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!

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!

My struggle through relationships and love!

Ever since I can remember, I have wanted to get married, settle down in my own home, and have children.  This was my dream as a little girl, and as I got older, it did not change, like others' dreams did.  I still want to find my soulmate, buy a house, and have the perfect little family.  Although, I know perfect is not possible, I believe with all my heart that the rest is.

I thought that by the time I was in my early 20's, I would be married, and already have at least one child.  Well, that has not happened so far.  I am 24, and I am not even in a relationship right now.  Sometimes I think, where did I go wrong?  What did I do to mess up my future and dream?

I have had many relationships, some long, some short.  My most recent relationship was almost 4.5 years long, and we lived together for the first 3.5 years.  It was never perfect, but I thought that we would be together forever, at first.  Then, it got crazy between us, and we were headed in completely different directions.  I wanted to settle down, and he, well he wanted other things.  Again, I wondered why this was happening, and what I had done wrong (even though I broke off our relationship)?

But, then I think about it, and I realize that I am exactly where I am supposed to be in my life, right now.  I realize that my plan was not God's plan, and His plan is always the best plan for our lives.

After I broke up with my most recent boyfriend, I went back to college.  If I had not been single, I would not have been able to complete what I did through school because of the relationship.  In addition, I would not be as close to God as I am now, if I were still in a relationship.

I have learned so much through the past year of being single.  I now know that I can accomplish anything, as long as it is God's will, and I have Him on my side.  I know that I do not need a guy in my life for me to be happy and loved.  I know that I am a strong, independent woman, and I have learned to trust in God, ALWAYS, no matter what is happening in my life at the time.

I have been through struggles, I have had my ups and downs, but I now have faith in God, and I am happy where I am at the moment.  Although, I am still praying for my soulmate, but I am waiting on God's time, not mine!

Have you ever just wanted to give up? *I have*

If you have ever just wanted to give up, I know the feeling.  Have you ever tried and failed, or tried and gave up quickly?  Well, it is time to stop quitting, giving up, and push yourself to the limits! 

Yesterday, I just could not get motivated at first.  I went to the gym with all hopes of doing HIIT for an hour.  I had a plan, and I was going to put it to action.  First, I was going to get on the stairmill, then the bike, then the treadmill or elliptical.  Well, I did do this, but not for an hour.

I started with a 10 minute hill interval on the stairmill.  Well, I did fine & felt great, until I got on the bike.  I had the intention of doing 20 minutes on the bike, but I could not do it.  I did almost 10 minutes on the bike before I got off, so physically, emotionally, and mentally drained.  I just felt that I could not go any further. 

But, I went on and got on the elliptical.  I told myself, "I am going to do at least a 30 minute workout, and I have only done about 20 minutes!"  So, I set the elliptical for 20 minutes, in hopes that I could push through the yucky feeling I was having, and I did (for the most part)!  I finished the 20 minutes on the elliptical, and I did feel a little better afterwards.

After finishing my workout, I was drenched in sweat from the pure mental and emotional effort that went into my workout.  In addition, I was worn out and exhausted.  After I got home, I cooked supper, ate, and was extremely tired and sleepy by 6:30 P.M.  That is crazy!  But, I forced myself to stay up until at least 9 P.M., and by that time, I was not as tired as before, so I watched one of my recorded shows, and I went to bed around 11:30 last night.

So, the point of the story is, sometimes we are not just physically drained and exhausted, it can become emotional and mental.  And, emotional and physical exhaustion can wear you down and make you feel extremely tired, sick, and sleepy!  If you ever feel this way, try to push through and motivate yourself to keep going & never, ever give up!

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!

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!

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!

My struggles to quit smoking!

So, for Lent, I decided that I wanted to quit smoking.  Now, I can honestly say that I have been trying, but the urge and cravings are so strong sometimes.  I do not want to try to quit anymore though, I want to just do it.

I have never been the type to use programs, patches, gums, etc.  When I decided I wanted to quit, I just quit.  I would put cigarettes down, and not pick them up for weeks or months later.  But this time, it seems so hard for me & I don't know why.

Well, I think I know part of the reason why.  I am trying to do the LORD'S WILL, and that means the devil is trying to stop me.  Any Christian knows what I mean.  So, I will continue to pray, trust in the Lord, have faith, and hope that others will pray for me that I can quit sooner rather than later.

By the way, I have done great with giving up sodas for Lent.  I did not have a soda from the time I woke up
Wednesday morning until Sunday around lunch time.  So, I only had sodas on Sunday, which is allowed, but I don't think I will have any this Sunday, because they did not taste the same as usual.  In addition, I feel better not loading my diet down with sugary drinks and all that caffeine.  I do still drink coffee occasionally (which makes me think I am going to fix a pot in just a minute), but I feel so much better without all the sugar.  I now drink water, coffee, low calorie and sugar Gatorade, and zero calorie and sugar Powerade!

God bless you all & Have a great night!