Weigh Day Week 8

*written Sunday night*

I am really excited about my progress this past week and I decided to start my blog the night before my weigh. I truly think that no matter what the scales says I will continue to feel great about my week but just in case, I want to capture the passion and excitement right now, as I am feeling it.

I have no regrets at all about the last 7 days, NONE! It feels so good to say that and really mean it. I am pumped up mentally and in love with the way my life is changing.

I am done with depression. I am done with overeating. I am done with never feeling satisfied.

No more time spent wondering where my next fast food fix is gonna come from. No more feeling hopeless and helpless.

I am so over it.

Here's a quote I found in a bucket of chipboard my mommy bought me...

"Today is the tomorrow you were worried about yesterday."

I'd like to add to it...

"How many memories did you miss out on while you were worrying?"

*Back to Monday morning weigh in*

Goal: Lose baby weight + 30 lbs

Achieved so far: Baby weight is gone!

Pre-pregnancy weight: 221.0

Weight last week: 211.6

Current weight: 209.8

Weight loss/gain since last week: -1.8

TOTAL WEIGHT LOST (not including baby weight): -11.2

Back on track again! I am averaging about a pound a week weight loss and that is great.

My clothes are telling a completely different story than the scale is. I pulled 7 pairs of pants from my "Thin Bin" downstairs. One pair I couldn't really wear when I bought them back in 2003 and they fit great now! AND I wore a shirt to church yesterday that I have probably tried on 15 times in the past 2 years and it finally buttoned up comfortably!

I really picked up my running this week. I ran 150 minutes between our treadmill and the good old outdoors. I racked up over 11 miles and burned 1737 calories.

I missed two days of my resistance bands though. One day I was pouting, and Saturday we were just too busy to fit it in. I definitely need to get back into it this week. I think we are going to up it to 3 reps of 15 for each activity.

Octavio ran the Papa John's 10 miler with Peter on Saturday morning. They did amazing and finished in 01:26:10! It was really cool to be at the finish line yelling for them as they passed. Octavio heard Ori yelling "Go Daddy!" and he turned his head to try and find us. Although he couldn't see us in the crowd he was beaming!

LaVonda annihilated our time from last year and finished under 01:45:00!

Ori ran her first race Saturday morning!

Leslie and I packed the kiddos up and waited for almost two hours in the cold not only to watch the guys finish but also so that Ori and Elena could run the 50 yard dash.

I am so proud of Oriana. I was worried she would be nervous and shy with all the other people around but she was so excited to finally get to run a race just like mommy and daddy get to do. Elena ended up running the 100 yard dash and I had to take her out in the end zone so she wouldn't run into those still trying to finish the 10 mile. That child cracks me up!

The family is really rollin' on the Highway to Health!

I can't wait until Baby J can join in too!

Challenge:

Jump Rope!

If you don't have a jump rope, hold out your arms and pretend you do!

Give me one minute!

Jump!

Confessions of a Recovering Fast Food Junkie

My name is Chelle and I'm a McDonald's -aholic

That's the first step right? Admitting you have a problem.

Now, I am going to skip to Step 5 of The 12 Steps

STEP 5:

Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

Of all the fast food places out there, McDonald's seems to be the one that my former self could not get enough of. Some of my most embarrassing confessions have to do with that particular establishment. Some of them make me sick to my stomach just thinking about.

In the name of honesty, here are a couple of my worst offenses...

• I have often ordered two combo meals from the drive thru and ate them both. The only reason I would order two whole meals is so people would see two drinks and think I was ordering for myself and someone else. I probably super-sized them both too.
• I would always hide the evidence. I once hid the wrapper from a fast food restaurant in one of Ori's diapers so my husband wouldn't find it. (Funny thing, he wouldn't have cared)
• I have eaten breakfast, lunch, and dinner from McDonald's in the same day more times than I can count.
• Almost every time I had four quarters in my possession I bought a double cheeseburger.

I have sat here for a few minutes looking at those bullet points. I started about 4 or 5 times to type justifications for my behavior, to some how make my actions seem reasonable to my readers. The truth is, there is no excuse and that behavior is not normal.

I am happy to say that I am 2 months clean!

I have said many times that my goal in all this is to be able to assert self control and live a normal life while learning how to eat and behave again. I don't want to completely exclude certain foods, I want to retrain myself to be normal.

That being said, I know that I am still not ready when it comes to McD's.

Funny thing, I really don't miss it (that much).

Challenge:

Pretend your a boxer. (I should have done this one on the Neighborhood Jerk blog!)

Put both your arms up and pretend you are punching a speed bag. If you've ever tried Tae Bo, you know what I am talking about.

Weekend Challenge:

Take a moment to look at the link to this race. I think it is the one I'll be doing in MI.

Catch Your Breath 5K

Things Are Getting Much Bigger!

Man, I kicked some butt on the treadmill yesterday! It was the first time I think I actually enjoyed myself on it.

I started out running at 4.5 mph. I know to some that isn't much of a run but I have a 29 inch inseam and plus, the treadmill seems to want to shut off at around 5.5 mph! I did 20 minutes at that pace, then went to 5.2 mph for 15 minutes. I did the last 5 minutes backwards at 2 mph with the incline at 9 (FEEL THE BURN!).

I burned 501 calories! I have never really even come close to that number before! AND since the treadmill is in the computer area I got to go online and catch up on what's going on in the world of Lauren and Heidi (I know, but I really can't help it!).

I hosted playgroup yesterday morning.

*Most Wednesdays I have a few moms from church over so the kids can play and the moms can feel like they got to get out and do something. We've even been known to have a dad or two hang out once in a while :)*

I noticed while playing "Mr. Fox" with the kiddos that my pants were way, WAY too big. For a while before I was pregnant they were my "comfy jeans".

You know the pair - you kind of need a belt for them, they go great with tennies and a sweatshirt. If I ran in them without a belt and without holding them I am certain they would fall to the ground! :)

I have also had to stop wearing my rings when I am outside because I am afraid I am going to lose them. My wedding ring actually fell off my finger on Monday while I was having a tickle fight with Ori. This is the same ring that, about a year and a half ago, I couldn't wear for more than an hour or two without feeling like my finger was going to fall off because it was so tight.

My shoes feel too big.

My bras feel too big.

Even my glasses feel too big.

And I love it!

Challenge:

Measure your waist!

Some say it is a better to measure how you are doing in inches than in pounds.

If you don't need to lose any weight then measure it so that you'll be able to tell in the future if you're starting to gain! :)

I double dog dare you to post your waist measurement on here!

Mine is 44 inches...at one point I was over 50!

Picture Perfect Day with the Neighborhood Jerk

Yesterday afternoon was one of those perfect afternoons that you hope Heaven is like.

Maybe it was because it was an off running day. Maybe it was because I did my jump rope routine and some stretches first thing in the morning so the day was mine. Maybe it was Oriana perfectly tracing the big A's and little a's on her "worksheep".

The sun was shining. The birds were chirping. The wind was blowing. Ahhhh :)

I got to try out the new grill. It is the first time we've ever had a grill (thanks mom and dad!) and I was a little bit nervous. I watched Rescue 911 religiously as a kid and can remember a family getting severely burnt while the dad was trying to ignite the gas. Anyhoo...

My dinner was FANTASTIC if I do say so myself. I had a pot of leftover turkey noodle soup that needed to be eaten up so I decided to make some yummy, healthy grilled chicken breast sandwiches.

I put some of my favorite seasoning on them, Montreal Chicken seasoning from McCormick's, some of the raspberry chipotle sauce my dad left here (sorry dad!), and some spicy pepper jack cheese. I grilled up some red peppers and onions and to make it absolutely perfect, I threw the 15 grain bread on the grill to toast it a bit. Viola, my masterpiece :)

After dinner Daddy and Ori went outside to fly a kite and blow some bubbles and I got to relax with Jocie indoors.

As we all began to settle on the couch for some good ol' Wheel of Fortune I see it...

The Neighborhood Jerk walking his boxer down the road unleashed.

Why must people be so stupid?

There is another guy in our neighborhood who walks four small dogs daily - two on a leash, two not. Why?!?!? For the love of Pete, why only two dogs on a leash?

I was running one day when the guy with the small dogs actually asked me to slow down because his dog was chasing me and he couldn't keep up. I couldn't respond nicely of course. He told me that his dogs were harmless and the worst thing they would do was sniff and lick me. I told him I had as much of a right not the be sniffed and licked as I did not to be bitten.

Back to The Neighborhood Jerk ...

On Valentine's Day Octavio and I were packing the kids in the van (two weeks old and three and a half at the time) and the boxer was standing at the end of the driveway staring us down. I have seen the guy many times before but never felt comfortable talking to him. We got in the van and started driving down the road. I stopped and very nicely told the Neighborhood Jerk that I would feel much safer if he would put the dog on a leash. The conversation went something like this...

The NJ: Let me ask you this? Do you feel challenged by my dog?

Me: It really doesn't matter. There is a leash law and you must follow it.

The NJ: He's not a pit bull. He's a boxer.

Me: *wide eyed* Like that makes it better. The law is the law.

Seriously, does this guy not watch the news? It was clear to me that his response that day has been rehearsed and probably stated many times. I am sure I am not the first person to ask him to put his dog on a leash. He was so cocky about it almost as if he was walking the dog without a leash just to find someone to confront him about it.

So last night I see him walking. Again, the dog is standing at the end of the driveway.
I run and grab my camera to make a video clip.

What you can't hear in the video (because my own dumb dog is barking like crazy) is The Neighborhood Jerk saying "I've been walking my dog back here for a long time. Nothing's ever happened."

I have contacted my councilman on this matter and feel like maybe I am destined to meet my favorite TV spitfire, a one Judge Judith Sheindlin. I have watched enough of both her and Judge Milian to know that neither of them likes idiots who don't take safety seriously when it comes to animals.

The dog may be good natured and have a sweet personality. Most days I am good natured and sweet. But when I am not, watch the heck out! I shouldn't have to worry about whether or not this dog is having a bad day.

My next course of action will be to send a certified letter along with a copy of the leash law to his residence (once I figure out where he lives). I will inform him that should this irresponsible, unsafe behavior continue I will have no choice but to sue him for harassment.

Judge Judy, here I come!

I worked the heck out of my resistance bands last night while watching The Biggest Loser. I think somewhere in my mind I was pretending I was showing the NJ how to use a leash :)

Challenge:

Work out those calves!

Find a step. Stand out it with your heels hanging off the edge. Slowly go up on your tip toes and come back down. Do 20!

If you can't find a step, do it on the floor and don't let your heels touch the ground.

Don't Eat, BLANK!

Exercising and eating right are great, but I have found that the KEY to changing is taking a good, long, hard look at the ways I sabotage myself and figuring out how to CHANGE.

When I started getting honest with myself I stopped believing all the lies I was telling myself.

I have been honest from day one of this blog. Why stop now?


I eat for just about every reason under the sun...

I eat when I am happy, sad, annoyed, tired, angry, jealous, or excited.

I eat when I am nervous, relaxed, turned off, turned on, and calm.

Hell, I eat when I am full.

I definitely eat most when I am bored.

If there is nothing else to do, no one to call, no where to go, no butt to wipe, no mouth to feed, no Barbie to dress, no dress pants to hang up, then I might as well eat.

Being a bit of a perfectionist has helped me quite a bit with this "bored binging". There is always a closet to organize or a surface that needs dusting.

Nap time is hard though. Both girls asleep and I have to be quiet or else the peace is disturbed. What else is there to do but sit and snack?

A WHOLE LOT, that's what!

Before baby #2 came along I started working for a local handwriting company. They hired me to hand address envelopes, 500 a week. That kept my hands occupied, out of the fridge and out of my mouth.

Near the end of my pregnancy I had to stop doing them just because I didn't have the energy. And now I don't have the time to commit to something like that.

So what can I do with my hands?

Scrap! I could spend a day just organizing and reorganizing my scrap stuff. I don't have nearly as much time as I once did but it is something that I can stop/start/stop when I feel like. I am creating great keepsakes for future generations and staying away from crap!

Scrap not crap! Scrap not crap! Say it with me!

OK, not everyone is a scrapper :)

You need to fill in your BLANK!

Figure out when your tough time is a do something to change it!

Vending machines calling out to you while you're chillin' in the break room? Find a nice sunny spot outside to chill and get some much needed vitamin D from the s-u-n!

Have a hard time driving past a drive thru without driving through it? Stock the car with healthy alternatives! Hang a pic of yourself from "back when you were thinner" or of your "dream jeans" from your rear view mirror as a reminder of what you are trying to accomplish!

SUPER GLUE YOUR WINDOW SHUT IF YOU HAVE TO!

I guarantee you if you had to open your door and get out of your car you might think twice about going!

Ever notice that the word healthy starts with HEAL?

That is what I am trying to do, heal my body and mind back to health.


Challenge:

Chose and complete a video from www.youtube.com/sparkpeople

They have workout routines for the office, with a ball, with the bosu thingy, with resistance bands, etc. What a great way to break of the monotony!

I did the 10 minute jump rope workout this morning...WOW!

Weigh Day - Week 7

Goal: Lose baby weight + 30 lbs

Achieved so far: Baby weight is gone!

Pre-pregnancy weight: 221.0

Weight last week: 209.6

Current weight: 211.6

Weight loss/gain since last week: +2.0

TOTAL WEIGHT LOST (not including baby weight): -9.4

WOOOOPSIE! Guess I didn't behave as well as I thought I did :)

Actually, I behaved very well. I did not overindulge. I was not a glutton. I was pretty active.

My routine was shaken up a bit and I know that had a lot to do with it. I didn't really eat breakfast. I didn't sit down and eat lunch either. My dinners were pretty consistent though. I went to bed pretty late each night and although it was a good stress, there was some stress.

Also, not only did family come to visit but my old friend came to visit as well. Haven't seen her in about 10 months. I did not miss her either, but she's back in my life again. For the first time in a long time, maybe ever, I actually felt bloated (thanks a lot friend).

Funny thing, I was always bloated before so I didn't really know that it felt different to be bloated :)

I did good in the food control department. I did have some cake and ice cream to celebrate Ori's birthday, but not too much. I did not overeat and I really didn't snack either. How could you resist such a yummy looking cake?

I overcame a huge obstacle this week...CREAM CHEESE. My dad made a cream cheese dip with a fabulous raspberry chipotle sauce. Cream cheese ranks up there with cereal on my "foods I can't control myself around" list. I told myself I could have a little and I stuck to it. It was divine!

As far as exercise, I haven't actually ran since Thursday and we missed two days of the resistance band training. We got back on the wagon last night with the bands and I will get out to run today when the hubby gets home.

Although I didn't set aside time just for exercising, I was very active over the holiday.

On Friday morning the kids and I played "Aunt Shell's/Mom's Spring Olympics" which ended up being "Aunt Shell/Mom gets chased and captured, freed, chased and captured again, freed, chased and captured again, etc".

Friday night was the first annual "Boys vs Girls Kickball Classic". The girls ripped and clawed their was to an 11-8 victory. I literally ripped and clawed Octavio's shirt off :)

Instead of a hike Saturday, we ended up having a boxing tournament. My parents brought their Wii and my arms still hurt. It was great. Somehow my mom won that one...we are still trying to figure that out :) Kidding mom!

Yesterday was church, lunch, sending off the fam, and cleaning house. We got to relax in the evening and watch I am Legend. Ori got Enchanted for Easter and while downstairs watching that she managed to swallow the shoe to her mini Ariel doll. We should have an exciting day treasure hunting in the toilet.

Check this out...

Me at Easter 2006 -VS- Me at Easter 2008

Challenge:

Stretch for real!

I know I've had you bend over and touch your toes, now do a little more.

Pick three of these

*Side note* I just found out the site above, http://www.sparkpeople.com/ has streamline workout videos! That is great for those who don't want to do the same ol' same ol' but are running out of ideas. I think I am going to try the 10 minute jump rope cardio tomorrow!

Family Matters

When trying to get healthy, family totally matters.

If they are with you it sure helps to take the pain out of getting healthy.

Remember how I told you a few weeks ago that my family would be coming for Easter? It is our yearly tradition to Celebrate both Easter and Ori's birthday here in Louisville. I talked about how I was nervous and worried that old habits would return.

My cousin Kristol came to town yesterday, along with her two sons and my great-grandpa. My parents will be in later today. I love it when they are here but am always worried that we will feed off each other in the feeding department.

This year is totally different because...

...everyone is on a health kick!

My parents are working hard, Kristol is working hard, I am working hard, Octavio is, well, he's just lucky but is extremely supportive ;)

Instead of going out to eat every night or ordering pizza and snacking while sitting on our butts we have a healthy, fun packed weekend planned.

There is a kickball game tonight. A hike tomorrow morning. The cupboards are stocked full of healthy goodness and Dr. Oz would be proud of the menu.

We are still real people. There will be an Easter egg hunt for the kiddos, we are going to see Horton Hears a Who for Ori's birthday and I'm sure we'll have a cake and some ice cream but all that will be guilt free because we know we are living right!

No daily or weekend challenge today! Enjoy yourself and behave :)

It Only Takes a Spark

*Please take a moment of your time to pray for Octavio's family. His Abuelita was taken to the hospital last night. She seems pretty sick. Please pray specifically for the doctors and nurses taking care of her, for Octavio's Tia Maria who will be travelling to Colombia as soon as she can, and for Octavio. I can not imagine being so far away from someone who you love so much.*

"It only takes a spark, to get a fire going.
And soon all those around, can warm up to it it's glowing."

Anyone else remember that song? I believe it is from one of the scouts, either Girl or Boy, I'm not sure and too lazy right now to check.

I am trying to be that spark. I feel like the fire is starting to catch a little, to burn a little.

I want a raging fire. I want this blog to catch and spread.

I have a small but growing list of people who are working hard to get healthy. I am definitely not saying it is because of me. Getting healthy is a personal choice. I know first hand that no one but you can make you do it.

I'd like to make a habit of spotlighting those of you who are making an effort, that are fanning the flame of health.

A great friend of our family, and the worship leader at our church, is stepping up to the health challenge. He is a hard working family man, the husband of one and father of two.

He has lost 12 lbs so far and talks about his weight loss, among other things, on his blog. I would love you to check him out. Take a minute to listen to some of his music too.

What an encouragement to others! Check Chris out here!

Other family friends, Terri and Jay, have done really well for NINE WEEKS! They have lost a combined weight of almost 65 lbs! WOW!

Terri turned me on to a great site http://www.sparkpeople.com/

It is simple to use, has TONS of great advice, and is FREE! I get great challenge ideas from this site. Be careful though, it can be addicting!

Challenge:

See if you can do a pull up :)

I dreaded Presidential Physical Fitness tests in gym class, especially the rope climb and the pull ups. I know that you probably can't find a place in the office to do one but make it a priority to find a place today to try. Women often have weak arms and the funny thing is those muscles are some of the easiest to tone! Use this opportunity as a chance to gauge where you are in the arm strength department and figure out how to get where you want to be!

P.S. Tomorrows update will probably be short and sweet. The fam is coming today!! I'll do a quick update on whether or not I am keeping old habits at bay and that will be about it.

One Week Later...

It has been one week since I faced my postpartum issues head-on.

It has also been one week since I have had any symptoms.

No outbursts.

No crying hysterically (without reason...I am a crier).

No, as my jerk doctor put it "funny thoughts".

No manic moments.

No "I don't want to do this" days.


I think I can safely say, without crossing my fingers or knocking on wood, that the storm has passed. I feel great. I feel like a mom. I feel like I am who I want to be.

I may be wrong but I am predicting that the weight will start falling off more steadily now that the stress of "that" has been released from me.

Released from me...

I put it that way because it was not I that let go of it but God who took it from me.

I am thankful that my parents planted a seed in me fairly early on so that I would know Who to turn to, to pray to.

I am grateful for the faithful friends who prayed for me, for those who called me as soon as they read my blog, for those who offered an ear and a moment.

That was all it took really.

For weeks I held it in as "my problem" or "my private battle", but as soon as I put it out there, the forces of God came together, both mortal and immortal, to fight on my behalf.

And we won.

Challenge:

Pray.

Everyone has something that they are struggling with.

Stress = pounds

God = peace

Peace = the ability to focus on your health

"...How gracious He will be when you cry for help! As soon as He hears, He will answer you." - Isaiah 30:19

"This is the assurance we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His Will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we asked of Him." - 1 John 5:14, 15

PS If you want to fan the flame, feel free to link my blog to your site or email the link to friends you think might get something from it!

Weight Ain't Nothin' But a Number

First off, thanks to those of your who posted comments yesterday. I really enjoy hearing what you all have to say and I love it when I get useful tips and info from friends (thanks for the great recipe site Ang!)

Let's talk numbers...

Lots of people have a hard time seeing their actual weight in numbers. I am not even talking about telling other people your weight, just seeing the number in private, all alone.

Why is that?

If we don't know our actual weight does it mean that we don't weigh that much?

Or how about going up a size?

If we don't buy the next size up does that mean we haven't gained any weight?

We really need to embrace these numbers. Not only do then let you know when you are slacking but that also allow you to see clearly when you have made progress!

Here are some of my numbers -

First, going back to yesterday, let's talk a bit about the Real Age Test, more specifically, MY Real Age Test :)

I decided to first take the test based on how I was living my life before I made my first lifestyle changes, about 2.5 years ago. My actual age in numbers at that time was about 24 years old. Based on my lifestyle back then my real age was 33.6!

My body was almost 10 years older than it should have been! No wonder I was moving slower!

I then took the test based on how I am living today. My real age is currently...

*drum roll*

24.1!

So, to confusingly put it, my body is over two years younger than my actual age and is 10 years younger than it was two years ago!

The cool thing about the Real Age Test is that after you take it they give you a list of things that are making your older and what you can do to change those things. I love the fact that when you click on that list it asks you, "Are you feeling overwhelmed?" It then gives you the option to see your list in a more condensed version so that you can relax a little.

They also do a great job of listing the things you are doing right so that you can give yourself a pat on the back!

I definitely still have lots of things I could change based on my list. The next thing I am going to work on is how in the world I can incorporate fish into my diet.

Another thing I did yesterday was calculate my BMI. At my heaviest, my BMI was 46.3 which is outrageously crazy and considered severely obese. Now, my BMI is 35.9. Not only have I taken 10 years off my Real Age, I have also taken 10 points off of my BMI. I am still considered obese but hell, I'm not done yet!

I am not ashamed of my numbers...

I am a 26 year old, 209 pound, size 14/16, 5'4" female with a BMI of 35.9 and a Real Age of 24.1!

And because I have always known my numbers, when someone's jaw drops at my weight or BMI I can just tell them they should have known me when I was a...

24 year old, 270 pound, size 22/24, 5'4" female with a BMI of 46.3 and a Real Age of 33.6!

So put that in your judgemental pipe and smoke it!

Lastly, and more important than all my thoughts above, congratulations to MY MAMA for losing weight for the second week in a row at her works Biggest Loser contest! She lost a half a pound this week (something like 9 last week!!)

Also, congratulations to my cousin Kristol for losing 2.2 pounds at her TOPS weigh in this week!

These numbers may seem small to some but .5 lbs a week equals 26 lbs a year and it seems like the slower you lose it the easier it is to keep it off :)

It really is much easier and much more fun to do something with a partner or group!

Challenge:

Embrace your numbers!

If you haven't already, take the Real Age Test

Calculate your BMI

What exactly is BMI? Check here

Weigh Day - Week 6

Goal: Lose baby weight + 30 lbs

Achieved so far: Baby weight is gone!

Pre-pregnancy weight: 221.0

Weight last week: 212.8

Current weight: 209.6

Weight loss/gain since last week: -3.2

TOTAL WEIGHT LOST (not including baby weight): -11.4



Go me! OK, so I have had a viral infection that has been wreaking havoc on my intestines for the last 24 hours but still!

I have to admit, I was a little bit nervous. Despite my queasy stomach I was extremely hungry all day yesterday. I couldn't stop eating. I am sure this goes back to the whole "food fixes everything" syndrome I have. I am probably the only person who could have the flu and gain weight...

I was supposed to go out to dinner with a girlfriend on Friday night. She called at 5 p.m. and said she was going to have to stay at work for an extra two hours. I told her to just call when she was ready, that I didn't really care what time we went, I was just happy to go.

At 6:50 ish Ori comes to me and says that horrible phrase -

"Mommy, I don't feel so good."

Of course, we all know what follows that phrase...vomit, and lots of it.

It was a good thing my friend has to postpone our dinner for a few hours. Octavio is a great man, but there is a kind of patience that is required while dealing with a vomiting child.

I had to cancel my dinner with my friend but we'll reschedule. We were also supposed to go to dinner at a friend's on Saturday but had to cancel that as well.

Thankfully it was only a 24 hour thing for Ori. It seems to be lingering a bit longer with both Octavio and I.

I felt really guilty about sitting on the couch all day Saturday and Sunday. I stayed up all Friday night with Ori. We slept in the living room and I was just exhausted on Saturday. About noon is when the rest of the symptoms starting coming.

I felt like I had to either poop or puke and yet I was still trying to decide whether I would be able to to my resistance bands without leaking from one end or the other. I felt even worse yesterday but still contemplated going out for a run, hoping the fresh air would help. Needless to say I didn't do my routine either day. I'm alright though. As Kellie says, "You can't plan poop."

And might I add, "You can't plan anything else either."

Octavio ran the 10K this weekend. I am so proud of him! This was his first race and he did it in just over 47 minutes. Leslie finished right around 01:10:00.00!

HUGE KUDOS to LaVonda for finishing it in 59:59!! WOWZA!

Challenge:

Calculate your Real Age !

More on this tomorrow...

Did anybody take the weekend challenge? I would love to hear about some new, healthy recipes!

Is Medium Extra Large?

Does anyone out there watch Medium?
Stay with me folks! This question has some relevance!
(although I can tell already that this one's going to be all over the place!)

Have you ever noticed how they rarely show Ms. Arquette below the boobs? And if they do show a full body shot, she's usually in a dark room, and she's always wearing black!

It's like it is OK that her boobs are big but if her hips are wide then they must be hidden!

Not only is television plastered with anorexic celebs (my dog Daryl has left more meat on a scrap bone than some of these girls have on their bodies!) but they are hiding the women that do have the curves.

And if they aren't hiding them, they are talking about how fat they are and how proud they must be that they have made it even though they are fat.

GRRR!

And even though I am addicted to The Biggest Loser, I can't help but cringe everytime one of the girls starts crying because she "only lost 6 lbs this week".

It has taken me 4 weeks to lose 8 lbs and you're crying because you lost a measily 6 lbs in 7 days???

Speaking of me *wink*...

I am finally to the point where I can say "back when I was fat" and not immediately add "well, fatter than I am now". I don't feel fat. I have problem areas, but thin women do too! So what?

I got to run around outside with Oriana yesterday and it felt wonderful. Daddy was on the porch feeding the baby and Ori and I were just going crazy.

I have been feeling the power of prayer all the way from my brain to my bones. My mood has lightened and my energy seems to have returned. I am able to think much more clearly and my mad organizational skills are finally returning. Baby and I are really starting to hit it off too. There is a connection between us. I am not sure if it has recently sparked or if my clouded frame of mind wasn't allowing me to see it. Either way, I am head over heels in love with this girl. I am pretty sure I am burning tons of calories just trying to make her smile.

As a quick side note...

Why don't more women talk more about their feelings after having a baby. I talked to so many friends this week who said they had the exact same feelings when their baby was born, but they either felt guilty about their feelings or didn't want to bother anyone. I, for one, might have not had such a hard time if I had known a little sooner that I wasn't alone!!

Challenge:

Calm yourself! Take a moment to clear your mind. Close your eyes and inhale. When you exhale, feel all the stress leave with your breath. Got a lot of stress? Do it again :)

*Weekend Challenge* Find a new, healthy recipe and make it this weekend. Share your results with me!

Grace and a Race

I am on a roll to get rid of these rolls and it really feels good!

I ran my route yesterday, not the extended version, just the main route which is 2.8 miles long. I walk the first .3 miles and then run the last 2.5.

When I did the route on Monday I finished in 35:11. Yesterday I did it in 32:26! I am getting back on track! The sun was shining in my face, I was sweating like a pig and I felt S-E-X-Y! It is amazing what a half hour sweating can do to a persons mood and self confidence.

Alrighty...

Remember how I was telling you about my friend, the social worker? The one who pulled me from the pits on Tuesday with a simple phone call? She said something to me that really has stuck with me for two days now and it has made a huge impact on my thinking.

She told me to give myself a little grace.

Among the many definition of the word found in Webster's, one really stuck out...

"a temporary exemption : reprieve"

I then followed the link to "reprieve"...

"to give relief or deliverance to for a time"

I don't have to forever take it easy but I do need to "for a time"...

Why is it that I can show grace to my idiot doctor, or to the guy who blew his horn at me even though the light was red and traffic was coming, or the guy who walks his boxer through our neighborhood without a leash (totally doing a blog on this soon!!) but I don't show myself any grace when I need a break?

I am doing the best damn job I can do and that should be good enough for me. It is good enough for Octavio, good enough for the girls, good enough for my family, good enough for my friends, but why hasn't that been good enough for me?

My husband thinks I am the cat's meow (purrrrrr). My daughter thinks I am the best (although I am sure that will change in about 9 years).

My skin may be starting to sag from the weight loss but I really think I am finally on the road to becoming comfy in it.

I don't think I have enough money in the bank to pay my dear friend for turning me on to this new insight.

*to other news*

I am working on planning a trip to MI this summer to run a race. I would like to extend the invitation to any of my MI readers who may be interested. I am thinking it will happen in the middle of July. More to come on that soon but in the meantime give me a shout either on here or on MySpace letting me know. You don't have to be a runner...it will just be a 5K so it can absolutely be walked and then I'd like to organize a nice luncheon afterward.

Why wouldn't you want to come??? I'm the cat's meow, you know? :)

Challenge:

Crunch time baby!

20 crunches! Right now! What? I don't care if you wore a skirt to work! Stop whining and do it!

Welcome to the Highway to Health!

Welcome to my new place y'all!

First off, thanks to my BFF Kellie for getting it in order for me!

I know most of you have been following me for the last 5ish weeks but for those of you who may be new to the scene here's a little recap...

I blog every week day. I weigh myself in every Monday morning. I post my actual weight in numbers no matter what the results are. I have lost, gained, maintained, and lost again.

Here's where I'm at right now...


Goal: Lose baby weight + 30 lbs

Achieved so far: Baby weight is gone!

Pre-pregnancy weight: 221.0

Current weight: 212.8

TOTAL WEIGHT LOST (not including baby weight): -8.2

I am keeping this blog to help me...

• Keep myself on track
  
• Keep myself honest


• Provide a healthy home with healthy habits for my girls


• Inspire the people I care about to get or stay healthy

So far, on my old blog I have typed candidly about a lot of different things these last five weeks including food, wanting to exercise, not wanting to exercise, food, cereal addiction, postpartum depression, food, gluttony, vanity, encouragement, food, support, stress, sex, sleep, temptation, and food.

The support and encouragement I have received since I started this journey have been absolutely wonderful. I hope that moving my blog's home will not change that!

You don't have to have a blogger account here in order to leave me comments, you can leave them anonymously, just don't forget to sign your name so I know who you are!

Now that the recap/update is over, let's get back to bidness...


Yesterday started off as a bad day emotionally but ended up being a great day overall.

When I met with my doctor she didn't seem to hear my concerns. There are a couple of doctors at this practice that are absolutely wonderful but the one who was on call when Jocelynn was born is not very compassionate and somewhat of a man-hater. At first she dismissed my concerns, then when I thought I finally got my points across, she made me feel worse about myself than when I got there.

When I left I was an emotional wreck and we all know I am among many other types of eaters, an emotional eater. Thankfully I seem to have disengaged the device that used to automatically drive me to McD's when I am in a mood...


*side story alert*


While talking to my friend yesterday I realized and stated that workers at my local drive thru probably wouldn't recognize me on a good day. Usually, when I am going through a drive through it's because I am either sad, upset, frustrated, or tired. On my "good days" I don't need or want the crap!


*back to topic*


Thankfully I have a great new friend who just so happens to have gone through much of what I am going through right now as far as the postpartum baby stuff goes. She also happens to be a licensed clinical social worker :) She was truly a Godsend yesterday. She listened and really showed the concern for me that I was hoping my doctor would. Why in the world I would expect someone who doesn't truly know me to be kind and loving, I'm not sure.


Yesterday was just a day for realizations I guess...


Another thing I realized was that I wasn't making my exercise time about me. I had gotten quite a few emails from friends while I was pregnant saying "so and so has a jogging stroller for sale". I always thanked the friend or family member who sent the email and then thought "Yeah right! Exercise is going to be MY time for ME! I ain't takin' no babies!"

But what have I been doing these last few weeks? Trying to hurry up and get my exercise out of the way with a baby crying in her bouncy seat because she can't pick her pacifier up and put it back in her own mouth (although she has already mastered spitting it farther than last years top ranked seed spitter) and a three and a half year old who must have IBS that only flares up when mommy is on the treadmill.

I haven't been making it about me. That is why Monday's run felt so good and probably why Monday was a relatively good day overall. I waited until Octavio got home and I ran away from the house! I have gotten out with friends a few times to run and those runs were great too but they were too few and too far between! I am allowed to be selfish in this area and I am going to be.

Challenge:
(For the newbies - I post a challenge every day for you to try. It could be something physical, or a lifestyle change, or a commitment.)

Get Ur Freak On!

Have a little dance party! Find a good tune and boogie down!

Get your kids to expel some energy before nap time or wake yourself up from your boring desk job by shaking your booty.

Need some inspiration? Check this out (thanks Heather!) Cupid Shuffle

Search Results