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Sunday, November 7, 2010

Saggy Panties and Wedding Gowns

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I celebrated our five year anniversary. Around this time, I was bouncing through the house, and had an idea. I wonder, will my dress still fit?

I couldn't resist. I HAD to try it on. I ran through the house to my bedroom, and dug to the back of my closet. I was like a small child at Christmas, tearing into that really, really, big box under the tree. I slipped in the dress, reached behind me, and zipped it up. And I laughed. Uncontrollably. As did my husband.


Now, just in case you can't tell, the dress is huge. I discovered that I can slip out of the entire bodice of the dress, without unzipping it. (Please excuse my ponytail and lack of makeup, I had just finished housework). After our laugh, my husband made the comment that most women no longer fit into their dresses, and mine is falling off. How awesome is THAT?!

The picture above is a closeup of my shoulder. It shows the distance between, my shoulder and the strap. Obviously, I was enjoying my new discovery.

A few days before the wedding gown discovery, I discovered something else. Saggy undies. Yup. While looking at my profile in the mirror, I looked down and noticed something; my underwear no longer made contact with my butt. HA! And when I say saggy, I mean there was 3-4 inches hanging. I've had to buy smaller shirts, pants, bras, and even shoes. Why on Earth did I not think about underwear? Once again, my husband was there to make jokes... and inform me that my undies were unacceptable. Agreed.

I'm at the point of my journey that I'm having a lot of fun. I'm still adjusting to the compliments, and people asking "where did you go?". I still change clothes several times each morning trying to find something in my closet that isn't ridiculously large. I still grunt, sweat, and ache with each workout. I still try to push my body further than it's been pushed before. And, most importantly, I still can't wait to look in the mirror when I've reached the end of my life changing journey.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Taking The Good With The Bad

Last Friday, a thoughtful man (insert sarcasm) totaled my car for me. This has been a HUGE stress on me. I have cried approximately 51 times because of this. I'm an analyzer by nature. I think about every statement, and action... and then I break it down. So, my head has been going CRAZY this week. As it stands, I still haven't been offered a rental, and no settlement has been reached. This is all because the man who hit me refuses to give his statement to the insurance company, and we now have to wait on the police report. Awesome! What does this have to do with weight loss? Stress is a killer on the body!

Everyone reacts differently to stress. Some eat until they are so full, they can't remember why they were stressed to begin with. Others quit eating, or eat so little that they drop LOTS of weight. Neither way is ideal, for obvious reasons. How does my body react? I'm not hungry when I'm stressed, but it seems when I do eat, my body hangs on to EVERY SINGLE CALORIE.

I have bounced all over the scale this week. Now... before you fuss, I know that you should really only weigh yourself once a week. But, I was curious to see what this stress was doing. I've gone up, I've gone down.. and repeat. So, I'm going to NOT over-analyze the week. I've made less than ideal meal choices, but have worked out as much as possible. Because, "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't." -Legally Blonde

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Motivation

There's a lot of discussion about motivation. This is what I hear most often from people: "I just don't have any motivation." Really? There's not one single thing that you can think of to motivate you? NOTHING?

I sat down trying to figure out the key to MY motivation? Is it my daughter? My husband? My health? My vanity? What actually made me start this journey? Then I remembered this: My daughter's 4th birthday pictures. When I saw them, I wanted to cry. What happened to me? At what point did I just give up? I'm not sure, but I knew one thing had to change, and that was ME.



So, after a lot of tears, I got moving. The pictures below are a couple of weeks old, so I've lost even more. But, I am SO very proud of myself. For me, getting started was hard. Once you start, though, you become a freight train. You SEE the progress. You FEEL the progress. And, you don't want to stop. My husband (the photographer) is a lot taller than me, so these aren't the best pics to show how much I've lost. Hopefully, you can see the difference from the first picture. I know I feel 50+ pounds lighter! I often joke about my obsession with weight loss and exercise. I just love it! For me, seeing and feeling the changes in body are the motivation that keep me going. Is it easy? Of course not! But, the pros definitely exceed the cons. I think that everyone has it in them. They just truly have to WANT it, and make it a priority. If it isn't a priority, you'll never reach your desired goal. Don't let lack of motivation be your excuse or your way of life.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Sayonara!!!

FINALLY! I have been trying to get to 50 lbs for the last week. I hit 49, and then nothing. I was peeved. Really? 49? I can't have that ONE more pound? Of course not. This week, I was on a mission. Come Hell or high water, I was losing that extra pound. And, so I did. =)

Yesterday, I actually pushed myself harder than I've pushed in a long time. I made myself do 3 extra miles on the elliptical, and as a result, burned more calories than I had consumed for the day. I was burning into the previous day's caloric intake. Hmm... probably not the wisest decision. But, I ate a large healthy dinner when I left the gym.

So, today I sit at a 52 pound weight loss. I'm not finished yet, but I think I just topped the first mountain... and the view from here is incredible.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Motivate Me!

I have recently started "following" (sounds creepy, I know) a group of women that each have a blog. Their blogs are about their daily lives as women, mothers, and wives. But, they are mostly about living a healthy lifestyle. These 6 women known as the "Big 6," have thousands of followers, all of which are from many different walks of life. These women set out to inspire, to be honest about their daily struggles, to tell it how it is.

This made me think... Where would I be without my online support group? Would I have lost 49 pounds without them? Maybe. Probably not. As someone who's addicted to social networking sites, I love that I can post when I'm frustrated, or don't feel like going to the gym, and my friends tell me to get out there and do it! Sometimes, we all need a little extra motivation. I LOVE THIS! I can always count on others that are in a similar situation of trying to improve their bodies, to encourage, motivate, and once again, tell me how it is.

I challenge myself on a daily basis to make the best choices to meet my weight loss goals. I challenge you to do the same. Because, together, we can kick butt and finally reach the finish line...one mile (or pound) at a time.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Can You Make That A Large?

I have resorted to raiding other people's closets. Let me explain.

All of my clothes are too big. This isn't a complaint...just something I didn't think about when I began this journey. In the last five months, I've gone through three wardrobes. In the last two months, I've purged my closet of three large trash bags of clothes. I've also had to replace shoes, because apparently my feet shrank! This causes mixed feelings for a couple of reasons. I am THRILLED that they no longer fit. It means I am moving down another size, but it causes a little apprehension as well. What am I going to wear?

As I get smaller, and my clothes appear to grow, I look sloppier and sloppier. For those of you that don't know, I work in a professional office setting. I don't have the option of wearing jeans or sweats to work. I have no uniform. It's me, the department store, and whatever business attire I can find. If someone could donate a few thousand dollars to the "Ang's Clothing Fund," it would be greatly appreciated. Just to give you an idea of what I deal with, I changed clothes four times this morning. Clothes that were a bit "snug" last winter, are now so large, I wouldn't be caught dead in them, much less in my office.

Here's how the raiding has gone: I call friends and ask if they have clothes I can borrow. Many are more than willing to rid their closets of items they no longer wear, or no longer fit. I get free clothes, and they get a cleaner closet.

Recently I was asking my mother if she had any gym clothes I could borrow. My mom and I work out together as much as possible, so she's losing weight as well. She pulled some adorable pants out, and handed them to me. I looked at the size: LARGE. Um, yeah... I don't think so. I can't fit into those!! But, I tried them on. They fit!! I was shocked and ecstatic all in the same breath. To go from a 2X to a Large in 5 months is so overwhelming for me. I'm happy, feel great, and ready for more (or less, depending on how you look at it).

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

DAY 144

WHOA! Who thought I would make it that far? Not me! To date, I'm down 45 pounds!! I struggle on a daily basis to drink enough water, but it is my saving grace. I can immediately tell if I haven't had enough water for the day. The scale with fluctuate 5-6 pounds. I'm telling you, water is vital to weight loss.

My friend Val, and I no longer work out together. Now that school has started (she's a teacher), and her kids are back to their after school activities, she just doesn't have the energy left at the end of the day. So, I now work out on Ft. Polk. Sometimes I go with my mom. Other times it's with my BFF Misty, and other times, I go by myself.

I am officially addicted to the gym (never thought I would say THAT), and have to remember to take a break sometimes. My husband told me to stay home one night last week, simply because my body was exhausted. I just couldn't go anymore.

It's strange that I would love the gym so much. I have always thought of the gym as being for "skinny people." I know... please don't ask how I came to that conclusion, because I'm not sure myself. BUT, when you have all of that equipment at your fingertips, you can do so much! The gym is my zone, my place of comfort. I don't care who's there and may look at me funny. I am often the only woman there if I don't bring one along. That, I actually like. To me, there is nothing more obnoxious than the "perfect 10" worrying about her looks, rather than her health. Really lady? It's a gym, you're supposed to sweat. That is something I do A LOT of.

In the last 4+ months, I have felt better than ever. I have learned so much about myself, my potential, and most importantly, my CAPABILITIES. I found a strength I never thought possible. I know that if I can conquer my weight (which I am), I can do ANYTHING (which I will)!

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Day 74

Since I haven't updated in a month, let's get started.

To date, I've lost 31 pounds. The weight loss has slowed, but I'm still going in the right direction, which is down. I continue to track my calories, but I often get so busy I forget to log it. I'm still calculating though. I still watch labels like crazy. Overall, I feel INCREDIBLE. I am down 3-4 sizes from where I started. That's probably the most noticible thing. Every couple of weeks I must retire more clothing. I finally rid my closet today of all my "whoa, you really wore that size?" clothes. It was an awesome feeling. Now, to buy new ones. =) I <3 shopping.

I have started working out with a friend. I definitely enjoy her company, and we've been working out at her apartment complex's weight room. GREAT! I am up to 5 miles a day on the elliptical, and love it. I love the burn of my muscles and the sweat running all over me. I know, gross. We follow the cardio with weights, and then when I come home, I do abs and arms.

I have decided to only do a light workout on Wednesdays, if I do one at all. I noticed that I was beginning to dread my workouts, only because I was having difficulty balancing the rest of my world. Otherwise, I pound it the other 6 days a week.

WHAT??!!

Originally posted 6/10/2010

This last week was very trying. I didn't feel great, and have had a lot going on. Well, to put it simply, life happened. Kaitlyn was taken to the ER with a bad reaction to a bug bite. After some strong antibiotics, the swelling is going down. She now has an "egg" on her head as opposed to what looked like a tumor growing on her forehead. But, she's better. Thank God!Tonight was the first night I hit the track in almost two weeks. I've tried to get my workouts in here and there, but lacked serious motivation. I only half-heartedly did them. I think part of my frustration was the up and down I kept seeing on the scale. At one point, I had added five pounds. I was shocked!! I knew that I had made some poor choices lately, but they weren't THAT bad. Thankfully, it was all fluid retention. I upped the amount of water I was drinking, and POOF! It was all gone. Water is my friend. I have to remind myself of that, because it's not my favorite beverage.To date, I've lost 20 pounds. I'm excited to see the numbers continue to drop. I am proud of every single blister, pulled muscle, and pain I've endured. I am determined to continue my journey to a better, healthier me.

Closing In

Originally posted 6/2/2010

I am very happy to say that I lost 19 pounds my first month of weight loss! It has been difficult, and there were times that I strayed...but just briefly.I was really worried about this past week. I stayed so busy, and when I had a free moment to go to the track, it would start raining. I tried to do my workouts at home the best I could, but my beautiful daughter thinks she needs ALL of my attention ALL of the time.Memorial Day weekend was spent with family and friends (my fave) and LOTS of food. I tried to stick to my calorie budget, and did well on Saturday. Sunday, however, was a different story. I blew it out of the water! No prob. I'll just be sure to work out extra hard tomorrow. Negative Ghost Writer....I came down with a stomach bug. GROSS!!! I'm not feeling 100% yet, but I'm well on my way. Hopefully tomorrow will be better, and I can return to my daily routine.I've decided that I'm going to start measuring myself as well as weigh. And, I'm going to take pictures...or rather have my hubby do it. I want to see what other people are seeing. Because the numbers only paint part of the picture...Can't wait to post some updated pics!

Day 21!

Originally posted 5/26/2010

The past few weeks have been crazy! I have lost 14 lbs to date. I am super excited to see the changes in myself. I am learning a healthier way of cooking, without sacrificing the flavor. I refuse to eat cardboard.I am still on top of my workouts. I haven't been to the track this week, because of so much going on. But, I still work out in my living room. I have Googled a ton of different exercises and weight loss tactics. Here's what I've learned: The thing that works best for you, is not necessarily what works for everyone else. I try to mix it up, because I get bored with one thing repeatedly. The more research I do, the more I learn about what I used to put in my body. WOW! So many restaurants pack their food full of calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium, and carbs. Who knew? This is why I try to look at the nutrition information posted online prior to eating out. Then, I know what's "safe."This weekend I'll be joining my family in our annual reunion. I am so excited to see them, but not too excited about the menu. Burgers, hotdogs, potato salad. You get the picture. Sigh. This is where "portion control" comes into play...because there's no avoiding this one.

Lack There Of

Originally posted 5/16/2010

I love the weekend! Who doesn't? Unfortunately, when Friday afternoon rolls around, I feel like I don't stop! I don't have time during the week to get a whole lot done, so my weekends are filled to the max. This also means that my workouts tend to be put off. I think that's how I ended up where I am today. Hmmm....This weekend, was no different. I am proud to say I did work out, just not as much. I missed the track 2 days, but still did my workout at home. Today, I kicked it in to overdrive. I felt like I had missed so much. The best part? My precious little girl and sweet hubby came with me to the track tonight. Kaitlyn made it 1/4 mile before she got tired. Then, she and Daddy spent some time looking at the different birds. FUN!I'm beginning to think that my muscles will always hurt. About the time that one part of my body feels better, another part hurts. BUT, I still like it. I know its working!Ready, set....

I Don't Want To!

Originally posted 5/13/2010

Today was one of "those" days. You know the kind, when you have a lot that needs to be done, but you don't want to do any of it? YEP. That was me. It took my friends on FB to motivate me enough to shove me out the door.Unfortunately, I procrastinated so long that I didn't have enough time before dark to walk a full 2 miles. So, I made up for it when I got home. I enjoy the workouts at home more than the ones at the track. I know that both are important, though.I'm down another pound; that's 9 altogether. Day 8: Complete!

Happy Birthday To Me

Originally posted 5/12/2010

Today, was my birthday, and it was fabul0us! I couldn't have better, more supportive people in my life. The best part? I'm down another 3lbs. That's a total of 8 in a week for those who are tracking. I'm SO excited. I couldn't ask for a better gift.I didn't let the fact that it was my birthday slow me down. Actually, I worked out harder today than I have all week. I was pouring sweat, and it was incredible. My husband had to help me off the floor.Everyday I discover new things about fitness. I don't want to call it a diet, because that's a negative word to me. I'm changing the way I live. I read things that I never cared about before. I am determined to be healthy for both myself and my family. I'm loving life!

Arthritis Schmitis

Originally posted 5/10/2010

DAY 5!! I have been so energized over the last five days. The last thing I wanted to do today was work. I kept thinking about my workout this evening. Unfortunately, by the time I got Kaitlyn from the babysitter's, got home (went all the way around Leesville do to a bad wreck), and ate dinner, it was after 7 o'clock before I hit the track. But, I went full force.I've mentioned before that I have a few apps on my iPhone to help me along the way. My app that acts as a treadmill, saves every workout. I looked today at my progress, and I am walking each mile 3 minutes faster than I was 3 days ago. Which, of course, means I'm burning A LOT more calories.I almost lost my beloved phone this evening. =( I have it clipped to my side, and apparently there isn't as much there to keep the phone up. I had to adjust the phone to sit over my hip and pull the drawstring tighter. That's something I couldn't do last week.When I was in college, I was diagnosed with arthritis in my left ankle. This was the result of many, many injuries to that ankle, weak ankles, and being overweight. Go figure. Tonight, I was having a lot of issues with it on the track. I've discovered if I focus on something, I can ignore the pain. I was not about to quit.Here's what I've been having a problem with: Calories. I seem to go WAY under on the calories. But, I'm not hungry, so I don't eat more. Then, when I exercise, I go an additional 250-300 calories under. That leaves me about 600-700 calories under my target. I can't figure out what I'm supposed to do. Anyone have suggestions?I am still fully enjoying this. I just wish I had been this excited years ago!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Originally posted 5/9/2010

Let me start by telling all of you wonderful mothers, Happy Mothers Day! Being a mother is the most rewarding, trying, beautiful "job" you'll ever have. I love my role as a mother, even when I think I'll pull my hair out.Now, Day 4!!Today has been fantastic. I spent the day with family and friends. I received some beautiful cards from my wonderful husband and beautiful, precious daughter. They made me cry! I also went out to eat. I LOVE Mexican food. I've often said that if I believed in past lives, I was definitely Hispanic in one of them. So, we went to a local Mexican restaurant. It was hard to make a healthy choice, but I chose the chicken fajitas and didn't eat the tortillas, sour cream, or rice. I ate the chicken, and a few of the grilled veggies that weren't floating in oil. (YUCK!) I also ate the refried beans, and moved the cheese aside. That was hard. I have 2 big weaknesses: Cheese and pasta. *Sigh* I even resisted the queso.I decided to not walk today. I wanted to spend the evening with my family and friends, and know that I'll go back tomorrow. I did, however, stick to my calories and exercised at home with my dumbbell and did some aerobics. So, I still got a work out in. I had a 4 year old work out partner that was almost hit in the head with a dumbbell and almost kicked ME in the face. Oh well, at least I spent 30 min on the floor instead of 30 minutes on the couch. =)Can't wait for tomorrow!

Keep It Moving Sister

Originally posted 5/8/2010

Day 2 was a lot better than Day 1. I went with a more positive attitude and felt so much better! I didn't think I was going to die this time. I was hurting from the first day, as expected. But, I was experiencing a lot of pain from the blisters on my heels and pads of my feet. I actually busted one open, THEN I thought I would die. WOW!! That really hurt. But, I pushed through. No pain, no gain. Right?I also bought a scale. SCARY! When I am at my goal weight, I will reveal my starting weight. I decided that if I was going to track my weight loss, I needed to know where I started.This has truly been a learning experience. I have been doing a lot of research, and am trying not to focus on weight as much as losing inches, and the fact that I'm getting healthier. I downloaded several new apps for my iPhone. I've always said it was a great investment, but now, it's the best purchase I've ever made. The apps actually track my calories. If I go out to eat, I enter the restaurant and menu item, and it automatically enters my calories. It also tracks how many calories I'm burning based on the exercises that I input. It tracks my current weight, goal weight, pounds I've lost, etc. The other app is a treadmill app I use at the track. It comes complete with a pedometer, calorie counter (how many I've burned), timer, speed check, and more.The last one is an app that helps me pinpoint the specific muscles I want to focus on. For instance, if I want to focus on the triceps, I tap that muscle and it shows me different exercises for that specific muscle. I'm in heaven!! Its been SO easy to do this.Day 3 (today) was great! I have had a heck of a lot of energy today. And the best part is, I lost 5 pounds!!! Go ME! I've been going all day, and when I finally made it home, it was getting dark and didn't really want to go to the track. I went, though. My goal is 2 miles a day, but because it was getting so dark, I walked 1.5 and then came home to do some weights. LOL, now I really hurt. In some sick, twisted way, I am enjoying the pain. I know I'm doing something right.I'm so excited to continue my journey, and can't wait to see my progress in the mirror.

Day 1

Originally posted 5/6/2010

Today, I made a decision. And, I acted on it. I decided it was time to lose weight. Now, this has been pretty obvious for years. But I don't think I was ready; really ready. So here's how it started:Earlier today, a friend from highschool updated her FB status with a request for a fitness motivator. I signed up for the job. I definately needed the motivation myself. When I got home from work and finished dinner, I decided tonight was the night to start.So, from now on, I will post regular updates. I will look for the encouragement of my friends and family. When I want to give up and throw in the towel, I expect a butt kicking.I started the process of watching what I am eating a few weeks ago. I'm not depriving myself. It will only make me want it that much more. I have discovered the beauty of Yoplait. Oh WOW! When I want something sweet, I grab a "Strawberry Cheesecake" yogurt instead of cookies or candy. Thankfully, I don't have a big sweet tooth. My biggest issue is pasta. LOVE IT!Here's how Day 1 went:Walked 2 miles. Thought I was going to die after the 1/4 mile. But, I pushed through the pain, and controlled my breathing.A few things to tweak:First, stretching. I MUST stretch before and after each work out. That's why I thought I was going to die. Second, I need to figure a way to attach a water bottle to myself. I was really thirsty. Next, I stuck my iPhone under the shoulder strap of my sports bra so I could listen to the iPod. It was COVERED in sweat. Yeah, I know. That's gross. (But, at least I was sweating!) And finally, the aforementioned iPod needs a new playlist. Carrie Underwood's version of "I Told You So" just wasn't cutting it. Actually, it made me walk slower.Here's to Day 2!

I've created a new blog! This one will be all about my fitness journey. The other blog will go back to what it was intended for... my life. I will be importing the blogs from the beginning of my journey to this blog. Welcome, and enjoy!