Focus= control

Being in control is how I feel right now. I am working out consistently and just last week I started tracking my food. I know that is a huge part of staying focused but for some reason I couldn't get myself to do it. Not anymore, I maybe doing it the old fashion way using pen and paper but it works!!!!! I know that it will help me. Today I even took a picture of my food and sent it it my trainer!! I may not be seeing the scale move as much as I want or as fast but I can tell in my clothes and my energy level is up. I am more focused with my workouts!! I need to get some runs in for my big 10K on Sept 1st, I am so excited for this race! Focus, focus, focus!!!

97 degrees

Today it is hot and humid in MN, the temp is 92 but with the humidity it's around 97!!!! The air is thick and it is miserable to be outside, with that said I had a training session outside with my trainer at 5pm. I am about 4 blocks from thehigh school where we train I normally just walk there but today I chose to drive because of the heat and I knew I would feel miserable walking home after the session. I got there about 15 minutes early so I could get my warm up in. I walked one lap around the track then ran one, half mile down!!!! I was HOT and sweating like a pig, it is now 5 and my trainer is not there I continue to walk run the track, 1 mile down, still no trainer. I did another mile and a half then ran the bleachers and did some ladder runs. At 5:30 I text my trainer and said " I assume something came up because we were going to workout at 5 and your not here, I am leaving because it's to hot to continue. She text back that she "forgot" our session was tonight!!!! I will reschedule the session but even in the heat and without a trainer I got a workout in. I decided after I left the hot asphalt track to head to the gym!!! Way cooler there!!! I ellipticalled for 10 minutes and then did some weights!!!! I rocked the workout today!!!!!!!

In the Groove

Goodness gracious how time flys when you are in the groove!! I completed 10 days of Insanity, that is almost 2 full weeks, you do it 6 days in a row then take a day off. What happened? Overtime at work!! I'm ok with that, while Insanity is a great cardio workout it doesn't have much for strength training. Since I will be running my 1st 10K on Sept 1st I need to find a balance between running outside and cross training which includes strength training. So I will put Insanity on hold for now so I can prepare for the race. With that said I had an AWESOME run yesterday!! 6 miles in 1 hour and 8 minutes!!! When I left the house I didn't know how far I would go, farther than I thought!! I did get blisters on both feet from the run so I need to figure out why. I tend to always get them when I run outside, I'v tried different shoes, different socks, glide- which is suppose to help with friction so far. Any suggestions?? Today I had a great work out with my trainer at the high school. We did bleacher runs, ladder run, sprints, TRX-yes you really can do it anywhere, and tire jumps!! What are tire jumps? Me, jumping on to a big tractor tire then down!! Looks easy until you actually do it. I have come so far!! I LOVED today's workout. Next week I will do another outside session with my trainer!! Football players make that stuff look so easy!! Someday I hope I can to!!! I still struggle with my eating, it's a work in progress. I bought Bob Harper's book The Skinny Rules. I am going to follow his plan, yes every week I have a "plan". Well it just so happens that I spent the afternoon pre paring my meals for the next few days. It's normal food and he gives a couple different options for each meal and snack. The hardest rule for me will be #7 No Carbs After Lunch!! Hey at least you get carbs!! Today I had a "moment" where I realized I work my ass off exercising, and it's almost all for nothing if my eating doesn't change!!! Mindset girl, mindset!!! With that said I have 2 parties to go to a graduation where they are having ribs and smoked crap, not my thing so safe there, the other one is a birthday party for my friend the big 40!!! Yikes, mine is creeping up, anyway it is at another friends house it's burgers and corn on the cob and dessert! This is my plan, stay on plan during the day, eat the burger with no bun, no corn on the cob- not really my thing, a small piece of dessert, which I'm bringing in a throw away pan so the b-day girl can take the rest home and possibly a beer. The nice thing about Bob's plan is that there is a built in "cheat" day. With that said it doesn't mean you can go hog wild but you can have the not so good for you stuff as long as it is portion controlled!!! I do measurements again August 1st- wow August already! Let's see those numbers take inches off this body!! I'm still having problems with blogger so I 'm doing this from my I pad, I do how to make paragraphs, which I do but when I post it, it all runs together!!!! Darn it!

Think Before Speaking!!!

Do you ever have days when you wish you could just scream because people can be such insensitive assholes??? I do and today is one of them!! I am excited to tell you that I signed up for my 1st 10K on Sept 1st!!!!! I am really excited to be doing this with two great co- workers, who hope we don't die, haha. Love these girls I assured them that we will NOT DIE!!! It is a very attainable goal for all of us to work towards!! With that said when I was telling others about signing up, I got " you better start training", " are you serious" "you?". You know what "assclowns" say what you want because I am doing a hell of a lot more than you and I am not an idiot and I know I have to trian!! Thank - you for believing in me!!!!! Now it's not that I dislike these people it's just I think " good gaud think before you speak"!!! I also told some I was going to be starting Insanity and the reaction was the same. You know what I know it's going to be hard and I might not be able to do all of it but I can do some and I'm willing to give it a shot!!!!! I am having problems getting blogger to work for me uploading pictures and links, I wish I weren't cuz I have the perfect picture/ quote I could post!!! Darn it!! Along with people being insensitive have you ever supported someone and got nothing in return, other than them to turn around and support others without giving you a second thought!!! It is so hurtful!!! Ok enough negative Nelly for the day!!! I will and can do this with the support of people who believe in me!!!!!! I had a .8 loss for the week, not great but it is something!!!!!!! Here's to a great week!!!!!

Staying the same

So far this week has turned out better than I thought it would. I met with my trainer today and I did not gain weight, I did not lose any either but I am ok with that. I did not track, I did not exercise as much as I should have and I ate crap and drank beer!! I think what saved me is the heat!! Yes, I said the heat, even though I ate crappy, I didn't eat as much, it was to HOT to even eat. I had a rough workout this morning. It was so muggy and sticky in the workout room, I struggled the whole hour. I had went to the gym and did 20 minutes of cardio before meeting my trainer so that might have had something to do with my struggle. My heart rate monitor showed that I burned 824 calories for both the gym and my trainer. I will take it!!! I have not had time to start Insanity yet, but it is still in my plans. I am still dealing with the hip pain, some days it is good and others it is sore, really sore. Here's to a cooler rest of the week and beginning of next!!

It Was A Good Day

Today was a good day!! I met with my trainer this morning and had a great workout. It was weigh in and measurement day. The results......I am now down 8lbs and almost 8 inches!!!! Some of those inches have even come from my waist!!! Awesome!!!!! As far as the Posture Restoration Therapy appointment today, after talking with the therapist for about 10 minutes she tells me that they scheduled me with the wrong person, she doesn't do posture restoration. Seriously!!! She knew she wasn't the right person so she consulted with the right one prior to me coming in. Really, when you called to confirm my appointment the day before you couldn't have told me there was a mix up and to call for more information on the matter. She did some consulting with me but the crappy thing is that the other therapist is very busy so getting into him is hard. My 1st appointment now is going to be July 19th. She did say I have no limitations so I can continue to workout like I have been so that is good. With that said I'm going to be incorporating INSANITY into my workout routine!! Wish me luck, the infomercial I watched on this looks "insane"!! The idea of doing this comes from my little sister, she started it and wants me to try it to!! Can't pass that opportunity up!!! Haha. Just can't let her beat me at it!! Game on sista! She did tell me she wasn't sure how much time she could commit to it the rest of the summer, she has 3 jobs. Guess that gives me a little head start!!! I am excited to try it even if I can't do the whole DVD ( 13 total) each time!!! Something different!! Always good to challenge yourself right? Here's to more weeks like this one!!!! Rock'in on!!!

Slow Process

Still working out and waiting to see BIG results!! This is a much slower processes than I thought it would be. I am down 5.8lbs now and I can tell some of my clothes feel different!! Whoop whoop!!! My eating is better this week but is still a work in process, and will always be!!! Remember Lifestyle change, not diet!!!! As far as the hip goes, I saw the ortho Dr today and all by bones and joints are good so it is all muscle and tissue that is causing the pain. I will start a new type of therapy next week called Posture Restoration Therapy!! I have some muscles that are over compensating since others are to weak to do their job, apparently I have a lot of core and glute work to do!!! Great I HATE core work!!!! I am going to have some busy days ahead!!! It will all be worth it when the pain disappears!!!!

A Month Has Past

So here I am a month in to the personal training and I have gained and lost the same 3.8 lbs over the month. I have lost 4 inches which does make me happy, but I feel I am working harder than just 4 inches. For the next two weeks we are going to focus on eating, still working out but tracking everything that goes into my mouth, good or bad. Since I should be done with weddings and graduations for awhile we are taking alcohol out for two weeks! We have run into the issue with my hip again, it hurts and it's painful to do some exercises. I am back to seeing the chiropractor twice a week and I now have an appoinment to see an orthopedic dr that specializes in hip pain!! Please can we solve this issue already!! One thing that I am super excited about is that even with the pain I have been doing some TRX suspension training with my trainer I love it!!!! This will be my next purchases!! If you have never tried it, you should!! Lot's of core work and balance!!!! Here's to the next two weeks of tracking and the hip dr!!!! Let me eat healthy and be pain free soon!!!!

The Right Choice

It has been a long time since I have made an entry so here goes!!! Since my last entry I gave gained back all the weight that I was so excited to lose, all 11.1 pounds!!! Yikes!!!! That way was once again one of my attempts at the quick fix!!! Once again the results were the same. After a much needed vacation and a lot of self talk to get into the right frame of mind I made the decision to get a personal trainer!!! Not a trainer at the gym, but one that trains independently! I started with her on May 1st, as of now I am going twice a week. I LOVE training with her!! She is very genuine and truly cares about her clients. We use the Live Strong Daly Plate to track my food. I have tracked consistently since May 1st , I have stayed within my daily calories and guess what? I lost 3.8lbs the 2nd week then this week I am only down 2.2. What Suzie, my trainer, discovered while looking over my food entries is that while I eat good Calorie wise I am not eating the right foods, way to many carbs!!!! I need to eat much more protein!! That is my homework for the rest of the month. This weekend will be hard, we will be traveling to ND for a graduation, 7 hours in the car each way, along with graduation we will be celebrating 2 birthdays as well. I will do my best to control my portions because I know I won't be eating the best and I will be having a few beers. I am ok with this, it is life and things come up. I will get home Monday night and I have an appointment with my trainer 1st thing Tuesday morning!! I also have workout routines to do while I am gone! We were going to do measurements last night but decided to wait until my June 1st appointment so I can see what one month of hard work and changes have done!!! I'm ready to see my changes coming soon!!!

Big Day!!

Today is a big day for me, I finally hit 11.1 pounds lost!!  I was stuck at 9.9 for a couple of days, and all I could think was really, can't you just let me get to 10!!!!   I am really excited, this has been hard for me, I am learning that there is something to the saying ' mind over matter".  I have also been doing alot of self talk, when I want something to eat I say to myself, wait a half hour then you can have it, the half hour passes and I say it again, just another half hour and then have it, by this time it has been and hour and I tell myself " you have worked so hard all day long don't screw it up now".  That usually does the trick!  It normally happens between 730-9 at night and I go to bed around 10, so do I really need to eat,? NO!! 

I am just now getting back into working out, my hips and back seem to be better,  I am still seeing the chiropractor but I am down to 2 times a week. Now, if I can just shake this nasty cold, everything will be good!!

Let's see what I can do next week!!!!

It's all about Choices

Happy Valentine's day to all!!!  Just a quick update I am on day 5 of my clean eating plan and I am down 6.1lbs!!!  Yes, that is correct!!!  Be it water weight or the fact that my body is in shock that I haven't had processed carbs or any sugar other than from fruit in 3 days, I will take it!!!  This is by no means easy, but if each day can bring a loss on the scale I will be happy.   I am limited to working out because of the plan and the fact that I am still seeing the chiropractor, so I have only been doing 20 minutes on the elliptical, I hope to up it to 30 soon if my hips and legs can handle it!!

In the morning I have been drinking Yerba Mate tea, something new for me, let me just share it is nothing like Dt Mt Dew!!  hahaah  Lot's of water as well. 

Last night was a true test for me, I went to Happy Hour with some friends and I DID NOT have beer,  I had WATER!! For my food choice I had a hamburger with no bun, salsa instead of ketchup and celery sticks in place of the fries!!  I had the burger instead of chicken because it was $5 burger night.

I believe we will be going out to eat for Valentine's day, this will be like last night, all about choices.   I will probably have steak or chicken, and a veggie.  I can't have a potato so not sure if I really want the steak. I have few hours to decide.   My plan is to have a small piece of angel food cake( not on the plan, but a very low calorie) and strawberries for a dessert treat when we get home!! 

I applaud all those out there that have made clean eating a healthy habit and built it into their life style.   It is not an easy thing to start, let alone continue!!  Congratulations to all of you!!  

Just so you all know I really wanted Olive Garden tonight but after reading Ann's post you can make healthier choices.  Thanks Ann

Toxic Body

I am really here!! January was not the month I had hoped it would be.   I had a little weight loss but that loss has now turned back into the same old number on the scale that doesn't like to move.  Speaking of moving, my exercise has now been limited due to very bad hips, lower back, shoulder and neck pain.   The worst is the hips!!  I am on a treatment plan with a new chiropractor, I will be going 3 times a week for 3 weeks just to get back to where my body can function properly.Now that is intense!   On the picture she gave me she colors red where I have issues, there is a whole lot of 'red" going on for me.   I am limited to stretching, upper body weight lifting and elliptically for now.  Guess I might be trying a yoga class after all!!

I am also going to be doing a 21 day clean eating plan, this is scary but the Dr, that oversees it says I will see great results.  He says that while I work out and try to eat the right foods by body is so toxic right now it wants to hold on to my fat instead of letting me lose it.  That sounds so gross to me.   I should be getting all the information in the mail within the next couple of days.    It may seem extreme but I figure for 21 days I will challenge my body to learn to love fruits, vegetables and protein and get it to except the fact that carbs, crackers, beer, and chips are not what it needs to fuel itself.    

I plan to blog about my 21days, it may not be every day but I will try!!  Since I am an emotional eater this will help, when I want food I will just have to blog!!!!!  
Now if we could get this weather in Mn to stay like today with a temp of 42 for the rest of the winter everyday would be so much better!!  Loving the sunshine!! 

What will 2012 Bring???

Welcome back!!  That is my own way of welcoming myself back, at the end of 2011 I didn't give a crap about what I ate, how much I worked out or how lazy I was.  I didn't keep up on my own blog but I kept a close eye on what everyone else was doing.   There were some awesome accomplishments in 2011!!  Good Job and Congratulations!!! 

My fitness goals for 2012 may not be as concrete or as thought out as some peoples but I am ok with that.  So to get me started I have committed to a family weight loss contest and I want to WIN!! It goes for 6 months so that is enough time to lose at a steady and safe pace.   There is also a contest going on at my work which lasts 3 months but I am not sure if I will join that one yet or not, i have until the 5th to decide.  Those people go to extremes to win when there is money involved.  I am talking getting up at 3am to exercise for 3 hours working an 8 hour shift then going back to the gym at night for 2 hours, or having a professional colon cleanse done, or eating only fruits and veggies and becoming so frail that their wife had to drive them in for the weigh in!!  So the verdict on that contest is still out. (Until some poor soul cons me into doing it just so the prize money in the end is bigger)

Over the Christmas Holiday I had the opportunity to see one of my sister in-laws friends she started WW last January and right before Christmas she hit her 100lb loss!!!  She looks amazing and she isnt' done yet.   I also follow the blog Ok, just one more beer... she also is a product of WW success stories and she was even in a commercial on New Years Eve for them!!!!!  2 amazing women!!

There is success out there if you want it bad enough!!  I do want success but I know it will come at a slow and steady pace.  So my plan for now is to do just that take this slow and steady and one day at a time.  Plan out my food and my exercise which will INCLUDE some form of strength training 3 times a week!!! 

I am off to a good start I did Kettle bells this morning then headed to the gym and did an hour on the elliptical.  I have also tracked everything that I have eaten!!!  So far so good.  I do need to find out what my calorie intake for a day should be.  It is different with every site I have used to try and check it.  They fluctuate anywhere between 1400-2000 calories.  I will get it figured out but for now I am just happy that I have written down my food intake for the day!!!!

The gym is crazy right now which is to be expected but at the same time very frustrating, I want to get in, get my workout done and leave.   I don't want to circle the parking lot 3 times for a place to park then wait for someone to get off a machine so I use it!!!  SO my plan is to go to the gym right after work, which would put me there about 315-330.  This should serve two purposes for me, 1) avoid the rush and 2) no binge eating when I get home!!   When I accomplish this it will be huge!!!  It all starts tomorrow as I was off today!!!

Welcome 2012!!!