I'm so sorry this is late. It has been a whirlwind of activity in my house and I am currently shoving a salad with lemon pepper tuna in my face while writing this. There just isn't a spare minute!
How did I do?
Not bad! I'm down another 2 pounds (for a total of 3.6 pounds total) and 1.5 inches (for a total of 4.5 inches thus far). I'm happy, overall. Well, that's kind of a lie. I was happy until my husband announced that he, without doing anything (ok, I'm sure he's done something but I highly doubt he's putting in my effort...haha) lost 2 pounds. WHAT? This competition is SO ON, buddy.
To kick my 'Vegas or bust' weight loss into high gear, I'm joining the Tone It Up girls and doing #beachweek (see their plan HERE). So, this means I am waking up at 5:00 AM in order to squeeze in a cardio workout. Not gonna lie- I don't love it. But I do feel good after working out. It's the 5:00 am that sucks. Nonetheless, it is the only time I have to workout uninterrupted, and I'm going to do it for this ONE WEEK! (apparently, it becomes a habit...we'll see about that!). They also encourage working out 2 times a day for this week, to boost your metabolism and rev up weight loss. I'm doing that as much as possible, however I do work some evenings making it impossible to sneak in that second workout.
My food is lean, clean and green. It's one week of my life and I KNOW I can do it. I can eat fries or chocolate any time, right? RIGHT? This is what I keep telling myself anyway:)
On a nice note, I went clothes shopping (ALONE!) for the first time since Zachary (my 3 year old) was 16 months. For real. AND... I had to return all the clothes I brought to the change rooms for SMALLER SIZES!! YEAH:)
Current obsession?
Grapefruit Perrier. SO DELICIOUS!
Vegas Or Bust: Week 1 Update
I've got about 3 weeks to go before I jet off to a kid-free four days in VEGAS!
If you remember from my previous post, I have a short term goal of 5 pounds to lose before Vegas...although inches matter way more and I'm measuring both.
This past week was quite good overall. I am not on a specific 'diet' but I have significantly lowered my whites (sugar, bread, pasta, etc.), been more cognizant of what I am putting into my body (i.e.: not eating off the kids plates!), and exercising at least 5 times a week.
How did I do?
My food was good overall. With the exception of two slices of pizza & some McDs fries, my eating was perfectly clean. We were nowhere near home when I ate the pizza & McDs...I literally did not have alternative options, which was annoying but a fact of life when you're on the go with kids! I'm not willing to starve, so I ate less than I would have liked (haha) but still enjoyed it.
My exercise was also mostly on point. I had 4 days of really good, sweaty exercise. I tried to include an extra day of running on my treadmill, but it just didn't happen this week. Will try to sneak in an extra run during the evenings over this week (even if it means a 10:00 pm run...). My 100 day Burpee challenge is AWESOME. I'm on day 11 today (so...11 burpees) and going strong!
The results?
After one week, I lost 1.6 pounds and 3 inches.
Honestly, I thought I would have lost a few more pounds, but THREE INCHES is awesome in my books, as inches mean way more than pounds!
As I've said before I have to work SO HARD for every pound and inch I lose, and I think that the loss of 1.6 pounds and 3 inches is indicative of the work I put in this week. It also shows me how important it is for me to be so aware of what and how I'm eating.
Plan for this week?
I know I have a busy week with work, so I'm planning on four workouts this week, daily burpees (of course!), and limited carbs/sugars.
Free as a Bird
This is my kid. He's 14 months old.
Don't let that sweet, innocent, who me? face fool you. This kid is intent on torturing me.
Every night for the past week, this child has undone his diaper while sleeping in his crib. And he has awoken at about 2am, soaked in pee, crying uncontrollably. He insists on being changed (wouldn't you?), getting a new bottle, and then (mercifully) falling back to sleep...only to awake again at 5am. Soaked. Because he has, again, undone his diaper. Insisting on being changed and having another bottle. Then falling back asleep. Are you seeing a pattern here?
I am at my wits end. I have put this kid in every type of outfit imaginable to sleep in. Two pieces. Shorts with a tight waistband. Onesies. Every time he has managed to get his hand into his pants, undo his diaper and fall back asleep, content with the knowledge that he will pee himself and force his mother to stumble into his room and change him. And get him a nice, warm bottle as his reward.
His diaper is not too tight. His clothing does not bother him. He just likes the feeling of flying free. Given the opportunity, this one will be naked every time and apparently the night time is that opportunity.
Last night I didn't bother to change his bed sheet. THAT WILL TEACH HIM, I thought. ENJOY SLEEPING IN THAT PEE, I chuckled. It didn't teach him anything. He just woke up smelling like a urinal, with an undone diaper and a smile on his face.
And short of fashioning some chastity belt-like diaper or full body suit of armour, I am not sure how to stop him from releasing his bird every evening. Because, while I'm all for air drying, I'm not all for multiple loads of daily laundry/urinal smelling/bird freeing 14 month olds that disturb my utterly precious sleep.
My Food Journal
Thank you all so much for your encouragement! Your comments, emails, FB messages & tweets- they are all so awesome! As many of you mentioned, 5-15 pounds isn't a lot of weight to lose. I know that. However, I really struggle for every pound I lose (I don't struggle at all to gain weight, go figure!). It's a constant battle for me and I always need to stay on top of it.
A few of you asked how I managed to lose 12 pounds. Well, it was hard! It was actually really hard. I kept a food journal, I worked out 5 days a week, and I was diligent about EVERYTHING.
I kept my food journal online, and thought I would share a typical week with you. I don't journal all the time. I don't have the time to do it. HOWEVER, this has been a really beneficial tool for me when I am losing weight. Also, I'm very nosey and I love seeing how other people eat, so I thought some of you nosey buggers might be interested in my food diary too;) I never lie in my food journal- that's the key I think. I also write down how I worked out and how I'm feeling- both key for me when I need some additional motivation!
While I was keeping this food diary, I was losing close to a pound a day! That's not realistic in the long term, but it sure felt good in the short term:)
I'm not a dietitian, nutritionist or doctor. I don't know what will work for your body. But this is what worked for me...
Monday:
M1- protein shake (Body By Vi); M2- green salad with cut up chicken breast, cucumber, balsamic vinegar & a handful of almonds; M3- a few bites of a Cliff Bar (I like Lara Bars better, but this is what I had at home); M4- scrambled eggs and 7 mini breakfast sausages (oh so good!); M5- Tea (this isn't a meal but it's what I had)
Workout: 20 minutes BootyCamp DVD (calesthetics workout), walk/playing with the kids.
How I'm Feeling: not starving at all. Not too grumpy (except when Z dropped his entire glass of milk on his brother. But I would have been grumpy about that no matter what)! Glad I got in a workout during the day:)
Water: About 40 oz.
Tuesday:
Feel a bit bloated when I woke up, which I wasn't excepting:( Perhaps it was due to the increased water intake of yesterday.
M1- Body By Vi protein shake; M2- cheese string (benefit of having kids!) & a few almonds; M3- large green salad (Organic Girl mixed greens- SOOOOO good!) with one small can of lemon and dill tuna; M4- half a Cliff Bar & a few almonds (post workout); M5- cucumber salad (cucumber, red pepper & tomato thinly sliced and marinated in 2 tbs of apple cider vinegar, a pinch of salt, a pinch of sugar, and a tsp of olive oil) topped with a grilled chicken breast (this was a really good meal!); M6- a few baby carrots and 3 tbsp of hummus
Workout: 25 minutes Treadmill (combo run/jog/walk)
How I'm Feeling: a LITTLE hungry today. Drank some extra water, especially following my workout. Started getting pretty irritable around 4:00 p.m. so I threw on a dvd for the kids and drank some coffee:) VERY hungry at about 9:30 pm so I ate the carrots/hummus.
Water: About 36 oz.
Wednesday:
Woke up starving but not quite as bloated as yesterday.
M1- Protein pancakes; M2- green salad (organic girl mixed greens- the best mixed greens out there) with half a chicken breast and half an avocado and a handful of almonds; M3-half a individual sized package of Spitz (sunflower seeds, with shell on) and a Forever Nuts tea; M4- Cheese string; M5- ground turkey piled on large lettuce leaves (wraps??) with a smudge of mustard and a handful of shredded cheddar cheese.
Workout: An hour running after the kids at the park (it was hot, I was sweaty, so I'll count it!)
How I'm Feeling: I have had a bad headache all day. Don't know if it's because of the low carbs or the heat of the park. I had a meeting tonight so I didn't get a sixth meal in and I really missed it!
Water: I didn't keep track today but I would guess around 40 oz.
Thursday:
HUNGRY! but not bloated:)
M1- Scrambled egg whites with leftover veggies mixed in (cauliflower, broccoli, carrots) and a sprinkle of Mrs. Dash; M2- caprese salad (fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, balsamic/olive oil) and a handful of almonds; M3- half an apple and one tbsp of natural peanut butter; M4- pan-seared salmon and wilted spinach
Workout: squats (20x3); walking lunges (20x3); knee to elbow standing crunch (20x3); plank (45 sec x 2); chair dips (10x3); pushups (20x3)
How I'm Feeling: Tired (I think this is due in large part to the heat!) but good!
Friday:
HUNGRY in the am. Still feeling a bit of tummy bloat...not sure what the culprit is. Will throw in a few more planks today:)
M1- Scrambled egg whites with leftover veggies and some Mrs. Dash; M2- 3 handfuls of almonds (in the car); M3- green salad with mini boccancini and a splash of balsamic; M4- homemade chicken burgers (ground chicken, egg whites, dash of oats, splash of olive oil, liberal sprinkling of Mrs. Dash) with mustard& ketchup on a bed of lettuce; M5- banana with 1 tbsp natural peanut butter
ALSO- I had a few bites of Zach's pizza and watermelon while we were at a playdate
Workout: Bootycamp DVD (cardio/calesthetics mix- SWEATY!)
How I'm Feeling: REALLY good today! ENERGY!
Saturday:
REALLY GOOD! not hungry, raring to go! I had a few extra carbs yesterday, which I will assume led to no pounds lost, but they were good carbs (mostly fruit) so I'm ok with that.
M1- Tone It Up Protein Pancakes; M2- 4 mini chicken burgers on a bed of lettuce; M3- handful of almonds; M4- Tone It Up Protein Pancake w/a tbsp of natural peanut butter.
Workout: 25 minutes of HIIT on the treadmill. DRENCHED in sweat.
How I'm Feeling: REALLY good! I was at a bbq the whole afternoon and my kids pretty much ran the entire time. I didn't get to eat. Trust me, I wanted to. They had mustard salad, and that's my favourite thing in the whole world, but I never had a chance. I was not trying to avoid food! And, don't worry, I made sure my husband felt good and guilty about my lack of opportunity to eat;) So, I had another protein pancake when I got home because it was 9pm and I was starving.
Sunday:
Energetic, happy, healthy and not bloated!!
M1- Tone It Up Protein Pancake (these are so addictive) with 1 tbsp of natural peanut butter; M2- handful of almonds (it's a theme, I know, but I have to go to the grocery store!); M3- small can of lemon & pepper tuna and 1/3 sliced english cucumber; M4- 2 slices of a salad roll; M5- steak & grilled asparagus (BEST THING I'VE EVER HAD!). I also had one twizzler and 2 jubejubes (husband was eating them).
Workout: 35 minute boot camp DVD.
How I'm Feeling: Again, I'm seriously feeling great. I told my husband I'm going to continue with this eating 'plan' because I am feeling the most energy I have had in at least a year! I'm having to work on my WATER intake because I just don't like water, but I'm getting there.
Monday:
Hungry (which is important in the morning, I never used to feel hungry). No bloating. Good energy.
M1- Tone It Up Protein Pancake with 1 tbsp of natural peanut butter; M2- about 6 strawberries sliced (they were big and SO DELICIOUS!); M3- 6 slices of a salad roll with a few pieces of mango; M4- larabar and a handful of Spitz; M5- Indian food (at a restaurant!)- I shared an order of Chana Masala and some cheese in a butter chicken sauce (can't remember the name) along with a few scoops of rice and a few pieces of Naan. It was so good.
Sunday:
Energetic, happy, healthy and not bloated!!
M1- Tone It Up Protein Pancake (these are so addictive) with 1 tbsp of natural peanut butter; M2- handful of almonds (it's a theme, I know, but I have to go to the grocery store!); M3- small can of lemon & pepper tuna and 1/3 sliced english cucumber; M4- 2 slices of a salad roll; M5- steak & grilled asparagus (BEST THING I'VE EVER HAD!). I also had one twizzler and 2 jubejubes (husband was eating them).
Workout: 35 minute boot camp DVD.
How I'm Feeling: Again, I'm seriously feeling great. I told my husband I'm going to continue with this eating 'plan' because I am feeling the most energy I have had in at least a year! I'm having to work on my WATER intake because I just don't like water, but I'm getting there.
Monday:
Hungry (which is important in the morning, I never used to feel hungry). No bloating. Good energy.
M1- Tone It Up Protein Pancake with 1 tbsp of natural peanut butter; M2- about 6 strawberries sliced (they were big and SO DELICIOUS!); M3- 6 slices of a salad roll with a few pieces of mango; M4- larabar and a handful of Spitz; M5- Indian food (at a restaurant!)- I shared an order of Chana Masala and some cheese in a butter chicken sauce (can't remember the name) along with a few scoops of rice and a few pieces of Naan. It was so good.
Vegas Or Bust
one month.
that's all I have.
one month until my husband and I jet off for three nights and four kidless days in VEGAS!
to say I'm excited would be an understatement.
HOWEVER.
I haven't exactly lost all my pre-baby weight.
I have about 5 pounds to lose before I am at my pre-William weight.
(and I know that 5 pounds doesn't sound like A LOT, but it is the difference between feeling like you've squished into your clothes and feeling like your clothes fit just right)
And to be really really truthful, I have about 10 (or a tad more) pounds to lose before I am at my pre-Zachary weight. I'm not positive I'll make it there, because my pre-Zachary body took at least 1.5 hours of exercise daily and a very low-carb diet that I was extremely strict about. But it's a nice goal to have.
The Past
A few months ago, my husband's family did a family photo shoot. I was about 6 months postpartum. This is what I looked like in the photos.
I bawled the first time I saw them. That doesn't even look like me.
And, yes, I'm wearing an open jacket and posing on a bit of an angle. But still. It just doesn't look like me.
The Present
But it was the butt kick I needed. Within 2 months of the shoot, I lost about 12 pounds. It helped that baby Will was starting to sleep through the night. And even though it isn't the best picture, here I am two days ago, looking a lot more like my (fishy) self.
But now we have Vegas in one month. And I really want to look as good as I can. And I really want to fit into a few of my nicest dresses. And I just want to be as good as I can be.
The Plan
1) LIMIT CARBS- I already know that carbs make me feel bloated and yucky. They're fast and easy (and important for my two growing boys), but years of eating has taught me that carbs make my stomach and face puffy and leave me feeling sluggish. I will get most of my carbs from fruit, veggies and (occasionally) whole grains if I'm really needing them. I don't have a 'bad' diet in all reality, but carbs are my nemesis.
2) EXERCISE- A MINIMUM of 5 days a week. I'll be doing a combo of running on our treadmill (I broke our iPod or I'd be running outside) and Booty Camp Fitness DVDs and Tone It Up online videos (strength/cardio). Plus bench pressing my kids;)
3) SLEEP- I have been giving up sleep for work. And sometimes it is necessary, but often it is not. My body holds onto weight like nothing else when I'm tired, so sleep is my friend.
4) PORTION CONTROL- I can snack like I'm gonna run out of food. Even if the snacks are healthy, I do need to be cognizant of what I'm eating at all times.
5) CHALLENGE- I'm currently doing the 100 Burpee Challenge (google it!) with a friend. I have a little bet with my husband that I can lose more weight than he can before Vegas (he doesn't need to lose weight at all, but he's sweet...), and I'm going to check in on my blog once a week, at the least.
So, it's Vegas or BUST! My realistic goal is 5 pounds lost in one month. My LOFTY goal is 8-10 pounds in one month.
Feel free to encourage me, motivate me, push me... I'll take it all!
Nine
Nine years ago, this guy and girl got married.
They barely knew each other and they were too young, but they got married anyway.
And sometimes it has been amazing. Sometimes it has been rough. Sometimes it has been a matter of just existing and making it through the life changes.
But it has always been worth it.
And here they are nine years later.
Actually happy.
Love you, babe.
Happy 9th Anniversary.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
