yep 187.....and counting down)

I have a tendency to feel disappointed with only a 1 pound loss this week but I did only work out 3 days due to being very tired and unable to drag my butt out of bed at 4:45am....better results this next week guarenteed!

exercise...hmmmm ...let's sum it up

I have literally NO time anymore so I must exercise at home! I do Jillian Michael's videos at the wee hours even though I have a killer 24 hour fitness membership for life....which stinks because the closest one to me is in Provo....45 minute drive..UGH! I also Run here and there when I feel like it. I have read so much about exercise and really all we need is a GOOD H.I.T( High intensity training) 30 minutes everyday to lose and maintain ( 6 days per week) Caloric intake increases when you are in maintenance:) I do a mix of cardio, lots of abs( you can do abs everyday) and weight training with 5 pound weights. At 40 I am not looking to be a body builder so there ya have it! Funny, that was actually a dream I had once upon a time...bodybuilding and competing. Now I want to be healthy and fit into me clothes..heh heh.

stats for this last week...picture coming soon!

So I have been working really hard and worked out 6 days this week and ate fantastically! The key for me is very ,very little carbs and only in the morning like as in oatmeal! ! apple at least everyday, take a lot of extra fiber, drink tons of water and stay away from bad fats:)

Success this week includes weighing in at 188 pounds! yay! A 2 pound loss per week is fabulous!

I cannot find my measuring tape...grrrr! So measurements will be posted once a month!

waking up at 4:45 am to exercise everyday is not my favorite but it really is the only time I have so I will roll with it! Key is to fall asleep by 10pm...no later , in order to get enough sleep to support weight loss! SLEEP is very crucial!

Sample breakfast:
1/2 cup dry oats( then cook)
7 chopped raw almonds on top
1/4 cup freshly ground flax seed
1 tablespoon Chia seeds
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
splash of maple extract or cinnamon for flavor
1 cup almond milk( I don't like sticky oatmeal)
dash of stevia powder

ENJOY!

the first grueling week...

One thing I have learned is NOT to weigh yourself everyday when beginning a new life plan:) I was 2 pounds heavier this morning and wanted to shoot the scale, myself and if I had a dog he'd be a goner too...kidding...I know from experience my weight fluctuates from day to day and when exercising like I am I can add muscle weight so once a week will suffice for checking progress...grrrr....ha ha! Let this be an encouragement and lesson to us all! DO NOT get frustrated if the scale says a pound or 2 gain as you go along, this has happened to me before and yet I lost a total of 85 pounds before so I know just sticking with it and NOT giving up on yourself will give you fantastic result!

keep on keeping on!

I feel great and though 4:45 am comes pretty dang early it is getting easier to get out of bed ...knowing I have to report to this blog helps catapult me out of my warm, comfy bed in the wee early hours:)

recipes...hmmm well here goes one thing I like to make...

Chocolate peanut butter yogurt( sugar free)


1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1 squirt sugar free hershey's chocolate syrup
1 tablespoon Adam's peanut butter


delish!!!!!! try it you will love it if you like chocopeanutbutter:)

Nearly 2 years later....

So I have been through a lot in the past 2 years. Divorced, sadly, last December but then re-married to my wonderful new husband and eternal companion this August! During the past 2 years I managed to keep off the weight really well until last June when I began to gain a pound here and a pound there.Exercise dwindled and then after my wedding and move to Utah in August I really slacked in the good old exercise department. Happiness is supposed to help with weight gain...so I thought. Now I refer to it as " happiness fat". Sooooo Last week I got serious when I tipped the scales at 194 pounds!!! I am resolved to never see 200 or more again unless I am pregnant again and hopefully not even then! I started doing my Jillian Michael's videos again! I have to wake up at 5am Tuesday through Saturday to be able to fit in exercise with full time school 40 hours a week so this means dedication and serious business!

Goal: 165 ( I think that is realistic)
time frame: June 2012

Today I am at 190.4 pounds
measurements ( in inches)
chest:38
waist:33
hips:42
arms:14
thighs:24

I am doing this on my blog because it gives me motivation and accountability! Stress and major life changes can take a toll on your body and so can turning 40 which I did this year as well!Over indulgence, gravity, age, temptation, stress...WILL NOT WIN!

Wish me luck!

toning it all up! 160 pounds and Feeling fabulous!

155 pounds and Happy about it!

January 9 2010

Thighs - 20 1/2 inches - down 2 inches
Hips - 37 1/2 inches - down 3 inches
Waist - 28 inches - down 3 1/2 inches
Chest - 32 inches - down 1/2 inch
arms - 12 inches - down 1 inch

Weight 155 pounds - down 95 pounds
total weight loss - 95 pounds
total inches lost - 69 inches

155 and still losing

I have been under a great deal of stress lately and it is having the opposite affect it has ever had on me and now I weight 155 because I don't have an appetite. It is not so bad because I weighed about 150 in high school but I can almost fit into my daughters jeans and she is SKINNY! If I go under 140 I will seek medical advice:)

Bye for now...maybe a picture later, who knows what tomorrow will bring?

160 pounds...down to my goal!

I have made it to 160 pounds!!! I am so thrilled and I feel fabulous. When the Christmas season is over I am going to start going to the gym more to firm up the flappy parts:)

165 pounds

I don't know how but I have drooped 5 pounds in one day??? I am very thrilled to be so close to my ULTIMATE GOAL!

Thank you Heavenly Father!

Just to be timely I will post this...UPDATE

I hit 169 pounds TODAY exactly!!! GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!9 to go, but who is counting?

I am still not losing much in way of inches so I will save those measurements for next month:)

This journey is nearing it's close and I am so excited that with God's help I have been able to change these things in my life to become the person that has been coupe up for so long in a shell of fat. The person that was hiding out from the world has been unleashed and she is learning so much about herself, about God's miracles, life, love, laughter, joy, hard work, tears, trials, enduring to the end and so much more. My words can not give justice to the way I feel about my new life.

Thanks are in order to the only one who has given me the strength to make this journey, follow it through and SUCCEED

Thank you my dear, sweet , loving Heavenly Father

PS...Game on Devin:)lol I love you dear brother in law and I am very proud of you and your success!

Pushed it today and ran 10 miles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wasn't intending to do 10 miles today but I felt so good this time around I just kept running. I didn't have " lead legs" at any point this time around because I didn't walk 3.6 miles earlier in the day like I had with my 8.5 miler. I also had a Lara bar with me...JIC...I needed it! I don't eat sugar but these little dried fruit, all natural babies are what are going to fuel me for the half marathon. It did just the trick!

I experienced quite a "high" at about mile 6.5 this time around. I also had some left in me at the end so I sprinted the last 400 meters or so!!!

Here is a picture of me 2 years ago, pushing maximum density...YUCK!

I look like I am pregnant...but I am NOT! I will never see this woman again! I promise!!!!

The scale said 170 yesterday...

Then back to 172 this morning, but that is how it goes...will be stable 170 by December I hope!

Look at the abs and the arms...getting somewhere!

I was just messing around today and thought " why not take some posing pictures?" Whatever...I was impressed by the ab line and my tan anyway:)

I took the plunge and tried to run 8.5 miles today...non-stop...no WALKING!

And...

I did it! I felt great to mile 5, runner's high began to kick in... even if ever so briefly... but at about mile 6.5 I started to doubt I was going to make it...then mile 7.5 I am aching, feet hurt, hips are sore...knees okay, which is a bonus, but legs and butt are on fire, it's a good burn! At mile 8 I am on my own road and know it isn't far but there is that GIANT( okay little but it looked GIANT) hill...got to the top( ever so slowly but still technically jogging) and then down the home stretch...I can see my driveway at this point and my feet feel like they are made of lead. My toes are getting tingly my butt is even more on fire and I tell my self" Listen here don't you give up now you want to post that you actually did it so no wimping out lady!" Then half way down my own street it comes to " just get to that mailbox.." and so on. I get to my drive way and I think " well, might as well jog to the front door!" I am so proud of myself but my arms tingle my legs are shaking I am shaking...I need water and FOOD! ASAP! I fixed some spaghetti and a massive glass of AGUA. I eat while I "feel myself out" so to speak. I assess whether or not the aches are injury or just endurance pain( They are the latter thank goodness!...and I will be sore tomorrow I can already tell)

Things I learned:
*Don't wear too many layers even if it feels cold outside, wrapping 2 light jackets around your waist really stinks to do while in motion.

* change my Itunes playlist, the songs are getting old!

* bring a quick light easy energy snack and a small bit of water

* Only do 8 miles or more one time per week!

* I am very strong!

* I have supreme cardiovascular fitness because I wore my heart rate monitor the whole time and even when I was pushing really hard I was only at 150 beats per minute which is GREAT for me!!! But...that shows that when my legs get stronger I could push to run faster because I can hold 165-170 beats per minute for at least half an hour, easy,...sooo I conclude


I CAN RUN THIS HALF MARATHON BY MAY>>>NO PROBLEM!

I ran 6 1/2 miles today!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It tok me 1 hour and 7 minutes! Great time for a "non-runner" like me:)

New goal: To run the Helvetia half marathon in May 2010

Plan: Train beginning now!

Expectations?: To run the entire half marathon, NO WALKING! No emphasis on time:)

Thoughts about running 6 1/2 miles today:

feet - check
hips - check
back - check
breathing - check

All in order and feeling GREAT! that is new and I attribute that accomplishment to losing so much of my girth!heh heh...

I love running outside! I can't run unless I have music, very motivating...must be pumping music! Hence my biggest THANKS to Dr. Dixson for giving me an IPOD Nano a month ago to thank me for my hard work in their home...so NICE! I will use it everyday forever!

I can't wait to do a 10 miler just to see how I feel afterward! This run today taught me a lot about running and about myself. I am in SPECTACULAR aerobic shape! I can just keep going but since I was on a time constraint I had to step it up and run faster than I thought I could to get it done. I learned I can push myself harder than I thought! I learned how to step longer with less effort to go faster...it is COOL! I learned about the runner's HIGH...it kicked in about mile 5...pretty cool and I started to run even faster! I felt like a PRO:)

Here is a great breakfast treat!

Today I made Pumpkin German pancakes. I "tricked" them out a bit...

1/12 cups fresh ground whole wheat flour ( you could use gluten free flour too, it works)
1 cup coconut oil - melted
6 eggs
3/4 cup pumpkin
cinnamon, cloves and ginger to taste
1/2 teaspoon stevia
3 tablespoons ground flax meal
1 1/2 cup milk ( you could use coconut flour too, it works)

Bake at 425 degrees in a greased 9 X 13 glass baking dish for 25 minutes.

Top with chopped pecans and my maple "syrup" ( 1/2 cup water, 1 teaspoon maple extract and 1 tablespoon corn starch...bring to a boil and add 1/2 teaspoon stevia, stir constantly. It is not gourmet but it will do in a pinch:)

For a smaller portion just cut recipe in half!

Check out the difference!

June 2009 194 pounds

November 2009 173 pounds!

Sorry it took so long! November 1st, 2009...ONE WHOLE YEAR LATER!

Weight 173 down 77 pounds

waist 32 1/2 - same
hips 40 1/2 down 1/2 inch
thigh 22 1/2 same
calve 13 1/2 down 1/2 inch
chest 32 1/2 down 1/2
bust 36 down 2 inches
arms 13 down 1 inch

down 14 % body from 47% to 33 %!!!!!!!

All I can say is that I feel like a new person!

Excellent dinner option

1 cup cooked brown rice
3-4 sliced mushrooms ( Saute them in a little olive oil)
1 can chicken breast

Quick, easy and tastes really yummy!

New treat that rocks my world!

1 cup plain nonfat Nancy's yogurt
1 tablespoon SUGAR FREE Hershey's syrup( I know it has splenda but only a once in a while treat:)
sprinkle of Stevia
4 fresh sliced strawberries

= HEAVEN:)

I haven't had time to get all dressed and take pictures

I will take pics and stats next month. I am still at 175! I am hoping to break through to 170 by November for a total weight loss of 80 pounds in exactly one year!

Just a spoiler..

I have been 175 pounds for 3 days...so EXCITED! The scale is moving down again! I know the last little bit will come off and will take into my dream goal. It may be slow but it will happen! Don't give up hope when you have times of plateau, they stink but they are necessary! Your body has to adjust to the weight loss and the processing of the toxins when your fat cells shrink.

I will be posting my October 1st pictures and measurements.

size 8 jeans!

This is my size 14 on the right and 8's on the left...what a difference in the shape of my behind! Coolness! I just bought these new jeans to motivate myself to get into an all around size 8! That is how I reached size 10, figured it was a good plan:)

These are size 8!

Some Levi's run a bit larger than others. The fact is that these are 8's! It gives me great motivation to make my final descent into fitting into an 8 all around! This is how I got into 10's! I am so close I can just taste it:)I am still wavering back and forth between 179-181 but I am okay with this "plateau" when it is over I will shocked but will welcome it with open arms!

Went to the gym and did the full boot camp class that was brought back! YAY! I pushed myself hard today. I only hope I can brush my own teeth come Friday:)lol!

I feel better than I did a year ago and that is something BIG! LIFE CHANGING! alll I can say is

"JOY!"

When creating your own workout...

It is always good to go with 3 sets of 15 or 20...depends on what you are lifting and what your goal is. I used to do a progressive workout( 16 years ago) that was 4 sets. 1st was set of 15, then 10, then 8 then my 6 rep max. I loved it but it was more of a man's/body builder's workout. 3 sets of 15 works and wokrs well, but push yourself and add weights! Never just do what you feel like you can do. If you got o "failure" at set 3 then you have successfully broken down your muscle:) That deserves a whoo hoo! Failure means that you couldn't do another rep if there was a firecracker lit under you:) It feels pretty hard and wobbly and shaky and like you want to die...AHH success!

I build my workouts in sets of 2. Two exercises for each body part. 2 back, 2 bi-ceps, 2 tri-ceps, 2 chest. I take about a 30 second rest between each set. If I have to stop and pant for a few seconds between each rep then I do but always on the "rest" part of the exercise.

I do legs on opposite days of upper body and give the body at least 2 days rest between each body region...so like day one...upper body, day 2...lower...day three hardcore cardio and abs...and so on. For me, personally, it helps my body recover and build better:)

The classes I take combine all of these parts which is fine but when "lifting" solely for the purpose of building strength and muscle mass the alternating is key!

six pack abs in 6 minutes

This is a great , easy workout for your abs!

COME ON, WHO DOESN'T HAVE 6 minutes?????????????

I love the "repeat 2-3 times" at the end. Work your way up to it! I could only go through it once the first time I did it. The hip thrusts are really hard to get your butt up as high as he does so I just did my best! I felt like puking the first time I did this...that means it is good! I didn't even use my couch I just did it with a chair and did most of it on the floor without holding onto the bottom of the couch. I also, could quite do it as fast as superman did but good for now, I will get there!

Youtube is a great resource for workouts when you don't know what to do. There are great instructional ones that show you exact positioning and correct form!