weight loss update

It's been a while, but here's the skinny of me trying to become skinny.

The last time I mentioned my weight on my blog was back in April and I was 184.  I pretty much stuck there throughout the month of May.

Two weeks ago I started Insanity and I was weighing 185.  I am now back down to 182.

So in case your math is bad that's 3 pounds. 

I also lost 2.5 inches.  

 It's been tough getting up early, like 5:30!!!! but it's the only time I can.  I have to take Abigail to art camp in the mornings at 7:45, so I like to be able to do my workout, which lasts anywhere from 40 minutes to 1 hour, cool down, and shower before we leave.  Not to mention I have to get everybody dressed and out the door. I know myself well enough to know that if I don't get my workout done first thing in the morning then I wont every get it done.  

My motivation was recently renewed while trying on clothes and realizing I was down a size!!!!  I love that feeling.  

Who doesn't love that??!!

5 bits of randomness

It's been a while since I've done a randomness post. 

 I'm always surprised by how much feed back I get on these.  I always think no one will read them, but then I'm pleasantly surprised with comments.  I'm not trying to pressure you to comment or anything, but feel free if your heart desires!

#1- We are all healthy again.  Praise God!!  Pretty much the entire month of March someone, mostly Jack, was sick.  I was at my breaking point.  Austin's runny nose started to make a reappearance this past weekend, but I've already noticed an improvement.  

#2- Our spring break is over. (insert sad face here)  We actually got to enjoy half of it.  By Wednesday Jackson was feeling better again and my sweet, silly boy was back.  I've blocked the first half of spring break from my memory.  It's just too horrible to think about.  (insert over dramatic face here)

#3- You won't believe this one, but Brent and I actually had a date night.  We went out to eat at Texas Road  House and it was yummy.  This day marked the downward spiral on my weight loss effort.  

please ignore the cactus that looks like it's growing out of my head

my rugged bearded man
the beard and hair are gone by the way
(sad face)

We have very few date nights.  As you know, my mom watches Jackson for us during the day while I work and I just hate asking her to babysit again during the evenings or weekends.  We already feel like we take advantage of her enough.  Once I'm not working anymore, we plan on having more date nights for sure.

We could pay a babysitter, but Jack is at a hard age right now with stranger danger, and I would hate to put a babysitter through that agony.  

#4- As previously mentioned, my weight loss efforts have take a slight backwards slide.  Actually with all the stress of getting Jackson well and happy again, I actually got down to 181.6 on last Wednesday.  I was pumped!

But then Thursday rolled around and we went out to eat on our date night and things just sort of went down hill from there with Easter candy and Easter dinner.  

So I'm starting this week at 184, which I'm not too upset about.  I'd like to get back to 182 by the end of the week though.  

#5- The countdown has begun!!!

37 days of school left. 

I always enjoy a good end of the school year countdown, but this year it's even more exciting, and a little bit scary, because I'm not coming back.  

and the winner is.....

If you are new to my blog space here, I've been participating/running a biggest loser competition where I work.  We have been weighing in every Friday since January 11th.  Today was our last weigh in.  I'm relieved to be done with the competition, but eager to continue losing weight.

There is a slight discrepancy between the school scale and my home scale.  It's not really slight, its about a 3 pound difference.  I'm excited to start using my home scale weight instead of my school scale weight.  It's gonna be like I lost 3 pounds without even trying.

So my starting weight at School was 194 and my ending weight is 184.2.  So that would be 9.8 pounds from January 11-March 22 according to our school scale.  That is 5.05 percent of my body weight.  Yay!!

My home weight is 182 and so from this point forward if I do an update on here I will be using my home scale weight.

Before I started biggest loser, on January 1, 2013 I weighed 196 at home.  So as of today I've lost 14 pounds.

As I'm typing this it feels confusing.

Oh and if you are curious. The winners are...

As a group we lost 126 pounds.  That's like we lost a human being!!

I'm super proud of all the ladies who participated in our competition and hope they will continue towards a healthier lifestyle even though the competition is over.

weight loss update

I don't know if anyone noticed or not, but I didn't have a weight loss update last week.  Why not, you ask.  Well, because there was no weight loss to speak of, that's why!!  I was so aggravated with myself for gaining a pound, that I couldn't even blog about it.

Good came out of it, however, in the form of motivation.  Friday night I broke out my workout DVD and got to it.  I know myself, and the only way I can lose weight is to exercise.  My body will just not cooperate willingly, I must force the fat out.

I did my DVD workout again on Sunday afternoon during Jack's nap.  Then I went walking/jogging with my Couch to 5K app on Tuesday and Thursday.  Brent gets home at 6:30 and because of the time change I can squeeze in my run before it gets dark.  I love it!  I feel so much better when I am working out at least a few times a week.

Anyway, all that work paid off.  I lost 2 pounds this week.  I am down to 187.2.  I've lost a total of 6.8 pounds since starting biggest loser in January.  It's not the number I was hoping for by this point, but I'll take it.

On a different note, I don't think I will be running through my neighborhood anymore.  I got chased and barked at angrily by 4 different dogs.  It was not pleasant.  My sister and I are planning on going to the park to run on Tuesdays and Thursdays when we can.

I'm taking baby steps though, because if I try and workout every single day then I just get burnt out and frustrated.  I think twice a week and once on the weekend for now ought to do the trick.

Softball and t-ball are fixing to start so my plans could be in jeopardy here pretty soon.  I'm gonna have to learn to say no to nachos and popcorn.  Uh Oh!

Next week is the last week of biggest loser.  I'm happy and sad.  Happy I don't have to keep up with all the paperwork and weigh ins, but sad that I won't have that as a form of motivation.  I would like to lose 2.2 pounds next week.  My original goal was to lose 10 pounds total, but I really don't think I could lost 3.2, so I will change my goal to 9 pounds total.

I think I can, I think I can....

weigh in ~ advice needed ~ cuteness

Third weigh in today and I lost 1.6 pounds!!

My new weight is 189.4!!!

I was a little worried that maybe I didn't lose anything, because I only exercised one time this week.  Thursday evening and went walking/jogging using my Couch to 5k app.  I really enjoy it, but it's hard to find the time.  Now that our weather is warming up a bit, I might be able to jog through the neighborhood more often. 

I thought I was going to die during the last few minutes of my  jog!!

I am so pumped to be in the 180's!!  I'm hoping since I'm blogging about it and putting it out there for the whole world to see that I won't mess up!!  I really don't ever want to be in the 190's again!

I just noticed how many exclamation points I've used so far.  I will try and scale back a bit.

On a completely different note, Jackson has been extremely defiant and hard headed lately.  On top of that he is not sleeping well.  I'm walking on egg shells around him lately.  He did have a virus early this week, but the only symptom was a fever and it was gone within 48 hours.  I guess it's just a phase.  A phase I'd rather skip!

His sleeping bad is nothing new lately.  For the past month he's been waking up at odd hours for no apparent reason, other than to make our lives miserable.  He is not usually grumpy, just awake.  Usually it's around 4 am and Brent or I would go get him and just put him in bed with us.  But 9 times out of 10 he wouldn't go back to sleep.  He would lay between us, drink his bottle, flip and turn back and forth, and talk and talk and talk.  

Finally, last night we decided that we would stop putting him in bed with us.  We would just let him cry it out, like we did when we stopped rocking him.  

Well this morning instead of 4 am, he woke up at 2:45.  So I stick to my guns and I let him cry it out.  I know there is nothing wrong with him and there's no reason he should be awake.  After 45 minutes I decide to go bring him a bottle and rock him a little.  

I can't sleep if I know he is up crying.  So I rock him about 10 minutes and he snoring.  As soon as I lay him down he wakes up and cries for another hour before he passes out.  

I'm not sure what to do.  I prayed constantly for the entire two hours I was up listening to him.  

Brent and I both work and have to get up early and we are just at the end of our rope.  All this just started in December.  Before that he slept great!!  We have regular bedtime routine every night.

Any advice is welcome!

Thank goodness he is soooo cute!!

He can slide down by himself now pretty well. 

Yummy fruit gummies in the dirt!!

I just let him eat them too!  

 A little dirt never hurt anybody!

Can you tell he's my third child?? 

After 3 you stop caring quite as much about stuff like that.

Seriously though I will take any advice from anyone who has been through this kind of thing before.  

lukewarm

Sup y'all?

Yeah, I think it's time for some change. 

You know that season in your life where you just feel like you need a change.  I'm there right now.

I'm tired of feeling like a hamster in a wheel.  Stuck!

I've been praying for a while now about some major changes I would like to happen in my life.  I realize that sometimes what I want is not what God wants for me, but I know for a fact he doesn't want me to continue feeling stuck and lukewarm anymore. 

“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth."

Revelation 3:15-16

I know God wants more from me, but I need to make some changes and some sacrifices to get where I believe He is leading me.  I feel like I've got a lot of balls in the air and at any moment I'm going to drop one and then they will all come tumbling down.

I'm tired of being your average working mom, wife, and christian.

I would greatly appreciate your prayers while I try to navigate these changes. 

I was recently inspired by an awesome blogger who is using her blog in such a great way.  Megan at Just a Small Town Girl is selling ornaments for adoption.  Please go over to her blog and see how you can help.  You might also notice in my sidebar I've got her Ornaments for Adoption button to help spread the word.  You can help too.

So now on to a few superficial changes:

Weight loss is a thorn in my side.  It's always on my mind.  I'm so tired of trying to lose weight.  I'm not going to tell you how motivated I am and how I'm not going to stop until I lose fifty pounds, because I've said those things before and then nada. 



One of the ways I'm trying to drop a few lbs. Look at that cute little face under that helmet!



I really want to be rid of this extra weight, but I've also got to stop letting it consume my every thought.  I've never thought about praying about weight loss, but why not? 

Haircut--I've already made this change.  I really don't like putting pictures of myself on here, but I really like my new hair and wanted to share. 

 In the process of trying to take a semi-normal looking picture with my cell phone by myself, I realized that it's just about impossible.  People who can do this successfully are truly talented in my book.  Here are all my outtakes.

I really just can't take myself seriously, so I had to throw in a few goofball shots.

Abigail got her hair cut too and donated to locks of love.  We weren't originally going that short, but then decided that donating would be a great life lesson for Abigail. 

Before

 After

Doesn't she look sweet??!!

So these are some ch-ch-changes happening around here.
 
What changes are you thinking about making in your life?

What am I doing !?!?!!

I am so mad I could spit.  Don't you love that expression?  What does it mean anyway?

 I am so mad at myself for being soooo lazy lately.  I was so motivated and lost 15 pounds from January through the middle of March, but for the past few weeks have stalled out and almost completely reverted back to horrible eating and no working out.  It's like I thought 15 pounds was enough!!  IT'S NOT ENOUGH!!  I need some inspiration!!

As of April 9th there are 103 days till Kelsie's wedding and I will not be the chubby bridesmaid, although she was the funniest one in the Bridesmaids movie.  Anyways, I have rededicated myself to going to the gym in the mornings.  I went this morning and I really loved it. 

If you haven't noticed, I can't stick with one workout program for too long.  I get bored easy, so I am going to try this again.  It worked really well for me a couple of years ago when I lost about 35 pounds.  I don't think people realize how important lifting weights and doing resistance type workouts are to losing weight.  Running alone won't really do it.  I don't want to bulk up and get big man muscles, but I wouldn't mind some nice definition in my arms and legs and maybe a 4 pack of abs.   

My weekly workout routine looks something like this:  (I only have 30-40 minutes at the gym.)

Monday: 12 minutes of cardio-18 minutes of arms on resistance machines and free weights

Tuesday: 30 minutes of pure cardio: running/elliptical/bicycle

Wednesday: 12 minutes of cardio-18 minutes of legs on resistance machines and ab work

Thursday: 30 minutes of pure cardio: running/elliptical/bicycle

Friday: 12 minutes of cardio- alternate arms and legs every other week

Saturday: If I have time on Saturdays, I will probably just leave this up to whatever type of mood I am in that day.  Maybe I will do a video at home or go the park for walking or running. 

My plan is to stick with this until school gets out.  Then I might try and do Insanity again.  Maybe it won't hurt my ankles as much and I will have much more time. 

I'm excited about my new plan, but it seems like every time I try to start working out something tries to get in my way.  For example, I cut my hand and get stitches, or Jackson stops sleeping at night, or Abigail starts throwing up at night(this happened today).  I need all the stars and planets aligned so that I can get this weight off and stop worrying about it. 

 I will update you with my progress, which will be phenomenal. (power of positive thinking)

Biggest Loser Winners!

I posted before about the Biggest Loser competition that I organized at school.  You can read about it here.  I promised I would update you when it was over so here it is.

 First Place: Angelle lost 11.6% of her body weight    

$100 Prize

Second Place: Christy lost 8.9% of her body weight 

$50 Prize

Third Place: Jennifer(not me) lost 8.53 % of her body weight

Prize $31

I am so motivated by these ladies hard work and dedication!! 

Congrats to all the participants and keep living healthy!

I did it again!!

I did it again!

Right after Christmas I started Insanity, the Shaun T. workout program.  It’s a 60 day program that is really insane.  I completed the first 30 days of it.  The second 30 days were too difficult because the workouts were almost an hour long and I just couldn’t find that much time to work out.  I do highly recommend this for anyone who has the time.  You WILL see results.  Maybe in a year or two i will try again. 

I remember how sore I was after my first few days of Insanity.  I hate being sore.  Every time I start working out I make a vow to myself, not to stop for longer than a week so that I won’t have to feel this way again. 

I break that vow every time I make it.

As I write this to you my legs, butt, abs, stomach and arms are all aching from soreness.  Why do I always do this to myself? 

I started Jillian Michaels 30 day shred DVD workout.  I like it because the workouts are all 20 minutes, but really work you.  As a Mom of three, 20 minute workouts are right up my alley. 

You can find this at Walmart for pretty cheap.

I probably won't do it every day for thirty days.  I am shooting for 3-4 workouts a week.  I did this DVD on Wednesday and then on Thursday I went walking and jogging in my neighborhood.  I forget that I really want to be a runner.  I stink at it right now, but I love blasting upbeat workout music in my ears and running down the street. 

 Anyways, I am trying to take that step back in the right direction.  The bridesmaids dress fitting will be here before we know it. 

Why can't losing weight be easy?

Trying to lose weight sucks!!  I was very motivated after Christmas and it lasted until about two weeks ago.  I was working out every morning and logging every calorie on Myfittnesspal app on my phone.  I was hardly eating any junk food and I stopped drinking Diet Dr. Pepper completely.

 I WAS doing all of that for about two months, and then BAM I lost it.  I can't get out of bed until the last minute.  I am eating almost all of what I want, good or bad.  Diet Dr. Pepper is  my best friend again.  Ugghhh!!!  I have lost about 10 pounds in two months which is really great, so it's not like I was hitting a plateau and in a fit of frustration I just gave up.  I don't really know what happened.

 I think it just got old.  I need to find a new way to motivate myself.  Kelsie's wedding will be here before I know it and I will not be happy with my chubby matron of honor pics.  Gaining weight is sooooo easy!  Why can't losing it be easy too?

 I would still like to lose at least 15 pounds before the Wedding.  Anybody have any suggestions?  I will take whatever advice I can get!!

Biggest Loser

I have always enjoyed watching the Biggest Loser.  I have not actually been watching it this season, maybe because I am living it.  An old coleague/facebook friend of mine, was posting about the Biggest Loser competition they were having at her school.  I really, really need to lose weight before my sister's wedding (wedding post to come).  I asked around at my school to see who would be interested, and sure enough people were really excited about it.  I put up a sign up sheet and we ended up with 16 participants.  We even have some very tiny little ladies, that most of us think were crazy for signing up, but hey the more the merrier.

We all put in ten bucks to start out.  Every Friday we weigh in, in my classrom.  If someone gains more than one pound, they add a dollar to the pot.  At the end of ten weeks I will figure everyones percentage of weight loss.  The person with the biggest percentage will win $100.  Second and Third place will divide what is left in the pot. 

I was hesitant to start this because I knew it would take some time and effort on my part.  I am really glad I decided to go through with it.  I have really enjoyed getting to see all the ladies participants every Friday.  In a normal week,  I could probably go without seeing or talking to some of these ladies.  It is also really encouraging to watch others lose weight.  I have been very motivated by everyones hard work and dedication.  March 23rd is our last weigh-in.  I think everyone will be a little relieved once it's over.  I hope that even when it's over, we all stay on a path to a healthy lifestyle.  Most, if not all of the participants really are in it to be more healthy.  I don't think one single person is really in it for the money.  The money is just a little added bonus, not the primary reason for losing weight and getting in shape.  I will post an update when it's over and let you all know how we did.

I have had a bad week this week.  I think I may be paying a dollar. 

Below are some funny pictures that some of our staff posted on facebook when we started.