Close but no cigar

Well I'm one day away and 10 pounds away. I was really hoping to be in the under 200 club by my birthday but I've really been struggling with eating well and I gained 3 pounds back this last week. I was really disappointed in myself but I'm trying to not let it get me down. I try to keep it in my mind that last year at this time I was 50 pounds heavier. I just have to try to get back on track.

I'm on call this week for work but after it is over I think I'm going to try 30 days of crossfit. I got a coupon for Bartlett Crossfit. I'm still going to do my regular workouts on Monday and Wednesday morning but I think it might be a nice change up for me. I feel like I could use a change of pace even if it's just temporary. Hopefully I will find some good exercises and techniques that I can add to my workout repertoire.

I've been thinking more and more about the Warrior Dash. It's still a ways away but I've watched several videos online and I'm excited. I really think I have a shot at completing it. Plus if I do the one in Nashville in September it will be a great one year exerciseversary.

I've also been looking into the Tough Mudder. I don't know that I will be ready for it by October but maybe next year. It looks really crazy but also fun. The only part that makes me hesitant is the forest of electrically charged wires...YIKES! I might be tough but not that tough. I feel like it is good to have a goal. Maybe I've watched too many episodes of Ninja Warrior :)

I guess that's all I have for now. Hopefully I'll have better news by my next post.

Recipe for Success

I've been at a bit of a stagnant point the last few weeks with my weight lose; half a pound here, a pound there but no significant loses. I have been exercising regularly still but I hadn't been eating as good as I had been. I decided if I wanted to reach my goal of under 200 by my birthday I was going to have to step it up (I was only 13 pounds and 4 weeks away).  So I sat down and began planning.

My biggest problem lately is that I hadn't really been making meal plans like I was in the beginning. I was falling back in the old habit of going to the grocery store and just picking things out without specific meals in mind. I had also been in a dinner funk. I was just making the same old stuff all the time.

So I sat down last Saturday and started looking up recipes. I put together an excel spreadsheet. The first tab was ingredients I needed for the recipes  (sorted by grocery store section) and the second tab was recipe links (sorted by meals).

Once I had this plan in place I set out for the stores. I hit up Whole Food first for the harder to find things on my list. I did pretty well and didn't stray too much from my list (which is hard for me in Whole Foods cause everything looks amazing).

Next I went to Aldi. I know it can get a bad rap sometimes but I love Aldi. Even though it is cash or debit only it's a great store if you're looking to save some dough on groceries. For example, Ken and I like to use ground chicken for tacos instead of ground beef. At Kroger the ground chicken is over $5 but at Aldi I get it for $2.49. Their vegetables are also a lot cheaper too, Kroger mushrooms $3.49. Aldi $0.99. Need I say more?

Any items I couldn't find at Whole Foods or Aldi I went to Kroger for. I know it seems like a lot of running around but the Kroger and Aldi are pretty close to each other. I went home after the store and put everything away and then started cooking. I made up my pre- and post- gym breakfasts for the week and made some homemade soup for lunches.

I weighed myself the next morning at the gym and I was down 4 pounds, which is funny since I was only just starting into my first day of planned meals. So I'm just 9 pounds away already. I will weigh myself Monday and see how I have done after my first week.

Meal Plan

Monday:
Pre-gym Breakfast: 1 Pumpkin Muffin
Post-gym Breakfast: 1 - 16 oz Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Lunch: Homemade Soup, apple, almond butter
Snack: Greek Yogurt (I had Chobani lemon)
Dinner: Taco Salad

Tuesday:
Pre-gym Breakfast: 1 Pumpkin Muffin
Post-gym Breakfast: 1 - 16 oz Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Lunch:  Homemade Soup , apple almond butter
Snack: Green Yogurt
Dinner: Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice

Wednesday:
Pre-gym Breakfast: 1 Pumpkin Muffin
Post-gym Breakfast: Apple and almond butter
Lunch: Cobb Salad
Snack: Greek Yogurt
Dinner: *Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes
*I made my meatloaf with ground chicken instead of beef and my mashed potatoes with coconut milk instead of cow's milk
Snack: Grain-free Chocolate chip cookies

Thursday:
Pre-gym Breakfast: Grain-free Chocolate chip cookies (I should have had a muffin but ate cookies instead)
Post-gym Breakfast: 1 - 16 oz Banana Almond Butter Smoothie
Lunch: Left over Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice
Snack: Apple and almond butter
Dinner: Spinach, Mushroom, Artichoke Pizza
(toppings: Pesto, Mozzarella, Mushroom, Fresh Spinach, Artichoke Hearts)
Snack: Fresh Pineapple

Friday:
Pre-gym Breakfast: Grain-free Chocolate chip cookies (I know, I know, more cookies for breakfast)
Post-gym Breakfast: Apple and almond butter
Lunch: Salad w/ Chicken and Broccoli Cheese Soup
Snack: More Grain-free Chocolate chip cookies
Dinner: Scrambled eggs

Saturday:
Breakfast: Pineapple, Omelette with Mushroom, Green Onion, and Cheddar Cheese
Lunch: Probably Salad
Dinner: Probably Turkey Burger and Homemade Sweet potato fries (going to attempt anyway)

My first 5K

Well I survived running my first 5K. It was the Daffodil Dash 3 miler at the Memphis Botanical Gardens. It was a gorgeous day. We couldn't have asked for nicer weather especially considering there was a chance of rain. It in the 60s though and sunny.

I didn't run as much of it as I would have liked to and my time wasn't great (41 minutes) but I had fun and that's all that matters to me. I made a friend pretty early in the race. We started near the entrance of the gardens on Cherry Road and ran towards Poplar. 

I started out pretty strong. Just after I rounded onto Poplar Southern I noticed a little boy running next to me (probably about 9 or 10 years old). I had my headphones in so I hadn't realized he was talking to me. I took  out one headphone to hear him tell me he was there with his grandma who was way behind us and Suzanne who was way ahead of us.

They had one lane of Poplar closed off for us to run in but the other lane was open for traffic. My running buddy started jumping over the cones that were straddling the open and closed lane. I tried to warn him that there might be cars coming so he should move away from the line. I looked around to see if I could see if there was anyone close that might be with him but didn't see anyone that seemed to be looking for him so I decided to stay close to make sure he didn't get run over.

It turned out he was a fun running buddy. He had asthma so periodically when he would start coughing we would have to take walking breaks. He told me all about his family and school and he pretty much talked my ear off the whole race but it was kinda nice to have someone to walk and run with.

As we rounded back into the gardens we caught up with my friends from the gym. Danielle had been just ahead of me most of the race and April had already finished (in under 24 minutes, 1st in her age group, way to go April!) April came back around to run in with me which was really nice so the 4 of us ran (with some walking) in together.

I never got the name of my running buddy. I think he found his family right after we crossed the finish line which was good. We had a good time. I enjoyed the exercise, weather, and the company of some great people.

Super Blogger Slacker

Wow, I've really been slacking on my blogging so I have several updates and away we go.

We've been having a weight lose challenge at the gym. I started off pretty well but then I went to New Orleans for work and that really derailed my progress. I am down 10 pounds from where I started 8 weeks ago though I really had planned on losing 25 in that time.

My biggest problem hasn't been working out but it has been eating well. I've really been struggling with my eating. It's really hard when everyone around you just eats what ever they want. I really need to get back with it because I am only 13 pounds from my first weight lose goal and I would like to reach it in the next 8 weeks.

I have to say though I am proud of where I started and where I'm at today. I'm down two pants sizes (woo-hoo!) Since everyone loves before and after photos here's mine. The before is me at the time of my graduation last year and after is from last week.

Last weekend I went to a party that some work ladies invited me to and while I was there one of the ladies asked me if I would consider doing the Warrior Dash with her. I had never heard of it and I checked out their website the next day. At first I thought, "I could never do this" but over the next several days I kept thinking about it and checking out their website. I really think with enough training and determination I could do it. Now I'm by no means saying that even after training for it it would be easy but I am interested in seeing if I could finish it. They are having one in Nashville in September and I think I'm going to do it. I'm really excited to try it and have been trying to talk others into it as well.

Another thing I've been thinking about trying is Crossfit. I found out that there's a Crossfit gym right around the corner from my house. I am really interested from the photos I've seen on their website and from the Crossfit Reebok commercial I keep seeing on TV. They are having a 30 day membership special and I'm thinking about trying it out in the evenings just to see if I like it.

Another thing I am interested in trying right now is a rock climbing wall. I recently found out that there is one right across the street from where I work and they are having a community night this coming Friday. They also have one at Lifetime gym and at UT Memphis.

Oh and how could I forget this, I'm running my first 5K this coming Saturday. I've been doing the Couch to 5K training plan. I'm still not running a mile yet without walking breaks. I probably would have been there by now if not for being out of town and then being sick for a week. I am going to try my best though and do what I can do. I am really excited though. It is the Daffodil Dash 3-miler at the Memphis Botanical Gardens. I'm hoping we will have great weather.

Our gym is opening at work tomorrow. I am pretty excited about that. They had tours this week and it is really nice. It's a little on the small side but I really think that after a few weeks the novelty will wear off for some people and it will slow down. The part I'm really excited about is that there are going to be personal trainers. They will meet with you to discuss your fitness goals and give you customized exercises and meal plans to help you reach your goal. Best part is that it is totally free. I'm not going to quit going to my gym though because I've made some good friends there and it has a pool and running track.

Well, I think that is all for now. I am going to try to be a better blogger though I've made that empty promise before. Forgive me, I'm only human.

New Year's Resolution Follow-up

Well it's the new year and it's a good thing I didn't make blogging more a new year's resolution or I would have already failed. Even though I am only 2 weeks into the new year I thought I would update you on how my resolutions have been going.

1. Eat more healthy and well balanced meals

I have been doing a little better with eating more healthy. We've been doing a weight-loss challenge at the gym and some meal suggestions were included. I haven't been following the suggestions strictly but I have been making a concerted effort to try and think about what I'm eating. I'm definitely not saying that I haven't eaten anything unhealthy but I feel like moderation is key. I've been better about not having whole days of just eating garbage. I am going to New Orleans for a week for work and I am a little worried about staying on track. It won't be easy but I am going to give it my best.

2. Exercise at least 5 days a week.

So far so good. I've gone at least 5 days a week and some days I've gone twice a day or stayed for 2 - 3 hours. Since I will be out of town for a whole week I've made some plans for working out while I'm gone. The hotel has a gym and I bought some work out DVDs (Jillian Michaels, Amazon has some good deals on her DVDs).

3. Spend more time learning and reading. Read at least 5 books this year.

Well, I haven't started reading any books yet but I am going to a 7 day training for work so I feel like this constitutes the learning element. I am pretty excited for the opportunity.

4. Be less critical of others.

Okay, this is probably one of my biggest faults. I've been trying to work on this one but let's just stay it's a bit of a struggle. This one might have to be a multi-year goal :)

5. Do more to help others. Find ways of volunteering.

I haven't really done any volunteering yet but it is still early. I need to get on it though before it becomes an afterthought.

In addition to these resolutions I've pledged to lose 25 pounds in our 6-week weight lose challenge at the gym. I am down 5 pounds so far. I hope I can keep up the good momentum especially with my trip. We are ending the challenge with a 5K. I am not a running by any means but I want to start preparing myself so I am going to start the Couch to 5K program. I hope this will help me succeed in the 5K without having to walk the whole thing or without passing out. So wish me luck as I'm probably going to need it.

Happy New Year!

I can't believe this year is coming to an end already. Time certainly does fly by. You can't help but to reflect on the past year around this time and it was quite a year.

Unfortunately I got up to my highest weight ever but I am happy to say that I have lost 35 pounds this year and hoping to lose at least another 35 next year. I have begun to make exercise a regular part of my daily life and I feel much better for it.

In addition to the weight loss I have made some good friends this year at the gym. It makes the hard work easier when you have great people working with you and rooting for you. I am so thankful to have them in my life.

Obviously exercise isn't the only part to the weight loss and I have been eating much healthier this year (okay, with the exception of the past two week, the holidays are tough for eating healthy). I really hope to improve this even more next year. It is something I struggle with and some habits are easier to change than others.

I am also really excited about my new hobby, Cross-stitching. I was so excited to finish my first cross-stitch project which was a Dalek from Doctor Who which I made for Ken for Christmas. I have started a second one and have made a great deal of progress. It has been fun learning something new. It keeps me busy and it also keeps me from snacking.

So with the New Year there always comes resolutions. I have found that the more realistic the resolution the more obtainable it is. I found this quote that to me sums up the meaning and purpose of New Year's resolutions.

“Time invested in improving ourselves cuts down on time wasted in disapproving of others."

Happy New Year to you and yours!

Resolutions

1. Eat more healthy and well balanced meals

2. Exercise at least 5 days a week

3. Spend more time learning and reading. Read at least 5 books this year.

4. Be less critical of others

5. Do more to help others. Find ways of volunteering.

The Time of Year for Eating

Okay, I know I've been really slacking with my blogging but I feel like I've been so busy (I know, excuses, excuses).

For starters we've been having the "Holiday Stamp-ede" at work. We had weigh-ins right before Thanksgiving and the goal is to not gain weight over the holiday season. They've had cooking demos, Patrick House from biggest loser came and spoke, and they've had workout classes 3 days a week. For each event we go to we get a stamp on our card. The stamps get us entered in a drawing for an iPad. I've done pretty good. I haven't gained any weight and in fact I've lost 1 1/2 pounds. Our weigh-outs are on January 3-4.

I went to the cooking demo where I got some good recipes (i'll include those at the end of my post). I went and saw Patrick House, Biggest Loser Season 10 winner, speak. His story was so inspirational and if you ever get a chance to see him speak I definitely recommend it. I've been going to the Pilates class every Wednesday and I tried the Monday bootcamp class though the time I went they didn't play any music and it was too weird for me to workout in silence. They also gave us stamps for turning in 2 healthy recipes. At weigh-outs they are going to give us a recipe book with the best recipes. It's been really fun and so great that they care so much about employees' health.

It has been pretty hard though because of course not everyone at work is taking part and the people in my area  love to eat. And I mean LOVE to EAT! People have been bring in treats pretty much every day since Thanksgiving. They are doing a 12 days of Christmas in which everyone takes turns bring in something for 12 days and then at the end of it all they are having a potluck. So in other words there has been a lot of temptation but I've done really well. I haven't eaten any of the treats. I did bring some of my own healthified baked goods one day; Gluten-free pumpkin muffins and gluten-free apple ginger scones. Despite the healthiness they went over surprisingly well.

On top of the extra work-outs at work I've still been hitting the gym pretty hard. I try to go on Monday and Wednesday mornings for Strength and Cardio classes. Tuesday I either go swimming or I walk on the treadmill at home. Thursday and Sunday are usually my days off. Sometimes I go Thursday morning or Friday morning and swim. Saturday is my 3 hour workout blitz of 1 hour Zumba, 1 hour Strength and Cardio, and 1 hour Yoga. If I hadn't indulged over Thanksgiving I probably would have lost a lot more weight by now but I'm just taking it a day at a time and realizing that even though I'm not seeing a lot of loss on the scales I am noticing clothes fitting different.

I've also still been working on a homemade Christmas present for Ken. That has been more time consuming than I expected and it's also hard because I can't work on it when he is around. I only have two weeks left and I hope I finish it in time. I haven't even started on my scarf but I don't have any real deadline for its completion so it has been put on the back burner.

I am going to be on call for work over Christmas so Ken and I haven't planned much. I'm hoping things will be quiet and I won't get a lot of calls.

On top of all the other excitement our heat went out twice in the last week and it ended up cost $600 to get it fixed so that was a fun unexpected expense but that's just one of the joys of home ownership and at this point I'm just glad to have heat. It has put a bit of a damper on my holiday spending though unfortunately.

Well that is the update for me. In case I don't get around to posting again before Christmas I hope everyone has a great holiday. I will be sure to post before New Years with my resolutions and goals for 2012.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours!

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