Still heading toward my goal!

So it's been 8 days since I finished my fast and I've done a great job, I think, at maintaining my weight and measurements since I started eating more food in a day. I've cooked specialty meals every single day and John actually told me yesterday that he would rather eat the food I'm making than eating out! I feel like that was one of the nicest things he's ever said to me! I remember one time when I made dinner to perfection (or so I thought) and when I asked him how is dinner was all he could say was, "it's a little bland/dry". I couldn't believe it! I was horrified and I felt so bad that I stopped making him things. And in letting him fend for himself he turned to convenience which was unhealthy in his case. Then I decided to better things for us all and now I get that great compliment.

I've been working on walking with Ellie for the last 4 days. We got about 3.5-4 miles each day. And two days ago I started my Slim in 6 again because I want to get through the whole DVD, which I haven't done ever. I feel like doing the walking, taking care of what I put into my body and going the extra mile with doing SI6 that it's helping me maintain and even lose whatever extra weight I have to lose!

Ellie wanted to try to do the fast but I'm sure she's cheated everyday she's been on it and that's disappointing. It was really hard for me to go through the entire 14 days without being tempted and wanting to try things but I stuck to my guns because I know I have an inner "warrior" somewhere in there that could do it. So.....I hate that someone is using my extra cans that doesn't have the gumption to do what is suppose to be done! And maybe I shouldn't be so hung up in that part of things but I can't help but not want to walk with her if she isn't doing what she says she'll do.

I have about 3 or 4 days of plateauing at the same weight and not going anywhere. It happened to me once during my fast and it happened to me last week when I started to eat two meals a day! I get discouraged when that happens but I think maybe I should be glad it didn't creep up? I'm doing what needs to be done for my family and my families health and I can't ask for more than that. I know that putting on all my problems took time and it wont go away immediately unless I cut if off - and in case you haven't noticed, I'm not that rich! I'm sure I've said this before but I want my kids to grow up knowing what it is to sit down to a meal that someone took time to prepare and really enjoy everyone's company and the meal they're eating. And I want my kids to come home from College after a long semester or year and ask me for their favorite meal because it's comforting to them as well as good for them! I want to be able to teach them what I've taught myself so they can be healthy on their own instead of just being like their friends who go to McDonald's!
I've never really cared up until now about how unhealthy I was or how inactive I was. And once I had my kids I knew that taking them to eat at certain places wasn't healthy I just never did anything about it because I was lazy and unhappy! But now I'm changing that. My daughter now knows that exercising is fun and she sees me doing it everyday. She helps me make snacks and meals. And my son is always the first to try and usually love anything that's been made! It's a nice feeling and it makes me want to do so much more or try more.

I think this is a great turn around. I, frankly, hope that everyone comes back to the "old ways" and start creating some family traditions because we're quickly becoming a nation of unhealthy kids and obese adults and everyone is consumed with watching tv or computing while they eat instead of taking the time to really get to know eachother. I had it when I was a child and I think as much as I hated it at the time (even though I didn't watch much tv as it was) I couldn't want something different now that I'm an adult and I sure wouldn't want to do my children the disadvantage of allowing them to be just like everyone else!

Things seem to be steady!

So I've been off the fast now for 6 days and I've had a hard time not snacking on what I'm denying myself. Yesterday, for example, Ray wanted to take everyone to Red Lobster. So I looked at the menu ahead of time, and figured out the calories for what I'd be ordering: Chilled Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail and a Garden Salad with Balsamic Vinegrette! I didn't use more than a quarter of the dressing on my salad so I let myself have a roll with it and I only ate 3 out of the 6 shrimp and just one dip of cocktail sauce. Overall I think I did a good job. Then I came home to workout, did about 32 minutes of various things and then drank my shake. Ellie wanted to go walking again so we did another 3.5 miles up to blackhawk and back! We plan on doing that walk any maybe farther everyday since she plans on starting the fast soon too.

I've been weighing myself daily because I use the wii and I enjoy getting up in the morning and seeing what my hardwork is doing. For the last two days (since I allowed myself to eat Indian Eggplant with Rotapratas) I've been staying at 147.9. I was down to 146.5 on the last day of the fast so I'm a little disappointed that I've crept up a pound and a half. I've been holding off eating lunch and dinner because yesterday was suppose to be my first day of lunch and dinner but because everyone was so full from lunch I made my dinner to eat for lunch today. I'll be making dinner again tonight. I'm not sure if all this means I should be working out more since I'm starting to eat again or what. I really wish I had someone who knew the specifics so they could just tell me, "yes workout more.", or "no stay where you are, you'll have to level out again."!

Almased - The Final Day

First off, let me start off by saying that when I think of someone who is obese I think of them needing to lose more than 45 pounds, someone who is overweight needing to lose between 20-44, and so on. I always thought I was just a normal mother of two. I thought that the baby weight I put on after each pregnancy wasn't that bad and that I would be able to lose it within their first year of life. Too bad for me, that wasn't reality. Like many other people, I never realized how much I really had to lose. There was a day when I was at the bookstore and something sparked inside of me that prompted me to look into this book called the Abs Diet Book. As I was reading I came across a series of equations to figure out different things like BMR, Boday Fat %, etc. In doing those equations, at first for fun, I found out that my ideal weight and healthy body fat % should be between 136-146 pounds. In figuring that out I thought to myself, "was I really in bad shape all through highschool? Was I really that unhealthy when I got married?" Both of those milestones were 5+ years ago so it isn't hard to belive that after two kids I was in the worst shape of my life.

When I started this Almased plan I weighed in at 160. Around 162 was my heaviest weight to date (not being pregnant). That doesn't sound that bad, right? That sounds "average" or at least it does to me. But then to figure out that I had nearly 20 pounds to lose!!! That's shocking. I guess I was just in denial about how far I needed to get. I never assumed I would be that person who was overweight and so unhealthy. I only thought we ate out a little too much. So being this Almased Turbo Protein Fast has really opened my eyes. While fasting I've read up on the best health magazine, CLEAN EATING, and have noticed a real mental turn around. I want to do better for myself, kids and husband. I want to make food that is good for them but that they also come home from college on the weekends and ask for a specific recipe that I've made so many times throughout their life!

I'm proud to report these changes:
Almased - Final Day
23.11 BMR 147.3 Weight
Bust: 36.5in (1.5in)
Ribs: 30in (3in)
Waist: 28.5 (3.5in)
BB: 32in (4.5in)
Hips: 37 in (2in)
Butt: 39 in (2in)
L Thigh: 22in (2in)
R Thigh: 22in (1in)

That's a total of 19.5 total inches and 13 pounds. I shattered my goal that I set on the Wii and had to reset another goal. That's great and I feel it's a great start. This Thursday is a Zumba class at the Rush I plan on going to. I know that getting out and doing different things will really bring a smile to my face and give me the motivation I need to get the job done. Like I said, this is a great jump start and I'm proud of the fact that I was able to do the whole program. I will probably repeat the fast in 3 or 4 months to get another jump on where I want to be. Today for lunch was suppoe to be Bruschetta Eggplant. I didn't know about soaking your eggplant before use so it ended up being cooked just like it went in and it tasted aweful! So instead I had to improvise - thank goodness this house always has some boiled chicken breasts in the fridge - and I had Chicken Cheese Wrap that consisted of shredded chicken breast, onion slivers, cheese spread and a dollop of ketchup all rolled in a whole wheat wrap. It was alright. I also had one orange slice just for variety. I also want to continue fasting because at least I know that's working. I almost don't feel ready for food again but I know that's just my nerves getting the best of me. Today I'm going to go take the kids out for a walk in the wagon. I'm sure the sunshine and fresh air will help my mood and my nerves and I'm sure the cardio will do wonders too! Not to mention these hills are killer!

Thanks so much for all the support and encouragement given throught this two weeks. I will be blogging pictures and things of the meals I eat in the upcoming days. Also on Thursday I will be posting a weight update just so we can see how much water and weight were retained while eating on Wednesday! I look forward to keeping you updated.

Just a tiny update!

So much has been happening lately that I've only been focusing on my health and weightloss. It's nice to force myself to make time to just do what needs to be done. I realized the other day that I misinformed everyone with the blog when I said I would be doing my final weigh-in and measurement on Tuesday. Technically I have to finish out all of Tuesday before my 14 days is over so I will be giving you all the final run down on Wednesday morning.

I recently got a new workout DVD that my mom bought me. It's the Jillian Michael's Burn Fat Boost Metabolism DVD. I have been a little nervous to try it because I watched two workouts that are on the DVD and it seems really intense. I will probably try it sometime this week. On Thursday I'm going to the Zumba Class at the Rush. The kids love the play place there so I'm sure I will be able to finish the class without any interruptions.

I'm excited about Wednesday. It's the first day I get to start eating again and I've already gotten the food and planned out what we will be eating for the next 2 weeks. I still have a few more items to get for later when everyone is eating with me but that can wait until payday. I'll be posting pictures of what I have for lunch for the first 4 days and also on Thursday I will be posting an update on how much weight I put on after the fast just from eating that one meal. I'm really excited. I'm happy with the results I've gotten so far and I can't wait to see where I end up after tomorrow!

Almased - Half Way Point

These last few days have been a struggle for me. When I hit day 5 of this program I noticed that I was more acidy feeling than the first 4 days and I seemed to be getting more hungry during the day. I was also struggling with the fact that the goals I wanted to accomplish weren't showing in the mirror, or at least not to me. I've never been one to really care about the number on the scale but I have always cared about the physical goals I want to reach. I've always wanted to have a flat belly. The last time I had said belly was when I was in middle school (about 10 years agoish). I know that it isn't realistic to be a grown woman and wish for the body I had before highschool. Sometimes I feel like the only way I'll ever reach my goal of a flat belly is to just go get a tummy tuck and sow things up.

I've been working out for the last 4 days. I took the kids to the gym's place while I got an hour workout in. I've also been alternating days between the 30 Day Shred and just doing some stuff on the Wii. I plan on going to a class or two at the gym during the week and once it gets warmer the kids and I will be going for walks. I'm sure the hills will do wonders not to mention being able to get outside the house.

I didn't post this the first post I had but here are my stats starting off:
25.05 BMI 159.6lbs
Bust: 38in
Ribs: 33in
Waist: 32in
BellyButton: 36-1/2in
Hips: 39in
Butt: 41in
L Thigh: 24in
R Thigh: 23in

Then today at the half way point here are my stats:
23.91 BMI 152.3lbs
Bust: 37in (-1in)
Ribs: 31-1/4in (-1.75in)
Waist: 29-3/4in (-2.25in)
BellyButton: 32in (-4.5in)
Hips: 37-1/2in (-1.5in)
Butt: 40-1/2in (-.5in)
L Thigh: 22-1/4in (-1.75in)
R Thigh: 22-1/2in (-.5in)

So all in all I have been getting to my goal slowly but surely. I think I have this thinking that since I started this I should just drop all the fat I've put on in the last 6 years overnight. I know that isn't realistic. I called my dad while I was on the treadmill at the gym just to get some encouragement and he said to me, "Your ultimate goal is to have no belly. If it doesn't happen completely gone within these 14 days than you know you've made a huge leap to reaching your goal and you just carry on until you've hit the target!" I can always count on him to make sense of my nonsense!

So over all I'm thrilled and surprised that in 7 days I've gotten so far. I'm a little nervous what the days after the fast will hold. I'm anxious to see how much will come back once I start eatting and how much more I will workout to maintain an inches loss. I've recently found some new cooking magazines that I love. My favorite is Clean Eating. It comes with shopping lists and meals to make from the lists, every recipe includes calorie information which is helpful in making sure I reach my daily intake goals, and all the meals look incredible! They even have pizzas you can make that look like real pizzas you would get from pizzahut!

That's all for now. My last post will be next Tuesday and it will tell you all my final results for this 14 Day Fast! I'm excited to see where I will end up. Wish me luck and I'm so glad to be sharing this journey with you!

Almased Fast - Day 1.

So let me start with a back story: I was reading an issue of Southern Living that my mother-in-law got in the mail. I don't really read many articles or anything but I ran across this two page spread about Almased. It looked interesting so I went online to look it up. I found sites with reviews, the actual site and a buying site that has the cheapest prices. I sent a copy of it to my good girlfriend to have her look over it and tell me if it sounded stupid to try or if it sounded legit. She gave me the go-ahead and I had also discussed it with my mom. For those of you who don't know what Almased is, it's a protein suppliment that's been around since 1985 (it's older than me), founded by the Germans to help maintain or lose weight. It isn't said to be a miracle worker and the makers don't say that once you stop taking the suppliment that you'll remain where you were while on it. It provides Protein, vitamins and minerals to meet your daily needs. It was originally used in Germany as a 14 day fast and the program now allows diversity by using differnt levels to acheive weight goals.

I received my Almased after I ordered from iherb.com last week. I was going to wait until Monday to start my fast because I feel like if I start on a certain day I will feel better about it. Well I tried one drink and it tasted aweful. I honestly didn't think I could do it. My parents where here and we were discussing everything about it when finally I realized that I just needed a way to sweeten it up. I got some sweetner like equal and then didn't drink any more yesterday. I started today again on the fast and this time didn't worry about the taste, although the sweetner helped.

I feel like this would be so much easier if I didn't have two kids to feed throughout the day. I made the veggie stock with our random vegetables so that I could have something other than water and the Almased. The program allows for vegetable broth to be used like a snack. I was thinking today as I drank my second shake, that I might not want to continue on the whole 14 days but then I figured I was doing this for a reason and that 14 days isn't that long.

So on Monday I measured myself and did my Wii weigh in. I was amazed at how not working out for two weeks after hurting my knee skiing I could gain back inches as well as pounds! I hate it. It wouldn't be a problem if I were thinner, to gain an inch or so around certain areas would be considered bloat. I feel so disgusting that I can't wait to see how much visible change I get doing this 14 day fast. I will do a weigh in next Monday and then on the end day just so I can get an idea where I am. I will also do a measurement on the weigh in days. Wish me luck! I'll keep you posted.

Seriously outta shape!

So I have been really lax on working out and keeping up with eating right. It's times like this that I don't wonder why people have such a yo-yo effect with weight loss! GET A CLUE, KATE. I has been so dreary outside lately that I just haven't been able to muster up any strength to workout. I also haven't keep up with keeping the kids on schedule or getting out of the house much! Way to go, right?

I have to seriously get myself kicked into high gear here and taking control of things in my life. I have no one to count on other than myself! That doesn't go to say that I don't have support from others. At least I am not sitting here making excuses as to why I haven't been keeping up with what needs to get done!!! I'm at least glad about that.

The sun is out today and has given me this extra pep that I feel I've been missing. I have my workout top and sports bra on, even though I'm not going right now to workout. I do have to take some movies back to Movie Gallery and I figured why not go the extra distance (20 extra minutes in this case) to take the kids to the playground? I need some things from Walmart anyway for this weekend. And at least wearing half of my workout outfit makes me feel better about doing something other than sitting in the house. I've had a few days of consistently eating bad-for-you foods and then picked myself up and started really watching and counting again. I did buy all this healthy food that I planned on making but now can't find the recipes I had in mind to make! IRONIC. I'm still looking but everyday I have to use up my produce or it's just going to go to waste and I fear that if I don't find my recipes soon I wont have enough ingredients to make the meals!

I was thinking in the shower today about what John and I were going to do for our kids, by way of health and fitness. I was never afforded the opportunity to be part of group sports, after school activities or anything else that required something other than sitting home. My parents didn't have the extra money to spend on things like intramural sports and they also didn't have the time to chauffeur me to practices or anything! My kids, as of now, enjoy being outside. It doesn't matter if it's throwing rocks in the lake, feeding the ducks, helping wash cars, etc. They just like to spend every waking moment outside playing and being kids. I'm so anxious to move to a place that promotes healthy living. We get to pick orders on the 11th and having the decision be made for West Coast only jobs is something I'm thrilled about. I feel that in West Coast vs. East Coast the West Coast offers a more active and healthy lifestyle while the East Coast offers a more scholastic lifestyle. That is just a general statement as both places offers many different things depending on the state. Tennessee is ranked one of the nations obesest states. I really don't want my kids having that be their starting point. I want Chelsea to be interested in things like soccer and gymnastics. And I want Garrett to be interested in Football. I want all my kids to be interested in summer fun like tubing and winter fun like skiing or snowboarding. I want them to enjoy hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, rafting, rip-cording, etc. I Just don't want them to be limited. I feel that I owe them as much as being able to try and decide what they are interested in early on so that they grow into healthy adults.

Well the baby is up and it's time to take our trip to the playground - pending the gas situation!!! Let's hope we can ride the fumes to the nearest gas station! Can't wait to get back into the groove =)

Start Strong, Finish Strong.

So on Saturday with Garrett being sick I got to spend an extra time working out. I redid my measurements - not much change there. My right bicep gained half an inch and my right thigh lost an inch but everything else has stayed the same. Shouldn't I be losing and gaining inches the same on both sides? I spent over 30 minutes on the Wii Fit just doing the runs, yoga and other aerobics. Then I did Level 2 of the 30 Day Shred. I decided that since I've done over 15 days of Level 1, not consecutively, that it would be a wise idea to switch it up. It was hard to complete and I had to stop a lot. It reminded me of when I started with Level 1. I went back down to 3 pound weights because I didn't know the exercises that well and wanted to work on perfecting the posture.

Ellie and I took the kids to the park yesterday because I had to make a grocery run. I'm not sure if I mentioned this in the last post but I got the other Biggest Loser Cookbook. It has completely different recipes and they all look wonderful! I also got some things that I know are just good and good for you that I know I will eat a lot of the time.

I kind of feel that I will struggle with making meals once we move because with two small kids that don't eat the same as we adults and John who would rather eat junk food than something good for you all the time I will be the only one making a change. My mom told me that I have to do for myself and my kids first and then John will have to conform to our schedule if he wants to really share in what the family does. I guess that makes sense. I just hate making meals thinking everyone will be eatting and it ends up just being the kids and I which come out to only about 2 servings!

I am really excited though about making the change and finding good recipes that everyone loves. Maybe if I find things that everyone wants to eat, John will enjoy coming home to eat a homecooked meal. We always talked about wanting our kids to be raised around the dinner table instead of the couch! So far we started going in the wrong direction. I'm trying to fix that early on so our family memories are filled with sharing, laughter and good food instead of tv and laziness.

Getting my groove back

I have been really bummed lately because slowly but surely my weight has crept back up to almost 164 (163 weighing in this afternoon after lunch). The lowest I was at after Christmas was 155.7 and I really wish I could have just maintained that. Of course that was right after I had spent two days throwing up from that virus and then the kids got it. This week I increased my weights while doing the 30 day Shred from 3 pounds to 5 pounds. It made me so sore the first day that I had to take a day off. Then I did it again yesterday.

Early this morning Becky, the neighbor, called and said she had somethings we could take off her hands if we wanted them. One of the things was a bike. An exercise bike but it's really nice. It has the digital reader, heart rate monitor, and an all around great piece of equipment. And even if I can't take it with us when we move (if we go to Japan) than at least it will help me right now. I really want to make it to my goal by summer. I have to buy a new bathing suit this year because after 3 years my other one, which hid my growing belly and saw me through two babies, finally bit the dust!

Today John is super tired and Garrett is getting sick so with them sleeping I have had extended time to workout. I did 32 minutes on the wii. From 10 minutes running to boxing to hula hooping and some yoga and stregth. I also did the Level 2 on the 30 Day Shred and might even go for a walk later with Ellie and the kids. Because it's so hilly here it will be a great workout and something we're all more able to do since it's starting to get warmer. Can't wait to get into this better shape I've been waiting for since forever!!! Seriously feeling good about all this!!!

One after another

So this past week has been full of ups and downs! John had a 4 day weekend because of President's Day so on Friday we went skiing for 5 or 6 hours. We were sore the next day but still took the kids to the TN aquarium in Chattanooga and ended up walking around and holding Garrett for nearly 3 hours. So I took both of those as workout days. Then on Sunday and Monday John and I just watched movies. On Sunday when we went to go watch From Paris with Love (John Travolta)I wore heels and my heel started hurting that evening. Then Monday John had to send a kid off to boot camp so we went to watch Edge of Darkness with Mel Gibson and while I was sitting there I lifted my body up with my arms to put my leg under me and ended up pulling a muscle in my lower belly. Freakin' ridiculous.

So in the past month I have had shin splints, major heel pain and now a pulled muscle in my "core". I also haven't been keeping up with what I'm eating. In the past few days I have downed an entire 4 helpings of homemade mac n' cheese, 2 personal pizzas, 3 chocolate bars, 2 cans of Ginger ale, Steak rice and cauliflower dinner that I made for 1, 2 ice cream cones, Mexican, McDonald's, tons of movie popcorn and junior mints, and probably a whole nother half a list of things that would make you vomit just hearing about it all. I can really tell how they're affecting me. I feel sluggish, tired, grouchy, and I have a canker sore on the inside of my lower lip. I really have to make a major turn around. I was doing so good on the working out, despite my injuries, and eating better foods.

I think my problem was that when I was getting those new recipes to try out that I didn't get enough to make meals for weeks like we need. The meals I did make were amazing. And my in-laws don't really keep a lot of food around the house that can make separate meals that aren't all spaghetti. And I also have to make meals that the kids will eat so I'm not becoming a short order cook.

Goal for today: Stop eatting those stupid Chocolate Bars and drinking this Ginger Ale and get a workout or two in. Maybe make Ellie do a late night workout with me and do one while the kids are napping. We have all gotten all jumbled up with having everyone off of work for almost a whole week due to the snow.

Another swift kick in the .......

I was watching my DVR'd Biggest Loser this morning. I love this show because even though I never plan on being big enough to be on the show I find all the work they put in so inspiring. You can really see how they make the changes mentally and push themselves to be the best. I really wish that I could find the motivation they have to really make this commitment for life. I mean I plan on being committed but I don't know how I plan to reach my goals or even if I have set enough

So after doing my workout on Monday I got this terrible heel pain. I had been standing, jumping, and working on my feet for hours and hours and I got so worried that I might have done some thing seriously wrong and really hurt myself. So I immediately went to webmd.com and put in my symptoms and went through the finally things it could be. I came upon Planter Fasciitis and it said that this is where the tendon in the bottom of your foot stretches and tiny tears are created causing the tendon to become inflammed. It also sometimes results in shin splints. I apparently takes a long time to heal and I was thinking that it just seems like one thing after another. I can't seem to get any better and when I get one thing taken care of, something else pops up.

So I stayed off it for a few days, wore shoes all day except right before bed and tried to cushion my heel as much as I could so that hopefully it would start getting better. Well I woke up today and even walking without shoes on isn't painful. I can tell that, from when I wasn't wearing shoes and I would walk on my toes so I wasn't putting pressure on my heel, my calf and hips are tender and probably have been thrown out of whack. So I'm going to try to do a workout or two today and see how things are when I put higher impact moves on my lower body.

Other than that good news, or discovery rather, I have been having a hard time keeping on track with everything. Chelsea has been fighting me on eatting breakfast so we have been getting a rougher start than usual to each day. And it throws off our whole day. I have already used most of my recipes for this month and don't really have extra items to make a complete meal that would be delicious and healthy. Sometimes I wonder how I will be able to do this and make the good meals that we're all starting to find and love once we move. I feel like it will take such a long time to get things back to the way we want them once we leave John's parents house.
I really want to find recipes that I can use a lot of the same ingredients for and that are good. John use to complain that my meals were bland and just thrown together last minute when we lived in our apartment. It was their lack in substance and appeal that made him reach for something like fast food that he thought tasted better. Now I am finding things that are good and challenging the taste buds and I really want to keep that up once we move.

So there are alot of things going on internally and physically. I really hope things start to look up. I hate having all these set backs.

Hardwood = Fat Belly

Day 2 of the new start of the 30 Day Shred. I did a great job and felt that I really pushed myself to a new level. My shin splint is going away and it's so nice to feel like I'm healing......except that after working out I started making our Valentine's Day cookies. It took me nearly 2 hours to finish everything from baking to decorating. After that I started working on my spreadsheet and I noticed that when I got up to do something for the kids I had this sharp stabbing pain in my left heel (the same leg as my shin splint!). So I immediately went to webmd and put in my symptoms and Planter Fisciitis came up. I was reading about it and I can see how that could be present considering it is the ligament that runs the length of your entire foot. So I'm resting and hoping that it goes away soon. A lot of the sites that I read about Planter Fisciitis said that it could take years to heal fully from this heel problem! That would kill me.

I have worked out tons before moving here last September and never had I had problem after problem pop up. I swear it's the fact that there are hardwood floors in this house. Only part of upstairs are carpeted so we mostly walk on the hardwood floors.

But I can tell that a change is happening in my body. When I'm not bloated, like today, My rings fit more loosely, I can tell that the upper part of my abs are less flabby, my arms are noticeably more toned and I think my thighs are looking slimmer. The sad thing is that I'm only concerned with my belly and the rest is just a bonus. I know that it takes time to get off the worst of the worst which is usually the belly, in most Americans. Like I've said before, I'm hoping to be able to wear a more flattering bathingsuit this summer and I'm hoping to find an activity that I really enjoy, be it kickboxing, running, etc.

Wish me luck on a fast healing and hope that it is just a sore day for me and nothing more serious. I plan on making a doctors appointment to make sure, I can do that since I don't have to pay for getting anything done!

Another starting point.

Superbowl Sunday! It's almost a guarantee for eatting disatster! I started my 30 Days of working with Jillian Michaels -30 day Shred. I love the DVD and now I can tell my shin splint is much much better. Ellie is working out with me and will hopefully hold me accountable for getting through the first 10 days so I can keep it up. I am easily irritated because she doesn't do the moves correctly and I know if she gets hurt she will blame me!

Eatting today was alright....it started off good and it's ending poorly. I made a great breakfast for everyone which was a first in this house. For lunch John made spicy mashed eggplant and we had roti's with it (classically tasting Indian food). And then because of the superbowl we are having pizza and home-made nachos. So like I said, it's ending poorly. I plan on having tomorrow be an all around excellent day. I can't believe it's almost Monday. But I plan on getting the kids back on schedule so I can get back on my workout schedule!

Inconsistant =C

I really haven't worked out other than the one day earlier this week. My mom has been here and I hate having to workout while she's here because I feel like even if she can't see me, she can use echo location to make a picture of what I may be doing! I'm just kidding my mom doesn't have echo location!


I really need to get a lot of things straight if I plan on taking control of my life and turning it into what I want to it be. I really hate some things in life that surround me, and it's up to me to make the best of them and make a change. I have control over what I eat, when I workout, how hard I workout and how my family is affected by my lifestyle change. I hate people who are in denial about what they need to do health-wise, people who can't take control of habits and people who overall can't control themselves.
I sometimes feel like I am steering myself in the wrong direction when I go to take my kids to McDonald's, decide to eat a pizza instead of something healthier or most of all when I let myself find time to NOT workout. I enjoy being able to make good food that is also good for you. I enjoy being able to get a quick but effective workout in and raise my energy level and my mood just by doing something that also makes me physically stronger. So why don't we do that all the time if it makes us feel good to do all the great things on this list? That is an answer I can't find within myself. Otherwise, I would do it all the time and not worry about anything else.

I plan on being in better shape by summer time. Not because I want to be able to wear a bikini again, although that would be nice, but because it will allow me enough time to get to my goal in a healthy way. I would love to say that if I could drop all the weight in my life that I don't need in one night I would do it instantly but I know that for overall health those methods that provide those sorts of results aren't worth it. Now, if there was a magical pill that guaranteed that my health would improve and my body would function better and my weight would stay at the most healthy and appealing shape for my body, I would jump on that like a cheetah on a gazelle!!! But I know that it isn't realistic to think that way because there is no magic way to do anything like that. Only with hardwork will you reap the rewards you are after! It's the truth and anyone who believes that if you just "think" you will be thin one day will be extremely disappointed when they end their life in worse shape then when they first started believing it was all by thought!

So wish me luck in my attempt to start over on my 30 Days with Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. I really love the DVD and want to be at the point where I can get off the first section! I've tried Level 2 one day and it was so much fun but when my shin splint came back like Micahel Myers I knew that to heal it would take time and taking that much time off would mean I'd have to start over. It's discouraging but I guess that means it's a bump in my road and I have to just keep going?! Will do then.

Finally something better

First the great news: Today I finally did my 30 day Shred without wanting to die from leg pain!!! Super great news, right? My wii informed me that it had been 8 days since my last weigh-in. My last actual workout, though, was 1/30/10 (the same day I got my new sneakers). I was 159.4 today and that was right after eatting lunch. So that's nice to see that I can maintain my weight loss without going crazy and not working out. I'm still holding weigh-ins on Monday so I will post again on the weight then.
My shoes worked great. I didn't really start to feel that nagging pain until more than halfway through my workout. I didn't get to do the last 4 minutes because Garrett woke up and when I tried to set him down to finish he just came at me screaming. It was almost threatening so I just stopped and figured that I made a great effort at what I did get done and hopefully he'll sleep more tomorrow! Yippie to me though for doing a great job after I have had to take nearly two weeks off.

So I'm sitting here looking at my Athleta magazine while I think and organize all the great things I want to say. I really wish I were in a place that I could look super fit. I know I'm on the path and that is wonderful in and of itself. I'm like one of those girls who always wishes I had something other than what I have, and in this case it's a flat belly and the physique of a runner who has been working towards the olympics since they were 4! There are some yoga positions that display how the clothes look while in pose and I think they are really just unobtainable and almost uncomfortable looking. John and I have decided to switch off every check and either get something we really want out of the money left over after bills. I'm considering if I want to get some extra workout clothes. I wouldn't go to Athleta though because they are super expensive. I would probably be stuck going to Dick's Sporting Goods store where they are still expensive but not as bad! Who knows what I'll do.

I'm just happy that I'm back in the groove of things and that my stamina didn't go back to as low as it was when I first started!!! Till tomorrow.

Puffier than a balloon getting ready to explode!

So lately I've been feeling more and more puffy and PMS-y. The great and not-so-great thing about that is, to be less than graphic, I recently got Mirena so I don't actually get the visitor full force but just some tiny side-effects of the dreaded Monthly guest! I usually just get bloated these days which is nice in the sense that I don't have to deal with everything else but bad because I'm bloated.
I also loose motivation to workout and instead feel like binging on junk food. So I am trying to make sure that I eat better choices that still taste super good so I'm essentially tricking myself. I plan on making a cabbage casserole tonight. It has cabbage, chicken, 2 bacon strips, sauce, etc. I have never had it before but John loves cabbage so we're going to give it a try. I am sure he will love it. I am going to start working out this weekend. Maybe Thursday or Friday while my mom is here visiting so I can have someone to watch the kids. I can just feel the motivation lacking so I can't give a definite day on when I'll get busy.

I am wearing my compression sleeve for my calf today because I ran up the stairs yesterday to get Garrett in the late evening and I'm pretty sure that even though I haven't put strain on myself I am not either totally healed or that any activy I do on this hard wood flooring will just cause me pain. I'm interested to see how the workout will be with my new shoes since I haven't actually done the same workout in my new shoes. I do love them though. They fit nicely and it makes me wonder why I never got fitted before. Until next time.

A learning experience

Like I've posted in my other blog, I recently got a few more weight-oriented books. I have been finishing up reading my "Abs Diet for Women" book. Most of what is included I already know, like to eat more than 3 meals a day, make lunch your heaviest meal, limit your intake of red meat, etc. Some new things I have learned though, are that drinking abour 2 cups of cold water (72degrees or colder) uses up roughly 25 calories. I also learned how to calculate many things: body fat percentage, how many pounds of my total weight are from fat, and how many pounds I need to lose to be at my "ideal" weight.

I thought that learning about little things like how many calories you burn by doing certain things were the most interesting. I first bought the book because it had 12 pages of calories from common foods. I started using that so I could better narrow in on how much I consume in a day.

John and I went to the store yesterday to get the food for the recipes I'm trying. Most are from the BL cookbook but I did find one in Better Homes and Gardens that I'm going to try over the weekend for a light dinner. It's a Pepper-Corn Chowder and it only have 155 calories. I love the thought of a nice easy soup, especially during the colder months. It really just makes the weekends feel cozy. Also I am going to try some cucumber logs, mini turkey fiesta tostadas, Hummus and Tuna English Muffins, Smashed Peas with carmalized onions and ricotta roasted toast. I'm interested to see how everything turns out and I'm sure I'll post some pictures if all is successful.

Workout wise. I haven't worked out since I got my new sneakers on Saturday I think. 2days isn't bad. I did roll my ankle today coming down the stairs carrying my laundry basket and my 9 month old! I put immediate pressure on it and could walk on it within a few minutes. It doesn't hurt to put pressure on it now but I would be weary of starting working out on it today especially since I do the 30 Day Shred and it incorporates a lot of jumping around. I have thin ankles as it is! They aren't really made for anything other than breaking. They definitly don't appear to be the sturdiest of limbs! HAHA.
I'm thinking about making Mondays a weigh-in day. I don't have a scale but I do have my Wii Fit Board and I usually do the body test daily. I started out at 164 Christmas day and then after like a week or two of playing the Wii and Wii Fit Plus I got down to 160-161. Since my Shin Splint episode I haven't spent as much time worrying or working on weight and instead have just lulled around the house doing nothing, feeling frustrated and taking things out on the kids. It should end up being an interesting week. Keep an eye out for that weigh in next week. And I will be jumping back into the game most likely tomorrow. Really hoping that I have stayed at my wieght instead of gaining back up to 160 but will truck on no matter what shows up! Best of Luck to you all in any upcoming programs you have this week.

Goals ARE obtainable!

This is Kate, and I really need to simplify and make a life change. I have two small kids under 3. I work from home. I am a Navy wife to a wonderful man. And I am OVERWEIGHT! Now listen, I am not one of those people who eats only fastfood, I try to make healthy meals at home. I am not one of those people who struggled with weight my whole life. I have just been lazy with what I needed to do to maintain a healthy weight and after having two kids in two years it just added on to what I've already let go!

So there was that taken care of! I have said in my other blog that I needed to set goals for myself so that I could hold myself accountable for what needs to be done. So I have thought about it and come up with a few things:
1. To find healthy recipes to make that the whole family can enjoy.
2. To set a workout goal of 3 times a week for a minimum.
3. To lose up to 10 pounds
4. To lose strictly belly fat by way of diet and strength training.
5. To be able to wear a bikini for summer.

My starting weight as of today was roughly 158. If you have followed my other blog *kate-everydaysahm.blogspot.com* you can see other weight/workout posts I've created. I have been dealing with Shin Splints and had to do trial and error to figure out what could be the cause. Some issues we thought it could be were: not enough stretching for the lower body, too much high impact movement for the lower body after not working out too much in the past, needing to ice to heal completely, and needing new tennis shoes.
I have been stretching, healing and working on loosening up my muscles. Well today I gave in and went to the shoe store to get fitted with new shoes. The guy was so helpful and I think I will really love the shoes I got. The only downside to having to get your shoes fitted at specialty stores is that you aren't able to pick the styling and color of the shoes you get. I guess you can't be picky when you have an issue that needs to be resolved. Maybe I'm being too overly selfish about the whole ordeal.

I look forward to sharing my successes and set-backs with everyone. I plan on reaching my goals, maintaining my weight and offering advice and support to whomever desires it! Thanks so much for joining me on this journey.