The Start of a New Year

Confession: I weighed myself last week and I was at 227lbs.

Before I get started with the challenge I wanted to share the dinner I made last night. I used the "Abs Diet Cookbook" and found a recipe for burgers!! It was super easy and my husband LOVED IT!!! Which is a plus because he likes a big juicy burger. So the fact that I could make a burger that was low in calories and not feel guilty about eating really made my night!!! Who has a great recipe that like that has helped them with their weight loss?

Ok everyone it's time to see if you are serious about losing weight? I know I am!!!! As promised I have weighed myself and have my starting weight!! drum roll pleeeeeeeeeeeeaaaazzzzzeeeee........................221lbs!!!! As you can see I've already lost 6lbs but don't worry for the challenge I'll keep my weight at 221lbs just to be fair. If I can keep this momentum up I might just lose 50lbs which would be amazing....but I'm going to be realistic and hope for 30-40lbs. So I went ahead and took some before photos so you can see where I am starting. To those who decide to take on my challenge you do not have to post your before photos now, but you do have to have a before and after pic at the end of the challenge.

A front View



Side View




Ok so after taking these pics I've realized that I don't look at my profile as much as I should. The weight really shows and you can see my over hang and muffin top.....I can't believe I'm making this public. However, all the more reason to start working out and be able to post better pics to prove that I can do this.

So who is in? You have until tomorrow 2pm to post your weight and join the challenge. Think of it as an accountability to keep on target. Like next week, how amazing it will be to say you lost 5lbs, or when you are surrounded by bad food you can say "NO!! I have to post my weight in two days and I do NOT want to gain" Don't worry I will not ridicule or make fun and anyone that does on my blog will be blocked or kicked off. It's the monday you keep saying that will start your weight loss journey.

Who is in?

Finding new tools for weight loss

Confession: I managed to not go out after work all week and not indulged in fatty foods.

I know that my official weigh in is tomorrow, but I figured I should start my weight loss journey now....instead of using all of last week as an excuse to eat crappy food and give excuse "ohhh my diet starts on monday" which I know everyone does at some point in life. I've come to the reality of I can't wait and I can't push off what I needed to do yesterday.

Ok so remember how I signed up with my gym for their Zero Gain Campaign? ( I'm sure you don't, it was an incentive to maintain or lose weight throughout the holiday season. In short I paid $5 weighed in on Nov. 23rd and was suppose to weigh in again on Jan 3rd and would win a prize for either maintaining or losing weight.) Needless to say I knew for a fact that I had gained and couldn't face walking into the gym and stepping on that scale. However, the embarrassment of not being able to maintain for this campaign was a big reality check. I need to get back on track and saw that when I was updating my blog I did lose weight...so therefore the comeback of my blog and my New Years challenge.

On Wednesday or Thursday I received an e-mail from one of the trainers at my gym saying that they missed me at the weigh in but offered a free training session. Which of course I was like that would be grand...I also expressed to her that I wanted create a workout I could do for a month something I can start out doing and after a week or so be able to change it up on my own and stayed challenged. After a month I could meet with her again and design a new work out. She was so excited to meet and help me create a work-out and a plan for success. So I'm meeting with her on Friday. I'm really excited....I'm actually putting together a plan for success.

In the mean time I found an app on my phone by Jillian Michael's...It's free which is good. Right now everything I'm doing to find tools for weight loss need to be free or very low cost. I've already invested a lot of money so I need to use the tools I already have and not waste more money. The app is pretty neat, it has daily tips, workouts (circuit and exercises that focus on certain body parts legs, arms, abs etc...) So for now I'm trying out her workouts and reading up on the abs diet and creating a menu for each week.

So dear readers, what has worked for you? Anyone found a really good app or website that has helped you track calories, give great recipes, create work outs that have helped you lose weight?

Getting Ready for My New Year's Challenge

Confession: I have eaten out way more than I should have in the past week.

One would think that since I work in the restaurant biz I would rather stay in and eat as oppose to going out. The reality is when I finally have time home to spend with my husband I would rather go out instead of cooking and cleaning etc... so that I can truly enjoy every moment with him. Same thing with friends, I would rather go out than have to clean my house and prepare some sort of meal just to have people over. With the connivence of restaurants people wonder why america is so fat....well it's simple....America has made it so easy to be lazy you don't even realize how lazy you've become. I could probably write an entire blog about how drive-thru's, delivery, microwaves, tv, and internet has slowly made us lazy without even realizing it. Then we just wake up one day 200 plus pounds and wonder what happened. Not only did I this past weekend eat out way too much but I also spent way too much money so now I'm bigger and broke. All because I would rather go out than stay in just so I don't have to cook or clean. It's has to STOP. I have got to get out of the cycle of eating out and wondering why the next week why I haven't lost any weight and why my wallet is empty. So I am going to focus on my weight loss challenge and have to say "NO" to so many things; fast food, restaurants, going out after work, ordering in, Starbucks, TV, facebook (I know i'll be on it, but I'll have to limit my time cause the truth is I spend more time on FB than in the gym) and the list goes on.

So to focus on getting the weight off my first step....Education. I was considering getting the Jillian Michaels book, dvds, etc.. because one of my friends followed her book and did great!!! She really encouraged me on my blogs made great suggestions and talked about how the book really helped her. So of course I creep on her FB page a few days ago and saw some recent pics of her and she looked AMAZING!!! yes Vanessa I'm talking about you!! You did great and still going!!! I am so proud of you and hope that I will be in the same boat as you one day. So I considered getting Jillian's stuff, then I had another friend do really well with the HCG diet...so I considered that. Here's the deal, my wonderful husband probably about 2 years ago bought me the ABS Diet for women and all of the ABS Diet books. ABS diet is by the same guy who wrote "Eat This, Not That" which also means I have about 5 of the "Eat This, Not That" books. So lets be honest I really should not go out and buy a new book or dvd's or try a new diet. I should first READ the books I have now and at least give them a real try before I go out and blow a bunch of money on a new fad. I did find the Abs Diet cookbook, I think it came out for the new year so I bought that instead....kinda keep with the books I already have and move forward.

So dear readers I have one other person willing to take on my New Year's challenge. Anybody else with us? A little healthy competition may be the motivation you need to get moving....I know it is for me.

My New Year's Challenge

Confession: I defiantly waited to start my new year weight loss journey.

If you didn't notice my title is New Year Challenge not Resolution. Here's the deal I made the resolution months ago to lose the wight and I have moved at a snails pace in doing so. What I need is a challenge and some accountability to keep me focused and press forward. So dear readers I am turning to you. I am going to challenge you to go on this journey with me. I know I am not the only one out there who is fighting the same battle I'm fighting and is waiting for their new year, monday, beginning of the month to start their weight loss journey. So lets start together.

My Challenge.

For everyone who wants to lose weight, everyone puts in $10 (including myself) and we weigh in every week for the next three months. The person with the highest percentage of weight loss will win the money.

Rules:

On monday Jan 10th those wanting to participate will comment on my Blog with their starting weight.

Every Monday for the entire three months all participants MUST post their weight on my blog. If you do not post your weight within 24 hours of my blog you will be eliminated from the challange.

The person with the lowest percentage of weight loss each week will have to put in $5 towards the overall prize.

The person with the highest percentage of weight loss each week will receive a prize of some sort I'll announce it at the beginning of each week.

I will have a final weigh in on April 11th in which all those participating must post their final weight and a before and after picture.

You can start now and get a head start or wait until the weigh in on the 10th.

So who is in?

A New Year is Approaching.

Confession: The attempt to not indulge during the holidays has failed miserably.

So I had set this goal to lose 23 pounds by January 3rd....that is looking like it's not going to happen. Getting through the holidays and either maintaining weight or losing weight is ten times harder than I thought. Not to mention my original goal to be 50 pounds lighter by my birthday which is in 3 weeks is not going to happen!! BUT!!!! I am not going to quite or give up. Instead I'll look at the new year as a second chance and attempt to do this all over again. So this week I'll will be in the gym and working on a new plan and setting new goals for the new year.

One thing I do know for sure is that I'm going to blog more often. It was the one thing that kept me on track. When I went to eat something I always had the thought of "I have my readers to report to". So dear readers I have a request to ask of you. If you do follow me and feel like I have not blogged in a while please keep me accountable. Leave a comment let me know you miss my blogs, that you want to know how I'm doing. Help keep me on track.

To my friends...I'm sorry so say but one thing I do know for sure is that I'm going to have to cut my hanging out with you down by half or more. I'm going to have to stop eating out after work, and going to parties, and anything that involves eating crappy food, staying up until the the wee hours of the night and all other things that will keep me from losing weight. However, I will hang out with you if it involves some sort of healthy activity, walking, running, playing ultimate frisbee, or other outdoor sports that are active and fun.

So I promise you by New Years Day I will have a goal and a plan put together. To those of you out there going through the same struggles I am going through I challenge you to take advantage of the new year and start a new goal. Let me know so we can keep each other accountable and make it to our goals together.

Getting back on track

Confession: I have completely have fallen off the wagon.

Ever since the tragedy in my life things have not been the same. I thought I could just pull through. I had a rough week after everything was said and done and figured I would just bounce back. Apparently not! I have been on a crazy emotional roller coaster of ups and downs, happy, sad, angry, etc. This has been way harder than I thought. Aside from fighting my own emotions and putting on the front that everything is ok, I had stopped working out and eating has gotten out of control. I think I spent an entire week playing on facebook, watching mindless television, and working (if necessary).

Finally, last week I dragged myself out of the apartment and ventured out to the gym. Squeezed in a short workout and actually felt a little better. Not enough to return for another week, but I did return this week...twice!! While I was at the gym I noticed something they are doing for the holiday season. Basically they had all the gym members wanting to participate come in on Nov. 23 donate $5 to the angel tree and weigh in a starting weight. Then, have everyone come back on Jan. 3rd and weigh in again. They are going to give out prizes to people who maintain or lose weight. Obviously, the prizes will be better for more percentage of weight loss. So I did it. I weighed in!!! ACK!!!! It was the first time I weighed myself since the pregnancy. I was so scared. Not because someone else was going to know my weight, but because I was afraid of the weight I had gained. It wasn't as bad as I thought, so that makes me feel a little better. So whats my goal? Between, now and Jan 3 how much should I lose? I'm thinking get myself under 200. Approximately 23 pounds.

So today is Thanksgiving. I should be carefully and plan out some healthy meal....My game plan....don't eat till I hurt and don't get seconds. Just one serving and a small dessert.
My game plan for the rest of the holidays.....Don't over eat.

This is what I have planned so far to make it through the holidays:
Step One: Make it to the gym 3 times a week.
Step Two: cut out fast food
Step Three: don't eat late at night
Step Four: Find the motivation and drive to want to eat and cook healthy.

Ok I will try to keep you posted. Let's see if I can make my goal!!

A Much Needed Update!!!!!!!

Hello My Friends!!!

I know how it's been FOREVER!!!! There is so much to update and hopefully this will explain why I have not blogged in sooooooo long!!!!

On September 27th my husband and I found out that we were pregnant. Of course this was a surprise to us. Needless to say our heads began to spin. Should we move? Do we buy a car? How can we afford this? Names? What to do next? Though we were surprised and shocked we were also very excited. This threw a wrench in everything!

First of all: My weight loss journey. I was not down to the weight I would have liked to been. Plus it put everything on hold. Since not only I CANNOT lose weight while pregnant I was going to GAIN weight. This bothered me because part of the reason why I wanted to lose weight aside from health and good looks. I want to be smaller so that my weight didn't affect my pregnancy. (I know I'm not super overweight, but there has been a trend in my family to have difficult pregnancy first time around and I wanted to be as healthy as possible for that day, thinking it would be in 3-5 years not RIGHT NOW!!) So I decided to continue to work out and attempt to eat as healthy as possible and try not to give into all of my cravings. I craved a few things but mainly just avoided a lot of foods that made me nauseous.

Second of all: My life drastically changed and keeping it a secret was hard to do. Everything at my work made me want to throw up. So keeping my cool and color was tough. On top of that I stopped going out. I know I could still go out and be sociable, but I was sooo tired that I just wanted to go straight home lay down and munch on saltines or pickles. I told a few people but the majority didn't know and I was searching for excuses for being so tired and never wanting to go out.

Third of all: I took on a second job for a week working at the fair. So I was surrounded by food temptation and was tired beyond all reason. Working the fair, then work. Right after the fait I signed on to intern for a film. So I get pregnant and immediately get super busy and just don't slow down to let my body adjust.

Finally all of our fiancees, living situation, everything would drastically change and we didn't know where to begin.

As you can tell my world was spinning and my life was moving at about 100mph. So finding time to blog was nowhere to be found.

On October 18th I went in for my 8 week doctor appointment. I was excited to see how the baby progressed and hear the heart beat. The doctor comes in does the ultra sound and nothing. He keeps looking makes a face and ends the ultra sound. He pointed out the sac with the egg sac inside and what looked like another egg sac. He figured I wasn't as far along as thought and to come back in week to see if the baby had progressed. He also wanted to take some blood track my hormonal growth and see how far they are growing incase it is twins. I was asked to come back on Wednesday to take my blood again. I received a call from my doctor Wednesday he looked at my lab and was concerned. My hormones were so high that there should have been a baby and a heartbeat in the ultrasound. He needed me to come back to take more blood and track the hormonal growth. I wasn't able to make it back on Wednesday so I went on thursday.

At that moment, my head was out of control. I didn't know what to think, what to feel, how to react. Thankfully, I was able to talk to my mom and she really encouraged me and prayed over me. I went in on Thursday to take my blood and waiting for the results was so hard. All day friday I jumped every time my phone rang and kept checking the clock. Finally, 1:45pm I got the call. My hormones had gone down. Which means the baby had stopped developing and it was an abnormal pregnancy.

My heart dropped. I couldn't breathe. All I could do was cry. I just cried in my husbands arms until I had no more tears. He was great, he held me, told me that it would be ok and that we would get through this. All week my husband and I prayed and kept saying "God this is in you're hands" so when we heard the news we just prayed "God we put this in your hands and now we need you" My husband asked me what I wanted to do that night and all I wanted was family. So we called the family and all of them were able to get together. We had dinner and just were with each other. Seeing my nieces and nephews was more helpful than I thought. Just playing with them and being able to hold baby Maddie brought so much warmth to my heart. It was so good to have family around to know that we are loved and have a support.

Yesterday I had a final ultra sound for closure and a chance to decide what to do next. Unfortunately this has not taken care of itself naturally. We decided to wait just a little bit longer and if nothing happens to go ahead and move forward with a medication that will move things along. This was a tough decision, but I feel at peace the most with this decision. Once everything has passed on, and I can move forward I will restart my weight loss journey. So please keep us in your prayers. I will keep everyone updated.