Birthday and Christmas Fun

My husband took me to the Gaylord Texan Friday through Sunday to celebrate my 30th bday. We saw the amazing ICE-Madagascar.  

My little man dancing to the music

I was quite nervous going into the weekend because I really did not want to gain weight.  So I stuck to my guns and made some healthy choices like this

and I made some time to work out

My hard work and dedication paid off because my weigh in on Monday morning showed the exact same weight as Friday.  Woohooo I was so happy I did not gain.  So then came my actual birthday and my hubs got me these

I love them and they are so comfortable!  

We opened presents

and played in a little snow

So true to form I did extremely well with eating during my weekend getaway just to come home and blow it with 2 crazy days of eating.  I always sabotage my good work and now have SIX pounds to lose.  I will be chugging water today and eating salad.  I have to work out at home and try to stay sane being cooped up all day with the kiddos because  the roads are icy.   

Merry Christmas!

Weekly Weigh In and Birthday Weekend

Honestly, I feel like I have worked my ass off this week trying to lose weight.  I have hit the gym multiple times and kept up with my at home workout routine as well. I have eaten clean, with the exception of my girl's night out and a few small sweets last Saturday.  I hopped on the scale this morning feeling like I have gained weight, but luckily I was wrong.  I have lost 2.6 pounds this week. WOOOOHOOOOO!!!  This is huge considering I have been stuck on the same number or a few more for months.  

I'm not too sure if it is because I took out my Mirena or because I did so well with food and working out this week.  In the past, I had great workouts and watched what I ate with Mirena and did not lose an ounce so we will see if it continues.  My body is still transitioning to life without it, but I honestly think I may be feeling better.  My mood has lightened a little and I'm not getting frustrated as quickly.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it all continues to get better.  

I have big plans this weekend.  It is my Bday weekend and I am so excited.  My family and BFF planned a little weekend at the Gaylord Texan.  The Gaylord brings in tons of ice and they have sculptors carve it into cartoon characters.  This year is Madagascar.  They also have snow tubing and other fun things.  I think the kids are going to have a blast.  I am going to enjoy this weekend of food, alcohol, and fun because you only turn 30 once, but I will still try to make good choices and I will be bringing clothing to hit their gym.   

Happy Friday!!!    

30th Birthday Girl's Night

The day is closing in faster and faster.  I only have 8 days left in my 20's and while the thought of being 30 is exciting, it is also the end of a really great decade in my life.  So much has happened in my 20's like graduating college, starting my career, getting married, and having babies.  It is a little sad to see it end, but I know there are many incredible things ahead.

I was able to celebrate with a girl's night out with my friends.  My BFF planned a nice dinner at Whiskey Cake.  If you have not been there, then you should definitely check it out.  So yummy!   I had a blast celebrating with my girls!

Saturday afternoon my mom planned a little cookie decorating party for the kiddos.  It was a blast and the girls did an awesome job decorating.  Their attention spans definitely surprised me.  Little cuties!

After all the sweets and dinner out I had a few too many calories, so first thing this morning I had a date with the gym.  A little running, weights, abs, and the good ole' treadmill definitely did my body good and I'm feeling much better.

Dun Dun Dun....

I took the plunge and recorded my official "starting again" measurements and snapped a few pics.  You know how your brain tells you how bad you look one day and then someone comments on how good you look?  Don't get me wrong, I have only heard a comment like that a few times, but the point is we typically tell ourselves how bad we look and we are very negative about ourselves.  Well, I have to laugh at the fact that I was feeling pretty confident in some areas of my body since I have been eating clean and working out the past few weeks(like a few weeks makes such a big difference LOL). Oh man, as soon as I looked at the pics I was instantly snapped out of the dream I had playing in my head and put back into reality. Let's just say these pics don't look like what I was swirling around in my head...I will not let these pics bring me down and make me quit, but I will use them as motivation instead.  

Oh and did I mention that I am going on a 7 day cruise in March, without kids, and it will be our first real vacation since our honeymoon?  If anything will help with the motivation this is it.  I WILL be in a bikini, I will NOT have too much jiggle, and I WILL be confident in myself knowing I put in lots of effort beforehand!

Measurements:

Waist- 29

Hips-36

Chest-34.5

Arms- 10.5

Thighs-22.25

Let me end on a positive note...my babies!

I am alive!

Wow, has it really been since August that I blogged?  Life has me running around like a crazy person, but I am loving all of the fun activities lately.  December is always my favorite month since it is my birthday and Christmas, but this December is even better because I am turning 30.  Oh, how I love December!!!

Since this is my first blog that I am going to post for everyone, I figured I should give a little background for the new readers.  I am married with 2 children who are almost 4 and 2.  Their birthdays are in January and February.  Dang, they are growing up too fast.  I am a high school math teacher and currently working on my masters in school counseling.  I stay pretty busy, but after Thursday I will have a month off from school.  Oh yeah!

 I started blogging to document my weight loss after having both of my kiddos, but have never posted it for lots of people to possibly read.   My heaviest was after my daughter, but I cannot find any of those pics...probably because I did not take very many.  When I started my journey after my youngest was born I was about 215ish, but didn't start this blog until I got really serious about my weight loss at 170ish.  The picture below with both of my kiddos shows a little bit of how heavy I was after having both of my kids.  The other pic is where I want to be again...those were my good ole' days in college where all I had to do was run 3 miles everyday, go to school, and party to have a thin figure.  Before college, I struggled with weight.  In high school, I would not eat...a little anorexic huh?...or if I did eat something, which was necessary due to playing sports, it would consist of carrots and plain tuna fish.  I gained massive amounts of weight during both of my pregnancies because I thought "oh well, I'm pregnant and I can eat what I want."  I have lost a decent amount since having my kiddos, but have been stuck at a plateau for the past year.  I am so tired of seeing 150-153 on the scale everyday.  And yes, I weigh myself everyday.   It has become very disheartening that I eat clean and work out, but the weight will not move.

I am lucky to be around others that motivate me to keep it up and do better.  For those of you that read Megan's blog you know just how motivating she is and if you don't read it....you should.  She is my real life BFF so it doesn't get much better than that!  She has amazed me with her body transformation and I strive to have a tiny amount of her dedication!

So I'm sure some are thinking, why the new beginning and blogging again?  Well, today I have decided to get rid of something that I have thought could be causing me to not lose weight....my Mirena birth control.  Honestly, weight loss is not the number one issue, but it is a big factor in this decision.  I have very little tolerance for anything, mainly my husband and kids and they really don't deserve an irritable me.  I thought maybe it was just all of the stress of life and especially going back to school, but this all really started after having my son, so at that time I chalked it up to a new baby, but now I'm not so sure.  Anyways, I want to document all of the changes in my body as well as my mental health and would love to inspire others on my journey.  

Stay tuned for some new beginning pics!  It will be interesting to see if getting rid of this Mirena really will make a difference.  Do any of you have Mirena?  Do you like it or have you had issues?

Cheat days

I have been contemplating having 1 cheat day a week.  I go back and forth on the subject because there are pros and cons to it.  I think I am set on one cheat day per week, but it is not an all out eat everything in sight type of cheat day.  That will just make me gain back whatever I lose during the rest of the week.  It is going to be one meal and I am not going to eat until I am sick and full.  Therefore, I will be clean eating about 90% of the time, but still get to indulge on the bad, processed foods a little.  It really isn't the indulging that I care about...it is the non preparing for 1 meal that I will get to do.  So really it is just me being lazy.

Sundays are usually spent at my parents house after church and they have some sort of lunch planned out.  Other people come over to enjoy lunch as well, so they have not been clean meals because I am the only one eating this way.  This will take some planning on my part because I need to make sure I think through my 1 cheat meal according to what I have going on to ensure it is only one per week.  I have a birthday party next Saturday night so that will be it for this week.

Just some random thoughts about cheat days with my eating clean.  On another note...I ran 8 miles yesterday and my legs were so tired the second half of the run.  I had a good pace for the first 4 and then quickly slowed after that.  It took everything out of me to keep my legs going.  I think it is because all of my running this summer has been 4 miles or less on any given day.  It was hard, but felt good to accomplish it.  Today, my whole body is sore so I am going to try and get a workout in if it doesn't kill me.

Work starts again tomorrow...UGH!

Same Shit different day...

So, I have not really been posting any blogs lately because it is still the same ole' shit, different day.  Who wants to hear about the same thing everyday?  So I won't put you through the same whining and blah blah blah.  

I will tell you that I'm back on track and have gone back to "clean" eating.  Last time I was clean eating, I had the greatest amount of change with my body so why not do what works, right?  The biggest challenge for me with clean eating is being prepared.  If I don't have all of the ingredients or stuff to snack on then I just eat whatever.  I cleaned out some old stuff from my pantry and frig, but not everything...that would be way too much money wasted.  Plus, I know my kids and hubs will eat them.  

Since I must go back to work this week, womp womp womp, I have to start meal planning ahead of time and prepare some recipes early to make the weeknights a little less hectic.  My little one wants to eat right when we get home and if I give him snacks, then he refuses to eat dinner.  

When I find good recipes, I will post them for ya and spare you from the bad ones.  Sometimes "clean" is not too tasty.

 

Already over?!?!

It seems like just yesterday summer was beginning and now I only have 4 weeks left of my little vaca before school officially begins again.  I'm excited for the upcoming year since I will be at a new school, but nervous because I don't know anyone.  I hope there  are other teachers my age that I can easily talk to and maybe make some new friends.  It will be a new beginning.  
One of the things I wanted to accomplish this summer was getting into really good shape....and well obviously that shape has turned out to be of a more round shape. LOL  I have gained 10 lbs this summer!  Not good when I got rid of most of my work clothes at the end of the year because they were too big.  Like I said it will be a new start and I want to begin with new clothes.
Therefore, I have 4 weeks to get this 10 lbs off and maybe a few more so that I can buy some new clothes that aren't in the same size I got rid of.
I have been watching my calories and working out for the past week and have only lost 1 pound...ugh!!! It really sucks, but I don't really care about the scale as much as wanting to buy smaller clothes so I'm not going to let the scale number get me down.  I'm going to continue to work out everyday and keep focusing on toning and getting rid of the flab.
Any ideas on where to get some cute, professional, young, cheap, and good quality work clothes?  I've been looking online and can't find too much.  I am not going shopping until the beginning of August when the kids will be in school. That is not a trip I want to take with them...it would be more frustrating than productive.
I have pinned some outfits on pinterest and it seems like I just need some staple articles of clothing and then mix and match them to make lots of different outfits.  I would love some suggestions of places to go if you have any!    

Running with kids sucks!

Yesterday I decided to be brave and take my kiddos on a little jog.  I needed exercise and out of the house or they were going to drive me nuts. 

I always forget why I don't just put them in the stroller and take off, until I get out there and it all comes back to me.  It is sort of like having a child...you are all excited and ready for the pain to see your beautiful baby, then once it starts you are asking yourself why you chose to do it again.  Then you take one look at their precious face and you forget all over again. 

That would describe my love hate relationship with putting the 60+lbs of kid in the stroller and running.  First, it is so much harder to run pushing them. Second, I have K asking me a bazillion questions and if I don't answer she just gets louder and louder.  Third, L only lasts about 20 minutes and then he screams and yells forever.

With all of that, I get totally frustrated during my run, but for some reason I still feel pretty good after so I'm sure I will forget how bad it was and do it all over again.  

Although, it may be a while because I was frustrated and thinking what the hell when BAM I rolled my foot all weird.  It isn't my ankle, it is like my inner foot.  I have done it before and couldn't run for a couple of weeks and I'm pretty sure it is going to be the same this time because for 2 days I have barely been able to walk. 

This sucks!  

It's been a while...

I have taken a break from blogging for a while, but not because I want to.  These summer classes are kicking my butt.  The kids are still going to school 2 days a week and I spend every second reading and taking quizzes and completing reading response questions.  I'm dying!!!  I don't know how I'm going to do it once school starts again and I have to work full-time.

I thought I would have plenty of time to exercise this summer and eat well, but it hasn't gone as planned.  I have been going to the gym for a good hour and a half on the days I do have the kids...it is best for them that I take a break everyday or I may strangle them.  Hahaha They have hit the lets yell and scream and hit each other ALL day because we don't know how to just play nice.  It is really challenging me to keep my cool and not to lose my patience.

So, that means I have been working out probably 3-4 times a week. My eating has been better, but not great.  I get so caught up studying when I don't have the kids that I don't eat until early afternoon and I'm sure that is killing my metabolism.  Therefore, my goal for the next 2 weeks it to eat regularly and keep each meal small.  I am going to be strict on my calories and try to stay under 1400 per day.  I know that seems like a lot, but I seem to not lose if I go under 1300.  I'm hoping for some progress because I've gained about 5 pounds since May and would really like to lose about 20 by my 30th birthday in December.  It feels a little weird to say 30...LOL!

Lesson Learned

I went for a run tonight (gasp)...I know it has been a while.  It felt great and I could have run more, but I decided to be brave and wear my running skirt without capris underneath for the first time.  BAD idea!

My fat ass can finally wear it without hanging out all over the place, so I thought what the hell, just go for it.  So I did and last mile was the most painful mile ever.  When I got to mile 3 my inner thighs were screaming at me because they were rubbing each other so hard they could have started a fire.  I was determined not to stop until I reached 4 miles so I ran the final mile with a wobble.  On the bright side, I still kept my pace and every time I saw someone I would run normal so that they wouldn't think I was crazy.  

Lesson learned....don't wear the running skirt unless there is something separating the massive thighs that jiggle and rub each other.  Now if only I can get myself up tomorrow morning and do some squats and lunges to get rid of them.

Meal Plan and a new challenge

Why does it take a little friendly competition to get my butt in gear?  Why can't I just do it because I need to and it makes me feel better?  It is because I am lazy and have been feeling all depressed and weird lately so I let myself slip and gain a little weight back.  Then once I started this vicious cycle of gaining and indulging on every little chocolate craving I have, it has been hard to stop.  

So what solution did I come up with?  A little friendly competition because, well, lets face it.  I HATE to lose!  So knowing that it would get me back on the right track, I proposed a wager with one of my friends at work.  She wants to lose some weight and so do I so what better way to do it, but together and at the price of mani's and pedi's paid by the "smallest" loser.  Not the smallest person, but the smallest percentage of weight lost.  We have until June 10th to see which one of us will lose the biggest percentage of weight.  All I can say is...she doesn't know what she has gotten herself into or I don't because she is very competitive as well : )

We came up with the wager and rules on Wednesday last week so she and I pigged out on Wednesday night as our final indulgence and then had our official weigh in Thursday morning.  I'm happy to report that since that morning I have already lost 3.8 lbs. Granted I gained about 2 the night before weigh in, but hey I'm on the right track and have done pretty well.  Lately, weekends have been really bad, but this one has been successful..even with a girls night at a mexican food restaurant .  It feels good. 

Meal planning has really helped, so here it is for this week...

Sunday-Buffalo Chicken and mixed veggies

Monday-steak and mashed potatoes

Tuesday-Apple-Chicken sausage, corn, crescent rolls

Wednesday-Chicken and fried okra

Thursday-Cheese tortellini and garlic bread

Friday- ??? Always up in the air 

Meal Planning

Here are some of my meal plans for the next week.  I'm still a little iffy on a few nights, but it is better than nothing.

Sunday-Grilling out(not sure what yet)
Monday-Baked Ziti with Spinach
Tuesday-Left Overs
Wednesday-Chicken Quesadillas with Beans and rice
Thursday-pizza
Friday-Something seafood...not sure yet

Should I?

I am in a big debate with myself and Chad on if I should go back to school to get my Masters in School Counseling.  There are lots of pros and cons to this decision.  So what do you think?  I will take all the advice I can get...

Pros:                                                         Cons:
More pay once graduate                          Costs money to go back to school
Still get time off during summer               It will be a little less time off
Still work with kids                                  It will be a stressful 18 months
Have time to work on projects                  Hard course work (i.e. writing papers)
Online Program                                        Online program

I am really struggling, but I do want a change. I'm being extra picky about this change because I really want summers off to spend with my kids and just an overall break.  I know that I can't have my cake and eat it too, but maybe I can?.?.It will be a really tough 18 months, but it is only 18 months.  That is not that long and the last semester is an internship.  What to do, what to do.  The deadline for the program I want to do is May 11th and I would start in June.  Yikes!  I have to submit everything like today.  Should I...What do you think?
                               

Weigh in

So after the crawfish boil on Saturday my eating was pretty horrendous on Sunday. I was so tired and didn't really feel too great. I ate lots of carbs and drank 2 sodas. I never drink sodas! So I did not weigh in on Monday because I forgot. Seriously, I did, I promise. So my weight today was 153...pretty much exactly where it has been for the past week and a half. Oh well, I have not been feeling great lately. I really think I may be going through a little bit of a depression funk. I need to snap out of it but I just can't seem to. I really want a change for next year. I like my job, but something new would be exciting and closer to home would be awesome so that I can spend more time with my kiddos. I will just trust in the Lord and pray for the best. This is going to be a good week. My eating has already improved...

Meal Planning

It has been a long time since I have sat down and meal planned.  That may be one of the reasons I can't get back on track.  I tend to eat like crap if I come home and just throw together a meal to eat.  Yesterday I had some extra time so I thought oh yea maybe I should be productive and plan out the week.  So here it is...

Tuesday:  Chicken kabobs and beans

Wednesday:  Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

Thursday:  Pizza or Spaghetti

Friday:  Chicken and Veggies

Saturday:  Undecided...don't know if we are going to be out of town.

This is TAKS testing week at school so my days are really long and boring for the most part so we will see if this will help.  I have got to do something to get back on track.  I don't really know what has gotten into me and why I have become so lazy lately.  I think I am a little stressed and depressed about my job search, but I can't let that get to me.

A New Beginning

I have been so busy the past 2 weeks eating anything and everything I could get my hands on.  It has been ridiculous.  I really am not sure what had gotten into me except for the 6 pounds I have gained.  Yep that is right, 6 pounds! Yuck.  I typically have a couple days every month that I do very poorly, but this has been 2 weeks straight.  Good news is that all the candy and ice cream are completely gone.  I have to go grocery shopping today and I will NOT be getting anything tempting.  I plan on eating really well this week with the one exception of the crawfish boil on Saturday.  I have worked out, but not as much as I would like so I'm back on the wagon today.

I have 7 weeks until summer.  Woo Hoo!!!! I am so excited...can't you tell?  This year has not been extremely rough or worse than any other year, but I have lived for my weekends and now summer.  I think it is because both of the kiddos are at such fun ages and I really don't want to miss out on this time with them.

I have been reading lots of new blogs lately about running and weight loss and if these women can do it and find the time, then I sure can.  I am going to do weekly weigh-ins and work outs again because although not many people read this...I need the accountability of just posting it each week.  I would love to be down to 140 by summer, but that is going to take a lot of work seeing as how I have been right at 150 for 6 months now.

A new beginning weight:  153.6  (don't laugh...it is all the damn ice cream)

Oh and say a little prayer for me...I have a job interview on Tuesday afternoon and it would be so great to work closer to home.  

Easter Candy

Between a birthday party with yummy cake and cookies and Easter candy, I have eaten my share or more of sweets.  My house is full of candy and Chad decided that he needed to make a cake last night so we have plenty to indulge in.  I don't know how I can get rid of it because Chad wants it here so he can eat it and Kaylee loves her candy.  That girl has the biggest sweet tooth I've ever seen.

I burned 1263 calories yesterday and still gained a pound.  I really did not eat too bad yesterday.  Breakfast was bad, but I had just finished running and I had all day to work it off.  Sometimes there just isn't anything you can do and apparently my body likes being the weight it is.  So, I will suck it up and get back on track today.  The only good thing about working is that my my options for food throughout the day are very limited.  I hope you had a great Easter!  Time to see if I can just throw out a little bit of candy each day without anyone noticing.      

The never ending cycle

Holy shit I cannot get any lower than 149 lbs.  I have tried it all and nothing will budge.  I am constantly moving up and down between 149 and 151.  It can be so frustrating at times and other times I'm ok with  just letting it be.  As you can probably tell, today is a frustrating day...oh well, now I'm moving on.

It is already so hot here and everyone that knows me will tell you that I love when it is hot and I can lay out by the pool.  The problem right now...there isn't a pool for me to lay out at.  I sure don't have one and all the public pools don't open until memorial weekend.  Man, that feels like forever away and I need a tan asap.

I have been going on long runs Sunday morning and focusing on weights during the week.  The runs have been nice and my soreness after them is getting better.  I stay sore for the day, but it has gotten so much better than the first run when I could barely walk for the next 3-4 days.  OUCH! I really am trying to focus on building muscle and getting toned, which is probably why the scale is not budging.  I am going to give myself until the beginning of May to lose some inches and then I'm going to do my measurements again to see if there is a change since the scale is not showing one.  I just want to get rid of the flab.  Two babies sure do make the flab appear and it is a B@%$& to get rid of.

Ready or not swimsuit season is just around the corner!  Any tips for getting toned quick?  

 

Spring Break

I am definitely not ready for summer because my eating over this short week home has been horrendous.  I can only imagine how bad it will be over the summer.  There were sweets in the house due to my hubby and damn I have no willpower.  Now, for the past 2 days we have had company and you know what that entails...eating out for lunch and dinner on some days.  I am not ready to go back to work, but I need to get my eating under control.

Speaking of summer, I was feeling good about myself a few days ago and decided to try on the dreaded bathing suits.  WOW...not what I had envisioned in my head.  I bought 2 bikinis with good intentions at the end of last summer because they were on sale for cheap and they were cute.  I am not sure if I am going to be able to pull off the old 2 piece ever again.  We will see...I need to get rid of the pasty-white skin first and maybe that will do the trick.  The weather has been great and it has made me contemplate laying out and soaking in some rays, but then the wind blows a little and it is too cold for me.  I like really hot temps when I am laying out.  

Alright, enough rambling.  I need to go and work on K's room.  I hope it turns out good because turning it into a big girl room has taken up all of my spring break!

Day 5

Today is day 5 of my advocare cleanse and dang I am ready for it to be over.  The actual cleanse really has not been too bad and I am getting some results so it keeps me going for another 5 days, but it is tough to think about every little thing you eat and if it fits the guidelines.  It has curved my sweet tooth, which was taking over my entire body and the main reason I decided to start the cleanse.  So, overall I would say it has been a success with minor negatives.

I have worked out 3 times this week and wow it is completely different on a cleanse.  I have done the same workouts, but I have gotten really dizzy afterwards.  It has been to the point that I have had to sit down which is so not normal for me, ever.  I have never passed out, but the other day I thought I was going to.  Yesterday's workout was much better and I wasn't seeing birdies afterwards.

On a very positive note, Spring Break is next week.  Hallelujah!!!  Then only 11 more weeks until summer! That is not very long before I will be in a bathing suit almost every day.  

March 2012

Well, it is a new month, new blog background, and new weather.  I have taken the kids outside to play each night because it has been so pretty, but I know that sooner rather than later it is going to be too damn hot to do anything outside.  I have to enjoy it now!  The problem with it being so pretty outside is that my plans of working out in the evening get crushed and set aside because I would rather sip some wine and play with the kiddos than hit the gym.  I have to stay focused...so I took some march pics and did some measurements.  I thought I threw away my measurements from the beginning of December, but I was surprised to find them.  So here are my comparisons.  

December    March

Arms:  10 5/8 in.   10 1/2 in.

Chest:  37 in.  35 in.

Waist:  30 1/4 in.  29 in.

Hips:  37 1/4 in.  36 in.

Thighs:  22 in.  21 1/4 in. 

Some are very slight changes, but hey a change is a change and none of them went up.   I feel the exact same, my weight is the exact same, and my clothes fit the exact same so I really wasn't expecting anything.  Definitely still have lots of work to do and I need to get my butt back in gear.    

Back to the real world

We survived our virus infected trip to GWL.  I am so tired of my boys being sick.  Being a woman makes you tough and just get through it, but boys are a completely different story.  My big boy turns into a baby and my little boy is just sick and I feel bad for him.  L had a fever the whole weekend despite the antibiotics we started him on Friday night and I guess Chad has the same thing.  I was up all night with L at the hotel Saturday night while Chad came home and slept.  I think I slept an hour total.  It made for a really long day on Sunday.

On the other hand, our trip was pretty good.  I will definitely take them back when they are older and can ride all of the rides.  They have a cool kid area, wave pool, and lazy river that Kaylee enjoyed.  They had a little coloring area, arcade, and story time as well.  K really liked it and wants to go back.

I did pretty good with my eating while there.  We went out for mexican food on Saturday night and I had the soup and only a few chips.  Sunday morning I felt "hungover" due to the lack of sleep so the eating went down the drain all day on Sunday.  I was horrible.  I had a big cinnamon roll for breakfast, Fudruckers for lunch, and ramen for dinner along with lots of girl scout cookies.  How much salt can one person ingest in one day?  My goodness....

Now that I have a bazillion cookies in my house, it makes it hard to get back on track.  I gained 3 pounds over the weekend so I really need to get them back off.  I have to stick to my diet this week and hit the gym.

Meal Planning 2/26-3/3

Meal Planning 2/12-2/17

SUNDAY-Out of Town

MONDAY-Hot and Cheesy Chicken Casserole

TUESDAY- Left Overs

WEDNESDAY-Tex-Mex Chicken Casserole

THURSDAY- Left overs

FRIDAY- Baked Potatoes

SATURDAY- Left Overs

Good Weeks and not so good weekends

Weight loss is a never ending cycle of ups and downs for me.  I don't know if I am just not consistent enough, my husband life gets in the way, or if this is just normal.  I'm pretty sure it is a mixture of all 3 and probably some other stuff as well.

I have been doing great during the week, but the past 2 weekends have been rough with being out of town and our V-day celebration without the kiddos.  Who can resist good food and wine when you don't have kids to watch for the night?  It is called total relaxation and I enjoyed every bit of it.   This weekend is sure to be the same as the past two since we are going to GWL.  It never fails that after a day of swimming, I am starving and eat like a piggy.  I am going to try and keep it to a minimum.  Who am I kidding...it's not like I will really be swimming since I will probably be the one with L in the kiddie area just hanging out most of the day.

After this trip, I don't have anything planned until...well for a long time.  Therefore, I will be back on track.  I have started to feel better about the way I look since working out more regularly.  I have not lost any weight (I'm sitting at 149) but I feel like the cellulite and jiggly is getting a little better and I got a compliment on my ass which hasn't happened since I was about 24 years old.  So that is an compliment I will soak in and be happy very about!

Do you have any big plans coming up?    

A little update...

Well the past week or so has flown by and there is not enough time in the day to get anything accomplished.  I have been fighting off some horrible sweet cravings for the past week and to be honest I indulged quite a few times.  It has been rough and my scale has confirmed it.  There is always tomorrow, right?

I am back on track and have lost the 2 lbs I gained last week and yes, that means I paid $5 into our 90 day weight loss challenge.  On the other hand, my mom is killing the competition.  She has lost 15 lbs in the past 5 weeks and my dad is not too far behind.  They have done an awesome job eating and working out.  We all got memberships to Lifetime fitness and while it is sort of pricey it is amazing.  We all really enjoy going up there.  It is big and spacious with plenty of machines so you don't have to wait.  It is clean and the kid area is big and my kids like going there.  The kid area is included in our monthly cost and they will watch them for up to 2 hours each day.  The best part is the pool, sauna, and hot tub area. It is sort of like a hotel without rooms.  We all go work out and then swim with the kiddos for a while.  It has been fun!

So, I really am going to take some pictures at the beginning of March to see it there are any visible differences in my body.  My weight has pretty much been around the same for the past 2 months, but I feel like I am building some muscle.  I can't tell too much and/or maybe it is all in my own little head.   Who knows, but the next 2 weeks are going to be really busy with K's birthday, going to Austin for Chad's grandmother's birthday, and then Great Wolf lodge the following weekend.  I am so excited about GWL, but not excited about the bathing suit part...can we say pasty white skin...Ugh  

Meal Planning 2/12-2/17

Meal Planning 2/12-2/17

SUNDAY-Bacon and Potato Chowder

MONDAY-Left overs

TUESDAY- Turkey meatballs , rice, and veggies

WEDNESDAY- Bubble up Enchiladas

THURSDAY- Left overs

FRIDAY- Ham and Cheese Panini

SATURDAY- Out of Town

Meal Planning 2/6-2/11

Meal Planning 2/6-2/11

SUNDAY-Some really unhealthy SuperBowl Sunday Food

MONDAY-Slow Cooker Arroz Con Pollo ( this has been on the menu every week, but I still haven't made it)

TUESDAY- Left overs

WEDNESDAY- Chicken and Orzo Salad

THURSDAY- Left overs

FRIDAY- Bacon and Potato Chowder

SATURDAY- Left overs

Week #2

So, here is a recap of my work outs during week #2 of our challenge.  I told you all that last Sunday I did the bootcamp workout and it was hard!  My butt and legs were so (insert expletive here) sore until Thursday.  I couldn't just skip working out while sore so it was kind of good that Chad had some work stuff Monday night which therefore messed up my schedule and I couldn't go to spin until Tuesday.  Monday would have been killer.  So, I went to spin Tuesday and Wednesday and was feeling good.  Then, Thursday I got lazy and did nothing.  Friday, I was going to work out after work until Chad mentioned drinks and Chuy's and well you can guess what I chose.  Saturday I did the 2nd bootcamp work out that focuses on arms and well, I wasn't too impressed so Sunday I did lots of running.  I felt like Forest Gump, except my run was only 10 miles, but it was great for me.  It was my first double digit run and I kept my 9 1/2 minute mile pace pretty consistently.  I bounced between an 8 1/2 to a 9 1/2 minute pace.  So, overall it was a pretty good week of work outs minus the fact that I did not lift any weights.  My goal this week is to lift 3 days.

Now for food...I pretty much stayed right around 1300-1500 calories everyday except Friday and Sunday.  Friday I lost track at Chuy's, but I did well there and only ate a handful of chips and a small bowl of tortilla soup.  I am pretty sure my drink had more than enough calories in it, but it was oh so yummy and well worth the calories.  Sunday, we celebrated Lucas' 1st birthday and I very much indulged in cake and ice cream.  I felt so sick to my stomach afterwards.  Which is a good thing because I don't foresee myself giving into or having a sweet craving anytime soon.

So, my official weigh in this morning was 153.2 and that gives me a 1.2 lbs loss this week.  Wooohooo only $1 down again.

One week and only $1 down

Today is weigh in day and I am down 2 lbs so that means I only have to pay in $1.  My goal is still to only pay in $13 by the end of this thing and I hope my mom loses the most.  She had surgery last week therefore she is not able to work out for 6 weeks so it is going to be tough for her.

Chad, my dad, and Nick have been playing racquet ball and of course they have each lost like 10 lbs.  SERIOUSLY!  It is so unfair being a woman sometimes.  I come home almost everyday drenched in sweat and eat really well to only lose 2 lbs.  While Chad isn't even remotley sweaty and eats whatever he feels like...i.e. pizza 2x, 4 muffins as a dessert, BBQ.  It can really be frustrating.

At the same time, I have felt better this week and last with being on a consistent work out schedule.  I got some nice compliments at spin last Wednesday from the instructor and I feel like I am building some muscles.  I wish I would have taken some measurements at the beginning just to see how things change.  I know I should see a difference in clothes when I build muscle and not on the scale and, well, I am seeing a difference and it isn't pretty.  My pants have been feeling tighter this week, but I feel thinner.  It is kind of weird.  I have 12 more weeks to go on the challenge and a lot of time to see and feel a difference.

Oh I almost forgot...I did the day 1 BCx bootcamp workout yesterday morning and OMG my legs are so sore!  I don't think I am going to work out today because they need some time to recover.  I see why Megan likes it so much.  

Meal Planning

Meal Planning 1/15-1/21

SUNDAY-Taco Salad

MONDAY-Nachos

TUESDAY- Slow Cooker Arroz Con Pollo with veggies-joy of clean eating

WEDNESDAY- Left overs

THURSDAY- Sesame Crusted chicken with Green Beans

FRIDAY- Taco Calzone- joy of clean eating

SATURDAY- Brushetta Chicken with veggies-pinterest

New Challenge

Well, my food list and grocery shopping is complete for the week. This gives me my whole week to devote to a new challenge. I went to church yesterday and my mom told me about a weight loss challenge involving money with her and some of her friends. I love competition and I am trying to lose weight so I told her I was all in. Well, come to find out they are doing the final winner as the person who loses the most pounds...ugh not fair! Some of the guys of that particular group have a lot they can lose. I can't compete pound for pound with a male who weighs 240+. So, I was a little upset, but then my mom mentioned having a little family competition and now Chad, my mom and dad, and I are doing a 90 day money challenge. I volunteered Chad. LOL! We weigh in every monday and if you lose ANYTHING you put in $1 and if you gain you put in $5. At the end of the 90 days whoever loses the highest percentage will win the pot. There could be some big money involved if someone doesn't lose any. I am hoping that is not me!

I am a little worried because I have already lost a good amount and I am trying to build muscle. I have gained 2 lbs in the past week, I am starving ALL the time, and working out. I am not sure if the gain is muscle or it is because I am eating more. I am still trying to work through it all and figure out the best combination of calories. As I posted last time, I have read multiple things about increasing calories to build muscle and I decided to up them to 1450 per day but even with eating 1450, I am starving. My stomach is growling and moving all around yelling at me to eat so I know it is not me just wanting to eat. I don't know what to do, but I have to find a way to lose each week so that all I will pay in is $13.

Ultimately, I am doing this for my mom so it doesn't matter if I win or not. She does not like to lose money, but she really needs to do something about her weight and eating so I am really hoping this will do the trick. I love you mom, but you gotta get serious and get in shape!

Have a great week!

Meal Planning

Meal Planning 1/8-1/14

SUNDAY- Creamy Garlic and Broccoli Pasta (the joy of clean eating)

MONDAY- Left overs

TUESDAY- Chicken Pot Pie Soup (skinnytaste)

WEDNESDAY- Left over Soup

THURSDAY- Crescent Pocket Pizza (green lite bites)

FRIDAY- Taco Salad

SATURDAY- Tacos or Taco Salad using left overs

I'm not going to freak out..1st Weigh In

I have decided that I am going to stay true to my words and focus on building muscle and not about what the good old scale tells me.  This is going to be a huge struggle because y'all know that I feel a need to weigh myself everyday or my day just seems off and I am a little lost.

So far so good...this morning was the first time I have weighed myself since Saturday.  I am going to weigh myself once a week on Wednesday.  Now what was not so good, was my shocked face when I read 155.4 lbs this morning and I am trying to not freak out.  I have to keep telling myself that muscle weighs more than fat....the scale is not important.  I started a new work out routine this week that involves lifting weights and I am sore today so maybe it is some lactic acid build up.  It will all work out in the end, right?

I have read that my body needs 2300 calories to survive and build lean muscle, but I just cannot take that plunge yet.  2300 sounds incredibly high and I translate that to some major weight gain and not all of it being muscle.  I do know that it probably does need more than my usual 1200-1300 to build muscle instead of burning muscle when I work out and lift weights, but I just have not decided on a happy medium yet...any thoughts? So, there ya have it...my first weigh in of the new year and it was eye opening.  It is a new year and a new me!  I will not live by what the scale says!

Meal Planning

Meal Planning 1/1-1/7

SUNDAY- Chicken with Mushrooms and brown rice and veggies (Green Lite Bites)

MONDAY- Left over Chicken and Mushrooms

TUESDAY- Santa Fe Chicken with Brown Rice (Green Lite Bites)

WEDNESDAY- Left overs

THURSDAY- Bacon-Turkey Burgers with Chips (Green Lite Bites)

FRIDAY- Creamy Garlic Pasta with Broccoli and Chicken (the joy of clean eating)

SATURDAY- Pasta left overs

Left overs may change due to how much is left and how they taste. Here are the sites with the recipes.

Green Lite Bites
Joy of Clean Eating

Bring it on 2012!

I love fresh starts and the Lord knows that I need one after the past couple of weeks.  My body is pissed off and is craving healthy.  So, I am going to be cliche and restart my body today, the first day of 2012.  I have some big goals that I really want to achieve this year.  I know that I won't be perfect, but I truly want  to do my best.  So here is my list of Goals for this year:

• I am going to devote at least 4 hours a week to working out and just focusing on myself.
• I  am going to spend at least 15 minutes per day meditating and reading the Bible.
• I am going to plan out our dinners for the entire week and post it on my blog every Sunday.
• I am going to make sure I have all of the groceries we need by Sunday evening to ensure us sticking to the meal plans.
• I am going to be 130-135 lbs, toned, and with a hard tummy by December 31st, 2012.(BIG Goal)  
• I am going to plan fun activities and spend time with my kiddos every Saturday. (i.e. crafts, art, games, play areas, etc...) 
• I am going to drink 6 glasses of water every day

I am going to refer to these goals and give updates on how they are going each month.  I think 2012 my overall goal is to spend more time on me i.e.  mind, spirit, and body.

Now for the fun part...Please don't laugh or think bad thoughts when you see the next part.  I have been taking pictures each month with clothes on to show my progress, but it is hard to see depending on what I am wearing.  Therefore, I am going to bare it all and update on the first of each month.  The pictures are really more for me so that I can see the progress and analyze the changes throughout the year.  You all just get to see the ugly pics as I go... I really want to keep track and see some HUGE changes this year.  I am not going to focus on what the scale says, but more on the way my clothes fit and muscle building.  I have way too much jiggle for my liking...

Here are my current(beginning) body photos:

THIS is what I want...

Check out my Inspiration Board on Pinterest if you want to see more of my goal pics.  2012 is going to be GREAT!  Happy New Year!