Weigh-in day

We had a pretty successful week. I ran 4 days, Neil ran 6. He has been running at night as well as in the morning. We only ate out once this week (Chili's on Thursday after grandparent's day) but we did order pizza on Friday night. The Easter dinner killed us, but I refuse to give up everything. We had HoneyBaked ham, deviled eggs, pineapple and cheese casserole, green beans, and parmesean mashed potatoes. I know I will be running all week to get rid of those things!

At weigh-in this morning, I was down 1.2 pounds from last Monday. I am fine with that, considering that we ate so much yesterday. I know we can do it. We are determined not to eat out as much, and cut down on carbs, while increasing our exercise. And making it through a long weekend without ONCE going through a fast-food drive-thru is a huge accomplishment for us!

Happy Monday, everyone!

Day 2 was Good!

Today, Neil and I got up again at 5 to go run. We had a good run, and it was so much easier today than yesterday!  With the full moon looking beautiful, the temperature just right, and running at a good pace, I had to tell myself to remember those feelings tomorrow morning when it is 5am and I don't want to get up!

I took a grilled chicken salad for lunch today, and had some crock pot chicken, baked beans, and canned no-sugar peaches for dinner. Not a bad day, and I feel good!

I have to say how proud I am of Neil...after running with me yesterday morning, he went back out and ran last night for about 45 minutes! He ran again this morning, and plans to go tonight as well. He is on board! Yay!!!

Back on the Wagon!

Here we are...all 435 pounds of us. Wow...chunky people! Granted, Neil is almost 6'5 and carries his weight well, but I am 5'4 and DON"T carry mine well. So after some health issues that made me stop my vigorous exercise back in January, we are back and ready to lose!

My focus is simple - to lose enough weight so that my summer clothes fit. We are going to Washington DC this summer for Nationals for dance, and I want to be able to wear my cute summer clothes. I weighed this morning exactly what I weighed on January 1st. Gross! At that weight, not only do my cute clothes NOT fit, but I am going to have to go shopping to buy all new clothes. Not happening.

So, this morning, Neil and I got up at 5 am and went for a 30 minute run (left us plenty of time to get back before the kids got up.) I am tired tonight, but feel good about myself. We also have eaten grilled chicken and salads for the past 2 days, along with fruits for snacks and Special K for breakfast.

The goal - 20 pounds by June 30th. 10 weeks, 2 pounds a week. Neil would like to lose 30, which is easy for him whe he tries. Wish us luck!!

Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!

How many of us remember that commercial? It seems that for those of us who grew up in the 80's this was a staple for our vocabulary. This is where I am right now...I have fallen OFF my wagon and I can't get up.

Last Sunday, I was stricken with the stomach bug. I know - good way to lose weight, right? NO!! I didn't eat for almost 24 hours, and once I felt better, I ate everything in site. Forget not eating out - I ate McD's, Qdoba, Hickory Tavern, and Bojangles all in the same week! I have not gotten on the scale all week, because I fear I am right back where I started.

So today, I went to the grocery store and got all fresh foods. I ran with my wonderful neighbor Julie tonight and it felt good. I will be taking my workout clothes to school tomorrow, along with a salad for lunch. I am going to TRY to get up from my fall. Wish me luck!

Week 3 Weigh-In... :-(

I knew it would happen at some point. I lost so much in the first 2 weeks that I knew I would have a stable week. This was it. I had pretty much maintained all week but I knew I hadn't lost. This morning I got on the scale and was up 0.8 from last week. I am going to try not to get discouraged, and just really work hard this week to continue at a loss.

So far, I am at -6.2 in 3 weeks. Since my goal was 2 pounds a week, I am still there. But I do have to make sure that this is a good week to keep it up!

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Happy Saturday!

1/19/11 Temptation strikes....

Well, the title says it all. Yesterday I had a dentist appointment. I would rather poke my eyes out with a dull fork than to go to the dentist. I had three, yes THREE cavities, that I have been putting off getting filled for quite some time. I finally did it yesterday, and HURT so badly afterwards! So, needless to say I didn't eat much. Som fat free yogurt, a cheese stick that I was able to mash up, and some turkey deli meat. I was starving but couldn't eat. But at least it is good for my weight loss, right? WRONG! I actually gained a half a pound from yesterday to today! I know, I know, I know...you aren't supposed to get on the scales every day. But as most of you know, I am a math person, and numbers don't lie!

So, because I starved myself last night, and because I was starving on my way home from work, I stopped and picked up Chinese for dinner. I didn't eat a ton, just enough to stop my hunger. And I am paying for it now. I guess 19 days of no fast food (is Chinese considered fast food?) has changed my digestive system. And let's just say that it is hating me right now!

I did spend 45 minutes running intervals on the treadmill, so hopefully that will counter what I ate. I guess I learned my lesson...3 days until weigh-in and I may be like the black team from Biggest Loser last night who gained weight.

1/17/11 Physical Scheduled...a month to go

Gotta love the long weekends. We spent all day Saturday looking at and buying new furniture. I had the forethought to know we were going to be out all day, and packed healthy snacks to take. I packed apples, low fat Cheez-its, and Teddy Grahams for Liam. This helped a lot, since we left at noon and were gone all day. We also spent all day yesterday rearranging and organizing...this is a workout in itself!

For those of you who read my bog on Saturday, I did decide to go out to eat. We went to eat Mexican with my parents, and I limited myself to only a few chips with salsa before the meal, instead of ordering queso like I normally would. I ate until I was satisfied, not stuffed, and I feel perfectly satisfied. I have not eaten a meal at a fast food restaurant in 17 days. It feels great. I am not only saving money, I am reducing my calorie intake. I also have no desire to. Now, don't get me wrong...when that Bojangles opens near our house it is going to be hard to resist. But when I see a McDonald's commercial on tv, it doesn't even phase me and I am not tempted in the least.

I have done pretty well this weekend. I made chicken casserole last night - a family favorite - but I use reduced fat sour cream, 98% fat free cream of chicken soup, and reduced fat ritz crackers. No one could tell the difference! I tutored for 2 hours at Starbucks today, and treated myself to a 140 calorie skinny iced vanilla latte. Very tasty!

Our new insurance requires us to have physicals by March 31st. Neil has had me put off scheduling them until he loses weight. I scheduled them today for February 18th...one month away. I figure if I lose about 9 more pounds by then  I will weigh what I did at my last physical. Neil needs to lose about 20, but he is on the treadmill as I type. Together we got our butts kicked by Jillian Michaels, and I spent 45 minutes on the treadmill earlier.

I am feeling good about myself, and loving our healthy choices that we are eating. I have also had several people contact me and tell me I motivated them...one being a former student/cheerleader of mine. I love that! It is such motivation to me to know that I am helping others in my journey as well!

Weigh-In Day - Week 2!!

I was excited to get on the scales this morning. I can't believe I just said that! I have done really well the last half of the week. I have eaten fruits, veggies, no breads, and worked out 5 out of 6 days this week, despite a flare up of bursitis in my knee. I even skipped out on birthday cake yesterday!

Last night my dance team had a long practice and then a performance at 7, so the parents brought in dinner. They brought Italian - pasta marinara, spinach lasagna, garlic flatbread, and salad. It was delicious! But I didn't overeat (although I did bring the rest of the spinach lasagna home...to die for!!)

SO......here are the results after this morning's weigh-in:

Beginning weigh: 152.8
Last week's weight: 148.8
This week:s weigh: 146.0
Difference this week: 2.8 pounds
Total lost: 6.8 pounds
Average per week: 3.4 pounds

YAY ME!! So, what I am doing is working!!! I am really happy with myself, and wish I had been able to do this earlier and not wait until I weighed so much. But I am definitely on the right path.

Now...I need some advice...I REALLY want Mexican. It has been 2 weeks since I have eaten out, and I would love to go to dinner tonight. Do I give in and reward myself, or do I stay strong and not give in to my cravings? What is your opinion?

Happy weekend!

1/12/11 - CABIN FEVER!!

Snow Days are hell on the diet. Not that I ate out...I didn't. But I did make a big pot of ham and bean soup, and an even bigger pot of chili. Comfort foods for cold days. And who can eat either of those without cornbread, fritos, and/or saltines??? Thank goodness I can go back to work tomorrow...only 3 more days before I weigh in on Saturday, and I really want to have a decrease in my weight again. No, I am not thinking I will have another 4 pound loss...I would be happy for 1 pound this week!

I did work out tonight, and spent an extra 10 mintues doing my walk 5 / run 5. I am feeling good, and will take workout clothes to school tomorrow so that I can work out during my planning periods. I will be back to my healthy breakfast/lunch/dinner the next 2 days.

I continue to be overwhelmed by the number of comments, emails, texts, and phone calls that I am getting from people. I have received lots of encouragement, and several people have told me how reading my blog has inspired them to workout and be more conscious about what they are eating. I never knew that my public humiliation would have such a positive impact on so many people!

1/10/11 - Peer Pressure is a Good Thing!

Snow Days....Gotta love them. Who doesn't love sleeping in, staying in your pj's all day, and homemade hot chocolate? Unfortunately for me, my diet doesn't love snow days, and I was tempted today more than ever. It started with breakfast - I made cinnamon rolls for the kids. You know, the Pillsbury kind with the icing? I did get the reduced fat ones and limited myself to 1...not too bad. Then we all played in the snow, and the hot chocolate is a requirement. Again, I limited myself to one cup. Lunch was leftover soup, but no cornbread today since we are out of eggs. After lunch, I was bored, stir crazy, and craving something sweet. I would have killed for a chocolate bar, however, I settled for a small bowl of ice cream.  Dinner was a bowl of Progresso Low Fat soup and a few saltines. I feel as if I did not do well today, but after reading this as I type, I guess it wasn't too bad.

Here is where the peer pressure comes in. I did NOT want to get on the treadmill today. I worked out last night...35 minutes of 5 walk / 5 run intervals. Today wasn't happening. I was cold in thermals, a sweatshirt, and sweatpants. There was no way  I was putting on workout clothes. I was tired and lethargic from doing nothing all day. And then Jolie texted me. She is my "unofficial" motivator. She is the friend who can tell you like it is and you will still love her. She texted me to see if I got on the treadmill. I wanted to lie. But then that would defeat everything I am working for, so I said no. And then came the texts to basically tell me to get my a$$ in gear, with the words BATHING SUIT displayed. And just like that, I put on leggings (could not bear to put on shorts) and a t-shirt and got my a$$ in gear for 35 minutes on the treadmill.

Sometimes you just need a little peer pressure to get you going!

1/8/11 - Day 8

Hard weekend....I did break my resolution yesterday. I went out to do errands and take Olivia to dance and had not eaten. I was SO hungry, so while at the HoneyBaked Ham store I got them to make me a sandwich. BUT...it was ham and honey mustard on whole wheat and a diet drink...so not too bad.

Today Olivia had dance again and we went right after church...the kids were hungry so we stopped at McD's, but I got apples and then ate something when I got home. I cooked a big pot of soup tonight, so we will eat on it this week.

I did exercise tonight, and will be able to tomorrow as well...hopefully no school tomorrow!

1/8/11 Day 8 - Weigh-in Day!

Well, today is official week 1 weigh-in day...

Starting weight: 152.8
Week 1 weight: 148.8

Wooohoooo!!! 4 pounds is definitely enough to make me know that I am doign the right things! I know I won't see those results each week...I have watched enough Biggest Loser to know that Week 2 is the hardest with little to no weight loss after they have double digit weight loss in week 1. However, My goal is an average of 2 pounds per week which will get my to my goal weight by my birthday. And I have started off well!!

Olivia has dance today from 11:30-2:30...right in the middle of lunch time. I know she will be hungry when she finishes, and I will be hungry too. So, I got up early this morning and have fixed her a lunch. I cut a pbj sandwich into 1/4s so that when she gets a water break she can run in and eat one quickly. I also cut up some celery which she loves. This should sustain her until we get home and she can eat something without us having to stop for lunch.

Dinner tonight will be a upside down pizza recipe that I found...I can fix it lean and it will be yummy for everyone. Going to try to get to the store sometime today for more groceries...the bad thing about eating fresh foods is that it all goes bad or is gone by the end of the week. I may spend a little more at the grocery store, but it will be less than what we would spend eating out.

Have a great weekend!

1/7/11 - Day 7

What an exhausting week this has been! I am looking forward to the weekend and being able to relax a little...it was hard going back this week! I have to say, I have really done things differently than I normally would. For example, here is a normal (pre-no-eating-out week):

Monday:  Leave early enough to stop at McD's on the way to school for a large sweet tea and a sausage mcmuffin. Lunch would be whatever the cafeteria was serving. Dinner would probably be something at home.
Tuesday: Repeat breakfast at McD's. Lunch at school. Dinner at home.
Wednesday: Same breakfast and lunch. Dinner would be stopping somewhere and bringing something home, since Wed night is my night to pick up from dance.
Thursday: Probably eat breakfast and lunch at school. Dinner would be at a restaurant either with Olivia, or Neil and Liam.
Friday: breakfast at McD's, lunch out with Lori at Qdoba, and dinner out somewhere because I am too tired to cook.

Wow...that is a ridiculous about of money, fat, grease, calories, and MONEY! I can't believe how much we eat out in one week! This week has been entirely different. Actually, twice this week I had soup and salad at school, but that doesn't count. But ohhhhhhhhh those french fries were so tempting today!!!

It is currently Friday night, and I am at home, in my pj's and feeling so good that I did NOT eat a McD's hamburger tonight! I had to take Olivia to meet a friend, and the girls had to eat before they went, so we decided to meet there. I did buy for the kids, but I only ate 1 (ok really 2) of Liam's fries. I didn't even get a sweet tea!

I am also seeing what a difference it makes with my children. Since Olivia is at the dance studio 4 nights a week, it makes it hard to get healthy food in her. I do pack her lunch with a sandwich, fresh fruit or veggies, yogurt, cheese stick, etc... but dinner is fast food 4 nights a week. This week (other than tonight) I have packed a separate lunch box for her dinner. She had spaghettio's, chicken soup, and a ceasar salad for dinner instead of Chickfila or McD's. For her it is not about the calories, but about just trying to be a little healthier.

I am really proud of us this week! Tomorrow is my official weigh-in day, and I know I am going to be happy! Neil is weighing in on Sunday, but he has done well also so he should have good results too!

Stay tuned!

1/6/11 - Days 5&6

No, I didn't fail yesterday. I just ran out of time and didn't have time to blog. It has officially been 1 week since I have eaten out. My "Last Supper" was with Neil at Firebirds, where we used a gift certificate given to us by a special friend. It was the perfect last meal. I had my favorite - buffalo meatloaf with mushroom gravy, parmesean mashed potatoes, and pecan spiced green beans...mmmmmmmmm!  I digress thinking of delicious food.....

It has been a very successful week for several reasons:
1) I have not eating a single bite of food from a restaurant
2) I have planned better meals, fixed our lunches every day, and overall eaten healthier. I have eaten more fruits and vegetables that I ever do!
3) I have exercised 3 times this week, which is more than I have done in the past few months.
4) I have lost 2.6 pounds as of this morning!

So, I am well on my way to my goal, and I thank all of you for your support as you let me humiliate myself in public! :-)

1/4/11 - Day 4

As I write this I am watching Live to Dance and getting ready to go to bed. It was so much harder to get up this morning than yesterday! So tired!

I did OK today...ate well, except for a small ice cream cone after dinner. And I did NOT exercise...sore from the last 2 days and just too tired! I will try to at least walk tomorrow.

I am so grateful for all of the support that you all have given me! And as my sister said, if I dont keep blogging, people will know I failed!

4 days of not eating out, and I do feel great! Although I did just find out that a Bojangles is opening in front of the Harris Teeter by my house...I will have to pass it every day!

1/3/11 - Day 3

Today was the first day back at work, and it was SO hard to get up at 5:45am after 2 1/2 weeks of sleeping in and taking naps every day. However, we somehow made it out the door (early, in fact!) and got to school without any problem.

It was a successful day for my weight loss challenge as well! I packed my lunch and had soup, fruits and veggies, and yogurt throughout the day. I will have to say that I was very hungry when I got home, but Neil had dinner cooking, so I didn't have to wait that long to eat. (and it was yummy! Chicken, peas, and corn...)

As tired as I was, I did manage to get in my 30 minutes of treadmill and another session with Jillian.

 Neil also managed to go out for a run after dinner before he had to go get Olivia. I am extra proud of him - not only did he turn down BROWNIES today (if you know him, you know how hard that is for him!) but he also came home and ate dinner and passed up his regular Mondays at Hickory Tavern!

I broke down this morning and stepped on the scales. You see, I need the positive reinforcement and want to see effects of my efforts so that I don't get discouraged. I am happy to say that in 2 days, I am down 1.8 pounds! :-)

(Only 20.2 pounds and 73 days to go....)

1/2/11

Day 2 - Good day today! I had yogurt and granola for breakfast instead of going to Bojangles before church like I normally would. Lunch was leftover lasagna, and dinner was a hotdog (no bun), carrot sticks, and peaches. I did have a few potato chips today, but I am ok with that.

I did feel the motivation to exercise today. Normally, I would take a nap on Sunday afternoon after church. However, I had a ton of housework today today, so I skipped my nap and did laundry and cleaned the kids' rooms instead! After cleaning all afternoon, I put a Lifetime movie on and got on my treadmill. I did not run, but walked at 4.0 for 30 minutes.

After dinner, Olivia and I did Jillian Michaels 30 day challenge...that woman can kick a$$!! It is also sad that my 8 year old can out do me! So total, I spent an hour exercising, which should count for something! Definitely more than I have done in a while!

Neil washed the cars this afternoon, and as we speak has gone out for a run, so he is doing great, too!

I am amazed at the ourpouring of support I received through comments and emails after I published this blog. That is definitely what will keep me motivated! Thanks so much, everyone!

Day 1 - 1/1/11

Day 1.....I can't believe I am actually publishing this, but I need something to hold me accountable. Hopefully by blogging about our weight loss, it will keep me motivated! Let me start from the beginning....

I have always struggled with my weight - at least in my whole adult life. I was super thin as a child, and never had to worry about what I ate. Once I went to college, I gained the proverbial "Freshman 15", and so it all started. I have been up and down from 110 as a college freshman to 150 as a 20-something. I lost about 20 pounds before I became pregnant with my daughter, and started my pre-preg weight at 130. I used this time to eat whatever I wanted, and delivered her at 185! After going through a divorce soon after, I dropped down to 114...my smallest adult weight. I slowly gained back some, which was fine since I was almost too thin. My happy weight is 125. I weighed this when I met my husband, Neil.

Shortly after getting married (5 weeks to be exact), I found out I was pregnant with Liam. I was determined NOT to gain over 50 pounds with him...however, being put on bedrest through a damper into that plan, and I delivered him (4 weeks early I might add!) at a whopping 190! It took 13 months, but I finally lost all of my weight and was down to a healthy 129. This was last summer...over the last year and a half, I have gained 23 pounds.

Where does Neil fit into all of this? When I met him, he was a healthy 225 pounds. Now, 6 years later,  he is tipping the scales at 277. Yes, this seems huge, but at his height of almost 6"5, he can get away with it easier than most.

And so, our New Year's Resolution begins...at 152 pounds. Goal weight for me: 130 by my birthday on March 17. Is this reasonable? I think it could be with a few lifestyle changes. Goal weight for Neil: 230 by my birthday. Probably easier for him to lose 47 pounds than for me to lose 22!

How are we going to do it? Our downfall is eating out. You see, we lead VERY busy lives. Our daughter dances 4 days a week, and our evenings are spent carpooling. It is very easy to stop at our favorite places...McDonald's, Chick-fil-a, Chili's, Hickory Tavern, just to name a few. SO...we have decided not to eat out for the entire month of January and see where that leads us. It is going to require planning meals, packing lunches, and thinking ahead. However, I think we are determined enough to do it!

We are also going to have to do better with exercise. This is something that we never have had a problem with until recently. One of the things that drew us to each other in the beginning was that we both loved running. We have run several races together, and both enjoy the sport. However, 2 young children make this difficult. Add both of us working full time, carpooling, and a busy 3 year old, and we have been really bad about making time to exercise...something we need to do better with.

SO, how did today go? We were successful with not eating out! We slept in until after 11 since we were up late with it being New Year's Eve. I had left over meatloaf for lunch, and Neil had leftover French Dip Sandwich. I did cook a lasagna for dinner, but used 96% lean meat, and low fat cheeses. I stopped with 1 piece of garlic bread and did NOT go back for seconds! We had a light Ceasar salad, and peaches in their own juice for dessert. Not too bad for the first day!