My Weightloss Journey...One Year Down

Life has turned me upside down the past few weeks. Our home was opened as a provisional foster home and we have two new little ones. My daughter had an appendectomy, my husband has a hiatal hernia, my husband's car broke down, the two new little have both been sick separate times, we had hiccups in getting my stepson here for Christmas break and I have been swamped with paperwork to get certified for fostering. I've definitely been humbled this month.

I've managed to stay on top of tracking my food and getting my workouts completed. I didn't lose any weight last week but I also had an unwelcomed visitor. I did splurge on Christmas Eve and Christmas more than I wanted to.

I have one more week left of this year and I want to lose ONE more pound. This would put me at 60 lbs lost for the year. Even with PCOS, that's an average of 1.15 lbs per week. Although there were plenty of weeks that I lost nothing...

I keep getting compliments and questions about my weight loss. People ask if I am at my goal weight and a lot of them seem to think I have lost enough. The reality is I still weigh 178 lbs. I am still a size 13/14. I am super happy about that but I know there is still progress to be made.

Rather than focusing on the scale, like I have my entire life, I am going concentrate on strength training. I know that to change the shape of my body I have to train with weights. This will be a learning process for me.  

This is the first year that I have not given up midway through and gained all of my weight back. What exactly did I do to lose weight? I tracked all of my food intake. I use Weight Watchers' previous points system. I made sure to keep up my intake of supplements. I love AdvoCare. I workout. True story. lol I love FitnessBlender videos on youtube.com. I drink plenty of water and get plenty of sleep. Easy enough, right?

I would say the two things that made the difference was giving it to God because I know I can't do it on my own and I committed to the process through affirmation statements. Have a support system if at all possible. If you don't have one at home or work you find one online. I love Instagram because you can follow real people on their fitness journey and find inspiration and motivation.

I gladly welcome others to join me on this journey to get healthy! :)  

My Favorite FitnessBlender Workouts

I love working out with FitnessBlender on youtube! I have been working out with them since I started this journey in January. I highly recommend them! They have over 350 full length videos to choose from ranging from beginner to advanced.

One of the first videos I started doing was low impact cardio. Twenty-two minutes of quiet, no bounce cardio. There is not a warm up or cool down included but you can easily add one yourself.


I also love a good kickboxing session! Punch and kick out your aggression! Get out of here fat!

A few months ago I started doing tabata or HIIT workouts. They are my favorite go-to workouts. HIIT stands for high intensity interval training. The great thing about these workouts are that you do them at your intesity level. So pretty much anyone can follow along. I can't do a lot jumping so I typically modify when needed.


If you don't have a much time, FitnessBlender has more than a handful of quick workouts. Sometimes I do a quick video before work and a quick one after work if I am pressed for time.

Here are links to my favorite workouts. Enjoy.
Quiet Cardio Low Impact
Fat Blasting butt and Abs Tabatta
Crunchless Abs Workout
Cardio Kickboxing
Barre Workout for Butt and Thighs 
Tank Top Arms Round 2 


Weigh-in update! I weighed in on Friday 12.16.16 and I was down two pounds for the week. That's a total of 59 lbs! I'm under 180 which was my first mini goal. Guess it's time to set some more goals!

Celebrating Non-scale Victories!!!

I have had 3 non-scale victories this week and it's only Wednesday! I forgot how awesome they feel! I have been so focused on that scale not budging much over the last few weeks that I have gotten a little discouraged. I have still pushed on though. In the past this would have been the point that I threw in the towel. Did I mention this is my 4th time to lose weight? I also have PCOS which likes to play games with my hormones and can make it more difficult to lose at times.

Okay so on to the positive stuff!!! Monday I was super exhausted! Plus I have been stressed. I really wanted to binge eat. I had a ton of cravings and I only have 14 Flex points left for the week (which I plan to use on Thanksgiving). I had just went grocery shopping and had some junk in the cabinets. I have not complete convinced my family to go 100% healthy and they are a small army that overpower me! ha (I do encourage serving sizes and moderation) Needless to say we had bags of chips and sugary cereal to name a few. I contemplated and tried to justify my need for sugar and carbs for about 10-15 minutes. Instead I went and took a bath. I wasn't hungry anyways and it was 9pm. This may seem small and unimportant for some but when you are an emotional binge eater and you are stressed THIS IS HUGE! I almost always give into to my ridiculous cravings.

Yesterday we had our Thanksgiving celebration at work. We had didn't do a tradition feast but there was still a lot of unhealthy options. Luckily there were enough healthy options to pick from. My dear friend made a gluten free veggie lasagna. The real non-scale victory was staying away from the dessert table! Did I mention that I LOVE sweets? They are my kryptonite! Victory #2!

Another friend gave me a ton of her clothes that she doesn't wear anymore or never wore at all. I was super stoked. I love a good deal! ;) So I mentioned to her that I had a pair of the pants on and she mentioned them being size 13/14. I told her no, I thought they were 16. Got me thinking...so I went and checked. Sure enough they WERE a size 13/14!!! I didn't even know! At the beginning of the year I wore an 18/20. Victory #3!

There it is. Three things that I am super grateful for. Small things that matter. I am working on loving my body for what it is and what it can do now instead of hating it for what it's not. This includes not letting the scale define me. Yes, I need to be within a healthy weight but as long as I'm working daily at achieving that I am okay with it taking as long as it takes.

What are some of your non-scale victories that you need to celebrate?

Self Image Struggles

I have been struggling with the time change. I feel like I am trying to hibernate! The last few evenings I have been carb loading and trying to pass-out around 7:30pm. Plus there was the stress of the Election...

I have also been struggling with body image lately. I feel stagnant in my weight loss. It is coming off more slowly as the year progresses. Which is understandable. It typically comes off faster at first as you introduce diet change and physical fitness. I keep pushing forward even after I fall down...This week I lost 4 oz. Better than a gain though.

I can remember at one point early into my weight loss journey my resting heart rate was at 94. Did you hear that??? 94!!! That's not good! Now my resting heart rate is about 64/65. So over the last 10 months I have reduced my resting heart rate 30 points. My heart is working more effectively now.

So over the last 10 months I have lost 51 lbs, lost several inches(I need to find my starting inches), a few pant sizes and lowered my resting heart rate 30 points and I still struggle to see that big of a difference. I emotionally feel like I am still 237 lbs on some days.

I am trying to focus on what my body can do rather than what it isn't. I know that I will never have my body back to the way it was before I had kiddos. I gained 90 lbs with my first pregnancy. I didn't just get stretchmarks, I got skin tears. Everywhere. Even the backs of my knees. That cute little belly ring I was once able to wear will never see the light of day again. There is loose skin and sad boobies. lol But you know what? I can walk. I have all of my limbs. I can play with my children. I am otherwise healthy (with the exception of my PCOS and anxiety disorder). My husband thinks I am beautiful.

Why do I put so much value on my outward appearance? Of course you feel better when you take care of yourself. That's not what I mean...but when I look in the mirror all I can see is my "mom tummy" and the bags under my eyes. I am getting older by the minute. I am more than that though. I know this. 

I am on a mission to love my body and to be comfortable in my own skin. I know it has to be possible. It won't matter how much weight I lose if I can't love my body as it is now I will never be happy with it.

Progress of 24 Day Challenge {Day10}

I meant to post a few days ago...then the weekend happened! We went rollerskating Friday night after work, I had a training on Saturday followed by a baby shower and then we visited with my momma for most of today for our birthday, which is tomorrow.

I completed my 10 Herbal Cleanse on Wednesday 10/12/2016. I weighed in on Thursday morning and my scale read 188.0. That's a total of  4.2 lbs from 10/3. I didn't really feel like the scale represented the true progress of the cleanse because Aunt Flo had visited me earlier in the week.

 

My typical weigh-in time is always Friday mornings. I went ahead and got on the scale Friday as well and it read 186.2!!! So I feel this is my more accurate results of the cleanse even though there was one extra day added to the total.

For those of you that don't know, I have PCOS and I typically get multiple warning signs when my visitor is coming. This time I had no clue. There were no crazy cravings, no mood swings and no cramping except a little on the first day. It was kinda awesome. I am usually always miserable a few days before and even after.

I have not taken measurements. I will save that for the end of the 24 Day Challenge that will end on 10/26/2016. I can tell you that my clothes are fitting looser...especially my pants!

Now I am on to the Max Phase and I am excited to build up my core nutrition and continuing to work towards my goals. Stay tuned for the final results!

Progress of 24 Day Challenge {Day 5}

I am super excited about my progress with the AdvoCare 24 Day Challenge!!! I started on Monday 10/3/16. I had been stuck at 192.2 throughout September. Between our move and the kiddos back in school my stress levels where crazy high and with PCOS that just makes matters worse. I am happy I was able to maintain and not actually gain during September.

However, I know that I needed to step things up if I wanted to keep progressing towards my goals. My next goal is to get to 180. See where I started here.

  

I weighed in on Friday 10/7. That's 4 full days of my 10 day cleanse phase of the challenge. I have already lost 3.6 lbs!!! I've never been on a cleanse that was this easy before! I actually get to eat real food and I am not in the bathroom 27/4. I work full time and it hasn't interfered with my job. I feel pretty amazing too. I will tell ya around day three I was a little irritable. I vented to a friend and got over it and by Thursday morning I was feeling great.

 

I feel better than I have in a long time. I eat 6-7 times a day. I count Weight Watcher points to stay on track with my calorie intake. I know all too well how quickly calories can get out of control! I do follow the Herbal Cleanse precisely with the exception that I have added an extra dosage of OmegaPlex daily.

I will post an update after my full 10 Days of the cleanse and then my weight and measurements after the 24 days! So stay tuned!  

Meal Planning: Do I really have to do that?

In my opinion, the most important part of weight loss is meal planning. This isn't just, "what are you going to cook for your family for dinner?" This is what are you going to eat everyday, all day, day in and day out. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks...

It is time consuming while you are getting the hang of it and at times I don't want to do it. This is so important to my success though and to yours too. I can get bored with food pretty easily so I really don't eat the same thing for more that 3 days in a row or through out the week.

My family...okay my children...are pretty picky when comes to dinner. I am always trying to please everyone and make it healthy. Well, healthy-ish that is. This is where portion control and willpower come in. Sometimes they go M.I.A. Ugh.

Grocery shop once a week. Typically produce lasts this long before spoiling and I find that I save the most money doing it this way. I've tried to shop for two weeks at a time and plan to go back for produce and bread in between those visits...and I always spend more money than needed. Going to the store less than once a week...ain't nobody got time for that!

Once you get in the habit of meal planning it becomes easier. Plus the simpler you make your food, the simpler the planning is. I am not a chef and do not claim to be. I do have a Pinterest board named  YUM!!! with a ton of recipes if you need ideas. (I can't promise they are all super health though!) My sisters and I also pin things we have made to my board Tested and Approved!!! I try to keep recipes to 5 ingredients or less. I also rotate meals. We have our staples that I make often like tacos, meat loaf, chicken, jambalaya and spaghetti to name a few. I use ground turkey majority of the time for it's cost effectiveness and less calories/fat.


I typically eat 5-6 times a day. I always have a drawer full of snacks at work. I also bring lots of produce. I was blessed with a love for almost all fruits and veggies. My go to items are carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, celery, grapefruit, watermelon, bananas, apples and berries. I will have pretzels with either peanut butter or cheese. Luckily no one at work eats other people's food so I can bring in a few days worth of produce and safely store it in a crisper drawer. I also keep oatmeal packets, almonds and prunes on hand. This prevents me from wondering over to the vending machine on breaks and I am able to stay on track.   

Each week I make a grocery list. I always double check my cabinets/fridge to take a quick inventory of what I already have and what we are almost out of. Then I will plan a meal for each night. I will shop for my produced based on what is in season...you can usually tell based on the price. I do 90% of my grocery shopping at Aldi. I do not go out to eat for lunches but maybe a few times a year. I am pretty frugal and I refuse to spend money when it's not necessary. We may grab fast food once a month or so, go out to eat for a special occasion, or if we are out of town. Even when we go out of town I pack healthy snacks. Otherwise, I prepare all of our meals at home. It's the only way to control what I am eating and it's cost effective as well.

My First Weight Loss Video!!!

I have been working on my first video for youtube for some time now. Honestly, it's been complete for a month or so but I was super nervous to post it. I suppose I am fearful of judgment. It's going to happen, that's a given. I'm sure I'm judged regularly by others as is.

I think that if I can make a difference and help others that struggle with their weight/health then the judgement will be worth it.

I am super excited to have posted my first video! My son helped me set up my youtube channel and make the video. He's my behind the scenes guy.  My daughter has been super supportive and encouraging through the process. She's my little cheerleader! Everyone needs a cheerleader!

Having a support system is crucial to your success. I'm very blessed to have my family and friends with me through this process.

Failing Regularly But Still Fighting

I have been exhausted this past weekend. I napped for two hours Saturday afternoon…then I made bad food choices. I did get my wellness visit off my to-do list. (I love that my Dr. is open on Saturdays!) I am being checked for the following:

• B12 Deficiency
• Basic metabolic panel
• Complete blood count
• Lipid panel
• Liver function panel
• Thyroid/Hormone
• Vitamin D Deficiency

I am eager to get the results but it could be up to a week before I hear back. My moods have been up and down like a roller-coaster…thanks PCOS…

So I was going to do a body cleanse over this past weekend but I spent most of my time having a mini pity party and lying in bed. (My kiddos were at their dad’s house) I did manage to drink a tablespoon of Epsom salt dissolved in 8 oz. of water.  Usually it works within 8-12 hours. Nope. Nothing. Finally after 48 hours it hit me. Of course I was at the grocery store! Lucky me! LOL 

I have felt all out of sorts for the past few weeks. It’s like I started this blog to keep me on track and inspire others and I am a giant mess! I know that I have to keep pressing forward. Yeah I struggled over the weekend and I am super hormonal. I did go to the doctor to see if they can shed some light on what’s going on. I also got right back to tracking in my food journal, I continually hit 10,000+ steps each day, I am eating my fruits and veggies and I am getting plenty of water in. 

So I am not totally back to square one. I just have to keep practicing to stay on track over the weekend. This seems to be my downfall. I thrive in structured, planned environments. (Until I get super bored that is). Maybe I need to structure my weekends more. 

I am still doing my affirmations and I really have increased saying them more and more the last two days. I seem to be happier. Of course this is one of my affirmations. ;) I am setting goals and moving forward. If you aim for nothing, you’ll hit it every time.    

I also signed up to be an AdvoCare distributor. I have been using their products for the past two years and I love them! I think this is something new and exciting and has breathed new life into me. As cliche as that sounds. LOL I do get bored easily.  

Why weigh yourself?

My personal experience with weighing-in used to be one of two ways; avoiding the scale at all costs because I didn’t want to “know” the truth or obsessing over it and weighing myself every few days or every other day. Both of these methods proved to be unsuccessful. 

Avoiding the scale is never good, especially if you are scared. There’s a good chance that you already know you’ve gained weight and by not stepping on that scale you are avoiding having to deal with it or take responsibility for the actions that got you there. At least this has been true with me. Admitting is the first step to recovery, right? 

Over weighing is not good either. Your body weigh fluctuates so much day to day. Factors like your hydration, whether you’ve went to the bathroom, if your Aunt Flo is about to visit and what you ate the day before can affect your weight. Weighing all the time became very discouraging and I felt like all my efforts were wasted. I would just quit trying. I figured, what’s the point? I would go back to my old ways, gain all the weight back I had lost and then some. 

I still weigh myself though. I have a set weigh-in every week. Only once a week. Never more. (Unless I am on a DietBet online and the weigh-in and weigh-out days are different). You have to know your weight if you are going to manage it. I find that Fridays tend to be the most accurate. On Friday morning I get up, go pee and step on the scale. I typically do really well during the week at work because I am on a schedule. I usually have my “cheat” meal on the weekend. This week I am down to 198!!! Super excited about that! Of course with the long holiday weekend and multiple get-togethers I am going to have to work extra hard this week to maintain it...

If you’ve been avoiding the scale…take that first step to taking back your weight and get on the scale. Then regularly weigh yourself but don’t over to do it. Talk to you next time!