I highly recommend the "sick during Christmas break" diet!

Seriously, I got sick 2 days before Christmas.....laid in bed all day feeling awful....ate a handful of gross food (nothing tasted good).....and guess what?  I came home from Christmas break not one pound heavier. Lovin' it!  Now tomorrow, it's back to working out daily and eating healthy.  I threw the Christmas candy away....and we have fresh fruits and veggies in the fridge....bring it on!

Very sore bum today.

Went running this morning with my sister-in-law......she killed me.....brought me up at least 10 hills and I thought I would die, but I did it!  I was only able to go 2.5 miles and now my butt and my legs are very sore....youch!  Then I came home and did 100 pushups, 100 situps, and 100 squats in 15 minutes.  Yes, I went as fast as I could.  We are now on our Christmas break and it feels so good to have nothing else to worry about but being with family, having fun, and gabbing.  Love the relaxation!  I'll post an updated picture of me in my next post.

I don't know why, but....

I don't know why I haven't felt like writing about my weight loss journey lately....maybe it's because I really haven't had that great of a month in weight loss.....but when I look back on the past month, I've actually accomplished a lot in my journey.  When I was in college, I lost 50 pounds and was quite the runner and I love it!  I absolutely love running!  So, ever since I started this journey again, I've wanted to work up to running a 5K!  Well, the past 2 Saturdays I ran 3 miles in under 40 minutes.  That is amazingly good for me!  After each run I felt so good about myself and I couldn't stop telling everyone how far I ran! I'm sure people are sick of hearing it by now.

Bottom line, I am sooooo ready for that 5K this spring/summer!  Maybe more than one?  Hopefully my sister can run one with me!  *hint, hint*

Another thing that is great for me in the past month is that I have moved up in weight at Crossfit.  Not a whole lot, but enough to make me sore again!  Love the feeling of being sore!

And last, I'm finally below 180 for good.  This morning I weighed in at 178!  I'm almost scared that the holidays are fast approaching....maybe I don't trust myself to have self-control.  Don't get me wrong, I will enjoy my holidays, but eating like a pig is not the way to do it.

I was talking to my hubby the other night about the excuses we make for ourselves to not do something.  It's so true.  I made excuses for myself all the time.  My main excuse a year ago was that I have kids....I don't have time to exercise.  But ever since I put myself first and got involved in an AMAZING workout program (Crossfit) I am a much better and much happier mommy!  I will not make excuses for myself anymore.

Another Milestone...I'm ready for a 5K!!!!!

This'll be a short post.....I went running this morning (it was very foggy and a little chilly, but I like it that way)....I ran 2.75 miles in 36 minutes..............and I felt like I could keep going!!!!  I called my sister right when I got home and said, "I'm ready for a 5K!!!!"  But with much more excitement!  I've been working up to running this far for a long time and my legs are finally getting strong enough to hold out!  I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

quick shout out.

I weighed in this morning and was below 180!!!!!!!!!!!!  I'm now at 179!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This is a big milestone for me, I've been looking forward to this moment for a while now, and it's finally showing!  In other news, the body fat competition that I competed in was over yesterday.  According to the gym equipment, I lost almost 11 pounds, and went down 2.6% in body fat (but according to my scale at home, I lost 14 pounds!  I think I'll go with my scale :)

Life is beautiful........my kids are adorable........I'm loving getting up extra early (5:00 a.m.) to go do Crossfit...............I'm also loving being able to get ready for the day before breakfast is served!................our Christmas trees are up :)..............I love life!

How are your goals going?

food for thought.

So....I came across this statement from P90X guru, Tony Horton!  I loved it so much (and felt so much truth to it) that I wanted to post it!

Remember that your goal isn't just about achieving physical fitness; it is about developing emotional fitness.  You can lose all the weight you want, but unless you have resolved and confronted your emotional issues, you will never truly be satisfied or content with yourself.

I think I may have some emotional issues that I haven't addressed yet, because even though I've gone down 2 pant sizes (yep, that's right), lost 18 pounds since starting Crossfit (18 POUNDS!), and I've gotten so many compliments about how good I'm looking....I still am not completely happy about myself and my mood is quite sour sometimes.

I kind of feel like I'm bearing my soul here, but just from watching "The Biggest Loser" and seeing the emotional breakdowns that each and every contestant has, I truly believe that there are deep down emotional issues in each of us.  So, my struggle now is finding and resolving those emotional triggers that make me over-eat.

That being said, I have had a very off-week.  I honestly haven't even cared about being diligent in my diet.  I need to find that groove again that I had at the beginning of my diet.  Scratch that, I don't like to call my new eating habits a diet...I HATE THE WORD DIET...instead I'll call it my lifestyle change.  I've been allowing myself more sweets, just because I think I deserve it.  I haven't felt like cooking, so we've been taking the easy way out and going out to eat....the number one no-no when you're trying to lose weight.

As I sit here and write this, I so want to go and get something yummy to eat, but I'm fighting that urge.  I'm fighting it because I really want to get to my goal by Thanksgiving of 175 lbs.

Then I want to get to my goal by Christmas of 168 lbs.  I really want to see my family and friends and have them be in shock from how different I look!  That is truly what drives me right now. 

One thing I need to remind myself of right now, especially with the grumpy mood I've been in today...........HAPPY GIRLS ARE THE PRETTIEST GIRLS!

A (dare I say healthy) treat for the sweet tooth!

I have found a new favorite bedtime snack, a.k.a. treat!  Just blend 1 cup of PLAIN yogurt with 1/2 cup of any kind of frozen berries.  Tonight I used the raspberry/blueberry/blackberry blend, sometimes I use the strawberry/pineapple/mango/peach blend.  Both are soooo yummy.  Plus, only 180 calories in the smoothie!  I love to pair it with a light babybel cheese round and I'm good for the night. 

Disclaimer:  It may take a few tries to get used to the PLAIN yogurt taste.  It took me at least 3 or 4 tries, but it has less calories and less artificial sweeteners.

I guess while I'm on here, I should probably get this confession out in the open so I can move on.  Last night, I decided to stay up late (dumb decision, since that's when I want to eat) and I pulled out the kid's halloween buckets and found my favorites!  Basically anything with chocolate would do!  I ate way too much candy and feel totally guilty that I did that!  But I'm moving on......I have an end in sight to this weight loss challenge (next Saturday) and I still have 6 pounds to lose to meet my goal.  I better get a little more cardio in!  I'd love to hear about some of your temptations and how you get past them!

Happy Girls are the Prettiest Girls!

I saw this picture today and it really hit me hard.....my hubby has told me countless times how much more attractive I am when I'm happy and I guess reading this just put it in perspective for me.  

It's true I haven't been very happy lately, and I don't know what to attribute that to?  Disappointment in myself for giving in to temptation might be a big part of it.  Even though I weigh less than I've weighed in probably 5 years, I still get depressed.  How about all of you?  One of my best friends is always telling me to give myself some credit.  I'm working my butt off trying to get back to sexy and I don't give myself enough credit.  I do think it is important to let yourself have a little wiggle room, and it is heaven when that happens, so don't beat yourself up about it. 

I got some pretty dang sweet compliments today.  A guy from Crossfit asked me how many pant sizes I had gone down.  I told him I was still wearing my same pants, they were just a little baggy.  He said it looks like I have gone down a ton!  Then my trainer said that my thrusters could've been videotaped and used as a "how to" tape....they were that good!  That made me feel awesome!!!  Then I got the highest number of rounds in my Crossfit class tonight and that just put me on top of the world.  

A lot of good things happened today........and I am happy........and I'm feeling prettier too!

A new favorite!

Thank goodness Halloween is over!  I did indulge and eat a few pieces of candy tonight, which were delightful, but I'm now back to my lifestyle change......

Just wanted to show you all another of my favorite lunches.....open-faced tuna sandwich with spinach and red pepper slices and almonds!  So so so so so so so yummy!!!!!

So......I'm not feeling very talkative lately....hence the lack of posts on here, but all is going well.  I've been slacking more than I should lately, but I've still been losing and trying to stay on track.  I've also been running (one of my goals is to run a 5K next summer).  I ran 2 miles, walked 2 of those laps, the past 2 days.  I'd like to run every time after my Crossfit workout, time permitting!  I've always wanted to be a runner, so I'm happy that I'm working on it now.  Oh......one very exciting thing for me.....I used to get shin splints every single time I tried running, now I don't get them at all!  It must have had something to do with getting my legs in better shape!  

Gave In :(

Today has been a very FUN day with my family....Homecoming festivities at the college!  And yes, I got treats for my family to munch on at the football game......and yes, I gave in and ate some!  I've been very strict with my diet for 3 weeks and was burnt out...so I decided today was going to be my cheat day. We ordered Papa John's Pizza for dinner (my favorite kind of pizza) and ate it while we watched "How to Train Your Dragon".  Then, since I have been craving Cold Stone for a week, I got a waffle bowl filled with chocolatey, reeces, and brownie goodness!  Needless to say, I didn't get through half of it, and now I feel very ill!  However, I really needed this cheat day where I could remind myself why I am not going to allow myself to eat this way every day.  I will be right back in the zone tomorrow, so don't mistake this for me giving up!  Believe!!!!!!!

(my 2 year old son at the Homecoming Parade)

Dieting in the Zone!

Before you look....these next 2 pictures are going to be evil to all you dieters.....there, I warned you.....

Before I started this hard core dieting 2 1/2 weeks ago, I made a "rule" that I would be allowed ONE sweet a week.  So, I made Sunday's my sweets day, because that is when our family has Family Home Evening and I would be making treats anyway!  The first Sunday on my diet, we had warm brownies with vanilla ice cream on top, the second Sunday on my diet we had Mint Chocolate Chip Oreo Ice Cream Pie, and so with this Sunday coming around I've been thinking and thinking about what I really want for my treat.  I have been craving Cold Stone ice cream for weeks, so I was totally going to make tonight my sweets night and get it.....then I read some facebook comments about how I was "motivating" some of my former high school classmates, and that gave me strength to say no to ice cream tonight!  

One of the things that has really kept me going, is having people around me that know my goals and that know of my ONE sweet a week rule!  I love that my friends are honest enough to tell me how it is.  For example, I texted my friend today and told her that I might just jaunt on over to Cold Stone tonight and indulge my sweet tooth....she texted back and said, "...which do u like more....losing weight or cold stone?"  (Thank you, you know who you are, you really got me thinking!)  That got me thinking that, yeah, I guess I do like losing weight more than ice cream, and I can hold out until my sweet day!

So, while this ice cream is still on the back of my mind, so is my diet and my exercise, and I'm soooo excited to get on the scale tomorrow and see if I broke that 182!!!!!

On to the other topic, some of my friends were wondering how and what I eat on the Zone Diet.  So here's what I ate today:

Breakfast: packet oatmeal, 2 eggs, banana, 2 slices of deli turkey, 12 cashews

Snack: 1/2 cup grapes, 1 oz. cheese, 3 almonds

Lunch: 1/2 apple, 4 oz. grilled chicken, 1 slice break with 1 tsp. Adams All-Natural Peanut Butter, 1/2 cup blueberries, 6 almonds

Snack: plum, 1 slice deli turkey, 3 cashews

Dinner: Protein Shake (1 banana, scoop chocolate protein powder, 1 tsp. peanut butter, 1 cup soy milk, ice), 3 slices of turkey bacon, 1/4 cup cottage chz, 6 almonds

No, my kids and husband do not eat this way, just me!  I used the excuse before I started this diet that I didn't want to have to cook more than one thing per meal, but the reality is, you're gonna have to.  I've gotten used to it now.  And really, it's not all that difficult.  For example, my family had oatmeal, nuts, and bananas for breakfast (almost the same as me).....my family's lunch was completely different.......and my family had waffles for dinner.  It really isn't that hard, give it a try.  My thinking is, "I'm doing this for me, and it's working!"

I'm not perfect in this diet yet, I realize that I need to eat more veggies and I'm beginning to listen to my body after I eat certain things.

So, girls, (you know who you are), my advice is to find the right diet for you, whether that be the Zone or another diet.  Research it....don't starve yourself.....eat healthy, unprocessed foods, pay attention to ingredients in what you are eating, and give yourself a break every now and then.  

If you'd like to know more, email me, kristawoodstock@gmail.com.....for now, I'm off for my nightly snack before I zonk on my pillow!  Good night!

Just yell at the scale!!!!

Have you ever felt like doing this????!!!!!  I certainly have!  Especially this week.  I've been trying to break 182 for a few days now and it's just not happening.  But, I know that eating less is not the answer, it's true, in order to lose that stubborn body fat you have to eat the right amount of food, depending on how active you are.  If you didn't already know, I'm following the Zone Diet plan.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!!!!!!!!  Sometimes it feels like I'm eating a ton of food, when really that food that I'm eating is in just the right proportions to facilitate a healthy weight loss and body fat loss.  If you're interested in the Zone Diet, here's a great article about how to get started: http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/cfjissue21_May04.pdf

I use the food lists every day!

GIMME OREOS!!!!!!!!!

The past couple of days I've felt just like this girl (picture from the internet)!  I made this delicious Mint Chocolate Chip Oreo Ice Cream Pie on Sunday so I've had this package of oreos just sitting in my pantry, begging me to eat them!  

For the past couple of days, I've been giving my boys oreos after their meals as a treat, and they're almost gone, thank goodness!  But every time I pulled those cookies out to give to my boys, my mouth watered at the smell of the chocolatey frosting goodness!!!!  I so wanted to just sink my teeth into one of those babies!  

But alas, I didn't so much as lick one, and there's only two left in the package (those will be gone tonight as soon as daddy gets home I'm sure!).  One thing I've found since I started this new diet 2 1/2 weeks ago, is that my self control is at an all new level now.  I know that all this food I'm craving and dying to eat will still be there in a week, two weeks, month, year!  Besides, I do have my once a week that I get to cheat and indulge my sweet tooth.......maybe this Sunday will have to be Oreos with Peanut Butter....hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........sounds so good!

2 different emotions!

I started out  my day today feeling like this........

 I just didn't feel like I was getting anywhere.  I felt like I was eating too much food, I felt big, I was depressed, I wanted results faster, I was tired, and the list could probably go on an on.....

......then I went to my nightly routine of Crossfit, did the workout, felt great, then I decided to check my body fat.  See, I'm competing in this body fat competition and we've been going for two weeks.  I started the competition at 40%.........I checked it tonight and was at 37.4%..........DOWN 2.6%!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOW I FEEL LIKE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's amazing what exercise can do for your attitude and emotions.  I wish I could workout in the mornings so I could have this feeling all day long!  

So, while I was depressed about my diet this morning, I'm now back on track and believe more than ever in the Zone Diet!  It rocks!  Yes, it's hard to get all the food in, but that's what your body needs, nutrients and good healthy food.  I read somewhere that if you ever let your body get to feeling really hungry, then you've lost your chance to lose body fat.  You have to keep your body fed at a constant and religious time schedule.  For me, it's every 2-3 hours.  Trust me, I've tried feeding my body as little as possible so as to lose the weight faster and it didn't do anything.  Now I'm seeing results and am more thrilled than ever!

I NEVER THOUGHT WORKING OUT AND CHANGING MY BODY IMAGE COULD BE THIS EXHILARATING!!!! 

Re-motivated!

My sister surprised me and came and visited today!  This is the girl that is my motivation....she's lost almost 60 pounds and still going!  On her weight loss blog, (over there on the side), she posted progress pictures, which got me thinking, I need to do that.  So, stay tuned for before and after pictures up until now. 

For now, here's one of me and my sis.....I love her!

It's slowly getting easier.....

Yah, I know, I've already posted today, but it really helps to write what I'm feeling at the time.  I indulged my sweet tooth tonight and had a Reeces bar-immediately after I felt sick.  A few hours later I was feeling like I could maybe have another Reeces bar.....then I went and weighed myself on the scale and lo and behold, I was down another pound......so........bye bye Reeces bars and sweets for another week.  I'd much rather see the numbers on the scale go down!

Check out a few of my favorites!

After being on my new diet for a week now, there's a few meals that I have fallen in love with!  I'm pretty much loving the entire diet, but I want to share these two of my favorites.....

First up is Tuna Salad Sandwiches on Wasa Crackers!  To die for!  Although I don't like spinach leaves by themselves, they are so yummy paired with tuna and tomato!

And while my boys were eating their own personal pizzas for dinner......

....I was diving into this delicious Crushed Red Pepper Chicken Salad w/beets, tomatoes, spinach and a drizzle of dressing!  This salad is probably my favorite for dinner! 

This new diet is definitely working......I've lost 4 pounds this week....I'm almost scared to allow myself to indulge in a few sweets this weekend.  I never thought I'd hear myself say that!  I feel GREAT, my energy level is up, and above all, I'm losing-couldn't be better!

Next up.......a few of my favorite snacks!

Transition is a battle.....

"Transition is a battle. No question about it. You have to decide if the future matters.  Because what you do right now, every day---meals and exercise (or lack thereof) will determine your future."

Tony Horton-P90X

What's for Dinner?

I'm on day 3 of the Zone Diet and honestly really like it!  It involves eating natural food, not the processed and packaged foods.  So here's an example of my dinner tonight (which I'm eating right now):

Spinach salad w/red pepper seasoned grilled chicken (I like my chicken spicy!)
Tomatoes, 1/2 yellow pepper, 1/4 cup cottage cheese, a few cashews, and a slice of deli turkey on the side
& a Wasa whole wheat cracker with a tiny bit of Adams Natural peanut butter on the top.
& a cup of milk

So yummy!!!!

I've been trying different foods, and I'm already choosing my favorites, I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.  For example, for my snacks, I love to have a half slice of bread with a 1/2 tsp of peanut butter and an ounce of cheese, so delicious!!!!

Yes, I am definitely getting those sugar cravings at night but knowing that I can have 1-2 sweet treats a week, really helps!

Calories Burned Doing CrossFit | eHow.com

My hubby and I had a "little" discussion about how many calories I burn during a Crossfit workout. My trainer had told me that it was not unusual for your body to burn upwards of 1000 calories from a single workout. I thought, "Wow! That's a lot of calories!" But after my discussion with my hubby, I decided to go online (love the internet) and research it. Here's what I found:

Calories Burned Doing CrossFit | eHow.com

So, basically, your body continues to burn calories up to 36 hours after a workout. To really get all the information you need, you really should just read the article! If you haven't tried Crossfit, I highly recommend it! It has changed my strength level drastically.

Body Fat Competition

So, starting Monday, I am competing in a body fat loss competition with my Crossfit buddies!  It costs $20 to join and there will be a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, where all the money gets distributed!  I went to a Nutrition seminar this morning and learned all about healthy eating, which brought me to decide on what diet I wanted to try.........I chose the Zone Diet!  I just spent the last 3 hours researching, reading, and putting together menus of things I like to eat.  So, all I have to do at meal time is choose a meal from my list and go with it.  I'm pretty excited about it!  I'm also giving myself one cheat day a week (that day will be Sunday, since our family has Family Home Evening on Sunday).  This new way of life, along with Crossfit should catapult my body into quite a change, don't you think?  Time will tell!  So, here's to my journey.................

Think of the Kittens.....

Seriously could not stop laughing at this one!  I know I need to post some motivation on this blog, but I'm trying to sort out my weight loss journey right now...........as soon as I feel motivated, I'll record it!  Fair enough?

Inspiration!

I had an amazing talk with my sister tonight, who has lost 50 pounds!  She is such an inspiration to me.  It has been a tough road for her, but she's stuck it out and still going.  I really wish she lived by me, but I guess I'll have to settle for a weekly phone call!  Her friend and trainer sent me this video and it definitely inspired me to get moving and find my groove.  This man found running to be his strength and passion............my passion is Crossfit.  I love it!!!!!!!!  Every night when 5:00 rolls around I get butterflies and anxious to go see what I can do.  Today I did the Baseline workout which is:

500 meter row
40 air squats
30 situps
20 pushups
10 pullups

My time was 5:38......and then we did it a second time to see if we could beat our first time.  My second time was 5:46!  Almost!  I was really proud of myself and I can definitely see a difference in my muscles.  So there you have it!

Feelin' Crappy....

Yeah....I ditched the no eating tonight and I'm really feelin' it right now. Talk about heart burn.....and all I did was eat a few cheezits (my favorite!). But, I'm hating myself right now.....why do I do this to myself? No crossfit tomorrow means I'm headin' to the track to run....anyone wanna join?

This is my story.....and I'm stickin' to it!

Okay, so, I've stuck to counting calories so far today, granted it's only 12:30 in the afternoon, but I'm gonna do it. Whenever I feel like going to the pantry and sneaking a few cheezits, I get some inspirational weight loss blogs and remind myself why I'm doing this. My hubby's been telling me lately how thin I'm looking lately. I haven't lost any weight, but I guess Crossfit is doing it's job by trimming some of this ugly body fat and turning it into muscle. I can definitely tell a difference in my belly, not so flabby. So, right now, I'm going to go get a piece of gum, chug some water, and take my boys miniature golfing and then off to "Spoon Me" to get some low fat ice cream (only 100 calories)! Then Crossfit tonight, I'm actually excited to go and test my body!

focus

I'm sitting here at 10:30 at night, just itching to eat................then I went over to my sis's blog and looked at her before and after shots of 50 pounds of ugly fat gone! I'm motivated again! The big military ball is in 2 months and I really want to lose 20 pounds by then......................geez this is hard.

First time on the bench press!

Big accomplishment today at Crossfit:

I BENCHED 75 LBS! ON MY FIRST TIME DOING THE BENCH PRESS! I WAS PRETTY STOKED! PLUS, I DID ABOUT 7 REAL PUSHUPS! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? I CAN'T............BUT IT FEELS GOOD!

Motivation....

My little sis, Ang, has now lost almost 50 pounds and that has definitely zapped me (if you know what I mean)! She is such an inspiration to me and she is giving me the determination to get this weight-loss ball rolling. I've been tracking calories for about 3 days now (it sucks; and I've still been naughty), but I know it's what is going to get me at my goal weight. I'm putting this out there right now. I have a goal to lost 20 pounds by November (our military ball, where I have to wear a formal dress....eeeeeek!). I can already tell a difference in the firmness of my arms and legs (so can my hubby :), now I just need to get the eating under wraps and I feel like the weight will fly off. Meanwhile, every time I feel depressed, or just need an extra boost, I'll be looking at your before and after picture Angie, and checking out other weight loss blogs to see what works for them. Bring it on!!!!!

Today's WOD...

Today's workout was:

500 meter row

then....21-18-15-12-9-6-2

intervals of Sumo KB squats and v-ups

and finishing off with a 500 meter row

I used the 25 pound weight for the Sumo's and totally felt like I could've done more weight.

I don't feel wasted tonight.....I guess that means it's time to up the weight and resistance!

I made my goal weight this week!

I had a goal to be at 187 by today and I did it!!!!! Now my goal is to be at 184 by next Monday!

By the way, Crossfit is amazing, so addicting. Because of a crazy schedule this week, I'm going early morning, harder to get going, but still worth it!

Progress?

Well, the cough is almost gone, I guess that means my lungs are getting stronger and my cardiovascular fitness is getting better. Today was a tough workout:

800 meter run (I rowed)

64 KB throws

44 Russian twists

400 meter run (I ran)

43 KB throws

24 Russian twists

200 meter run (I ran)

21 KB throws

12 Russian twists

I really wish I could've ran the 800 meters. Tonight, I had a protein shake, a little popcorn, and apple cinnamon herbal tea to loosen up my throat. I can definitely feel myself getting stronger, and I'm so excited for what's to come!!!!!!!

Free month at CrossFit UAC!!!

All you who read this blog, you've got to check out CrossFit UAC! It rocks! Go here to win a free month, but hurry, offer ends Sunday Aug. 15th!

http://www.uaclogan.com/

doin' good

CrossFit today: 50 pull-ups, 70 push-ups, 75 sit-ups, 50 squats, 1000 meter rowing

Not so sore today, I felt great.....pull-ups were really hard though.....my arms a little jello-y! Lovin' it so far!

I...AM...SO...SORE!

CrossFit is kicking my butt, and I've only been for 2 days! At the end of the second day I was so sore I cried almost every time I had to sit down or stand up! And usually ended up slowly lowering myself onto the toilet until I finally plopped down out of exhaustion! I am liking it though. I'm challenging myself and doing things I never thought I would do. For example, on the second day, we ran 400 meters to start, then did all sorts of reps of knee to elbows while hanging from the pull-up bar, squats with the medicine ball, squats with kettle balls, and finishing off with a 200 meter run. I think I counted that we did like 50 reps of each exercise. I felt like I had to throw up at the end........but I did it! I'm excited for the weeks ahead to see how I improve. I'm taking my measurements tonight so I can see the results. Carry on............

CrossFit

Yep, I did it! I tried CrossFit today! My amazing friend Debbie has been trying to get me to go for months and I finally gave in! I'm so glad I did too! The first day, and I already feel like I belong! Can't wait to finish out my "free" week and see if I want to keep at it! Bonus: I did 10 pull ups (with the assistance of awesome stretchy bands). Thanks Deb!

The big reveal!

First, an update, yes I met my 10 pound goal! I actually lost 11 pounds by the day I picked my hubby up at the airport. The look in his eyes was amazing! It gave me the determination to keep going with this journey.

I've made a decision today.....I'm going to start posting before shots along my journey. This is obviously a before shot. So terrible that I'm actually embarrassed to post it, but admitting the truth will help to get past it.

I've made a new goal with a friend of mine.....we are pledging to have lost 20 pounds by October 7th! Let it begin!

First off, a rice cake and some strawberries for my late night treat!

I have a goal!

It's well known around my neighborhood that my sweet hubby is out of town doing army training until July 20th! I've made a goal for myself to lose 10 pounds by the time he gets home. I'm well on my way. I've lost 4 pounds in 4 days and just itching for the last 6 to come off. I only have 10 more days to do it! Do you think I can? I can't very well let my love come home 20 pounds lighter and have him weigh less than me, can I? To make this happen, I have been working out twice a day......in the morning with my sister doing some sort of P90X workout, and then again after the kids go to bed doing the elliptical. It's working, I'm just trying to keep my willpower up to keep eating well!

Wow...check this!

Did Zumba for the first time Wednesday night. I am not at all dance talented so I was kind of lost most of the time, but overall, it was pretty fun. I still prefer the track or just walking outdoors though.......

Almost....:(

Went to the track this morning........my goal was to do 3 miles of running the curves and walking the straights......I did 2 1/2 miles.........part of the problem was I ran out of time, I had to be back so my hubby could leave.....but I was pretty tired and my legs were hurting. I started to feel the shin pain again, so I knew I had to take it easy OR I would BE IN pain. OH by the way, all theSE capS LEtters is THANKS to my 2 year OLD WHO IS SITTIng here pusHING the cAPS LOCK BUTTON while I type! It's the only way I can type these days...with him on my lap.

starting again....

Woke up a little late this morning....so hurried and got ready so I could go to the track before my hubby had to leave at 7:50 this morning. I left my house at 7:15, ran/walked 2 miles and was home on time. I walked the straights and ran the curves at the track. Great workout for me. Tomorrow, the goal is to do the same thing for 3 miles. The best part is I don't have any pain in my legs...NONE! So excited about that!

A few changes we've made...

So, about 6 months ago, my hubby and I decided to make some drastic changes in our eating habits, not only for us, but for our kids too. The first change we made was to get rid of these sugar ridden fruit snacks. At first the kids were sad and at a loss of what to eat for snacks, but we've replaced these bad boys to.......

.....these! Our boys don't eat them as frequently as they did fruit snacks, (a good thing) and they are really delicious!

For breakfasts, or snacks, we've replaced most cereals with smoothies! We LOVE LOVE LOVE this Ninja Blender!

I've decided....

.....that it's time for me to work on this blog a little. So, I'm going to start taking pictures of food, me, and basically anything related to weight loss that I find works for me. That being said, I've finally reached another milestone. I've weighed 195 F-O-R-E-V-E-R, so I was pretty excited when I got on the scale this morning and weighed in at 193! Yesssss! I've been doing a point system with a bunch of people for about 5 weeks now and I LOVE IT!!!!! It totally helps me to be accountable and I love the competition. I still haven't gotten 1st place, but I've been in 2nd place a few times. I'm hoping this week will be my winning week! Anyway, just wanted to let you all know (whoever you are that reads this blog) that this blog will be brightening up with some pictures! And one last thing: I LOVE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHANGES!

New for me...

Started training for a 5k today! I did 3.1 miles and here's the best part: I ran a total of 2 miles and ran 1 mile without stopping. I even felt like I could keep going! I felt so good and I'm so proud of myself. I haven't been able to run like that for at least 6 years (since college). What's even better, is it feels so good to tell my hubby how well I did. I would love to be able to go running with my hubby someday! Love it, love it, love it!!!!!!!!!!! so excited for tomorrow's run!

5K journey!

So, last week our family ran/walked in the elementary 1 mile fun run. I was only able to run the first lap, then had to walk the other 4! I was so embarrassed, hence the beginning of my new journey. I'm setting out to be able to run a 5K by the end of the summer. I'm so excited that my hubby is out of school, which means I can now get up at a decent time, not 5:30, and go running. I'm starting slow. Yesterday was day 1; I ran a lap, walked a lap for 3 miles. My legs are very sore today, but my hubby keeps telling me it will get easier. He should know, he's been down this road before. The road of getting in shape and learning how to run long distance. I'm so glad I have his support. Wish me luck, by the end of the summer, I'll be able to run the full 3.2 miles!

So excited!!!

I weighed myself this morning and I'm on the verge of 195!!!! I'm so excited!!!!!! This weight is coming off slowly but surely! I've been weighing in every Friday with one of my friends from High School! She lives in Montana, and let me tell you, I love having someone to answer to besides my husband. We both have 3 boys and we both struggle with eating right and finding time to exercise. It's just so nice to have someone to relate to! Thanks girly (you know who you are)! As for our healthy eating habits change, it's amazing the difference in how I feel during the day because of cutting out a lot of the junk we were eating. It is not uncommon for us to have a plate full of veggies cut up with our dinner, and the boys are acclimating well. Ander still has a problem with red peppers and celery, but Toren eats just about everything (avocados are his favorite); Kai just sticks with carrots right now, but we'll just keep trying and soon he'll love every veggie! Jamen and I are both so happy that we made this eating change; we both feel very strongly about teaching our boys the importance of feeding your body the right foods! Okay, I've talked enough......

Bland.....

Let's be honest here, food that is "fat free" or "low in fat" just doesn't taste as good! But I'm trying to face the facts and realize that if I want to lose weight, I have to stick to the "low fat" foods! Some of my favorites are:

Cheez-its-(just bought the "low fat" kind)

Hot Tomales-(if any of you have found a "low fat" variety, please let me know)

And a few of my new favorite veggies:

Red Peppers

celery

Cucumbers on sandwiches

beans on salads

It's finally clicked!!!!

Yes, it's finally clicked in my stubborn head! I can't pin it on one thing or one event, but just in the past 2 weeks, my body has started thinking again! It all started 2 weeks ago when Jamen and I both knew we needed to crack down and work harder to get our bodies in shape. So, I threw out my dinner plan, and started new with healthy recipes. By healthy I mean lots of veggies, lots of salads, fruits, fish for dinner, whole grain bread, desserts only on FHE night or the weekend, etc. I've also been counting calories, I currently get 1200 a day. I don't write it down, because that doesn't work for me, I just keep a running total in my head and love it.

I'VE LOST 5 POUNDS IN 2 WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess what we're doing is working! One of my secrets is V8 Vegetable Juice. I love it!!!!!!! Plus, it only has 50 calories in an 8 oz. serving. Whenever I get an urge to drink some juice, I just pull out my trusty V8 and it satisfies me until dinner. And since I'm really the only one in the house that likes it, it is always in the fridge. My other secret is to have a good start in the morning. Jamen and I get up at 5:30 every morning to work out and it's really becoming a habit. Then, I always eat a breakfast that is no more than 300 calories. Usually I eat a bowl of oatmeal with an english muffin-YUMMY!!!!!!! In the past, I'd eat a bowl full of cereal, which was at least 800 calories. Not anymore! 800 calories is more than half of the entire day's worth of calories. Totally not worth it!

Sweets are starting to make me sick. For example, today I had a sour cream glazed cake donut, which we love, but when I got done eating it (a whole 370 calories later) I felt guilty and gross inside. I'll stick to strawberries, oranges, carrots, green peppers, and yogurt for snacks. Date night is tonight, so I do plan on splurging a little....but I think every diet needs a little splurge every now and then.

I'm so excited that all this weight loss stuff has finally clicked in my head!

My goal is to be down to 192 by March 20th!

update....

I'm on the 3rd week of P90X and still loving it. Not yet seeing results I want, but I know the reason for that.........it's all about what you eat. Dang, why can't I have self-discipline when it comes to eating.