Extreme Makeover: Me Edition - Update

Welcome to another edition of Extreme makeover. Join us at Amber's for tips, support and lively entertainment as a bunch of ladies try to fit in a healthier lifestyle amongst everything else we do!

I've been trying to work on my running game and have transitioned to running outside. Man, that is way tougher than being on the treadmill! I can do it, but it's more difficult, and I find myself needing to stop every once in awhile to catch my breath. Today I got back on the treadmill and ran for 2.5 miles, no stopping. For now, I'll probably stick with the treadmill :)

My weight is back to slightly fluctuating, which I will just resign myself to. I'm at my goal weight now, and will focus more on getting in shape. My game plan is to be using weights and running to go from flab to fab!!

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition Update

Well, Hellloooooo there!! How are you this morning?! It's time to join the fantabulous group of ladies that are working to get healthier over at Amber's. If you haven't been by yet, I highly suggest you run, not walk, on over! These ladies are the best!! I mean it! The best ever!! I've made wonderful friends and learned a lot of tips on getting healthy and staying motivated to continue what is sometimes a difficult journey :)

I've done pretty well this week. Stuck to my workout routine, and watched what I ate. I am down a 1/2 a lb. Hey, I'll take it!! I was more worried I might gain what I lost last week, back!! This is usually the case for me! You can read about that here.

This weeks question is to show a motivational picture that you use. I don't have any out in the house. Honestly, at my age...nope, not tellin ya!...and after carrying 4 punks around in my belly for 9 months each...my body has strectched it's way into a whole 'nother realm. So I try to stay a little realistic. I'm focusing more on getting my bodyfat down. Not to say I wouldn't mind lookin like fitness model Elizabeth Anderson:

Hope you all had great weeks!!! Can't wait to see how everyone is doing!

xoxo

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition Update

Well, it's that time again. The wonderful and delicious Amber has put together a support group for women who are trying to get healthier, eat right, and excercise. Go over and hook up with lots of nice gals who are trying their best and need support, too! Time to own it!!

I was a little worried about stepping on the scale today :) As most of you know, I've been fighting with Doris and she has been making me miserable. She's unreliable...I never know when she'll show up, or when she'll just disappear for days and days.

I checked this morning and she's GONE!!! {She took 3 lbs. with her} So I looked out the window to make sure she had really left!?! I didn't see her...until off in the distance...there she was carrying her huge saddlebags {the ones she always makes me carry}. I think the load may be too much for her this time. I know how heavy those things are!!

I'm going to do my darndest to make sure she doesn't even want to come back. She likes ice cream...I haven't had any around! She likes popcorn with lots of butter... I haven't had any around!! She likes chocolate...a lot {she's been known to actually bring her own...witch}!!! I haven't had any!!!

I was soooo good this week. I needed to show myself that I could get over this Doris hump, and I think I have. As Amber was talking about the other day, you need a plan!

My plan has been:

Excercise a min. 5 x a week......done

Go really low carb to get the monkey, I mean Doris, off my back...done

{I tend to be carb sensitive...right around my middle}

Drink more water....done

Plan for this week...more of the same!! Just to keep Doris away. I just hope she hasn't landed on any of your doorsteps, especially with those enourmous saddle bags she likes to carry ;)

The question of the week is to share one thing that we absolutely love about ourselves. Oh, it's always so difficult for me to be introspective!!!

The one thing I love about myself is I always give 100%. To the point of obsession. This is not always a good thing. I can become so passionate about one thing I will neglect other things. Just know that I will never neglect you!!

xoxo

P.S. Still lots of time to enter the giveaway, if you're interested!

Extreme makeover: me edition update

Well, I didn't do so well on the food front, but did do my workouts everyday. I don't mind so much on the food, because staying motivated to workout has always been my biggest challenge. As a result I actually gained back the weight I lost. Some of you may think..."How can you stay motivated if your weight is constantly up and down?"

Well, it's really the healthy challenge. For me the healthiest part of this is the excercise. I've always been a couch potato! I need to stay moving...everyday!!

Amber's question this week is all about the music. I agree!!! I listen to the classics from my youth. It makes me feel younger ;) and stronger..hahaha! So I listen to:

Huey Lewis,

John Mellencamp,

Bruce Springsteen,

The BoDeans,

.38 Special (oh, yeah...southern rock, baby)

Squeeze

Bryan Adams

I look forward to reading what everyone listens to, so I can get a little more with it!!

Extreme Makeover: Me edition - week 4 update

Well, I didn't think I had blown it too bad this week. Considering my Easter dinner got canceled at the last minute. So we ended up having the traditional..."mom wasn't planning on cooking so eat what's in the fridge!" Easter dinner.

I did indulge in some chocolate, 'cause I wanted too. I should've worked out more, but despite all that I actually lost 2 lbs. Which makes a total of 3 lbs. in 4 weeks. Yay!!! As some of you may recall, the best part was that I actually broke a weight loss plateau, thanks to all of you!!!

For Amber's question this week...To get back on track I will:

Do ALL my workouts!
Eat better
limit my chocolate :)

Extreme makeover: me edition - week 3 update

Well, it's weigh in day and I've never been more scared. Well, I have been, just not recently :)

Soooo, it's been Spring Break which means more eating and hanging with the family than usual. By more eating I really mean more "fun" food eating. So even though I gained last week and I was really good for most of this week...I'm going with my weight from yesterday. This means I'm back to where I started. That means a little weight loss and still saying that I broke my plateau.

I did do all my workouts except for 2 days due to back injury. Thanks for all your comments. The warm bath's helped and so did my Uncle Ben...my Uncle Bengay, that is.

So I hope everyone is having a good week!

To address Amber's question of How do I reward myself? I really don't. I actually try to reward myself throughout the whole process. If I feel I've been really good on workouts, I'll take a day off and not feel so bad. If I feel I've been really good with the eating, I let myself have a "cheat" meal and not worry about it. I try and not put too much pressure on myself, so I don't feel like a failure if something comes along and I don't meet a specific goal. So I guess what I'm saying is I don't give rewards to myself, 'cause I don't make real achievements ;) Hahaha.

Can't wait to see how everyone is doing!!

Extreme Makover: Me edition - week 2 update

I gained 2 lbs. Alas, that is about what I expected. After reading my previous post you'll see that I usually sabotage myself after accomplishing a weight goal by eating everything in sight. But, I will not beat myself up about it. There will always be times when you just have to give in a little. Don't let yourself get too down about it. Readjust and just move forward. We all make mistakes, the challenge is to pick yourself up and go on. So that's what I'm gonna do. Next week I will be back to where I was!!

My question: How often do you weigh yourself? And when?

Me...about an hour after I work out. Although on Wednesday weigh in day it's always first thing in the morning :)

P.S. Plus, I am a little {bloated}, kwim?! So that in itself is always an issue ;)
P.P.S. Oh, how I wish this were a big April Fool's joke!

It's Sabotage

Why, why, why? Why do I do this to myself?

For those of you following along on my get healthy challenge you know that I just broke a plateau that I've had for awhile now. So what do I do to keep it up...I sabotage myself. You should know that I have this horrible habit of thinking that once I accomplish something I will easily be able to do it again.

So this is how I've gotten to the point of gaining back, in only 4 days, my weight that I lost last week. I'd like to say some of it is water weight {feeling a little crampy this week...wink, wink}. But what I really know is that I've been eating crap. Yes, extra calories. Popcorn with real butter {ouch...that's a biggie}, caramels {remember these}, ice cream, brownies {my wifely duty} and whatever else strikes me.

So today I am putting my failure out there to remind myself to be good. I can't eat crap AND lose weight. Today I am vowing to be good {nevermind that it's donut Sunday at my house}. I will not eat a donut! I will not eat a donut! I will not eat a donut!

On the plus side {no pun intended}, I have followed my workout schedule to the letter, so at least I feel good about that.

Here's to hoping that Wednesday's weigh in won't be as bad as I think it's going to be :)

P.S. After re-reading this post I realize it seems like we eat a lot of junk food. Seriously, we don't. The Sunday donuts are just a tradition. Although, I can't speak for my husband, who can still eat whatever he likes. It's like he's still a teenager...doesn't that suck!

Extreme Makeover - Week 1 update

Hallelujiah!!! Oops, not supposed to say that during Lent, but I really can't help myself. I have broken my plateau!!! I have you all to thank! Just getting a new wind in my sails, and following along with all you ladies that are on this personal health journey have done wonders for me. This is when I pray that I don't gain it back and my 1.4 lb. loss isn't some weird fluke, but the result of stepping up my cardio. I've just been jogging and walking on the treadmill. Waiting for some real spring weather to get outside to do it.

I've been really watching what I eat. I do keep a food journal, but alow myself pizza and a couple cookies on the weekend. I find this the best time to have a "cheat" meal, since I have 3 days to "work it all off" ;0

Hopefully you all had a great week!!

Favorite low calorie snack food is pretzels right now. That's for when I need something salty. For my sweet tooth {which I seem to have all the time} I love the fiber one chocolate and oat bars. Only 140 cals and 2 points I believe because they are high in fiber. It's the best replacement for a candy bar IMO.

I've gone even more public!

Well thank goodness Amber's done it! Lord knows I wasn't going to. This is about as public as I get with my healthy challenge for myself. This came along just at the right time. I am still not losing any weight. I've hit the mother of all plateaus. Dontcha just hate that! Well hopefully the motivation to be with other women in trying to get healthier is going to be just the kick in the pants that I need.

So thank you Amber. Thanks for going where I wasn't going to go...but knew I should :)

It's on like Donkey Kong!

Seriously, nothing new

Uh. Yeah. Nothing new to report. I'm feeling a little down about the whole darn thing. my weight is actually at a good place for my height. It's just that I'm so flabby. The bra spillage, jiggling thighs, puffy tummy...all of it. Yuck!

So, now that my monthly friend is visiting, I'm just going to go with my chocolate cravings and work extra hard next week! Am I wrong? No, don't answer that. Myabe I'll go with these yummy little guys :)

Healthy update...again.

Basically my update is nothing. I've gotten nowhere this month. Am I still working out? YES! Am I still watching what I eat? YES! I think my body quickly adapted to my "new" program. So the next few weeks I will try to mix it up a little bit. Will continue to update when I start making progress again.

Just a little body fat percentage, fyi

Just so you know what I'm up against. My husband who is the same age as me {43}, eats a bowl full of brownie {I make this for him every week} and icecream EVERY night {Really. Truly. Really. I wish I were exagerrating} and does not excercise. But does have a ton of energy {think bunny} and does do 50 sit-ups and push-ups every day {just to stay in shape}. This man, this wonderful hunk of a man has 13% body fat. Seriously, this puts him in the category of Olympic Runner, I believe.

I ask you, how do I deal with that? Hmmmmm.....

*the caveat to this is that he's got the body of a cosmo guy. Seriously, I've looked!

Time to get Healthy

First off, let's get something straight. This is not my weight, this is just the picture off the box. Thank you for your attention.

If you've been reading along you will remember that I had those resolutions for the New Year. Having always had difficulty staying motivated, at least when it comes to exerting some kind of energy, I bought this scale to keep me going.

I admit I was nervous to see all the calculations this fantastic, futuristic wizard of a scale was going to show me.

Do I really want to know my body fat percentage*?....uh, no, not really. Mine is starting out at 26%...WHOA. Does that really mean that a quarter of my body weight is fat?!?! Seriously? Feel free to run screaming from the room now, I totally understand.

My hydration level? {diet coke addict, here}. That number is around 55%. I think that's ok.

My bmi...uh, well, ummmm, 22. That's on the verge of overweight. Technically it's in the normal range, but it's right on the edge.

So this is where I'm starting. My goal is to get my body fat down to 20%. I don't know how many pounds this will equate to. Evidently the real measure of healthy weight is all about body fat. Damn, does it really have to be? Because I'm thinking to get all this fat off my body is going to be a lot of work over a long period of time. Will I look better in time for the dreaded swim suit season, a.k.a. summer? Is this going to even be possible? I know this, I'm going to do my best. I've started using the treadmill again, and will eventually work my way up to running. I am determined to do it.

My mother died at 62 from cardiovascular problems. Her father had his leg amputated for the same reasons. Let's just say, I view this as life and death. Not that I worry I'll die anytime soon, my lifestyle isn't quite like my mothers was. I quit smoking 15 years ago, I have normal blood pressure and cholesterol. But I did develop gestational diabetes with 2 pregnancies {one brother is a diabetic} and all these things add up to genetics. So I'll be doing my best to keep this heart healthy!

I don't mind working hard, it makes me feel good. Working out, that is. It's not supposed to be easy. Or else everyone would have the perfect body shape and size {for them}.

I'll be posting regularly on my progress {just another way to keep me motivated}.

xoxo ~onegirliegirl

*I'd like to say that judging from the huge jiggly area in my mid-section and backside {sorry too much info} that I do not consider myself in the "healthy" range for bodyfat.