Slimmer This Summer - Day 4

I'm feeling really good about today. I made lots of good food choices, which was much easier since I went grocery shopping yesterday. I spread out my meals throughout the day and didn't let myself get ravenous. So, food-wise, I think I did pretty well.

I also did 60 minutes on Bertha, my new (old) exercise bike. 45 minutes at 5mph and the last 15 minutes at 10 mph. Then I did Day 9, Level 1 of The 30 Day Shred. I did not raise my arm above my head and I think that by not being in so much pain from doing that, I was able to handle the rest of it much better. I'm a little sore in the shoulder, but I'm headed off to take a hot shower and rub it down with Icy Hot.

I'm praying that I can actually sleep tonight.

Your Food Diary For:

Thursday June 9, 2011

Breakfast	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Coffee-Mate ( French Vanilla) Sugar Free - Coffee Creamer Liquid, 2 tbsp	30	4	2	0	10	0
Coffee - Brewed from grounds, 2 cup (8 fl oz)	5	0	0	1	9	0
Kellogg's - Special K - Red Berries Cereal, 1 cup	110	27	0	2	190	9
Skim - Milk, 8 oz	80	11	0	8	120	11
Add Food Quick Tools Quick add calories Remember meal Copy yesterday Copy from date Copy to date Copy from which date? Wednesday, June 8 Tuesday, June 7 Monday, June 6 Sunday, June 5 Saturday, June 4 Friday, June 3 Thursday, June 2 Copy to which date? Sunday, June 12 Saturday, June 11 Tomorrow Today Yesterday Tuesday, June 7 Monday, June 6	225	42	2	11	329	20
Lunch
Hellman's Light Mayonnaise - Mayonaise, 2 Tbsp	80	0	9	0	230	0
Buddig - Deli Cuts Honey Roasted Turkey Breast, 6 slices	70	3	2	9	460	3
Healthy Life - 100% Whole Grain Wheat Bread. Sugar Free 40 Calories, 2 slice	80	16	1	4	150	0
Generic - Cracker Chips Special K Sea Salt, 7.5 chips	28	0	0	0	0	0
Add Food Quick Tools Quick add calories Remember meal Copy yesterday Copy from date Copy to date Copy from which date? Wednesday, June 8 Tuesday, June 7 Monday, June 6 Sunday, June 5 Saturday, June 4 Friday, June 3 Thursday, June 2 Copy to which date? Sunday, June 12 Saturday, June 11 Tomorrow Today Yesterday Tuesday, June 7 Monday, June 6	258	19	12	13	840	3
Dinner
Hellman's Light Mayonnaise - Mayonaise, 2 Tbsp	80	0	9	0	230	0
Generic - Onion Raw Chopped 1/2 Cup, 0.25 cup	16	4	0	0	1	2
80/20 Ground Chuck - Hamburger, 3 oz.(112g)	203	0	16	15	56	0
General - Iceburg Lettuce, 1.5 cup (72g)	15	3	0	2	11	2
Add Food Quick Tools Quick add calories Remember meal Copy yesterday Copy from date Copy to date Copy from which date? Wednesday, June 8 Tuesday, June 7 Monday, June 6 Sunday, June 5 Saturday, June 4 Friday, June 3 Thursday, June 2 Copy to which date? Sunday, June 12 Saturday, June 11 Tomorrow Today Yesterday Tuesday, June 7 Monday, June 6	314	7	25	17	298	4
Snacks
Dannon Light & Fit 4oz (113g) - Nonfat Yogurt - Raspberry, 1 container - 4 oz.	60	10	0	3	50	7
Krogers - Low Sodium Rice Cakes, 1 cake	30	7	0	1	20	0
Kellog's Special K - Raspberry Cheesecake Cereal Bar, 1 bar	90	17	2	1	75	7
Kroger - 100% Whole Grain Oats (Quick Cooking), 1/2 cup uncooked	150	27	3	6	0	1
Smart Balance - Light Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 tbsp (14g)	50	0	5	0	70	0
Maple Grove Farms - Sugar Free Low Calorie Butter Flavored Syrup, 1/4 cup	30	11	0	0	100	0
Add Food Quick Tools Quick add calories Remember meal Copy yesterday Copy from date Copy to date Copy from which date? Wednesday, June 8 Tuesday, June 7 Monday, June 6 Sunday, June 5 Saturday, June 4 Friday, June 3 Thursday, June 2 Copy to which date? Sunday, June 12 Saturday, June 11 Tomorrow Today Yesterday Tuesday, June 7 Monday, June 6	410	72	10	11	315	15
Totals	1,207	140	49	52	1,782	42
Your Daily Goal	2,160	297	72	81	2,500	43
Remaining	953	157	23	29	718	1
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 960 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today... You'd weigh 175.8 lbs in 5 weeks

Water Consumption 11

Today's Food Notes

If every day were like today... You'd weigh 175.8 lbs in 5 weeks

View my complete Food Diary HERE.

Slimmer This Summer - Day 3

Today was such a full day. Grocery shopping, which takes HOURS if The Man goes - and he always does. Then home for lunch and off to the Creek to hiking / fishing / swimming. I'm exhausted. And all I caught were a million sunnies and blue-gills not even worth keeping. I swear, I'm going to give up on fishing in this state!

When I did eat today, I had huge meals. Basically, because I let myself go for so long between meals. I definitely have to start planning better. Definitely.

It was also my youngest daughter's 15th birthday. However, I skipped the cake. And the ice cream. *sigh* I really wanted a piece too. Oh well, there are four more birthdays coming up before the end of July.

I did something today that made my family laugh at me.... I bought a stationery bike. Now, you may wonder why this would be so amusing to my family. I got it for a measly $5 ! How could I pass up a deal like that? I mean, I can't afford to buy a new one, or even a used one that they advertise in the paper for close to full asking price. And I've been wanting one forever.. since I hate JUMPING so much and would love to be able to get some cardio in without my knees feeling like they are going to snap.... So, I did it! What do you think?

OK, so it's a little bit old. Probably my age, he he. But, she still works! Just needs a little bit of oil in her joints!

Any-whooooo... that's about it for today. I did not get to do my 30 Day Shred with Jillian today. So, tomorrow will have to be my Day 9. I just couldn't fit it in, even if it is only 30 minutes. And now it's almost tomorrow anyway, so. Pfffft. I was out in the sun for five hours today. Havin' fun with the family. NOT gonna sweat it.

Here's what I ate today:

View my complete Food Diary HERE.

Starting Weigh In: Plus Size Bloggers Tracking Challenge: Bye Bye Booties!

My starting weight for this challenge is 191. I was right about the water weight yesterday as this morning I was back down from 193. That was after drinking like 16 8-oz. glasses of water yesterday and getting up four times during the night to pee!

So, anyway... I found yet another challenge. Nothing like keeping my motivation and accountability up, right? Besides, it gives me even more people to encourage, which is what I so totally enjoy !

The goal for this challenge is to lose 15 pounds in 12 weeks. Totally doable, right? Sheesh, the way my weight fluctuates, who knows at this point, right? But, I'm in. That would make my goal weight for this challenge, which ends on August 29th, 176 lbs.

Off we go!

Slimmer This Summer - June 6th - August 28th

If you have been reading my blog or know me from MyFitnessPal.com , you already know that when it comes to motivation, encouragement and support, I'm all about it. While blog hopping today I came across another Blogger Support Group doing a 12 week challenge called Slimmer This Summer.

I am so in!

Here are my goals for these next 84 Days:

• In the next 12 weeks I would like to lose a total of 18 lbs. That would bring my weight down to 173 and averages out to 1.5 lb.s per week.
• In the next 12 weeks I will continue to drink at least 80 oz. of water per day.
  
• In the next 12 weeks I will continue on with working out for a minimum of 30 minutes per day, Monday through Saturday. Sunday will continue to be my Rest Day.
• My beginning measurements are: Waist: 35", Hips: 42.25", Chest: 35", Thigh: 27", Upper Arm: 13.5". My beginning weight is 191 lbs.
  
• During the next 12 weeks I will continue to track my caloric intake, exercise and water consumption at www.MyFitnessPal.com and post it here regularly for those who are not members of My Fitness Pal.
  
• During the next 12 weeks and beyond I will continue to support and encourage others in the Slimmer This Summer Challenge!

Why Take Regular Rest Days?

Today is my Rest Day. I am not going to do any type of high-impact exercising at all. My shoulder is sore and my poor muscles need rest. Now, part of me wants to do my workouts anyway. No pain, no gain, right? However, I've been reading up on the subject and the benefits of taking a day off every week (or even more often than that) are many.

First of all... you deserve it. If you've been working out regularly all week and have done your best to improve your health and fitness you absolutely deserve to take the focus off of your weight and muscles and just BE. We don't want to become so focused on our journey to fitness that we let everything else fall to the back burner. Giving yourself a break once in a while is good for the body and the spirit. Have a lazy day. Have a crazy day. Just spend some time doing anything you feel like doing, even if it's sleeping in, laying around reading a book or hanging out with friends and family. Give yourself a day to just relax and renew.

Secondly, your muscles need it. When you exercise, your muscles actually break down. They need time to repair and replenish the elements lost during your workouts. If you keep exercising and working those muscles non-stop without giving them a break, it can actually do more harm than good. They will just keep breaking down without being able to build back up. Yes, your body does heal while you sleep, however, that is not necessarily enough for your muscles to repair and rebuild muscle and connective tissue. Not allowing enough resting periods for your muscles can lead to increased muscle break down and may lead to over-training and injury.

Third, if you don't give your muscles time to heal your metabolism may slow down. This is definitely not something that a dieter wants to happen. In order for muscles to make a complete recovery, protein stores and energy stores need to be replaced. If your muscles are not given the time to recover, they can become progressively smaller. In the course of a few weeks, in regards to the dieter, this can mean a gradual decline in lean tissue, thus lowering your metabolism. This results in less calories burned overall then the need to decrease your caloric intake which may already be at the lowest end to begin with, or the need to burn more calories through exercise which just keeps you in a vicious cycle and exasperates the problem.

Fourth, You don't want to get burned out. If you have recently begun eating right and implementing daily exercise into your life, you probably have been going all-out. Your motivation is high, you are excited and raring to see results. However, if you are serious about becoming a more fit and healthy person, you need to look at this not as a Diet, but as a Lifestyle Change. You have the rest of your life to worry about. This is not a "Lose 10 Pounds In 3 Days And Keep It Off Forever" diet scam. This is your LIFE. Pace yourself, take it one day at a time and don't lose sight of the big picture. I know many people who are all Gung-Ho during the first couple weeks of their 'diets' just to give up because they have burned themselves out, overwhelmed themselves and didn't see results quickly enough. If you are trying to lose weight, get toned, be healthier in general, remember... you did not gain your weight overnight and it will not come off overnight either. This is a life-long process that will take a while, but the results will be worth it.

If you feel you absolutely HAVE to do something, make it something that is low-key. Try Yoga, stretching or a walk in the park or around the block. Having regular rest days will leave you refreshed and rejuvenated for your next few days of workouts!

30 Day Shred Day 6 Level 1

Today is my sixth day on Level One of 30 Day Shred. It has been a long week, let me tell you! There were some days that my body hurt so bad, that I lived on Ibuprofen and it took a lot of get up and go to get off my butt to do that day's workout. But, I did. And I can feel a difference in my body even if I can't really see any difference yet. My energy level is up, my muscles are sore - but in a good way. Level One is becoming more manageable and I am able to get into the stances more and more. Tomorrow is my day off and I'm 1/2 way looking forward to it and 1/2 way not. I hope that by taking a day off it won't be harder to do when I come back to do it again on Monday!

I've been consistently staying in my calorie range and drinking my water. I've found that my appetite is fluctuating a bit. There are days when I am starving - the ones that I burn the most calories. And then there are days when I struggle to get to my minimum of 1200 calories. However, if I am starving before a workout, I usually am not after the workout. And my tastes have been changing quite a bit as well. I can taste grease and salt much more now and I don't like it at all. I've actually thrown food away that I 'thought' would taste good because I used to eat it regularly since now it tastes too salty or greasy. This is a good thing.

My DD14 and I took my measurements the other night and I am happy to say that I've lost inches over the last two weeks. I will post in more detail on Monday when I do my weigh-in post.

Oh, and guess what? I found a bunch of other Bloggers who are doing the Shred in June, too! Check them all out by clicking on the button below!

30 Day Shred Day 3 Level 1

I have now completed three days on level 1 of Jillian Michaels 30-Day Shred. My body is sore in places I didn't know could get sore!

I do my workout in my sons' room and it has to be the hottest room in the house, even with the air conditioner on. I have no idea why. But, by the time my 30 minutes is up and I come out, I am sweating like a pig. Whoever said that women only glow is out of their mind. I SWEAT!

Some of the exercises have been getting a little easier. By easier, I guess I mean that I can do more of them in the 30-second or so circuits now. But, my calves have been screaming and so have my shoulders. The ab-work isn't all that hard for me. Even though you probably couldn't find my abs if you tried right now. I am still able to do crunches correctly.
Now, lunges... that is another story. Wow, do they hurt!

BUT, I am pushing past all that and continuing on. I know that eventually it will start getting easier. Hopefully before I start level 2!

I have been contemplating taking more before pics. The ones I have are pretty 'clothed' compared to some of the before pics I've been looking at. However, I tried on a bikini the other day and was NOT happy with the image in the mirror - and I could only see myself from the waist up! Sigh. I suppose that is the whole purpose, though, right? To be able to see the progression from your scary before pics?

I've been sticking to my diet and water intake goals. Staying under my allotted calories and drinking at least 12 8 oz. glasses of water per day. It seems that my tastes have been changing a bit. I can now detect salt in the smallest amounts and my body just refuses to let it past my lips. Even in things with no added salt. I tried to eat a premade hamburger patty the other day and it tasted so salty that I had to spit it out and throw it away. And it was something I would never have noticed before. I am getting that with the fattier foods and sugarier foods as well. Which is all good. If I don't like the foods that are the worst for me it makes it much easier to not eat them!

I have felt a little weird lately, since I have been so active. When I get up in the morning and throughout the day, I feel ... well... hot. Kind of like I am running a fever, but I'm not. I'm not sure what it is, but I tell myself that it could possibly be my body burning up calories and I'm just not used to it since my body has had such a long restful period for the last few years and didn't need to warm up to do anything! If any of you know what I'm talking about, fill me in, please?

Week Three Completed

Three weeks completed! Whoohoo, Go Me! As of this morning, I have lost another 2 pounds for a total of four pounds in three weeks. Not too bad.

As I believe I've mentioned before, I don't have that much trouble limiting my calorie intake. But, as long as I don't move I don't lose. Therefore, I have joined some other motivated people to do the Jillian Michaels 30-Day Shred. Beginning today. I must be out of my mind.

On a happy note, my shoulder is feeling a lot better. I have to be careful about over-extending, but I was able to do some good cardio with shoulder / arm movements the other day as well as some pushups without it hurting all that bad. Nothing some Ibuprofen & Icy Hot didn't take care of, anyway.

Yesterday was spent at the creek with the family. Three hours of fishing, hiking, swimming, etc. It was awesome. I am just as sore today as if I did three 45 minute Calisthenic sessions! I'm telling you.. if you want a really good workout, find a body of water that can go from ankle-deep to neck-deep to waist-deep and back to ankle-deep in four steps that is filled with mud, trees, branches, rocks, etc. Get in and walk for two hours. With the current or against it, up to you.

Oh, yeah... don't forget to coat yourself in mud because you forgot to bring the Back Woods OFF with you! (Or just for fun!)

This week's small victories:

1.) Shoulder is feeling better! (Thank God!)
2.) Got in some cardio and calisthenics!
3.) Burned around 3000 calories during exercise this week!
4.) Stayed below my calorie goal all week!
5.) Discovered Melatonin! <---- Helps immensely with helping me get sleep with no Restless!!

This week's goals:

1.) 30 Day Shred starts today! Mon - Sat, Sunday off.
2.) Watch the Sodium intake!
3.) Stay under calorie goal daily.
4.) Decrease smoking.

Want to join me in the 30-Day Shred Challenge? You can get a copy at:

I Like To Move It, Move It

Unlike many of my fellow travelers on this journey to health, I don't really have much of a problem saying 'NO' to eating past my calorie limit or making healthier food choices. I am not obsessed with food. I am not constantly hungry, nor do I have THAT hard of a time overcoming temptation when it comes to sweets or other snacks.

What I do have a problem with is Movement.

Not all the time, but a lot of the time. I know that it is mostly because of how out of shape I am in. And, I know that the more I move, the easier it will be and the better I will feel. However, I have a hard time getting myself psyched up to just get up off my butt and begin.

I know that I am not the only one who feels this way, so how can we overcome these feelings of laziness?

1. Upbeat Music - There is nothing like some great, fast paced dance music to get my mind in gear to begin to move. If you love music and / or love to dance, make up a playlist of your favorite songs and see how fast you get motivated to shake your booty!

2. Get Dressed! - While I'm not suggesting working out in your favorite pair of jeans, wearing your pajamas all day certainly is not very motivating. As long as I'm still in my PJ's the only thing I feel like doing is going back to bed! Put on something that you do not associate with lounging or bed time. Make these your official Work Out Clothes. Choose something that is fun, comfortable and easy to move in. Just stay out of those pajamas!

3. Be Accountable To Someone Other Than Yourself - If left to my own devices, I may have just given up on exercising. And though I do not have anyone close by to be accountable to, I do have friends on the internet at MyFitnessPal and on Facebook who are on their own journey to health and wellness. By having a supportive group of people (or even ONE person) to encourage you and cheer you on, you will be less likely to fall off the wagon when it comes to sticking to your exercise plan.

4. Be Someone's Motivator! - There is nothing more motivating than motivating someone else on their own fitness journey! Be an example to someone and teach them to never give up, to keep on keeping on and to continuously strive to do everything they can to do their best every day! Your actions and achievements can play a big part in someone else's success.

5. Set Smaller Goals! - Even if you only get in 15 minutes of some type of extra movement in a day, at least it was 15 minutes more than doing nothing! Don't let yourself get discouraged because you can't keep up with the trainers on the DVD or that you can only do the modified version of an aerobics workout. The more that you try, the better you will get. When you are able to complete an entire 30-45 minute workout without having to stop for a breather for the first time, it is very encouraging! Add only 5 extra minutes per day (or week!) to your workout until you are able to accomplish at least 30 minutes of constant movement.

6. Celebrate Small Victories! - You don't have to wait until you have reached your goal weight to celebrate a victory! By setting smaller goals for yourself you will have many more victories to celebrate! Did you set a goal to move for at least 30 minutes per day for a week? When you reach that goal, reward yourself! (But, not with FOOD!)
Take a long, hot bubble bath, get your hair cut, go out with the family or with friends, do something good for yourself as a reward for sticking to your goal all week. And then do it again next week!

7.) Don't Be So Hard On Yourself! - If you skip a day and are feeling discouraged - Stop It! Whatever is in the past is in the past. Adopt the One Day At A Time Attitude. Heck, adopt the One Hour At A Time Attitude if you have to! Just forget it and move on!

8.) Switch It Up A Bit! - Unless you really enjoy doing the same thing every day, keep motivated by doing a variety of different things to get your exercise. Walking, Yoga, Pilates, a variety of different Cardio DVDs, Strength Training... make a schedule of doing different things and you will never be bored with your workout.

9. Take Your 'Before' Measurements & Pictures! - I promise you that once you have developed the habit of moving every day and you start seeing small changes in your body, you will be motivated to move even more. And you will also have a tool to use in motivating others later on!

10. Have Faith - Remember that faith is believing in something that you have not seen. You should always keep a picture in your mind of what your ultimate goal is in this journey to a healthier, happier you. Believe in yourself and what you are capable of. No matter how long it takes, you CAN make the changes in your life to accomplish your goal of becoming more healthy and fit. Picture the you that you are becoming and know that each day that you stay committed to your plan, the close you are getting to achieving that goal.

How do you keep yourself motivated to Move It?