lack of motivation..

I have been under the weather and lost a good portion of my motivation.. any suggestions? I downloaded an app onto my iphone to help mix up my workouts a little so I'm not getting stagnant.. Hopefully that helps..

What do you do to keep your motivation?

Well, well, well...

I recently went to the doctor and found out I'm having some issues that may be causing me to have a little bit of a harder time losing this weight... I won't bore you with details but I was given solutions (all natural) so hopefully I'll speed this along a little better!!

I'm feeling good about the inches I've lost but Ian getting a little annoyed with the weight loss not happening.. I've decided to start eating a lot more fruits and veggies and cutting way back on my bread intake.. I'm an admitted starch-aholic and I've got to (mostly) kick that habit or I'll stay this weight... Anyone whose had luck in this dept I'll need all the insight you can give me!! Anyone??

Wow..

How come every Thursday I feel like I want to gorge... Fridays weigh-in is brutal if I indulge myself.. Today I swam for over an hour with my youngest andi felt great afterwards... I have a feeling we'll all sleep good tonight!! Lol!

I'm also thinking of getting a nutritionist in to give us some suggestions.. Anyone ever do this? Anyone you suggest??

another good workout!!

I keep going up in my calories for the arc trainer and I'm just working really hard and loving it!! Okay, that's a slight lie.. Around 5-10 minutes in I do think about giving up and then I remember that it gets better!!

I have been feeling really good, I've had a few slip ups with the halloween candy in the house.. But I think I've done relatively good! That and I've now put the candy in my pantry so I can't see it! lol.. Mind over matter..

Wish me luck that I stay on this track!!

Fabulous workout=fabulous outlook!!!

I had a great workout tonight.. It probably seems minascule to you hardcore people, but it was a tough one today.. still can't figure out why.. I did 30 minutes on the arc trainer (I fondly call it the ass trainer) and burned 277 calories and stayed above 120 strides per minute the whole time... I was so proud of myself!! Then, I did 10 minutes on the treadmill to cool down a little, then did a ton of stretching... It's amazing how good I feel when I push myself!!

I have had 4 or 5 pieces of the kids candy, since last night so I felt like I had to have a sizeable goal and I haven't gotten over 200 calories since I've started on the arc trainer..

So, here's to getting down those 45lbs with a positive outlook!!

I am looking for a nutritionist to come to our house and help us learn how to eat better. We've been doing the all natural thing, but I'd like to learn more and I would like ALL of us to really GET it.. Now, to find a nutritionist!! lol! Wish us luck!!

missing workouts..

So, Friday I didn't make time to workout.. Saturday, my plan was to go into my office quickly and then hit the gym on the way home.. Well, my plan didn't work because nothing works there.. like internet and the COMPUTER!! err.. And, then after 1 1/2 hours I got everything working and then had to hurry up and get my work done. So, that plan didn't work out.. I did crafts with my almost 4 year old after dinner and just didn't feel like working out. Today I WILL work out.. I know I need to rest somewhat in between days, but I didn't want to rest THIS much.. ugh..

I think that I need a nanny if I want to lose any of this weight.. sigh...

Plateau...

Well, I've stayed at the same weight since my last post.. I've gone up and down about 3lbs. But, I haven't stepped up my exercise. We have been trying as much of the natural eating that we can do.. (the article from one of my last posts). However, my grandmother passed away recently and I just felt like poop last week and ate what I wanted. But, this week I connected with a friend that has made huge strides in her weight loss (and inches loss) and I'm motivated again!! Woohoo!!! I have also weaned myself off of my migraine medication due to some issues with palpitations and I feel much better, overall. I'm glad I did it too, I really don't like taking medications because I'm terrified of their side effects.. That was a very scary one!!

How do you keep motivated? I'm starting a meal in the crockpot today with alot of the vegetables I steamed and froze.. And, then I'll be hitting my favorite crockpot recipe site for some more encouragement!!

http://hopealicious.blogspot.com/p/recipe-index.html

I hope you enjoy! :) Thanks for sticking with me on this long journey!!

oh man... 18 days without a post.. that's baaaaad!!!

Well, I have lost a total of 6 lbs.. Not very impressive. But, better than gaining 6 right?

So, we all seem to be on board most of the time with this diet.. most of the time.. Then, I found this article that has piqued my interest.. What do you think?

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/how-one-family-broke-its-junk-food-addiction-2530910#photoViewer=1

I am starting to research this idea a little more. I like the saving money part and also the waste part has got me thinking too. I hate making things out of boxes, but I think sometimes "It's so much quicker".. Then, when I do make something homemade I think "That wasn't so bad, it didn't take long at all!!"... So, I think living more pure would definitely take more time to prepare maybe mentally and to get back into that way of thinking. So, one of the things my girls love most is granola bars and I'm thinking about making them from scratch and I found a recipe!! I will let you know how they turn out!

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1910,136162-234201,00.html

If anyone else gets an urge to try and make them, let me know! I know granola isn't the healthiest as far as fats go, but for me, it fills me up and I don't eat again for a very long time and it's great for me after a workout. So, I usually try to save my granola for then.

The next few days goals: Making homemade granola bars and going to the gym more!

Anyone joining me?

Bad week all around...

I've been bad about exercise and I'm starting to make bad choices... it's not every meal or snack.. just a few things here and there.. sigh.. I keep telling myself that I will get back on track tomorrow.. (not like I'm completely off track).. I think I keep getting discouraged and that always sucks... I went to hook up my bike trailer to help with the grumpies that have invaded my house and my two children and the nut on the back of my bike will not budge.. So, I have to wait until my husband gets home.. I hate that!! I want to get better at this. I tried to talk myself into taking a walk, putting the kids in the stroller and being off.. But, I wanted to ride my bike.. I know, what a baby sulking! lol! I had myself all pumped up about going on a bike ride and I was so disappointed... I really need to do something EVERYDAY, whether it's at the gym or here at home. No matter what..

How do you inspire yourself? How do you get yourself back into exercising when you'd rather do nothing?

wow... it's been almost a week since my last post.. whoops!

Well, even though it's been almost a week.. I lost 2 more pounds!! woo hoo, go me! I had an emotional weekend. I went to see my grandmother this weekend, she is very sick in the hospital in Canada and I think I did pretty good.. Well obviously since I lost weight. I am usually a stress eater.. I was pretty shocked! I made a few crappy choices, but in the grand scheme of things I rocked..!!!

I haven't been exercising very much... I just haven't had the motivation. I don't know why. I did the arc trainer last week and then didn't do anything else. We are going to the Y every day this week for swimming lessons, so I really don't have a good reason NOT to get there. I should get the bike trailer hooked up that I just HAD to have. But, my motivation level went down as the heat started to hit 90 and above... ugh.. I know, I suck.. :(

My goal is to lose the weight and then get a tattoo.. I have a tattoo in mind. The reasoning behind it is.. why put it on now and then not feel comfortable showing people? What are your weight loss goals? What are you working towards?

wow... what a bad tuesday...

So, this weekend was great.. lots of physical activity and mostly healthy eating but, we were camping!! lol! I can't believe how good I did.. I did have a few more snacks than I should have but nothing I couldn't work off!!! And, I was aware of what I was doing.. no more "chip coma" LOL! It feels good to know what I'm gorging on..

However.. I had two very busy days Monday and Tuesday and well Tuesday I was at a state training all day and ended up going to Wendys for lunch.. Without thinking I slumped into old ways and got my favorite cheeseburger.. After I ate I felt like a tank and realized why.. then, I added it into my SparkPeople tracker.. uhhh... it was water and carrots and iceberg lettuce for the rest of the day.. I guess that's whats called a teaching moment?? lol! I felt like such crap for about 3 minutes. Then, I thought about it. I've been doing great. I haven't slipped up too bad in the two weeks we have started this diet. And, it was one time. A friend told me Saturday, you can have a bad day, you just have to restart and do better. She has lost a lot of weight and said that she's had many bad days where she's messed up, but she starts again. So, as I started to think about it I realized that I am human, I'm going to be tempted and I'm going to give in to temptation. Hopefully I make the right decision..

Any tips for not giving in to temptation? How do you pysch yourself out?

Staying Active!!

The past two days have been great for staying active!! Monday I went on the elliptical for 30 minutes and burned 123 calories, Tuesday I did the ARC trainer and burned 124 calories in 15 minutes!! Woohoo! Then, Jim and I sat on the bikes for 20 minutes and burned another 70 or so calories!! I'm attempting to talk him into trying spinning.. But, I think he's going to tell me to just go with Princess Pain! lol!

Well, I've been trying to stay positive about this.. However, every once in awhile I find a little naysayer.. What do you do when you find that?

I know that I need to learn how to eat differently and that I need to eat low calorie/low cholesterol. I am trying very hard to learn how to eat the foods I love but differently.. I hope this makes sense.. There are foods that I have to cut out.. But, there are foods I am changing the way I cook them, for instance. And, what I cook with (butter, kinds of oils, etc) and I almost feel like a recovering alcholic.. Food will be all around me, temptation will be all around me, it's up to me not to take that temptation.

Well, Sparkpeople seems to be helping alot too.. it's interesting to go back and see what you're ingesting everyday... the first day I was like...oh... that's not good.. LOL! Yesterday we went to Panera for lunch and it was the first time in awhile that I paid attention to the calories on the sign next to the food. That was quite eye opening. I almost feel like I'm making deals with myself on a daily basis. I can still have the foods I want.. I just can't gorge..

It's getting better everyday...

Well, yesterday I admitted to my husband about my coffee addiction and felt much better. Not only was I drinking at least one cup at home every morning, then I'd go through a various drive through and get something tasty and delish!...with 54689683211565 calories.. I cut the coffee at home awhile ago because I was convinced that if I stopped drinking creamer the pounds would just fall off.. Right.. Well, due to a chronic migraine syndrome I'm now on some serious meds and thankfully my sweet tooth (as far as coffee drinks and soda) has gone away!! Unfortunately it didn't include my bread addiction either.. Damnit!! Today I made myself some coffee (thanks to a child induced headache) and only sprinkled some cinnamon sugar in after I put in creamer.. This is a HUGE feat for me. I can't believe that I'm admitting this.. I used to put 3 teaspoons of sugar in my coffee AND creamer!!! The next time I get creamer, I'll be making the switch to low-fat and slowly ease into non-fat, but this is a major step for me. And, I'm enjoying my coffee more. I know that slowly the sugar will go and the cinnamon will stay (I love it in there!). I just always thought that these changes would be horrific and they aren't..

Another huge thing.. I eat with my kids. Normally I feed them and then eat at the computer after they are done (at least when Jims working). So, I'm fixing all of our lunches/dinners at the same time and then we all sit down together! This is a bit of a pain when Lainey is screaming NUM NUM NUM at me.. But, she'll just have to learn patience, right! ha!

Thanks for all of the supportive emails, FB notes and RM notes too! I downloaded SparkPeople onto my BlackBerry and I started todays food. This hot weather is horrible for me.. I eat hardly anything all day and then I'm finally hungry at night!! Any suggestions?

Here goes nothing..

So, I've been deciding whether or not to tell people about this blog.. Yes, I know I've been writing like I have 83 people reading it. Well, I don't.. Just me. So, I will be sending it out to some friends via-facebook so I can get the support I need.

Well, today I bought a small frosty at Wendys (one of those teeny tiny ones) because my kids were asleep in the back of the van and that is my favorite past-time... So what? I indulged a little.. It was a little.. Yes, I'm justifying it and guess what else I did...?? I bought a bike trailer for myself and I bought my 16 month old a bike helmet! We are doing the healthy eating as a family, we are doing healthy physical activity as a family! It was off of craigslist and it's in great shape. It has a cubby(?) type thing in the back should we venture on some kind of trip and need a little space for things to bring with us.. Can't imagine what that would be.. lol! (Other than diapers and granola bars!! haha!!) So, we are all in this together.

I will be working on doing a few things in our master bedroom today (and maybe tomorrow) so hopefully I will get it on my bike by tomorrow before Jim comes home and we can take a bike ride when he gets home from his 36 hour shift.. hmm... maybe not.. lol!

The 2nd day...

So, I did my second day of trying to eat healthier.. Last night I gave in and had some mac salad before my ice cream.. yet, I still had the ice cream.. ugh.. Even as I enjoyed the Andes mint chocolate ice cream I knew it was wrong to have it. I have been doing Slim Fast for breakfast the past 3 mornings. I know some diet "fanatics", "gurus", whatevers hate Slim Fast.. but, I lost close to 25lbs getting ready for my wedding when I had my appendix out and couldn't exercise anymore. I had to eat healthy and just walk. For four weeks before my wedding I rode my bike up the biggest hill I could find two times a day over and over again... ugh.. to have that kind of determination again.. Maybe my goal should be to try on my wedding dress again?? LOL! Maybe someone will get married and ask me to be a bridesmaid..I doubt it! ha ha!

Well, I have stayed busy taking care of my house today and that has made me feel better. That has felt good. A friend asked me to join her weight loss support group, that was a very nice invitation! I was very honored that she wanted to include me....until I had to tell her what I weigh.. LOL! All day I kept thinking.. 45lbs..really? You couldn't just choose 20.. dumbass... ha ha!! Who knows, maybe I'll just suprise myself. I've been looking for a picture to motivate myself to get into shape.. After our computer crashing I think I'm going to have to take a new one.. yay?!?

Well, with kids, a husband, a part time job lets see how this will work.. Wish me luck!

My first humbling post...

So, after recieving some grim lab results today I have been told my cholesterol is high. These tests also say that my liver enzymes are high. So, I am on a mission to lose 45lbs. Yes, 45 lbs... I am not a big fan of my weight, so I'm not going to tell you what it is...until I am at my goal weight! LOL! This has been a long time coming. I've slowly been getting annoyed/disgusted/furious with myself about the way I look and feel. So, I've decided to do something about it.

This spring our family joined the YMCA and while doing fabulous I decided to "step it up" a little and start running.. In the process I wrecked my knees and couldn't exercise for 6 weeks. I gave up.. I've gone back here and there.. But, nothing like I should have.

Why am I making this a public thing? If I don't, I'm not accountable to anyone. I have noone to answer to except my doctor and I can lie to him all I want... lol! And, I need encouragement, LOTS of it.. I was a skinny girl. I was THAT skinny girl that ate anything she wanted and didn't gain a thing. I judge people like myself.. "if she just stopped putting the food in her mouth".. Seriously? ugh.. What I would kill for my body 5 years ago.. (and I thought I was huge then!! ahh!!)

Now, with a family history of heart disease and two precious little girls to live for it's time to do something and fast. I have decided that as a family we will be healthier and my girls will learn how to eat healthier.

Tonights goal: Clean out the pantry, fridge and freezer of things we don't need to eat!! And, if I have ice cream... have two scoops and not 4...