My weekend

I had an awesome weekend!  

After being away for 7 days and then having to work all week, I needed time at home. 

 I couldn't wait for the weekend so that I could sit around in my pj's all day eating donuts and catching up on Grey's Anatomy. 

 Luckily, we had some guys coming over to work on our stairs, so it was the perfect excuse to lounge around all day. Look at how pretty they turned out!  Ignore all the different colored walls...we are working on it.  

I am in love! 

 Saturday night I got to join my girls at the Glass Cactus for Megan's birthday.  

It was AMAZING!  

Music, shaking my booty, food, drinks (ahem too many), and my favorite girls. 

 Let's be honest here...after a week of only being around my hubs, I needed a girl's night out.  

I got to meet some cool ladies, including the sweet Holly. 

 I am not a "big" blogger so I've really only followed friends and family, but I've been catching up on some great blogs that I have now discovered after Saturday.  

Who knew there were so many talented and hilarious blogs out there? 

Love Them! 

Birthday Girl!!!

Brandi freaking cracks me up.  There is never a dull moment with her.    

After spending the night away and not getting much sleep, I got to come home to my sweeties. 

I loved snuggling with this cute face all day. 

 Good thing I couldn't get enough kisses because we layed around ALL day.  

I'm not very old, but one day it just hits you and you can't party like you used to.  #oldageproblems I guess.  

Why oh why?

I did sooooo good with eating and exercising over my vacation and then came home and screwed it all up.  

I don't know why I always sabotage my good work, but I do.  

This past week I have indulged in some real fat girl meals that included taco bell, pizza, mexican food, and Whataburger.  

All in one week! 

Crazy!  

I have not worked out AT. ALL.  

There really isn't a good reason for it either. 

 I planned healthy meals for the week and went grocery shopping last Sunday so I would have all the ingredients.  

It has been a crazy week with getting the kiddos readjusted and work sucks, but there is no good reason for this kind of behavior.  

It makes me feel like shit and doesn't even taste that good.  

Plus, working out makes me happy so the fact that I didn't just provides me with the reason my week probably sucked. 

 If you follow me on instagram {arobertson1224} you have probably noticed that I haven't posted too many pictures this week.  

All of my bad eating and not working out puts a damper on everything so I didn't feel good enough to post pics.  

BUT I am done making myself feel that way and today I'm getting my running shoes back on and I'm working out. 

 I need to get the 5lbs off that I have gained and back on track with getting fit and toned. 

 I will be proud of myself and I will not continue to destroy all of the good work I have done so far. 

 Set backs are normal, but getting past them is what matters.

Happy Saturday!  

Vacation

I returned yesterday from our 7 night cruise.  I feel like I need a vacation from my vacation.  I'm exhausted this morning, but have to go back to work anyways.  

It is going to be a long week.  

We had so much fun on our cruise and there was definitely not a shortage of adult beverages and food consumed.  I think I ate enough for 3 people. 

 Have you ever been on a cruise?  

There is food available 24/7 and it is always amazing. I ate a decently healthy breakfast of oatmeal and maybe eggs every morning and a salad for lunch everyday.  

Don't worry...I overindulged every night with dinner and dessert.  Hello 3 course meals!

I enjoyed getting dressed up for dinner each night.  It was different from my normal sweats and workout gear!

I did workout everyday, except 1 because we went on a walking tour of the jungle.  My legs were so sore after each workout.  I think it was due to having to keep my balance while running on the treadmill due to the ship movement.  My balance sucks, so I tried lunges and quickly gave up on them.  I didn't want to fall over and embarass myself too much.  I need to hit up the gym today and get some good lunges and squats completed.  

Of course, we spent plenty of time in the sun. Ouch for some major sunburns.

We enjoyed our trip and are already planning another one with the whole fam.  We couldn't wait to get back and see these cuties.  

The age old question: How many calories should I eat?

The dreaded plateau of 152-155 for what feels like an eternity has finally come to an end.  I can't even remember when I first saw those numbers on the scale. I think it has been a good year and a half.  Finally, I decided that something must change.  I eat well, I workout, and I count calories, so something is not working.  Well, a few weeks ago I did a simple google search to find my BMR.  It was a very straight forward process and most sites like this will calculate it for you.  Depending on which site you choose, your numbers may be a little different.  There are a couple of different equations used to calculate and each site uses the one they prefer.  

A little history...this isn't the first time I have looked at these numbers.  I was a straight 1200 calories per day person for a long time and even 1200 felt like too many.  Remember, I had a very unhealthy, non-eating, anorexic background in high school.  So, when I first read my numbers I was shocked at what it told me I should be eating.  How could I possibly eat that much without gaining weight?  There was no way I could do it.  So, I didn't change and well, I pretty much stayed at the same weight forever.  A month or so after that I decided to up my calories to 1400 in hopes it would help.  It didn't and I still stayed the same.  

This time I committed to really going by the numbers.  What could it hurt?  1200-1400 was not working.  According to my BMR I should be consuming 2268 calories per day.  

 If I take that number and subtract 500-1000 for losing 1-2 pounds per week, then I would be at 1268-1768.  Well, I was at 1400 so I had to up them in hopes of making a change.  

I prayed that I would not gain.

  I decided to up them to 1700-1800 and to stick with it for a week to see if there would be some change.  I was shocked when I found that I was losing.  After an entire freaking year, the scale finally budged.  Hallelujah!  So, here I am 2 weeks in and I am down to 146lbs.  Hell yeah!  I even missed 3 workout sessions and did not change my calorie intake and didn't gain.  That was a miracle.  

Why am I sharing this? 

 For those of you that are like me and scared to up the calories.  Just do it.  It will make a difference!  Your body will use those "extra" calories and turn them into energy and will burn fat more efficiently.  I feel much better than I did at 1200 cals.  Trust the numbers and stick with it for a week to see how it goes.  It will not change overnight so you must give it a few days to adjust.      

So glad I can breathe again

I'm back!!!  I have been dying over here(that's what my dramatic hubby would say if he was sick) and finally I can see/feel the light at the end of the tunnel.  

I don't get sick often, actually I'm usually the only person in my house that doesn't get whatever is going around.  It's probably because I'm a teacher so I'm around crap all the time and I worked in an emergency room before that so my immune system is top notch.  I typically get some sort of sinus/head cold once a year, but nothing a little Sudafed can't kick in a day or 2.  This time was different and the medicine didn't even dent the pain and pressure.  On top of that, sorry TMI, I got a UTI.  I've never had one, but it was horrible, so I called up my doctor that I've only seen once when I had my car accident and they got me in yesterday.  One strong antibiotic later and I feel like I'm on top of the world again, well back to normal anyway.  

What else is going on?  Well we decided to change Luke's bed to a toddler bed due to him always being half way out and he is 2 years old now.  BIG mistake.  This boy is out of his bed all the time!  This is how I found him one morning.  

I really don't mind him sleeping on the floor, but the all night cry sessions have to stop.  I do not have a newborn right now so I should not be going through the cry it out method again.  Luckily, he has gotten better since my hubby insisted on just letting him cry the other night.  Have I mentioned that he screams?  Yep even as a little baby...it is hardcore screaming not just crying.  My daughter kept yelling from her room, "Luke get in your bed" in her best mommy voice.  She likes to be the boss.  It was hilarious.  

So lack of sleep and sickness at my house have been so much fun.  

I will be back at it today.  I have not worked out in 3 days and it is killing me.  I will be hitting the gym hard for the next 3 days.  We leave on Sunday for our cruise!  Can. not. wait.  Don't worry...I will be using their gym everyday as well.    

Dear March, Cruise, and Looking good

Dear March,
I am so glad you decided to finally show up.  I have been thinking about you and all you will bring me for about 8 months now.  I have looked forward to your bright sun, cold drinks, and time away from work.  I love the freshness you bring and the way you suddenly make me feel like summer is just around the corner, even when it is still 50 degrees some days.  I look forward to a new month and a fresh start.  I am going to enjoy all 31 days of your bliss.

That is right bitches March is my cruise month.  Hallelujah!  I will be setting sail in 10 days for a wonderful 7 day western caribbean cruise.  I CANNOT wait.  Although, I am already freaking out about not being around my kiddos and something happening while I am not here.  I just pray they are in good hands.  I told my hubby that he needs to find a way for me to use my phone everyday so that I can FaceTime them and check in.  Plus, who can go 7 days without IG or FB? Definitely, not me.

This week has been super busy with school and work so I wasn't able to workout Monday or Thursday and it has made me feel like a complete fat ass.  I know it is crazy, but yesterday I felt like I had gained all my weight back and my muscles suddenly disappeared.  I am getting so close to wearing that bikini and I need every workout possible to help tone some areas up.  They are not looking too good as of last weekend when I tried the dreaded things on, but it is better than last year.  Yes, I plan on working out everyday on my cruise and not just because I will be eating lots of delicious food, but because all of this work is for more than just a vacation, it is for my life.  I want to feel good and look my best everyday.

Some people at work have asked me recently if I have big plans every day after work because I am always dressed up and look good.  When I tell them no, I actually go home, change into sweats to work on school stuff and hit up the gym they don't understand why I get so dressed up for work.  Although I teach high school students and they really don't care, it makes me feel better all day when I feel good and think I look good.  I get dressed up for ME.  When I dress all frumpy I get pissed easier and am not as easy going.  This year has been new in the getting dressed up and make up every day department.  I used to be the teacher that put on decent clothes(not super cute) and used a little tinted moisturizer and mascara only.  I just didn't feel pretty and I wasn't happy.  So this year I decided to make a change because I am starting to feel better in my own skin.  I feel like I have put in a lot of hard work for my current body and I want to leave my house in the morning flaunting it.  I don't want to look in the mirror between every class(yes I go to the restroom in between them all) and feel gross.  I want to look in the mirror and feel confident.  Therefore, yes I will get dressed up everyday, yes I will put on all of my makeup so that it is still there in the evening, and yes I will look better and feel better because I put in the time.  I will do it all for me and no one else. 

Happy Friday!!!