

It was kind of nice to come home last weekend to no food in the house, because when I went shopping I only bought things that would work with our diet. Then I spent 30 minutes preparing all kinds of snack and easy to grab foods. The top two shelves in my fridge are all things you can grab and eat as well as one shelf in my pantry. This is so key for me, because I am all about convenience. I was lucky to get a bunch of those really small tupperware sets on sale 5 for $.75.

I have updated my blog to reflect my new goals. I had fun putting the top banner together, because it represents the things I will be doing for the next 3-4 months. Hope you like it!

I won $200!!!

When I started my rotation back in December ... I joined a Biggest Loser Challenge with some girls on one of the message boards I visit. We each pitched in $5 and we had voting this past week. It wasn't weight loss, but visible results. Imagine my surprise when I won ... I've never won anything worth anything before! I am so stoked!!! Okay, I am gonna suck it up and show my pictures here. No laughing, okay?!? ;)


I tried really hard in each shot to hit the same pose with no sucking in and all that. I did two shots (not seen here) were I did flex, but that's it. I am more tan in the afters, but that is only because of getting ready for the cruise! Here are the numbers:

Total weight loss: 23.2 lbs.
Inches lost -
chest: 1.5"
R arm: 1"
L arm: 1.5"
waist: 3.5"
hips: 2.75"
abductors: 4"
R thigh: 1.5"
L thigh: 3"
total inches lost: 19"

For me the most noticeable change is in the side shots. In the before, my belly stuck out past my boobs (shudder) and now it doesn't!!! I am now at the weight (even a few pounds less) I was before having Braden. Once I lose about another 10 lbs., I'll be at the lowest weight I've been since having Aubrey ... THAT will be a celebration!!!

Other changes I notice are:

~My appetite is not as big as it used to be. I gave myself free reign on the cruise to eat anything I wanted. And I did, but usually I did not finish my plate and I found myself stopping when I was satisfied. It was nice to enjoy the food without being sick from having eaten too much. When I started the first CLX rotation, it was hard adjusting to smaller meals, but now I sometimes get full before finishing the whole CLX meal!

~ Huge strength gains. When I started I could barely do 2 pushups on my knees, and even then the form was horrible and probably shouldn't count. I can now do most of the reps, with good form, on my knees. I am not quite ready for a toes pushup, but I can tell that I am really close.

~ Seeing my muscle ... I am seeing muscles popping up in places they have never been sen before. Most noticeable are my tricep/delt muscles and my quads. I can't wait to shred another layer of fat and really be able to start seeing them! Even at my skinniest, I was never "firm."

~ Confidence ... I have such confidence in my body now. I proudly wore my swimsuits on the beach. Was there cellulite? Heck ya! Am I at my goal weight? Not yet! But it didn't matter. I felt great about myself and instead of being self concious and try to hide, I just enjoyed myself and had a blast. My mind still tries to play tricks on me sometimes, but that's when I tell it to shut up!!!

~ No more "ifs" or "somedays." We spend a lot of our lives looking for that someday moment when things are perfect, and really is it ever? No! I am loving this journey and appreciating where I am. At the same time, I no longer wonder "if" I will be healthy, but I know I AM healthy and that now is the day.

I started a new rotation and have updated my ticker to reflect a new start. I have set my goal weight to be the high end of healthy for my height, only because it asks for it. Honestly, I don't have a goal for weight but here are my goals:

• Finish 90 day CLX rotation doing 3 strength workouts per week and 2-3 bike rides per week (If weather is bad, substitute and indoor cardio), 2 ab/stretching workouts
  
• Follow CLX eating plan, allowing 1-2 cheat meal each week. (I have added in some of my own recipes so I guess it is a modified CLX eating plan)
  
• Continue to work on my body image/thoughts. This includes combatting the bad thoughts when they pop in and notice the good things about my body.
  
• Be able to do at least one push up on toes at the end of the rotation

I figure the weight will come off, but since I can't control how much will come off, I'll focus on the things I can control like what I eat, when I workout, etc.

Here's to the next 90 days!

First Bike Ride!

Aubrey and I had our first bike ride today and it was a blast! Here's the route we did:



It was such a nice evening and we both just loved the ride! It took us just over an hour, so I know one of the things we'll need to work on is upping our speed. For me, I haven't ridden a bike in YEARS and this was Aubrey's longest ride as well, so I think it's a good starting point. We had a few hills and really just had fun. At one point she said, "This is the best day of my life!" She is soooo easy to please! ;)

I'd really like to get a speedometer so that I can tell how fast we're going as we are riding. That might help as we work on improving our speed. There's no question in my mind that we can do the 15 miler but I think that we'll be up to the challenge of riding 35 miles.

Getting Closer!

It is really hitting me just how close we are getting to the cruise ... woot woot!!!

I'm like a roller coaster, one minute I am so pleased with what I've lost and the transformation I am making in my body and the next I feel fat and wish I had more time before the cruise. I think the number on the scale really influences how I'm feeling. Last week I had a big drop and then this week it was up .4 lbs. I am REALLY trying to not let the negative thoughts get in and to just embrace where I'm at. I will have a blast on that cruise no matter WHAT size I am, right?!? RIGHT!!!

Got in my workout yesterday. Today is a scheduled rest day. I'm going to start doing biking with Aubrey for my cardio days which I'm really looking forward to. I think this will be a fun way to get in the cardio which is not my favorite (I'd rather do weights every day!)

Aubrey and I are going to to the 35 mile segment of the Little Red Riding Hood bike race in June. It's up in Logan and should be all kinds of fun ... anyone want to join us? You can do lengths starting at 15 miles all the way up to 100 miles. There's a Hawaiin Luau the night before and tons of stops along the way. It's all girls and is to raise money for breast cancer research. My sisters are doing it and I'd love it if any of you want to join!

All kinds of Revelations

Hi all! I ended up missing my workout on Wednesday due to having to help my Mom get ready for a unplanned trip back east (funeral). Since I hadn't gotten the workout done first thing, I had no other time to get it in. Good thing I didn't take my rest day on Tuesday! I did get LC2 in yesterday. It's been quite a ride and I'd like to get it down in writing, but I don't blame you if you don't read it ... it might be long!

Yesterday I spent a better part of the day trying to talk myself into working out. This week has been pretty sucky in my personal life, more of the same and then some more. (How's that for vague?!?) I kept finding that I really wanted to nurse my wounds with food and Revelation #1 ... I realize that I have really used food as a comfort tool in the past. But I know that cycle all to well and that is NOT the road I want to be on! Back to yesterday. So, I've been eating pretty well (out of the cycle ... wahoo!) but there was no part of me that wanted to work out. In fact, honestly I just wanted to crawl back into bed. Revelation #2 ... when things aren't working in my life (or are overwhelming, sad, angry, etc.) I want to retreat. Run away from all responsibilities, decisions, etc. So, to break the cycles, I MADE myself do the workout. It literally felt like my whole body was screaming not to, I'm sure the neighbors wondered what all the noise was about! I started doing the shoulder rolls in the warm up and almost immediately my body (and mind) stopped fighting it. At one point during the workout, Chalene said something like, "Forget the laundry that needs to be folded or anything else that is on your mind right now and just focus on the muscle you are working." At another point she said, "Make exercise your new go to. When there's stress, you work it out here." Revelation #3 ... Stress happens in life. We worry, we get angry, we get hurt, we are sad, things don't work, etc, but I don't have to go back to my old ways of being when this happen. I CAN make new ways of being instead. For a moment, I pictured a new me, a me that did not escape to bed with food but allowed my body the release the angst through exercise which would then allow me to powerfully face life. I did notice there were times during the workout that my mind started to stray to the worries and stress. It was during those moments that I wanted to just stop the workout and do something else. I focused back to the workout and pushed through. Was life perfect after the workout? Certainly not. But I am one huge step closer to winning this war!

Getting Closer!

Happy Monday! Today is my official weigh in. Will you believe that I lost 6.2 lbs this week? So I lost those 2 lbs. of bloat from last week and then some!!! I am just in amazement. It's been over 3 years since I've been this weight. Another 13 lbs. and I'll be in territory I haven't been for 10 years!!! (From before I had Aubrey.) What's really cool is that I had a wedding this weekend. I totally had my cake and the yummy meal, but I prepared by eating well up to the wedding and then immediately after. It was so nice to enjoy the celebration guilt free!

Today starts week 2 of LEAN for me. I gotta tell you that these workouts scare me, in a good way ... kinda! ;) I can see why this is the month that makes everything happen. Those first two months, I just THOUGHT I was working hard!!!

Month 3 - LEAN - starts today!

So, I have to say, this past week has been kind of a downer for me. I got in my workouts, but my eating was horrific. This coming from me who made the declaration that it was easy to eat well! It has been a roller coaster of a week from Taylor's job search and lots of other stuff going on ... all the regular stuff that comes up in life. I have taken a step back and realize that eating really can be an emotional thing for me. What's funny is it really doesn't comfort me at all, because once I have that second piece of birthday cake or that 5th cheat meal of the week, those horrible thoughts come in that make you feel really guilty and then the cycle begins.

But not this time. I refuse to enter that cycle again. No way, no how. Nuh uh. Yes, my weight is up 2 lbs. this week, but overall I still have a loss for month 2 (which ended yesterday). No more feeling bad or guilty, but starting fresh and mustering up every bit of drive that I have within me. Here are the results at the end of month 2:

Weight Loss: Month 1 - 12.8 lbs. Month 2 - 2.6 lbs. Total - 15.4 lbs.
Inches: Month 1: 9.25 in Month 2: 4.5 in Total - 13.75 in
Chest: Month 1 - 0 in. Month 2 - 1.25 in Total - 1.25 in
R arm: Month 1 - .25 Month 2 - .75 Total - 1
L arm: Month 1 - 1 Month 2 - .25 Total - 1.25
waist: Month 1 - 2 Month 2 - 0 Total -2
hips: Month 1 - 2 Month 2 - 0 Total - 2
abductors: Month 1 - 2.5 Month 2 - .75 Total - 3.25
R thigh: Month 1 - .25 Month 2 - .75 Total -1
L thigh: Month 1 - 1.25 Month 2 - .75 Total - 2

You know what I just realized as I was posting these numbers? I have never gotten this far on a rotation before! I trained for a half marathon last year, which I completed. But I didn't focus on eating at all and as a result I did not lose any weight during that time. I've worked out on and off over the years, and ate well here and there. But never have I done both for more than a month. Maybe these downs are all just part of the journey and maybe I can embrace them instead of getting stuck because they scare me. Hmmmm, I'll have to think on that!

Week 3 of PUSH

Hi girls! Yesterday started week 3 of the PUSH for me. I switched and did PC2, since Taylor and I worked out together, and that was the only one where we overlapped on weights only once. I am feeling it in my butt and ham strings today! I had a big 3 lb. drop this week bringing my total weight loss to just over 17 lbs!!! I am so stoked! This is even with some cheats here and there for birthdays and other stuff. When I know I have a cheat coming on, I will try to prepare by eating super clean prior and keeping my calories down, so I can freely have the cheat. Even then I'll have a much smaller portion than I would have before.

Going into CLX I was hoping to be able to achieve 15 lbs. total, but unsure if I could really do that. I still have over a month left, so who KNOWS what I can lose!

I'm here!

I got flattened by a really bad case of strep throat last week and have hence been MIA. Last week was week 2 of PUSH, but since I was totally out of commission for three days and then not up to par until today really, I am going to continue week 2 this week and then move on. So glad to be feeling better finally!

Life is kind of crazy right now, Taylor lost his job last week (laid off), I'm starting a new part time job today. I know these are the things that in the past would cause me to change course all together, but I am determined to push through this and come out on top.

On the plus side my weight did go down some more this week even with Aunt Flo visiting me!

Monday

Wow, today I was feeling sooooo sluggish throughout my entire workout. I even went lighter and/or did fewer reps with the weights this week. Guess it was the Super Bowl party that did me in. I didn't think I ate THAT much, but I think it was the overly indulgent yummies that just didn't work for my system. Oh well, it was fun and worth it and I know that my next workout I'll be much stronger again!

My weight was kind of all over the place this week, with the net being a .4 lb. loss. I'll take it. Today is the high end of where it has been, but I'm not going to be upset ... I know my body is making changes, and it will all come in time.

My motto for this week ... I AM POWERFUL! What's your motto???

Hump Day!

Got up early and did PC2. I love getting it done first thing because then I feel like I'm on a high all day long. Very nice. This workout was killer, especially on my hamstrings and glutes ... right where I need it! I really feel like these workouts are doing amazing work for my legs. 10 lbs. was my lightest weight today, which is pretty awesome because that used to be my heavy weight!

Eating is going well, although I was totally craving pizza yesterday for some reason. I might have to have a cheat meal this weekend for the super bowl!

Month 2 starts today!

Checking in with my month 1 final results. We weighed, measured and took pictures yesterday. Month 2 starts for me today.

Here are my results:
Weight loss: 12.8 lbs.
Total inches lost: 9.25 inches (Biggest losses were 2 inches off abs and 2.5 inches off abductors!)

Taylor's results:
Weight loss: 8 lbs. (he's lost 19 lbs. since November, when he cut out soda and started watching portions!)
Total inches lost: 10.75 inches (He also lost 2 inches off of his waist!)

We compared our day 1 and day 28 pictures side by side and were able to see some definite changes. It was pretty interesting to see what we accomplished in only 4 weeks.

After my last post, for some reason I started feeling like I was a fraud, like I'm having this success now, but I'll just go back to my old ways. I swear all weekend I battled this horrible thoughts. It really helped to do the measurements and pictures yesterday to prove myself wrong! I hate days like that, where you know those thoughts are bogus and no good comes of them, but they keep popping up. I read and re-read your comments here and on my message board and really worked on owning this success I have seen. I am now ready to push forward and have an amazingly strong 2nd month!!! (That's funny because the 2nd month is called "PUSH!")

I was going to get up to do PC1 this morning, but we got home laaaaate last night. I still need to print out the worksheet for it, so I decided to make time this afternoon so I could really focus on this new workout.

TGIF

Hello! I haven't checked in for a few days, but I am still going strong. Today was BC3, so that means only one more workout left to complete my first month! I have really worked on increasing the weights this week and pushing myself, and I have the DOMS to prove it! The only exercise I haven't increased weights on is shoulder presses ... I really am weak there, which makes me laugh because Chalene is always saying, "You'll be surprised how strong your shoulders are." On shoulder presses I'm lifting with Lailee (she uses the light weights) but on delts, I'm lifting with Chalene. Go figure.

Here are some of the changes I am noticing as I near the end of my first month:

• Major increases in strength: lifting heavier weights than I ever have, feeling stronger as I do the movements, actually being able to perform push ups (on knees) with good form, going deep in my lunges and having the strength to lift up completely from the heal (in the past I couldn't go as deep and sometimes had to rock a little for momentum to get back up when fatigued), not having to pause because I am out of breath.
• Changes in my body: I can feel that my stomach and thighs are smaller, I can feel my muscles ... (it's not just mush any more!), I am more flexible, I just breath easier
• Clothes fitting better: I am noticing that my shirts are not as tight on my arms, I bought jeans in November and could not fit into any 18s, so I bought two pairs of size 20s ... this week I was able to fit into one of my old pairs of size 16s!!! Granted those jeans are a big 16. I couldn't even pull them up all the way, let alone button them two months ago!
• Feeling better about myself: While I still have those occasional "bad" thoughts, it is coming more and more naturally for me to feel good about myself and find the positive. I feel more confident. I feel really empowered knowing that while I am building muscle I am increasing my metabolism. I am no longer a victim of my genes!
  
• It is not hard to eat well: Eating has always been my downfall in the past, but after one month of clean eating with really only one cheat which was planned, I feel great. I have taken charge, educated myself and found that this way of eating is working well for me. Sometimes I feel the need for more carbs, so I do it in the form of good complex carbs. Sometimes I feel like I need more protein, so once again, good protein. It's like I've crashed through this barrier that was holding me back, and I can do anything I want! I can plan off menu meals or treats and know it won't keep me from my ultimate goals!
  

I hope these don't come across as boastful or self centered. These are some major breakthroughs for me and I really am just reviling in this. I have lost weight in the past (and gained and lost ...) but I can honestly say this is different than anything I've ever experienced.

Great article ...

Someone posted this on a message board I visit it. It is worth reading if you'd like some motivation for your own exercise program:

It turns out that the idea of changing from the inside out is literally true as well.

From the notes I've received from some of you, the most common concern seems to be that your fat loss seems too slow. After starting a serious fitness program including cardiovascular and weight training, nearly everyone feels better and more energetic almost immediately (aside from the perpetual soreness). But even after several weeks, some people do not see a noticeable change in the mirror, so far as fat is concerned. And the scale! You've busted your bottom for weeks, and there's no change! Of course, if you've really been half-hearted about following your program, it's clear why this may happen, but it can also happen when you have honestly been experiencing intensity every day, and have been careful about limiting your portions. I've received messages from people literally in tears at the frustration. Kid, the road to Easy Street runs through the sewer. You gotta get tough (words spoken to me by my favorite teacher, Father Arnold Perham).

Here's what's going on. Fat is stored in several places, within the muscle as intramuscular fat (which is why pork is "the other white meat"), around the organs as "visceral fat", and under the skin as "subcutaneous fat". If you're inactive as you get older, the fat starts depositing in the muscles first - the muscle tissue gets "marbelized". After the intramuscular stores are full, the fat spills over to subcutaneous stores, which are more noticeable. Well, now take that process in reverse. Exercise (and specifically interval training and progressive weight training) tends to draw significantly from the intramuscular stores early on, so instead of seeing a major change in the mirror, you may instead feel your muscles getting firmer and less "mushy". That's a good sign. Don't give up! The subcutaneous fat loss becomes more evident once the intramuscular stores are whittled down a bit.

(continued)

If you were able to look inside of your cells and see your "good" enzymes increasing, your energy-producing mitochondria multiplying, your cholesterol falling, your arteries clearing, your blood vessels becoming more efficient, your muscles strengthening, your bone-density improving, and all of the remarkable changes that this program triggers, it would be clear that the scale and calipers are just insufficient ways of measuring success. As these internal changes become significant, your external progress accelerates. Some people just start out needing more internal changes than others, because of their prior lifestyle, long-term yo-yo dieting, and other factors. Please understand that if you're following the daily intensity and carefully limiting your portions, the progress is happening, whether it's obvious or not. I've just seen too many individual cases to think any different.

So don't force the numbers. They'll come. Here is your job today: adhere to a winning pattern of action that you know will produce results if you follow it consistently. That's all. And if you do that today, congratulate yourself as a winner. If instead, you insist on measuring your success by whether or not the scale or caliper show progress today, you're creating a game you can lose. In Steven Covey's words, you're putting yourself in the position of trying to manage consequences rather than actions. You'll never get a reliable sense of confidence that way. Look, you're following a program that works. Do troubleshoot. Do review your workouts, food choices, portion sizes, and meal plans. But make every day a game you can win.

Taken from http://www.hussmanfitness.org/html/TSInsideOut.html

Week 4

Week 4 starts today! And I am just amazed at the fact that I can say that. Aubrey had school off today, so we all slept in and did my workout later. It was kind of sad (not really) to think this is my last time doing BC1 (for a while at least). Really though, it is my least favorite out of the strength workouts, but I still like it. Have to go do some shopping because I am getting low on a lot of my food staples.

Today was my official weigh in and I am down another 1.2 lb for a total of 11.4 lbs lost!!! I am actually excited to record our official 30 days results next week.

Taylor has been keeping up with things as well, though I can't get him to post over here! I think that total he has lost about 15-16 lbs. Can't remember the exact number.

Quick Check-in

I can't beleieve I forgot to post yesterday ... after all the to do, I did yesterdays workout (Burn Intervals) and not only survived it but was strong doing it! I realized that I totally built that workout up my head to be Mt. Everest. Yes, it was tough, yes I was worked, but I can totally do this!

This morning was BC3. I even used 20 lb. dumbells on two of the exercises! I've noticed on upper body I tend to be weaker and use weights that the beginner exerciser uses but with lower body, I can use pretty close to what Chalene uses. At the end of the workout, you do 3 reeeeeaaaaaaalllllllllyyyyyyy slow push ups to finish of one of the exercises. I was able to do all three (8 counts down and 8 counts up). What's amazing is, at the beginning of the program I could only do 2 total at a regular speed. So, yeah, I'm feeling so powerful!!!

Muscle Burns Fat

Since I have been in the mindset of losing weight and being healthy, I have been reading lots of information to keep me motivated and knowing the best way to achieve the results I want. These are thoughts I have put together and are my opinion based on what I've read.

You always hear about metabolisms, right? Like some people have really good metabolisms and can eat anything they want and are skinny, others eat like birds and are overweight. To me, this has always seemed be something out of our control ... something we were either blessed with or cursed with.

Each day, our bodies burn calories just to exist. Our fat cells burn calories and our muscle cells burn calories. But did you know that one lb. of muscle burns at least 3X more calories than 1 lb. of fat? (Numbers vary, but this is the low estimate.) So, if we lose 1 lb. of fat and gain 1 lb. of fat, we are in essence "raising our metabolism" as our bodies are burning more calories just to exist. The other cool thing is, muscle takes up less space than fat, so you could weigh the same, but your measurements are small (and less flabby!)

Many people are still doing tons and tons of cardio with little to no strength training. There are many reports that show that you can and will actually lose muscle, not just fat, by training this way. In Chalene's blog, she talks about a woman who was a yo yo dieter and spent hours doing cardio. She could never lose weight and keep it off. They tested her BMR at the beginning of her 90 day rotation, and she was only burning 700 calories a day!!! I don't know about you, but I could not live on that little. That means that she could "diet" and eat a low 1,000 calorie a day diet and STILL gain weight. She followed the CLX 90 day rotation and initially gained weight, but as she built muscle and followed the nutritional guide, she ended up losing 40 lbs. and the coolest part is she raised her BMR to 1400 calories a day!!! She was able to turn around the years of abuse to her system and retrain it. You can ready the whole story with more details on Chalene's blog.

From Chalene:

When working to increase your metabolism (which is ultimately the goal if you want to eat more and come in a smaller package) remember that muscle is an active tissue. It's requirements are far greater than fat. Fat is this mushy, lumpy, yellowy stuff that requires very little to sustain itself, but takes up a lot of space. Lean muscle tissue on the other hand requires are great deal of calories to sustain. It's firm! It's tight! It's red with blood and healthy tissue that makes life easier and fat burning a breeze! Muscle burns fat!

From About.com article:

Even though muscle doesn't burn a huge number of calories on its own, it's still more metabolically active than fat and very important for weight loss. In fact, one study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology [6] found that, though weight training doesn't burn as many calories as cardio, it significantly increases average daily metabolic rate - the perfect foundation for losing fat.

And remember the other benefits of weight training:

• Prevents loss of lean body mass that happens from dieting and/or aging
• Weight training workouts burn calories
• Helps change your body composition, which helps shape your body and keep you healthy
• Strenghtens bones and connective tissue along with muscles
• Helps keep you strong and active as you get older

The bottom line is, strength training is important for almost any fitness goal, whether you want to lose fat, gain muscle or just get in better condition.

From a Mayo Clinic article:

Weight training can help you tone your muscles, improve your appearance and fight age-related muscle loss. And it doesn't take as long as you might think...

Lean muscle mass naturally decreases with age. If you don't do anything to replace the muscle loss, it'll be replaced with fat. But weight training can help you reverse the trend — at any age. Studies show that weight training and other types of strength training can improve quality of life and the ability to complete daily tasks for adults even in their 80s and 90s.

As your muscle mass increases, you'll be able to work harder and longer before you get tired. You'll maintain joint flexibility, increase bone density and better manage your weight. You may even improve your mental health and reduce the risk of depression — all heavy reasons to include weight training in your fitness program.

Week 3 starts today

Official start to week 3 for me today. I got up and did BC1 even though I went to bed waaay to late last night. I'm loving that I am still loving these workouts, no boredom factor. I love getting my workouts done first thing, because then I can feel good for the rest of the day knowing I did it. I may not be a morning person, but hopefully this will help get there eventually.

Official weigh in this morning has me done another pound, so that's 10.2 lbs. total!!! (I'll update my ticker when I get on the other computer.)

I'm surprised by how little I have been tempted. Like Friday, we went out so I made dinner ahead of time for Taylor and I, but ordered a pizza for the kids and babysitter. I wasn't even tempted to have a bite, and I LOOOOVE pizza. Knowing I only have these next couple of months to get ready for the cruise helps. Also, because I am seeing such great results, there's no way I want to sabotage myself now. Guess the trick will be to maintain eating well even when the results are not always noticeable or I am not counting down to something.

Well, have a super duper day!

Week

Workouts for week 2 are officially complete!!! Did Burn It Off and Recharge this morning with Taylor. Killer.

It feels great to have been so consistent I've never been one to stick to a rotation, so this is something!

Loving it!!!

Taylor and I went to a gymnastics meet last night. Normally we would eat at the meet, since we had to leave here at 5:30. Well, I planned ahead and had dinner ready and snuck in some healthy snacks. So we were able to have fun and still eat within our plan!

TGIF!

I did nooooooooooooooooot want to get up this morning and even lay in bed for an extra 15 minutes, but I MADE myself get up. That was a battle of will for sure. I made the commitment to work out at 6:30 each morning, even though I could do it later in the day. I know for me, if I don't get it done before Aubrey goes to school, chances are I won't do it. I did BC3 and MAN, did it feel amazing when I was done. I think since it had been such a battle, it was that much more rewarding when I was done.

One more workout and I will be done with the 2nd week. At this point my weight keeps bobbing around the same point. Of course there's that part of me that wishes I could lose as much as I did last week, but know that realistically, it is healthy for my body to settle into things. I want to keep my metabolism strong so that it will be easy to maintain things as I lose weight.

I am really happy with how the eating plan is working for me. To conquer my sweet cravings, I have a sugar free pudding with a little bit of cool whip and crunch up a 100 calorie snack pack into it. I tried some yummy combos, and it has been quite satisfying. The other night I did chocolate pudding, grasshopper cookies and some banana cut up. It tasted reminiscent of a banana split. I think it really helps that Taylor is doing this with me, so it's not like the fam is eating one thing and I'm eating another. Compared to how I have been eating, this is quite a change.

Here's to a great weekend!

Half through week 2

Today was Burn Intervals and Ab Burner. Whew. That was TOUGH!!! It a combination of cardio drills and light weights (to recover). I did 3 lbs. weights and eventually transitioned to no weights. I think out of all the workouts, this would be the one that has a little "dread" factor for me. But it felt SOOOOO good when I was done.

I am having so much fun feeling the differences in my body. I am really looking forward to hitting 30 days and taking new pictures and measurements.

Going Strong

Hola! This morning I got up (early again ... this is a FEAT for me!) and did BC2. I am noticing that instead of feeling so incredibly sore (like last week) my muscles feel "warm" and worked, but not nearly as sore. That is nice. Oh and this morning I noticed my stomach feels flatter. Now it is not flat by any means, but it felt like there was less bulge there! My weight is still moving, though I think the pace has slowed down, which is fine. I know I can't really lose 9 pounds EVERY week, maybe just every other week!

Yesterday I noticed I was having more and more feelings of doubt and pessimism coming into my head. You know the famous, "You're not really going to stick to this," "You're not really going to lose any more weight," "You know you just want to sleep in," etc. In the late afternoon, I decided to pull out Chalean's motivational CD and listened to that. Since then I've been actively combating those thoughts with, "Oh yes you can!" Hope I'm not the only one who has battles in my head!

Sometimes, it's easy to look at the past and see failure. To think all of my periods of working out and eating right must be failures, because I am still overweight. But really that is not true. I am choosing to look at this as my journey. Everything in the past, including the ups and downs, has led me to THIS point RIGHT now. Ultimately, who I am is someone who is UNSTOPPABLE. I will NOT let the roadblocks and dips in the road stop me from being who I ultimately want to be. This is what I must remember when those other thoughts try to creep their way in ... I am unstoppable!

Eating is going well! I totally lost track of time this afternoon and didn't have time to make lunch, so I grabbed two snacks and had that on the way. So glad I prepared things ahead of time otherwise I would have been up a creek!

I did the chicken kabobs the other night (marinated chicken, zucchini, pineapple and seasonings) and they were YUMMY! The chicken was so moist, it was just perfect. I am noticing that my appetite has definitely decreased. I had two skewers on my plate and thought "There's no way that will fill me up." I'm used to having starchy things on the side like pasta or potatoes. I was pleasantly full when I was done. (Not overly stuffed like I've been used to in the past). Last night was a leftovers night. We were stacking up quite a few, so it was time to eat them up. We each had something slightly different.

I AM the biggest loseer ...

And that's a good thing! I know you have all been anxiously awaiting the weigh in, right?
















Duh Duh Duh ...













9.2 lbs. lost. In my first week. Yup. That's right. Almost 10 lbs.

I wouldn't believe it myself if I didn't see the weight steadily dropping each day. I have never, EVER lost this much weight in one week. Ultimately I know it won't come off this fast for the long haul, but what a nice start to the program. I was thinking it would be nice if I could lose 15 lbs. before the cruise. I may have to re-think that! Actually, I think it really isn't about a number at this point. I can't control what the number is on the scale but I can control whether or not I workout. I can control what I put into my mouth. So, those are the things I will work on.

What's really crazy is, that while I have been working out very hard, I do not feel like I am overdoing it in the least. And my eating has changed drastically, but I am not feel deprived. Overall, I am loving life. I am glad that I am keeping track of my results in several ways (weight, measurements, fit test, body fat) because I know there are weeks when my weight may stay the same and these results will help me find this motivation. Nothing fires you up quite like results!!!

Here's to a great week!

Stay tuned

For my weigh in tomorrow ... it's going to be a shocker!!!

Saturday is no day to rest!

Today Taylor and I did Burn Intervals and Recharge. This is because I mistakenly did Burn It Off on Thursday. I was thinking it would not be as hard as Burn It Off, since you got the light weights for a "break". Well, I was wrong ... this was tough! On some of the shoulder work I transitioned to no weights, because I was totally burning from all that shoulder work yesterday. DH wasn't too thrilled about Recharge, since it is yoga poses. I think the rest of the workouts work for him, but just not that one. I told him that he could spend the time doing his own stretching and breathing. I think he'll probably do that. He's so tight, that I think the yoga poses just were too hard for him. I am soooo looking forward to a rest day tomorrow!

Still doing great on the eating plan. Last night was flank steak with faux mashed. I added more to the marinade to make it more like our favorite marinade. Steaks are always good, what was different was not eating as much as we normally do. The faux mashed (puree cauliflower) ... eh. We both decided we'd just rather have the steamed cauliflower. So we'll leave that step out next time. We didn't do spinach but had salad instead. This is more veggies than I've eaten in a LONG time! Had the Canadian Bacon Sandwich again this morning ... love that one!

I just finished BC3 and feel so good. I have been having a lot of muscle fatigue this week (that's putting it mildly) and wasn't sure I would be up to this today, but I don't have any time to spare so I just did it. And I was able to lift much heavier than I thought I would be able to (each time I went heavier than I thought I could and only twice was it too heavy.)

Yesterday I did Burn It Off and Ab Burner. I misread and thought that was what was on the rotation. No problem, I'll just make sure to do Burn Intervals tomorrow and then do it the "right" way next week! Since Taylor had the day off we did it together. Oh and I am so feeling my muscles popping out. I was taking a shower and washing my arms and was amazed at how rock hard my muscles were.

I am really proud at how on track I have been staying with eating on this plan. The planning I did last week really helped (Scheduled B, L & D for each day, pre-packaged snacks, shopped). In the past I have planned out dinners and just had stuff for lunch and breakfast. Having each meal planned leaves me not having to think about food all the time, which is very nice. I also did what Chalean suggested in the video and made convenient snack foods. I bought a bunch of little Rubbermaid containers to make snack sizes for the fridge and I have a bin the in the pantry with snacks in Ziploc bags. I got Aubrey to help, and it was very easy. Took about 10-15 minutes longer while we unpacked the groceries. Now if I'm heading out the door and know I'll need a snack, I can just grab one.

Yesterday I had the Canadian bacon sandwich and loved it. We went to Red Lobster for dinner and I was able to eat yummy food, but stay on plan (crab, shrimp, broccoli and salad) and I totally resisted the biscuits. I was nervous at first when DH suggested going out, but we picked a place where I wouldn't be as tempted by the food I have a weakness for (like pasta) and it went well. I've discovered I just don't like veggies in with my eggs. So I've started cooking them separately and then eating them on their own first, then eating the eggs. I'm weird, but it works!