Sunday, January 11, 2009

New Pics to Share

Seems all I have been talking about lately is weight and exercise. So, I will keep that part brief.
I'm doing great. Still doing the 30 Day Shred everyday. Still losing. Still eating what I should be. Still happy as ever.

Moving on.

I havent posted pictures in a bit. So, this is our week (ok maybe 2 weeks) in pictures...

I bought the ratties a handmade rat hammock online. They were beyond thrilled with their new place to hang out.

The kids and their Disney sweatshirts.

Probably the GROSSEST place I know of. The tubes at Chuck E. Cheese. Talk about a Petri Dish. Yuck.

This picture is cute, but you have to look close. The pink things are Ally's legs and the blue is Joey's arms reaching around her to help her into the tubes. Such sibling love.
And lastly, a picture of Ally being a ham.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Milestone #1 Reached

Today was a good day. Every morning, the first thing I do is get on the scale. Which, I know is frowned upon. Weighing yourself everyday is not recommended....But, it works for me. And I will continue to do it. This morning the scale told me I had lost 20 lbs since I started this plan in December. 20 freakin pounds!! GONE.

And I have to admit, its been quite easy. MUCH easier than the last time. I've changed up the program a little bit. I tweaked it to fit ME.

I spend about 1 1/2 hours exercising everyday. I do the 30 day shred for 1/2 hour in the morning. And then 1/2 hour on the Gazelle (to equal a 30 minute walk) and then 30 mins of yoga or pilates. The Gazelle and yoga I do after the kids goto bed, when I have time to myself. Its easy to jump on the Gazelle for 30 minutes while I watch TV. I dont do any specific workout. Just moving is good enough for me. Sure beats sitting on the couch.

The 30 day shred must be the HARDEST workout I have ever committed to doing. We are still on level 2, and everyday when I finish I feel amazing. Who would have thought that a 30 minute DVD would provide better results than hours at the gym??

The proof is in the measuring tape. I've lost 5 inches around my waist. That is incredible. INCREDIBLE.

As far as food goes, it takes a little time to get used to a new and different way of eating. Setting yourself up for success is the way to go. If you dont buy junk, you cant eat junk. I use PEAPOD to order all my groceries. I can take all the time I need, and I can organize my thoughts and meals. Add things to my cart and remove things from my cart. For me, its a fantastic tool.

I always have a veggies and bean soup in the fridge. When I dont have time to cook, its an easy meal to microwave. And its a perfect snack.
When I do cook, I double the recipe and divide it sensibly into containers and throw them in the fridge. Mike takes them to work for lunch, and I'll sometimes have them for dinner. It works great, and I end up cooking less.

I get most of my recipes from realage.com Its a great site for TONS of Healthy Weight Ideas.

I DO NOT EAT:
High Fructose Corn Syrup
White Flour or any foods with white flour in them
Sugar
Trans Fats
Hydrogenated Oils

I EAT:
Everything else. lol Multi-Grain Hot cereal every morning for breakfast. Lots of fruits veggies and whole grains...Lots of beans, and lean proteins. Red Meat once every two weeks...
I try to eat 5 times a day. For snacks I usually have a small glass of V8 or a piece of fruit.

I DRINK:
Tea, Lite Silk Soy Milk, and Seltzer water. Flavored seltzer water is great for when you want something sweet. Flavors like Peaches and Creme or Black Cherry hit the spot without any calories or sugar. And after 3 weeks of no sugar, seltzer actually tastes sweet. :)

I need to start drinking regular water. I'm working on that.

The one thing I DO NOT do is count calories or measure my food. Thats too much work. If I have to work too hard, I more likely to just give up. Instead I try to keep my tank on 3/4 full. I've been listening to my body and its cues. Am I hungry because my body needs food, or because I just "feel like" eating something? I dont just reach for things without thinking about it first.

For me, just paying attention to how much food I am eating, and when is all I need to keep myself in check. The scale tells me I am doing a good job.

More than likely there will be a time when I plateau, and I will need to take it up a notch. I will burn that bridge when I get there.

We leave in February for Disney World. My goal is to lose 22 more pounds by then. I know I can do it. I've come this far, no turning back.

"You cant be overweight if you dont have a lifestyle to support it." -Dr. Phil