Found my measuring tape. These measurements were taken at 4:15pm, after eating breakfast, lunch, having a few fruits as snacks, and over two liters of water. The numbers are going to be higher than they would be had I measured in the morning but the results were awesome so here they are......
Drum roll please?!
......
.............
.........................
Since May 5th, I have officially lost 5 full inches from my waist, 3 from my hips, 3 from my thighs, 4 from my bust, and 2 from my arms.
Oh my goodness!
16 inches gone! And believe me, they are gone FOREVER!
Monday, June 6, 2011
New feature: motivational quotes!
Need a little push to find the will to continue eating right and exercising today? This new feature will post a few quotes every so often to get you going!
Physical fitness can neither be achieved by wishful thinking nor outright purchase.
-Joseph Pilates
"Continuous effort -- not strength or intelligence -- is the key to unlocking our potential."
The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination.
Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being,
while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.
-Plato
Physical fitness can neither be achieved by wishful thinking nor outright purchase.
-Joseph Pilates
"Continuous effort -- not strength or intelligence -- is the key to unlocking our potential."
The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination.
Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being,
while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.
-Plato
Should I exercise when I am sick?
I have been doing really well lately with exercising as you know. I make sure to do at least one thing, even if it's just the 30 Day Shred every single day. Most days I swim, walk, use the Nordic Track, and a few dvd's. This weekend was different. I came down with my first cold in months. It hit me really hard & sucked all my energy & motivation away immediately.
I skipped exercise on Sunday without even realizing it because I was so tired. I went to bed & woke up coughing and decided I should do something... So at 2am I did the 30DS & a walking DVD. Ended up waling 4 miles at 2 or 3am, haha. That's dedication! The problem is, today I feel even worse. So what should I do? Take a day off & rest? Or try and sweat it out? I did some research & the results were interesting.
A good thing to remember is this: if you have a fever, stay away from exercise! Wait until your temperature has returned to normal.Got chills? Don't exercise that day!
Another thing to remember is that if your symptoms are all above the neck, like with a runny nose or a sore throat - you're good to go. Do what you are comfortable doing, but don't push yourself by any means. If you feel you must exercise, be sure to take it very easy & limit the intensity of your workout. On the other hand, if your symptoms are below the neck, like a cough or tightness in your chest or an upset stomach - take the day off.
Considering I have a bad cough combined with nasal congestion & a sore throat, I am going to try and take the day off. I already walked 4 miles this morning, but that is going to be it for me. No workout DVD's at all until I am feeling better.
Bummer.
Anyway, just for the hell of it, here's a list of things that may help you feel better faster!
1. Take vitamin C and Echinacea EVERY DAY. Not just when you're sick, but on a daily basis. They help keep your immune system strong!
2. Stay hydrated! Drink plenty of water and maybe even some tea if you've got it.
3. Take a hot shower or sit in the bathroom with the water on as hot as it can go and breathe in the steam. Also, humidifiers are great.
4. Avoid dairy products if you have a sore throat. They will only make it worse.
5. Rest as much as possible! Seriously, this is a great excuse to just lay down in bed all day and watch movies and take cat naps. That's how I'm planning on spending the rest of my day!
I skipped exercise on Sunday without even realizing it because I was so tired. I went to bed & woke up coughing and decided I should do something... So at 2am I did the 30DS & a walking DVD. Ended up waling 4 miles at 2 or 3am, haha. That's dedication! The problem is, today I feel even worse. So what should I do? Take a day off & rest? Or try and sweat it out? I did some research & the results were interesting.
A good thing to remember is this: if you have a fever, stay away from exercise! Wait until your temperature has returned to normal.Got chills? Don't exercise that day!
Another thing to remember is that if your symptoms are all above the neck, like with a runny nose or a sore throat - you're good to go. Do what you are comfortable doing, but don't push yourself by any means. If you feel you must exercise, be sure to take it very easy & limit the intensity of your workout. On the other hand, if your symptoms are below the neck, like a cough or tightness in your chest or an upset stomach - take the day off.
Considering I have a bad cough combined with nasal congestion & a sore throat, I am going to try and take the day off. I already walked 4 miles this morning, but that is going to be it for me. No workout DVD's at all until I am feeling better.
Bummer.
Anyway, just for the hell of it, here's a list of things that may help you feel better faster!
1. Take vitamin C and Echinacea EVERY DAY. Not just when you're sick, but on a daily basis. They help keep your immune system strong!
2. Stay hydrated! Drink plenty of water and maybe even some tea if you've got it.
3. Take a hot shower or sit in the bathroom with the water on as hot as it can go and breathe in the steam. Also, humidifiers are great.
4. Avoid dairy products if you have a sore throat. They will only make it worse.
5. Rest as much as possible! Seriously, this is a great excuse to just lay down in bed all day and watch movies and take cat naps. That's how I'm planning on spending the rest of my day!
Friday, June 3, 2011
The scale & I might just become friends if this keeps up.
I weighed myself today because I was unable to find the measuring tape I've been using. I found another one lying around but I wanted to be consistent so I am holding out until I find the original measuring tape. Anyway, I wanted something to comfort me sooo... I weighed myself.
I've lost 24 pounds in 4 weeks & a day of dieting & exercising.
I know, that sounds really awful to lose so much at once. Keep in mind that I gave up having soda on a daily basis, and exchanged it for a ton of water instead, I opted for healthy fruits and veggies as snacks, and limited late night snacking to one night a week (movie night with Andrew!) - and even then it's only popcorn. The rest of the time, I don't eat anything outside of raw veggies or fruits after 730pm.
I've also been exercising a whole hell of a lot. Around 3-5 hours on most days. Some of it is walking with my kids, or swimming, but a good portion of it is on the Nordic Track (around 45 minutes a night, to sometimes as much as 2 hours if I'm watching a good movie) or with DVD's (I spend an hour a day on The 30DS, and sometimes I use another DVD on top of that). I just can't stand being still anymore.
But damn, 24 pounds in 4 weeks? I know that sounds unhealthy, but when you take into consideration my end goal for pounds lost (100 pounds total by May 2013) and all the crappy eating habits I gave up - like fast food, salty foods, soda, sugary sweets, and chocolate, I guess it makes sense. I have a lot to lose, and I'm finally exercising and eating right so my body will of course lose weight quicker at first. My weight will start leveling off soon, and I know that. I'm comfortable with that. I'm just so excited to know that I am doing everything right this time! I definitely plan to keep it up.
I am trying not to get too excited about the number, because I've decided it's more about how comfortable I hope to feel in my skin. Seeing that everything is paying off not only in measurements but also in pounds is a really nice perk.
I've lost 24 pounds in 4 weeks & a day of dieting & exercising.
I know, that sounds really awful to lose so much at once. Keep in mind that I gave up having soda on a daily basis, and exchanged it for a ton of water instead, I opted for healthy fruits and veggies as snacks, and limited late night snacking to one night a week (movie night with Andrew!) - and even then it's only popcorn. The rest of the time, I don't eat anything outside of raw veggies or fruits after 730pm.
I've also been exercising a whole hell of a lot. Around 3-5 hours on most days. Some of it is walking with my kids, or swimming, but a good portion of it is on the Nordic Track (around 45 minutes a night, to sometimes as much as 2 hours if I'm watching a good movie) or with DVD's (I spend an hour a day on The 30DS, and sometimes I use another DVD on top of that). I just can't stand being still anymore.
But damn, 24 pounds in 4 weeks? I know that sounds unhealthy, but when you take into consideration my end goal for pounds lost (100 pounds total by May 2013) and all the crappy eating habits I gave up - like fast food, salty foods, soda, sugary sweets, and chocolate, I guess it makes sense. I have a lot to lose, and I'm finally exercising and eating right so my body will of course lose weight quicker at first. My weight will start leveling off soon, and I know that. I'm comfortable with that. I'm just so excited to know that I am doing everything right this time! I definitely plan to keep it up.
I am trying not to get too excited about the number, because I've decided it's more about how comfortable I hope to feel in my skin. Seeing that everything is paying off not only in measurements but also in pounds is a really nice perk.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred; Days 10 & 11
I am officially on day 11 of the 30 Day Shred. Instead of moving up to Level 2, I am doing Level 1 twice a day. I tried Level 2 and I am not ready. I’m also stepping up the amount I am walking each day by an additional mile or so to get things moving along a bit quicker. The usual 4 mile use of the Nordic Track (in case you're wondering what version of the NT I use, CLICK HERE) was becoming a breeze, so I upped it to 5 or 6 miles a day. I do not use the arm cables 100% of the time yet, I alternate 5 minutes with them and 5 minutes without them and I’m building up my endurance slowly. I’ll probably start doing 6 minutes on, 4 minutes off in the near future. Gotta keep my body guessing!
I went for a 3 mile walk today with Xander. It was so nice to get some fresh air!
I am still doing laps in the pool. It's great exercise and it's fun to race against my kids from one side of the pool to the other. They are becoming great swimmers, especially Jackie! She uses her water wings only half the time now.
In other news.... My friend Laurin told me I look like I’ve lost a few dress sizes last week and I loved hearing that, but didn’t quite believe her. Today I noticed my pants were fitting awfully lose, so I tried to pull them down without unzipping or unbuttoning them. Guess what? I was actually able to pull them down & back up again without unzipping or unbuttoning them! I am in complete shock. I’ve probably lost at least 2 dress sizes! I had a pair of jeans from before I got pregnant that I’ve saved… they still don’t fit, but at this rate they may very well fit by the fall! I am so, so, sooo excited!
I’ve been eating really well this week. I’ve been having salads and fruits and veggies for lunch, and snacking on fruits & veggies as snacks. My breakfast is still basic, just Cheerios with organic skim milk & some fruit. Dinner is usually some sort of pasta product because we’re kind of broke, which stinks. But hey, I eat the least at dinner & I fill up on all the good stuff through out the rest of the day so I am pretty pleased.
As much as I am against the idea, I really want to purchase a scale so I can do weigh ins every 4 weeks. I can see the change in my clothes and feel it in my body but I want to see how many pounds I've lost! I'm guessing around 25 or so. I am going to be taking my measurements tomorrow, too, so we'll see how that goes. I know the numbers have all gone down, I just can't wait for proof!
I also want to mention that I picked up the book Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life by Jillian Michaels and it's really great. It's not a weight loss or exercise book, it's more like self help. I am usually against self help books because they are all too preachy and make me feel really awkward, but because it was Jillian, I couldn't resist. I am about a hundred pages in. She's got a gift for motivating people, let me tell you. I will review it here upon completion.
I also want to mention that I picked up the book Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life by Jillian Michaels and it's really great. It's not a weight loss or exercise book, it's more like self help. I am usually against self help books because they are all too preachy and make me feel really awkward, but because it was Jillian, I couldn't resist. I am about a hundred pages in. She's got a gift for motivating people, let me tell you. I will review it here upon completion.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Zumba, anyone?
I have been hearing about the wonders of Zumba for years now.
"It's so fun!"
"It's so easy! Anyone can do it!"
"I got great results!"
Anyway, I have always been interested to try it, but scared to look like an idiot at the same time. Eventually I kind of forgot Zumba even existed. Until today!
I found a Zumba DVD from the library and I was pysched! I ran home and I put the DVD in right away.
Okay, a couple things.....Whoever said Zumba is easy is definitely not as uncoordinated as I am! I made it through the Basics & did one of the 20 minute workouts. The basics part just quickly showed you how to do a few moves, but it was so quick that I couldn't catch up, nor do I even remember anything they taught me.
I didn't find it nearly as interesting or fun as everyone has claimed Zumba to be! I was really disappointed. Maybe I just need to revisit this DVD again at a later date when I am in better shape. It moves way too quick for me. But I am not a good dancer, I've never tried to be a dancer, and maybe that's why this wasn't any fun for me. Who knows!
Anyone else had any experience with Zumba?
I was wondering if any of you use any workout DVD's and if so, which ones? I have 14 different ones, and only really like about 7 or 8 of them. I am thinking of writing reviews for some of the DVD's I have here. I just want to see if that's something anyone would be interested in before I try all 14 of them out & start writing reviews. Of course, this would be a very time consuming task and I would probably only review one or two a month, but let me know if that sounds like a good plan or not.
"It's so fun!"
"It's so easy! Anyone can do it!"
"I got great results!"
Anyway, I have always been interested to try it, but scared to look like an idiot at the same time. Eventually I kind of forgot Zumba even existed. Until today!
I found a Zumba DVD from the library and I was pysched! I ran home and I put the DVD in right away.
Okay, a couple things.....Whoever said Zumba is easy is definitely not as uncoordinated as I am! I made it through the Basics & did one of the 20 minute workouts. The basics part just quickly showed you how to do a few moves, but it was so quick that I couldn't catch up, nor do I even remember anything they taught me.
I didn't find it nearly as interesting or fun as everyone has claimed Zumba to be! I was really disappointed. Maybe I just need to revisit this DVD again at a later date when I am in better shape. It moves way too quick for me. But I am not a good dancer, I've never tried to be a dancer, and maybe that's why this wasn't any fun for me. Who knows!
Anyone else had any experience with Zumba?
I was wondering if any of you use any workout DVD's and if so, which ones? I have 14 different ones, and only really like about 7 or 8 of them. I am thinking of writing reviews for some of the DVD's I have here. I just want to see if that's something anyone would be interested in before I try all 14 of them out & start writing reviews. Of course, this would be a very time consuming task and I would probably only review one or two a month, but let me know if that sounds like a good plan or not.
Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Days 6-9
I had a very busy weekend. Lots of pool time, a trip to the drive in, and of course lots of exercising! I ended up walking about 14 miles since Friday. 6 of which were last night alone. I did a great job with keeping up with The Shred all weekend, and I even tried out Level 2 last night!
Saturday: 30 Day Shred, 4 miles on Nordic Track.
Sunday: 30 Day Shred, 4 miles on Nordic Track.
Monday: 30 Day Shred Level 1 TWICE in the morning, and Level 1 followed by Level 2 at night. Also ran 6 miles on the Nordic Track. Did 20 continuous laps in the pool, too.
Today: 30 Day Shred in the morning, and again with my friend Laurin around 2. She had to leave, so when she did I restarted it and completed Level 1 again. 20 more continuous laps in the pool. I haven't had a chance to get any time in on the Nordic Track yet, but I plan to do at least 5 miles tonight.
I am trying really hard to get ready for Level 2, but I am not ready. I may stay on Level 1 for a while. I even skipped ahead and watched level 3. I was able to do about half of the exercises on Level 3, but I will need to really get serious about this if I want to be able to pull off some of those moves! I'm trying. More comments were made by multiple people on how different I look. My friend said I look as if I've lost 2-3 dress sizes in less than a month. I'm thrilled with the results but I also want more, more, more.
I've started a new little project for myself. I am going to take one picture a day until I reach my goal of 50 pounds lost so I can see the changes on a day to day basis. Once a week, I will upload the pics & share. I started this on Monday.
I haven't been as strict with food as I would like, but I really love that even though I'm indulging occasionally, I'm still getting results!
I've got a few articles I am in the middle of, but finding the time to post every day is going to be hard. I'm thinking of dropping down to maybe 3-5 posts a week. Is there anything anyone would like me to do research on and write about? I'm working on an article for getting in cardio while having a lower body injury right now. I've been working on this one for over a week!
Saturday: 30 Day Shred, 4 miles on Nordic Track.
Sunday: 30 Day Shred, 4 miles on Nordic Track.
Monday: 30 Day Shred Level 1 TWICE in the morning, and Level 1 followed by Level 2 at night. Also ran 6 miles on the Nordic Track. Did 20 continuous laps in the pool, too.
Today: 30 Day Shred in the morning, and again with my friend Laurin around 2. She had to leave, so when she did I restarted it and completed Level 1 again. 20 more continuous laps in the pool. I haven't had a chance to get any time in on the Nordic Track yet, but I plan to do at least 5 miles tonight.
I am trying really hard to get ready for Level 2, but I am not ready. I may stay on Level 1 for a while. I even skipped ahead and watched level 3. I was able to do about half of the exercises on Level 3, but I will need to really get serious about this if I want to be able to pull off some of those moves! I'm trying. More comments were made by multiple people on how different I look. My friend said I look as if I've lost 2-3 dress sizes in less than a month. I'm thrilled with the results but I also want more, more, more.
I've started a new little project for myself. I am going to take one picture a day until I reach my goal of 50 pounds lost so I can see the changes on a day to day basis. Once a week, I will upload the pics & share. I started this on Monday.
I haven't been as strict with food as I would like, but I really love that even though I'm indulging occasionally, I'm still getting results!
I've got a few articles I am in the middle of, but finding the time to post every day is going to be hard. I'm thinking of dropping down to maybe 3-5 posts a week. Is there anything anyone would like me to do research on and write about? I'm working on an article for getting in cardio while having a lower body injury right now. I've been working on this one for over a week!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred; Day 5
I ended up getting a pretty obnoxious sunburn today because I spent around 6 hours in the pool, so working out tonight was a bit of a challenge. Does anyone else burn like crazy no matter how much sunscreen they put on? I used SPF 75 today and reapplied every 30-45 minutes around noon and every hour on the hour after that and still burned right up. I usually get one bad burn each summer and then tan right through the sunscreen after that. Is that weird?
Happy note: I ran into someone I hadn't seen since last August and their jaw dropped when they saw me. I guess the weight loss is very apparent! I'm super excited. My friend Laurin saw me today and said it was very obvious I've been working out and that made me feel really great.
In celebration, I split a small strawberry Coolatta with Andrew, and also got a dough boy that I only had half of thanks to the kids & Andrew's help. Not the greatest choices, I know, but damn it -well deserved!
Anyway, I decided that since the pain from my sunburn was so bad I would have to postpone the 30DS for tomorrow, but I got to thinking... If I want to see changes, I have to keep pushing through a bunch of b.s. I would probably otherwise not want anything to do with. So I tried Level 1 anyway.
I can't believe I used to struggle through this DVD. I remember just a few days ago 27 minutes felt like hours and I would end the workout soaking wet from sweating so much. That's not the case tonight! Even though I was in pain, the time flew right by & I finished the workout with no trouble.
I am not sure if my streak will last much longer though. This weekend looks to be very busy & I can't guarantee I'll be able to get a chance to use the DVD. I am going to try really hard to use it. I'm thinking of shooting for first thing in the morning before the kids wake up instead of right before bed. I need to make sure I do it when they aren't awake or else it won't happen. They love to try and steal my weights or hop in front of me during the workout, or worse - sit on me when I'm trying to do crunches.
Happy note: I ran into someone I hadn't seen since last August and their jaw dropped when they saw me. I guess the weight loss is very apparent! I'm super excited. My friend Laurin saw me today and said it was very obvious I've been working out and that made me feel really great.
In celebration, I split a small strawberry Coolatta with Andrew, and also got a dough boy that I only had half of thanks to the kids & Andrew's help. Not the greatest choices, I know, but damn it -well deserved!
Anyway, I decided that since the pain from my sunburn was so bad I would have to postpone the 30DS for tomorrow, but I got to thinking... If I want to see changes, I have to keep pushing through a bunch of b.s. I would probably otherwise not want anything to do with. So I tried Level 1 anyway.
I can't believe I used to struggle through this DVD. I remember just a few days ago 27 minutes felt like hours and I would end the workout soaking wet from sweating so much. That's not the case tonight! Even though I was in pain, the time flew right by & I finished the workout with no trouble.
I am not sure if my streak will last much longer though. This weekend looks to be very busy & I can't guarantee I'll be able to get a chance to use the DVD. I am going to try really hard to use it. I'm thinking of shooting for first thing in the morning before the kids wake up instead of right before bed. I need to make sure I do it when they aren't awake or else it won't happen. They love to try and steal my weights or hop in front of me during the workout, or worse - sit on me when I'm trying to do crunches.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Took my measurements tonight...
I've lost 11.5 inches from all over my body in THREE WEEKS. I don't think I've been this psyched about anything in ages! I normally will only measure myself once a month, but my son found the measuring tape and was wrapping it around my arm so for the hell of it, I took the measurement of my arms, was shocked, continued to take measurements elsewhere.
I only took measurements for my bust, hips, thighs, arms, and waist.
11.5 inches in 3 weeks.
Wow.
I'm not brave enough to post the actual numbers up here for everyone to see, but maybe in time. I have a long way to go. The goal is to lose 50 pounds by May of 2012, but it does go further than that. I am hoping to lose around 75-100 pounds total in the course of 2 years. We'll see how that goes. Maybe in a few months I will share my weight & my measurements, but not now.
If I can lose 11.5 inches in 3 weeks, I wonder what I could do in say, 2 months?!
I only took measurements for my bust, hips, thighs, arms, and waist.
11.5 inches in 3 weeks.
Wow.
I'm not brave enough to post the actual numbers up here for everyone to see, but maybe in time. I have a long way to go. The goal is to lose 50 pounds by May of 2012, but it does go further than that. I am hoping to lose around 75-100 pounds total in the course of 2 years. We'll see how that goes. Maybe in a few months I will share my weight & my measurements, but not now.
If I can lose 11.5 inches in 3 weeks, I wonder what I could do in say, 2 months?!
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