New Goal!

I have decided that I'm going to be running in a race called The Warrior Dash.  It's one of those 5k races through mud and water and over and through obstacles.  The race is September 29th, and I started training tonight!  I think these races look like tons of fun, and I'm extremely excited about training for it and running in it.  You can google The Warrior Dash if you want more information about it. 

Once again, I've changed up my workouts.  I've started to do weights first, followed by cardio.  Until today, I was doing 20 minutes on the elliptical, and then 20 minutes on a stationary bike.  Today I started running on a treadmill.  I've NEVER been a runner.  Never liked running, never ran fast, never could run very far or for very long, but now I have a reason to try.  Tonight I ran 2 miles in 28 minutes at a 3% incline.  I know that doesn't sound very good, considering how much and how hard I've been working out and pushing myself, but running on a treadmill is a new animal to me.  So for me, and my history with running, that's pretty good!  And I'm going to make sure that it only gets better from here. 

Andrea told me that you should always use at least a 3% incline on a treadmill due to the fact that roads are never as flat as treadmills.  I'm going to continue to run longer and faster until I can run the full 3.56 miles with ease, without stopping.  Andrea and I have also talked about going to an indoor rock-climbing facility, which would be a GREAT leg workout, as well as a lot of fun!  I have a long way to go to be fully prepared for this race, but I'm excited and I'm really looking forward to it! 

On a different note, I got over the 165 hump last week!  I lost another 2.4 pounds and weighed in at 162.6 on last Wednesday.  That puts me 17.6 pounds away from my goal weight, but I have a lot of work to do to get my body to where I want it to be. 

I have found a flab to fab ab workout that I will be doing every day for the month of May (except Sundays) in the mornings that starts out with 10 sit-ups, 5 pushups, and a 10 second plank and ends the month at 100 sit-ups, 35 pushups, and a 2 minute 30 second plank.  Hopefully it will get my abs in gear!  I've been slacking a bit on the core workouts, so this will kick it into high gear and I'll be doing this in the mornings before anything else.  Wish me luck on it! 

In addition to the changes in my workouts, I have also streamlined my snacks.  I have told you all that my morning snack is now a V8 juice (low sodium).  I have also become more strict on my afternoon snack.  I had been overeating a bit on my afternoon snack, but I went to GNC and bought some protein shakes called "Total Lean," and now that is all I have for my afternoon snack.  When I am out of the pre-made shakes, I will be getting a shaker and some whey protein and making my own shakes with water and ice.  If you are going to get some protein shakes for yourself, make sure to watch the sugar content!  The Total Lean shakes only have 2 grams of sugar, so they are great!  Just a bit expensive.  I bought them when GNC had a buy one-get one half off sale.  Which is why when I'm out of them, I'll be making my own.

I will be weighing in again on Wednesday and will update everyone on my progress again at that point.  I'm hoping for the best and will continue to work hard and train for The Warrior Dash no matter what! 

Possible Plateau

Today is the first weigh-in in a long time in which I haven't lost weight...actually GAINED .4 pounds.  My mind is telling me I may be reaching another plateau and that is scary.  On the other hand, this past weekend was Easter, and I ate cookies, jelly beans, fried pickles, and we went to Kanpai once, so that could have something to do with it.  I'm going to work hard and throw the rest of the sweets away and force myself to eat only what I know will make me feel good, in addition to working out every day if possible, and try and head this plateau off at the pass.  Hopefully I will nip it in the bud before it takes hold.   I'm going to try really hard to get back an intense focus and keep my eyes on the prize because I am nowhere close to my goal yet, so there is no reason to lose focus. 

I've been letting myself give in to temptation and rationalizing again and I have to stop it.  The important thing right now is that I recognize that and am taking steps to fix it.  I think I was on a "weight-loss high" in that I was getting comfortable because I was losing significant amounts of weight each week and people kept telling me how great I look, and I thought I could go off track a little bit and still be ok.  Obviously my body is sending me a wake-up call and telling me that thinking that way is WRONG.  I'm going to give myself this next week to get back my intense focus and if I don't lose any weight by next Wednesday, and I solidify the plateau problem, then I will shock my body for the next week.  We will see how this next week goes, so wish me luck! 

And for any of you who are or have reached a similar plateau, please remember to just keep going!  Do something different, stay on track, don't get discouraged, just keep pushing!  Hopefully this next week of getting back on the wagon full force will be enough shock for my body, but we will find out in a week!  If I don't lose any weight and I go into full shock-mode, I will share with you what I do for that, and of course, if it works.  I need your support more than ever now!  

A Little Preview

Here is a little look at the difference in how I looked when I started compared to how I look now.  I didn't do the whole "half-naked" picture thing just because I don't think that's entirely necessary.  If you're overweight, you're overweight and you don't need a half-naked picture to show it.  Now, if I ever achieve 6-pack abs, then you may be seeing a picture of that, but otherwise I'm not big on showing a whole lot of skin :-)  My profile picture on this blog is from when I was at my heaviest, but through the program at work, every week that I weigh in, it also takes a picture and puts the pictures on a progress report.  Now before you look, these are NOT very good quality pictures and I am NOT focused on looking cute or posing in them, so just be forewarned.  :-) 

Here is my before picture:

And here is my current picture, as of yesterday: 

Obviously there's still a lot of work to be done, but that's what I have goals for!  I have 20.2 pounds to go to reach my goal weight, and I mentioned yesterday my goals for how I want to look.  The only way to get there is hard work, and I am dedicated!  Thank you all for the support you have shown so far!  Keep it up!  It keeps me motivated! 

30 pounds down!!

I have officially lost 31.8 pounds!  My goal weight is 20.2 pounds away, but I've become more focused on the way I want my body to look.  I want to have zero love handles, no muffin top, no saddle bags, no lower tummy pooch, no flabby arms...none of that!  I want to lose enough weight and strengthen and tone up to where I look AND FEEL great!  A lot of people have been asking me how I've lost 30 pounds...what I'm doing, how I'm doing it, etc.  I would prefer for people to read this blog from the beginning because it will give you a better understanding of me and what I've been through to get to where I am now.  I've hit highs and lows, gotten past plateaus, changed my eating, switched up my exercising, the whole shebang.  I've come to many realizations and have found what works and what doesn't.  I will attempt, however, to hook a few more people with just this post so I will explain a little about what I have come to realize and what I am doing at this point in my weightloss journey. 

The number one most important thing that I want to emphasize more than anything is that my weightloss has come from hard work, dedication, healthy choices, and making good decisions.  I have changed both inside and out on this journey, and it is imperative to understand that this has been a complete lifestyle change.  If you want lasting weightloss and to be truly healthy and strong, there are no quick fixes.  I have kept my weightloss completely natural by eating healthy and making good food choices, and busted my butt in the gym.  I have not done any fad diets, no "cleanses," no "lose 10 pounds in 30 days with this one diet tip,"  none of that.  The way I have lost weight has been something anyone CAN do if they CHOOSE to work at it. 

Currently here is my general daily routine, of course there are things that come up that change what I do, but ideally, this is my daily schedule:

Wake up at 5:15 and eat breakfast. 
Breakfast options: low sugar instant oatmeal and unsweetened applesauce, 2 hard boiled eggs with a side of beans, fiber-rich cereal that is low in sugar (under 9g) with skim milk, or plain, non-fat greek yogurt with bear fit granola. 

Drink lots of water! 

Snack between 9:30 and 10am=V8 juice

More water!

Lunch at 12:30 is generally a frozen dinner (watch sodium) of the brands of Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, or Smart Ones.  Try and get the kinds with no preservatives and 100% natural.

More water!

Afternoon snack around 3:45-4:00pm
Options: pistachios (or almonds) and a sugar-free jello/pudding, all natural peanut butter and sugar free preserves sandwich on whole wheat bread, organic, blue corn, no-salt-added chips with hummus or fresh salsa. 

Dinner between 6:00 and 7:00.  (Stay away from sugar and carbs here as your body doesn't have time to burn them off before bed.) Load up on veggies and lean protein like turkey, chicken, fish.  If you must have carbs, make good decisions about them.  (Brown rice, whole grain pasta, mashed potatoes, quinoa) 

Drink more water!

Work out HARD!  8:00-9:15pm at the gym 4 days a week.  40 minutes of cardio, 10-15 minutes of abs/core with no breaks, and 2 days of arms (weights) and 2 days of legs (weights). 

On at least 1 other day out of the week I find a way to be active without necessarily going to the gym.  Some days I still go to the gym, but other days I go for a run outside, work out at home with one of the workouts I've listed, etc. 

70% of weightloss happens in the kitchen.  You have to make good choices.  The other 30% happens in the gym where you HAVE to work hard.  Push yourself further than you ever though possible. 

Hopefully this has been a pretty good summary, but I really hope that you all read this blog from the beginning so you can understand my journey and where I've been so you know where I am getting my knowledge and "expertise," if you will.  I hope to get some good feedback from this and hopefully a lot more followers!  If you have any other questions please don't hesitate to ask me.  I will be your number 1 supporter and I won't give up on you!  Thanks for reading!!