Something new...

I spiced things up today on my lunch hour and holy moley I will be doing it again! I wanted to burn a little extra calories so I walked to the local football field.

Yep, those are the bleachers and yep, I did 4 sets!!!

Oh my it seemed like a long ways up!! But since I had to watch the step in front of me, it didn't seem so bad.  It was tough and not an easy task, but it was totally doable!! 

One step at a time!

In between sets, I walked a lap around the field.  I was planning on doing push ups and other boot camp type exercises but there were some teenagers there and I was feeling a bit self conscious so I just stuck to the stairs and walking.  I did two sides of the bleachers because one side the stairs were closer together and more of them and the other side (pictured above) were more spaced out and I had to lift my legs higher. 

Then afterwards, I wanted to stop at the health food store to just look and see what they have.  I was going to buy some dried fruit or banana chips but they all had sugar added.  So then I thought, a little dark chocolate won't hurt me (they sell it by the square), but I didn't buy any of that either.  I AM SO PROUD OF ME! Instead, I bought a bottle of water and some dry roasted Edamame! 

Good for the heart

Today, this morning, has been a frustrating day for me.  Work drives me crazy.  The nosey, gossip hounds that never stop, the miscommunication, the people who think its all our fault something is wrong.  And all of that happening at the same time is just too chaotic for me.  It has been proven that my blood pressure is wayyy high when I am at work.  I have had it tested.  Well today folks is a blood boilin day!  So I walked...

I walked up the big hill.  I wasn't prepared with a change of clothes but I did have my walking shoes.  The toning ones and I could feel it!!  My tush is going to be hurtin!!!  But OMG! I feel so much better!! I no longer feel like I could explode in foul language, and I can breathe a normal breath without cursing.  Now I can start my afternoon with a clean slate and say, "BRING IT ON WORLD!!!  I CAN HANDLE IT!!  I WILL JUST WALK IT OFF!!!"

So eating this clean diet is paying off, I feel good.  I have to be honest and say that I miss my treats!  But when I can learn to have them just as treats and not everyday...I will have them again.  Yes, dear sweet ice cream...I will have you again.  Just smaller portions! :) 

Results of hard work!

What was my reward for taking what life throws at me and crunching it up and throwing away the excuses???  A freaking 4.4 loss my friends!!! 

I have never in my life gone this long without cheating on my "diet". I have never given myself a chance to succeed.  I have always failed.  But I feel so stinkin good right now!  I am on cloud 9!  I have succeeded and only have more success to go!

But let me tell you.  This is very, very hard.  I never imagined it could be this hard! No processed foods, no sugars. I didn't cheat when I dished up my daughter some ice cream, I didn't cheat when I made her a nutella sandwich, I didn't cheat when I watched my husband eat my favorite cereal (Lucky Charms), I didn't cheat when we went to the tractor pulls and I so badly wanted nachos.  I told myself, want is different than need.  Instead of ice cream, I ate strawberries, instead of those nachos, I ate an apple.  I got the sweet and crunch and I was fine!!  I did it! I didn't feel like a failure and I didn't start the chain reaction of regret. 

One thing I have figured out, I am addicted to this crap!  I use to smoke in the past and I thought that was hard to quit, holy cow, this is 10 times harder!  But if I have done it a week, I can go another week and another.  Baby steps.

So my plan is after I beat the addiction and know that I will live without all this crap I have fed myself in the past, I will give myself a little bit every now and then.  But I won't live on it.  It will become a treat not a lifestyle because I am changing and I like what see!  It is hard work but I will fight!

What life throws at you...

Life can be so hectic and chaotic.  When you want to achieve something it is like life takes that moment to throw the most difficult things at you.  I have had a crazy busy week but unlike a lot of other hectic chaotic times, there is a light at the end of the tunnel!  And also unlike all the other times, I have kept to my diet and exercise!!!  This is a first for me.  I usually fall off the wagon and use the busy time as an excuse, but not this time!  I have grabbed that bull by the horns and gave it a what for and a swift boot to the past!  Darn tootin straight!  This time it is about my health and me which in turns benefits everyone else in my family and around me for that matter!  I have not eaten a piece of cake that is once again in my office...I have not eaten any processed foods or sugars which is our next challenge over at the War of the Scales!!! I am going to see a difference at my next weigh in and I am kicking booty folks!!!  whoooo....seems like I have a tad more energy too!

So updates:
Over at the War of the Scales, Trisha and I are starting another week long challenge and weekend challenge.  Trying to stick to habits we have started that we want to keep and challenge ourselves at new ones we want to start.  We also have a cool question and answer session happening.  This is a fun challenge Trisha and I have got going on! 

I have been exercising still.  Just not taking any pictures right now because I have been working on intensity and getting all I can out of my walking.  But we are getting close to a new month and I want to update my picture...I am hoping to see a slight change!!  fingers crossed!

One thing I have learned with this processed food deal.  My body was dependent on it and getting unhooked from it sucks!  I can't believe how that stuff gets in our bodies and does weird things to it beside making us fat.  It is an addiction.  I thought the convenience factor would be hard to overcome, but making good fresh foods doesn't take any longer than the processed stuff.  And if you can read a recipe, you can make anything! 

So far this has been the hardest part of my journey.  I hope to see some results lol! 

revamping my eating habits

So starting this morning I have redone my eating habits.  I need to kick this weight loss in the butt and since I didn't have a loss last week, I need to see some numbers drop!!!  I want to win my competition!!!  So I have cut out processed foods, period.  No "just a little bit" for me!!!  It's bad for me and I know it, so why eat it?  No refined foods.  It's not good for me, so why eat it? 

So the result in doing this...

I feel weird!  My mind is trying to trick me and get me to eat those yummy little mints and just have a doughnut.  BUT I WON'T! I am an adult and I need to put my foot down!!!  I will love the outcome and how I will feel in a few days!  It will be worth the mind struggle....Right?? 

busy weekend

We had a wedding to go to Saturday and then off to visit nana and papa.  I walked Saturday before getting ready for the wedding for 30 minutes so that I did my challenge and I felt so good about that!  I did my walk on my dino treadmill, but darn it!  I am walking my hiney off!! 

Sunday I got my walk in and my hubby and I shopped for a few hours and I am sure that helped too! 

At the wedding I did not have cake!!  We stopped at the grocery store on our way out of town and I got a  salad that was corn, black beans, green peppers, jalapenos, cilantro and tomatoes.  It was very refreshing and super yummy!

I drank a ton of water!  It was a long trip to the wedding and to nana and papa's!  A lot of bathroom stops for me!  LOL! 

My husband said something super cool to me yesterday.  He said "honey, your mood has been so good the past week!  You seem happier!" I FEEL HAPPIER!  Although I was bummed this morning on weigh in day because I had no loss, but no gain either.  But all the changes I have made and the movement has improved my mood and my outlook.  That in itself is a weight loss!  It is nice to know that people are seeing a difference cause I feel the difference. 

Work wants to kill me...

This is what I ran into on my way to the lue...WTH!!??  I must add to the left of this is another table full of chips, cookies, and other fattening choices.  OMG!!!!  I take a deep breath and I....WALK ON BY! YAY for me!  There was some fruit and veggies on the table but I don't need any of it because I have a ton at my desk already.  I need to stop the habit of getting something from the table of goodies.  This place I work at will put an additional 10 pounds a year on someone with all the "gatherings" of food. 

This tempting table will have food on it all day so I MUST go a different way to the bathroom.  I do not want the temptation every time and I am going a lot with all this water consumption!

Switching gears a bit.  I bought a pair of those walking shoes that are toners.  Not the rocking kind but the one with what feels like balls in the soles.  I don't know if they are toning but they sure feel good to walk in!  So far I love them! 

I thought that I wasn't going to get to walk today but I think I will be able to after all.  That makes me happy!  I think it will a bit shorter though because I used up some of my time to go grocery shopping.  Multitasking...

So my entry yesterday about sweet snacks and how I was having issues.  Well I bought some Nutella.  I will eat it with my apple.  That should help me out and not want to jump up and eat my co-workers M&M's!!  Oh yes, not only is there a table of goodies but just about every cubicle has treats too!  SHEEESH! I am just going to plant myself in my cubicle and never leave! :)

Snacks...

What I want...


or...

But what I am actually eating...

 

 

I so badly want to snack on sweet stuff and love on the sugar.  But I won't, not today.  Why is this so hard?  



ZZZZZ's

This is me right now!  I am so freakin sleepy! I feel like I am on auto-pilot.  I took an allergy pill this morning and that must be the problem.  I hope to snap out of it soon.  Course yesterday as I was starting my walk, I felt super tired too. 

Speaking of my walk...I did the Kermel Grade route.  I decided I would do it since it wasn't extremely hot outside. My legs were a bit tender from the lunges I did the day before, but I could work past it.  I got to the top and realized, "I have to use the bathroom!" So I had to walk fast back to the office!!!  It was a long ways too, well it seemed like a long ways, but really it is only a mile! Total distraction and I felt cheated out of my time with myself and thinking and picture taking.  Oh well...I walked! I had texted my husband and he told me to just use the bushes...MEN! 

Today, I can barely walk.  I put icy hot on my thighs last night.  That was awesome!  But today, super duper sore.  I am going to walk today on my breaks and a little at lunch cause I am going to get new shoes at lunch time!  YAY! And I have to buy shoes today cause I forgot my walking shoes at home...

So why is it that when your tired, your more hungry?  Good thing I have some chicken dip and veggies and some fruit. I don't think I would make it! LOL! I am pretty sure I would wither away to nothing.  Or find a candy bar! 

Here is the link...

To my new challenge!
http://warofthescales.blogspot.com/

I am so excited and so ready!  I am nervous tho too because I think this could be the ticket to reaching my goal!  It will be interesting to see how I do this blog and that blog since they are a lot alike but this blog I can talk about other issues too.  Life issues. 

I am very sore in the legs today! LOL!  I even wore heels today to work and I feel my muscles that I worked yesterday with every step I take.  Why did I wear these shoes today?  I think because I feel pretty today!  It is a first time in a long time that I have felt good like this.  So I must be making some accomplishments. 

Had some yummy salmon patties over brown rice last night for dinner!  I am having it for lunch today too.  I went to the store and got some veggies and fruits.  I am doing good!  My father in law is with us for the week and I know he doesn't eat healthy so he is having to at our house! I think he could be having some health issues so I am going to have a lot of fish and chicken this week and lots of veggies.  My family could use an extra good week too! ;)

check out the new challenge!!!  http://warofthescales.blogspot.com/

Tried something different

So for today's walk I went to the local track.  I wanted to take a shot at jogging a bit and not worrying about how silly I look when people see me! LOL!  No one at the track and there is a slight breeze, I start walking and think to myself "I can do this!" I start jogging after a lap of warm up walking and OMG!!!! I feel like I have never moved my body before!  Like I couldn't pick up my feet! But I went along anyways and jogged the straight stretch and walked the corners for two laps.  I think I need different shoes cause I could feel every pebble and they weren't very supportive.  I guess that is what I get for $15.00 Walmart shoes.  Maybe I did burn the soles off them the other day! LOL!  So then I walked a lap and I thought "I will do lunges on the corners!" What the heck!  Have I gone looney tunes?  At first, it was good, I did 10 and the walked and then on the exit corner did 10 more and then walked the straight stretch and on the entry and exit corners did 10 more.  All I could think about was, " I WILL FIT INTO MY JEANS AGAIN DANG IT!" "I WILL WIN THIS CHALLENGE WITH TRISHA!" "I WILL NOT FAIL!" So then I did a cool down lap and stretched cause I know I worked muscles that haven't been used in a long time.  After stretching I walked away from the track...thinking..."OMG, I am already sore! Why did I do that to myself?" I did it so I can do it again tomorrow! :) 

I have been reading up on my favorite blogs (that you can find on the side bar over there). And I have learned so much from those girls and gotten so much inspiration.  Life really has been hard on me lately and I think exercising has kept me from going over the deep end, seriously.  I just want to say thank you ladies, for being in my life.  I know you don't know me but you are important to me. And of course my husband and my bestie... :)  Cause they are always proud of me!

Tomorrow I will link you up to the challenge!  :)

UPDATES, UPDATES!!!

Lots of news!!!  First off, I wanted to post my weigh in of 194 last Thursday but I have had a really crappy run of things in my life.  Sometimes I feel that post partum depression is going on or some kind of depression.  But my husband and I talked about it and I think life is just giving us a run for our money and testing our limits.  Communication is key people.  Gotta have it in every relationship you have in your life. I had a crappy weekend too.  Again, pushed to my limits.  I ate crappy too.  Not horrible though.  Just not how I wanted to.  Stupid ice cream!  It will be the death of me! LOL!  Chocolate with peanut butter swirl...it is sooooo yummy!

But I have news...I am in a challenge.  A friendly challenge.  With my daughters step mom!!  I am so excited for this!  We have been through every battle we could rage on each other for the last 8 years. We are finally at a point where we can get along and make decisions based on facts and the goodness of my daughter's best interest, instead of what would hurt each other more.  We are very competitive of each other, so what a good way to put that competitiveness to use and challenge each other to reach our goals! We are going to blog about our adventures and our contests and such and I will link ya to it when it's all set up. 
This is going to be fun!!!! 

stay tuned!

Today is just not my day...

I have very good intentions to have a good, normal day.  But every door has been shut in my face!!!  Sheesh!  First, my husband texts me and tells me I left the burner on when I made my oatmeal this morning.  Then he texts me and asked where the burritos I said I was going to make him out of leftovers were.  Well I forgot to make them.  UGH!  Then work crap happens, people just can't worry about themselves I tell ya!  It is retarded! But I move on, I try to keep that smile on my face and chug through the day.  I think to myself "can't wait for my walk at lunch!" 

Lunchtime roles around and I change my clothes and fill my water bottle and hit the streets. To the hill...

Going up!!  This is what we call Ash Hill.  It is a good jaunt and pretty steep. 

This is half way up... the steepest part.

THE TOP OF THE HILL!  I love the top of the hills I climb!  It is a good accomplishment no matter how many times I have walked it!

Then I walk around a neighborhood that I haven't been through in a long time.  It seemed more runned down and not as pretty.  But my mind is diverted to my feet because I feel like the rubber soles are being melted off as I walk!  My feet are HOT! But I keep going, bound and determined to have a good walk!

I come around and start back towards the top of the hill.  And as I am figuring out which neighborhood to walk through for the next part of my walk, my husband calls me.  He asks, "honey did you feed and water Fluffy lately?" (Fluffy is our guinea pig of 5 years) I say, "yes honey, I did yesterday, why what's wrong? Is Fluffy dead?"  My dear husband says, "Ya, I'm sorry honey." Then he asks, "are you crying?"  "No", I say, "just feel bad and hope she didn't suffer". I am sad.  I cut my walk short and just head back to the office.  I am just going to face the facts and my day sucks.  Now I have to tell my daughter...

Miss me? I was a busy bee!

Hello folks, sorry for my absence I couldn't seem to get my blackberry to blog this weekend.  It was a busy weekend and I did get some walking in!!! YA for me! I got through a weekend and still walked.  I seem to have trouble with that, especially with both kids there.  So here is a break down for you...Saturday we waited around our friends house, standing outside, while 5 horses got some shiny new shoes.  Then on Sunday we went to the lake with some family so that was fun exercise! Then on Monday I walked on the treadmill for a half hour while my baby boy watched me in his little seat.  My daughter was watching cartoons and doing a craft project.  My treadmill is OLD! I think it might be on its last leg too cause it won't hold it's speed so it's a bit challenging! LOL! 

There it is...the mean machine!  I don't think she is too accurate, so I just go on time when I walk on her.  The one nice thing is that when it's a 100 outside, it is cool in the house and walking on the treadmill is wayyy better!!
Speaking of hot...I walked on Tuesday outside. 

Down the dirt driveway which is about a 1/2 mile one way I believe. 

Then down to the straight stretch in front of the ranch.  I walked probably 1 mile down and back. 

The back has a little hill to walk up, pushing a stroller up is a GREAT workout!!!  Holy smokes! 

My stroller...I had to walk beside it so that my boy could see me.  He cries the WHOLE TIME in the stroller.  I have tried everything but he just doesn't like it I guess.  Anyone have any ideas on how to get him to like it?  Will he just grow out of this?  He cries in his car seat too all the way to town which is a 1/2 hour each way!  UGH!  LOL!  Love the little bugger! 

As I look at that picture, it just makes me want to not stop moving!  I want to reach my goal and I want to reach it fast!!! 

I watched an interesting show on Dr. Oz the other night about his diet that he promotes.  He was talking about what foods to buy in the store and to just keep to the perimeter for the "good for you foods". He talked about canned Salmon and how it is just as good as the fresh but way cheaper.  So I bought a couple cans and I am going to give it a whirl.  Also that a rutabaga can be substituted for a potato for more nutrients and less carbs.  So I am going to give that a whirl too!  He also had the Dean Brothers on there to make healthy cheap meals!  I am going to go back to the website and check those out!!!  What tips have you learned along the way???  My challenge will be to get the rest of the family to eat my experiments! :)  I just won't tell them! :) HA!

So tomorrow is weigh in day...I don't feel like I have lost much weight, if any, but I feel better physically and mentally.  I feel empowered and strong(er).  I have a long ways to go but I will get there. 

Still working on the secret challenge...waiting to hear back from my challenger! :)

Goals and Guilt...

So I have been thinking a lot about goals and guilt.  Two "G's" that seem to go together.
Goals both long term and short term.  Long term is easy peasy...I want to:

Look this cute in this shirt.  Right now, total back fat role and belly...UGH.

I want my butt to look this cute in my jeans too!  :)  I know it can...I just have to lose a few layers!

So long term goals: check

Short term goals are a bit harder.  I am so afraid of failing them.  But if I write them down and get them out there then there is hope.  :)  I can be held accountable.

1.  Get in the habit of exercise.
2.  Eat a cleaner/healthier diet.
3.  Make time for me and still be a good mom and wife.
4. Get over my sugar addiction.
5. Get to 180
6. Get to 170
7. Get to 160
8. Get to 150
9. Get to 140
10.  Be less stressed

That is just the beginning. And funny that they all go hand in hand.  Before, I gave myself a list of rewards for accomplishments.  I never reached one.  This time it will be different.  I have been reading other blogs and I start from their starting point and read to most current.  They all start the same.  They all start the same way I am starting.  Fears, failing, starting, failing, starting again.  You could see them drop off the blog world for a bit only to come back and feel bad.  But then a miracle starts happening, and it happened in all the blogs I read, they start seeing a difference!!!!  They start weighing less, losing inches, feeling good, and their blogs start to get more positive! They talk about the past and what is different.  They keep at it and WALA...they reach their goals.  So what if we started out more positive?  What if we don't be so hard on ourselves and just breathe and keep moving forward?  How come we let guilt take over and cause us to fail?  Darn it, if I can see this then why do I let it happen?  So there, it is out there in blog land and out of my mind where it can swim and fester...guilt is out!  Positive in... moving on to achieve my goals.

The Grade

So today I thought I would challenge myself a bit and walk up the big hill called Kermal Grade.  I have done this before and I remember it being quite difficult, so I said "heck, it's Friday, let's give it a go!" I will have a long weekend to recoup! 



This one isn't too pretty! :)

 This is a couple shots of the bottom of the hill.  There is a lot of traffic zooming up and down this road.  So you have to be very cautious.  I am feeling pretty good. 

This is the view from half way up the hill.  That is my little town that I work in!  So at this point I am sweating and feeling like I am walking up hill! LOL!  But I am still feeling good! 

AND THEN....

THE TOP OF THE HILL!!!!  Do the happy dance!!!  Funny thing, it really wasn't that challenging.  It was hot, but not hard.  It was a good walk, don't get me wrong but it wasn't impossible!!!  I am going to feel it tomorrow because my leg muscles have that tingling sensation going on.  I think I will do this hill twice a week. 

It took me 15 minutes to get to the top and I kept going for another 15 minutes because I have an hour and I wanted to walk my whole lunch hour.  I am thinking I probably walked a few miles but I mainly go on time since I have my phone with me to check time not distance. 

And then...

Going down!!!  :)  Oh ya baby! 

I feel like I have lost 5 pounds already! :) 

So I have to tell you a funny story about yesterday.  I got back from my walk and I was all sweaty and red faced and I was getting my bag to change back into my work clothes.  I work in the reception area and so there was a lady at the counter waiting.  I had to say hi and she looked at me weird.  I said I was just getting back from my lunch hour and asked how I could help her.  She needed to talk to someone, so I was looking to see if that someone was available and the lady asks, "having a hot flash?"  I WAS STUNNED!  OMG!!  Do I seriously look old enough to have a hot flash?  I am 35 for goodness sakes!!  I turned to her nicely and said, "No I just got done walking a few miles." with a smile.  Then when I tell my friend about it, she laughs and says "its the grey hair...it's deceiving." OMG!!!  Totally dying my hair now!!  I kinda wanted to ask the lady "when's your baby due?"  and see how she felt about that!

So plans for exercise for the weekend????  Yard work and walking.  I'll keep you posted!