HAPPY MONDAY

First, I would like to say I apologize for my MIA status. As you all know I was gone on a 7 day cruise just returning last week. I used my time last week to try and regroup and get back into the swing of things all though I don't think I am there yet. Its really nice to go on vacation and have very little worries. Snapping back to reality is difficult. Well I am back to reality since the world doesn't stop for me!
When I came back from my trip I weighed myself and I was up 2 lbs. Not so bad given the amount of food that is always readily available. I worked out a couple days on the cruise ship then felt like I was not relaxing enough so I put workouts to rest.

The week I came back we started a walking challenge at work. I did not do the best throughout the week and go better as the week went on. I walked forever this weekend to ensure I had my 50,000 steps for the week. I exceeded it a little bit but I did not want to let my team down. I will make sure I get all 10,000 steps before going to bed because it was a pain walking just to walk. I did not like that.

It is Monday and Monday is weigh in day. I am 209.8 so I lost my 2 lbs from the cruise. I am back on track with eating right and working out. Today has been a great morning already with some exercise in. Going to do a DVD workout when I get home. I am putting up a pic of me from the cruise and a before pic...maybe you can see the difference. Let me know what you think.

Apologize For My MIA Status...

I know I have been MIA...I was sooo sick last week I could not bring myself to get on the computer. I did not work out at all last week due to being sick and not having the energy to do so. I woke up this morning and did not feel like getting up to go to the gym but I quickly changed my mind when I felt like a lard ass. I got up and went to the gym at 5:20am. I tell you what missing a week of workouts was like starting my first day in the gym. I felt very very weak and the weights seemed to be very heavy. I persevered through the discomfort and ran for 20 mins..15 mins level 4.2 and then the last 5 mins I took it up to level 5.0 which was grueling and pushed me to my limit for the day. Needless to say when I was done I felt great and it was a great start to my Monday.

My food intake for the day consisted of:
B- 3 slice turkey bacon, 1 slice double fiber wheat bread and 1 TBSP natural peanut butter.
S- 12 peanuts
L- 1 Healthy Choice chicken noodle soup & 1-pack 100 cal craisins
D- 1 Turkey & American cheese on Flatbread from Subway...I had lettuce, tomato, green bell pepper, onions and honey mustard. I ate 10 Light potato chips and all of my water for the day.

I woke up and did my weigh in and I am 211.6lbs. Last Monday I did not report my weight..it was 207.2...but I knew that was not accurate because I was sick and barely eating...so I decided not to use that weight....

I am leaving for my cruise on Saturday and trying to ensure I am at 210 before leaving. I am going to weigh myself on Saturday morning before we are off to the airport that way I have a number to keep in mind while i am on the cruise. I have mentally told myself that I am going to keep all the food in perspective on the cruise as I have heard that it is tons of food at your disposal 24 hrs a day. I am taking my workout close and have told myself I am committing to 1 workout every morning to keep on schedule with what I do each morning.

I am taking my laptop on the cruise so I will keep you update daily just so I can keep myself accountable....

I will check back in on Saturday before I leave so I can post my weight....

Wish me well at as I challenge myself to be responsible for what I decide to eat or not to eat while aboard the big ship....

Good Morning...

It is Tuesday and I started my day out completing the Biggest Loser Boot Camp DVD....It does not matter how many times I do this DVD it is just as grueling. I am hoping that I make it to Level 2 someday but man I am still fighting through Level 1.

Here is a great inspirational quote that will get us pumped up!!



If this does not do it for you I am not sure what will....take each day at a time, get the workouts in, drink plenty of water and make healthy food choices....

New Challenge....

One of my besties, Lois asked if we can do a weight loss challenge together....you know me I am up for the challenge and it is another way to hold me accountable...I WILL NOT FAIL. We don't have all the specifics in place but we will by the end of the day and I will let you know what they are. We both started off this morning by doing our weigh in. I texted her at 5:15am to let her know to empty her bladder and get on the scale. We both did. I will post my weight but ask for her permission if she would like me to tell the world her business before doing so...LOL I am at 213.6. Not a big weight loss from last week but it is totally due to me not being totally focused last week but i am back on track and it is still a loss. Our challenge is going to run until December 31, 2009. The person with the biggest weight loss will receive a $100 dollar gift certificate to the clothing store that they like best and a spa treatment (pedicure & manicure), so this is def something to work towards as well as our good health. In the end we both will be winners as we will have loss some weight and be looking good!!!

I started my morning off with a great workout at the gym. I have been missing the gym and doing more workouts at home but I am trying to refocus on the gym and whatever I do at home being extra. This week is suppose to rain so I am not sure if I will be able to get my walks in during lunch but I feel great knowing I woke up and had my workout.

Push yourself this week. Don't stop and persevere threw the pain. I increased the amount I lift with my legs this morning and it was grueling but I am taking my efforts to the next level. I have to reach my 21o goal by May 23rd (cruise time) and may be less than that if I put in some hard work....

Talk to ya soon!!

Terrific Tuesday....

Last night I did the Biggest Loser Boot Camp workout which is grueling. You literally break a sweat before you start breaking a sweat. I cant begin to describe the type of workout you get but if you really want to know go out and get it. You will thank me!! I had the munchies yesterday especially in the evening hours after 8pm..go figure. My food intake consisted of:
Breakfast: 3 slices of turkey bacon and 1 fiber one strawberry poptart
Lunch: 1 turkey flat bread from subway w/ LTO, american cheese and honey mustard and 1 bag of Lay's Light Chips.
Snack: 15 almonds
Dinner: 1 healthy choice meal: Chicken, mashed potatoes (cant believe how much they don't give you lol), mixed veggies and cherry dessert (which I did not eat, I don't do cherries)

After 8: was craving bread and ate a potato roll and around midnight I had a bowl of captain crunch....I didn't have to do it but I did.

So back to my routine...no eating after 8pm. Other than my eating mishaps I had a great day and a nice workout.

See ya soon....

It's Monday...The Week Starter

Good Morning Fellow Followers....
What a beautiful day outside. I wish I could go for a run before work but that is not happening. I did my Monday morning weigh in and I am at 214.4. YEA...I have been doing well and it is showing. I am also wearing a size 16 suit I bought many many years ago but never got rid of since it was brand new and I had hopes of fitting into it again...I DID IT!!! Now my goal is to not fit into it...LOL I did not work out this morning since I have an unemployment hearing to attend for work so I have to be suited up and put on my career woman look ha ha. I will be completing my workout this evening no less. I am off to work before I am late so I will check in later and tell you about what I did for my workout.

See Ya Soon!!

Yesterday...

Yesterday was very complicated and resulted in me dealing with a lot of unneeded stress. This is the first time during my journey that I had to really focus and try and stay on track. I am an emotional eater and while my mind told me to eat all the wrong things I did not eat much but not good choices. I started my day off with a bottle of water and did not have any breakfast or lunch which is a no no. I ate a bag of Doritos around 4pm and yes they were good. Can't remember the last time I have had bad chips. I came home and had 2 chicken fajitas which I made homemade and 2 apple pies for KFC. I should not have done it but I did. I had all my water for the day and I did pop up and go to the gym at 10:26 pm last night. I had a very good work out but I am not sure my body was fueled enough due to lack of eating and besides the fact that I was just flat out mentally drained. My issue is one that will not go away over night so I am going to have to stay focused and make appropriate choices. The emotional excuse eater has to be thrown out the door.

See Ya

Personal Refocus

Yesterday I was somewhat disturbed at my 1.6lb weight loss. I know you probably saying your kidding me right. It is a loss. Yes, your right it is a loss but when I know how hard I have been working in the gym and exercising at home it mentally messes with you. I expressed my concern to my sister and in my expression I said not sure why it was not that much I have been eating well. My sister said what is eating well? I reviewed my journal and began to tell her what I had been eating. I noticed that I ate a lot of bread. So, I am making some new goals that I would like to stick to.

1. Limit my bread intake to once a day (one of the days last week I had a bread item 4 times and it was not wheat)
2. Consume nothing after 8:00pm. I did well with this in the beginning but looking at my journal realized I loss focus a bit.
3. Add more veggies and fruits.
4. Continue to drink water.

Hopefully this will make a difference in next weeks weight loss. My goal is to reach 210.0 by May 23rd which is when I leave for my cruise!! Can't wait.

Here is my food intake for yesterday: No eating after 8pm.
Breakfast:
2 Dannon Lite & Fit yogurts (strawberry & raspberry)
1 small slice wheat bread w/ 1 tsp of strawberry jelly

Lunch:
1 tossed salad w/ 2 Tbsp of Low Fat Balsamic Ving.
1 Fresh Fruit Cup (pineapple, honey dew, cantaloupe and grapes)

Snack:
50 Calorie String Cheese

Dinner:
4 oz Sirloin Steak w/ 1 oz of sauteed onions (I weighed the steak..gotta scale to keep it accurate)
1/2 c of broccoli
1- 3 oz potato (it was sooo tiny you would not believe me if I showed you)
1 tsp of brummel & brown (I put this on the potato w/ a sprinkle of seasoning salt)

That's all folks...and my water of course but nothing else went between these lips. I order myself some new workout dvd's that came in the mail so I will use them as my workout this evening.

Have A Great Day!!

Start Your Week Off With A Bang

It is Monday morning. I am getting ready for work feeling fresh and energized. This morning was my weigh in and I am at 218.8 so I loss this week. I think I was 220.4 last week so that would be a 1.6 lb loss for the week. It is slowly coming off which is a great thing. Hard work doesn't come easy right??

Well I started my morning off scrubbing walls. Kayla got loose and I woke up to purple marker all over the wall...UGH I tell you its my fault cause she waits until I am sleep them sneaks around. I told myself to purchase the ball for the door so she cant open it and I kept putting it off. I will be making that purchase today.

I did the Jillian Michael DVD this morning (30 day shred) Level 1. I will have myself another workout when I get in this evening most likely getting in some Wii Fit exercise.

Last night I decided to recommit myself to SPARKPEOPLE.com. This is a great website with a huge support system for weight loss and it is free. I redid my page starting fresh. I posted new pics, deleted all old friends so I can start from scratch since I have had no activity on my page in over a year. Refocused and rededicated to the cause. I encourage you to visit SparkPeople.com and start yourself a profile. Look for me on there and we can be Virtual Spark Buddies. My screen name on there is sglass1908.

See ya soon!!

Super Sunday....

Hello All....
It's Sunday and its time to get back into work mode. It is sooo nice to enjoy a wonderful weekend such as the one that has just passed. The weather was nice which allowed for the girls, shannon and I to have some great play time outside. We threw the football back and forth allowing me to run around a bit..and exercise my arm. I should have been in the NFL..my throwing skills are superior for a female. LOL...well I woke up this morning and this afternoon decided to get in a workout. I went to the gym and worked hard....nothing else to say but I did it big..hope I am not too sore in the morning.

Weekend eating is not as much of a challenge as it was in the beginning. Learning to see it more as a way of life opposed to focusing so much. So, here is a funny...I was thinking about sex and if it counts as cardio since you are being active. Is that weird I dont know but it was a thought. I looked it up and look what I found...

Does sex count as cardio? How many calories does it burn?

We get this question a lot. And we don't list sex in our cardio tracker for several reasons. For reference, a cardio workout is anything that raises your heart rate for an extended period of time, usually 20-30 minutes. It works all of the major muscle groups, and you should find yourself sweating and breathing hard during the most intense part of the workout. Cardio works large muscle groups repetitively (such as how running uses your large leg & arm muscles and swimming uses your whole body). Sex does not typically use major muscle groups (or at least in a full range of motion the way that these examples do). Cardio must reach a specific level of intensity, meaning that you must elevate your heart rate to an aerobic level and sustain it there—about 60-85% of your max heart rate, or on a Rate of Perceived Exertion Scale (where you estimate how hard you are working on a scale of 1-10, about a 6-8.5). Although you may be breathing heavily during sex, this isn’t necessarily because your heart rate is up. It has more to do with hormones and what’s going on with your nervous system. (Think of how your may breathe harder or feel your heart rate increase if you’re scared—that doesn’t mean you’re getting a cardio workout.) How many calories you're burning during sex really depends on too many factors. It's like asking "does walking burn a lot of calories?" It depends on your speed, distance, duration, intensity, etc. Now, if you really feel that your sexual activity meets all of these requirements—although I'd recommend taking your heart rate several times during it to make sure—then you could probably count it as cardio. But according to most calorie counters, the calorie burn is pretty minimal—less than walking and not much more than just sitting. Plus, how accurate is that? It’s important to distinguish that not all activities are a workout. Sure, being "active" burns more calories than not being active. But just because you’re burning a few additional calories does not mean you are exercising or that you’re receiving the same benefits of a true workout.

Based on what I have just read I have to continue to work out hard at the gym....LOL great article!! Well time to get ready for the work week..which means working hard at the gym since I take the weekend off.

See ya soon.....

Whip Yourself In Action Wednesday.....

I had the best workout this morning. I got up at 5:15 am and made my way to the gym. I got there and I saw a couple people setting up their bike for spin class. I said I guess I will go in and try it. I took a class last summer when my sister was home so I knew I could do it just did not know if I was physically ready because I had to stop last time. It was too much for me!! LOL My face is sooo comical I wish I could have seen me then and now. Believe me I was making funny faces today as well. Needless to say the class was AWESOME!! I busted my ass and sweat like you would not believe. I never gave up and did what they were doing. As it neared the end and it became a little lighter outside it was more grueling and my body felt weak but I persevered through the discomfort! I would encourage you to take a spin class if you have an opportunity. I am going to try and make sure I am up on time every Wednesday so I can take that class.

After the gym I stopped to get fill up my gas tank and got me some fresh fruit and a salsa salad to have for lunch. Not sure what is for dinner yet but I will come up with something, I always do.

Have a great day at work. Stay motivated and keep fighting for the ultimate goal. I am!!

Marvelous Monday

I started my morning off waking up to my alarm going off at 5:30am. I was so comfortable from my snugly bear snuggling me that I failed to get up. I reset my alarm for 7:00am and got up and did my Jillian Michael 30 day Shred DVD on Level 1. I swear it does not matter how long I have been doing this DVD it literally kills me and I sweat like crazy. I am going to try to progress to Level 2 shortly. I had my daily lunch time walk with Trish..thanks for the motivation!! Feels great when we are done. I came home had dinner and then did some Wii Fit workouts.

Today was my weight in and I was down again...I am officially at 220Lbs...YIPPIE... still have a ways to go but please keep in mind I was 234.2 or 4 when I first started this journey on February so I have come a long way. My next short term goal is to reach 210Lbs. My goal to is to be at 210 by time I go on my cruise which we leave for on May 23. I think it is a realistic and reachable goal if I go hard..and I intend to.

I have been mixing up my workout outs and trying to keep it fresh and exciting so I don't plateau. I have been lucky enough to pretty much have a loss each week except for 1 and that is when my focus dropped for a quick second. I am starting to understand the need for my body to have exercise. I find myself doing something if not anything at all. If I don't work out in the morning I feel like something is missing so I make sure that I get my morning workout in.

I found an article about FITNESS HOROSCOPES so of course I had to read and post mine here:

Aries: March 21 – April 20
As an Aries, you are as the one who gets things started. Want to take a kickboxing class but your gym doesn’t offer one? Take the initiative and talk to the owner of the club. Or better yet, get the training and become an instructor yourself. You love to get things moving, and there’s no better way of making sure you get what you want than by doing it yourself. As a fire sign, you want inspiring and imaginative ideas. You tend to get bored easily, so mix up your fitness routine every few weeks to keep it fresh. Trying new activities will keep you interested, so when Pilates gets tiresome, switch to one-on-one at the local basketball court or start swimming. You'll keep your muscles guessing and see serious results!

I like my horoscope. I am definitely someone who takes initiative and I feel that I am inspiring. I also get bored very easily so I have been making sure to make my workouts different. I don't just do it due to boredom but I am a firm believer in muscle confusion and trying not to plateau. Your body need not get comfortable with the same exercises so switching up from time to time is important.

Find out what your fitness horoscope is and whether or not some of the information has some correlation with the fit you??

HEY THERE....

There has been several days in between my posts and I have nothing but positive information to report. I had a great five days of working out. I got up early this morning to go for a run but it was raining Cats & Dogs so I went to the gym instead. I ran for 20 mins which was longer then my normal time and felt good. My eating has been well and consistent. Healthy choices and portion sizes are the key. The challenge tomorrow will be all the candy that the girls will have. I personally will not get them any candy but today we did go to a Easter Egg Hunt and they received a ton of chocolate.

Did I tell you guys how much I love Wii Fit. Not only do I do my morning workout at the gym but I come home from work and spend time doing Wii Fit with my daughter. She is 6 and keeps me going. If she beats my score of course I have to try to beat hers so it keeps me working out harder.

My cruise is coming up. 42 more days before I embark on the vacation of a life time. I am sooo excited...Thanks Kim!! Cant wait to get some R&R and just enjoy life for a moment. I have been told the food choices are amazing but I have already made my mind up and I will be taking my workout clothes and hitting the gym each morning.

Thats all for now. Ta Ta till next time.

Tuesday

I woke up earlier than usual and was ready to go..to the gym that is. I made myself get in the bed by 11:00pm so I would be well rested and able to give it my all at the gym this morning. Again, a great workout. I want to thank my motivation this morning, he does not know it but as he continued to run he made me not want to give up. I had some silent competition and because of it I ran for 15 mins opposed to my normal 10 mins. I briskly walked for the remaining 15 mins of my cardio. It felt soooo good...LOL just joking but I was proud of myself for pushing through that last 5 mins because it was grueling and never seemed like it was going to end.

I received the Wii Jillian Michael Fitness Ultimatum 2009 so my daughter and I played around with that last night. We both broke a sweat which was good. Jillian is a huge inspiration. I see her telling me not to give up when I am at the gym strength training. I VOTE FOR JILLIAN...LOL I also got the fit board.

I am such a Biggest Loser fan...it amazes me how the contestants lose the weight so I tend to watch it weekly just to see what happens. I was on sparkpeople.com and found a interesting article that you may want to read. It is called 6 "Biggest Loser" Lessons to Forget. I hope you are able to access it. I am registered on sparkpeople so if you cant view it register it will be worth it as there is tons of information to get anyone motivated to get the weight off. Have a productive day! http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5138839745383985226

Happy Birthday To Me.....

Today is my birthday!! 32 years younger I am LOL My day did not start out the best. I must have feel asleep on my two year old and she decided to empty out an entire bottle of baby powder all over the room. Man what a mess. My morning started with cleaning, laundry now I am preparing dinner so it has been not so special LOL. I went to the gym and had a great workout. I had my measurements taken and my body fat measured. I also spoke with the worker who told me that he suggests doing 5 mins of warm up, strength training then do the cardio work out at the end. He said it will help me to lose the weight quicker. I am going to try it. It wont hurt it is all still a work out. I made my workout a little more intense and i felt great when I was done.

As you all know I weigh myself on Monday's and I loss a WHOPPING 3.2 lbs. I was proud of myself. My weekly goal is 2 lbs. This weekend was a challenge with my daughters birthday party and my best friend, Nichole had me a surprise party at the MOOSE. I had a great time. My eating on both days were fine nothing out of the ordinary except for a small piece of cake and tons of alcohol on Saturday but you only get a birthday once a year!! LOL

I am taking my workouts and focus to the next level. I gotta lot of work to do to get where I want to be so I am challenging myself mentally and physically.

See Ya Soon!!

The Start of a Successful Saturday.....

I woke up this morning around 8:00am. My girls are away for the weekend, I got up and felt motivated to go to the gym. I quickly put on my sweats and t-shirt, grabbed my IPOD and ran to the door so I would not talk myself out of it. I had a great workout. I did 35 minutes on the Elliptical which is my favorite machine. This time I tried something different. I put the incline on level 19 and every 3 segments I increase my resistance. I started at 8 went to 12 and every two segments I decreased it. It was grueling and I was a sweat box but I think I like to keep challenging myself and taking it up a notch. Every article I have read always talks about muscle confusion and changing up your workout so your body does not become use to what is being done. I did arm exercises after my cardio. I am on my way to get my hair done. Unfortunately it will only be a new do for 2 days cause Monday starts workouts again so I will be back to wearing a ponytail. Stay focused the weekend is always a challenge!

Feeling Successful....

It is Thursday and I have done well all week as far as I am concerned. I worked out this morning and did my walk with co-workers during lunch. I also had a healthy breakfast, I sort of skipped lunch which is not the best but not on purpose. Before I knew it, it was late in the day and almost time to go home and cook dinner.

Often I think about the music I have downloaded to my IPOD and if it is conducive to getting me pumped up in workout mode. Well I have found that majority of my music is slow R&B. I was researching on fitnessmagazine.com songs that are good for working out...I decided to add the link just in case you have the same problem.... http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/music/popular-playlists/reader-favorites-top-100-workout-songs/

This weekend will be a challenge. My birthday is Monday so most likely I will celebrate this weekend so the question is to drink or not to drink...Alcohol that is. My daughters birthday party is on Sunday so again I will be faced with pizza and cupcakes. My plan so far is one drink for my birthday although someone told me there is zero calorie vodka. I have to look into that ha ha. At the birthday party I am planning on having a salad and eliminating the pizza and possibly have a cupcake since I am not having the pizza. We will see. I will let you know how I do on Monday.

Stay encouraged over the weekend. The weekends truly challenge me. See ya later.

Wicked Wednesday....

My title is based on the way I felt when I woke up this morning. I had a WICKED headache. My alarm went off at 5:30am so I could go to the gym. I lifted my head up to turn off the alarm and get moving and my head was pounding. I said on no I cant go to the gym with a headache like this. I laid back down and then could not go back to sleep since I knew I should be at the gym. I laid there until 6:30am and then I told myself, if your not going to do the gym get up and do a DVD. That is exactly what I did and suffered through the head pains. I felt good afterward but my headache remained.

Today is my daughter Aria's 6th B-day. Yes, she was an April Fool's baby. I took her to school and dropped off cupcakes for her to share with her class to celebrate her big day. Aria called herself the princess. She is tooo funny but she meant every word of it. I came home from work and told her I was going to take her out to dinner and asked where she wanted to go. She said she did not want to go out she just wanted pizza. Shannon said she is the princess pizza it is...LOL So, we ordered pizza. I am happy to say I only ate 1 slice. That is not the norm. 3-4 slices is. I also had 4 pieces of boneless buffalo chicken and then drank tons of water to wash the evidence away...LOL My dad bought this huge ice cream cake. You all know what a sweet tooth I have so I did have a small piece so I will work extra hard at the gym in the AM but I don't think it was soo bad...Am I in denial??? who knows.

Some good news. I had my annual exam today at 11:00am. I had to do the unwanted and step on the scale. I was 224. I was happy about that since I was up to 226.8 on Monday, so I am at the weight I was before having a weekend to the left and totally outside the box.

Ta Ta for now!

Tough It Out Tuesday

My sleep pattern is so messed up. After waking up yesterday at 5:30am to get to the gym I went to work came home cooked dinner and did my mommy duties. Before I knew it the kids were in bed around 9:30pm and I was working on some digital scrapbooking. I became bored with doing that so I went on Pogo.com to play Keno, then I went back to digital scrapbooking....I know 31 years old and a very boring life. Before I knew it the time read 12:30 midnight. I forced myself to turn off all electronics to get some sleep. I had a visitor around 2:20am. Yeah I know pretty late so my sleep was disturbed. I was still committed to my 5:30 work out regardless of having a sleep distraction and I am proud to say I did it. I got up and worked out. I cant let activities or people around me get in the way of the goal I am trying to achieve.

I had plans to walk during lunch with my coworker yesterday. I went to retrieve my sneakers and in the hustle of the morning I forgot them at home. I said oh well and walked in my dress shoes. I tell you what, the walk was great and I felt rejuvenated after doing it. We are going out again today and I am not forgetting my sneakers!!

Stay positive and motivated....The scale will move eventually and our bodies will be transformed!

Here is the most recent picture of myself. My boyfriend and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary two weeks ago at the beach. I will post a pic of myself from time to time so you can hopefully see a decrease in size.

A New Monday Beginning....

It is Monday morning. I rolled myself out of bed at 5:30am and went to the gym. I got in a great 45 minute workout. As I did my 35 minute cardio on the Elliptical machine I thought about how I did not have anything for lunch. I made sure I left the gym in enough time to head to Walmart to get myself some salad, grapes, pistachios, chicken breast etc. I am ready for the week. I got on the scale this morning and almost cried at the fact that it said 226.8Lbs which means I failed myself by getting sidetracked this past week. I am moving forward and trying not to dwell on it. My mind is focused although my body is fighting it. Going to the gym today was like the first day I started my journey. Not working out last week made it that much harder to get up and I really pushed myself while screaming not so nice words. The SAGA continues!! Have a great productive day at work and think positive in regards to weight loss and healthy living!

Fresh Start....

This last week has been a struggle for me. I have not followed the strict regiment that allowed me to lose 10Lbs in 5 weeks. I slowly let junk food creep back into my life. Although I did not overly eat I still ate it and it was not necessary. Tomorrow will be a fresh start. Get my mind focused. Continue with my exercise routine and eat healthy portion controlled meals. I am taking a pair of sneakers to work with me so I can go out and walk for lunch. As I stated in a prior post my distractions that take me off the right path I will not call failures I will simply continue on....who said it was going to be easy....What in life is easy?? Not too many things I can name....I will keep you posted. I am going to weight myself again in the morning to give you my weight and again weight myself on Mondays...I am debating about weighing myself each week or every two weeks...I am a scale whore and I think sometimes it makes me crazy...ok it makes me crazy everyday cause I find myself weighing myself several times during the week...See ya tomorrow for my 5:30am workout....YIPPIE...

I Have Been MIA...

I am going to be honest and say I have been dealing with sick kids and some extracurricular things since my last post and I am using that as my excuse for not sticking to my goals....I will always be honest and let you know when I am not doing what is that I need to do to continue my weight loss. Some places I have failed:

1. I have not fulfilled my water intake every day.
2. I have not eaten a well balanced meal 3 times a day. (I was skipping meals to compensate for not so good higher calorie food)
3. I have not worked out since last Friday (Since I do 5 days a week M-F, that equates to missing 3 days so far this week).

I had a talk with my coworker Patricia and she had me motivated and back on track. I can honestly say I was not eating bad per say but not enough and not make the very best choices I could have made. I am starting fresh in that next bite as I say....I will be back at the gym at 5:30 am and I am not going to let the extra sleep I think I need get me down. I have to add that although I have not been the best I have not gained but I have not loss any weight either which means I have defeated myself in this short period of time but I will NOT FAIL!!...

Today I drank all of my water. I consumed the following: Breakfast: 1 gala apple
Lunch: a tossed salad w/ 2 tsp of Low Fat Balsamic Ving and 1 apple sauce cup and Dinner: 2 dry measuring cups of tuna casserole and 2 garlic toast. I should not have eaten the garlic toast but I called myself eating half and did not use control.

Here is an article my sister sent me today which is really good......This woman loss 125 Lbs in 9 months with healthy eating and exercise...that is it...the 2 essential elements of weight loss...no pills, gimmicks etc...Read it if you want to be inspired...http://photos.essence.com/galleries/meet_biggest_loser_tamara_harbison?xid=032509-Enews-Wednesday-tamara-robinson-imglink

Focus and Execute as Shea would say...and tomorrow is a new day filled with new motivations and desires to get it right....One Day At A Time!!

A Challenging Day.....

There are many times when I feel like the devil is trying to get me down. Last night was one of them. I was having major sugar cravings. I expressed to my mom in the midst of us IMing what I would not give for a donut. She told me I was WEAK....I said there is a difference between having a craving and acting upon that craving. She told me she was coming over shortly. She arrived and came into my room with a bag of donuts. I looked at her and asked why would you bring that, you know I am not going to eat it. She laughed and said I know....mean while I sat there a little disturbed trying to figure out why she would do such a thing...is she trying to sabotage my efforts, was she looking to see if I was really weak enough to eat them...I am not sure but I can say I did not eat any. Sometimes those you think should have your best interest at heart may not....things that make you go HMMMMMMM...........

Today I did not have the best eating day. Breakfast consisted of 3 slices of turkey bacon, 1/2 multi grain english muffin w/ 1 tsp of peanut butter and 1 blueberry dannon lite and fit yogurt. For lunch I had 1 spicy chicken go wrap from Wendy's. For Dinner I had 1 sloppy joe w/ 10 steak fries and some ketchup. I would say my choice of dinner was not a good one. I will be working out a little later this evening. Is it me or when you eat something you know you should not have you start to feel worthless....Well I am getting back to eat right in my next bite which will be breakfast.

I wanted to take the time to thank one of my followers Alissa...she so kindly gave me a book of light recipes that I have not had the opportunity to try yet but I surely will!!

Hard Work Pays Off!!!

I DID IT....For those of you who follow my blog I explained that I have been challenging myself to loss 30Lbs in 90 days. Today marked my first 30 days and I needed to be at 224.2lbs in order to meet my first short term goal...I talked about it so much yesterday and I had convinced myself that if I barely missed the mark I would not be utterly disappointed....but this morning I woke up, got on the scale and the numbers to your left appeared! 223..8 lbs....I have officially loss 10Lbs...so now on to the rest of the challenge. I need to be at 214.2 by April 17th..I will fight hard to make my next goal...

I had the conversation with a friend today and expressed how important I think it is to have long term and short term goals to reach that ultimate goal. In the past I only saw my long term goal and could not reach it due to how unrealistic it was to look at the big picture with no stopping points along the way. I have come to believe that it is necessary to have realistic short term goals that can be met. When each goal is met it is a motivation booster and keeps you going for more. These short term goals and weight loss eventually lead to you meeting your ultimate weigh loss goal. I know as a society many of us want results now..as I am one of those people but I have learned with my many weight loss failures that results now is NOT A REALITY...put in the work and do the time...sacrifice and make healthy eating and exercise a part of your daily life and the results will show eventually!! Here is a quote that is inspirational....

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." – Confucius

This is such a great quote...you can make this relate to almost everything we do in life!! Put it in a picture frame, post it around your car...take it and absorb it!! In relation to losing weight if you fall off and eat that donut or piece of cake be sure to do better in the next bite....I know it is easy to eat the donut and say I have already messed up so let me add a whole pizza to the equation...but lets make a change in how we think and challenge ourselves to make a difference in the next BITE!!

Monday...Weigh In Day

Hey people's.....Today marks my 5th week...I did my Monday morning weigh in and I was nervous but also excited to see the results as last week was disappointing with only a .2lb loss after working my butt off....so the survey says..."225.0 lbs" that is a 4 lb loss for the week...YIPPIE...I think I told you before I was challenging myself to 30 Lbs in 90 days which started February 16th....I need to be 224.2 tomorrow morning....UGH I am not sure if it will happen but we will see...I will not be utterly disappointed if I don't hit it since I am .8Lbs away from my goal and if I don't it will make me work harder for the next 30 day weigh in...so stay tuned to see if tomorrow I am able to say I did it.............

Today proved that is not always in the numbers I can start to feel my clothes fit a little different and I can see a difference when I stand naked in front of the mirror....that is not a sight to see let me tell you.....Tomorrow will mark my 30th day...this is the longest I have maintained my weight loss effort....I am going to measure myself tomorrow..I wish I had already done that but did not think about it...I am also going to take a pic...not one that I can put on here but I will take my one month picture so I will come up with something to post on the site....

I was not in the mood to eat but I did since I know my body needs the fuel to keep it going..I had the following:
1 multi grain english muffin with 1 tsp of peanut butter
3 slices of turkey bacon
1 blueberry dannon lite and fit yogurt

For lunch I went to the mall to pay some bills, bought some birthday gifts for my daughter and decided to get a subway sandwich..I walked passed a pizza shop and I said ummmmm....that is my favorite, if I could splurge on one thing it would be a pizza with extra cheese, pepperoni and hamburger....YUMMY...but I told myself nope keep on going to Subway.....needless to say I was very disappointed in my sandwich..I generally order the same sandwich as I am not a big sandwich person...Turkey and American cheese on 6" Honey Oat with L, T, O, Green Bell Pepper and Honey Mustard. I always ask if the bread is soft...if it is soft I like to enjoy the freshness and would opt out of having it toasted...if it is not so fresh I like it toasted so I can't tell that my bread is a little hard....so I asked the question and the server tells me it is soft...of course I say don't toast it then.....I tried to make it a combo with water and apples..they tell me they are out of both...I said see that is very annoying since I am trying to forgo having the chips.....so in my frustrated nature I say I will just take the sandwich......I get back to the office and bite into it and the bread was FREAKIN HARD....what did the guy not understand regarding is the bread soft or hard...SHEESH...some peoples children.....he need reprimanded and so does the person who thought it was not important enough to have a back up of apples and water....and they wonder why we make bad choices....ha ha had to blame my issues on someone else...that is the reality of most over weight people...EXCUSES!!

I decided before leaving for work this morning that I was not in the mood to cook when I got home. I went to Boston Market and got a Family Dinner...Roasted Chicken..yummy, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans and macaroni and cheese.....I ate some chicken breast...4 curl macaroni noodles, green beans and sweet potato casserole...I should have probably left the casserole alone but I think I deserved a little bit....it was not going to kill me....that is my Boston Market weakness....sweet potato casserole....I savored every spoon full.

Aria (my 5 year old daughter) and I did the Jillian Michael DVD and along with doing Level 1 we incorporated half of Level 2...when I first started i thought Level 1 was bad....well Level 1 does not have anything on Level 2....man it feels like starting all over again....I wont move on to Level 3 until I am comfortable doing both levels which turns it into a 40 minute workout.....

My daughters birthday is coming up on April 1st and my first thought is I will be able to have a slice of pizza...since that is my weakness if it is not a Lean Cuisine pizza I wont eat it and even then I don't want to make that a normal thing to eat Lean Cuisine or not....so she expressed that we haven't had pizza in a while...I said I know I am trying to lose weight and if it is around I know I am not ready to say no....I promised her i would allow her pizza the day of her birthday party which will be on April 5th. My daughters went from a traditional every Friday pizza day to none at all...So the day of the party I will indulge in a slice of pizza but make sure I eat a salad as well...and of course a cupcake...well maybe a half of cupcake...or maybe I will skip it all together since I am having the slice of pizza....we will see I will keep you posted....LOL

Weekends....

It is officially 1:54 am on Saturday and I am just getting in. I took some time after work and hung out with a couple of friends of mine. I dread the weekends. There is a correlation between words that start with "W" for me on the weekends. Weekends=Weaknesses.....Yep, that is right I have this weird correlation. I have to focus on walking the straight and narrow path as the weekend can easily lead to detours, hard to bounce back from detours. I have been extremely focused these past 4 weeks and have not allowed the weekends to put a damper on my weight loss efforts but like a 12 step program I have to take it one day at a time.

Today my consumption consisted of the following:
Breakfast:

• 3 slices of turkey bacon
• 1- Fiber One strawberry pop tart
• 1- dannon lite and fit blueberry yogurt

Lunch:

• A turkey sandwich on wheat bread with lettuce, tomato and yellow mustard. It was not actually a whole sandwich as I used 1 piece of bread and cut it in half.
• 8 Lay's Lite potato chips

Dinner:

• 1- Spicy Chicken Go Wrap from Wendy's
• 1- Side Salad
• 2 TBSP Low Fat Balsamic Ving.

Snack:

• 1 serving of Cashews
• 10 Tortilla Chips w/ Salsa

I did not have a bad day but could have changed some of my choices to raw veggies. I also did not do any exercise but I am planning on running around the community on my day off to compensate for not having a Friday work out. I am committed to 5 days a week so that means if I don't do it all during the week...well there goes a weekend day....LOL

Today my sister booked our airplane flight to Miami for our Carnival Cruise in May...I became so excited at the thought...it also made me realize that with each day that passes the time to leave gets closer so I need to step up my intensity this week with workouts....It would be soo great to drop 20 lbs by May....I am working hard at accomplishing this goal so I need to put in a little more effort...Keep moving even when it is really uncomfortable and I feel I cant do anymore...majority of the time its your mind playing tricks on you....Our body can take much more than we think...It's like our brains are programmed and when it feels discomfort, stress or a little pain we say stop...push a little harder and rep the benefits!!

I am sitting here watching this infomercial for the AbCoaster... I am one of those people who use to purchase all of the weight loss items and use it for a minimal amount of time and then let it collect dust....I wont be getting it but I wonder if it really works...LOL Have you heard of the bodybugg??...they use it on the Biggest Loser...man I am contemplating getting it....check it out on bodybugg.com...tell me what you think...would you go there?? For some reason my mind keeps telling me this would be a great investment but I really don't have the funds to get it...maybe if I save fifty dollars a month I can get it eventually....I will keep you posted as to my decision to buy or not to buy.......

Push Back Is Needed At Times.....

I am sitting here trying to get my body into rest mode and am unsuccessful. I went to the gym after work and my body is in overdrive at the moment. It is 2:13am and while I am laying here typing I am thinking to myself sleep is needed....

My day did not start off normal as I decided to lay around and did not eat my structured meals as I normally do. The first piece of food I put in my mouth was not until 11:30am....that is a no go!
I did not eat enough food today which could result in my body thinking it is starving and wondering when it would get its next meal...end result fat will be stored!!

Today my meal consisted of:
Breakfast: (well it was not really breakfast...too late in the day)

• 1 Light Multi-Grain English Muffin
• 1 Tsp. Peanut Butter
• 1 Gala Apple

• Seemed like I missed out on a lunch....My next meal was dinner....A funny story for you...or not really funny but made me realize you need people in your corner that will pull the plug on your excuses. I was considering what to eat for dinner. I was having many cravings that I think stemmed from me not eating like I should have. I came to the conclusion that I wanted some french fries so I thought to myself...Wendy's....french fries and a 5 piece chicken nugget would hit the spot. I called my boyfriend and said do you think it would be really bad if I had chicken nuggets and french fries from Wendy's? He responded yes...you know you cant have two fried items....he said right..I played silent...and then I said in a child has been scolded type of voice "yeah"...He proceeded to ask how many calories where in both...I looked it up on line and of course it was not good so I tried to come up with some other combinations....1. Baked potato w/ sour cream & chives with a small chili, 2.chicken nuggets w/ small chili, 3. spicy chicken wrap with a small chili.....I then decided on the spicy chicken wrap with a small chili but felt ashamed that I wanted that instead of opting for a salad. I reminded myself that I had left over spaghetti in the refrigerator so I ended up have the following"

Dinner:

• 1 1/2 C. Spaghetti w/ Meatsauce
• 1 Tossed salad that I made in the Cafe...iceburg lettuce, onions, tomato, broccoli and green bell pepper w/ 2 TBSP of Low Fat Balsamic Ving...

I was proud of myself for going the healthier route....so I say THANK YOU...for questioning what I was trying to pollute my body with...In life we all need a little push back from time to time...I was making all the excuses in the world to eat some junk food..I even told myself at times you need to eat what you want so you don't fail. I do believe that statement to be true but today was not the day to have a treat.

I have learned through the last 4 weeks it is very easy to make an excuse not to eat right or exercise. I have to do this for me and I cant let anything stand in the way of my success. With that being said I think it is better to do something than nothing, but if you are going to do something go HARD!!

Today Was A Challenge

Here is my food consumption for the day:
Breakfast:

• 1/2 C. 2% Milk
• 1 C. Fiber One Caramel Delight Cereal
• 3 Slices of Turkey Bacon

Lunch:

• 1 Grilled Cheese Sandwich -I could have made a better choice but was craving it
• 8 Lays Light Potato Chips

Dinner:

• 1 Tossed Salad w/ 2 TBSP LF Balsamic Ving.
• 1 1/2 C. of Spaghetti w/ Meatsauce

It was not bad until I got home from work at midnight and was craving food. I drank a bottle of water but could not mentally shake the cravings. I ate a bowl of Fruit Loops. Not horrible but I did not need it. I ended up doing my Jillian Michael 30 day Shred DVD to make myself feel better...

Today I read a motivational weight loss quote that said the following: "MOTIVATION IS WHAT GETS YOU STARTED. HABIT IS WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING" -Jim Ryun This quote really hit home. All of my previous failures in part were due to me being unable to move from point A (motivation) to point Z (habit)....I am slowly but surely working towards Z...making exercise and healthy eating part of my daily routine...I want to get to the point that I don't focus on it...it is what it is, a part of what and who I am....I am getting there!! I have had many weight loss adventures that consisted of upward and downward spirals. I am currently in the upward stage with only positive energies surrounding me. If you can't be with me then move out the way. I have a goal in mind and will fight til the finish.

Week 4..A Thought Comes To Mind

Hello....and welcome to my blog!!....so if you are not sure who you see to your left...that's me....My name is Shalana and like so many people in the world I am overweight and learning to make lifestyle changes that will benefit me as I get older. I am 31 and will be 32 in April, a single mother of two beautiful girls and strong in many aspects of my life except for losing this weight...I have admitted it and that was my first step!

Monday started my 4th week of this weight loss journey. I speak with my sister daily about what exercises I am doing and what foods I am eating and asked her what she thought of me starting a blog. She thought it was a good idea so here I am putting my most personal information out there for you to read...my weight loss journey.....

A quick overview of the last 3 weeks. I looked at a picture of my boyfriend and I and I said that is not me!!...How can he like me looking the way I do?? I am not that big...what happened and when?? Reality hit me like a ton of bricks and the embarrassment set in. I said to myself...Am I really that big?? A picture does not lie, so what was I going to do to change what I was seeing? I started off by making the following realistic short term goals:

1. Lose 2 Lbs a week
2. Minimize fast food intake
3. Minimize candy and baked goods (I have a major sweet tooth...THANKS DAD!!)
4. Minimize fried foods
5. Lose 20 Lbs....UGH I dread telling you my starting weight but here it goes....234.2 Lbs
6. Incorporate exercise 5 days a week

The above was my starting point. I committed myself to going to the gym 5 days a week...Monday-Friday just like I was going to work....I thought about what program I would use to assist me in losing the weight and my end result was to use the Internet as a resource to succeed. There are so many websites to find workout routines, recipes and weight loss tips so why pay for it?? Some sites I visit regularly are:

• neversaydiet.com
• fitday.com
• biggestloser.com
• sparkpeople.com

I started healthy eating and exercise the very same day and have not missed a day of exercising per my 5 day a week goal. The first week I lost 2.2 Lbs. The second week 2.8 Lbs and the third week .2 lbs...I am currently at 229.0 lbs....Monday was a day from hell as I could not comprehend why I had only lost .2 Lbs when I remained consistent with my healthy eating and exercise regiment....I spoke with my Sorority Sister who has been where I am currently at and she assured me that it takes some time to see it on the scale...losing inches may occur first....fat turns to muscle and muscle weighs more....and last but not least she told me don't become a "Scale Whore"....I have taken all this into consideration and will continue to forge on although I will admit I felt like eating a donut when I did not see the numbers move.

While I would love to not be a "Scale Whore" I will continue to weigh myself every Monday morning and track it in my handy dandy Excel spreadsheet....I am also challenging myself to lose 30 Lbs in 90 days....yep you heard that right....what a great goal and very tangible....This began on 2/16/09...I need to be 224.2 by 3/17/09...I am working hard to drop the first 10 lbs...I will keep you tuned in....

My goal for this blog is to incorporate some motivational quotes, express myself and air my frustrations as I continue on this journey, document what I am eating and my exercise regiment. Please leave me some comments or any tips that you may have!! I am excited about this journey and committed to my goals...I write it on sticky notes and post them all over "I WILL NOT FAIL" this is what I am living by....and I will not fail!!

Oh yeah...I forgot to add my sister got me the best Christmas present...a cruise to the Western Caribbean on May 24th....what a great motivator to loss weight as well!! Let my journey continue as I am 4 weeks into it....LOL