Wednesday's Weigh-in: Week 5 (How to be happy) :)

Well, first things first… I didn't lose any weight, the scale still says 156 lbs., but that doesn't bother me too much because I feel myself slowly changing physically and it's great. :) I am more flexible- I can finally touch my toes again. I am stronger- I picked up my 4 year old (37lbs.) without thinking about it the other day and it didn't hurt. I have better endurance- I pushed my double-jogger up and down 2.5 miles of hilly terrain and still felt energized. More than that though, I'm feeling my body firm up, and my muscles are starting to tone. Best of all, I am feeling HAPPY most of the time, so I thought I'd share my basic recipe for happiness.
How BJ feels Happy
1. Rain or Shine - Exercise (Jog with the stroller, use my spin bike, run up and down my stairs 100 times, follow an exercise video, or just go for a walk on days that I'm sick,).
2. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. (When I get a good workout in before noon, I don't run into the insomnia problems I used to suffer from).
3. Drink LOTS of water (I don't drink my calories unless they're part of a smoothie which I make using whole fruits, vegetables and water).
4. Choose to eat healthy, but if I have to cheat with a treat, I only do so after I exercise. (This works great because after having put effort into burning calories, I don't normally want to ruin any hard work with something sugary.
5. Strive to eat just enough to feel satisfied, and not more. (I make a concerted effort to serve myself the portion I know I should eat, then thoroughly chew each bite, drink some water, wait 10 extra minutes, and I am good most of the time).
6. Spend time at the end of each evening reading something uplifting and reflecting on what I'm thankful for.

What makes YOU happy?

Fitness PHAT Fridays: 1

Today I find myself frustrated. I was able to keep my weight at 140 for 8 months and then once my husband comes home, We take 4 weeks of vacation and somehow I managed to gain 7 pounds. :( Well, that being said, I've been trying to lose those 7 pounds ever since, and I've been failing miserably. I actually gained another couple of pounds for a couple of weeks, and then I dropped them again, but I consistantly see the scale average right around 147. The problem is, when you're thin, 7 pounds really makes a BIG difference on the way things look on you. It's the difference between a size 4 and a size 6. All the size 4 clothes I bought still fit, but I look like I SQUEEZED into them and that's NEVER flattering. SOOOO, today I'm saying enough is ENOUGH! I'm starting to blog again to help keep myself motivated and I want to invite anyone who wants to join me on my quest once again to begin today. Here are the assignments for the week (they might sounds familiar, but I'm modifying them slightly):

1. Take your measurements:
(Since the scale is driving me NUTS, I'm going to focus on my inches once again, and we'll see if the pounds drop or not.)

2. Find a Large water bottle... i.e. 32 oz. and try to fill it a drink it all twice a day... throughout the day. TIP: Don't drink your calories. I drink only water 95% of the time. When I do drink something else, it's normally for a special occasion.

3. Get in at least 20 minutes of cardio work everyday (except Sunday for me). Figure out how hard you're pushing yourself through perceived exertion meaning, you should be pushing yourself hard enough where you can still breathe, but maintaining a regular conversation would be difficult.

4. Strength Training: Get a set of resistance bands, unlike weights, you can't cheat. Do 2 sets of 15 each every other day. I do legs one day, arms the next.

Arms:
Bicep Curls
Hammer Curls (Elbow next to head, bend hand down behind then straight up to the sky)
Shoulder Press
Rear Shoulder LIfts

Source: leehayward.com via Bonnie-Jean on Pinterest

Wing Beats (Like a bird, you raise your arms up and out to the side, then lower back down)
Elbows-In Pushups (Hands shoulder width apart, elbows pinned near sides, push up. Beginner: Lean against the wall, Medium: pushups on your knees, Hard: Back and legs straight)

Legs:
Squats (Back straight, butt out by bending at waist) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDdSZmWNYQI
Lunges Forward and Back
Plies (squats with toes pointed out to the sides, bending legs apart)

Abs while Standing:
Side bends ( 1 minute)
Waist Rotation ( 1 min)
Elbow to Opposite Knee (1 min)

Bonus:
Finally, for those of you extra motivated, here's another cool chart you can incorporate. http://cdn.imgfave.com/image_cache/1300061101139208.jpeg

Maintenance

Once I reached my goal weight and I actually lost another 5 pounds on top of it, I decided to stop losing weight and switch into maintenance mode. I am currently 140 lbs. and I plan on staying here for the rest of my life, pregnancy aside. However, in order to do that, I will always have to make healthier eating choices and continue to watch my calories. A few times over the past couple of months, I've let my guard down, and I've actually gained back pounds at which point I have to switch back into weightloss mode again for a couple of weeks to work my way back down. As long as I don't eat more than 1800 calories a day, and I exercise 3 times a week doing at least 45 minutes of cardio and then 40 minutes of strength training, I can stay a size 4. :) I hope I can help and inspire others. I'd love to be a free personal trainer for anyone who wants to succeed.

Tuesday's Tips: 11

Here we are, approaching a New Year and the time when everyone makes resolutions. The question is, do you actually remember what your resolutions are and do you keep them? I manage to do well on some of them, but honestly, most of the time my resolutions are unrealistic.... sooooo....

Tip: Set REALISTIC health goals for yourself.
If you need to lose 50 lbs., then say "I can lose a pound a week." If you do better than that great, but the point is 1 pound a week is much easier to attain than 10 lbs. a week. I was realistic with my weightloss goals and I managed to lose 30 pounds in 4 1/2 months.

You can do it! And, if any of you want me to help cheer you on, just drop me a note, and I'll gladly help in any way I can. :)

Week 21: Down 25 lbs.

I've gone from a size 10-12 to a size 6. :) I've lost 25 lbs. and I feel great. My BMI is 21 and I'm pretty much where I want to be. It's been hard, but I feel wonderful. Now the trick is to keep it off. Since I'll be traveling soon, we'll see how successful I am. One of my friends is going to start blogging about her weightloss experience, and I'm so excited to follow her journey. Here are my pics. What do you think?

Before: (6 weeks Postpartum)



After: (6 months Postpartum)




my progress
Week 1~
Weight: 170 lbs.
Chest: 44 inches
Waist: 33 inches
Hips: 39 inches

Week 2~
Weight: 167 lbs.
Chest: 43 inches
Waist: 32 inches
Hips: 38 3/4 inches

Week 3~
Weight: 164 lbs.
Chest: 43 inches
Waist: 31 1/2 inches
Hips: 38 1/2 inches

Week 4 ~
Weight: 163 lbs.
Chest: 42 1/2 inches
Waist 31 1/2 inches
Hips: 38 1/2 inches

Week 5 ~
Weight: 162 lbs.
Chest: 42 inches
Waist: 31 inches
Hips: 38 inches

Week 6~
? Oh well :)

Week 7~
Weight: 161 lbs.

Week 8~
Weight: 160 lbs.

Week 9~
Weight: 159 lbs. :)
Chest: 42 inches
Waist: 30 1/2 inches
Hips: 38 inches
Thighs: 21 1/2 inches

Week 10~
Weight: 158 lbs.
Chest: 41 1/2 inches
Waist: 30 1/2 inches
Hips: 38 inches
Thighs: 21 inches

Week 11~
Weight: 157 lbs.
Just above the Knees: 14 1/2 inches (I want this # to go up because it means that my quadriceps are getting stronger and will hold my knee cap in place better.)

Week 12 ~
Weight: 156 lbs.
Chest: 41 1/2 inches
Waist: 30 inches
Hips: 38 inches
Thighs: 21 inches
j.a.t.k.: 15 inches :)

Week 13 ~
Weight: 154 lbs.
Chest: 41 inches
Waist: 30 inches (stubborn!)
Hips: 37 1/2 inches
Thighs: 20 1/2 inches
j.a.t.k.: 15 inches

Week 14 ~
Weight: 153 lbs. :)

Week 15 ~
Weight: 152 lbs.

Week 16 ~
Weight: 152 lbs. (sigh)

Week 17~
Weight: 151 lbs. :)

Week 18~
Weight: 150 lbs.
Chest: 40 1/2 inches
Waist: 29 inches
Hips: 37 inches
Thighs: 19 1/2 inches
j.a.t.k. 15 inches

Week 19~
Weight: 149 lbs.

Week 20~
Weight: 147 lbs.

Week 21~
Weight: 145 lbs.

Week 19: Three Strikes

This week I've decided to try and up my healthy eating habits. I'm trying to see if I can limit my intake of sweets to the weekend alone. While discussing my strategy with my niece Emily, we came up with the three strikes policy. Basically here are the rules of our game:

-No sugary foods Monday- Friday. (Fruits, and yogurts don't count)
-If you slip and eat a sweet goody, then you get a strike.
-If you get 3 strikes, then you have to give up being able to eat sweets on either the following Saturday or Sunday.

Want to play with me?

I'm trying to conquer my sugar addiction because sugar really isn't good for you.

Sugar raises insulin levels which inhibits growth hormones and promotes fat storage (especially around your mid-section). Sugar also suppresses your immune system.

Here are a couple of links about sugar that I found interesting:
Ask Dr Sears
Sugar Addiction
Healing Daily

Healing Daily:
"It was only in the 1970's that researchers found out that vitamin C was needed by white blood cells so that they could phagocytize viruses and bacteria. White blood cells require a 50 times higher concentration inside the cell as outside so they have to accumulate vitamin C...

We know that glucose (sugar) and vitamin C have similar chemical structures, so what happens when the sugar levels go up? They compete for one another upon entering the cells. And the thing that mediates the entry of glucose into the cells is the same thing that mediates the entry of vitamin C into the cells. If there is more glucose around, there is going to be less vitamin C allowed into the cell. It doesn't take much: a blood sugar value of 120 reduces the phagocytic index by 75%. So when you eat sugar, think of your immune system slowing down to a crawl."

Week 18: WooHoo!

I did it! I haven't reached my 'Ideal' body image, and I probably never will, but I'm sooooo happy today because I've officially lost 20 lbs! While I didn't really care about how much weight I lost, I did want to get to a BMI of 22 or below and when I used the calculator on my side bar, I got 22.15....soooo.... WOOHOO! I haven't been this light since 2005 and I'm loving it. :)

In other news.... I was thinking about how to mix up my regular exercise program and I've decided to make sure I add swimming once a week. Yesterday I swam 1500 and it felt WONDERFUL, I was actually able to do a butterfly without hurting my shoulders and it's been 10 years since I was able to do that. I'm feeling myself getting stronger and although I still have to watch out for asthma flare ups, everything seems to be getting easier for me to do. I can't wait to see how I continue to change over the next 9 + months while my husband's away.

Progress to date:
- Starting Weight: 170 lbs........ Today: 150 lbs,
- Chest: 44 in............. 40 1/2 in.
- Waist: 33 in............. 29 in.
- Hips: 39 in............. 37 in.
- Thighs: 22 in............ 19 1/2 in.

= 20 lbs. lost and 12 inches!

(If I were 5' 5" I'd only weigh 133! :D )

Week 16: the Wall

Everyone hits a wall to their weight loss eventually; I hit mine. For the first time since I began this journey I wasn't able to lose any weight this week but that's okay because I celebrated my birthday and enjoyed indulging in Oreo's, Ice-cream, Brownies, Pizza, and Chocolate Lucky Charms, not in that order, but you get the idea. Also, last night the Blue Star Card organization (a club for spouses of deployed soldiers) took me and my niece out to Ruby Tuesday's for dinner, and then we got to see 'Eat. Pray. Love.' There was also free childcare provided.... anyway, I'm certain I ate too many calories and woke up fatter this morning, but that's okay... everyone needs to celebrate once in a while; as long as it's not everyday.
To help feel a little less guilty about last night I attended a 90 minute Kickboxing class and I ran 2 miles this morning. I've also been watching my food again today.

If you want to make sure you're burning fat in your workouts there are some simple rules to follow:
-Find your target heart rate (THR)
-Exercise for at least 20 minutes within that THR.

To figure out what your target heart rate is, here's a calculator. that gives you a rough idea,
or use the Karvonen Formula:
Example:
206.9 - (0.67 x 23 (age)) = 191
191 - 65 Resting heart rate (rhr) = 126
126 * 65% (low end of heart rate zone) OR 85% (high end) = 82 OR 107
82 + 65 (rhr) = 147
107 + 65 (rhr) = 172
The target heart rate zone for this person would be 147 to 172

206.9 - (0.67 x (age)) = A
A - Resting Heart Rate (rhr) = B
B x 65% (low end of heart rate zone) OR 85% (high end) = L or H
L + (rhr) = X
H + (rhr) = Y
Your target heart rate zone= X-Y

If you stick toward the lower end of your THR then a higher % of calories you burn will come from fat, about 50 %. The high-end THR will result in more calories burned all together, but the percentage of calories from fat drops to about 30 %. So, a nice brisk walk for a long time is ideal, but if you only have a small amount of time, exercising for at least 20 minutes will help raise your metabolism for the rest of the day. I make sure I do at least 30 minutes in my THR at least 4 x's a week besides my weight/resistance training.

I'm going to try mixing it up with more intervals of fast and slow and more muscle confusion from a greater variety in the type of exercising I do. With any luck, this will help me knock down the wall. Wish me luck!

Week 13: Recap and photos

So here's a Recap on my weight-loss journey.

I'm not sure how much I weighed in 2008 but I was not happy with my appearance at all. Here are a couple 'Fat' photos:
(I can't believe I'm sharing these: oh well)


In May 2009 I started exercising but not watching the amount of calories I was eating so I got up to 185 lbs. (Yuck!)

Anyway, I was determined to change that before I even thought about having another baby so I worked out really hard and ate 4 meals of 400 calories each and dropped down to 165.

Then I got pregnant. The day before I gave birth to Clara I weighed in at 194 lbs.

6 weeks postpartum I was down to 170.

Now I'm down to 154, I can't believe it, it's WONDERFUL! I keep losing weight and it's become easy to watch my calorie intake and I'm always motivated to exercise. I have finally gotten rid of a lot of my 'Fat' clothes and I went out and purchased some NEW smaller clothes since I feel as though I look a whole lot cuter than I did 15 months ago when I was 31 lbs. heavier.

For those of you who still think that 154 seems like a lot of weight remember that I'm 5' 9" so my BMI is only 22.74 which really isn't bad.
If I had the same BMI and I were only 5 '4", I'd weigh 132.5 lbs.
I think I'd like to drop another 14 lbs. and get down to 140, but we'll see what happens. I'm feeling healthy and cute and happy and I NEVER want to feel chubby again. I want to be Super Sexy for my husband when he returns from his deployment and I know I can make it happen.

Here are a couple of pictures from last week:



Getting in shape seems hard at first, but once you've developed healthier habits, it can come rather easily as long as you're not looking for the quick fix. I lose 1 or 2 lbs. every week and that works for me, maybe it could work for you too. :)

Week 12- Steady Progress

I've been doing what the doctor said and I can already feel a big difference in my knees; not much pain, and my knee-caps aren't shifting around like they were! YIPPEE!

By the beginning of next month I should be able to start running again! I can once again see that 5 K in my future! Also, I now have a couple of different friends who want to do it with me, so I'm going to start looking around for races toward the end of the year! Just the thought of it gets me itching to start training, but I'll stick to what the doctor has ordered.

Something else I've noticed is that I've had to increase the weight on the machines I use or I don't feel like I'm getting a workout.... so....I'm assuming either the weights are getting lighter or I'm getting stronger. My arms aren't progressing the way my legs are but that's because I'm unable to use the machines that require a grip so I do what I can, and I'll be happy with any progress for now. :)

Speaking of progress, check out the sidebar; I'm down 14 lbs from where I started, and my inches are moving in the right directions... I.E. my waist is going down and 'just above the knee' is going up! Feeling good over all, how are you doing? :)

Week 11: Runner's Knee and Carpal Tunnel

I'm trying to get myself to the best me possible which includes fixing ailments etc. This week I went to visit the Orthopedic specialists and Occupational Therapists to see what could be done to not have knee or wrist pain anymore.

Although I did my seated leg raises, I have still been having a lot of knee pain. Well, the awesome specialist told me I have 'Runner's Knee' and he gave me a Quad strengthening exercise routine. Then once that's done, he also gave me a 'Walk to Run' program. So, after a few weeks of focusing on building my Quads I can resume my goal of running a 5K. :D He told me to go home and measure my leg right above my knees so I can see my progress as my muscle builds!




As for my wrists, I saw the Occupational Therapist today and he gave me some guidelines to follow to help my pain go away. I'm not a fan of surgery until you've done everything else possible! I don't have the typical numbness and tingling that people associate with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), instead I have a constant dull pain that radiates toward my thumb and I have a relatively weak grasp. Anyway, for the next few weeks I'm going to NOT be doing things like pushups and pull-ups or anything that requires constant/repetitive grasping/flexing. I am allowed to use the arm machines at the gym that don't require a grasp so I'm not giving up my arm strengthening goals. Tomorrow I go in and get some custom wrist splints made too! I'm excited and I'm going to follow the directions I've been given faithfully! :)

Overall, I feel as though I look better in my clothes and I have reason to hope that I won't be in constant pain anymore! Hooray!

Finally, since I said I'd post some pictures of my progress this week, here you go. What do you think? Do I look like I've made progress?

Week 9: What's the Ideal?

People have different ideas of what the ideal body should look like. I think a woman's ideal proportions should be based on her own measurements. I'll explain my guidelines for my goals below:

Measure your Wrist. Wrist x 2= Neck. Neck x 2 = Waist.

Measure you Ankle. Ankle x 2 =Thigh. Thigh x 2 = Hips and Bust (Chest)

So here's my ideal:............ Here's my reality:
Wrist = 6 1/2 " ..................Wrist = 6 1/2"
Neck = 13 1/2 " .................Neck = 13 1/2"
Waist = 27 ".......................Waist = 30 1/2"

Ankle = 9 1/2 ".................Ankle = 9 1/2"
Thigh = 19 ".....................Thighs = 21 1/2 "
Hips = 38 ".......................Hips = 38 "
Bust = 38 ".......................Bust = 42 "

So, to reach my ideal I need to:
-lose 3 1/2 inches off waist
-lose 2 1/2 inches off each thigh
-lose 4 inches off my bust, although my husband may say otherwise...lol. :)

To go along with this idea I'm updating my goals box on the side bar. We'll see what happens.

Week 4- Time out

Well this week has been very crazy because of the visitors we've had. We had a lot of fun but it was difficult to stick to my routine so I had to put this blog on the back burner. Oh well, now things are starting to get back to normal and I'll do my best to resume where I left off.

After visiting the Pediatrician this week I have decided to slow my progress for the sake of my baby. Your body stores toxins in your fat and if you burn your fat too quickly, you release those toxins back into your body. Anyway, long story short, losing weight too quickly can flood your breast-milk with bad things and can be bad for the baby. That said, my new goal is to lose about 1 pound a week.

For now I'm going to keep doing the same things I've been doing for the past few weeks. My husband will be deploying soon so if my blog is a little inconsistent I'm sorry, but I might need some time out.

Fitness Friday:1

I have to convince myself to start slow, so the thought of the day is Small Steps!


I've decided that an achievable small fitness goal will be to run one mile without stopping. If I walk as much as I can, and run in progressively longer distances, I will succeed. What about you? Figure out one small realistic fitness goal you can set for yourself and begin working toward it. If I can do it, so can you! :)

Week 1- Let's Get Started

So I'm not going to overwhelm you with a million things to worry about this week, we'll start slow and build more stuff in.

GOALS FOR WEEK ONE:

-Take picture of self in a bathing suit, print it out and put it on the refrigerator. Nothing motivates me to stay healthy quite like seeing a real picture of myself looking not so gorgeous...lol!

-Purchase/Borrow/Find an accurate scale that you can check your weight on once a week or every other week.
(TIP: Check your weight no more than once a week because doing so every day can be really frustrating.
Also, always check it at the same time of day because your weight can fluctuate a pound or two throughout the day.)

-Get a measuring tape and record your starting measurements.

-Get a large 32 oz. water bottle and make it your daily goal to drink at least 2 full bottles of water every day.

-Get a notebook to use as a food diary and write down everything you eat every day. I find that if I have to write it down I tend to make smarter choices.

-Do at least 5 pushups (can be modified) and 10 crunches everyday.

-Finally, make an effort to take a walk for 30 minutes everyday minimum. (other forms of exercise are fine too.)

EXTRA-TOOL
-For those who are extra motivated, here is a link to a daily diet guide. :)
http://www.mypyramid.gov/downloads/worksheets/Worksheet_1800_18.pdf

And So It Begins

In highschool I had a pretty decent shape and I stayed active. I am 5' 9" and I weighed 150 lbs. As time went on my weight fluctuated up and down 20 lbs.

While I was pregnant with my son I ended up gaining 40 lbs more reaching 200 lbs. and I was very dismayed when I only lost 30 of those pounds once he was born. As I began nursing I thought I was supposed to lose weight but I was hungry and ate all of the time and ended up gaining 15 pounds back; so, I ended up at 185 my heaviest non-pregnant weight.

I decided that before I even considered getting pregnant again I wanted to get into the best shape I could. I worked really hard and got down to 165 with the same measurements from high school so I figured I must have had more muscle mass.

Anyway, I got pregnant shortly after achieving my goal and I tried really hard this pregnancy to not gain more than 30 lbs. and was successful by only gaining 29 lbs. Once I gave birth to my daughter I was curious to see what my weight loss would be. Here I am 6 weeks later and I fit into most of my pre-pregnancy clothes but that doesn't mean that I like the way they look. I currently weigh 170 lbs., but my measurements can definitely use some work.

This blog will be an account of my diet and exercise program as I get back into a healthy attractive shape. I will offer tips, recipes, and weekly exercise goals that you can try if you'd like to join me on this journey.
After my doctor's appointment tomorrow I will start Week 1 so here's your chance to get on the exercise bandwagon with me.

Here are my before pictures so I have something to measure my progress against. (Please don't laugh too hard.) :D