That Broken Thing You Keep Trying To Put Back Together...

...Can't Even Compare With That Beautiful Thing That's Waiting To Be Built.

What do you do when you really want to get your 3 miles in using your walking video, but it's windy as heck and the internet goes down? You put on episodes of Dawson's Creek and Beverly Hills 90210... and during the show, you walk. During the commercials, you run/jog/power walk around your house, using your toddler's toys as hurdles.

Last night was the first official weigh-in of the new year and it's a fresh start. I made a promise to myself weeks ago that I was going to enjoy the holidays and if I gained, I gained... but I wasn't going to go over five pounds and that's what I ended up gaining... over 4 weeks. So I can't be super mad at myself... but now I'm ready to start over.

Starting Goal Weight: 310.8

Here we go....

One Pound At A Time

Resolution:

 * a resolve, a determination or decision

Promise:

 * a declaration that something will or will not be done,given, etc., by one.

My promises to myself for 2017:

1. Continue working on my health. I have been slacking over the holidays and I believe that I deserve a break. Luckily I haven't completely sabotaged myself to the point of being where I was at the beginning of summer, but now it's time to get serious. I expect there to be ups and downs, good days, bad days, heck... good moments vs bad moments. But... It's not in the trials you've been through, it's how you deal with them. I hope to use them as a learning experience and get back on track those off days.

2. To grow in my faith. I have been seriously lacking in this department lately and I can feel it. How does this tie into health? Well... If I don't take care of me, I can't take care of others. On days that I am happy and my soul is well fed, I'm more likely to want to exercise and make better choices. When I am "down in the dumps" I am more likely to mindlessly eat and be sad. I'm not saying that I expect to be happy all the time, but I need to return to my faith because I find that I miss who I was when my soul was well. I miss being involved and that amazing family feeling I got from my Church and Church family. I've been working on a gratitude journal every night before bed. I try to write at LEAST 3 things down... but on the days that I can maybe write ONE, I am happy with it. I've also been trying to do my devotionals and doing special one with my little guy (who's not so little). 

3. I am attempting a NO-SODA year. I've done this before (Or as my mom says... doing that soda thing?) and made it all the way to August before. I am hoping to make it the WHOLE year. Last year I didn't attempt it but rather just played it day by day. It worked, most of the time, but once in a while I'd get caught up and go over-board. I'm just going to try and do without it.

I'm sure there will be other smaller goals and mini-goals I will try to accomplish this year (Planning on a no candy/sugar month... just not sure when!) but those are the big ones. By this time next year, I want to be able to buy clothes in the store... not having to buy everything online. It's expensive for shipping and such but also... bigger sized clothes cost more anyway.

I hope that you make your goals/promises/resolutions this year. We can do this and we deserve it.

Happy New Year.

I've been MIA lately....

... The holidays seem to take over every aspect of my life. I'm the baker in the family... which actually works out for me. I tend to be super critical of my meals/treats. Everyone says the things I make are delicious, but a lot of times I don't think so. Because of this... I tend not to chow down as much as I might if someone else made it. Although... there are certain cookies that I LOVE and will eat.

My husband bought me a Fitbit Charge 2 for Christmas. I am so glad because my old one (Which I bought way back before Fitbit was popular!) was pretty much useless. It was cracked and refused to hold charge. I am getting used to this one and so far I am enjoying it. It's fancy and I am so tickled with it.

I am up on the scale the last few weeks. 309.4 so not too bad but not great. I am planning on cutting out the soda on the 1st of the year. I am trying to be decent this week but so far... not so great. We are doing New Years Resolutions this week at TOPS and I am planning on putting down that I want to lose 10lbs. I did it this summer and I know I can do it now. The program runs from the first week of Jan until the 1st week of March. Plenty of time to get it down and more. :)

Well... Fitbit says It's time for bed... lol

Merry Christmas and may your 2017 be filled with love, happiness and good health!

Even if you can't physically see the results in front of you, every single effort is changing your body from the inside... Never Get Discouraged...

This is something I honestly struggle with in my daily life. I have dropped from 379 (at my heaviest in 2014 while pregnant with my son) to 301. My clothes fit better and i have more energy and am more active and eating better, but I don't see the results when I look at myself. I still have that flap of skin that flops over the side of my pants. I still have the wavy bat arms. I don't SEE the changes... but I know they are there. I know that I no longer need to have blood work every 6 months anymore. I know that all my health levels are where they should be and are exemplary. I just don't SEE the loss. But it's there and I must remember that.

So... this past week I lost 5.6lbs which puts me at 301. I was shocked. I've been trying to keep track (up until the weekends) and doing the 3 mile burn body fat and something... or all of it... is working. Tomorrow is our Thanksgiving at my brothers and then we're doing another one friday for just us. My plan is to enjoy the food that we have but not treat it like it's my last meal. There will be other turkey dinners and pies and the likes.

Strength....

You are only as strong as you allow yourself to be; never get discouraged, never give up because consistency & dedication is the key to success.

I have been religiously (I guess...) following Leslie Sansone's Walk Away The Pounds 3 mile HIIT DVD. It kind of kicks my butt but in a good way. It's about 15 miles (if I do 5 days a week... which is about my average. I like to give myself a break here and there) a week if I keep on it. That's not including raking leaves and walking with my little Man. Although, this morning, it was great. Usually I walk during his nap time but I wanted to get it out of the way early today... and he was doing some of it with me. There are a couple parts where you walk forward and backwards and side to side and he was right there with me. Although, his workout usually ended up in spinning until he got dizzy and fell down giggling... it was heart warming. Plus... during the middle of mile 2, he brought my water bottle out for me. What a little sweetheart!

So... For my TOPS rally I got a couple charms. I wanted to do something with them so I could see them and use them... So I bought a really long chain from Wal-Mart for like $3 and put them on there. I should jazz it up a little bit, but I kind of like where it is... It's nice to have a visual reminder of how far I've already come and there's plenty of room for more charms... Which I hope to add to it as my journey continues. 

Current Weight: 305.2

Goal Weight (For now...): 250

These are the charms. The Tiger was from attending the Rally Days. The Giraffe was from being Division I Winner and the Sun was for 2nd place Summers Best. The halfway to goal is from when I reached halfway to my first goal.

This is what it looks like. Although, I did lengthen the chain cause I like that it's long.

Walk It Off

So after my ego boost at the Dr's office yesterday... I decided to treat myself to a new workout video. I feel kind of guilty because I could have gotten a TON online... but at the same time my internet doesn't always work (I live in NY and if a squirrel farts in Miami Beach... My internet goes out!) so it'll be a nice thing to fall back on. The only problem with getting videos on Youtube is that a lot aren't long enough. Maybe I just haven't looked enough...

I like to sweat. It makes me feel accomplished. It makes me feel like I'm getting a worthy workout and I think that's why I want videos that are longer than 20 minutes or 10 minutes. The shorter ones will be good for days I don't have a ton of time... or maybe as a mood booster. But we'll see.

I can't wait to start!

ps. I feel like most of my entries are bs entries. lol...

Six-Month Checkup

According to the doctor's scale... I lost 25 lbs in 6 months.

The doctor couldn't believe it. She asked what I had been doing and didn't believe me when I told her mostly walking and eating salads. She was super impressed. All my important numbers have actually normalized and are exceptional. She took me off of Fish Oil (for my Hypertension) but doesn't want to take me off the meds just yet. I am two numbers away from dropping to the next level of BMI.

I asked, just out of curiosity, what the ultimate weight would be for me. She didn't really give me an answer... which is okay but kind of frustrating at the same time. She just wants me to keep going the pace I'm going. She also suggested that I keep a journal and just write something positive. Like... my jeans were loose... so that when I hit rough patches I can look back and remember. She also suggested getting some workout videos for the winter months when it's nasty out. I have a couple but maybe I'll look around and see what else is out there.

I can't believe how floored she was by my progress. This was kind of the kick I needed to get back on track.

I am now 306.4 lbs.

OooHHHH!!! My TOPS rally was last month and I found out why my leader wanted me there so badly.

I was division winner for overall loss this year. (18.8)
I was 2nd place for Summer's Best. (16.2) (I actually got a charm for this!)
Then I got an award for even losing weight this year and for attending my first Rally.

Next year I kind of want to do the Baggy Clothes parade and wear my wedding dress. Not sure if it would be from my first wedding (Which would be HUGE on me) or the one from when I was 8 months pregnant. We'll see. :)