Saturday, December 31, 2011

Short End of the Year Review

This has been a pretty decent year for me.  I weighed in this morning at 227.8.  So, I have gained weight since last time I posted a chart for you all.  This is a yearly review though, so I am going to focus on the fact that I lost 20 lbs from my heaviest weight this year.  That's something to be happy about.  I am also in an XL shirt at Old Navy (I buy a lot of clothes from there.)  I can technically get into a L shirt, but my boobs are too big and it's not really flattering for my stomach anyway.  So, I've gone from a tight XXL to an XL that is lose around my stomach.  I also entered my first 5k this year.  I did not warm up properly and ended up slightly injured, but the point is that I overcame a fear and did it anyway.  There is one on Jan. 28,2012 that I plan to enter.  I have also dropped from a comfortable size 20 jean to a comfortable size 16.  On top of that I have lost 15 inches over 8 different spots on my body since I started working out in June.  I have also tried new workouts, new foods, and did things completely out of my comfort zone.  let's not forget meeting Sam!  He is amazing and through him I learned that I am stronger and can do things that I would have never imagined.  I might not have done everything I planned to do, but I definitely think I made a pretty great start.

Recap of this year:
-20 lb loss
-2 jean sizes down
-XXL to XL shirt
-completed 1st 5k
-15 inches lost since June
-got out of my comfort zone

Tomorrow I will take measurements for the new year.  I have done this for 2011 and 2010, so I will be able to compare the two.  I'll also jot down a few goals too.  So, check back tomorrow evening for that.

I worked out this morning for the first time in a week and it felt amazing!  I did 30 minutes of Zumba 2 on Wii.  My sister bought it for me for Christmas.  The graphics are much better than the 1st one and you are able to track your weight and it gives an estimate for calories burned.  So far though, I like the songs on the first one better, but I only did 6 or 7 songs out of close to 40...so I might have a different opinion of the songs as I do more of it.

Happy New Year everyone!

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Quick Update

Hi everyone!  I'm still here. The past two weeks I've had finals, work, holiday parties, etc.  The bottom line is I've been busy.  Today is the first time I have logged in blogger in awhile.  I have been decent with exercise and very good with my nutrition.  I have probably averaged 3 days a week of working out and my food choices have actually been really good.  I just have not had time to get on here and chat about them.

On another note, I'm very frustrated with blogger right now.  I'm not sure if it's something I'm doing or not, but I am STILL not seeing all of the blogs I'm following on my dashboard.  I have re-followed (yes, I just made this word up) quite a few of them repeatedly with no success.  I also cannot view my followers.  On my dashboard it says I have 18, but I can only see 10.  I have logged in on multiple computers and all of this occurs on each one and I'm about to throw something.  Anyway, I'm hoping to catch up on all of your blogs tonight. 

I hope you all are doing well and Merry Christmas!

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Just Get Up and Go

First, I'm sorry that I have not been by a few of your blogs lately.  I just realized that for some reason all of the blogs I follow are not showing up on my dashboard.  I had just thought a few of you had not written anything recently.  I'm going to try and figure out what happened and find your blogs later tonight.

I have not blogged in a week.  I have not worked out in a week.  I really feel horrible.  I have gained weight over the past month.  I feel sluggish again. I just feel awful all the way around.  You can always tell when I slack off, because I disappear.  If I'm not exercising or eating better then I really have nothing to talk about on this blog.  Plus, I don't want to have to come on here and say I've done nothing, so I avoid it like the plague.

Well, today I was sitting feeling sorry for myself and I just snapped out of it.  It's not much, but I did some burpees before I came to work.  I also packed my clothes, so I can go to the gym when I get off.  I can't even pinpoint why I quit or drastically slacked off.  I was feeling great, confidence was up, clothes were too big, compliments were flowing in, my energy level was sky high, my skin looked fantastic...why would you give all that up?  I have no idea. 

So, I'm going back to the philosophy of day by day.  Each day I am just going to get up and force myself to do something.  I know initially I will not feel like it at all.  I will just have to make myself do.  Eventually, I'll feel the way I felt a month ago.  Until then I'll fake it until I make it lol!  Tomorrow I'm planning to begin C25K again.  I'm hoping I will still be able to begin where I left off, which was week 3, but we'll see.

I'm going to the grocery store in the morning to get healthy foods.  I love the grocery store.  I have no idea why, but I do.  I was looking up foods with fiber and I ran across some info about McDonald's oatmeal.
I got this info from here

I realize I made the pic too large for the blog template I use, but I wanted to make sure you could read the info.  Did this info shock anyone else?  I have never had their oatmeal, but everyone I know has told me how good it is.  So, I had always planned to try it.  I think the sugar surprised me the most.  I guess I'll be sticking to my steel-cut oatmeal.  

One of my favorite pics from Win, Lose, or Blog...I think Catherine posted this one, but I'm not 100% sure.  It is exactly what I need to read and remember right now.


Since it's almost Christmas I'm going to post Christmas songs.  The workout songs will be back once Christmas is over.  I LOVE this song!  I look forward to hearing it every year.  Yes, it's filled with cheesy awesomeness and I love it haha!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Vacation and Getting Back on Track

I finally figured out why I was getting ads last week on blogger.  I was on vacation for the past week, and it had something to do with the condo's internet.  Now that I'm back home, I'm no longer getting ads everywhere.

I went with my family to Gatlinburg, TN.  It's one of my favorite places to go.  I love walking around and looking at everything!  We had a great time.  I'll post pics from the aquarium at the very end of this post.

Now that I'm back I need to get back on track.  I feel like I've really been slipping the past 2-3 weeks, so now I'm back at it.  I'm doing a strength training routine from the Dec 2011 issue of Oxygen 3 times a week and I'm doing Couch to 5K 3 times a week.
I told you all previously that I love Oxygen Magazine.  This is my stash...there are close to 90 issues here.  I know, I know....I have a problem lol!  But if anyone needs a back issue (minus 2011 and the last half of 2010) you now know where you can get one.  Just email me.

So this is what I did today:
You're supposed to do a 2 min warm up jumping rope and 30-60sec of jumping rope between each exercise.  I did the entire circuit twice and it took me about 40 min.  You can also do jumping jacks instead of jumping rope or just pretend like you're jumping rope without the rope..  I was thrilled to have everything I needed to do this at home.  Not every video is perfect, but I think you can get the general idea from them.

1. Squat (I used dumbbells)
2. Low Incline Dumbbell Press
3. Seated Lateral Raise
4. Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curl
5. Seated Dumbbell Wrist Curl
6. Walking Lunges
7. Flat Bench Reverse Crunch (but on a flat bench)
8. Toes to Ceiling ( similar to previous exercise, but "without bending your legs, lift your hips from the bench, directing your feet straight upward") I could not find a video of this.
9. Upright Dumbbell Row
10. Bench Crunch
11. Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift
12. Single Arm Concentration Curl
13. Dumbbell Chest Fly
14. Reverse Dumbbell Wrist Curl
15. V-Sit on Bench
16. Sumo Squat
17. Standing Calf Raise
18. Bent-Over Lateral Raise
19. Bent Over Single Arm Dumbbell Row
20. Supine Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover
21. Lying Hip Thrust/Bridge
22. Frog Crunch

I did 12 of everything twice.  I feel perfectly fine now, but I know I will feel this in the morning.  Tomorrow will be a day full of cardio.  C25K and maybe something else.  I'll let you all know.

Gatlinburg pics:

My sister at Bubba Gump's (with me trying to sneak in the background)









Santa's Claus-et

with my mom


just me

I have more pics, but I don't want to overload you all.  My father absolutely hates taking pictures, so he is not in ANY of the pics from this trip.  We had a FANTASTIC time!  I hope you all have a great day!