AHHHHAAAAAA!!!!! I have been struggling with posting on blogger.I don't know what was going on but I made it work today! Yipeeeee! So I found this little challenge and I decided to take it on. I love, love, love fall! I love the weather and the smell in the air. I thought this would be a perfect challenge for me to truly appreciate the season. I have to say it has been wonderful. I told Kev it's like a detox to go out and walk for just a bit. I have made it a point to not put too much pressure on myself, I just want to enjoy the beauty around me. I get a chance to reconnect my thoughts and try to work out any worries I may have, I have enjoyed it!

HERRRRRE WEEE GOOOOOO!!!!!

Yep I am back (for the most part)

This is something I want. I want to feel good about myself from the inside out. The other day I was rebelling, yet again, and I was so sick when I went to bed it was disgusting!! So I am trying my very hardest to do better. I want to sleep good at night not twist and turn all night because I ate too much junk! So although I didn't take any picture this morning (mornings are just too crazy with getting everyone off to school) I did take pictures of other things I am trying.

The first:

 Yep it says "One pound at a time." and it is posted in my pantry so every time I open it I can remember what my goal is.

This is a little drink I found on pinterest. The title of the pin was, "This drink will boost weight lose and help your skin and hair look better." I thought doesn't hurt to try it. It is 2 liters of water with one medium cucumber, 1 lemon and 10-12 mint leaves. It says to seep all night. It doesn't taste too bad.

I also saw this on pinterest (no, I don't spend that much time on pinterest, but when I do I find awesome stuff!) I am so excited about this. Apparently I am a visual person. When I made it I found myself so dang excited to start filling up the pounds lost!!!

 

So I am ready to start getting healthy from the inside out! 

I have always liked the saying, "Fake it til you make it." I am working pretty hard to fake it right now. I think  when one is able to truly loose weight and get healthy is when they have a burning desire from the inside out. So I am working on getting the burn back, and until I do I will fake it.

I am also a believer in the power to pretend or envision myself thin and healthy. It's a mind game, if we can convince our mind that this is what we want then the success is bigger and more long lasting. I think this is why I like to post picture of outfits I would like to fit into. I have a hard time picturing myself thin with the frumpy clothes I wear everyday, so I find cute outfits I would like to wear if, "I had the body." here are a few I have found recently.

I love the first outfit, just don't know what I can do to lengthen my legs!!
So here's to faking it and to envisioning fashionable tomorrows!

Alright I am slowly finding my way out of this haze. With school starting and being sick for the last two weeks, I have NOT found the motivation to eat healthy at all!! So because I am scared to step onto the scale this is how I am going to weigh in.....

I have to say I am sad that I didn't stay as committed as I wanted because I was starting to feel so good and I want that feeling back! I am ready to start working for it. I am glad to say that although I haven't been eating great I have continued to exercise. It is such a true fact that you have to be all the way healthy to feel healthy. While exercise it AWESOME! making sure my body gets the kind of food it deserves is essential to feeling great. I found this little saying and it is so fitting to me right now I had to share.

So here's to slowly making my climb back onto the wagon! I guess I may have to go to the doctor to get some help with this sinus situation so I can feel 100% committed!

This is where I say week 5 and post some pictures, but not this week. I have not been feeling well and I hate to say that eating right and exercise have taken a back seat. I was certain that this week would be soooo much better, but I am sad to admit that it hasn't been. I have gotten up and had a good workout, but still am struggling with my eating. I am always amazed at how when you don't feel 100% everything in life just seems so dang hard! I mean seriously how much harder is it to have an apple over a piece of candy?!!

I am slowly climbing back on the wagon tomorrow I am sure I will have both feet firmly planted and ready to go!

So I have been struggling these past few days. I came across this outfit on pinterest and I felt that giddy excited feeling about loosing weight again. By no means is it a glorious outfit, and I don't wear tank tops but there is something about it that made me want to get healthy and be able to wear it on a cozy winter day. Wear this in stead of having to wear sweats because nothing else fits.
I guess whatever inspires a person!! I am going to look at this often to help keep me motivated!

Week 4

WOW! These pictures are just not getting better! I did not do as well as I would have liked on our camping trip. But life goes on and today is a new day. I am one of those people that beats myself up when I give in, and I have found that tearing myself down doesn't work. It doesn't make me want to do better, in fact I think, "Oh I've already done bad, I might as well go ahead and eat that candy bar."

I found this list of fun encouraging saying from Dr. Seuss and I thought it was needed to help pick myself back up and get back on the wagon.

Kind of hard to read but I love it! I might just print it out and put it on my fridge.

Feeling a little bumbed today. I gained a bit, just a tiny but, .4lbs but still it was a gain. At first I was mad and thought, "This is for the birds, I am trying my best and I GAIN!!!" but then I really looked back over my week and thought about what I ate, and I realized that I wasn't as good as I needed to be. I ate over my calories on a few days, and most days ate my exercise calories. Next week will be better. I am going camping so I am going to have to work really hard!

This made me laugh right out loud! So funny, I do exercise and I love to exercise this is not my problem. My problem is I like to eat pizza (cookies, chips, doughnuts) after I exercise! Last night as I was reading my motivating stories I came across one that I really liked. The individual talked about when one has a ton of weight to loose, it can become overwhelming and they give up. She decided to start with one thing at a time. She started eating right and then slowly started adding in exercise. By doing a little bit at a time she was able to focus on one thing, get good at it then move on. I like this, in the past I have felt that it's all or nothing. I am good for a few days and then it is just too much for a busy mom of four to handle and I would throw in the towel. This time feels different, I have already been exercising 5 to 6 days a week and so it was more natural to start eating healthy. Natural, but not easy! I have developed habits, bad habits that are hard to break, and I'm not going to lie I still dream about all that delicious junk food!

This is how I feel right now...

Just kind of a BLAAA day. I struggled with being hungry and wanting all the wrong things to eat (I only gave in once, but still that was empty calories!!) Well tomorrow is a new day and although it may not be any easier I will make it through!

Because I am in need of a little motivation I turned to one of my favorite magazines.

Yep I LOVE Good Housekeeping! This month is perfect because it is full of inspirational stories of people who have lost weight, just what I need right now! Another magazine I love is, Health. It is a good magazine full of tips and inspirational stories.

Week 3

Well, I have to say these are the least attractive of all the pictures I've posted of myself so far. So, they are very much a great motivation for me to keep going!!

Last week was a good week. I had ups and downs but overall I did well, and I can feel the difference. Sunday was mine and Kev's anniversary so we went out to dinner on Saturday night. I did ok I had a dinner that had beef, rice and lots of veggies. So I focused on eating all the veggies first and then the beef with a little taste of rice here and there. It was a great meal and I felt satisfied. I have to admit that we did get a malt afterwards, but we shared it and I made sure that Kev had the majority of it.

Some of my favorite meals that helped me get through the week are:
Lunch: Tuna sandwich (I don't really even like tuna but I crave these sandwich's) to the tuna I add onions, celery, and radishes, and a tiny bit of mayo to hold it all together. I use a really good 12 grain bread, but only one slice and I top my sandwich off with mild pepper rings. SO GOOD!
Dinner: I usually have this salad when the dinner I have prepared for the rest of the family is high in calories, or I just don't have enough calories left. I place a huge amount of spinach on my plate and top it with, toasted almonds, mozz cheese and red onions. I top it with a little bit of raspberry vinaigrette. DELICIOUS!

For this week I am keeping this little thoguht in mind.

So here's to another great week!

It's weigh in day!!!!

I am down 2.1 pounds! That is a total of 4.9 all together!!

I am so excited it feels so good. After I weighed in I told Kev, "It really does work, this eating right and exercising!!" I have tried really heard to stay within my 1200 calories. I have also tried really hard to not use my exercise calories. I can feel a change taking place in my body and it is awesome!

There many different kinds of survivor tools, weapons, what ever you want to call them when one is trying to make a life change and get to a healthy weight. Here is one of my biggest, "Weapons" I use against my sweet tooth.

Yep, gum! Lots of different flavors of gum, makes me feel like a kid in a candy store. Sometimes I find myself chewing so hard that my jaw gets a great workout! I wonder if I should start logging that into my fitness pal under the workouts!!

This made me laugh! Sometimes I find myself thinking that it would just be so much easier to take an appetite suppressant or some other kind of get skinny fast pill. Really think about it one pill and waalaa you're not as hungry, and the weight just falls off. After many hard lesson of you don't get something for nothing  I know that is not the best way to go and so I plug along day by day, eating my celery and exercising.  I have to say, though, it has only been a week and a half and I can feel the difference. I am not bloated and I can feel my body enjoying all this healthy food.

I am one of those people that always does a little better and is a little more motivated when I get a prize at the end of something challenging. So I have been thinking about it, What would be a great prize when I reach my weight loss goal. Here's one of the ideas I have been thinking about....

Aren't they glorious!!! I love, love, love boots!!! These would be a very helpful motivation!!! Better start saving my pennies!!

Sometimes I think our biggest challenge to making changes is our mind. I mean seriously I can justify anything!! My mind can have it's way with me and before I know it I have given to eating something that is not healthy or not exercising. I found this little picture quote and thought it was perfect!

I love it! I thought about it this morning when I was trying really hard to talk myself out of working out. I didn't give in, I work my tail off and I am happier because of it!

Week 2!!!!

I'm telling you adding these pictures is motivation enough! I thought it would be good to have a side view as well as a front view.

Last week was a good week, the first week always is. I did enjoy my Sunday, not excessively, but I did not count my calories and had a few treats. I did learn a lesson though. When you have treats on Sunday have a homemade treat, it makes it even that much more worth it. Another thing I learned is when you have that homemade treat make sure they are all gone by Monday morning or they will tempt you, and then you give in and have a Rice Krispies treat and have to waste your calories on empty non-filling foods. I'm just saying give them away, throw them away, just don't have them sitting on your counter in the morning!

Some of the food I had last week that helped me get through are:

A one egg omelet with onions, green peppers, and spinach topped with salsa Verde

Oatmeal with flax seed, Cinnamon, and strawberries

Sargento string cheese (only 50 calories)

Almonds (about 18 is 100 calories)

Cantaloupe and Watermelon (so filling)

Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches!

My favorite dinner was grilled chicken salad with avocados, red wine vinegar, and a tiny bit of ranch

I am a creature of habit and will use most of these food over and over, but I love them. I do want to branch out and try some new things this time we will see how that works.

This week I am keeping this in mind:

Today is my weigh in day and I am down 2.8 pounds!!! So excited! It feels good. I have a problem, I think it comes from watching Biggest Looser, but I expect these huge weight lose numbers. This morning I kept telling myself, to just be happy with a lose and not a gain. I was really happy with 2.8!

 In the past I have taken the weekend off. I decieded that I would still work hard on Saturday, but take it easy on Sunday. Not go crazy, just enjoy a nice meal and a homemade treat with the family, and not worry the whole time about calories. We will see how this works. I figure if I am having a huge craving through out the week then I can tell myself I can have it on Sunday then I won't feel so deprived and I won't binge.

Okay!! confession time, I had some frosting. Ahhh I was being so good. I did however log the calories and I am kind of sick now, so lesson learned.

Today is Abi's birthday and oh the glorious things I have made! Cupcakes, with frosting heavenly frosting, last night for her party, pudding with Oreo crumbs, delicious crumb cake for breakfast, hamburger, fries and a a chocolate Oreo shake for lunch, oh wow just makes my mouth water! But I did not give in, well one taste of the shake, but I counted my calories. Kind of makes me sick how much I love junk food!

 I woke up not motivated to exercise, I was trying to justify it with I went to bed sooo late, and it is Abi's birthday, but then I thought this.....

I don't want to feel sorry tomorrow, I am looking forward to feeling sore, and I will, the workout kick my tail!

Today I battled the Oreo cookie, and I won!

I found this kind of interesting.I think if it's a healthy solution, that is a natural ingredient than why not try it! Don't know if I can down the apple cider vinegar, but I think  I will try it.

The nutritional components of Apple Cider Vinegar have been known to help reduce the appearance of cellulite.
Oral Remedy
•Mix 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into an 8 ounce glass of water.
•Optionally add a small amount of honey as a sweetener.
•Drink this once each morning.
Topical Remedy
•Mix 3 parts apple cider vinegar with one part of your favorite massage oil.
•Gently knead this solution onto affected skin areas twice daily.
•This massage treatment will help to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Day 4 has been good so far. I started the morning off with yoga. Yoga and I have a love hate relationship. I hate doing it but love the way I feel when I'm done. The P90X yoga is a heck of a work out. Again I was shaky and sweating like crazy! Today as I was doing yoga I had this little thought running through my head:

                                                    I Won't, not today! One day at a time!

I'm trying to remember this. It is 4 p.m. and this is the time of day that I struggle the most! So I thought making cookies would be fun, but instead I will have some watermelon.

DAY 2 of WEEK 1

Well exercising kicked my bottom today. Going two weeks without working out makes it feel like you are starting all over again! So here I sit shaking and sweaty and I ran across this quote.

Ok, Ok I will stick to it!

But really this is what I'm thinking!



Alright it is day one of week one, UGH! You know there is a problem when days before you truly start to take care of your body you are dreading it like one dreads a doctors visit. So here is my first picture, now please understand I had just finished working out and it's been almost two weeks since my last work out so it was tough!

And of course I have my little tag-a-long, who will occasionally work out with me. So I had a friend suggest I post a picture of me in a bikini, because it would be more motivating. I am afraid it would be scarring to all who look in on this blog. So for now we will go with my workout clothes.

Some of the tools I will use to help me in this journey are:

 Of course my beloved P90X! I love these workouts!

 So I know the song goes, "Fat bottom girls make the rockin' world go round" but I am done helping out the rockin' world it's time to get this bottom to be, "Buns of Steel" or just lifted!!

This may seem weird that I am using a green bracelet as a tool. This is no ordinary bracelet, this is a goal bracelet. When we were at girls camp we had these put on and we set a goal. When we reach our goal the bracelet comes off. Well There are many, many spiritual goals I could have set but my goal is to get into these pants (Pictured below)

Well I wanted to be in them by the time I went on my trip to Canada, it didn't happen! I am not going to put a time line as to when I want to be in them. I am afraid time lines just don't work for me. I feel too pressured and sadly pressure leads to eating. So I am just going to keep plugging along with my sweet green bracelet on, and whenever I look at it I will have a reminder of what my goal is. Oh and I was feeling a little guilty that I didn't set a spiritual goal, but I really believe if I am healthier and in more control it will bring me closer to our Heavenly Father.

I will also be using myfitnesspal.com to help with tracking my food intake and calories. I love this site, it is free and I am a firm believer if you want to loose weight  tracking food and portions sizes is key! Well Mondays are always the easiest so today hasn't been so bad.

This is it, I am actually going to do it this time I am finally going to get into the other side of the closet! I have been telling my husband for years that I didn't need to empty out the other side of the closet because someday I would fit into the clothes. I am sure he was thinking, "But sweetheart by that time they will be out of style!!" Well I don't care if they are out of style I am going to wear them with pride because I am going from hearty to healthy and I am going to enjoy the freedom that comes with feeling healthy!

I have been trying for years to loose this baby weight. Well, lets be honest here it's not baby weight it's chips, cookies, and chocolate weight. I am taking the plunge to not only diet on Monday but to continue throughout the week. As it has been my habit to commit Sunday night to make a life change on Monday so I eat all I can Sunday night so I won't want it on Monday. It comes and I am pretty good and then Tuesday hits and holy moly I am good in the morning, but by the afternoon I have decided that the life change will take place the next Monday, so I eat all I can til Monday. It is an endless, terrible cycle and I am going to stop it!

I was recently on a wonderful vacation where the above picture was taken. My luggage was lost and so I had to shop for new clothes and this was a little depressing because nothing really fit right. Then when I saw this picture it lingered in my mind and I was disgusted with myself. I decided that when I returned home I was going to get my act together. I figured a blog would be a fun way to track my progress and maybe I will be more accountable.

So here's to a life change that, of course, will be starting Monday, July 23rd 2012 (I know I should start right now but the timing is better on Monday). I am excited and can't wait to feel and see the difference.