Goal Accomplished!

I did it! I went to the gym three times this week! It was hard, and I didn't want to, but I went today. I really wanted to just tell myself I'd work out at home - but I know that most of the time when I tell myself that it won't really happen. Or it'll be half-a**ed. I just do better at the gym. The kids aren't there to distract me. I feel better there and work harder there.

I feel very good about having accomplished that goal that I've been shooting for for more than 4 weeks now. I hope that having done it once will make it easier to do it again.

No matter what the scale says for my weigh in tomorrow, I'll feel good about it because I'll know I worked hard.

Note To Self

Note to self: You DO actually like going to the gym. But only on the days that you really push yourself and are proud of your work. So GO and WORK HARD! It feels good!

Before and ... not quite After yet

I recently came across this picture of me from three Summer's ago. It is horrid! Nightmarish! Ick! Granted, it's a bad angle and I'm doing a funny pose, but it's pretty scary. My legs, my neck, my arms! All so fluffy! And this is BEFORE I had baby #3! So it only got worse from here. I think I got pregnant again like the next month (my boys are only 13 months apart).


Below is me in January of this year at one of my best points. Sure, I'm more covered up, but you can see that I have a chin. My legs are slimmer. I look more fit. In fact, I AM more fit!

I was working hard at this point to loose weight. And I was having success. I felt so good when I got dressed in the morning. People who know me noticed and complimented me. I'm not just seeking compliments, but it was nice to have my hard work validated by their compliments.

It's good to remind myself that when I get serious about this, my body obeys. It just takes sticking with it. Some consistency. Hard work. Sweat. Emotional strength. The point is, it CAN be done.

Weigh In #4

Only 4 more weigh in's to go in this challenge!!!

Well, after my hiatus last week/weekend, things aren't so pretty. The good news is that I've lost 3 pounds in 3 days, but the bad news is that still leaves me up .8 from last week. Today I'm at 157.6.

Last weeks goals:
I didn't go to the gym 3 times - but I did go Monday, and yesterday and today I worked out at home (post-hiatus).
I definitely didn't eat minimal snacks. I snacked my toosh off (or should I say ON?). But, I've done really really well the last 3 days.
I didn't exactly minimize my carbs, but I did become more aware of how carbaholic I am.

This Weeks Goals:
Go to the gym 3 times (I know this has been my goal for 3 weeks now and I have yet to do it, but I am seriously determined right now. I'm SURE I can do it this time!)
Minimize carbs
Healthy snacking only during the day, with a tiny treat at night
Don't loose momentum!!!

I really regret having fallen so far off the wagon last week. It was silly and petty. No more of that nonsense from me!

Hiatus

I took a small hiatus the last half of last week. A hiatus from dieting and exercise. ... I know, not good.

But maybe it was good. I was discouraged and only kinda half doing it the few days before my hiatus. Now, after my hiatus, I am invigorated. I am fully ready to jump back in with both feet.

Today I exercised basically all day. I went to the gym in the morning - and worked harder and longer than I have in a while. I did sit-ups and leg lifts and such while watching my afternoon mindless-television. And this evening the kids wanted to play outside so I ran circles around the cul-de-sac while they played. I am exhausted. But I feel great! Really, really great!

I also ate really well today. No splurges at all, despite the fact that there are 3 different delectable treats in my house leftover from Father's Day (I won't tell you what they are so that you don't start craving them). I am going to have a treat this evening. Just a small one. I think treats are important for me. If I totally cut myself off from all treats I just end up binging.

So, like I said, I jumped in with both feet. Now, if I can just stay in, I'll be fine! I gotta start pulling my weight on Team Lime!!

Weigh In #3

GAIN. Enough said. No, just kidding, I have more to say. I gained only 0.2 pounds (putting me at 157). That would be good were it not for the fact that this is the second full week for me of exercising well and eating well and seeing basically no results.

I'm getting kind of tired of this. The reward for my hard work it supposed to be the satisfaction of seeing the scale go down and my muscles go up. I am seeing some of the muscles going up, but none of the scale going down. It's very, very frustrating.

This past week I did not overindulge or over-eat or over-anything! I went to the gym twice for good, long workouts and worked out at home for at least 20 minutes twice also. I didn't snack in the afternoon. I didn't snack in the evening. Basically, I DID EVERYTHING RIGHT! So why no loss?

Ugh. Whine fest. Sorry. I took the day off today - I didn't go to the gym, I ate what I wanted, etc. But I suppose tomorrow I'll get up and be good again. *sigh* I'm just not feeling very into it right now.

Last Weeks Goals:
I did NOT do the jump rope thing. Sorry. I just couldn't muster the desire after sucking at it so much.
I did NOT go to the gym 3 times. But I did go twice and get at least 2 home-workouts in.
I DID eat minimal snacks each day.

This Weeks Goals:
Go to the gym 3 times.
Eat minimal snacks (after today - I'm not counting today)
Minimize my carbs

I wonder if my carb-loving habits are the cause of some of this weight trouble. So this week I am going to work on that. Not that I'm going to cut them out or anything drastic like that. I'll just watch them and not over-do it.

*****
Sorry for the whiney post. Really. Today was a bad day. But I'm sure tomorrow will be better. I pray tomorrow will be better. I can't quit say that I'm sure tomorrow will be better, but I'm pretty confidant it will.

Oh, and GO TEAM LIME!!!

Lost Day

What happened to Thursday? It just kind of flew past me. I didn't exercise or even do my jump roping challenge. Shoot! Part of the busyness was that I hosted book club at my house last night. I made a semi-healthy snack and luckily nobody brought anything too ooey-gooey-chocolatey that I couldn't' resist. I'll call that a definite success.

Today is a pretty busy day, too. But I'm off to the gym first thing this morning so that I can't possibly miss out on it. And I'll get back to the jump roping tonight. I'm determined not to give up on it since I sucked at it so much. I will master that dang thing!

What to do at the gym today? ... I'm thinking elliptical and weights. It's been a while since I did some good weight lifting.

Weighing In

Well, I maintained my weight this past week. Not so much as a decimal of a change. 156.8. Still. But I think that means this next week will be all the more impressive. Bring on the elliptical, treadmill, weights, and jump rope!

Speaking of the jump rope, man do I suck at it. I tried to jump rope for just 10 minutes last night and totally failed. I can't jump more than 10 times or so without tripping on the rope! I've never felt so clumsy in my life! But I'll try again tonight ... and tomorrow ... and the next day. And hopefully by the end of a week I won't suck as much!

So my goals for the week are:
to jump rope for 10 minutes every day
go to the gym 3 times (already went once!)
eat minimal snacks every day

The snacking thing is tough since my body still is recovering from being pregnant. It still wants snacks pretty often. But I'll just try to have them be healthy, diet-neutral snacks.

Do or Donut

hehehehe - I'm so clever.... do or do not (donut) get it? I'm hysterical.

I had to bribe my children to get them to go to Target with me this morning. I told them they could pick out any treat while we were there. I was hoping I could steer them toward something that I don't really like that much so that I wouldn't be tempted by the goodies. But it didn't quite work out as I planned. We came home with powdered donuts. I am not dying for a donut, but if they're in the house I'm gonna have a hard time not eating them. During naptime, when all the world (or at least my house) is quiet for a few precious minutes, it's hard to not indulge. I've worked hard that morning. Don't I deserve a donut if it will make me feel better? Those donuts will call to me.

But I won't hear. Because I'll be too busy doing situps and lifting hand weights. And after naptime, it's off to the gym for us. Where I will think of those donuts being smashed to death on the tread of the treadmill with each of my steps.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all about enjoying the things that I love. I refuse to think of never eating a cookie again. I'll just not eat a dozen cookies. But donuts...I don't love donuts. So why waste my fat/calorie intake for the day on them?

Welcome to my Weight Loss Journey

I am starting this blog kind of as a journal of my weight loss. I don't expect it to be a popular, high-comment-receiving, thrilling blog. I expect it to help me stay motivated. I have limited time to loose weight right now before I plan on getting pregnant again. It's time to get serious!

Goals:
I currently weight 156.8. (That's right - I'm putting it out there for you to see.) My overall goal is to get back down to 130 (where I haven't been since my first baby was born, 5 years ago). But I'll be very, very happy if I can get down to 145 before I get pregnant again.

Reasons:
I want to feel good about my body again. I want to run after my children and not be exhausted. I want to feel the sense of accomplishment that comes with working hard and seeing results.

Trials:
Two weeks ago I was 10 weeks pregnant. I hadn't really exercised during those 10 weeks because of morning sickness. Then I miscarried. So getting back even to what I was 10 weeks ago is going to be hard (and slightly frustrating). I was at 152 before I got pregnant this last time.
I have three kids under 5. They are a bit of a ...shall we say, trial... in my weight loss journey. They suck away my energy, insist on snacking several times a day, beg for french fries and cookies, and take up a huge chunk of my time. But they also love to go play at the gym. So, some days they motivate me.
I actually really hate exercising. My body doesn't react to heat well and I tend to get close to fainting when working out. I have to be very careful about drinking almost nonstop as I exercise to prevent the fainting.

Assistance:
Well, this blog, of course.
I also belong to The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans, which is a great support network.
And my trusty gym membership.

If you want to know more about me personally, check out my family blog at worthfamily.blogspot.com