Week Nine

Okay, I've been super negligent to my blogs lately. Not on purpose. Spring semester 2012 has officially come to a close, as of 10:34 this morning! Finals week is over & I can stop stressing & studying, & spend this summer with my wonderful husband.

Not only has school been a little hectic, but I've also been in the transition of getting a new job. I got hired at MediConnect Global & I start May 7. So getting all of that sorted out in addition to studying & sickness, it's been quite a task to keep up with my calorie counting.

Surprisingly enough, over the 3 weeks that I haven't written, I have lost 2.6 lbs! Bringing me down to 230.1! I can taste the 220's! It's so close. Next week, I will be there!

As I reflect on the difference between myself now & myself 42 lbs ago, the biggest difference is my confidence. I actually have faith in myself & the will power to keep going. I always sold myself short on what I could accomplish. & now that i can see exactly how far I've come, & I know what I can accomplish. Losing weight has been one of the most amazing things that I have ever chosen to do. For not only myself now, but my future self.

I only find it fitting to post a before & after photo :]

Week Six

I'm down to 232.7! That makes 10.2 pounds lost so far! It feels so great to know that i'm actually getting closer to my goal, but I haven't noticed much physically. I read somewhere, probably on pinterest (tss ss:]), that it takes 4 weeks for you to notice, 8 weeks for your family to notice & 12 weeks for your friends to notice. I think that may be right.

I've found that it takes quite a lot more time to plan out meals when you're trying to eat healthy. So I invested in a cook book that has recipes that are 6 ingredients or less & are relatively low maintenance. I'm excited to put that to use this week & make some yummy dinner for the hubs & myself.

So, I suppose my thought this week is simplify. Try to find ways to simplify your day. Pre-seperate your meals for the week. Fill baggies of snacks that you can just grab & go. Mark your calendar with what days you are going to the gym so that you don't have to make the decision between staying home or working out when the day rolls around. I've found that doing all of these things, takes away the frustration of making decisions on the spot.

Well, another week down! Here's another week committed to making healthier & mindful decisions!

Week Five (AKA AWOL)

Okay, these past few weeks have been insane to say the least.

We (my hubs & I) haven't been able to make it to the gym for 2 WHOLE WEEKS. I've felt like a fat lard, but it's not like we haven't been active. Although, we haven't been exactly mindful of our eating either. Better than before, but still not as great as we could be.

We've been consumed in moving my mother-in-law out of her home & into a new apartment. Which I totally count as a workout. Up & down hills, large loads to & from locations & for hours up to 6 at a time. Absolutely exhausting, but moreover, worth it. I love new beginnings & we are so thrilled for her to move  on to bigger & better opportunities!

In between LDS General Conference sessions yesterday, we pulled our bikes out of the garage for the first time this year & took an hour long bike ride. It was so nice to break away from our normal exercise routine & try something new, different & outside. The STRONG tail wind on the way to our destination was fabulous! Our trip home was consequently miserable. I've never had so much sand in my mouth or eyes. Okay, maybe I have, but not on a bike ride :]

I'm excited to spend this summer focusing on bettering myself & my husbands life. I think for me, it's just a matter of MAKING the time for exercise. It's not that we don't have the motivation, by any means. This is what I plan on doing this week. I am committing to at least 3 days of at least 45 minutes of gym time.

Yes, I am terrified to see what my weight is on that scale. No, it will not bring me down. I've still got my eyes on the prize. 190...190...190! 10 months. It's still possible!

Week Three

Okay, I'm a couple days late, but last week actually went fairly well! I weighed in at 233.9! It felt amazing to know that my "hard work" has actually paid off these past couple of weeks, even though I haven't been as mindful about my eating. I seriously feel like I've been sick for the past 2 months. Flu, Cold, Another Cold. It's been delightful.

Spring break is now over & so is play time with visiting family members. It's time to kick back into gear.

Don't find the time, Make the time.


THAT is my thought this week. With how busy life is, finding time is going to be scarce. Build the habit by scheduling out your week in advance. You can't always plan everything minute by minute, but I always tell my husband that I'm going to go to the gym Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday or a variation of sorts. By telling someone else, you've made a commitment to yourself & the listener.

Week Two.Five

Today was slightly discouraging.

I shopped at three different stores, only walking out with maybe one item of clothing. I haven't spent that much time shopping for clothes in 6 months, which coincidentally is about when I got married. Don't get me wrong, I have bought a few shirts & a pair of pants since then, but yesterday as I was looking in my closet, I got extremely frustrated. I was sick of all of my clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc. I've always been one to like nice, new clothes, but I haven't had the money or time to go shop for myself. Nor have I had the energy to be let down when I find that none of the clothes I want or like fit.

Today was one of those days.

Even XXL at some places didn't quite fit. I was so frustrated, but I just thought to myself, "It's just the beginning. 15, even 10 more pounds will make you feel better."

& So, I went to Barnes & Noble, found myself a Low Calorie cookbook & I left feeling encouraged! One stupid day of shopping isn't going to bring down my spirits. Although this weigh in might. After 2 consecutive weeks of having family in town, no time to spend at the gym & a much larger amount of time eating, I'm not much looking forward to it. but how I react to what's going on in my life is completely up to me.

Note to Self: Be very mindful of what you eat this weekend, do not lower your standards just because it's an event.

Week Two

This week has been rough. I caught some nasty cold/flu over the weekend & didn't have a chance to make it to the gym. It was frustrating, discouraging & miserable, but I kept reminding myself that it was only going to be for a few days & then I can jump right back into my routine.

I couldn't eat much. Mostly chicken broth & toast. Not much nutrition, but it's better than eating a bunch of fatty stuff.

The result of my week, was a loss of .5 lbs. That's it.. But as I look back on the past 2 and a half weeks & realize that i've already lost over 6 lbs, i'm okay with that .5. Next week better watch itself. I'm coming back full force! :]

This weeks thought is about Growing from Trials. Though it may be hard at times, all of it will be worth it. One of my favorite things to remember is that the Lord will never give me something that I can't handle. Therefore, I am going to get the most out of this experience. Being overweight is a weakness, but it's also one of my strengths. Some people have other personal trials, mine is this, which I can & will overcome.

That is all for this week, friends! Stay positive & healthy.

Week One

After 10 days, I weighed in at 237.3 lbs! [a loss of 5.7 lbs!] Way more than expected & I can't even begin to express how overjoyed I am with that number. I'm only 11 lbs away from my weight last May & 47 lbs away from my long term goal.

My life lesson this week: Keep up the determination!

It is so easy to let yourself slip, even after a short amount of time. Life can get the best of you. With 3 classes at the U, 30 hours of work, a new church calling, a [relatively] new marriage & photography gigs on the side, life can get overwhelming. Now add at least 30 minutes of gym time to 5 out of 7 days a week. That's a hefty load, even for the most disciplined person [which I most definitely am not, but soon hope to be]. When you are determined & have reason & purpose embedded in your heart, you are bound to succeed. For me, It is thinking about my future family, how I want them to be active & healthy. I will not let them feel the way that I did as a child. 

"A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work." - Colin Powell

Quite literally sweat & hard work, but in the end, I know that it will be all worth while. Through making my life better now, I can help make a difference in my husbands life, my family's lives, & most of all, the lives of my future children. 

Keeping yourself motivated & determined is key. Everyone falls into the, "Well, maybe I'll just have one..." & then you eat another, & another. I do not exclude myself from the pool, not in the slightest, but giving in to just one cookie, or piece of cake, or other indulgence, is risking what you want most. It scares the crap out of me to be in the same room as that business! But that is when I think in my head a line from one of my favorite movies of all time, 17 Again, "I'll buy all the students laptops!" "No" "You would deny the children laptops?! Ms. Masterson, The children!" & that is where my mind changes. Yes, it is a very distant comparison to my real reasoning, but it works. Everytime! 

So my advice this week, find what out you want out of life & make it happen! Easier said than done, but the sooner you begin...well...better now than later! :]

Until next week!