I'm Back!

I know it might be a little premature, baby is only 8 days old, but I'm ready to sweat! Since I haven't been given the green light to exercise yet I'm going to get a jump on nutrition & get back on my Shakeology.

Reality is starting to set in. I'm less than 2 years from 40. When this little girl becomes a teenager, I will be in my 50's! The clock is ticking and I want to be on the healthy side so i can keep up with her!

Being pregnant was a delay, but I didn't gain too much weight. It won't take me long to be back to where I was when I hit pause on the weight loss. In the meantime I have created a gym snob in Ryan. I signed him up for a 51 day challenge with a trainer in the spring. He went, kicking and screaming, but he did it. He has fallen in love with working out and lifting weights. He is seeing some real results now, including weening himself off insulin. Now he is counting the days to when he can start training me. I love it!

Nursing and weight loss will be a challenge for me, but I am equally committed to both and I'm not willing to sacrifice either one for the other. It is going to be tricky. In the past I've let myself eat whatever justifying it by telling myself I need the extra calories to nurse the baby. I know it's not true though.

So for now I'll do what I can. Baby steps back into my routine. I'm excited to continue on my journey to be Fit by 40 and to have my sweet husband working right by my side is an added bonus I Only could have dreamed!

I Hiked a Mountain Today

Today has been a huge milestone for me! I ran a mile. 4 laps on a track. No stopping. I tried to stop to pee but the gate was locked so I had to keep running!

My beachbody coach Emma challenged our team to run for 10 minutes. I walked the track twice to warm up, set my alarm and took off. I am not a runner. In jr high I was the goalie on my soccer team so I didn't have to run much!

At lap 3 1/2 I looked at my clock thinking there was No Way I could do a 10 minute mile. It never started. So I finished the lap and called it a success! I think it was 12 minutes or so. I've had a slight ache in my knee but that was actually good for it I think.

In the back of my mind I've wanted to be able to run. I hate it outwardly but secretly I want to be able to do it. I admire marathoners like crazy. The sheer will that takes is amazing!

Even though I may never get to that point I have reached a very big goal for me. I'm 200+ still. I'm 37 years old. I wear a 40D.  I have 4 kids and no bladder control. I NEVER thought I would be able to run a mile. EVER. I wanted to. I hoped for it. But now I'm working for it!

I'm on day 62 of Chalene Extreme and shakeology. I love it and the changes I've already seen in the way I feel and in what I can do. I've lost 6 lbs and 13.3 inches. I'm on track to hit my goal of Fit By 40! If I can do it, so can You! Trust me it's worth every ache and sore muscle!

All about me

I've been a little fixated on myself lately. I think it's because I have been pushing myself to do things I have never done before (exercise lots and eat good clean food) that I feel like I need a reward. Normally I would go buy myself a delicious cupcake or something but that doesn't really fit into my new lifestyle. So I've been going to the salon.

I colored my hair about a month ago. I got my legs and armpits waxed. I got contacts and have new glasses on the way. I had a facial and fell in love with my new esthetician. Since then I have gotten 2 chemical peels from her. I can see how the first one had potential to really help my skin but there was not many side effects. So the second one was stronger. It smelt like oranges and burned like crazy. This was Friday. We had family pics on Saturday and I think I was looking fine.

Today. Today I am a mess. I know it's temporary but I can't even bring myself to try and cover it with makeup. So I thought I'd take pictures. So I can remember what I went through just in case I decide I want to do this again.
I feel blotchy and dried out.

In other news I am loving shakeology and my new workouts. Chalene Johnson is my new best friend. :) I have lost 10 inches do far. Only about 3 lbs (I gained 4 at the start) but I look and feel so much better. I am super happy about the life changes I've made. I get really sick if I eat desserts and that is actually good for me. Candy especially the Easter basket kind from this weekend doesn't really even tempt me. That makes me feel like what I'm doing is working! Even more than the workouts do. The loose fitting clothes help though too. Gotta get ready for summer clothes!

Breakfast idea

I made a version of an omelet I found for breakfast. Tomato spinach cottage cheese. Half egg whites. Pretty tasty. More like a scramble but getting the omelet to fold perfectly has never been a skill I mastered.

Beachbody challenge

I joined a Beachbody Challenge coached by my cousin Emma. I am excited but nervous. I took my "before" photos today and it made me realize how far I have to go to reach my beachbody potential. It's actually scary.

As part of the challenge I have been drinking Shakeology for breakfast every morning. I really like it and I love the nutrients I am getting from it.

I'm tracking my progress on the myfitnesspal app on my phone. lishajeanne is my user name. Let's be buddies! Also feel free to comment with healthy recipes that work great for your family. That's my biggest challenge right now. Good food for the whole family.

Slump

I've hit a wall. The holidays were hard to exercise through. Then the gym was packed so I just did my own thing ie treadmill, bike, etc. rather than fight the "New Years Resolution" crowd for a spot in class. Now I am finding it hard to get back into my routine. I also gained a few pounds back over the holidays so I feel like I am starting over.

Can anyone tell me why it takes two weeks for me to get my endurance back to the point of going through an entire class without dying, but it only takes missing the gym twice to feel that way again? I know I'm old. I know I am out of shape and fat, but I thought I was making some progress. It's actually very frustrating. And obviously hard to handle or I wouldn't be asking for advice. Any encouragement or advice is always appreciated!

A New Year, New Challenges

I recently found a good friend to watch C during the day so I could open up my availability at work and be able to be home at night more often.  I don't work lots during the day and not even every week, but I have noticed it cutting into my work out time.  Normally I go to the gym after the kids go to school (and when the day care is open at the gym).  If I don't go in the morning, I rarely go once the kids get home from school.   I never can go on Monday morning because I work for the free membership from 8-12:30 that day.  I am NOT a morning person.  Getting up at 7 is hard for me, and that is necessary to get the kids to school on time.  In my perfect world I would be at the gym at 6 and home by 7, but that is so unrealistic I can't even begin to fathom it. 

Sunday I told Ryan I wanted to go to PowerCut at 5:30 the next day.  He all but laughed in my face.  Of course I was at work all day and by the time I got home I was exhausted and very much not wanting to leave the house.  Around 7 or 7:30 I made a comment about how I had missed PowerCut and Ry again laughed at me.  After we talked for a bit I found out that he thought I meant 5:30 am.   Not 5:30 pm.  Which is the actual time of the class.  Now the laughter made sense. 

So here is my predicament.  I need to work out more often, but I have these time issues that make it hard.  I don't want to call myself lazy because I can't wake up.  Maybe I am, but I work until late at night all weekend long and 2 week nights.  Sleep is hard to come by.  So I am hoping for some advice on how I can work more exercise into this schedule.  I am open to options at this point.  Honestly, the gym has been the best for me especially when I go to classes.  They are a lot more motivating and help my endurance increase which is my hardest thing right now.  I did 2 classes in a row last week, which I had never done and I thought I wuld die, but I made it.  But 2 hours one day an hour the next then 5 days off is not a great schedule.  Consistency is what  I am looking for here.  Any thoughts would be helpful and appreciated. 

Day 11

Today was another busy day...watched lots of kids today. Cousins came over while mom and dad went to the temple. Then friends came over so mom and brand new baby sister could get some sleep. I got a mini workout in the form of buying lots of canned food, loading them in the van and hauling them all downstairs to the storage room. Exercise: step intervals...felt like I was going to die. Sweat was dripping off my face.Julie is awesome but she is tough! B- grapes. L- half a chicken sandwich. D- Clam Chowder, biscuit and a Frosty

Day 10

Ryan is home from Colorado!  Hooray!  Up late again waiting for him to arrive so I could pick him up.  I went to real Zumba today and didn't feel like I wanted to die when it was over.  It felt really good.  I sweat like crazy still and my body still feels all hot inside like it did when I finished, but other than that it felt good.  He made good money at the conference he taught so we spent the day shopping and he took us out to dinner.  I think at one point today my blood sugar dropped.  I obviously did not eat enough protein today and I noticed that really effects how I feel.  My vision started to blur a little and I could barely stand up.  It was around my afternoon slump time so it may have partly been that too.  I felt better after dinner but still not 100%. 

B- Yogurt  L- apple and cream cheese dip  D- Bruschetta Chicken Sandwich @ Red Robin--Also had chips and guacamole and some steak fries. 

Day 9

I stayed up watching TV til really late last night and I was paying for it all day today.  I had every intention of going to Step at 8:30 but I was so tired I could not get going.  Instead I went to Zumba Gold at 10:30.  Gold is code for older/overweight people.  But not necessarily both.  I was by far the youngest person there today.  The pace was much slower for sure, but I did keep my heart rate up and it was nice to not feel like the stupid one in the class.  I am just glad it was an option because I don't think I had the morivation to keep myself moving today. 

I kinda skipped breakfast unintentionally today.  I had an orange for a mid morning snack.  Lunch was a burrito and nachos.  Dinner was a big salad, garlic bread and pizza. 

Day 8

Today is the day I earn my keep at the gym...I am a shift leader in the nursery for 4.5 hours.  It affords me a full family membership, which I love.  All morning, Clark had to use the bathroom a lot.  We were going over and over.  When my shift ended, I left him there to go work out.  Right as soon as I left he had an accident and they had to change his clothes.  I know this because after I changed I realized I left my water bottle so I went back to get it.  He was not wearing the outfit I dressed him in this morning. 

Today was a running day for me.  2 minute intervals for 18 minutes.  I was so wiped out when I finished!  But I kept walking for a total of 45 minutes on the treadmill.  When I walk I  increase my speed and do the incline so it makes me sweat a little bit more and helps keep my heart rate up.  I burned 366 calories.  I went 2.6 miles. 

Food: B-Vanilla Greek yogurt, grapes  L- turkey and spinach sandwich on the thin rounds, cottage cheese, coke zero, Hersey kiss  L- dark leafy salad with chicken, almonds, oranges.  2 chocolate chip cookies, 8 oz. glass of skim milk

Baking is my weakness.  I still have dough in the fridge.  I am going to cook it all tomorrow and take it to the neighbors so I can get them out of my house.  There are packaged cookies in the cupboard, but they don't even tempt me.  It's the homemade stuff that I can't resist.  Especially my own! 

Day 5, 6 and 7

Day 5
Friday was a whirlwind day.  I have had some back issues ( sort of weight related but mostly not) for a lot of years but I have ignored them.  I hold all my stress in my shoulder/neck area and I have an injury in my lower back.  The past 7 months or so I have been seeing a chiropractor.  My rib on the left side right under my breast area was out so badly it hurt to breath...that prompted going in for the first time. She is awesome and uses a lot of heat and electrodes to loosen up muscles before she works on the alignment. 

Her husband works with her as well, as a massage therapist.  Apparently I need to help retrain my muscles so the work will be effective.  So lately I have been seeing him pretty regularly.  When I think of massage, I think of relaxation and comfort.  Not when I see Chris.  He is "mean", his word.  The focus was mostly on my shoulder area this visit.  Deep tissue work is painful, just breath through it and pray it is over quick.  I am still (Sunday night) very sore from my most recent visit.   

I went to the gym and met a friend there...I was 20 minutes late and she about gave up on me. We did treadmills and I was once again reminded that I have not run for quite a while.  I did the 2 min intervals again for 20 minutes than walked 15 more.  I did weigh myself.  I am at 221.  I had gotten to about 227 though so I am glad to have lost some recently.  My "ideal" body weight  for my height is 125 but I think I would be happy with 150.  But that is 75-100 lbs. to lose.

The rest of the day was busy and I finished the day at work.  At one point someone kind of scratched my back as she was walking past.  I twas meant to be a sweet gesture, but when it happened the pain flared right back up from the morning chiro visit.  OUCH!

Day 6
I hosted a baby shower today for a friend who is having a boy after only one girl.  Lots of her family and friends came so it was a success.  I tried really hard to not eat the chocolate and cookies, but it was in vain.  I did eat lots of fruit and vegys to offset it though. 

Had lunch, wnet shopping, cleaned house and headed back to work. 

Day 7

I got home last night at 11:45.  Fell asleep for a couple hours than woke up to take Ryan to catch the shuttle to the SLC airport. at 2:30 am.  I went to the grocery store since I was wide awake at that point.  I am a little frustrated with how carb dependent we have become.  I made a sincere effort to not buy anything with tons of preservatives or carbs.  It was more difficult to plan without those kinds of things, but they are not at all necessary.  I think I am the most sad about potatoes.  I am an Idaho girl and used to having them as an option, although we have stopped eating them very often in recent years.  I  finally went to sleep just after 4.  I was so cold all night without my "heater" sleeping next to me. 

Surprised that I woke up as early as I did with little help.  We made it to church with 3 minutes to spare, which has to be a record this year.  Papa Hansen called though and has a monster head cold and a stomach bug he can't kick so he cancelled his flight.  He is making plans to come again in a month or so. 

We had an uneventful Sunday and shared dinner with cousins.  I tried to make these yummy cookies we had at the EISF last week ,but they did not turn out like we hopped. 

I am looking forward to my workout tomorrow.   Strange to hear myself say that but I really am excited.

Day 4

Today has been interesting so far.  I woke up with the kids, got them off to school and got ready for the gym.  I went to sit next to Clark who was on my bed watching a cartoon and fell asleep for 30 minutes.  When I woke up it was 9:25.  So I hurried to the gym and got in a quick 15 minute run.  I did run 2 walk 2 today at 4.6 mph.  It hurt.  A lot.  I can tell I have not run for a while. 

I had a RS Pres. meeting at 10 (oh yeah I do that too, along with everything else in my crazy busy life).  We are planning Super Saturday and Christmas activites right now.  Just as the meeting was ending I got a phone call from Ry, wanting to meet for lunch. 

Now I am home.  The dishes are done, the kitchen floor is mopped (hooray!) and the laundry is down to a medium sized pile instead of a huge one.  It's 4:15 and I am not ridiculously tired like I usually am at this time of day.  Ry's dad will be here on Sunday and the last time he came he cleaned the entire weekend.  His goal this time is to refinish our hard wood floors and tile our bathrooms.  Plus he has never been to our new house since we bought it last month.  It still feels like we just moved in to me.  Hopefully someday it will feel like my house and that everything is put away. 

Exercise: Run 15 minutes
Food: B- String cheese, 1/2 protein bar, 1/2 peach  L- Taco, Mexican Pizza  Snack- 1/2 apple

Day 3

I am tired...a lot.  I cannot make it through the day without a nap and it is very frustrating.   I can fall asleep anywhere, and I do if I am tired enough. That girl that slept through your econ class every period, that was me.  If I don't take a nap I walk around for about 2 hours feeling like a total zombie.  It is really interesting when I am working.  After a year, my thyroid medication dose is correct.  The medication for Insulin Resistance is effective as well.  I am also taking a B12 shot every week.  That is suppossed to give me more energy too.  We thought these things would help me not be so tired.  So now I am going to be tested for anemia and to have my calcium levels tested.  When I was having babies my iron level was always very high, but my mom is anemic so maybe it is part of getting older for me. 

At any rate, I am hoping this will provide a conclusion.  To look at me it would be easy to say I am just lazy.  I thought I was for a long time too.  I have never been sedentary, I am a waitress so that is a contradiction right there.  I have increased my activity levels a lot from where I was a few years ago.   Maybe the exercising regularly, as in every day, will prove to be a cure.  I know it can't hurt.

I went to step aerobics this morning.  I have done it before but its been a long time.  I kept getting lost and forgetting the routine.  All I could do was laugh at myself.  Very loudly I might add.  The ladies around me were smiling and encouraging me...one was trying to help me get a particularly hard step I could not figure out.  When we finished, a gal I had not even noticed came up to me and encouraged me to keep coming, it will get easier.  It was really sweet of them to be so welcoming.  I know I look silly when I exercise.  There are giant mirrors eveywhere and I am not blind.  I honestly don't care though.  Someday I will look like the skinny little ones up front that never even skip a beat...like they had practiced the routine for 3 months.  Not sure about the hot pink tennis skirt though. 

Here is the thing.  I have worked at the Apple for 2 years now. ( I trade for a full family membership, 4 1/2 hours a week which equals Monday morning for me) A lot of the women have children so I have seen them go from fat to fit over the course of time.  I know it can be done.  I know I can do it.  Consistency is the key!

Exercise:  Step Interval 50 minutes.  Walk in the neighborhood 15 minutes
Food:  B-Golden Grahams, no milk 1/2 cup.   L-Watermelon 1/4 cup.  Ham sandwich with mayo. D-Enchiladas with corn, chips & salsa.

Day 2

Today was busy.  So I used that as an excuse and didn't do my run.  I worked all night at the OG too.  Surprisingly, was not as tired as I imagined I would be.  I did eat a breadstick though, which is horrible.  Bread will be the death of me.  Literally.  How do I find something to replace my desire for baked goods?  Fresh bread hot out of the oven is not only one of my favorite things to eat, I really enjoy making it too.  Carbs are not my friend. 

Day 1

I have struggled with my weight for the majority of my adult life.  I have tried lots of different diets and I have seen results from most.  I feel like I am playing in a game I can't win.  So I an changing the rules.  For me.  Exercise .  Eating better.  Smaller portions.  Easy to say.

But I am obsessed with food.  Not in a binge-on-everything-in-site way.  More in a culinary way.  Food is what I love.  I work in food.  Almost every job I have ever had is somehow related to the food industry.  It is my passion, my hobby, my favorite past time.  I love to cook.   I like to read about food.  I have more recipe books than I can ever possibly use.  The Food Network is my ESPN.  I enjoy almost everything about food.  Eating it is just a small part of what I enjoy.

About a month ago I was diagnosed with Insulin Resistance.  Basically Pre-Diabetes.  If I don't change the habits I have, I will be diabetic very soon.  I am attending classes.  I am now on medicine to help the insulin work the way it should so I don't lose that function completely.    I am supposed to eat no more than 30 carbs per meal.  I am a work in progress. 

I have a cousin who has agreed to help me on my journey.  She is super supportive and very motivating.  My challenge is to create a journal to record my progress.  I have thought about doing this anyway, so here it is.  My goal is to be fit by 40.  I will turn 37 in 3 months.  I think I am to the point where I just want to get off the roller coaster and actually do something permanent. 

I spent some time with a good friend last week who has lost 110 lbs. in the past 9 months.  He looks amazing.  Like a different person.  It motivated me to keep working hard!  In fact, someone approached him and asked him if he was related to Adam.  "I am Adam" was his reply.  It was that big of a difference.  I want to be mistaken for one of my thinner sisters.  That would be awesome. 

Exercise today:  Zumba 45 minutes