WLW - Week #7

Starting Weight:  155 lbs
Today’s Weight:  145.8lbs
Total Loss:   9.2 lbs

Diet

I had a few hurdles this past week.  They ordered pizza at work on Friday for lunch - but I ate what I brought with me.  Saturday we were running around visiting all day, but I stuck to my guns.  Even at dinner, I ordered what I knew I could eat and keep in my range.  Monday my boss took me to lunch for my review, but I just had a bowl of soup.  It was a challenging week - but I fought to stay on track! 

Exercise

I'm trying to get on a routine with my exercise.  I made up a schedule.  I only have so much time, so I'm doing what I can.  I'm trying to do the treadmill every day if I can find a way to fit it in.  Fridays are the hardest for me, so that has turned into my off day.  On Sundays I am doing the "fat burning" part of my kettle bell dvd.   On Mondays I'm doing the core training and I'm alternating arms and legs on Wednesdays.  I haven't popped in the Jillian Michaels dvd I bought yet.  Maybe this week I will see what its like.

Lifestyle

I have been getting discouraged by the numbers on the scale.  I feel like I am really sacrificing and working so hard and the results just aren't there.  The numbers are not on the scale, but I can feel the changes in my body.  I wish I had done measurements when I started this.  My bras are too big, my jackets are loose, my jeans are big on me.....  I need to pay more attention to these types of things than to the number on the scale.  It will catch up eventually.  And here, for some added inspiration when I need it:

This is a picture of 5 pounds of fat vs 5 pounds of muscles.  Just because they weigh the same, they are NOT the same..... the scale doesn't know everything!

WLW – Week #6

Starting Weight:  155 lbs
Today’s Weight:  145.4 lbs
Total Loss:  9.6 lbs

Diet

I've been keeping with my 1200 calories a day for the most part this week, but I haven't been eating the best foods to do it.  I'm going to work hard to get back on track this week, after tonight, I'm having pizza tonight because I just don't care!  ;)   One thing I did want to comment on is that I have started to notice that my eating healthier is having a really good effect on Lyla.  She is eating a lot of foods that are really healthy and that wouldn't be happening if I weren't trying to eat better.  She was eating edamame with me over the weekend.  And she has been asking for spinach with Italian dressing.  She ate a whole carton of strawberries Saturday!   So there are lots of positives to all this hard work other than just losing weight. 

Exercise

My Amazon shipment came Monday so after work I did my first dvd using kettlebells.  The package came with the dvd and a 3 pound and 5 pound kettlebell.  Monday I did the warm up and then the core exercises.  Then I did the treadmill for 20 minutes.  I really did not think I was doing the exercises correctly, but then yesterday my abs were SO SORE, so I must have been doing something right!  Last night I did the warm up and the upper body exercises.  I am so sore this morning.  My abs aren't back to not hurting yet, now my arms hurt too.  I'm taking tonight off.  I might do the treadmill, we'll see.

Lifestyle

I was really hoping I would have hit the 10 pound weight loss this week.  SO CLOSE!  Hopefully next week I can celebrate the 10 pound milestone!  Mom asked me over the weekend what the goal is.  I'm thinking definitely another 10 pounds then go from there and see what I think.  That would put me at 135 pounds.  I may try to get to 125, we'll see.  I want to be healthy, not skin and bones.

WLW – Week #5

Starting Weight:  155 lbs
Today’s Weight:  146.2 lbs
Total Loss:  8.8 lbs

Diet

I have been sticking to 1200 calories a day.  I thought this week I would share an example of what a 1200 calorie day looks like for me:

Breakfast – 271 Calories

Key Lime Greek Yogurt with 1/3 Cup All Bran Buds mixed in.
½ Cup of Blueberries
2 Cups of Black Coffee

Lunch – 310 Calories

Flatbread Wrap with chicken breast lunchmeat, spinach and Italian dressing.
3 ounces of raw Baby Carrots with 2 Tablespoons of Hummus
1 Halos Mandarin Orange

Dinner – 619 Calories

Now Breakfast and Lunch are usually a lot of the same thing every day, occasionally its different.  But dinner is different every night, here are a couple of examples.  And I almost always have enough calories for some kind of dessert after.  I like having Hershey kisses around, you can count out a few just to have something a little sweet without going over your calorie allotment. 
438 Calories – Ham, Whole Grain Mac N Cheese, Broccoli
470 Calories – Raviolis, Sauce, Garlic Knots, Spinach with Ranch Dressing
478 Calories – Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Corn
600 Calories – 3 Slices of Pizza with Veggie Toppings
560 Calories – Wendys Junior Cheeseburger Deluxe with Value Fries
465 Calories – Stuffed Taco Shells with Sour Cream
520 Calories – Breakfast for Dinner – 3 Slices Turkey Bacon, 3 Eggs Scrambled, 2 Slices of Peanut Butter Toast

Exercise

Just more of the same pretty much.  Still doing the treadmill every other day.  I couldn’t find what I was looking for at any local stores so I ordered it online.  I got a set of kettlebells and two workout dvds.  So once those get here I am going to start doing those on the off days from the treadmill. 

Lifestyle

All of this is becoming much less of a chore and more just normal every day life to me.  I do get stressed out when I have to do something out of the ordinary.  Like last night I went out to dinner and drinks with some friends.  I get where I have no idea what I will have because its not like eating at home where I have total control.  But I just did my best and figure one night won’t wreck everything.  I just don’t want to make a habit of it where I have a bad night once a week or anything because that will wreck everything. 

5 Things Friday - Things I LOVE

In honor of Valentines Day tomorrow, 5 things I LOVE!
And a little disclaimer, these are THINGS.  Obviously I love Gary and Lyla and my family and friends and all that jazz.... but I'm talking about things here, so don't judge me!  ;)

1.  Coffee
My heart hurts for people who don't enjoy at least one cup of coffee every day.  They are really missing out on one of the best things in life!  I think of myself as a morning person, but that morning better include coffee or things are going to get ugly. 

2.  Clean Sheets
There is no better feeling than climbing in to bed the night after you have washed all the sheets and blankets and everything is all nice and fresh!  Weekends when I was the bedding I go to bed early just to enjoy it!

3.  Slippers
I absolutely flat out refuse to tell you how many pairs of slippers I own.  I love them.  And I think when Gary gets a me a new pair for Christmas he thinks I'm going to throw away the old ones.  I don't.  I keep them hidden in my closet.  I hoard slippers. 

4.  Blankets
I also hoard blankets.  I have issues, but we all know that.  I will buy so many blankets but still only ever use my favorite one I keep on the couch.  I'm such a sucker for a nice soft blanket though!  And if its a tan/light brown color.... well look out.  There is no way I'm going to not buy it!

5.  Music
Music is so important to me.  A life without music is not one I would want to live. 

WLW - Week #4

Starting Weight:  155 lbs
Today's Weight:  149 lbs
Total Loss:  6 lbs

Exactly where I was a week ago...  ugh 

Diet
I have been doing really well sticking to the 1200 calories a day.  Its funny, some days I have to really figure it out to stay at the 1200 calories, then other days I have to force myself to eat something else after dinner because I haven't ate enough yet!  I started to drink my coffee black over the weekend.  I'm surprisingly really excited about it!  It takes so much drama out of the morning.  Just pour the coffee and move on with your life!

Exercise
I'm still just sticking with the treadmill.  I have kept it up every other day and I have kept my mile at 18 minutes.  I need to get some kind of weight routine added in.  Whether its the resistance bands Gary has or maybe I can find something I like a little better.  That is going to be my goal this week.  To add in something else.  I have noticed a big difference in the way I feel physically though.  We were at the mall Saturday and I didn't realize it before, until now when its not happening, I would be borderline winded/out of breath after walking the mall.  Saturday I didn't feel that way at all.  So I'm definitely getting healthier!  I notice the same kind of thing after coming up a flight of stairs.   

Lifestyle
I'm not going to lie and say I'm not disappointed that I didn't lose any this week.  It sucks.  And I'm not making excuses, but I am taking a steroid right now for some fluid in my ears.  I'm wondering if that is having an effect on things.  Or maybe I'm building some muscle in place of the fat.  I don't know.  I'm going to keep pushing forward and HOPEFULLY see a result next week.  If not I will have to re-evaluate what I'm doing and get things moving again.

Big Day for Miss Lyla

She finally decided she was ready for pierced ears!  I'm so excited about it!  :)

WLW - Week #3

Starting Weight:  155 lbs
Today's Weight:  149 lbs
Total Loss:  6 lbs

I'm just plugging right along! 

Diet
I have gradually worked down to 1200 calories a day as my goal.  Once I get to where I want to be I can increase that some to maintain and not continue to lose.  1200 calories sounds like a ton until you start looking at how many calories are in your food.  Its really eye opening.  Its no wonder that I stayed this size for so long.  Even when I thought I was watching and thought I was doing good, I had no clue how much damage I was doing.  Example, we had tacos Saturday.  Taco night happens pretty often in our house.  Well luckily I hadn't ate much else on Saturday so I had some extra calories to work with for dinner.  I had to really finagle it and got it down to four tacos clocking in at 711 calories.  So Lord only knows how many calories I was normally eating on taco night....

Exercise
On Friday and Sunday I was able to do the mile in 19 minutes.  Then last night I did it in 18!!  I was so excited!  I owe it to Britney.... lol  Listening to Britney Spears really does get me moving though!   And I did get out the resistance bands on Sunday but I haven't really had a time to do much with them yet.  Gary told me to stand on the band and raise my arms out to the sides.  So I did.  He said raise them as high as you can.  I said this IS as high as I can....  I have some work to do.  Obviously. 

Lifestyle
Its been a rough week.  Lyla was sick, now Gary is sick.  I was on my period.  BUT even with all the changes in routine, I didn't give up.  I still have done the treadmill every other day and I have stuck to counting the calories.  Although Saturday I almost just threw in the towel.  I'm so glad that I didn't though.  I'm feeling really good right now.  My "skinny" jeans aren't skin tight on me.  I just feel better.  I don't know how else to describe it.  I hope it continues and I hope I can stay motivated.  I'm feeling this great after 6 pounds, imagine how 10 or 15 will feel... I can't wait to find out!