Biggest Loser Finale!

Today marked the end of the first phase of my weight loss journey!  And boy what a phase it has been.  Here are a few statistics of this phase:

*January 2009-weighed-in at 214 lbs.
*August 2010-weighed-in at 189 lbs. and started Crossfit (the other other love of my life:)
*went up a few pounds over the fall months :(
*January 2011-weighed-in at 182 lbs and started The Biggest Loser
*March 26, 2011-weighed-in at 161 lbs. and WON The Biggest Loser!

That's right I won first place in The Biggest Loser!  This morning we started out by running a 5k, I ran it in 39 minutes (a new PR for me).....mile 1-12:00, mile 2-13:00, mile 3-14:00.

Then we had the final weigh-in!  I weighed-in at 161 lbs.  I went down 11.1% in 10 weeks!  It was a close win though.  The guy that came in second went down 10.8%.  I kind of felt guilty, but I worked hard to be where I am today!

I tried to find some full-length pictures of me at my heaviest, but I guess I was too embarrassed by my weight.

January 2009

September 2009

I did take some pretty extreme measures last night.  My hubby suggested I take some laxative to "flush me out" *hehehe*.  And I also went running last night, and again this morning.  I guess it helped because I barely won.

I still have 31 pounds to go until I am at my ultimate goal weight, but today I am celebrating 53 pounds!

last week of the Biggest Loser

This week is going to be all about tracking everything I eat.  It's the last week of the Biggest Loser competition and I'm hoping to get at least in the top three.  Just gotta be smart about the calories I put in my body.  Losing weight is so calculated.....I'm beginning to realize that.  It's all about the quality of food you put in your body and the quality exercise you put out.  And then you have to pay attention to your body and the hunger signals it sends and the clock becomes your new best friend.  Sometimes I get so busy during the day, I forget to eat, which is detrimental to weight loss.  The hardest part for me is stopping the eating 3 hours before bedtime.  So basically, I get dinner and then nothing.  So, wish me luck this week as I give it more push before the finale on Saturday!

Biggest Loser Weigh-In cancelled.....so I weighed-in at home!

Remember my last post?  How I said that I was going to do terrible at my weigh-in this morning?  Well, guess what, I think my scale must be broken because I actually lost weight this week!

Previous week's weigh-in: 166
Today's weigh-in: 165

It is slowly coming off and it feels so good.  Seriously, I couldn't be happier.  I'm right on track to be at my goal of 150 by the time I have my family reunion with my entire family in May!!!!!  I wish I had some pictures to leave with you, but alas I've been slacking.....I'll work on that!

Motivation is slowly building back up!

Oh, and let's not forgot to mention that I did 400 meter sprints today.  For 3 miles I walked a lap and sprinted a lap....the sprints were on a speed of 6.2, and then the last 1/2 lap I sprinted at a speed of 7!!!!

does this ever happen to you?

So...I'm wondering....do you ever get really motivated to stick to your diet and lose those stubborn pounds and then suddenly, it all comes to a screeching halt?  Why oh why does this have to happen.  I have a feeling that I'm not going to do too well on my weigh-in tomorrow morning.

Biggest Loser Weigh-In Week #8

Previous week's weight: 167
Today's weight: 166

running

Felt like running this morning so hopped on the treadmill and ran 3 1/2 miles.  My legs were hurting pretty bad by the end, but I've come so far since I first started running again.  I can run a mile like it's no big deal, now I just need to work on my time.

Are you wondering what I ate for my cheat meal?

Here it is.  My hubby and I went out to Rumbi Island Grill for date night and I got this delicious chicken veggie noodle bowl.  The first picture is the entire meal.....

.....this bottom picture is what was leftover when I was full.....hmmmm.....it didn't take long before my shrinking stomach couldn't handle anymore.

Biggest Loser Weigh-In Week #7

Previous week's weigh-in: 169
Today's weigh-in: 167

Yay! The motivation is back again!!!!!

Hey all!  Yes, it's true, my motivation and dedication is back on track!  I couldn't be happier!  You wanna know what changed everything?  Going back to the Zone Diet.  Yep. I love love love the zone diet!  The only thing really different from the way I usually eat and the Zone Diet is the good fats I incorporate while on the zone.  And you wanna know what.....I added up my calories from what I ate yesterday on the Zone and my calories were right around the range I was going for when I was adding calories.  Big time bonus!  The zone diet is a lifestyle I find easy to follow so I'm sticking with it.

This was my dinner last night.......280 calories.......Tilapia with salsa on top, salad with cabbage and spinach and sliced almonds and craisins, and steamed carrots.

The other thing that has gotten me re-motivated is this guy's weight-loss blog:  www.bendoeslife.tumblr.com

I've been reading about his journey and I've realized that I'm doing a lot of things right, I just haven't been sticking with it long enough.  Just reading about his success gives me courage to make my own success.  So, I've made a few changes to my journey:

1. I'm putting the scale away during the week and I'll be weighing-in every Saturday morning.  

2. Even though this next one will be a pain in the butt, it'll be worth it:  I will be making my own dinner aside from the dinner I make my family every night.  

3. I will be allowing myself one cheat meal per week.....that meal will most always be Saturday nights.  

4. I will be allowing myself one date night treat per week (because who loves going to a movie without candy and popcorn?) and I will be allowing myself one treat on Sunday night's for our Family Home Evening treat.

5. I will be drinking 10 cups of water per day.  (When I first started this, it was amazingly hard, but I've got it now.  I've got this cool little cup (thanks to my friend Deb) that I always have filled with cold water.  I drink one per meal....that's 2 cups per meal.....and I drink one before breakfast, and one after my workout.)

6. I will be running 3 days a week to train for a 5k.  Monday and Wednesday after my regular Crossfit workout, & Saturday mornings.

7. I will be taking 1 day off per week (not including Sundays) from exercise to recuperate.  Most often those days will be Fridays, but that could change.

8. 2 pounds per week is my healthy goal.  

Let's do this!!!!!!

What a powerful "Biggest Loser" episode!

I just watched the most recent episode of "The Biggest Loser" and cried almost the entire time.  I am so stoked to "choose myself".  That seems to be the one thing that stuck out to me.....almost every contestant said that when they went home for a couple of weeks, the temptations were all still there that had made them fat in the first place......instead of choosing the unhealthy food choices, they chose themselves.  I like that....I'm choosing me!  I have the power to change my destiny.

I didn't eat too terribly today.  I made homemade chicken noodle soup with homemade breadsticks for dinner and boy was it ever delicious, but I think that would be the only terrible thing I ate today.  One step at a time......