Friday, April 1, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
I'm Baaaaack!!!!
Hello dear friends - is it okay if I call you that? It's been more than a while....closer to five months. I've actually had a few people tell me that I really need to update this thing and believe me, I've been thinking about it for quite some time (almost 5 months, ha! ha!) and first there was the holidays - my weight went back up to around 239 and I literally struggled, like I have the past YEAR to get on the losing track again and it just wasn't working...so I gave up. Just kidding. I actually just kept trying to get back in that special weight loss zone - where I am not only physically in it, but mentally in it - and I found my zone at the beginning of March. I am eating A LOT better - conscious of my decisions, weighing (ha) my options when it comes to eating out and closely following a plan that at this point shall remain nameless.....but do not fear - the plan is realistic and something I could do for a very long time. As of this past Saturday I weighed in at 225.1 - I now weigh 2 pounds less than when I got pregnant with the twins 8 years ago. I still weigh in every morning, but my official, put-it-in-the-books weigh in is every Saturday morning. I have lost 14 pounds in about 4 weeks and it is almost laughable to see my body respond to me eating well again - it's been waiting for this moment for over a year while I pushed it at the gym and then crapped around with my eating and now it is very responsive and I can't wait to see what the next 45 pounds brings. More later - and by later I mean Saturday or Sunday - not August = ) I will get some pictures up here too!
this is me now
this is me now
Thursday, November 11, 2010
My Theme Song.....
Yep, that's right. I have a theme song because I'm delusional cool like that. I love this song by Miss Natasha.....it makes for some great running/lifting motivation. Enjoy!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Hardest Things I Do At The Gym....
Do you have those one, two or maybe three things at the gym that are absolutely hard? No matter how many people do them well, it seems like you struggle with them? Here are a FEW of mine:
1. Push-Ups: I blame my height - at 6'2" this girl has some long limbs...I totally rock the kneeling "girl" push-ups, but don't ask me to do the "boy" push-ups because I can only eek out 2 or 3. And don't even get me started on the "tricep push-ups" I can only go down about 1/2 way while I'm on my knees because I definitely fear that my face will meet the floor with a great big thud. We do these at BodyCombat and while I've definitely improved a lot, they are still very challenging.
2. Running: I don't know why, but it is a true struggle for me to run. I think I have good form, but I am just so slow - doesn't mean that I don't try, I do - but I don't have that natural gift of gracefully trotting around the track - it's more like a clopping =)
3. Step-Mill: Holy Cow! If you want to see Em sweat take a gander at me while I'm on the step-mill. It is ridiculously hard for me. I sweat, I breathe hard, I sweat some more and pray to make it to the end of my workout. I would honestly rather RUN (see #2) than do the step-mill. That being said....
I do all 3 of these things at least twice a week. I've started "warming up" with a mile run around the track at the gym every day. Am I fast? Nope. Does my butt jiggle when I run? You betcha. But I do it because I know that eventually I'll get faster - even if it's only shaving 10 seconds off my time - it's still something. Today I ran my mile in 8:45 - fastest I've ever done it. And at the end of my run I thought "Man, I'm slow, let's see what I can do tomorrow". Same with the step-mill - it was HARD to finish those 40 minutes today and I will get my push-ups on at my class on Wednesday and Friday (assuming my daughter doesn't bite anyone). I guess my point is (cheesy line coming up) the HARD is what makes the journey/day/workout worth it - because then it ends up that I've really accomplished something that day.
My question for you is, what are you doing or maybe avoiding that is hard for you to do in your workouts? Think of something you can do this week that will take you out of your "routine" and really help you push yourself!
this is me now
1. Push-Ups: I blame my height - at 6'2" this girl has some long limbs...I totally rock the kneeling "girl" push-ups, but don't ask me to do the "boy" push-ups because I can only eek out 2 or 3. And don't even get me started on the "tricep push-ups" I can only go down about 1/2 way while I'm on my knees because I definitely fear that my face will meet the floor with a great big thud. We do these at BodyCombat and while I've definitely improved a lot, they are still very challenging.
2. Running: I don't know why, but it is a true struggle for me to run. I think I have good form, but I am just so slow - doesn't mean that I don't try, I do - but I don't have that natural gift of gracefully trotting around the track - it's more like a clopping =)
3. Step-Mill: Holy Cow! If you want to see Em sweat take a gander at me while I'm on the step-mill. It is ridiculously hard for me. I sweat, I breathe hard, I sweat some more and pray to make it to the end of my workout. I would honestly rather RUN (see #2) than do the step-mill. That being said....
I do all 3 of these things at least twice a week. I've started "warming up" with a mile run around the track at the gym every day. Am I fast? Nope. Does my butt jiggle when I run? You betcha. But I do it because I know that eventually I'll get faster - even if it's only shaving 10 seconds off my time - it's still something. Today I ran my mile in 8:45 - fastest I've ever done it. And at the end of my run I thought "Man, I'm slow, let's see what I can do tomorrow". Same with the step-mill - it was HARD to finish those 40 minutes today and I will get my push-ups on at my class on Wednesday and Friday (assuming my daughter doesn't bite anyone). I guess my point is (cheesy line coming up) the HARD is what makes the journey/day/workout worth it - because then it ends up that I've really accomplished something that day.
My question for you is, what are you doing or maybe avoiding that is hard for you to do in your workouts? Think of something you can do this week that will take you out of your "routine" and really help you push yourself!
this is me now
Friday, October 29, 2010
A Promise Is A Promise
Please, do not adjust your computer screens - this is actually happening.....blogging twice in one week. I know, it is a little freaky, but just keep reading and everything will be alright. I promised to share some of my new favorites, but first I want to share a "victory" from this week.
Wednesdays and Fridays I take a BodyCombat class at the gym. I have been going for probably 4 or 5 months and I looove it. It is hard, makes me wish I was dead and I look forward to the classes each week. This past Wednesday I dropped my sweet girl Livvy off at the gym daycare and headed up to class. About 20 minutes in one of the workers came to get me out of class - I thought maybe she had a stinky diaper - turns out she BIT a little boys ear.....needless to say, we were sent home for the day. And while I was very upset with my daughter, I confess that I was also very upset for myself. It's been a rough week - I've been doing what I do and for some reason my 234.4 has been a stinkin' 238.3 for much of the week (I was down to 236.7 this morning). I was so upset that I drove across the parking lot to Target - I had a plan..... a plan to eat. I mean, what else was I going to do ???? I could feel all of that anxiety of missing my class and the frustration of jumping back up few pounds building up inside and I instinctively went for the quick fix. I sat in my truck in the parking lot of Target with the engine running for a good 5 minutes - going over in my mind the advantages of getting some junk to eat, how it would make me feel better and make the "situation" not so upsetting. Then I looked at my daughter in the backseat and I wondered what kind of example I was being - and why her biting a kids ear was a free pass to hurt myself - because I would be hating what I'd done a few hours after the binge..... So I drove me and my Mike Tyson daughter home - I immediately pulled out the stroller, put my water in the basket, grabbed my i-pod and went for a great walk/jog for 40 minutes. And I got to take my class today, sweated like crazy, wished for death and left excited for it happen all over again next week.
Moving on...... here are some of the things I've been eating the past month or so.
Breakfast for the past couple of months has been oatmeal. I buy the huge bags of the regular Quaker Oats from Costco - it has to be cooked for 5minutes on the stove. So I set my timer for 3:30 and while that's going I slice up a banana (small or medium, whatever works) and stir the banana in for the last 1:30. After it's all cooked up and in the bowl I add a ton of cinnamon, a packet of splenda/truvia/whatever and add a 1/2 cup of almond or 1% milk when I'm ready to eat it. Tastes like banana nut bread - it is so good and filling.
For my post workout snack I have been having a Myoplex CarbAdvantage chocolate fudge shake and a peanut butter tote. You can find the recipe here - Corinne over at Phit-n-Phat provided links to her recipe book at SparkPeople. Me and Livvy loooove teh pb totes - I end up cutting them into eight squares and we each have one 4 days a week. Make sure you wrap each one in tinfoil after you cut them - mine take around 45 to 50 minutes to cook and I always sprinkle one packet of splenda on top of the whole thing right after it comes out of the oven.
For lunches I have been eating - drumroll please......... Michaelina's Frozen Entree's - I am serious as a heart attack. My beautiful sister Glamazon got me hooked. She loves the Lean Shrimp and Pasta (totally delish) and I'm a bit addicted to the regular manicotti. It seems like a weird thing to have, but they are low in calories and it helps me through the toughest part of my day - I always pair it with a spinach salad: 3 cups of spinach, 1/3 avacado, 2 T. Light Zesty Italian and 1/2 T. of sunflower seeds. In this picture I added 1/4 c. of garbanzo beans and I really did NOT like them in the salad.
Wednesdays and Fridays I take a BodyCombat class at the gym. I have been going for probably 4 or 5 months and I looove it. It is hard, makes me wish I was dead and I look forward to the classes each week. This past Wednesday I dropped my sweet girl Livvy off at the gym daycare and headed up to class. About 20 minutes in one of the workers came to get me out of class - I thought maybe she had a stinky diaper - turns out she BIT a little boys ear.....needless to say, we were sent home for the day. And while I was very upset with my daughter, I confess that I was also very upset for myself. It's been a rough week - I've been doing what I do and for some reason my 234.4 has been a stinkin' 238.3 for much of the week (I was down to 236.7 this morning). I was so upset that I drove across the parking lot to Target - I had a plan..... a plan to eat. I mean, what else was I going to do ???? I could feel all of that anxiety of missing my class and the frustration of jumping back up few pounds building up inside and I instinctively went for the quick fix. I sat in my truck in the parking lot of Target with the engine running for a good 5 minutes - going over in my mind the advantages of getting some junk to eat, how it would make me feel better and make the "situation" not so upsetting. Then I looked at my daughter in the backseat and I wondered what kind of example I was being - and why her biting a kids ear was a free pass to hurt myself - because I would be hating what I'd done a few hours after the binge..... So I drove me and my Mike Tyson daughter home - I immediately pulled out the stroller, put my water in the basket, grabbed my i-pod and went for a great walk/jog for 40 minutes. And I got to take my class today, sweated like crazy, wished for death and left excited for it happen all over again next week.
Moving on...... here are some of the things I've been eating the past month or so.
Breakfast for the past couple of months has been oatmeal. I buy the huge bags of the regular Quaker Oats from Costco - it has to be cooked for 5minutes on the stove. So I set my timer for 3:30 and while that's going I slice up a banana (small or medium, whatever works) and stir the banana in for the last 1:30. After it's all cooked up and in the bowl I add a ton of cinnamon, a packet of splenda/truvia/whatever and add a 1/2 cup of almond or 1% milk when I'm ready to eat it. Tastes like banana nut bread - it is so good and filling.
For my post workout snack I have been having a Myoplex CarbAdvantage chocolate fudge shake and a peanut butter tote. You can find the recipe here - Corinne over at Phit-n-Phat provided links to her recipe book at SparkPeople. Me and Livvy loooove teh pb totes - I end up cutting them into eight squares and we each have one 4 days a week. Make sure you wrap each one in tinfoil after you cut them - mine take around 45 to 50 minutes to cook and I always sprinkle one packet of splenda on top of the whole thing right after it comes out of the oven.
For lunches I have been eating - drumroll please......... Michaelina's Frozen Entree's - I am serious as a heart attack. My beautiful sister Glamazon got me hooked. She loves the Lean Shrimp and Pasta (totally delish) and I'm a bit addicted to the regular manicotti. It seems like a weird thing to have, but they are low in calories and it helps me through the toughest part of my day - I always pair it with a spinach salad: 3 cups of spinach, 1/3 avacado, 2 T. Light Zesty Italian and 1/2 T. of sunflower seeds. In this picture I added 1/4 c. of garbanzo beans and I really did NOT like them in the salad.
This week was interesting - by interesting I mean mentally hard - but I feel like I "won" the week and can't wait for the next seven days.
this is me now.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Are any of you still out there? If you are.....bless your hearts! Thanks for staying interested - whether it's interested in if I'm still losing weight or if I've started gaining it back - whatever floats your boat =)
These past 6 weeks have been interesting....actually more like the past 4 weeks. The first 2 of the 6 weeks since I've posted were pretty much like most of my year has been...... struggling like crazy just to "maintain" or not gain too much weight. I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again, but this changing my life and being different and focusing on the journey and not the destination crap is HARD.
It's hard to find new ways to motivate myself, it's hard coming up with new routines at the gym, it's hard driving home from a trip to Target or Costco and not stopping at McDonald's for lunch, it's hard to lose 63 pounds and then gain some of them back and fluctuate between a 55 pound and 60 pound loss for 6 freakin' months (that's not just hard, it totally sucks too!)
But it's also definitely hard to be so heavy that you only have 3 shirts to wear, it's hard to be so big that all you do is sweat - doesn't matter if it's the middle of summer or the middle of winter, it's hard to LOOK at yourself at 297 pounds and feel like an absolute failure.
Both things are hard - it's hard to change and it's just as hard to stay the same..... I guess it just depends on how "hard" I want my life to be.
Well, I've kept going and it finally clicked again.... thanks in part to my sister, the beautiful Glamazon , we had a conversation about a month ago and she was telling me about how much weight she had been losing and in the middle of our convo I recognized her journey because it was a lot like mine - more like the 2009 journey and not so much the 2010 journey - and all of a sudden everything clicked again! As of Saturday I weighed in at 234.4 - I have lost almost 8 pounds in the last 4 weeks. I feel happy and focused and driven....I feel like my old, new self. I have some new favorites - as in breakfast, lunch and snacks that I will be posting about later this week...promise!
this is me now
These past 6 weeks have been interesting....actually more like the past 4 weeks. The first 2 of the 6 weeks since I've posted were pretty much like most of my year has been...... struggling like crazy just to "maintain" or not gain too much weight. I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again, but this changing my life and being different and focusing on the journey and not the destination crap is HARD.
It's hard to find new ways to motivate myself, it's hard coming up with new routines at the gym, it's hard driving home from a trip to Target or Costco and not stopping at McDonald's for lunch, it's hard to lose 63 pounds and then gain some of them back and fluctuate between a 55 pound and 60 pound loss for 6 freakin' months (that's not just hard, it totally sucks too!)
But it's also definitely hard to be so heavy that you only have 3 shirts to wear, it's hard to be so big that all you do is sweat - doesn't matter if it's the middle of summer or the middle of winter, it's hard to LOOK at yourself at 297 pounds and feel like an absolute failure.
Both things are hard - it's hard to change and it's just as hard to stay the same..... I guess it just depends on how "hard" I want my life to be.
Well, I've kept going and it finally clicked again.... thanks in part to my sister, the beautiful Glamazon , we had a conversation about a month ago and she was telling me about how much weight she had been losing and in the middle of our convo I recognized her journey because it was a lot like mine - more like the 2009 journey and not so much the 2010 journey - and all of a sudden everything clicked again! As of Saturday I weighed in at 234.4 - I have lost almost 8 pounds in the last 4 weeks. I feel happy and focused and driven....I feel like my old, new self. I have some new favorites - as in breakfast, lunch and snacks that I will be posting about later this week...promise!
Monday, September 13, 2010
One Year Older and Wiser Too
I turned 33 yesterday. I'm not one of those people that gets freaked out by getting older - didn't care when I turned 30 and I'm hoping to feel the same way about 40, 50, 60 (you get the picture). This year for my birthday I got exactly what I wanted - a Wendy's card from grandma and grandpa (such a treat!), a gift card from my parents, a gift certificate for a 1 hour massage (I'm excited beyond belief about it), an i-tunes card - I can never have too many great songs for my workouts, from the hubs, and a beautiful bracelet from my daughters. The hubs made an awesome cake and we tolerated enjoyed a nice, crazy, noisy Sunday with the kids. I am looking forward to this next year - a year of trying to live a balanced life, a year of respecting my body and appreciating the gift that it truley is, of trying new things and seeing endless possibilities.
this is me now.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
A compliment.....
A lady in my BodyCombat class came up to me on Wednesday after we were done and said "You did such a good job, I'm new to class and I just followed you the whole time". I completely realize that I'm patting myself on the back right now, but that was such an amazing compliment. I try really hard to get my form right on all of our punches and kicks and it was nice to know that I'm doing it well enough that someone feels like they can look at me to see what we're doing.........or else they can't see past me and they have no other choice =).
Countdown to baby time. My birthday is approaching. If you will remember several posts ago I said we would start trying for our 4th baby (I know, we kind of think we're crazy too) when I lost 30 more pounds or turned 33, whichever came first. Obviously the 33 is coming first because I just don't think I'll be losing 30 pounds in 3 1/2 weeks.....Actually, if I would have been posting this 2 years ago I'm positive that I would have thought I could lose 30 pounds in 3 1/2 weeks, then been so disappointed in myself for not losing the weight that I probably would have gained an extra 10 before I got pregnant. Not that I'm expecting to get pregnant right away, but by the end of the year would be fabulous.
this is me now.
Countdown to baby time. My birthday is approaching. If you will remember several posts ago I said we would start trying for our 4th baby (I know, we kind of think we're crazy too) when I lost 30 more pounds or turned 33, whichever came first. Obviously the 33 is coming first because I just don't think I'll be losing 30 pounds in 3 1/2 weeks.....Actually, if I would have been posting this 2 years ago I'm positive that I would have thought I could lose 30 pounds in 3 1/2 weeks, then been so disappointed in myself for not losing the weight that I probably would have gained an extra 10 before I got pregnant. Not that I'm expecting to get pregnant right away, but by the end of the year would be fabulous.
this is me now.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Pluggin' Along
Still here. Still trying. Still struggling to come up with "interesting" posts about my latest accomplishments, which is pretty much that I'm maintaining my weight. And while that's a good thing - when I think about how many years I slowly gained another 20 pounds each year(must have been at least 6, not counting the two years I was pregnant) I have to say that maintaining is a pretty significant thing. The flip side of that is I have been at the same weight for pretty much all of 2010. Realistically, there's NOTHING wrong with that (sometimes it helps to put things in caps, mostly for my benefit). I honestly get up each day and go out in the hot Vegas sun without sweating much - 60 pounds and 16 months ago I was sweating a bunch in the 70 degree weather in Idaho. I am not self-conscious anymore. I enjoy where I'm at and what I'm doing and hardly give my body a second thought. I feel confident at the gym and go 5 days a week - I love it. I went to the movies with the hubs last Saturday and slid right into the seat - I remember barely squeezing into movie seats and setting the popcorn on the floor, having it tip over and just wanting to crawl in a hole and die because I was going to have to bend over to pick up the bag and I knew my butt would be hanging out, my stomach would only let me bend over so far and would be silently berating myself for being such a fat, blah, blah, blah.... you get the picture.
Am I happy with where I am? Yes, I would say my maintaining my weight would answer that. Am I content? No. I still have a number in mind and that number is 180. Right now I would settle for 220. By Thanksgiving. Putting it out there again. It kind of seems lame to me that I keep getting on here, stating pretty much the same things, and then getting on 3 or 4 weeks later and doing it all over again. But, I'm a work in progress.
Is my journey over? Nope. Am I still trying? Yep. Do I get discouraged? Of course! Will I give up? Never!
this is me now
Am I happy with where I am? Yes, I would say my maintaining my weight would answer that. Am I content? No. I still have a number in mind and that number is 180. Right now I would settle for 220. By Thanksgiving. Putting it out there again. It kind of seems lame to me that I keep getting on here, stating pretty much the same things, and then getting on 3 or 4 weeks later and doing it all over again. But, I'm a work in progress.
this is me now
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Favorite Smoothie So Far.......
So, I loooove the Green Monster. It is amazing. It is great. However, I think I mighta found something I love a little more. My girls wanted a smoothie for breakfast last Thursday - but one of my twins hates bananas and they were going to share - so I grabbed my ginormous bag of strawberries from the freezer - popped 6 frozen strawberries, one container of raspberry carbmaster yogurt & one cup of almond milk in the blender. They loved it and it got me thinking about my love of the GM and wondering how it might taste with the strawberries instead of the banana. And then I continued thinking about how nice it might be to add the container of carb-smart yogurt to the mix. And THEN I started thinking about how it might taste totally awesome with a little bit of coconut extract to it and guess what? SO freakin' good. Seriously. Here's the breakdown:
2 T. Ground Flax
2 C. Fresh Spinach
1 Container Kroger CarbMaster Raspberry yogurt
1 C. Almond Milk
6 Frozen Strawberries
1/3 Capful of Coconut Extract (totally optional)
This is 290 Calories. It contains 19g of protein and 14g of fiber. If you wanted to, you could always do 1T. of flax and that would bring your calories down to 255 - but it is seriously so full of good stuff that I think the extra 35 calories are worth it. And protein is SO, SO, SO important when you working hard and weight training. Anyway, I'm just loving this right now - and it's still a very cheap meal and you're getting 19g of protein (12 of it is from the yogurt) without having to buy protein powder - and 14g of fiber, holla!
Moving on. I last weighed in on Friday and my weight was 238.4. I am very pleased with that number. I am hoping I'm down to 237 by Friday or Saturday of this week - I'm making the choices that should put me there.
this is me now.
2 T. Ground Flax
2 C. Fresh Spinach
1 Container Kroger CarbMaster Raspberry yogurt
1 C. Almond Milk
6 Frozen Strawberries
1/3 Capful of Coconut Extract (totally optional)
This is 290 Calories. It contains 19g of protein and 14g of fiber. If you wanted to, you could always do 1T. of flax and that would bring your calories down to 255 - but it is seriously so full of good stuff that I think the extra 35 calories are worth it. And protein is SO, SO, SO important when you working hard and weight training. Anyway, I'm just loving this right now - and it's still a very cheap meal and you're getting 19g of protein (12 of it is from the yogurt) without having to buy protein powder - and 14g of fiber, holla!
Moving on. I last weighed in on Friday and my weight was 238.4. I am very pleased with that number. I am hoping I'm down to 237 by Friday or Saturday of this week - I'm making the choices that should put me there.
this is me now.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Week In Review
So, this week I finally tried something I've heard about for the last 6 or 7 months it's called The Green Monster and I looooooove it. I've tried the "original" monster and the Blueberry-Banana and I have to say that I'm a big fan of the original. I have had it twice first thing in the morning and once mid-afternoon and it really does give you ENERGY. It definitely helped with my mid-afternoon slump. I bought a HUGE bag of ground flax from Costco for around $8 and I freeze my bananas - I also used regular 1% milk, but I'm going to get some almond milk this week and try it. Give one a try and let me know what you think - you will NOT be able to taste the spinach - maybe in the first sip - but after that it tastes like a yummy banana smoothie.
I weighed 240.1 yesterday morning. The reason I am using my weigh-in from yesterday is because PMS has reared its ugly head and I am now a puffy marshmallow - puffiness will ensue for the next 2 or 3 days.
So, I changed my weight routine this week, and of course I used two of the workouts from this months issue of Oxygen . My body has responded in the best way it knows how - being absolutely sore. I am still taking BodyCombat twice a week - I really love it. Heavens knows I will never be a boxer (much, much too slow), but I enjoy how strong I feel. I have also been running twice a week - my goal it to build up to 5 miles per run. I am currently at 3 1/2 miles. I also do some sort of cardio on Mondays - usually the stepmill. Working out has not been something I've struggled with this past 14 months. It's the darned nutrition. I read this week in Corrine's post over at Phit-N-Phat that most "experts" will tell you that losing weight and living a healthy lifestyle is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. She took it a step further and said that it is 60% MENTAL 35% nutrition and 5% exercise (she actually put 25% nutrition but those numbers add up to 90 and I'm pretty sure she was shooting for 100%). Her advice is to GET THE HECK OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY. I believe it because I've lived it. The months when I've lived with my "healthy" mindset have been the most rewarding and easiest of my journey. I'm getting back to that. Until next time.
this is me now
I weighed 240.1 yesterday morning. The reason I am using my weigh-in from yesterday is because PMS has reared its ugly head and I am now a puffy marshmallow - puffiness will ensue for the next 2 or 3 days.
So, I changed my weight routine this week, and of course I used two of the workouts from this months issue of Oxygen . My body has responded in the best way it knows how - being absolutely sore. I am still taking BodyCombat twice a week - I really love it. Heavens knows I will never be a boxer (much, much too slow), but I enjoy how strong I feel. I have also been running twice a week - my goal it to build up to 5 miles per run. I am currently at 3 1/2 miles. I also do some sort of cardio on Mondays - usually the stepmill. Working out has not been something I've struggled with this past 14 months. It's the darned nutrition. I read this week in Corrine's post over at Phit-N-Phat that most "experts" will tell you that losing weight and living a healthy lifestyle is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. She took it a step further and said that it is 60% MENTAL 35% nutrition and 5% exercise (she actually put 25% nutrition but those numbers add up to 90 and I'm pretty sure she was shooting for 100%). Her advice is to GET THE HECK OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY. I believe it because I've lived it. The months when I've lived with my "healthy" mindset have been the most rewarding and easiest of my journey. I'm getting back to that. Until next time.
this is me now
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Don't Worry.....
I am one to automatically think the worst has happened - for instance, my sister called me at 7 a.m. about 6 weeks ago and my first thought is, crap! something is wrong with the baby (she's pregnant). Turns out that the reason she called is she thought it was 8 a.m. here - crazy girl! And just wanted to chat.
The reason I'm stating this is because I didn't want anyone thinking the "worst" has happened to poor Emily and she has given up on herself. Truthfully, I have been having a VERY difficult time keeping my momentum going - it seems like one thing after another has happened (i.e. washer & dryer died, vacuum died, needed new tires on the Expedition, had to get a root canal) and I have dealt with them in the way I have done the past 12 years of my life - with a lot of food and I am slowly dealing with that. This morning I weighed 242.4 - after reading my posts of the last few months I realize that I am pretty much at a standstill - it feels like it is taking all of my effort just to stay within a reasonable weight fluctuation - and it is through no one's fault but my own - I haven't been eating well and have really been feeling down in the dumps. Poor combination. However, that doesn't mean I'm giving up and feel "destined" to be where I'm at. I'm putting my weight out there. AGAIN. I'm posting my truth. AGAIN. and I am going to keep living my life each day with the intention of living it on purpose. I am aiming to MAKE choices each day that will bring me closer to living the life that's important to me - as a healthy wife, mother, daughter and friend.
I'm also contemplating combining this blog with my Emily's Big News blog - because my life ain't all about trying to lose weight and I've thought it might be best to combine the two because a) I've been horrible about blogging on either one of them and think it might be less "overwhelming" b) I'm not self-conscious anymore about my friends and family that only visit EBN finding out that I used to weigh 297.2 and c) I can do what I want because these are my blogs =). Let me know what you think - okay, let me rephrase - if 2 or 3 of you would be willing to leave a comment on this I would really appreciate it!!!
this is me now.
The reason I'm stating this is because I didn't want anyone thinking the "worst" has happened to poor Emily and she has given up on herself. Truthfully, I have been having a VERY difficult time keeping my momentum going - it seems like one thing after another has happened (i.e. washer & dryer died, vacuum died, needed new tires on the Expedition, had to get a root canal) and I have dealt with them in the way I have done the past 12 years of my life - with a lot of food and I am slowly dealing with that. This morning I weighed 242.4 - after reading my posts of the last few months I realize that I am pretty much at a standstill - it feels like it is taking all of my effort just to stay within a reasonable weight fluctuation - and it is through no one's fault but my own - I haven't been eating well and have really been feeling down in the dumps. Poor combination. However, that doesn't mean I'm giving up and feel "destined" to be where I'm at. I'm putting my weight out there. AGAIN. I'm posting my truth. AGAIN. and I am going to keep living my life each day with the intention of living it on purpose. I am aiming to MAKE choices each day that will bring me closer to living the life that's important to me - as a healthy wife, mother, daughter and friend.
I'm also contemplating combining this blog with my Emily's Big News blog - because my life ain't all about trying to lose weight and I've thought it might be best to combine the two because a) I've been horrible about blogging on either one of them and think it might be less "overwhelming" b) I'm not self-conscious anymore about my friends and family that only visit EBN finding out that I used to weigh 297.2 and c) I can do what I want because these are my blogs =). Let me know what you think - okay, let me rephrase - if 2 or 3 of you would be willing to leave a comment on this I would really appreciate it!!!
this is me now.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Week In Review
I have now realized the importance of an ACCURATE scale. The one I bought last year had been very consistent up until about 3 months ago. These past few months, everytime I would get on the scale it would read something entirely different - we are talking from one minute to another. I would get up in the morning, weigh myself, go to the bathroom, weigh myself again and weigh 2 or 3 pounds more than I did. And while I knew that it was pretty much impossible for that to be right, it still reaked major havoc in my head. So, while I was at Costco yesterday I bought a new scale - it was less than $20, but a good one. Just to test it out yesterday I weighed myself in 4 different rooms of the house and I weighed the SAME in each room. I was so freakin' excited - sounds stupid, but I feel like that's one thing that I can rely on to accurately reflect my progress. So, my weight this morning is 239.4 - I'm very happy with that number. I also know that I probably didn't weight 245.4 last week seeing as I was weighing on old unreliable (oh yeah, that stupid scale now has a nickname).
I have also learned this week that I feel strong and sexy (whoa!) after I've finished my BodyCombat class on Wednesdays and Fridays - I leave feeling so powerful and confident.
We are headed up to Mount Charleston to take the girls for a hike - probably around 2 miles. It is supposed to be 103 today in Vegas and MC is only 1 hour away and a 30 degree difference so it will definitely be worth the drive.
I bought some turkey (previously mentioned here), wholly guacamole, sprouts, banana peppers and alpine multi-grain bread for lunches this week. I've also been buying a ton of produce lately - lovely watermelons, strawberries, kiwi, bananas, and salad fixins. I have also been completing my "Gallon Challenge" each day this week and it has been an easy thing to do - the hubs picked up his own gallon jug yesterday.
Here's to a day of hiking and swimming - we will be hiding in our house tomorrow after church - it's supposed to be 108. Yikes!!!!
this is me now
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Feeling Better
Apparently all I needed was great Memorial Day weekend to get things in perspective. I was VERY excited to get to the gym today. I am doing a new weight circuit from this months issue of Oxygen Magazine and it felt great! I realized this morning that I haven't lifted weights for 3 WEEKS!!!!! So crazy! I know for me personally, lifting weights makes me happy - gives me those great endorphins that I really need to stay motivated. I also started drinking (as of yesterday) a gallon of water - I'm planning on doing this for the next several weeks to see if it makes a difference in my hunger, etc. It also doesn't hurt with the lovely summer heat of Vegas to stay really hydrated - it was 95 yesterday and is currently 92 right now. We are supposed to have our first 100+ day of the year by the end of this week. The heat of summer ratches up my ice cream cravings and today I had something that was SO SO good. I have a bunch of frozen bananas in my freezer (the best place to keep frozen bananas. ha!ha!) and I took one out today, sliced it up (note to self: next time slice bananas before freezing), put it in a bowl and drizzled a tablespoon of chocolate magic shell and a small bit of whipped cream on top. It was delicious and totally felt like a treat - which is pretty much was with the chocolate.
I am looking forward to the rest of the week. The twins will have their first official summer break as of tomorrow at 9:55 and I am pretty excited to have them at home for the next 3 months. My little Livy bug will be turning 2 tomorrow - I can't believe how fast time goes and how much she has changed this past year. Have a great rest of the day!
this is me now.
I am looking forward to the rest of the week. The twins will have their first official summer break as of tomorrow at 9:55 and I am pretty excited to have them at home for the next 3 months. My little Livy bug will be turning 2 tomorrow - I can't believe how fast time goes and how much she has changed this past year. Have a great rest of the day!
this is me now.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
One year down, a lifetime to go......
To say the past year has been eventful would be a major understatement. I really didn't think I would be where I am today when I made the commitment to be honest with myself......it has been an amazing journey that has turned more than a bit hard in the past few months. I weighed myself this morning and I am at 245.4 - yep, I've gained 11 pounds in the past 3 weeks. Between vacation and a serious bout of "not caring" eating I am sitting at what I weighed in December 2009. This has been a really hard thing to blog about. I would rather hide my failures and only blog my success - but I decided yesterday that I am back to being honest with myself again, and by extension, honest with my readers (are you still there? I wouldn't blame you if you weren't). I have felt very discouraged lately - reading back over my posts for 2010 this seems to be a common thread. When I went farther back to my posts of September, October and November 2009 I feel like I am reading a blog about someone different and I want that person back. I no longer feel "at peace" with my body, but feel at odds with it. I am constantly judging myself and comparing myself to others. It has been hard to get out of my own head, out of my own way and continue on the path I set out on. I have started finding ways to reward myself in ways that DON'T signify that I love and care about my body and spirit- they come in the form of combo meals from Wendy's or McDonalds, Ben & Jerry's and my old foe Twix bars.
I really didn't know how much longer I was going to wait to post here - I feel ashamed and hypocritical. But I am working on loving me and going from there - honestly. I am being realistic in my eating - everything I eat does matter. Reading this post here helped remind me of who I was, who I am and who I want to be. I will be posting my weight each Saturday - seriously - and blogging a few times per week. This is my life and I'm ready to live it on my terms.....again.
this is me now.
I really didn't know how much longer I was going to wait to post here - I feel ashamed and hypocritical. But I am working on loving me and going from there - honestly. I am being realistic in my eating - everything I eat does matter. Reading this post here helped remind me of who I was, who I am and who I want to be. I will be posting my weight each Saturday - seriously - and blogging a few times per week. This is my life and I'm ready to live it on my terms.....again.
this is me now.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Be Brave - I Dare You!
So. I am feeling MUCH better about things - I went a little crazy there in my last post. That happens sometimes.I can't remember if I mentioned this in my last post, but I've started running again - running is code for jogging. I probably keep about a 10 minute/mile/pace. I ran two miles on Monday and felt amazing - during the run I probably sounded like I was ready to hack up a lung, but that runner's high is a bit addictive.
I also decided to be BRAVE today and try something new - I took a class at the gym called BodyCombat. It was so much fun. By fun I mean we were punching and kicking and yelling and I was sweating like crazy. It was totally awesome. But it took me a week to work up the courage to go into the class. I was nervous that I would look stupid, that people would stare, blah, blah, blah. Maybe I looked stupid, maybe people did stare, but I forgot all about it when the class started.
I'm daring anyone who reads my blog (apparently 15 of you arecrazy great enough to follow me) to do something BRAVE and let me know what it was - whether it's trying a new class, heading outside for a walk, drinking water instead of the soda you usually have with your dinner - the only one stopping you is YOU!!!!
this is me now.
I also decided to be BRAVE today and try something new - I took a class at the gym called BodyCombat. It was so much fun. By fun I mean we were punching and kicking and yelling and I was sweating like crazy. It was totally awesome. But it took me a week to work up the courage to go into the class. I was nervous that I would look stupid, that people would stare, blah, blah, blah. Maybe I looked stupid, maybe people did stare, but I forgot all about it when the class started.
I'm daring anyone who reads my blog (apparently 15 of you are
this is me now.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Scale Rage
Seriously.......I haven't wanted to post this week because I am so stinkin' mad at myself at the scale that I've pretty much just moped all week. I have "maintained" my weightloss going on about 4 months - I don't really consider the 12 pounds I've lost this YEAR as being in weightloss mode because it has happened so sssssslowwww. Can you tell that I've had a couple of rough ones? I had a major binge over this past weekend and I figured I'd have recovered from it scalewise by Wednesday - I honestly weigh a bit more on Monday's and Tuesday's because my eating is so reckless different on the weekends. However, this week has been a big ole fat exception to my self-imposed rule - I was weighing in at 240 up until Thursday when it dropped down to 238 and I was sitting at 237.6 this morning. I have been eating so well - better than I have in a couple of weeks, so you can see the reason for my concern. I seriously wanted to hang up the old tennis shoes, skip the gym, and blame everything and everyone today. Instead, I got the twins ready for school - the fighting, complaining and yelling always add to the ambiance, which they have been doing for like 3 weeks - packed Livvy and the girls in the ped and was on my way. After I dropped the twins off at school I decided to call my sweetie-pie-of-a-sister Ashley (no, I haven't signed Oprah's no phone zone, I know, I know, stupid.stupid.stupid) because I desperately needed to talk this out - it has put me in a serious funk. And once I started talking about my week she gently reminded me that sometimes your body retains water (we've decided that's what has happened to me), etc. regardless of how well you are eating and exercising. I realized that I haven't been getting near enough sleep this week and I am s.t.r.e.s.s.e.d - the twins have been in their fun fighting funk, Livvy is acting different and we are coming up on the final countdown for our family vacation to Disneyland. It also doesn't help that I have been hopping on the scale AT LEAST 6 times per day - you know, to check and see if it has reset itself and is now weighing me correctly. So, I've decided to do this: I put my scale away for one week - whatever I weigh next Friday is what I weigh. It will not affect my vacation or any of my family members vacation. When I get back from said vacation I will be revisiting my goals and finding ways to calm down refocus so that I can go back into true weightloss mode. Side note: Just because the scale is put away does not mean I am going to go all willy-nilly (does anyone say that anymore?) with my eating. I will continue to eat the way have this past week and end the week out strong with my strength training/cardio before the VanDyke clan hits Disneyland (I am seriously so excited!)
this is me now.
this is me now.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Progress Pics.....
Thought I'd post new pictures of myself - it is a good reminder of where I've been,
where I'm at now
and where I want to be. It's also a good reminder to get the straightener out after I have a shower and do something with my hair - holy cow Em!
I'm still sitting right at 234 pounds - which is not a bad thing, but not a really great thing either. I can totally tell that I'm gaining muscle. And my eating this week has not been spot on -curse you Wendy's and Taco Bell. But this is a learning process - if I knew it all already and applied it all already then this blog would be filled with more I-told-you-so's and less crap-I-messed-up-again's - and let's face it, nobody likes a know-it-all.
this is me now.
where I'm at now
and where I want to be. It's also a good reminder to get the straightener out after I have a shower and do something with my hair - holy cow Em!
I'm still sitting right at 234 pounds - which is not a bad thing, but not a really great thing either. I can totally tell that I'm gaining muscle. And my eating this week has not been spot on -
this is me now.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Favorite Things
I thought I'd share a few of my favorite things that help me almost daily in pursuing my goals of losing weight and living a healthy (sometimes just healthier) lifestyle:
The weeks that I have pb&j for lunch, I ALWAYS have it on Kirkland's Multi-Grain Bread - it has 6 g of protein and 5 g of fiber per SLICE - and 140 calories. This stuff fills me up and it is only $4 for two bags at Costco. Awesome.
When I have a breakfast burrito I always use Flatouts - they are only 100 calories and have 9 g of protein and 8 g of fiber per tortilla (I also buy these at Costco, I think they run about $7 for a 3-pack)
Love me some Coke Zero - I'm not quite sure what the deal is, but I love this stuff. It doesn't taste like diet and it's not tasting like regular Coke - me and the hubs enjoy it.
These fun size packs of plain m&m's are great for a treat at night after the kiddos go to bed and there is only 70 calories in one package.
I have been putting multi-grain cheerios in my protein shakes (mixed in with a spoon after the blender) and my favorite way to eat these is with 1/2 cup of lf cottage cheese and 1 cup of sliced strawberries - yum!
This might be one of my new favorite things. It is Trader Joe's Cilantro Dressing - it only has 45 calories in 2 tablespoons and it is divine - think Cafe' Rio dressing people. Will be putting this on my romaine and chicken this week for lunch. Special thanks to Kelly over at Fitting Back In for the suggestion - muchas gracias!
I weighed in at 234.2 this morning - another pound down and I can tell that I'm gaining some muscle - love it!
this is me now.
p.s. I am still quite lame and CANNOT figure out how to post things as links in my blog - if anyone has the how to's let me know. Right now I'm blaming it on the fact that we have Windows Vista - blech. Problem fixed (I think) thanks Carly!
The weeks that I have pb&j for lunch, I ALWAYS have it on Kirkland's Multi-Grain Bread - it has 6 g of protein and 5 g of fiber per SLICE - and 140 calories. This stuff fills me up and it is only $4 for two bags at Costco. Awesome.
When I have a breakfast burrito I always use Flatouts - they are only 100 calories and have 9 g of protein and 8 g of fiber per tortilla (I also buy these at Costco, I think they run about $7 for a 3-pack)
Love me some Coke Zero - I'm not quite sure what the deal is, but I love this stuff. It doesn't taste like diet and it's not tasting like regular Coke - me and the hubs enjoy it.
These fun size packs of plain m&m's are great for a treat at night after the kiddos go to bed and there is only 70 calories in one package.
I have been putting multi-grain cheerios in my protein shakes (mixed in with a spoon after the blender) and my favorite way to eat these is with 1/2 cup of lf cottage cheese and 1 cup of sliced strawberries - yum!
This might be one of my new favorite things. It is Trader Joe's Cilantro Dressing - it only has 45 calories in 2 tablespoons and it is divine - think Cafe' Rio dressing people. Will be putting this on my romaine and chicken this week for lunch. Special thanks to Kelly over at Fitting Back In for the suggestion - muchas gracias!
I weighed in at 234.2 this morning - another pound down and I can tell that I'm gaining some muscle - love it!
this is me now.
p.s. I am still quite lame and CANNOT figure out how to post things as links in my blog - if anyone has the how to's let me know. Right now I'm blaming it on the fact that we have Windows Vista - blech. Problem fixed (I think) thanks Carly!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Feelin' It
I finally feel like I am starting to hit my stride again focus wise. I'm enjoying my workouts - trying to find ways to increase my strength, etc., I am staying quite close to my planned meals each day and it is easier for me to remember why I'm doing what I do. I was reading back over some earlier posts and it was fun to remember how excited I was when hitting certain milestones - how happy I was being me and enjoying the choices I was making in my life. I've gotta be honest, the last few months have NOT felt that way - it has felt like a chore almost every single day and I just wasn't feeling "it"......now here's the great part....but I knew if I kept trudging along, doing what I knew how to do and gave it my best effort every day (even if my best effort included Taco Bell and some froyo for dessert), that eventually I would feel "it" again - and it's happening.
Here are some things I am enjoying now at 235 pounds (PMS raging, no weight loss this week) that I certainly wasn't at 297:
-I fit comfortably into chairs with sides on them (like the one's at the doctor's office). There is no spillage of belly and hips out of the slots.
-I also sit on any dang chair I want, I no longer fear chairs collapsing under my weight
-My feet don't hurt anymore. They used to hurt ALL the time, especially after a shift at work or a long day of shopping
-My feet are no longer swollen - they actually look like feet, and for that matter, my ankles look like ankles - no more cankles for this girl
-I sleep on my stomach sometimes - haven't done that since I had the twins
-I went into Lane Bryant to buy some shorts and I didn't buy a pair just because they fit, I bought a pair that LOOKS good (in a size 18)
-I get to wear actual swim shorts (size 18)over my swimming suit this year - not a pair of men's gym shorts from walmart in 3X.
-I dream about my high school basketball days - I don't know why, but for the past 9 or 10 years I had zero dreams about playing basketball in high school. I dream a lot and can remember many of my dreams, and for some "reason" in the past 6 months I have started having dreams that include my high school basketball team and coach. side note: I played high school basketball (obviously) on a VERY good team. We won state my junior and senior years and we were ranked nationally my senior year. Some of the greatest things I've learned in my life started on that court with my coach Rand and girls that I will consider close friends for the rest of my life.
-I can't WAIT to go to Disneyland with our family in May. I know that I will have the energy to keep up with the kids and a smaller butt to fit on all the rides.
-I am finding it easier to see almost ALL things in my life for what they truly are and could become because I'm able to see myself that way also.
this is me now.
Here are some things I am enjoying now at 235 pounds (PMS raging, no weight loss this week) that I certainly wasn't at 297:
-I fit comfortably into chairs with sides on them (like the one's at the doctor's office). There is no spillage of belly and hips out of the slots.
-I also sit on any dang chair I want, I no longer fear chairs collapsing under my weight
-My feet don't hurt anymore. They used to hurt ALL the time, especially after a shift at work or a long day of shopping
-My feet are no longer swollen - they actually look like feet, and for that matter, my ankles look like ankles - no more cankles for this girl
-I sleep on my stomach sometimes - haven't done that since I had the twins
-I went into Lane Bryant to buy some shorts and I didn't buy a pair just because they fit, I bought a pair that LOOKS good (in a size 18)
-I get to wear actual swim shorts (size 18)over my swimming suit this year - not a pair of men's gym shorts from walmart in 3X.
-I dream about my high school basketball days - I don't know why, but for the past 9 or 10 years I had zero dreams about playing basketball in high school. I dream a lot and can remember many of my dreams, and for some "reason" in the past 6 months I have started having dreams that include my high school basketball team and coach. side note: I played high school basketball (obviously) on a VERY good team. We won state my junior and senior years and we were ranked nationally my senior year. Some of the greatest things I've learned in my life started on that court with my coach Rand and girls that I will consider close friends for the rest of my life.
-I can't WAIT to go to Disneyland with our family in May. I know that I will have the energy to keep up with the kids and a smaller butt to fit on all the rides.
-I am finding it easier to see almost ALL things in my life for what they truly are and could become because I'm able to see myself that way also.
this is me now.
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