Relief

That seems to be the word that describes my emotions the last couple weeks.  I'm feeling relief from school and all the stress I seem to work up during a semester, relief in being free for a few weeks to do what I want and focus on myself and not trying to make everything perfect, and also relief from trying to be the 'perfect' girlfriend.... I do my best to keep things together but it's kind of nice to a have a little relief during the week where I can fully focus on what I want and need to accomplish for myself! Don't get me wrong I love my boyfriend to death but it's always a relief to have a few days apart to remember how much we miss each other when we aren't together all the time.

I'm reading a book called "I Thought It was Just Me (but it isn't)" by Brene Brown, it is about the way Shame affects our lives and why we feel it.

"You cannot shame or belittle people into changing their behaviors."  That is just a little bit from the book, I will keep you updated as I learn more and understand more about shame because I think it has a big effect on my life and my weight lose issues. 

I'm going to take these few weeks that I get off from school and try to gather myself into one piece again and really focus on me, I get so caught up in life and school that I forget to take care of myself and make myself happy.  This next semester is really going to test me and I'm super nervous but I'm trying to focus on taking a break before I get to stressed about learning this new material and looking through books again. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Hoping to get some snow in this state this week! :)

In a Rut

Everyone that reads my blog has heard me talk about how much of a struggle it is for me to lose weight and to be healthy, but I think that also relates to everything else in my life too, the more stuff I have going on that I'm trying to deal with the more of a struggle weight lose is for me, I turn to food as my comfort and to be in control of something at that moment.  I know my BF has had a hard time believing in me as far as weight lose goings (don't get me wrong he still loves me the same even though I do need to lose weight) and I feel his frustration because the more he gets frustrated at me for not taking care of my body the more I get mad at myself and for some reason I turn to food even though food is my enemy in the situation.  I don't even know if that makes sense, but I'm trying to figure out a way to overcome food... in a sense... I don't really  understand why I always use food as a comfort, but I'm in serious need to be healthy and I want to be, I'm just not sure how to change my mind in order to make healthy choices, not only with what I eat but in other aspects of my life also. 

I wanna get back on the 17 day diet that I have talked about before, but with the holidays and everything it's so hard to follow the plan to the T.  I'm not trying to make up excuses but in a way I do, I come up with something that makes it not possible to grasp the thing I want most in my life right now and that is to be healthy and to feel good about myself and my body.  I wish there was a button in my head that I could turn on to make me not like certain foods and that would retain all things I need in order to create better habits, that way I can't keep going back to my old habits of being unhealthy.  I just need to have a serious change of heart on the situation, but I'm not sure how to get my mind rapped around that fact I don't need to eat everything that I want to eat.... only what I need to survive.

Also, as if all of what I just talked about isn't enough stress on me, I am so frustrated that I have kind of a lot of school left and I just want to be free.  It's like I wanna be done so bad but I'm struggling with the classes I'm in but I don't wanna take a semester off because that would just make it that much longer till I can get my degree.  On the upside I am going to stick with it, even though I'm not sure how this semester will end, I really need to get my studying on and do good on my finals in order to pull of at least a C in my classes. 

All in all I want to get my mind on the right track and get my life started in the best way at this moment, I mean come on I'm 24 years old, I feel like I should have my Shit together, but obviously I'm far from that.  Any encouragment that might make me feel better or get my head on straight would be appreciated!!

On a lighter note this is a pic of my dad and I as we were getting ready to go through the holiday home tours this past weekend! :)

Living the Life

Thought I would share a few fun details from our Florida trip! :) I know I'm a little behind. 

I will just tell you the highlights here, I caught a Red Grouper when we went deep sea fishing, it was the biggest fish anyone on the whole boat of about 45 people caught. :) 

We definitely enjoyed the beach! :D

Enjoyed my 24th birthday while we were there so we  had to do shots!

Scott had to take a picture with the accordion player.

We were pretty excited that we could enjoy cocktails at lunchtime and two for ones at that! :)






Since I haven't updated for awhile I thought I would share a little about my weight lose or lack there of.... ha!  So everyone knows that on vacation diets don't count! :)  I gained 8lbs while on vacation, whoa! I actually thought it was going to be a lot more then that considering all the things we ate and drank the whole week.  I've had a hard time getting myself on the band wagon again for healthy eating, I'm still at about an 8lb gain but I'm still down from when I started awhile ago.  Planning on getting back on the 17 day Diet, I just feel crappy when I don't eat food that my body really needs and I've been a little fatty pants and getting back into some old habits, so it's time I step up and have some will power again! :)

I just have to say I am one lucky girl!  I never thought I would find someone that I loved and cared about SO much, and my boyfriend just goes beyond all my expectations! :) We just celebrated our 1 year dating anniversary and I couldn't be more happy!

17 Day Diet Tutorial

A lot of people have been asking me about the '17 Day Diet' so I thought I would share a little bit of what I've learned.  The first thing I have to say is I've been on diets before I think that people will try anything if they here that someone has had success with it, but the thing that people have to understand is just because I lost 7lbs in the first week doesn't mean everyone will.  I have over 100 lbs to lose so I expect to lose more right away but once you get closer to your goal weight it will take a lot more time to lose a few pounds, that's just how it works.  It shouldn't discourage you though, in the book it explains all of this for you.  The only major thing I can say is get the book and read about it and see if it's something that you could do and have enough willpower to stick with it... for me I enjoy the challenge of watching what I eat, and it helps that they give you a list of exactly what you can eat and the way in which you should eat it, also they give lots of examples of what a day could look like as far as what to eat.  I have lost a total of 9lbs since I started this lifestyle change and I am on day 16, for me I am really happy, I'm excited that I could kick off my weight lose in such a great way that encourages me to keep going because you can see actually results on the scale pretty much everyday, you don't have to wait 4 weeks or 6 weeks.

Another big thing as most of you know I do enjoy my drinks!!! :)  In the book they recommend that you don't drink on the first 2 cycles because since you only eating mostly protein it can be hard on your liver... but I have still been drinking while on the first cycle, I usually pick something low in calories such as vodka tonic or else Select 55, something along those lines.... I did have way to much to drink last friday night so I was afraid my liver was going to fail LOL so I did eat carbs on Saturday to try and regulate the amount of alcohol that I had drank, but other than that I think it's okay if you just have a few drinks a week... in the book he says it's okay to have a drink a night after the second cycle.

One big thing I want everyone to understand! I'm not an expert, I still eat some things that I feel are okay that aren't listed on the sheet and I am not perfect either, I'm just trying to get my mind into the habit of picking the better food options instead of the high in fat and carb foods I would normally pick up.


Also, if you google 17 day diet recipes, it will give you a list of different things you can make on each cycle! Very helpful in order to have different flavors with the same foods your given. 

Sunday Funday! :)

It's happening in front of my eyes!

This is from Florida last year! :0

I was thinking of this post because I'm first of all getting super excited for Florida since we leave in like 2 weeks! :) and also because I'm really learning a lot about what I've been eating in the past and what I'm eating now.  I am actually going to enjoy my time in Florida and not have to worry about food and what I will eat next! :D

The reason I'm super excited for Florida (not just the fact I have a week off work to relax, but....) because I will still be on the 'strict' part of my lifestyle change as I mentioned in a previous post, so that means I will really be testing my limits as to my own willpower.  As if I haven't been tested already, food is becoming something in my life that is there for me to survive not for enjoyment.  I know I've talked about how much I love food in the past and don't get me wrong I still enjoy food, but because I have to pass up all the things I really enjoyed eating it's brought me to different light.  As I walk past the pizza at the gas station I just *sigh* because I know it's not good for me and that it's not something I am 'allowed' to eat at this point.
So long story short, I'm super excited to actually focus on all the good things happening in my life right now instead of what I am eating for what I can eat (cause really I can't eat like anything!).
The thing that I'm enjoying the most is that each day if I want to step on the scale I can because I know that it will either be at the same weight or I will have lost.  At this point I'm losing about 2lbs a day, minus the weekend I think I was just bloated so I didn't lose but I stayed at the same weight all weekend.  I am down a total of 7lbs since starting this new lifestyle and I am down almost 20lbs total since I decided I needed to change.  "Never underestimate your power to change yourself."

I'm learning so much willpower from this and it's super exciting to be able to say NO to certain foods, at first I was a little upset when my boyfriend would come home with pizza or when he picks up 'junk food' from the store and I have to just sit and watch him eat it, but it doesn't bother me as much anymore, maybe because I'm seeing results in what I'm accomplishing by giving up that stuff or because I just don't have an appetite for that stuff as much.  At this point I want to be healthy and look good SO bad that I'm willing to suffer in order to get there, I don't really see it as suffering anymore though, I'm embracing that this has to be a lifestyle change because if I just go back to the way I used to be then I will be back at that weight I dreaded seeing on the scale.

On another note I have found a recipe for pizza that I can actually eat! :)

Cauliflower Crust Pizza
4 cups of riced cauliflower
2 or 3 egg whites
handfull of mozerella cheese
garlic powder
basil
parsley

cook the cauliflower on the stove for about 7-8 min, then mix all the ingredients together oil up a pizza pan, spread the mix on the pan until it's the crust thickness you prefer, then cook at 400* for about 10-15 min and then flip over and cook for another 5-10 min. or until looks crispy, 
then I take it out and put on my toppings usually sauce, turkey sausage, red pepper flakes, and mozerella cheese, then bake again until the cheese melts completely.  

This is actually really good! I love pizza and I'm not really big on changing the way I eat my pizza but this is actually comparable to regular crust pizza, often times I use just a whole wheat tortilla shell as the crust and put the toppings on that and bake it, but on this cycle of my lifestyle change I can't have tortillas so I improvised.

One major thing I am figuring out since starting the '17 Day Diet' is that you have to find recipes because you are very limited on the food choices you get so you have to get creative in order to be successful, I tried eating the same things because that's all I could think of to do with the food choices I was given but they offer so many recipes in order to mix up the way you eat your protein or vegetables.  Now I'm actually embracing this and really giving it my all! 
 

"Dieting"

Just a fun picture to share when we did the Teal Wheels bike ride!

So I guess it's time that I tell you all what I've been doing with my time, since we all know that weight watchers was not working for me.  (I'm not saying it's bad or anything, because it works well for a lot of people, it just isn't right for me)  Here's the scoop so I was on weight watchers for almost 7 weeks, so about two months and I'm gonna be honest with you I lost a total of 6 lbs in those 7 weeks, some might say YAY at least you lost, but for me it's like a slap in the face.... I have over a hundred points to lose and damn is it hard, but I have changed everything that I eat, literally, and still all I have to show for that is 6lbs.... well I'm struggle is coming to an end because I have found something else that I'm really enjoying!

I hate the word 'diet' as I've mentioned in posts before, but this after telling you the name will say whatever that is lame and it's temporary because it has the word diet in it, but I have read the facts and this came from a doctor and all of it makes sense and brings you to understand and live a healthier lifestyle.  So here it is, it's called the 17 Day Diet.  (told you, you would think it was a joke)

Let me give you a few of the general facts about this lifestyle (I'm gonna call it a lifestyle so that we can all relate).  First of it consists of four 17 day cycles, in the first cycle which I am on, you eat basically lean proteins, vegetables, select few fruits, and dairy products.  So for the first 17 days they give you a list of all the foods that will help boast your metabolism in order to keep it burning all that extra fat that my body has been storing.  This cycle is actually really awesome cause it's reminded me what willpower is (I haven't had much willpower in the last year).  I will just tell you that I have been on this today will be day 4 and I have lost over 5lbs already, and I've broke a weight barrier that I've been trying to accomplish for the last 2 months! YAY!
The BF is not to excited about this lifestyle I'm taking on because it means he doesn't get to eat very much, cause obviously I only buy things will protein and veggies basically! Don't get me wrong though he is just as happy as I am to see the numbers on the scale move so rapidly.

According to the doctor who wrote this book about this new lifestyle, it isn't considered bad to lose 10-20lbs in the first cycle, people always think it's really bad to lose really fast but for me it's perfect because if I don't see results fast enough I get burned out and think my efforts are for nothing!

So there you have it, that is what I've been doing lately, I have been planning my meals in order to not be starved when I get home or when I need a snack I plan ahead! :) It's actually nice to feel organized when it comes to what I eat, I haven't felt hungry much, even though I don't eat a whole lot, but I'm starting to not revolve around food or what I'm going to eat next, it doesn't constantly consume my life, so I feel like I can actually enjoy life without worrying about food! (seems silly but you've seen in my previous posts that food pretty much ran my life--not anymore!I'm taking a stand!)

Color Run Exclusive

This was the beginning! :)

Rocking out with our Color on!

We had a lot of fun doing this "run"! We walked most of the way because there was just so many people around, you could run if you really wanted to but most people walked!

I am a little bummed that we didn't get very many darker colors! I thought they would have more color stations then they did. Most of our color came from the color packets they give you to use, "at the end."  All in all we had a pretty good time! :D

 

Here I am....

If any of you noticed I didn't make a post last week! I can explain to you that I was extremely frustrated with my weigh in and so I just decided to ignore everything, and also I didn't really stick to weight watchers much this week after seeing that I had gained a little.  Well, here is the really kicker, I stepped on the scale this morning(not my weigh day) and I hadn't even moved from the weight of last week which is crazy because I ate everything I enjoy eating and I didn't really even stick with my weight watchers. 

So here is what I"m so confused about and maybe someone can explain this to me.  The weeks that I eat all the stuff I like to eat such as pizza or whatever it might be I seem to loose weight but when I eat the things i'm "supposed" to eat I seem to gain weight, that just doesn't make sense to me.  Also, last week I had like 50 activity points because the BF and I walked almost every night after dinner, well this week we did no exercise because we have been super busy, and I didn't even gain.... someone please give me piece of mind, and don't give me any BS about well you were gaining muscle, cause I think that is a load of crap!

I"m just so frustrated that I have just been doing what I enjoy instead of being SO caught up in what I can and can't eat. It's almost been relaxing!  I'm not the kind of person that enjoys recording everything I put into my mouth, I wanna be able to eat what I want and not have to worry about it not being within my points or omg that is so bad for you! At this point I'm just remembering my portions and I am still recording but it seems I go over a bit and still I haven't gained in a week of going over some of my daily points. 

There you have it, my confession and the reason you didn't see a post last week!

Week 5: Relief

After a long and stressful week of lots homework and tests and way too much eating.... I would like to let you all know that I finally got the numbers on the scale to move! Down 3 lbs from last week!! Yah!

All the walking and biking we did this week must have helped cause god knows I didn't eat very well at all! Cheers to more pounds off next week!! :) happy weekend!

Case of the Mondays anyone?!!?!

Those of you who are not facebook friends of mine, I just wanted to do an update about how my jogging was going.... since I mentioned about doing The Color Run in like 2 weeks. :O 

This is me Dying when I got home.

Well, my first jog in quiet a while took place saturday morning! YAY. I'm really proud of myself, I did the jog for a couple blocks walk for a block, I went about a mile and a half in 20 min... some might be laughing but I felt a sense of accomplishment, it's been months since I have attempted or have even be able to run and I finally just put my foot down and said I'm gonna do it! I did feel like death for a bit, my lungs wanted to fall out but other then that it made me feel great! That's what I always remember about running is it isn't always super fun while your out doing it, but when your finished you feel Great! 

Awe! Isn't he the cutest! He looks
like an old man! ;) {love you honey!}

On sunday I was thinking that my boyfriend and I haven't taken our bikes out to much lately so I asked him if he wanted to ride to Ames to get some breakfast and he said sure! So we got a good 20 mile ride in man on man am I sore today! Here's a cute pic of us once we got to Ames! :)

Monday's are not my friend, but I'm gonna do my best to push through this and quite eating everything in sight to stay awake! (coffee wasn't helping me any this morning)  Hope everyone has a great week! :)

Week 4: Lifestyle Change

It has taken me a month to finally realize that this journey I am on is not just a 'diet' or a temporary thing, it's a LIFESTYLE!  I am learning and training my mind to think about the benefits of the foods I'm eating so that I can be healthier and feed my body what it needs to survive! (not just things that taste good)  I'm seriously having SO much fun with this, it's exciting to read about what different foods can do for your body, instead of thinking about what is going to taste GOOD, because most of those foods (although I have found that I love the healthy foods I'm eating) are not beneficial to your body even though we all thing they taste good and especially those greasy fried things we all enjoy! (not saying I probably won't enjoy those things EVER but on a VERY limited basis! at this point it doesn't even appeal to me)  A diet to me means "temporary" or until you get to the goal you want to achieve.  Lifestyle change means that you are learning how to change the things in your life to become healthier not just what you eat or how much you workout or even what the number on the scale says, you are figuring out how to get yourself into a 'habit' of doing these things on a regular basis, so that you will have long term effects, not short term (which is the way I see 'diet').  You have to be completely committed to giving up those things that you maybe eat once in awhile or more often that aren't beneficial! It's okay to have some things in moderation, just not to often!  Obviously I'm not an expert and or perfect but I'm slowly learning and trying my best to be successful and to have a healthier, happier life! :) 

If you guys are like me I love my snacks, I look forward to eating most of the time, mainly when I'm at work because I get bored so if I think about what I am going to eat next it makes time go by a little faster! :)  I found that POPCORN is filled with LOTS of antioxidants, it has more then a days worth of fruits and veggies, and it also has as much fiber as 1 cup of cooked brown rice! Well that is great news, because I love to eat popcorn at night while I watch my evening shows! The only thing to remember is that you get the most benefit if the popcorn is plain (meaning not the buttery store bought stuff) or air popped and then you can add the things that are better for you such as olive oil (lowers cholestrol and benefits insulin levels as well as blood sugar control) and then sprinkle on your favorite seasonings.  Some things I found in Woman's Health magazine is to put rosemary and grated parmesan cheese also another that sounded good was lemon zest, oregano, and dill!  OMG, so many POSsibLItiEs I can't wait to spice up my evening snack! :) 

In my food for thought the other day I forgot to mention my most favorite thing Kombucha with chia!!!

Chia- is often called 'runners food', it's a superfood that provides sustained energy for the body.  It has more then 8x the omega-3 found in salmon, more antioxidant than blueberries, and more fiber than oatmeal.
Kombucha- is furmented tea and sugar. The benefits of this drink is it can boost immune system and reverse the aging process (no wonder my dad never seems to age.. lol).  It can improve the body's defense by detoxifying and enhancing the immune system and then helps fight off diseases.  It can also help improve liver function(god knows I can always use help with that!!). {just for the record I have been doing much better with the amount of alcohol I drink, I'm really not an acholoic like everyone probably things... hehe}

 Look at all the benefits I can get just from one drink!!! Kombucha with chia seeds in it! :)  My dad introduced me to Kombucha a few years ago and a friend of mine introduced me to Mama Chia (thanks Bliss!!) and the reason it caught my attention in years past is because the fact that it said Chia is 'runners food' and I used to run quite a bit.  Then recently they came out with Kombucha that had chia in it and I was thrilled! Not to mention now I know exactly why it so good for my body to consume, and I have some great health benefits to prove that. 

During this process I am learning SO much about my body and the way it's changing and it is so benecifial for my self-esteem these days.  I am so proud of myself for having willpower again and to not just let myself go I can finally say for real I'm getting my life back! :) 

Just want to throw in there a Happy Anniversary to my Wonderful parents! 27 years and it's be a crazy ride! :) Love You guys!!!

Food Education

I told you guys that my goal for this next week was to get myself educated on foods so I thought I would share a little about what I have come across! :)

Sweet Potatoes- They are a good source of carbs.  It contains beta carotene and potassium which promote recovery and it also has magnesium which improves performance and is essential for muscle function.

Chickpeas- (used in hummus) are rich in protein and have no cholesterol or saturated fat! They also have Omega-3 which helps maintain a healthy heart and prevent cholesterol build up.  It also helps maintain correct blood sugar levels.

Eggs- they have lots of protein and amino acids which the body uses to rebuild muscle that is broken down when you exercise.

Black Beans- fiber rich carbs, protein and antioxidants.  Protein and antioxidants help with muscle recovery.

Yogurt- good source of protein and is also very high in calcium.  (I had greek yogurt for lunch today-- I'm not a big yogurt eater-- but it had 14g of protein in that little container!)

Quinoa-  A food that I am still familiarizing myself with! It has healthy carbs which provide muscle building protein, and the amino acids in it also helps put the protein to good use within your body. 

Coffee-  I know everyone's favor thing! Well it's still good for you! The caffeine helps boast performance, endurance, and recovery. 

Cottage Cheese-  High in protein.

Some things that I have been eating throughout the day to balance my daily needs and keep myself eating what my body needs is:

Omelet

Breakfast: Usually is a 2 egg omelet with ham and onions and a little cheese to top it off. 5 pts.

Typical lunch.

Lunch:  a sandwich with whole wheat bread, turkey, swiss, lettuce and a little mayo;  yogurt or a small salad; an apple that I dip in the yogurt or else 2 Tbsp of peanut butter; and I love Kumbucha with chia!

Dinner: Just depends on what I feel like.... Spaghetti Squash Casserole; Healthy Meatloaf; Lasagna Rolls; something along those lines and I make sure to only have one serving. 

Spaghetti Squash- This is
sorta like the casserole but
I decided to put in the pan
instead of baking it.

Snack: I was told that if you eat something high in protein right before bed it keeps your body working throughout the night which helps keep your metabolism going.  I choose cottage cheese or yogurt they are both pretty high in protein.

Those are just a few things that I have researched a little bit, and there are tons of recipes that you can find to use these different items in.  Hummus is a good recipe for the chickpeas, and the slice a Jicama up and dip that into it.  Quinoa can be used in just about anything, I like to make Quinoa Cups, which is basically ham and eggs and lots of veggies and I put them in muffin tins and bake and then heat up in the mornings for breakfast.  Black beans as well can be used in about anything, I tend to put them on my nachos along with hamburger meat and a little cheese.  If you don't enjoy yogurt which I'm not a huge fan... I just tried yoplait greek yogurt vanilla and I dipped my apple chunks in it(YUMMY!).

       

On a different note, I FEEL GREAT, now that I am filling my body with  things that it can benefit from.  My bf and I went to a local pond that has a path around it and we walked for and hour and even jogged a little and I still felt great when we were done... I was like the energizer bunnY! :)

Week 3: All Positivity

As mentioned earlier in the week, I had a lot of activity points built up this week!  Activity doesn't necessarily mean that you will lose weight though, because although I stayed within my points and I did use most of my weekend points (non of my activity points) it all depends on what you fuel your body with.  I obviously didn't fuel my body with things that were very beneficial for the health of my changing body, because I lost .2 lbs this week.  I'm not complaining because I'm happy I did lose! yay! It's okay to lose the weight slowly and it's way healthier for your body, but I'm disappointed in the food I choose to put in my body this week. 

Something I learned from a blog I've been reading lately, a lady who lost 133lbs and has kept it off for a year, is that you should eat something within an hour of going to bed (I know usually ppl say not to eat before bed) and make it something that is HIGH in protein so that way your body will keep working overnight while you are asleep! She suggested cottage cheese because it is one of the highest protein filled foods! :) Just a little tid bit I learned this week! I definatley recommend reading this ladies blog, especially if your feeling insecure and also if you have a lot of weight you are trying to lose! She is writing about here journey after she lost the weight and kept it off for a year, so you get to see what her tricks are and how she pushed herself though and set herself up for success! It brings happiness to my heart and I did shed a few tears while I read about her journey! her blog is http://joyjourneypaige.blogspot.com/

This week I'm going to really focus on educating myself on how to fuel my body properly! I think it's important to know what is good and benefical to your body, even though on weight watchers you can eat pretty whatever you want to eat, I think it's important to give your body the foods that will make it work properly and more efficently!

This week I encourage everyone to get educated on what they are putting into your mouth everyday and how it is benefiting you and your body! :) I will do the same!

GO CYCLONES!!!!!!!!!!

Yay for Holiday's!

Who doesn't love having an extra day on the weekend?! :) We had a fun filled great weekend with friends and family! Here's a little bit of our fun:

This would be a view of our back yard.... and no that it NOT
our tree! UGH.  Noticed this Saturday morning and was
not thrilled about it. 



WAHOO. Go State!!!! :)



Awe. Look at that adorable couple! (if i do say so myself.)

We had a great time with friends at the tailgate Saturday afternoon, we didn't go into the game we just pregamed and enjoyed the fact that football season has started again! :)

We enjoyed a long 27 mile bike ride!



I just want to throw this out there mainly because I'm so proud of myself, this 27 mile bike ride earned me 46 activity points! YAY! and not to mention Monday (our day off) the bf and I went on an hour and half walk and that earned me another 11 activity points! I'm rocking the activity points this week, I just hope the scale shows it on Friday!

After having a great weekend, it's now back to reality.... I'm kinda behind with school this week since I usually do most of my homework on Monday's... so now I'm catching up! (not giving up though)  I just really want to express some of my inner feelings and thoughts, I am seriously really proud of myself (not many ppl can say that about themselves) mainly for sticking with weight watchers, this is my 3rd week and I have lost 6.5lbs, even though that's not a huge number and I still have over a hundred pounds to lose, I can still say I'm happy and proud of myself for gaining willpower back.  If it weren't for my boyfriend being SO supportive I probably would have gave up by now (looking back on all my previous posts, you can see that I haven't been very successful with weight lose in the past), things are about to change cause I'm really tired of being SO out of shape! I want to have a great life (not that I don't already) where I can do anything especially physically, not gonna lie by boyfriend said to me the other night when we walked you seem like you are doing a lot better and you don't get as winded.  That made me happy to hear, like I said I haven't lost a lot of weight but every little bit helps and it makes me feel more confident in myself. 

I've got my big girl panties pulled up and I'm ready to take on this challenge no matter how hard it will be and already has been.  Not to mention my body has given my crazy fits the last few weeks as I have changed my diet/eating SOO much, and I never want to have to do that again! 

HERE'S TO SHEDDING POUNDS AND FEELING GOOD!

Oh boy is it hard to say NO to good (bad) food.
Just reminding myself of this statement!





WeEk 2: Figuring it out

Today I have had my second weigh in and I have learned a lot.  I am down another 1.4 lbs... yay! (I was just happy to see a lower number this morning)  I have told myself that it doesn't matter if I am not successful one week because the next week I will just have to try that much harder to keep it off and even make the number go down a little.  I knew this week was not going to be as great as the week before but you all knew that was coming based on my last post :) 

My biggest weakness comes on the weekends, I seem to think that I need to go out to eat more and we always have plans to meet up with friends on the weekends so I just tend to be a little more forgiving toward myself.  Not gonna lie this weekend is not looking promising for me... 3 day weekend, First IOWA STATE home game... GO CYCLONES...  and we are going bicycling with a huge group and also we are planning on going to the Dayton Rodeo Monday, so I am just gonna hope for the best as far as eating and drinking go!  I'm learning my willpower folks! ;)

As for my next weeks goals, I am just gonna focus on staying within my points (no using weekend points--if possible) and continue walking often. 

BTW did I mention to you all that,

I am doing the Color Run on Oct. 6, YIKES.

I'm super excited for it because I think it will be a blast, the BF

and I are doing it together,

but the only problem is we haven't been running like at ALL.

Complete focus on getting my weight down this week and my walking pants on, so that I can begin to jog at least, I'm not planning on running the whole thing but I would like to for most of it if I can get my happy a$$ in shape before then.  I CAN DO IT! So here's where you insert the encouragement. ;)

Here's to another week!! :P

Guess which lane I will be in! Yep you guessed it! ;) I'm seriously
pumped for this run.

Oh the Struggles

We all know that I'm not perfect by any means and I don't intend to ever be, but this last weekend I felt like a total failure.... Not only did I have pizza 3 TIMES... yes 3, I also had a lot of other junk and a few drinks here and there....

Let's just say that I used all of my extra weekly points in like 2 days... :/ not good considering I didn't use any of my activity points or my extra weekly points the week before... so in turn I decided I would step up and make the situation better by either not eating all my points each day or I would workout so I can make some up with activity points, well I've failed at both, I did eat way less then my points yesterday but the other days not so much.  (I'm trying not to deprive myself too much so I don't give up)

I recently read on another blog that I read that it works better for this particular person to focus on one part of weight loss at a time in order to completely master their progress.  So what that means is first, they decided to solely focus on their eating habits, then once that was mastered, the second was to add fitness to it until that is mastered, then you can have all of it.  The reason I have really took this aspect into consideration is that I don't wanna get burned out, if I am trying to focus on both at the same time and repeatedly fail, I am setting myself up to be disappointed if not to completely quit all together.  So this is my stand point at this time, I am focusing on my eating mainly but I have been walking a few nights a week, but mainly for fun not for the hard workout!

Another thing that I guess I question or maybe I am just going to share my opinion and how I see it.  So we all know that I enjoy drinking... (maybe a lot) and this has been a struggle for me because I don't like to use my extra weekly points(I think cause I feel I won't lose if I do use them) but if I want to drink then I have to save some extra points throughout the day in order to be able to have a few drinks if I want when I get home.  That part doesn't really bother me because I haven't been using up all my points each day anyway but what I really don't understand about it is that, I looked up the nutrition facts for my drink of choice which is UV blue vodka, and it only has calories in it, nothing else, so in turn that would mean that it would be 0 points and also the diet soda I mix with it is also 0 points.... So in my logic I can drink if I want to because it doesn't count towards my daily point value. haha... I'm such a sneak at beating the system... Just so we are clear this doesn't mean I will be drinking EVERYDAY, just maybe more on the weekends... :)

I apologize for my long rant, ha, something that has really been working for me is to write on the packages of items in the house or things I eat often how many points it is.  That way when I go to pick something up to eat I know exactly what it will cost me.. hehe cost me... I've been learning a lot though regardless and it amazes me what I used to be able to eat.. Yikes.





You can't see much comparison here but the picture on the left
is the beginning of my journey and the right is today.

TGIF- Week One

Alright so I told you I would check in after week one....

Well, I'm over the moon because I lost 5 lbs.. wahoo!!! I was so nervous to step on the scale I almost didn't cause I didn't want to be disappointed if the numbers I wanted to see didn't come up but I was very surprise with what I saw, so that was way awesome and gave me that much more motivation to keep going! :)

I did tell you I wanted to get more active also so last week the bf held me too it we walked almost every night last week together, it was wonderful! Not only was I getting a good workout I also got to have my 'gossip' time too! As my bf says now you won't have to talk my head off for 3 hours while I'm trying to sleep... ha. (we have 'pillow talk' a lot, and it's mostly me talking.) Regardless, we both really enjoy the time we get to spend together, especially since I haven't seen him much the last couple weeks because he has been working his a$$ off!

In other news, :) this week was the start of the fall semester of college.... mixed emotions! I am SOOO ready to be done with school but at the same time I enjoy that I get to learn about stuff that doesn't come up in everyday life!  So I'm taking two online course this semester and it will be my first time with the online stuff so wish me luck! ha.  U.S. History and Intro to Business, I'm ready to kick some crazy white girl butt!

I just want to tell everyone that might be struggling with weight lose or even things in their personal life, I have definately been through my fair share of heart ache and disapointments but one thing I have found is to NEVER GIVE UP ON YOURSELF!!! No matter how hard something is or how much you are struggling things will always get better as long as your positive and keep your head up! Okay, that's enough advice from me for one day! lol. :)

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!!

Finding Joy Along the Way

This journey that I've started on is so inspiring.  I am learning a new way of life and eating and finding the joy in small things.  Yay, I get to come back to ya'll and tell you that I am succeeding even if it's not a major progress yet, I feel my mind and body changing and it feels amazing.  My boyfriend and I have been walking almost every night now.  I feel so good just the fact that I have gotten myself up off the couch, that little step has made me feel fantastic.  I'm pushing through the pain of my knees hurting in hopes that as I start to lose more weight the pain will decrease and I will feel immaculate.  :)  I can't tell you enough about how supportive my boyfriend is, I think he wants this for me more then I do some days! He always encourages me and asks me how I did and what he can do to help! Love you!

So far on weight watchers.... The best part about it for me is that I get to see what I'm eating and I actually have to think about what I put into my mouth and if it's worth the points or not.  Being conscious of my food intake has really opened my eyes to how much crap I used to eat, just because.  I could seriously eat 2 whoppers from Burger King for one meal, mainly for lunch I would eat something then I would stop at the gas station by my work and grab a bag of chips or munchies to snack on in the afternoon! ( SO MANY CALORIES.. WOW)  Another thing I enjoy is that you get activity points, which add to your weekly allowance, so if you go over a night or if you have a party or something you can use your activity points that you have EARNED that week to make up for the nights that you may not have done as well at or that you have something unexpected come up.  I can't tell you how successful it is yet because I haven't even completed my first week, but I'm greatly enjoying this new journey, and I feel a lot better because I'm not stuffing my body with food that is weighing me down.(those things are WAY too many points to sacrifice)  So veggies are my new favorite thing to eat, Most of them are points free, and also if I feel like snacking I can have sugar free jello which is 0 points also! I'm finding all the things that are few or little points so that way when I wanna snack I don't over do it, I can just have something small that is just one or two points.

I'm still learning a lot its only been a few days since I started, some other things that are nice is I can enter in all the recipes that I already make during the week and I can figure out the portions that I'm allowed to eat or at least how many points each portion is so that way I know exactly how much.  Keep in mind that I have done weight watchers online in the past and the other times I tried it, I always seemed to cheat myself by only putting down that I had a small portion of something so that way my points wouldn't add up so fast, but in all honestly I was only hurting myself in the process, so this time I'm completely committed to being successful! Thumbs up for me on taking my first step in this new life journey! :)  Hope you will all come along for the ride and maybe I can encourage others on the way but mainly this blog is for me to keep track of where I am on my journey and how far I've come!

So can't wait for my first weigh in Friday!!!! Even if the number doesn't move I'm gonna stay positive in the fact that I already feel better without knowing if the number is changing or not! (Although, I do hope it does, don't get me wrong!)

This is me at size 20, just staring out folks be prepared to see
that number fall soon! :)

I'm just SO happy! ;)

Fun Filled Weekend!

Here is what we did all weekend! (in case anyone was wondering)

Friday we went out to camp for Brenlie's 7th birthday, one of my aunt's 4 girls, here is a picture of her little sister enjoying a delicious looking cupcake.. (no I didn't eat one, I was good and passed.)

Saturday we decided to check out the fair, well we checked out most of the beer gardens at the fair.... not to much of the things to see, we did get to try a few delicious goodies ( I was good and still stayed within my points allowed.. wahoo)



And you see why I started WW. :) But that
bacon wrapped corn dog was pretty good!



 



 

After an exciting weekend we decided to stay home and relax on Sunday after we went to see Scott's godson Colin get baptized.

Then we went and bought Scott's new pride in joy(besides me of coarse), and the first delicious healthy meal being cooked on it!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot the most exciting part of my weekend!!!! :)

I bought my first pair of boots at the state fair! Aren't they sexy. ;)?



There you have it! The excitement of my weekend, stay tuned for updates on my weight lose, and how weight watchers is going.  (So far, I feel great and am loving the program, definately learning a lot!)

Sick of IT!

I'm so sick of it, talking about losing weight and week after week I come back to my blog and have to write to everyone that yet another week of no weight lose and less self confidence for this girl.

Well, things are about to get exciting because I've finally put my food down on this journey that hasn't taken me anywhere but crazy!  I can't seem to get my food balance and exercise down on my own so I have looked to somewhere that can help, WEIGHT WATCHERS, yep I said it, I made the plunge to finally get a plan for getting my life back instead of being disappointed week after week. 

Today is my first day of keeping track of everything, mind you I was keeping track of everything I ate throughout the day before, but it didn't stop me from eating way more then what I was supposed to so this way I have a more mindful way to keep track and know what to eat and how much I can eat.  It's not a free for all anymore, this portion thing is gonna be my new focus (as in a previous post, isn't easy for me). 

Yes, I have tried weight watchers in the past a few times and those times I wasn't completely committed so I didn't stick with it, I have a lot of support from friends and family to get healthy and get my life back so I'm taking this serious this time! I will keep you updated on the weight lose and what I like and don't like about the Weight Watchers program!

Here are a couple of pictures of me, this is the beginning of my journey! 

The hardest part of this journey is going to be my drinking habits! :/  Yes, I love to drink, and yes they have points too! (it's a good time they give you weekly extra points-- mine will most likely be used on alcohol! Or I will just we working out more so I can swap my activity points for beer, :) I got it figured out-- i think)

Just Checking In

Here I sit yet another week of disappointment in myself.  My weight in this week was not what I was expecting, so I was a little down and out today.  I shouldn't beat myself up, I know it takes time to lose but you would like at the weight that I'm at that the pounds would come off a lot quicker since I have quiet a bit to lose.... that doesn't seem to be the case for me.  I will be completely honest and there hasn't been much working out in my schedule the last week, but I feel that I have been very good with the portions I've been eating and even the choice of food. 

Next weeks goal: walk at least 30 min 3 nights a week or more, and eat EVEN better!!!! :)


In other news, I have been reading lots of blogs lately and as I mentioned in my last post I read MamaLaughlin's blog a lot, she is great inspiration for me and I have found that there are a lot of people out there just like me who struggle everyday but have also succeeded greatly in their weight lose journey.  So, I'm taking in all the times I'm hearing from other people and slowly applying them into my life.  


My boyfriend and I have been super busy the last couple weeks doing all kinds of different things, this last week was Sunday Funday as guest bartender and the legion! :) I had a blast.  Here are a couple pictures that might explain how much fun we had! As for the contest they have for the guest bartender that brings in the most money, I was $20 away from getting second place (damn you Robbie ;))

Hope everyone has a great rest of their week!

Also look for some changes on my blog page I'm gonna try to spruce it up a bit, after seeing all these other fancy blogs mine is beginning to look a little boring. :)