Two Days in A Row

Today is day two of me not getting some cardio in.  I think this is the first time since I started this life change, that I have gone two days without exercising, and I will go three before this weekend is over. 

Richard went to the store last  night and got us some fruit and greek yogurt to have for breakfast.  It was perfect, something that I know is good for me and that I enjoy eating. 

We didn't even have time in between races to get something to eat, I just grabbed some sandwiches from the Deli at Smith's to eat at the crit. 

Dinner was at at place called the Black Bear Restaurant.  I had breakfast for dinner, and only ate part of it.  I almost wish we had gone back to our hotel room and just had the leftovers from Olive Garden last night.  I was tired and didn't really feel like being with a group of people.  Things at the race were a little stressful, so would have enjoy just relaxing.

The FIRST TEST

This is my first real test.  Richard and I are working a bike race this weekend in St George.  We left about 1:00 this afternoon.  It will be a weekend of lots of officiating, and no exercising.  It will be a weekend of eating out and trying to eat healty. 

We started the day eating breakfast at IHOP, Rachael and I shared a breakast.  Richard made us turkey sandwiches to eat on the raod.  For dinner, we ate at Olive Garden.  I had a couple of big bowls of salad and only 1 bread stick.  Then packed up half of my dinner to eat tomorrow.  I felt like I got plenty to eat, and didn't over do.  It wasn't even too hard to only have 1 breadstick. 

Off to bed now it is going to be an early morning, and a long day.

A Hard Hour

The trainers said we were to do a HARD hour of Cardio today.  So I spent an hour on the elipitical, kicking the intensity up a notch.  I was hot, tired, and sweaty when I was done.  But it felt GREAT.  I am finding that I am truly enjoying the time I spend at the fitness center.  It is fun to get involved in the book I am listening to on the ipod, or the movie I am watching on the ipad, while exercising away. The time just seemd to fly by.  I guess that is part of the making a life style change, enjoying the exercise, that is making me healthy.

Walking at Lunchtime

This morning, I got in 23 minutes on the elipitical before meeting my trainer and the team in the stretching room.  We has four different things we were doing in there.  First sit on an exercise ball, roll back a bit and using a weighted bar doing a rowing motion for 15 counts to each side.  Then pick up two 8 pound weights, hold them at shoulder level and do a fast walk around the track, return the weights, then jog one lap of the track.  Back in to the stretching room to do planks, hold your self up with one hand, and with the other stack some light weights, then trade hands, do this six times, then back to carrying the weights around the track, and a one lap jog.  Next we do some steps up and again the weights around the track and a jog.  Last laid on the floor, putting our feet on an exercise ball and lifted our butt up off the floor, then another lap with the weights and a lap jogging.  We repeated this 3 times.  My shoulders are very sore tonight.  What is that quote. . . .That which doesn't kill us, strengthen's us.  Or something like that, you get the picture.  Some days, it is really hard to do the things the trainers have planned for us, but deep down inside I know that it is helping me to get healthier and lose the weight.  Some days I complain about it (today was not one of those days), but I don't want to complain about the hurt in my knees, or feet any more because of being overweight. 

I noticed today that my legs are feeling better, they don't hurt as much as they used to, my feet seem better as well.  I am almost 1/3 of the way to my goal.  I will do this!!


Today at lunch time I went for a walk.  I like that I have a pedometer on my iphone, so I started it and went for a walk.  53 minutes, just a casual walk, nothing to work up a sweat, but every thing extra that I do counts. 

TV - THE BIGGEST LOSER

I like to watch THE BIGGEST LOSER on TV every week.  I can totally relate to the contestants some times.  Exercise can be no fun, dieting means food is boring.  It is hard to lose weight.  I don't like the way I look, I can't do the same things as others who are skinny.    But, I watch these people overcome some of these challenges, I watch them grow as a person, lose weight and find them self.  I am doing that myself, I am growing as a person, I am coming to terms with me.  I am a person of self worth, no matter what I weigh.  I am ME and I am going to be happy as ME!

On BIGGEST LOSER, the contestants celebrate as they hit the HUNDRED mark, and I am almost there.  Being under 200 pounds, is almost here.  I have to keep at what I am doing, enjoying the time on the ellipitical, pushing my self on the treadmill.  Keep lifting those weights, and doing those stairs.  I am so close, once I get under 200 pounds I am going to try on a pair of pants that are a size smaller than I have been wearing. 

Once I am under 200 pounds, I can say that I am a third of the way to my goal.  I CAN DO THIS!!!

At the fitness center this morning, I didn't know if the trainers were going to come, so I headed down to the weight room.  My plan was to do weights for about 30 minutes, then head up to the cardio room and get on a treadmill or elipitical.  But, Becky, showed up and man did she give us a workout. We worked out arms until they were dying, then we worked our legs until we were dying.  So far I am not feeling sore, but am worried about how I will feel in the morning. 

The weather today was cold, and rainy, snowy, and hail at times, so I didn't go for a walk at lunch.  I did go back to the fitness center this evening.  40 minutes on the elipitical, plus the 90 minutes this morning, means I had a GREAT day of exercise.

Sunday walks

My trainer wanted us to get 90 minutes of hard exercise yesterday.  That was not going to happen with my bike race yesterday, so I got up this morning and headed to the High School for a walk.  I did an hour of walking around the track, listening to the HUNGER GAMES on the ipod.  Richard came over for a few minutes with the dogs.  When he was ready to go gome, Chloe didn't want to go, so she stayed with me walking around the track.  It was a good time.

We went to see the HUNGER GAMES this afternoon.  Good movie.

I went for another walk after the movie, up the Temple Hill, down 900 East, and worked my way back to home.  I had to do a little extra walking around the school so that I could get in 3.1 miles. 

I did two hours of walking today.  It wasn't the hard 90 minutes the trainer wanted for yesterday, but it was something I could do for the day.  I felt GREAT doing it!



A Bike Race

One of the things I will really need to work on is planning ahead when it comes to a bike race.  I need to make sure that I have food that will be good for me.  Stuff ready for me to eat so that I am not putting anything and everything in my mouth.  I did pretty good today.  I took some yogurt, bannana, and fruit with me for breakfast.  I knew they would have subway type sandwiches there for us.  So when it came time for lunch, I ate my sandwich with only half the bread. 

I have to make sure that I eat right on Officiating days because I will not be getting quality exercise those days.  But that is all part of the life style change.  Eat right, exercise, take care of my health!



Sometimes it get so frustrating, to have the weight go up and down and up and down, why can't it just keep going down.  I know some people think you shouldn't weigh your self every day, but evn if it gets frustratin, it gives me motivation.  I have to keep at it, I didn't put all this weight on overnight and it will not come off overnight.  It needs to be a day after day process and it will happen.  The weight will come off!



A Wrestling Match

I know that I need to be doing more on the weights, so this morning, I went to the fitness center and did some weights.  Thirty minutes in the weight room, then up to the cardio room for 30 minutes on the elipitical.  I only worked half of the day today, and then went back to the fitness center and did 30 more minutes.  Some days I enjoy sweating on the treadmill or elipitical, going for a walk around the neighborhood, or at the track.  I guess this is what a life style change means, finding that doing some exercises is fun, something I can do for the rest of my life. 

I will get my life back, my health will be better.  I will lose the weight!

As soon as Rachael was done with school we headed to Farmington to watch my nephew Jordan, wrestle.  I have not been to a wrestling match since I was in high school.  Jordon pinned his opponent in the second round.  Then my true test came, going out to eat with my family afterwards.  We went to Chuck-A-Rama.  Not only was I going out to eat, but a buffett as well.  I had a good big salad to start with so then I didn't have room for lots of not so good stuff for me.  It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

Wishing it was easier . . . .

I wish the weight would just come off as easy as it went on.  You don't realize how much weight you have gained until one day, you say to yourself, my pants are a little tight.  But why don't we realize that we need to do something about the weight, instead we just eat a little more and buy a pair of bigger pants.  BUT . . .this time I have heard the wake up call, and I am doing something about it.  A trip to the fitness center this morning for a weight workout with the team and the trainers.  Then I went for a walk at lunch time.  I need to go for a walk at lunch more often, the weather has been beautiful, and it would be like getting some extra exercise, instead of just doing nothing.  Today I walked by Annie's house.  She is on my team.  I put an APP on my iphone that tells me how far I have walked,  that will help me know how many calories I am burning. 

So here is to more walks at lunchtime!

The date is SET!

Off to theFitness Center this morning, 30 minutes in the weight room, and 30 minutes on the ellipitical.  After work, back to the High School track for a jog and walk thing.  I really need to get going on the jogging thing.  The date has been set for our 5k.   April 5 at 5:55pm - I have just over two weeks to get ready for it. 

So lets get it going.  Losing weight and running a 5k - I am going to make it happen!!!!

BRRRRRR

I woke up this morning to snow on the ground.  Cold and snowy.  Spring is here this week and we have 3 inches of snow on the ground.  Last Friday when our team left the gym, we planned to do weights again this morning.  But to our surprise when I headed to the weight room, what did I find, Becky and Jason there to put the hurt on.  Biceps and Triceps sitting on an exercise ball, works the core, while I balance on the ball.  Doing the stais today while holding weights, really worked me.  I was beat when we finished.

The van has had a water/antifreeze leak and when I parked it in the driveway, it was really coming out.  So instead of making a second trip to the Fitness Center, I headed over to the track at the High School.  I walked to the track then I would jog and walk for a couple of laps, then walk one complete lap, then repeat.  I did that for an hour, I felt good to do some jogging again.  I had stopped for a while, after my shins hurt for a couple of days. 

UP - DOWN - UP - DOWN - UP - DOWN

This has been a week of up's and down's on my weight loss journey.  I would lose 1/2 pound, then gain 1/2 pound, then loss a 1/2 pound, then gain a 1/2 pound.  So I have to come up with a new plan to get off of the plateau.  I need to get back to doing two workouts every day.  This past week I haven't done that as much.  I need to get back to working on the jogging, to prepare for a 5k.  I need to kick it all up a notch and get back on the downward slide.

LET"S MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!!!!!

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Happy St Patrick's Day.  Today was a challenge for me.  I officiated my first bike race of the season.  The University of Utah Collegiate team hosted an event, and I helped at the Team Time Trial this morning.  The fitness center doesn't open until 7:00 on Saturday's, so I couldn't get a work out in before leaving for the bike race.  While at the race, I did try to keep moving, which wasn't hard, because the wind was blowing and it was cold, so I had to keep moving to stay warm.  I zipped home after the race to get ready for a Winter Guard competition, again with no time for a work out.  I did take the time to plan my breakfast and lunch to make sure that  I was eating good.  But I did go to the competition with no plan for dinner.  I did ok - a few chips and salsa with the band dad's, then a Jamba Juice smoothie.

Doing it as a TEAM

No trainers and we all still meet together and did a workout in the weight room.  I need to do begtter with the weights.  As I get more muscle, it will burn more calories.  Plus more muscle means less fat, and tighter looks body. 

The CAUCUS

Two trips to the fitness center today.  Two 45 minute workouts on the ellipitical.  Then it was time to be political.  I attended my first caucus meeting tonight.  I wasn't very impressed.  It started late, they put two groups in the same room, so it was hard to hear, I finally gave up and come home.  Maybe next year, when it isn't a presidental election year, it will be better.

Trainer PAIN

We have a couple of great trainers helping our team to lose weight.  Becky really likes to "KICK OUT BUTTS" on trainer days.  And she did it today.  She plans these workouts that use hand weights, weighted balls, the exercise balls, and the dreaded STAIRS.   Then do it all again. 

Thanks, Becky, for making us work. 

Kick it UP!

14 pounds down!

I enjoy working out on the elipitical.  I have two machines that I like the best.  I like the ones that have arm things that move as well.  One of the mcahines I like the best, works great when I take the IPAD to watch a video while I work out.

Rachael now has me hooked on a tv show called Pretty Little Liars.  It comes on Monday nights at 9:00.  I usually go to bed then, so that I can get up to go to the fitness center at 5:00 am.  So I downloaded the show to the IPAD and watch it while i work out.  One day while I was watching it, I was startled and even screamed there.  It was funny.

The time sure goes by fast when I have my mind on something else.  The machines all let you program them with your weight, what kind of workout you want to do, how long you want to go, and how hard you want it to go.  Today I did a harder program.  It was GREAT!  I needed that reminder that I need to push myself, I can go harder, I can


KICK IT UP!!!!

Back at IT!!

The weekend has come and gone and I took a day competely off and what did I find when I got on the scale this morning.  I lost weight over the weekend!!  If I eat good, it does make a difference.

Back to the fitness center this morning.  Becky, the trainer, was there this morning and helped us with a workout.  A couple people from the team didn't come this morning, they were missed.  My knees were hurting when doing lunges today, so I did a different exercise when the group did lunges.  I know that part of the reason that they are hurting is my weight, so I am glad that I am doing something about it.  Losing weight will be good for my knees, my feet, my heart, my health, my self esteem.  I will be a healthier person as I lose the weight and get into shape!

Here's to the new me! Gettting HEALTHY!



A Day OFF

Today I took the day off, I have not taken a day off from doing some sort of exercise in about three weeks.  I wanted a break or maybe it was that I just didn't feel good after church, maybe that has something to do with a late night after a Winter Guard competition or that it was "Spring forward" day and we lost an hour of sleep last night.  I even took a nap this afternoon. 

I didn't take my picture standing on the scale, I didn't go for a walk.

I will be back at it tomorrow. 

Lots Going On.

I know that there are people out there who say you should not weigh yourself every day.  But for me it is working.  I like that I can stay on top of thie weight loss/life changing thing going on.  It is a daily reminder for me to eat good, to exercise.  I know that this will be a life long process.  I don't want to see my self where I was 6 weeks ago.  Keeping my weight at a healthy level will always be something that I will need to be aware of.  If stepping on the scale every morning helps me, than I say go for it!  If it doesn't work for you, that is ok, find something else to keep you on track.

Right now I enjoy stepping on the scale and seeing the numbers go lower on a regular basis.

Today was one of those days that I had lots going on.  I got to the gym first thing in the morning, only to find it still closed.  The employee who was to be there to unlock the building must have slept in.  That really cut in to my gym time this morning.   I really only had that first hour to be at the gym, but by the time the door got unlocked and we all got in I only got 30 minutes on the elipitical before I had to head out. 

Camp meetings with Rachael, shopping and errands to get done, lunch to get made, and off to this week Winter Guard competition at West High School.  I planned ahead and made me a good salad to take for dinner.

I learned something tonight at the competition.  I know that there will always be a time that I want to eat a treat.  I looked at a fun bakery for a treat, and they didn't really have anything that I wanted, I looked at a fun little deli for something, nothing jumped out at me there either.  At the competition they had funnel cakes, I decided to have a funnel cake, man was I disappointed.  When I want a treat I really need to make sure it is something that will hit the spot, something small and tasty.  The funnel cake was just okay, nothing to be excited about.  I should have known better, for one it wasn't chocolate, deep down in side I know that my treats should always consist of chocolate.  I will choose better next time.

Today on facebook, a friend who has been dieting, hit her weight loss goal.  She is looking so good.  I am going to look at her often and remind myself that I can do it as well.  By the end of the year I too will be saying I have hit my weight loss goal.

I CAN SUCCEED!

On Our Own

For the past couple of week we have met with our trainers on Monday - Wednesday - Friday.  Today was our first Friday on our own.  Our Monday workout was in the weight room and I wrote down a list of the machines we used so we could do our own routine of the same machines.  I put it all together on a spreadsheet and gave it to everyone on the team.  Telling them that this is what I was going to use to keep track of what needed to be done.  So we all gathered together this morning in the weight room with our little papers and worked on the weights.  It was great for me, to be able to go at my pace, doing things in a way that made seanse for me.  I got a good workout in and had fun with the group.  We took a picture of all us down there and sent to Becky to show her that we were all there doing what we were supposed to.

So this is us XTREME FUSION.

Eric and his wife Jessica, then me on the front row.

Ann, Annie, and Jamie on the back

This is what Annie did to the photo and emailed to our trainers Becky and Jason



 

 

I thought it was pretty funny!

 

 

Well here it is Friday night again.  My weight this morning - 206.0.  So once again, I need to do good on the weekend and not go up.  It is so hard on the weekend, I want to eat out and have desserts, but I know that there is a time and place for everything.  Right now is not the time to indulge, I will do good and know that I can lose weight if I keep at it each and every day.  Moderation in all things!

 

Z - Z- Z - Z - ZUMBA

This morning I tried the jog/walk thing again and it is still hurting my shins, so I guess that I will take a few days off of that and just use the ellipitical machine or maybe take in a couple of the other classes that are available.

Rachael and I went to the fitness center this evening and did a ZUMBA class.  They are hard work.  I am not a dancer type person so by the time I have the move figured out, they have moved to the next one.  It gets a little frustrating, but I figure as long as I keep moving it is okay.  There are a couple of other women in the class that we know so that made it fun.  One of the women that we know asked the instructor to make it a hard class, and it was, ever Rachael was worn out after the hour. 

As we left the class I saw my friend Barbara, she was on my Biggest Loser team a couple of years ago.  She is doing it again and with the same trainer that we had then.  While I was talking to her, Becky, my trainer showed up.  You just never know when she will appear, to catch you doing what you are supposed to be doing.  She told me that a Jamie and Ann from our team were both in the cardio room so I went in and said Hello to them as well.  It is good to see that the others are working hard and achieving their goals as well.

Today's picture - another 1/2 pound down!!

TORTURE LAPS

Probably my least favorite thing we do when we work together as a team is WORK HORSE around the track.  The trainer puts a rubber elastic stretch band around our waist, they hold on to the two ends and pull as we attempt to run the straight sides of the track.  My legs feel like rubber after about 10 steps.  We do it twice.  My legs are burning, I am out of breath and they just keep encouraging us to keep going, you are almost there, you can walk at the curved part of the track.  I found myself counting steps as I did it today.  60 steps for the straight side, 10 steps on the curve side, 60 more steps of torture, 10 steps trying to catch your breath, and it starts all over again.  I am sure that is doing me some good, but it is one exercise that I know will never get easier, the trainer will always be able to pull and make it HARD WORK.

It sure feels good to get on the scale in the morning and see that it has dropped again.   It will be a long process, but one day at a time I will work my way down to a healthy weight.

IT IS OFFICIAL!!!!!

I am now going to call it OFFICIAL.  I have lost 10 pounds! I didn't want to call official until I had been below 209 for a few days,  I have been below 209 since last Friday, so it is now "In the books" .  I have reached my first goal - 10 pounds.

The scale this morning shows 208, that makes it down 11 pounds.  Now I am heading to the 199 mark, get below 200 pounds.  My treat then will be to pull out the pants that are a size smaller than I am wearing now and see how they fit.  I know my current pants are fittiing better, so things are going in the right direction.

I did not go to the fitness center this morning.  Rachael had to take the ACT test today and I wanted to make sure she had a good breakfast before school today.  I headed to the fitness center after work and did 60 minutes on the elliptical trainer.

The FIRST10 POUNDS are GONE!  Never to see them again!

Here's to the next 10 going away soon.

I SURVIVED!!

I survived the weekend.  I hit Friday at 208.5 and here it is Monday and I am at 208.5.  I did not gain weight over the weekend.  That makes me so happy!!!

I worked out with my XTREME FUSION team this morning, we got a list of weight machines to work on, when we come by ourselves.  I know that I need to spend more time in the weight room, as I gain muscle, I will lose more weight.  Plus I will look better. 

I had planned to jog when I went back to the fitness center after work today, but my legs felt sore and tired, so I just walked on the treadmill.  I walked at 3.5 mph or higher for 60 minutes. 

OF MY GOSH!!

TWO POUNDS DOWN SINCE YESTERDAY!!  It pays to eat good, good things happen when I do what I know that I should.

We have late church, so I went for a casual walk around the track at the High School this morning.  It felt good to just enjoy the walk, not feel like I have to achieve something.  Today was like an extra workout, Just a freebie!

Today we went to my parents for dinner to celebrate my Dad's birthday.  I tried to take some servings of things, so that I wouldn't feel bad about having cake and ice cream. 

Losing weight and KEEPING IT OFF is a life long endeavor.  I wtill have to live my life, I will still be invited to dinner, birthday parties, celebrations.  I need to know how to eat in all situations, and know that I can still enjoy food, in moderation. 

A BUSY DAY

Knowing it was going to be a LONG day, I got to the Fitness Center first thing this morning.  I jogged and ran on the treadmill and had a new fastest time for the 5k.  45:22, I know that is a 15 minute mile  and I should be able to walk it that fast, but I am REALLY happy with that time.  It was just over a week ago, that I walked and timed a 5k, and it took me 62 minutes.  I will continue to work at it, and bring that time down. 

I took my homemade yogurt parfait for lunch over to the school and made a salad to eat for dinner.  I was glad that I took my own stuff and did not eat the stuff they had in the concession stand. 

I was really glad that I had eaten good, when I got a text message from Becky, my trainer  "I can see you"  "You are sitting on the front row".  You never know when someone else will be watching you.  Becky is the Young Women leader for a couple of girls on the guard with Rachael, and she came to watch them.  It was good to see her, and know that I didn't have to feel guilty about what I had eaten for the day.

NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS SKINNY FEELS - I am getting there!

The Weekend is Here

What does that scale say?  208.5, that means over 10 pounds.  Here it is Friday, and my weekends have not been very good, I WILL DO BETTER THIS WEEKEND!!!!  I am going to eat good.  Rachael has a Winter Guard Competition, it is at her school.  That means I will spend most of tomorrow helping at the school.  I have to plan ahead and take my own food, so that I am not eating the stuff they will be selling at the concession stand.  I do not want to gain back what I have lost this week over the weekend.  I can do this!!!

I CAN DO IT!!!!!

THE FIRST 10 pounds!!!!!   I had my first at home weigh in as I began this journey on January 9th, I weighed 219 that day.  Today when I got on the scale I did the HAPPY dance,  10 pounds are gone.  It took my 7 weeks.  Hopefully now that I am keeping track of what I eat, and as I continue to work out, the pounds will contine to melt away.  I had hoped to lose 2 pounds a week, but I am going to be happy to continue in a down ward trend.

By the time I got to the fitness Center this morning, there were no ellipitical machines available.  So i got on a treadmill.  I began with a 5 minute warmup walk, then I jogged for 30 seconds and walked for 1 minutes.  After 15 minutes, then I jogged for 45 seconds and walked for 1 minute.   Once I had done that for 30 minutes, I walked for 25 more minutes.  I have truly learned in the last two days, that I need to stretch myself more than I have been.  I can do more jogging than I have been.  I think if I am jogging more, I will lose more weight.  Plus I have a 5K to get ready for.  I reached 5K on the treadmill at 49 minutes.  That is about 10 minutes faster than the last time I walked 5K.  I wonderhow much time I will be able to take off of that time by April when I will do the Official 5K.

I CAN LOSE WEIGHT and KEEP IT OFF!!

I CAN DO A 5K!!!!!