I've been so bad....

Sorry I haven't posted in a while - I have been enjoying time with my niece :)

She took her first real steps by herself the other night - yay! - and we have been trying to get her to walk by herself since then

But, she is too smart for that, so she just plops down on her butt & laughs :)

Over the past couple of days, I have lost 3.8 lbs b/c of her (you know - playing, running around, nerves)

In addition, I have failed to complete any kind of homework assignment or anything else b/c everytime I get on my computer she wants to jump in my lap to play on it with me!

So, now you know where I have been, but I promise I will be back, soon!

*I am still completing items from my "101 in 1001" list.  I am having so much fun doing this list.  I am really excited about all of it, and I am reading one of the books on my list. So, I will have some detailed posts coming up, including a book review or two!*



I finally wore shorts.....

Since I gained all the weight that I have, I have not worn shorts out of the house.  I will wear long shorts (come down to the knees), capris, or pants.  Well, I finally wore shorts the other day, and it was not as uncomfortable as I thought it would be.

Now, I know some of you are thinking, "you wore shorts, that's no big deal."  But, if you know me, it is a big deal.  I am extremely uncomfortable with the way my thighs look, especially since I have stretch marks from all the weight gain.  So, this was a very big deal to me.

I am excited that I can wear shorts now and not feel too uncomfortable.  But, I cannot wait for the day that I will be completely happy in my skin and not worrying about how I look in what I am wearing.

Xbox 360 w/ Kinect

So, I am in love with the Xbox 360 w/ Kinect.  I have been wanting it or the Wii, and a couple of days ago, I finally decided to get one for myself as a graduation present to myself! :)  It has been a great investment already.

It came with the Kinect Adventures game, which is extremely fun.  My brother and I like to battle to see who can get a higher score on the different adventures and levels.  Well, after playing it the first night I got it, the next day both of our legs were extremely sore.  Then, I played it again.  After that, my legs and arms are extremely sore. 

I decided to step on the scale to see how this was paying off in weight loss, and I have lost 2 lbs in 2 days.  AMAZING!  I could not be happier about losing weight by playing games and enjoying time with my family.  It has been a great experience, so far, and I hope that it will continue to be tremendous.

I plan to play the games and do the exercise games at least 5 days a week, and hopefully, this will aid my weight loss.

So working didn't work out....

Well, I started working on June 30th, and as of today, I am no longer employed.  Guess it was not God's will or mine to have a job just yet, or not that job anyway.  I knew I would not be there long, that it was only going to be temporary, but I did not believe it would only last a week and a day. Ha ha ha!  I am happy that I can laugh about this, though.  Yes, I do need the money, but I do not need the stress or the constant demand to be perfect, because I, of all people, am not perfect, nor have I ever claimed to be.

While I am not working, I will now have time to start working out again!  This excites me because I truly want to lose some more weight and become happy & healthy! 

Hopefully I can find another job, but I only want part-time work, so that I can still exercise and complete my school work!  I just want to do God's will and follow His path for my life, and hopefully, I will be able to do that.

My first day back :)

So, today was my first day back jogging/walking in almost a month, and it felt great!  I am so stoked that it was not horrible feeling, and I am ecstatic that I hardly felt any pain whatsoever.  I had a couple of tinges in my right ankle, but it does not hurt or throb, and it is not swollen.

And, on top of walking/jogging this morning, I took Cazzie to the park this afternoon, and I played on the slides and play set with her.  So, I got a little more exercise in by running around with her.  And, I at least plan to go running again tomorrow morning, and hopefully, I can convince her to go to the park again tomorrow.

*Isn't that bad when you have to talk your 9 year old niece into going to the park?* :)

Still losing weight :)

I have not worked out in almost a month.  I spent two weeks resting because of an injury, then this past week I spent time with my niece, and the weather has not been great for me to go jogging.  But, I am still losing weight. Yay!

So I hurt my ankles, but I believe they are completely healed.  This past week I spent time chasing my niece around and playing with her, and over the past week I lost around 3 lbs.  Now, I like to say it is because of her, but I honestly do not know why I lost it.  I cannot complain, though!

On top of the injury and spending time with family, I have been super busy with school, and I have been filling out invitations for my commencement.  I cannot believe I will be walking in less than three weeks.  In addition, I have been trying to plan my graduation party.

Well, I hopefully will be jogging/walking again in the morning.  I have less than three weeks, and I want to lose at least a couple of pounds before my commencement.  I last weighed in at 181 lbs, and at 179 lbs, I will be considered overweight, not obese anymore.  So, my goal is to get to at least 178 lbs before July 16th.

Hopefully if I do get to go jogging/walking in the morning, it will not be too tough on me, since I have not been in a while.

*Wish me luck!*

The past two weeks

The past two weeks have been full of ups and downs for me.  I have had several things happen that please me greatly, while I have had some stuff happen that just turns my stomach.  Almost two weeks ago I beat my best time for jogging a mile and for jogging 3.4 miles.  Then a couple of days later, I beat both times again.  I was so ecstatic for these accomplishments.  I also received my Associates Degree last week in the mail, which overjoyed me.

So, I have been excited and proud of myself for what I have completed, but I am also upset with myself for some of the choices I have made.  I have been eating unhealthy foods and making poor choices with what I do eat.  In addition, I sprained my ankle jogging last week, so I have not exercised for almost a week because of the pain and swelling I have.  This has caused me to gain some weight, which of course makes me unhappy.  But, it also motivates me to get back to it as soon as I can to get back on the right track.

I am determined that I can do it, and I will do it.  I will start exercising again, eating healthy, and losing weight.  I will not let a couple of boulders in the road block me from my ultimate goal of becoming happier and healthier!

Why you need to EAT to lose weight (and LIVE)!

Yes, you read that correctly.  You need to eat to lose weight, and you need to eat often.  I have come across several blogs and post about women wanting to lose weight, so they decided they are going to fast or severly restrict their caloric intake.  Fasting is fine, if it is for the right reasons, like when you fast to become closer to God, but fasting can cause weight gain, severe health problems, and even death.

Every individual has a basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the amount of calories a person needs to eat on a daily basis for bodily functions, such as digestion of food, blood circulation, and breathing.  Using a special formula, everyone can find out their BMR.  Click this link to use the BMR calculator.  To learn more about BMR, metabolism, and other items that may affect your weight, click this link.  For example, my BMR is 1,645 calories.  This means, I have to eat 1,645 calories a day to survive.  As your age goes up and your weight goes up or down, your BMR will change, although these changes will be small.

So, when you fast, your body will use the stored fat for energy, which will cause weight loss, and it can be dramatic for some people.  This is great, right?  Absolutely, not.  After fasting, individuals will begin to eat normally again.  Since these individuals have been fasting, their bodies will go into starvation mode, and when they start eating again, their body will store most of the calories that they eat because their body does not know when it is going to get food again, which leads to weight gain.

The best way to lose weight healthily is to create a calorie deficit by eating the right kinds of foods, cutting calories, and exercising.  This means eating whole wheats, vegetables, fruits, and lean meats, while drinking water, milk, and other low calorie/sugar drinks, such as Powerade Zero.  In addition to eating healthy, you need to create a calorie deficit.  This means that the calories you eat in addition to the calories you burn during exercise should be less than the calories you need to maintain your current weight.  To find out how many calories you need to maintain your current weight, click this link.  This link has many other calculators and tips for weight loss and staying healthy.

The main thing to remember is that 1 pound is equal to 3,500 calories, so to lose a pound a week, you need to create a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories.  If you want to lose 2 lbs a week, you need to create a calorie deficit of 7,000 calories. 

Thankful Tuesday!

I missed out on the post last week, but that is okay.  I am always thankful and gracious for the blessings that I receive from our LORD and SAVIOR!

*I am thankful for the rain and the storms b/c they remind me how powerful our LORD is!

*I am thankful that I received confirmation that all is good with my Associate's Degree application, it has been processed, and I will have my degree in hand in a couple of weeks!

*I am thankful for the weight and inches that I have lost, and for the knowledge, strength, endurance, and health benefits that I have gained through this new journey in my life.

Expectations & Realizations (part 1)

So, you want to lose weight?  Yes, of course, would be the response of most of the individuals that I know.  I, too, want to lose weight, and over the past 8 weeks, I have lost several pounds and inches, and I have learned a lot.  I have had many expectations, both in the past and now, with my eating, exercise, and weight loss.  I have also had many realizations from what I used to do, to what I do now, and what I have learned through it all.

Many of the expectations I used to have about weight loss, working out, and eating have gone out the window.  I have completely changed the way I think, act, and live, which has helped me tremendously on my journey to becoming a better, healthier person.  In turn, I am recognizing that many things I used to think were bad, are not (but, some still are), and I am arming myself with the knowledge to create a healthier, more fulfilling lifestyle for myself, and hopefully, for others as well.

Expectation #1: I am going to lose weight quickly (over night, in a week, or in a month).
How many times have you jumped straight ahead, full force into a new diet plan or weight loss regimen?  Too many to count, right?  Well, that used to be how I was.  I used to think that the fat would just "melt" right off of me (as you so often hear in commercials about weight loss pills, equipment, or videos).  But, then, a few days, weeks, or months into this new program, I would give up because I was not seeing results.  Has this ever happened to you?

Realization #1:  Weight loss takes time and effort, and results are not seen immediately.
Results will not be seen overnight.  As a matter of fact, depending on your size and how much weight you want to lose, you may not see results within the first month or even a couple of months.  But, trust me, if you are eating right and exercising, the results are there.  Many times you will feel the results more than you will see them.  You will feel stronger, healthier, and happier for sticking with it and changing your life.

Expectation #2:  I need to eat a low-carb (or fat, or sugar) diet to lose weight.
How often have you jumped on the newest fad diet, such as the low-carb diet, the low-fat diet, or the high-protein diet?  How often has this worked for you?  Not very often, huh?  This is because when we restrict ourselves too much, we will want everything that we are not eating, therefore failing with our diet plan because we are eating foods that are considered restricted with the plan we are on.

Realization #2:  I can eat carbs, fats, and sugars.  I just have to eat them in moderation and eat the right kinds.
Carbs and fats can be good for you, if you are eating the right kinds.  Complex carbs fill you up and turn into energy to help you maintain daily bodily functions, while most simple carbs turn into sugar, which in turn causes you to gain fat and weight.  Complex carbs are brown rice, wheat bread, and vegetables.  Some simple carbs that can help you lose weight because they help you fill full are fruits and dairy products.  To read more about why carbs are good for you, check out this article.

Expectaion #3:  This is going to be easy b/c I know what I need to do and how to do it.
So, you think it is going to be easy in the beginning.  But, as you progress through your diet plan or weight loss program, you start to lose motivation and struggle while working out.  You really want to give up, at this point, but you shouldn't.  Everyone goes through struggles and wants to give up at one point or another, even me.  To read about some of my struggles, check out this blog post.

Realization #3:  Changing your life for the better may not be easy, but it will be worth it.
So, you had some struggles, you ate something you shouldn't have, or you skipped your workout today.  This means you should just give up, right?  Absolutely not.  Just because you slip up, don't quit.  You have to motivate yourself and push through the slip ups and mistakes.  Never give up.  Read this blog post to learn more about slip ups & staying motivated.

*So that this blog post does not get too long, I am breaking it down into more than one post (note the title), and I will continue to post my (our) expectations & realizations about weight loss, dieting, and exercise.*

I have lost 15.2 lbs total, as of May 21, 2011! (Updated Picture)!

Since my cousin insisted, and I love to please my family, I have posted this updated pic of my weight loss.  The pic on the left is from November 6, 2010, and I was in the 190's.  The pic on the right is from today, May 21, 2011, and I have lost 15.2 lbs, so I am at 183.6 lbs.  I have also lost of 15 inches (total) off my body! :)

I have 4 more pounds to lose before I will be considered overweight, not obese anymore, and I will have lost 10% of my original body weight!

Week 8 Calorie Deficit, Exercise Journals, Measurements, & Totals for eight weeks!

For this week, I had some pretty stressful events in my life, which did affect me physically, emotionally, and mentally.  I did not workout as much as I would have liked to, but I am not giving up just because I missed a couple of days of exercise.

During this past week, I only worked out on three days, mainly because of the stress, sickness, and time restraints that were placed on me this week.  In addition, it is getting harder on me now to burn calories and get my heart rate up to what it needs to be for calorie and fat burning results, but I did lose over a pound, so I cannot complain too much because weight lost is always good for me! :)

I did eat a little more than I would have liked to this week.  So, my calorie deficit was only a little over 3,500, which is a pound of weight loss, so that is still good.

Over the past 8 weeks, I have lost over 13 lbs and 14 inches off my body.  It is such an amazing feeling to see these numbers and to feel and see the results on my body.  I have lost 4.5 inches off my waist alone, and I can tell the difference, majorly!  I am slowly shrinking, as are most of my numbers, including body fat percentage, bmi, weight loss, and most of the areas I am measuring.  I did not lose any inches over the past four weeks in my butt or chest area, but that is fine.  Also, I gained a half inch in my arms, but believe me, that is from lifting weights and gaining muscle, so I am STOKED!

In eight weeks, I have accomplished a lot more than I could ever write about or express in words.  But, for the items I can write about, here goes:
*I have gained so much strength, endurance, and confidence (which is the best)!
*I am able to jog and run now, which I could not do when I first started.
*I am continually surprising myself with how much I can do, including jogging for longer periods of time, climbing stairs faster and easier, and lifting heavier weights than I thought I could.

Listed below are the miles that I have tracked throughout the past 8 weeks, not including weight lifting, stretching, and other random exercises!

Walking/Jogging (Outdoors) = 68.9 miles
Treadmill = 4.5 miles
Bike = 4.1 miles
Total Miles = 77.5
Plus, countless miles on the stairmill and elliptical!

Week 7 Calorie Deficit & Exercise Journals!

So, I do not think I did too bad this past week, especially since I was not tracking everything on a daily basis.  I did write it all down, though, and I entered it into my spreadsheets yesterday.  I did stay below 2,000 calories everyday, but there were a couple of days that I was over my 1,800 calorie goal that I wanted to meet.  Not too shabby!  And, to top it all off, I have lost a total of 12.4 pounds.  I thought that I was going to be stuck at 188 forever, because normally I lose 10 lbs, then I give up or quit because I usually hit a plateau.  Well, not this time!  I pushed right on through, and proved to myself and others, that this time, it is not just a diet or weight loss plan to me, it is my life, and I am determined to become happier, healthier, stronger, and more full of energy!

My new workout plan!

For every day, I have come up with some names for my workouts to make it more interesting!  Tell me what you think.

Muscle Madness Monday (Legs)
Tortuous Tuesday (HIIT)
Wicked Wednesday (Abs/Core/Back)
Tremendous Thursday (Cardio)
Fit-girl Friday (Upper Body - Arms/Shoulders/Chest)
Super Saturday (Stairmill)
Sweet & Sour Sunday (Cheat Day)

These are just general workouts, but I usually do cardio everyday except Sunday, so that I can keep my heart rate up, even while I am doing major muscle workouts.  I hope that these will keep me more motivated to do my workouts throughout the week!

Has my hard work paid off?

That is the ultimate question!  I sure hope so.  For the past six weeks, I have carefully documented every bite I have taken.  I have logged every food and drink that has entered my body.  Well, let's hope that it has worked, because for this week I am putting it to the test.  I am not going to record any of my food and drink intake this week into my spreadsheets.  I am still writing it down and acknowledging what I eat and drink, but I do not know how many calories I have taken in, and I will not know for this week, until Sunday night or Monday morning.

So, I believe I have done well so far.  I know which foods are healthiest and healthier for me, and I know about how much I need to eat on a daily basis to be within my calorie range.  I have lost around 10 lbs, although I do have fluctuations in my weight.  Normally, I get to the 10 lbs lost area, and I give up, but that will not happen this time.  I am so determined to have a better, happier, and healthier lifestyle, so I will not give up.  I will go through struggles, weight plateaus, cravings, and pain, but I will make it through!  I have an awesome support system with friends and family, and I have God on my side, and I know His will always prevails!

Wish me luck, and please pray that I have learned what I need to know to make it through without having to continuously document everything that I eat on a daily basis!

Week 6 Exercise Journals & Calorie Deficit!

This week I had a rehearsal and wedding to attend, so I did eat some things that I shouldn't have, but it is okay.  I am still having some weight fluctuations, also, but I feel so much better every week that I continue on my journey to become happier and healthier!

Week 5 Journals & Calorie Deficit!

Since I had birthday parties and Easter this week, I had some major weight fluctuations, but it is okay because Week 6 is a new week, and I will jump right back into my workouts and eating right!

Week 4 Journals & Measurements!

So, for week 4, I had a calorie deficit of 7,907, even though I went over my 1800 calorie limit on Saturday. 



For this past week, my weight has fluctuated quite a bit.  In fact, it is still fluctuating, and probably will continue to do so for the next week or so, until I finish my antibiotics.  I recently had to go onto antibiotics for an infection in my right hand (which is healing tremendously - Thank you Lord!), but antibiotics can cause some weight gain and fluctuations in weight because it can destroy the good and bad bacteria in our body, slow metabolism, and cause retention of fat cells.  So, for now I will have to deal with these weight fluctuations and just get back on the grind when I come off my antibiotics.

So, I have lost a total of 10 inches from my body in 4 weeks.  All of my measurements are decreasing (which is awesome!), and my BMI is slowly going down, too!

I have learned a lot over the past 4 weeks of my life.  I found out that I can eat what I want and still lose weight.  I have eaten everything from pizza, to cheese, to ice cream, to cookies & muffins.  In addition, I allow myself to cheat on one day out of the week, so that I never feel like I am missing out on my favorite foods.  I also found out that I do not have to kill myself in the gym to burn calories or lose weight.

For now, I am very happy with my progress.  I am steadily losing weight and inches, I do not feel starved or hungry, and I have a ton of energy now that I did not have when I started!

Week 3 Journals & More Weight Loss! :)

Calorie deficit for week 3.  I had a calorie deficit of over 7,000, which averages to about 2 pounds.  This is great - and, I had my cheat day, still on Sunday, in which I ate over 2,000 calories that day!

I had four rest days this past week because of the pain in my legs, which I am trying to work through and heal, but nothing seems to be working.  I did walk/jog 13.6 miles this week, even though it was only 3 days, so that is great.  In addition, I lost a total of 1.8 lbs this past week, so I am in a good position with my exercise, eating, and weight loss!

Now, after realizing I ate over 2,000 calories yesterday, I was a little worried about weighing myself this morning because I was thinking that I would have gained some weight because of my lack of exercise and extra calorie intake, but when I stepped on the scale this morning, I weighed 191.4 lbs, which is a total weight loss of 7.4 lbs.  This is amazing!

Next week, I will have updated pictures and measurements, but I did take a picture yesterday, so I will go on and post it beside an old picture of me!

Overcoming Struggles & Facing My Fears!

Yesterday morning, my cousin, Ashley, and I decided we were going to walk a trail that we normally walk (the greenway/YMCA trail), but this time we were going to walk it twice.  Now this was fine, but then we decided we were going to jog some intervals.

Well, it felt great when we finished.  And, it felt even better when we finished and beat our first time.  So, my best time for 3.4 miles (after gaining all the weight), is 40 mins flat!  This is amazing for me!  I am so proud of myself, and I plan to continue pushing forward and getting stronger and faster.  I am also planning to build my endurance, so that I can run for longer periods of time.

In addition, I stepped on the scale this morning, and I have lost a total of 5.8 lbs so far.  I cannot believe the progress I have made so far, but I am super stoked about it, and I do plan to continue on my journey!