Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Hello one and all. Danielle here. I'm still sitting in a messy office. It's a bit more put together this week. Curtains are hung, painting is pretty much completed. There are few spots that need to be touched up. Some furniture that needs to be moved around...small piddly stuff. You know that stuff that winds up taking a couple of years to complete....I hope not!
As far as last week went with my diet/exercise - I would say I should get a B. It was Valentine's and I didn't over indulge on candy. In fact I hardly ate any. The destruction that was candy wrappers that I later found in the trashcan wasn't from me this time. That makes me proud to say! Though sometimes, I don't think that I am eating enough. I decided that I would stop logging my food but I would still log my exercise. That means that I don't know how close to goals I am. I have been mentally trying to keep track. I'm 97% sure that I am eating enough protein. I have been drinking my water (maybe not as much as I should). Taking my vitamins, eating fruits and veggies and trying to stay away from "bad carbs". And I am so happy to say that I now have a work out buddy. That is really going to help me. Knowing that I am accountable to someone else, is good. We are planning on working out together Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I'm bummed that I didn't make it to the gym last night. I wasn't feeling very good and decided that it made more sense to stay home. I plan on trying to go tonight, though.
As far as new recipes go...I'm slackin' on the cooking thing. I just don't really the drive or desire to cook right now. Though I am trying new things! I tried some spicy udon noddles with shrimp at this really yummy Japanese restaurant that we found. My husband also decided to buy some ground buffalo (all natural fed, no hormone or antibiotics used). He paid $10 for a pound (YIKES!). He cooked that up and we had tacos...they were pretty stinkin' tasty. That was the first time that I had meat in almost a year. I really didn't have any issues with eating it. I did though have to do some thorough research about the company before I even considered eating any.
About my riding...my butt hasn't been on a bike seat in a while :( If I don't make it to the gym tonight (I do have a meeting) then I am going for a ride. The rain has finally seemed to slack off. But I think it will be back by Thursday, so I need to take advantage and now!
My challenge for the week:
Spend 20 minutes a day on my yoga mat working on my gluts/legs/abs. (I did it last night for 20mins)
What are you going to challenge yourself with? It doesn't matter where you start, you just need to start somewhere. Making small changes here and there...choosing whole wheat instead of white. Choosing water over a soda. Choosing a side salad instead of fries. Remember that you ARE worth it and that you CAN do it!
P.S. I ordered my swimsuit!! I'm so excited and nervous. I'm afraid that it won't fit...I'm afraid that it will be too tight and that I will look like a stuffed sausage. And this is the one that I picked... monokini It is on back order, so I'm not too sure when I will get it. Estimated around mid March. I can't wait to see how it fits :D
As far as last week went with my diet/exercise - I would say I should get a B. It was Valentine's and I didn't over indulge on candy. In fact I hardly ate any. The destruction that was candy wrappers that I later found in the trashcan wasn't from me this time. That makes me proud to say! Though sometimes, I don't think that I am eating enough. I decided that I would stop logging my food but I would still log my exercise. That means that I don't know how close to goals I am. I have been mentally trying to keep track. I'm 97% sure that I am eating enough protein. I have been drinking my water (maybe not as much as I should). Taking my vitamins, eating fruits and veggies and trying to stay away from "bad carbs". And I am so happy to say that I now have a work out buddy. That is really going to help me. Knowing that I am accountable to someone else, is good. We are planning on working out together Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I'm bummed that I didn't make it to the gym last night. I wasn't feeling very good and decided that it made more sense to stay home. I plan on trying to go tonight, though.
As far as new recipes go...I'm slackin' on the cooking thing. I just don't really the drive or desire to cook right now. Though I am trying new things! I tried some spicy udon noddles with shrimp at this really yummy Japanese restaurant that we found. My husband also decided to buy some ground buffalo (all natural fed, no hormone or antibiotics used). He paid $10 for a pound (YIKES!). He cooked that up and we had tacos...they were pretty stinkin' tasty. That was the first time that I had meat in almost a year. I really didn't have any issues with eating it. I did though have to do some thorough research about the company before I even considered eating any.
About my riding...my butt hasn't been on a bike seat in a while :( If I don't make it to the gym tonight (I do have a meeting) then I am going for a ride. The rain has finally seemed to slack off. But I think it will be back by Thursday, so I need to take advantage and now!
My challenge for the week:
Spend 20 minutes a day on my yoga mat working on my gluts/legs/abs. (I did it last night for 20mins)
What are you going to challenge yourself with? It doesn't matter where you start, you just need to start somewhere. Making small changes here and there...choosing whole wheat instead of white. Choosing water over a soda. Choosing a side salad instead of fries. Remember that you ARE worth it and that you CAN do it!
P.S. I ordered my swimsuit!! I'm so excited and nervous. I'm afraid that it won't fit...I'm afraid that it will be too tight and that I will look like a stuffed sausage. And this is the one that I picked... monokini It is on back order, so I'm not too sure when I will get it. Estimated around mid March. I can't wait to see how it fits :D
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
What a day!
Oh wow, today has just been an accumulation of suck! One very blah and drained Danielle here. You would think that the day after "Love" day that things would be normal at the least. Well today has totally kicked my butt.
First of all my daughter decided to play hide and seek, hardcore style. Like it didn't matter that mommy was running through the house crying, begging, and pleading for her to please come here. Like the lady that was hysterically running around looking in every nook and cranny is what mommy is supposed to look like. I'm just thankful that my husband showed up quickly. It took him 3 minutes to get home, it normally takes closer to 10...you know, if you hit a red light or 2. I don't know how he got home so quickly, I'm just glad that he made it here safely. I'm thankful that Ben found her before I was finished with the police officer on the phone. They were making their way to our home. It's pretty evident, she won this round...but I now know to look under the desk chair and by the toy boxes. I truly hope that she doesn't decide to do this again. I would think that the fact that both mommy and daddy were bawling their eyes out would help her to understand that it wasn't a joke or a game. I was a freaking wreck. It was scary.
And the most recent incident involves my daughter again....she decided to have a peaceful slumber in my bed. And then she puked all over it. -Sigh!-
Seriously, this tiny little sassy girl is just doing my head in. She can be such a sweet girl, so loving and so sweet and then there are moments like this:
Fade in- I'm standing in the kitchen by the sink. In she walks
Her- "Mommy, I'm thirsty. Sippy please?!"
Me- "OK, let's get a drink. What do you want?"
Her- "Ummmm.......Ummmmm.....JUICE!!"
Me- "Ok <insert an endearing term here>. Here you go."
Her- "Thank you!"
Me- "You are welcome."
Her- "I'M COLD!!!"
Me- I wrap her blanket around her.
Her- "Thank you mommy, I'm so warm now."
Me- "You are very welcome. I love when you are so sweet and you use your manners."
Her- "Hiiiiiiiiiiisssssssssssssssssssss!!"
Yes, she hissed at me...she hissed at me a few more times and then walked away with her sippy and blanket in-tow. Oi vey
Alright so now to the "good" stuff! As far as diet. I sorta hopped back on that wagon, but I'm kinda draggin. I'm really trying to watch what I eat. But I'm sorta at that point where I am in maintain mode. I guess I am seeing what I can eat and how little exercise I can do before I start to see a big difference on the scale. And no...I am NOT giving up. I still have my goals and my plans and I still want to accomplish them. The weather has not been cooperating at all when it comes to riding. It's been raining off and on for a quite a few days now. I'm really starting to wish that it would stop all ready. Or at least give me a few days to get a couple good rides in.
The office is coming along nicely. There are still a few things that have to be done. The baseboards have to be sanded and painted. Some touching up here and there. I need to finish the art work. I need to sand and repaint all the picture frames. I need to finally decide on the color that I want them to be. I need to find fabric and then upholster my chair. I also need to sand and paint it. So, yeah....just a few things. ;)
It's been a bit difficult trying to figure out how many calories I have burned lately...I really would like to have a heart rate monitor. I will add that to my want list... There hasn't been any gym time for like a week and a half, if not more (bad me....bad me!). But I have been busy at home. Sanding and painting is a good arm work-out. I am planning on heading to the gym tonight...I hope. As of just a few minutes ago my daughter has then thrown up again, the couch was the lucky piece of furniture this time though. *facepalm*
If I don't make it to the gym...then I'm going for a ride come rain or clear sky. Alright, I have a few things to go and take care of. I need to remember that I CAN do it and that I am WORTH it...you remember that as well! Arrivederci.
First of all my daughter decided to play hide and seek, hardcore style. Like it didn't matter that mommy was running through the house crying, begging, and pleading for her to please come here. Like the lady that was hysterically running around looking in every nook and cranny is what mommy is supposed to look like. I'm just thankful that my husband showed up quickly. It took him 3 minutes to get home, it normally takes closer to 10...you know, if you hit a red light or 2. I don't know how he got home so quickly, I'm just glad that he made it here safely. I'm thankful that Ben found her before I was finished with the police officer on the phone. They were making their way to our home. It's pretty evident, she won this round...but I now know to look under the desk chair and by the toy boxes. I truly hope that she doesn't decide to do this again. I would think that the fact that both mommy and daddy were bawling their eyes out would help her to understand that it wasn't a joke or a game. I was a freaking wreck. It was scary.
And the most recent incident involves my daughter again....she decided to have a peaceful slumber in my bed. And then she puked all over it. -Sigh!-
Seriously, this tiny little sassy girl is just doing my head in. She can be such a sweet girl, so loving and so sweet and then there are moments like this:
Fade in- I'm standing in the kitchen by the sink. In she walks
Her- "Mommy, I'm thirsty. Sippy please?!"
Me- "OK, let's get a drink. What do you want?"
Her- "Ummmm.......Ummmmm.....JUICE!!"
Me- "Ok <insert an endearing term here>. Here you go."
Her- "Thank you!"
Me- "You are welcome."
Her- "I'M COLD!!!"
Me- I wrap her blanket around her.
Her- "Thank you mommy, I'm so warm now."
Me- "You are very welcome. I love when you are so sweet and you use your manners."
Her- "Hiiiiiiiiiiisssssssssssssssssssss!!"
Yes, she hissed at me...she hissed at me a few more times and then walked away with her sippy and blanket in-tow. Oi vey
Alright so now to the "good" stuff! As far as diet. I sorta hopped back on that wagon, but I'm kinda draggin. I'm really trying to watch what I eat. But I'm sorta at that point where I am in maintain mode. I guess I am seeing what I can eat and how little exercise I can do before I start to see a big difference on the scale. And no...I am NOT giving up. I still have my goals and my plans and I still want to accomplish them. The weather has not been cooperating at all when it comes to riding. It's been raining off and on for a quite a few days now. I'm really starting to wish that it would stop all ready. Or at least give me a few days to get a couple good rides in.
The office is coming along nicely. There are still a few things that have to be done. The baseboards have to be sanded and painted. Some touching up here and there. I need to finish the art work. I need to sand and repaint all the picture frames. I need to finally decide on the color that I want them to be. I need to find fabric and then upholster my chair. I also need to sand and paint it. So, yeah....just a few things. ;)
It's been a bit difficult trying to figure out how many calories I have burned lately...I really would like to have a heart rate monitor. I will add that to my want list... There hasn't been any gym time for like a week and a half, if not more (bad me....bad me!). But I have been busy at home. Sanding and painting is a good arm work-out. I am planning on heading to the gym tonight...I hope. As of just a few minutes ago my daughter has then thrown up again, the couch was the lucky piece of furniture this time though. *facepalm*
If I don't make it to the gym...then I'm going for a ride come rain or clear sky. Alright, I have a few things to go and take care of. I need to remember that I CAN do it and that I am WORTH it...you remember that as well! Arrivederci.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
The Not so Awesomeness.
Hi everyone, Danielle here. I'm a bit late with my blog this week. Sorry about that. I have a lot going on right now. My son had a birthday yesterday, my husband's is today. He has had some serious issues arise with his driver's license and some past stupid mistakes. So he, or we, are now paying for that...and dearly. I decided that I am going to write a book. And then I decided to gut the front room and turn it into an office for the hubster and I. I am sitting at my desk surrounded by disaster. I do not thrive well in a mess. It's making me crazy! I really need to get it finished but I'm having a lot of mixed thoughts and huge lack of motivation. I had a whole plan in my head...and what I see in reality isn't matching up. And so now I have lost all want to continue it. I really need to just stop pouting and get it done. I know that it will look good, it may not be exactly what I wanted but it will be nice!
Ok, so I figured that I would share about the sucky part of losing weight. <insert your shock and horror here> Yes, it's true. There are some sucky parts to getting healthy and losing weight. Let me list a few of mine:
Ok, so I figured that I would share about the sucky part of losing weight. <insert your shock and horror here> Yes, it's true. There are some sucky parts to getting healthy and losing weight. Let me list a few of mine:
- I only have three pairs of jeans that fit now.
- None of my underwear fit any more.
- My bras are all way too big. :(
- My boobs are now like rocks in socks. Imagine it...a long tube sock with the end full of rocks. Got the mental picture....Yup just like that. :( x10
- I have loose skin in places that I really don't want it.
- I have this weird belly fat pouch thing going on. It's looks like it's the place where cottage cheese goes to retire. I don't know but I really don't like it.
- It's a lot more expensive to eat better quality food...That leaves less money for new things like clothes, bras and/or underwear. That means that I still get to wear the stuff that is much too big.
- I miss just going to a restaurant and eating. Now I have to do research and see how the food is prepared. I have to be sure they have something pescatarian friendly. I have to check calories and nutritional info.
So, with all that said, it's still worth it. Still totally and completely worth it. I feel pretty stinkin' good. I feel more active. I feel strong. I feel confident. Though I would like to have more clothes in my wardrobe that fit. But I am slowly gathering things here and there. I can make do with what I have...for now ;)
I know that for us when we decided to eat healthier, our grocery budget was a major concern. We are on a very tight budget, there isn't much wiggle room at all. That just means that we have to be more frugal. We buy store brand items a lot and in fact there are many things that we prefer the "generic" brand to the real one. I also do a lot of clearance shopping. Most, if not all, of our clothes are bought on clearance. I do a lot of resale shopping. We make it work. It's not always easy, it's not always fun...but we have everything that we need. I know who does that for us, and I am very thankful to Him.
Alright, as far as the shrimp stir fry...it was very good! It will become a staple my husband said. I think that we will use our own veggies though, instead of the stores packaged stir fry veggies. We aren't too keen on all peppers and mushrooms. Though we all did give them a try. That is a rule in our house...you have to try it at least once before you can say you don't like it. If the kiddos don't like something I am not going to force them to eat it. I hated when my mom and dad forced me to eat the over cooked and soggy vegetables my mom used to prepare.
Alright, since it's already mid-day Wednesday, there will be no challenge for this week. There is no way, I just can't do it. In fact I have taken a break from logging my food. I haven't fallen off the wagon...I'm just taking a sabbatical before I hop back on ;) I plan on shredding again, and that starts on Monday (13th). I think that I will just continue with how things are going for now and then hop right back up on that bad boy like nothing had happened. The hubster is going to be shredding as well, that should make it easier on us both. I hope!
So, I guess that that is all for the day! I am about to take my desk outside; sand it down, and paint it a bright gloss red. It's gonna look awesome! I hope that you have an amazing day. Remember you CAN do it and you ARE worth it. Adios!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Keeping It Real!
So yeah...let's get real! Danielle here, once again. I haven't switched to WordPress yet...yet being the operative word there. I plan on doing so soon. Ben has been pretty busy lately and it seems that between him working, working from home getting caught up on free lance stuff, and then the both of us working out we don't spend a whole lot of time just sitting around. We need to schedule some time to just sit together...and soon.
My days of not eating "bad carbs" has come to an end. And the ending was more like a crash landing. I was scarfing down everything that was in my site. I was craving chocolate and all sorts of yummy goodness. I indulged myself and then I paid for it at the gym last night. I burned off almost 1,000 calories. So I earned all the scarfing ;) I didn't even feel all that guilty about it either. I know that I will work my body extra hard, I will make my muscles beg and scream for mercy and then I will push them a lil harder still. Changing and growing isn't painless. It hurts - A LOT!!...But it's OK, I thrive on that soreness. It lets me know that I worked hard. I am pretty stinkin proud of me. I ate as clean as I possibly could for those 12 days. It was a big challenge for me but I did it! And it really was one of the most difficult things that I have done to date. I will be doing it again, once summer is closer....I am so going to rock an awesome bathing suit this year. I have already started looking around for "the one"! :D
And now I need to address a dark cloud that has tried to intrude into my light. I am now a person that is pretty good at just dusting off the crap-o-la, but I also think that I should have the ability to respond and let you know how I feel (and every time I use the word "you" I do so in a broad and generalized way). But firstly let me say; I have an awesome support group!! Thank you to everyone that lifts me up and offers their kind words to help keep me striving forward. Sadly though, there are those that just can't seem to be happy for anyone else. To those people I say, I am sorry. I am truly sad for you. I lived my life that way for many years, in fact a lot of my life I was very negative...not any more, and I will never be able to go back to living like that. (Thank you Lord Father, for opening my eyes and helping me to really be able to see.) I'm very sorry that your life is that downtrodden and that all you can see is negativity. You say "You want to be supportive...BUT...etc..." and then you list reasons why you can't be supportive. I'm sorry to say that you aren't fooling anyone. The truth of the matter is already out there. And even though I know the truth, I only wish for happiness in your life and peace in your heart. Cheering someone on and telling a person "good job" isn't stroking their ego...It's commending someone for their hard work, their determination, and the effort that they have put forth. But when there are darker things in your life, like envy and jealousy, it makes it very hard for you to be happy with yourself and therefor there is no room for positivity when it comes to others, I understand that. But then you also need to know and understand that you can always improve, you can always decide that you are tired of how you are living and then you c-h-a-n-g-e. YOU can do it! There is a whole new world out there, a world of support and happiness. All you have to do is want it bad enough to put all the crap down. You just have to lay it at God's feet and never pick it up again...you will then feel so free, so light, and so very happy. I want that for you...You should want it as well.
Alright enough of all that....let's move on to the subject of the challenge for last week...HAHAHAHA! I so put the cart before the horse on that one. There was no way in this world that I was going to be able to complete that....I'm not that awesome yet ;) Someday, I will be...I will be. You just wait and see :D
Challenge for the week: (it's achievable, I swear) Interval Circuit Training. You will need a HIIT timer (you should be able to find an app for your phone) you will need to set it for 20 secs of work and 10 secs of rest. The work out looks like this:
Now, as far as cooking a new pescatarian dish - I didn't cook it, but I had an awesome friend make dinner for the family (spaghetti - yum!!) while we were hanging out at their house this weekend. And she was sweet enough to cook mine special. She used regular ground beef in everyone else's and she used Boca in my sauce. I was amazed at how much it tasted like actual ground beef. I can imagine lots of tasty foods made with it - tacos, burritos, nachos, cottage pie...the list can go on and on! Thanks so much for introducing it to me!! :D
And now for more realness - I have slacked off on my riding. The weather has been a bit unfavorable lately. On my "ride" days it's been extra cold and rainy and I'm not wanting to get sick...so yeah...I'm behind on my miles. I plan on going to the gym tonight to hit the weights and then going for a ride when I get home.
The hubster is on his way to the store to pick up a few healthy lunch items (we are having a salad and tuna for lunch) and he is grabbing some stuff to make shrimp and veggie stir fry for dinner tonight. That will be my new recipe for the week. I may pop by in a couple of days and let you all know how fabulous it was ;)
Until next time, continue to strive ever forward. Drink your water. Smile. And remember that you CAN do it and that you ARE worth it. D out!
My days of not eating "bad carbs" has come to an end. And the ending was more like a crash landing. I was scarfing down everything that was in my site. I was craving chocolate and all sorts of yummy goodness. I indulged myself and then I paid for it at the gym last night. I burned off almost 1,000 calories. So I earned all the scarfing ;) I didn't even feel all that guilty about it either. I know that I will work my body extra hard, I will make my muscles beg and scream for mercy and then I will push them a lil harder still. Changing and growing isn't painless. It hurts - A LOT!!...But it's OK, I thrive on that soreness. It lets me know that I worked hard. I am pretty stinkin proud of me. I ate as clean as I possibly could for those 12 days. It was a big challenge for me but I did it! And it really was one of the most difficult things that I have done to date. I will be doing it again, once summer is closer....I am so going to rock an awesome bathing suit this year. I have already started looking around for "the one"! :D
And now I need to address a dark cloud that has tried to intrude into my light. I am now a person that is pretty good at just dusting off the crap-o-la, but I also think that I should have the ability to respond and let you know how I feel (and every time I use the word "you" I do so in a broad and generalized way). But firstly let me say; I have an awesome support group!! Thank you to everyone that lifts me up and offers their kind words to help keep me striving forward. Sadly though, there are those that just can't seem to be happy for anyone else. To those people I say, I am sorry. I am truly sad for you. I lived my life that way for many years, in fact a lot of my life I was very negative...not any more, and I will never be able to go back to living like that. (Thank you Lord Father, for opening my eyes and helping me to really be able to see.) I'm very sorry that your life is that downtrodden and that all you can see is negativity. You say "You want to be supportive...BUT...etc..." and then you list reasons why you can't be supportive. I'm sorry to say that you aren't fooling anyone. The truth of the matter is already out there. And even though I know the truth, I only wish for happiness in your life and peace in your heart. Cheering someone on and telling a person "good job" isn't stroking their ego...It's commending someone for their hard work, their determination, and the effort that they have put forth. But when there are darker things in your life, like envy and jealousy, it makes it very hard for you to be happy with yourself and therefor there is no room for positivity when it comes to others, I understand that. But then you also need to know and understand that you can always improve, you can always decide that you are tired of how you are living and then you c-h-a-n-g-e. YOU can do it! There is a whole new world out there, a world of support and happiness. All you have to do is want it bad enough to put all the crap down. You just have to lay it at God's feet and never pick it up again...you will then feel so free, so light, and so very happy. I want that for you...You should want it as well.
Alright enough of all that....let's move on to the subject of the challenge for last week...HAHAHAHA! I so put the cart before the horse on that one. There was no way in this world that I was going to be able to complete that....I'm not that awesome yet ;) Someday, I will be...I will be. You just wait and see :D
Challenge for the week: (it's achievable, I swear) Interval Circuit Training. You will need a HIIT timer (you should be able to find an app for your phone) you will need to set it for 20 secs of work and 10 secs of rest. The work out looks like this:
- Jumping Jacks - 20secs
- Rest - 10sec
- Squats - 20secs
- Rest - 10sec
- Burpees - 20secs
- Rest - 10sec
- Sit ups - 20secs
- Rest - 10sec
- Push-ups - 20secs
- Rest - 10secs
- Repeat!! Do this plan back to back a few times through out the day and you will really get your blood to pumping plus burn a decent amount of calories!!
Now, as far as cooking a new pescatarian dish - I didn't cook it, but I had an awesome friend make dinner for the family (spaghetti - yum!!) while we were hanging out at their house this weekend. And she was sweet enough to cook mine special. She used regular ground beef in everyone else's and she used Boca in my sauce. I was amazed at how much it tasted like actual ground beef. I can imagine lots of tasty foods made with it - tacos, burritos, nachos, cottage pie...the list can go on and on! Thanks so much for introducing it to me!! :D
And now for more realness - I have slacked off on my riding. The weather has been a bit unfavorable lately. On my "ride" days it's been extra cold and rainy and I'm not wanting to get sick...so yeah...I'm behind on my miles. I plan on going to the gym tonight to hit the weights and then going for a ride when I get home.
The hubster is on his way to the store to pick up a few healthy lunch items (we are having a salad and tuna for lunch) and he is grabbing some stuff to make shrimp and veggie stir fry for dinner tonight. That will be my new recipe for the week. I may pop by in a couple of days and let you all know how fabulous it was ;)
Until next time, continue to strive ever forward. Drink your water. Smile. And remember that you CAN do it and that you ARE worth it. D out!
Monday, January 23, 2012
It's All Good!
Alright now! I'm super excited thus far with the results that I have seen since I started to eat as clean as possible. I'm not always perfect and having a pretty tight budget when it comes to groceries/food makes it a challenge. Oh and by the way, it's Danielle here. I did talk to Bonnie about her posting more and she said that her laptop decided to give out on her as she was typing up a post. That is a major bummer! The hubster has been asking me if I want to switch over to WordPress. If I do that (HA!..I won't do any of that...it would be all Ben) I would be able to post from my phone and so that means Bonnie would be able to do that as well. I will talk more to him tonight and see how it all works.
And now back to the exciting news...I have reached my lowest weight yet: 153.6 - WOOHOO!! (though I do fluctuate, I was at 154 today) I can really see a difference in my "muffin top" or now lack there of :D I have really slimmed down. My tummy is much flatter, my sides are now muscular and strong. I may lose some of my muscle with the fat while I'm shredding, but I'm still lifting and working out hard, so it's all good. I can't wait for bathing suit weather...that's a first for me ;)
As far as the challenge that I posted for last week, I'm a bit sad I couldn't finish it all. My lower back just didn't appreciate it much at all. I have messed my tailbone up a few times...too many times falling on concrete or ice. I wasn't all that nimble as a child/teen. I was able to complete about half of it. I then did other ab exercises through out the week. I love twisting on my exercise ball, doing planks, fast punches, dive bombers and mountain climbers. I just found out last night that I can do the last two rather well. Thanks bodyrock.tv!! (If you haven't checked them out...do so www.bodyrock.tv )
In regards to food, I was super happy to finally try Quorn Naked Chick'n Cutlets. It's really good sauteed with a bit of olive oil and then seasoned to taste (I like garlic sea salt and some fresh cracked pepper and a dash of cayenne). I tried it this way first, and I had some broccoli and baked sweet potato. I also made a tasty dipping sauce for it. It was just some spicy brown mustard, some Julio's Chipotle pepper sauce and a tiny bit of simply sour cream. Very tasty stuff!
The next night I wanted to mix it up so I cut it into slices and then spooned some Fire Roasted Tomatoes Tex-Mex style on when it was almost heated all the through...YUM! I had chick'n tacos that night. No tortillas, I used Romaine lettuce leaves instead and I made a black bean and corn relish to go on top. It was very good. Mmmmm... I need to stop talking about food so much...I'm getting hungry again.
And now back to the exciting news...I have reached my lowest weight yet: 153.6 - WOOHOO!! (though I do fluctuate, I was at 154 today) I can really see a difference in my "muffin top" or now lack there of :D I have really slimmed down. My tummy is much flatter, my sides are now muscular and strong. I may lose some of my muscle with the fat while I'm shredding, but I'm still lifting and working out hard, so it's all good. I can't wait for bathing suit weather...that's a first for me ;)
As far as the challenge that I posted for last week, I'm a bit sad I couldn't finish it all. My lower back just didn't appreciate it much at all. I have messed my tailbone up a few times...too many times falling on concrete or ice. I wasn't all that nimble as a child/teen. I was able to complete about half of it. I then did other ab exercises through out the week. I love twisting on my exercise ball, doing planks, fast punches, dive bombers and mountain climbers. I just found out last night that I can do the last two rather well. Thanks bodyrock.tv!! (If you haven't checked them out...do so www.bodyrock.tv )
In regards to food, I was super happy to finally try Quorn Naked Chick'n Cutlets. It's really good sauteed with a bit of olive oil and then seasoned to taste (I like garlic sea salt and some fresh cracked pepper and a dash of cayenne). I tried it this way first, and I had some broccoli and baked sweet potato. I also made a tasty dipping sauce for it. It was just some spicy brown mustard, some Julio's Chipotle pepper sauce and a tiny bit of simply sour cream. Very tasty stuff!
I was able to work out 6 times last week and I felt pretty good...until Saturday. I had a tummy bug or something and so let's just say that whatever I was eating wasn't hanging around for very long. Because of that, it was the first time all week that I had carbs...carbs as in whole wheat saltine crackers. I think I had 6. Plus I was drinking Powerade. My husband was awesome and went on the hunt for "low carb tummy funk make me feel betters". He did such a great job! Oh and I am feeling much better now...yay!
Ok, so a new challenge for this week...5 sets of mountain climbers 20 reps each - every day. It's gonna be a fun one! 700 total for the week, more if I/you can do it! It don't count if it don't hurt! What you will need - a floor and your determination. Here is a video that shows you how to do it properly- Mountain Climber Video
Well I really need to get up and figure out what dinner is going to be. Let me tell you, there is nothing like having to cook 3 different meals. One for me, since I don't eat meat. One for Ben, he is bulking so he needs lots of carbs and meat (he will be in shred mode soon, so that will make it a bit easier). The kiddos may or may not eat what he is having, depends on what it is. So yeah...it can be a lot to handle. But I don't mind, they are the loves of my life and they are worth it. <3
Until next time, stay strong, drink some water, and get your body moving! You CAN do it and you ARE worth it.
P.S. Last night I had 1/3 of a cup of all natural vanilla ice cream. I ate it out of the measuring cup and with a baby spoon. And let me tell you, I was in heaven. My mouth was so happy. It's amazing how much more I really appreciate food now!
P.S. Last night I had 1/3 of a cup of all natural vanilla ice cream. I ate it out of the measuring cup and with a baby spoon. And let me tell you, I was in heaven. My mouth was so happy. It's amazing how much more I really appreciate food now!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
A Quick Blurb...
Happy middle day of the week to you! Danielle here with a quick thought or two...
Alright, I'm going to keep it real. I had gained some weight, could have been water weight, could have been the not always good choices I make during "shark week", who knows. But the last time that I weighed myself, in the last few weeks, the scale screamed 161!! - yeah to be honest, I was bummed. I didn't want to be back in the 160's. So, I did the only thing that I could do at the moment. I put the scale away and went on with life and told I myself that I could to do better. Last Sunday I decided that I wanted to start getting shredded in time for the sweltering extra hot summers that we have down here in the lone star state. And today is day three and so far so good. Though I will admit that I had a tiny nibble of pasta last night. I was testing it to see if it was done all the way...other than that...no "bad" carbs. Dinner was a tad bit hard on me last night. I made Fettuccine Chicken Alfredo for the fam...while I had tuna, vegetables, and a baked sweet potato. Most likely my food was no where near as tasty as theirs. In fact, I am willing to bet my right leg that my dinner sucked in comparison to theirs. My husband so lovingly told me how good it was. I told him to shut his pie hole. But it's alright...I want my flat belly more than I want pasta and cheesy garlic bread!
Oh and to the point of this "quick" posting ;) ... this morning the scale said - - - wait for it......155.4!! I was grinning from ear to ear. Laying off all those tasty things has paid off so far. I'm excited to see where I am in a month or even in two weeks. :D
Alright, that is all that I wanted to share. And now I'm off to search for more low carb pescatarian recipes. Have a fantastic day! Stay strong and remember that you CAN do it and you ARE worth it!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
I CAN do this!
Hi, it's Danielle again. I hope that you are having a wonderful day. I need to talk to Bonnie and see if she wants to add what she has been up to lately...Psst, hey Bonnie, you wanna tell everybody how you are doing? ;) I'm curious to know.
Let me give you a recap of last week. It all started out so well. I went to the gym, I was riding my bike, I was feeling good...and then *boom* my monthly friend (or what the hubster and I now call "shark week") decided to surprise me. That means that all that really happened after the lovely surprise was that I sat around and ate lots of carbs and chocolate. Blah! Oh well, I'm stoked to get back on track. I'm going to rock this week!
Last night I was planning on going to the gym, but I got a late start and then the car had an extra low, if not flat, tire. So by the time my husband got back from putting air in the tire I had decided to do one of the exercise videos that is now on Netflix. If you have it, check out "Crunch: Super Slimdown" It's another yoga and pilates combo but much quicker then what I was doing before. I really enjoyed it. I plan on trying to do that on the nights that I ride.
As far as my goals for the year:
- I was able to complete 320 of the 450 jump-n-squats. I'm not happy that I didn't get them all done...but I also know that I have to give me a break once in a while. (Side note: those things really work your calves. You should give them a try!)
- I did cook a new pescatarian recipe...I finally made shrimp tacos. Woohoo! I made it up myself (I do that a lot)...and it was DELICIOUS!!
- I rode little over 10 miles last week...again not quite at my goal but still pretty stinkin' good.
And just so that I don't get bored or anything, I have decided to give myself another challenge. It's going to be a tough one for me too....this may be the hardest thing that I have ever set out to accomplish thus far...No joke! I am going to start to eat as cleanly as possible. That means that as of yesterday, I am staying away from bad carbs. That means no more Taco Bell :( No more pizza :( No more crackers, pretzels, cookies, bread sticks, no more processed anything....all those yummy bad things are now off limits for me :( I am trying to decide if I will still have a cheat day once a week. Though I think that I may change it to twice a month instead. I think that I would be able to handle that.
I also have a really bad habit of snacking at night. That is going to be tough to refrain from. I have to make better choices. I need to have more healthy snacks at night and I have to curb my sweet tooth. I know I can do this. I know I can!! I want to look great in a bathing suit this year. I picked a great time to start down a new path. I know that I will see some awesome results. I just have to make it happen. So.... here's to making it happen!! If I can give up Taco Bell and all the other things that I love to eat, then I'm pretty sure that you can make a first step to finding a healthier/fitter you. It's not always fun, it's not always easy...in fact sometimes it sucks. But it is sooo going to be worth it. :D
And for those that might want to try it -
Shrimp Tacos
Start out with 1tbsp evoo in a pan (low heat)
Add diced white onion, fresh garlic, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika and any other spices you enjoy
Saute until onions are translucent
Add half a can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes, Mexican style (medium heat)
Add 1lb of shrimp
Simmer until shrimp are cooked through (low heat)
Add to a whole wheat tortilla or even a Romaine lettuce leaf and top it with all your favorites. I like purple cabbage, avocado, sour cream and a sprinkle of cheese. I also think it would be good on top of a salad. Mmmmm.
Challenge for the week - Weighted V-Sits. You will need a yoga mat, weights, and a timer. Use what ever weights you feel comfortable with. I will be using 3lbs (they are the heaviest set that I have right now). I'm striving to do an hour total for the week (That means 10mins per day for the rest of the week).
What you will do: sit up tall on your mat, arms out straight in front shoulder height (holding weights), knees bent and feet off the floor, really scoop out your middle, keep your abs tight and your shoulders down. Also be sure to keep your back straight. ENJOY! (This exercise is great for your abs, obliques, low back, and hip flexors.)
Hmm, I suppose that that is all for now. Strive ever forward...you CAN do it and you ARE worth it!! Make it a wonderful day.
Let me give you a recap of last week. It all started out so well. I went to the gym, I was riding my bike, I was feeling good...and then *boom* my monthly friend (or what the hubster and I now call "shark week") decided to surprise me. That means that all that really happened after the lovely surprise was that I sat around and ate lots of carbs and chocolate. Blah! Oh well, I'm stoked to get back on track. I'm going to rock this week!
Last night I was planning on going to the gym, but I got a late start and then the car had an extra low, if not flat, tire. So by the time my husband got back from putting air in the tire I had decided to do one of the exercise videos that is now on Netflix. If you have it, check out "Crunch: Super Slimdown" It's another yoga and pilates combo but much quicker then what I was doing before. I really enjoyed it. I plan on trying to do that on the nights that I ride.
As far as my goals for the year:
- I was able to complete 320 of the 450 jump-n-squats. I'm not happy that I didn't get them all done...but I also know that I have to give me a break once in a while. (Side note: those things really work your calves. You should give them a try!)
- I did cook a new pescatarian recipe...I finally made shrimp tacos. Woohoo! I made it up myself (I do that a lot)...and it was DELICIOUS!!
- I rode little over 10 miles last week...again not quite at my goal but still pretty stinkin' good.
And just so that I don't get bored or anything, I have decided to give myself another challenge. It's going to be a tough one for me too....this may be the hardest thing that I have ever set out to accomplish thus far...No joke! I am going to start to eat as cleanly as possible. That means that as of yesterday, I am staying away from bad carbs. That means no more Taco Bell :( No more pizza :( No more crackers, pretzels, cookies, bread sticks, no more processed anything....all those yummy bad things are now off limits for me :( I am trying to decide if I will still have a cheat day once a week. Though I think that I may change it to twice a month instead. I think that I would be able to handle that.
I also have a really bad habit of snacking at night. That is going to be tough to refrain from. I have to make better choices. I need to have more healthy snacks at night and I have to curb my sweet tooth. I know I can do this. I know I can!! I want to look great in a bathing suit this year. I picked a great time to start down a new path. I know that I will see some awesome results. I just have to make it happen. So.... here's to making it happen!! If I can give up Taco Bell and all the other things that I love to eat, then I'm pretty sure that you can make a first step to finding a healthier/fitter you. It's not always fun, it's not always easy...in fact sometimes it sucks. But it is sooo going to be worth it. :D
And for those that might want to try it -
Shrimp Tacos
Start out with 1tbsp evoo in a pan (low heat)
Add diced white onion, fresh garlic, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika and any other spices you enjoy
Saute until onions are translucent
Add half a can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes, Mexican style (medium heat)
Add 1lb of shrimp
Simmer until shrimp are cooked through (low heat)
Add to a whole wheat tortilla or even a Romaine lettuce leaf and top it with all your favorites. I like purple cabbage, avocado, sour cream and a sprinkle of cheese. I also think it would be good on top of a salad. Mmmmm.
Challenge for the week - Weighted V-Sits. You will need a yoga mat, weights, and a timer. Use what ever weights you feel comfortable with. I will be using 3lbs (they are the heaviest set that I have right now). I'm striving to do an hour total for the week (That means 10mins per day for the rest of the week).
What you will do: sit up tall on your mat, arms out straight in front shoulder height (holding weights), knees bent and feet off the floor, really scoop out your middle, keep your abs tight and your shoulders down. Also be sure to keep your back straight. ENJOY! (This exercise is great for your abs, obliques, low back, and hip flexors.)
Hmm, I suppose that that is all for now. Strive ever forward...you CAN do it and you ARE worth it!! Make it a wonderful day.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
To fb or not to fb??
That is the question...Danielle here. So, as I have stated in a previous post, I use www.myfitnesspal.com for keeping track of my nutrition, exercise, etc. And I post challenges on there occasionally ...so then I was pondering if I should post the same challenge on my regular facebook page. Then I think about how maybe all my friends may get tired of the fact that I only post about "diet" stuff. Then I had the thought of making a fb page for M.I.L.F... then immediately after that I texted my husband and said "Sould milf have a fb page? Or is that lame." His response: "I don't know, let me think about it."
That tells me that it's at least on the verge of lameness. So then I thought that I would see what you readers think. Would you follow a fb page? Or do you think it's lame? Either way, let me know...type out a thought, or crack a joke. And go! :D
P.S. - I had a lot of thoughts in a short span of time...what's up with that?? ;)
That tells me that it's at least on the verge of lameness. So then I thought that I would see what you readers think. Would you follow a fb page? Or do you think it's lame? Either way, let me know...type out a thought, or crack a joke. And go! :D
P.S. - I had a lot of thoughts in a short span of time...what's up with that?? ;)
Monday, January 9, 2012
Texans!!
Howdy, Danielle here. So yeah, I have to start this out talking about my most favorite football team ever - the Houston Texans! I have been a loyal fan since the franchise started up back in '02. I am so happy that they are finally in the play-offs and I am so frickin happy that they won their first game. Here's to hopin they last through another round!! They are playing the Ravens, I don't know much about them. I just hope they don't play as well as my boys do. ;)
So....let me think about what I did this last week. I rode right at 12 miles last week. I was hoping for more. But on one of my "bike days" I let the hubster talk me into going for a run. I enjoyed it, but it really reaffirmed that I like biking more than I do running. I am still going to meet my goals for the year, though. I worked out at the gym twice (I believe). On the night that I worked on my legs this is what my routine looked like:
Weighted Squats - 15lb - 5 sets - 10 reps
Reverse Backward Lunge - 15lb - 4 sets - 10 reps
Dumbbell Step Ups - 8lb - 3 sets - 12 reps
Leg Curls - 50lb - 7 sets of 10 reps
55lb - 3 sets of 10
Leg Extensions - 35lb - 25 reps
45lb - 20 reps
55lb - 23 reps
Glute Kickbacks - 50lb - 8 reps - 3 sets
Leg Press - 150lb - 15 reps - 3 sets
My legs were jello after that workout, and then I went for over a 5 mile ride the next night....my thighs were on fire. When I worked on my arms, I was in a hurry so I didn't have time to write it down. I will try to do that sometime this week. I'm sitting here trying to decided what I am going to work on tonight. I'm thinking I will work on my legs and butt - the same workout posted above. I will try to beat those weights and reps. I have improved quite a bit already. Yay!
OK, so as far as trying a new pescatarian dish....I kinda cheated a bit, I guess. I got stuff to make fish tacos and then the fam went to my sister and brother in-law's house to watch the game. We have had fish tacos before, but this time around the fish was grilled and not baked. I also bought some really yummy chipotle pepper sauce that I dashed all over my dinner. I made some rice and black refried beans and had delicious fish tacos while the Texans beat the whiskers off the Bengals. I'm not sure what to call the rice, but it was pretty tasty. Here is what was in it...I don't really measure when I cook...I probably should : brown rice, cilantro, fresh lime juice, 2 cloves of roasted garlic (I would have used more but the rest went into the hummus my sister made...mmmm), some fresh ginger, salt and pepper to taste. It had a good flavor but the rice was overly sticky. Do you guys think that that counts as a new recipe? ;) I'm planning on making some of the tasty rice again tonight to go along with my vegetarian black bean soup. I'm thinking that I'm going to try and give it a bit more of a Mexican taste tonight.
And so I present to you, my fish tacos with yummy rice and black refried beans. My taco consisted of: grilled tilapia, baby romain, purple onion, some rice, a schmear of black beans, and a bit of sour cream, wrapped up in a fresh whole wheat tortilla.)
Oh and in other exciting news, I got a memory foam seat cover for my bike!!! Woohoo!!....my buttocks is so happy now (yeah when I said that in my head, I used a Forrest Gump voice). Now I can ride and ride and ride. Those 5 hundred miles don't seem so scary or overly hurtful now! Before the cushy booty padding - I could ride for awhile and it's like my bum would fall asleep and go numb. But if I made the mistake of making the slightest movement....oh there was no going back to the numbness and the rest of the ride was very uncomfortable. So, I am happy to have it (me and my butt thanks you, babe. you spoil us rotten! <3).
Since it's Monday, I think that calls for a challenge. What to do, what to do??...Since I'm starting late to this, I will get in 50 Jump-n-Squats (2 jumping jacks and then a deep squat = 1) today, and then 100 for the rest of the days for a total of = 450 by Friday. Come on and join in the fun!!
Hmmm, I guess that that is all that I have for today. I need to get in the kitchen and get the soup on. Have a fantastic day. Drink some water and eat some fresh fruit/veggies, your body will thank you! Always remember - you CAN do it and you ARE worth it. Until next time....
So....let me think about what I did this last week. I rode right at 12 miles last week. I was hoping for more. But on one of my "bike days" I let the hubster talk me into going for a run. I enjoyed it, but it really reaffirmed that I like biking more than I do running. I am still going to meet my goals for the year, though. I worked out at the gym twice (I believe). On the night that I worked on my legs this is what my routine looked like:
Weighted Squats - 15lb - 5 sets - 10 reps
Reverse Backward Lunge - 15lb - 4 sets - 10 reps
Dumbbell Step Ups - 8lb - 3 sets - 12 reps
Leg Curls - 50lb - 7 sets of 10 reps
55lb - 3 sets of 10
Leg Extensions - 35lb - 25 reps
45lb - 20 reps
55lb - 23 reps
Glute Kickbacks - 50lb - 8 reps - 3 sets
Leg Press - 150lb - 15 reps - 3 sets
My legs were jello after that workout, and then I went for over a 5 mile ride the next night....my thighs were on fire. When I worked on my arms, I was in a hurry so I didn't have time to write it down. I will try to do that sometime this week. I'm sitting here trying to decided what I am going to work on tonight. I'm thinking I will work on my legs and butt - the same workout posted above. I will try to beat those weights and reps. I have improved quite a bit already. Yay!
OK, so as far as trying a new pescatarian dish....I kinda cheated a bit, I guess. I got stuff to make fish tacos and then the fam went to my sister and brother in-law's house to watch the game. We have had fish tacos before, but this time around the fish was grilled and not baked. I also bought some really yummy chipotle pepper sauce that I dashed all over my dinner. I made some rice and black refried beans and had delicious fish tacos while the Texans beat the whiskers off the Bengals. I'm not sure what to call the rice, but it was pretty tasty. Here is what was in it...I don't really measure when I cook...I probably should : brown rice, cilantro, fresh lime juice, 2 cloves of roasted garlic (I would have used more but the rest went into the hummus my sister made...mmmm), some fresh ginger, salt and pepper to taste. It had a good flavor but the rice was overly sticky. Do you guys think that that counts as a new recipe? ;) I'm planning on making some of the tasty rice again tonight to go along with my vegetarian black bean soup. I'm thinking that I'm going to try and give it a bit more of a Mexican taste tonight.
And so I present to you, my fish tacos with yummy rice and black refried beans. My taco consisted of: grilled tilapia, baby romain, purple onion, some rice, a schmear of black beans, and a bit of sour cream, wrapped up in a fresh whole wheat tortilla.)
Since it's Monday, I think that calls for a challenge. What to do, what to do??...Since I'm starting late to this, I will get in 50 Jump-n-Squats (2 jumping jacks and then a deep squat = 1) today, and then 100 for the rest of the days for a total of = 450 by Friday. Come on and join in the fun!!
Hmmm, I guess that that is all that I have for today. I need to get in the kitchen and get the soup on. Have a fantastic day. Drink some water and eat some fresh fruit/veggies, your body will thank you! Always remember - you CAN do it and you ARE worth it. Until next time....
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
2012 - Making it Yours!
Happy New Year to you, Danielle here. I hope that you all had a wonderful 2011...even if you didn't, it's OK. All of that stuff is in the past, even our victories are in the past. So now is the time to start making changes to get to a better you. That is my goal overall really...I want to be the best me that I can be. That means every aspect of my life needs a good deep cleaning. I am working on myself daily. I have to remind myself that I am not my past, I am not my parents, I am not any of that. I am what I want to be. I am striving to be a better; mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, and human being. In fact, I just a had an issue dealing with being a better mother. I almost shooed my son away so that I could get back to typing here. Then I thought to myself that I should listen to his tale. He had been outside playing and he was imagining that he was in Super Mario World...it was a very cute story. I'm glad that I let him tell it to me...it's not like I was putting anything of importance on hold. ;)
I realized something a while back, but I never wrote about. I guess I was waiting for the right time...and I suppose that time is now. My battle with my weight has been an ongoing process. I never loved or really liked my body. I was never really healthy (I touched on this in other posts) and I never really cared enough to change that about myself. There were times that I got determined to get fit, toned and healthy. Those attempts failed...over and over and over again. I quickly lost my self control or will power... I quit exercising and I quit caring about what I ate. After many years of living like that and then getting pregnant and gaining 50-60lbs with each pregnancy...I was really not liking my body. But I also wasn't ready to do anything about it. For me, I had to get the rest of my life on track. My husband and I have gone through some really...well...let's just say, awful times. We spent 6 years hating to love each other. We did everything that we could to end our marriage, but for some reason we just couldn't quit the other (yeah, that sounds way too much like a movie about a mountain and cowboys...but it suits the situation). We don't know why we stuck it out, but we do know now that we are so happy that we did. Our lives have taken a drastic 180 since we both decided to work on our relationship with God. We decided to give up the control, all we had done with it was make a very sad and angry home. So, it was pretty clear that we had no reason to think that we could do better than God can. We found an amazing church (www.cypressfellowship.org) and let me tell you...my life has meaning now. I have a purpose now. I have a reason to wake up happy every day. I can truly say that now my "bad" times are what my "good" times used to be. So back to why I wanted to write about this...once my life started to gain balance (thank you, Lord), everything else became a little bit easier. I know that I am growing and changing on the inside and on the outside...and I am so thankful to be where I am now in my life. It only gives me joy, because I know there are better things in store for me and my family.
And now to the point --- My health/fitness goals for 2012:
- run a mile without stopping
- run a 5K
- run "Run 4 Your Life" (5K zombie obstacle course)
- bike 500+ miles this year
- weigh 150lbs or less
- achieve a 4 pack (after babies, I doubt a 6 pack is accomplish-able)
- cook a new pescatarian dish a week
- spend more time with my children doing active things
I also have decided to not weigh myself more than once a week. The number on that evil thing also known as a scale, isn't my focus now. I want to really increase my muscle mass and then get shredded. As I am accomplishing that, I hope to lose those last 7-9lbs. If not...I won't complain too much. I am now wearing a size 6 jeans. I have never in my life worn that size before. I don't see that changing...not at all.
I am heading to the gym tonight to lift. I even have a routine all worked out...goooo me! The hubster and I had the opportunity to go to the gym together and he was able to school me on how to use some of the free weights and other scary looking machines. I was actually using the bench press the other day...and the real leg press..(insert the eeeewws and the aaahhs here). I'm excited to go down a totally new and different road, I am putting myself way out of my comfort zone. It's a bit scary, a bit exciting, a bit exhilarating.
Whelp, that's all I have for the day. Continue to strive ever forward. You CAN do it and you ARE worth it! 2012 is going to be covered in awesome sauce.
P.S. I am working on the layout and trying to figure out the "look" I want it to have. Something totally went haywire on the old blog. I'm not sure if there was an update and my code no longer worked or what. But sorry about that (if anyone even noticed). I'm out, like a brussel sprout.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Feel the Burn!
Good morning, Danielle here. I hope you are having a fantastic day thus far. I have been lackadaisical as far as my blog goes, It's pretty obvious that I lost some steam when the holidays hit. Plus I didn't want to just repeat myself, repeat myself, repeat myself. Even though I got lazy with typing out what I was doing, I didn't get lazy when it came around to working out. I was talking to the hubster the other night about how I haven't posted much lately. He said that he had noticed that he hadn't gotten any updates . Then I spent some time thinking about it and I decided that when the new year starts that I will set a certain goal for each week (1,000 deep squats, 1,000 jumping jacks...etc) and I will try 1 new pescatarian recipe a week (that one will be tough for me, I'm pretty set in my ways...lol). I do enjoy cooking and I definitely need to expand my repertoire.
Alright, as far as fitness goes I'm doing good. I have gone to the gym 3 times this week thus far. I plan on going for a ride tonight. It's been a while since I have been on my bike (I really have to get a new seat...my butt would be very thankful!) and I think I will try to go for a 5 mile ride tonight.
Now let's talk about food....mmmmm. I'm still having my oatmeal for breakfast. I have tweaked it some though. My yummy Vanilla Berry Oatmeal recipe = 1/3 cup oats, water (I use the water spout on our fridge and count to 5), cinnamon, small palm full of frozen berry medley. Then I cook it in the microwave for 75 seconds. Once it's done I add a sprinkle of brown sugar, half a scoop of my vanilla whey protein, and lastly a splash of milk (sometimes a add a few walnuts crushed up on the top). Stats (w/o walnuts): calories- 137 / carbs- 13 / fat- 1 / protein- 18 / sodium- 54
I somehow haven't gotten tired of it. The vanilla protein makes it taste really good and gives it almost a creamy texture. And since I use a medley I always get a different amount of different types of berries, which makes it taste a bit different each day.
And in other news, last Sunday....you know the day that the Texans beat the Bengals and secured their spot in the play-offs, yeah that day ;) Once church was over I got home and decided to totally go through and reorganize my closet. I found a box that was full of clothes that I haven't seen in a few years. And in that box I found my true skinny jeans. They are jeans that I bought when I was 18yrs old. I pulled them out of the box with a squeal and then I of course had to try them on....
Alright, as far as fitness goes I'm doing good. I have gone to the gym 3 times this week thus far. I plan on going for a ride tonight. It's been a while since I have been on my bike (I really have to get a new seat...my butt would be very thankful!) and I think I will try to go for a 5 mile ride tonight.
Now let's talk about food....mmmmm. I'm still having my oatmeal for breakfast. I have tweaked it some though. My yummy Vanilla Berry Oatmeal recipe = 1/3 cup oats, water (I use the water spout on our fridge and count to 5), cinnamon, small palm full of frozen berry medley. Then I cook it in the microwave for 75 seconds. Once it's done I add a sprinkle of brown sugar, half a scoop of my vanilla whey protein, and lastly a splash of milk (sometimes a add a few walnuts crushed up on the top). Stats (w/o walnuts): calories- 137 / carbs- 13 / fat- 1 / protein- 18 / sodium- 54
I somehow haven't gotten tired of it. The vanilla protein makes it taste really good and gives it almost a creamy texture. And since I use a medley I always get a different amount of different types of berries, which makes it taste a bit different each day.
And in other news, last Sunday....you know the day that the Texans beat the Bengals and secured their spot in the play-offs, yeah that day ;) Once church was over I got home and decided to totally go through and reorganize my closet. I found a box that was full of clothes that I haven't seen in a few years. And in that box I found my true skinny jeans. They are jeans that I bought when I was 18yrs old. I pulled them out of the box with a squeal and then I of course had to try them on....
And they FIT!! Holy moly I was in total shock and disbelief. I even wore them out to my church's Women's Christmas Party. It was quite a surreal moment. I honestly didn't think that I would ever be able to get them up over my thighs, let alone that they would button. WOOHOO! I'm excited because now that means that I have another pair of jeans that fit. I do need to get a patch for the back pocket...it's starting to rip at the corner. :D
I decided to give myself a challenge, and for today it is to do 15 deep squats every time I have to use the bathroom. I do the squats after the serious business is done, of course. Otherwise....well I'm sure you can imagine and it wouldn't be pleasant. I'm not sure if the hubster will be going for a run while I'm biking or not. And let me take a second to send a huge shout out to him. He has gone and worked out at the gym everyday this week thus far (he is up at 5am and heads to the gym) and he has gone for a walk/run every night. GOOD JOB BABE!!
Here is the newest updated picture of me. This is before I headed to the gym Monday evening. I am really trying to work on the definition in my arms. They haven't felt sore in a while...I think that means it's time to switch it up!
Alright, well that's all that I have for now. Keep on heading towards your goal. Baby step after baby step if need be. You CAN do it and you ARE worth it! I'm out like a brussel sprout!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Holi-daze!
Hello, Danielle here. I know it's been a while since I have typed out some stuff. I spent quite a bit of time and had a post all ready to go, I went back to add my photos and *POOF* it was gone. It just disappeared, the excuse was some sort of server error. I was bummed but didn't have more time to go back and re-do it all. And then I have just been super busy doing the whole mom and wife thing.
So the last time that I recall being here, I was talking about Thanksgiving. Here is a quick run down on how that all went:
-got to meet my adorable niece Sonora, finally!
-had tons of fun with family and friends.
-didn't over indulge but enjoyed the desserts and sides
-didn't sweat not having any turkey (I had my salmon fillet and salad)
Friday after Thanksgiving, we hauled all the Christmas decorations down (I climbed up in the attic and helped with that...SHOCKING!). In little over 3 hours we were able to get the lights up and the yard decorated. I am very thankful that we did, as the next day a storm blew in and it was wet and cold all day.
The Saturday after turkey day, we worked on the house and got the tree set up and decorated. We had to have our hot cocoa and cookies first, though. And don't fret, I straightened out the lopsided tree topper ;)
Now about my diet and working out...and the such. I did really good last week, I worked out 6 days in a row. I took Sunday off, because it can be hectic all on it's own without trying to squeeze in a work out.
I am getting quite frustrated, I have gained almost 5lbs. :( I am much too close to weighing 160 again. I'm trying to figure out if it's water retention or maybe I'm not eating enough. Ugh! It's irritating though, to say the least. My clothes aren't fitting me any different (I don't think) All the ones that are too big, are still way too big. All the new ones I bought, still fit. I just want to know where the extra elle bees are coming from, ya know. I would take my measurements, but my measuring tape has disappeared. I'm pretty sure that it's being used to make some sort of a contraption somewhere in the house. For all I know it could be being used as a rope to keep some stuffed toy tied up and captured. I'm positive that one of the offspring ran off with it. So now I need to either; search the house over looking for it, or buy a new one. Buying a new one seems to make the most sense and would be quicker and easier.
Breakfast today was oatmeal with frozen berry medley and some protein powder (yes, I'm still eating my oatmeal. At least one would be able to say that I am loyal...lol). Lunch will be a big ol' salad with a boiled egg and some cashews. Dinner...I haven't even had a chance to consider what it will be. I am planning on heading to the gym tonight to start the week off on the right foot. Tomorrow night the hubster and I will be doing Kickboxing at home. We found it on OnDemand...it's funny. Neither one of us are very coordinated, so watching us try to follow along....it makes for a good laugh.
Alright, I think have you all caught up on the "important stuff". So what are your food/exercise plans for the day? Are you doing things to improve your health and your life? Just remember that you ARE worth it and you CAN do it.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Nothing Can Bring Me Down!
Danielle here, wishing you all a great day! I hope you are bundled up. It's actually a bit chilly out! Goodness I love weather like this. I need to be somewhere that actually has a winter. Living in Texas it seems to be hot and then we have a few cold fronts through out fall and winter and then it's back to the sweltering heat...blah!
What did you have for breakfast today? I had the usual...yup, you got it. More oatmeal with blueberries and Greek yogurt. But today I mixed it up....ooooooh aaaaaah! I added in 1/4 of a scoop of protein. And just that small amount added 7gm of protein to my breakfast. Good deal!! It gave it a nice flavor as well.
Yesterday just seemed to be an off day for me. I felt lazy and just not quite up to par. I'm not sure what was up with that. I also, was busy online and taking care of my oldest son (who is now covered from head to toe in the weird rash...poor guy! He has a doctor appointment today so we can get to the bottom of it.) Being extra busy means that I don't have any pictures to share with you today. But I do have a new addiction to tell you about. If you live around Cypress, TX there is a group on facebook "Beg, Borrow, Buy, and Sell in Cypress" - there is one for Children's stuff and then another for everything else. I was busy yesterday going around the house and picking through the stuff that I need to purge, taking pictures of it and posting it to the group. Hey, I might be able to make a few bucks to add to the Christmas fund :D. If you are looking for anything, check it out. And if you aren't from Cypress, see if there is a group for your area. Or maybe you should be the one to start it. :)
Lunch was left over Baked Veggie Alfredo and a salad...yum yum yummy! And some how I made it through the day without having a snack...I don't know how that happened, I love eating. I guess I spent too much time in my chair cruising the internet. During lunch my good friend called and we discussed what we are going to do for Thanksgiving and what time we are going to eat and what I am going to eat. This is my first holiday season that I will not be eating meat. I think this might be a bit of a challenge. I LOVE turkey and all the fixings. I look forward to that meal all year long. So I know that I will have to dig deep and use my self control. I have it all planned out. I want to get a yummy fresh caught fish fillet and take it over to her house and cook it up. I will also be taking a big salad, a fruit salad and maybe a desert. A bottle of wine is also a must have.
Before I knew it the hubster was home...and there I was still in my chair getting frustrated with facebook, most of the ads that I was trying to post didn't work right. I was having so many issues trying to load a picture...it was super frustrating. He asked what I wanted for dinner and I honestly don't remember answering him, (sorry babe). We had frozen pizza and a big salad. And even after that was calculated up in my food diary, I still had almost 500 calories left and I hadn't worked out. So I decided that yesterday was just a blah day all around and that I was going to have some chocolate and then not work out. It was nice! Even after the chocolate and some nuts I was still under...I also didn't get any where near enough protein. That doesn't make me happy. That is why I decided to add the protein to my breakfast today.
After my daughter was down for the night and my boys had finished their popsicles and got ready for bed, my husband had to run to the store to get some more children's allergy medicine (hoping it would help my son with his rash - it didn't). I decided to go take a nice long hot shower and relax. I hopped on the scale while the water was getting hot and I couldn't believe what it said. I stepped back off, let it zero out and turn off and then I stepped back on. Low and behold, it was the same - 155.6 - WHAT THE WHAT!?!?! Shut the front door!! That means that I am only 1.6lbs away from being at my pre-baby weight. I am still shocked about that. Like I stated in my first blog...I never have stuck with anything before...until now. I am elated and a bit in denial. It's like it's all a dream and I am going to wake up and the old me will be looking back at me in the mirror. I guess if that ever happened, then I would start the whole process over! It would be more than worth it. Once I reach 154, I will then decide if I want to start maintenance or if I want to lose another 5-10lbs. I may be making that decision next week or in a few days...who knows!! :D
Until next time, drink a glass of water and move your body today. And then strive to do it again tomorrow. Remember that you Are worth it and that you CAN do it. :) I'm off to go peruse the new listings on Beg, Borrow, Buy, and Sell...have a fantastic Friday!!
Stats for yesterday: calories- 1033 / carbs- 109 / fat- 52 / protein- 31 / sodium- 1288 / water- 48oz
I am not too happy with my protein and my water intake - striving to do much better today!!
P.S. - My bicycle is finally at the store and it can be picked up today...I am so excited!!!! YAY! :D I haven't been this excited about anything since I got my Sony Alpha 390a.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
I Jinxed It...
Hello and a very happy day to you. Danielle here :) Yesterday was uneventful. Once again the normal stuff for a mom. I won't bore you with all the glorious details. Breakfast was the same as the day before and the one before that. I'm sure that by the end of the week that I will be extra bored with my blueberry and cream oatmeal. I guess I need to think of something different for tomorrow...Any thoughts or ideas? Let me hear them :)
A little before lunch time I got a message from the hubster. He wanted me to put eggs on to boil so that he could make tuna when he got here. I was in the middle of previewing and editing yesterday's blog when I got the message. Once I was done and had hit the publish button, I went to the kitchen, grabbed the eggs out and put them into their hot tub and then I just started making the tuna. Sometimes I make lunch too ;) Once he got here he was all shocked and asked me what I wanted...hahaha. OK, OK so on rare occasion I make lunch...He finished it up once the eggs were hard boiled. Quoting one of the most awesome-est shows- "What's gonna work? TEAM WORK!! What's gonna work? TEAM WORK!!" I have watched a lot of kids shows in my time, can you tell? :) (extra points if you know the show...and btw, points don't matter)
calories- 263 / fat- 10 / protein- 56
Once we were done eating, we had some time before he had to be back at work. So we did what any hot married couple does with their extra time.....Oh yeah, you got it - we played some PS3. Modern Warfare 3 to be exact ;) We were trying to beat our previous score on a map in Survival Mode (we did, by the way *self high five*) Then it was time for him to head back work and for me to do some more motherly things and think about what to make for dinner.
I decided to do my Baked Veggie Alfredo. I came up with the idea after going Pescatarian. We used to have Chicken Alfredo a lot, but since we are chicken free at home, I switched it out for a rainbow of veggies. This is what I do- saute some diced white onion and garlic in evoo. Then add in some chopped; carrots, yellow squash, zucchini, and frozen broccoli. I let that cook down but make sure it still has some crunch to it. I HATE mushy squash and zucchini. I then season the veggies and add in a jar of Alfredo sauce and let it simmer as the whole wheat pasta boils. I then layer sauce/pasta/sauce until it's all gone in a baking dish then finish it with a sprinkle of mozzarella on top. Then I cover it with foil and bake it in the oven on 350 for 15-20mins. I just want it to be all heated through, you can remove the foil and brown the top if you want. It's a big hit with the whole family and it's pretty darn tasty if I may say so. Serve it with a big salad, of course.
calories- 318 / fat- 15 / protein- 8
After dinner I changed and headed for the gym. I kept notes of my
work out so that I could share it with you all :)
This is what I did:
25mins - Elliptical (HIIT)
30mins - Spent on weight machines
100reps / 130lbs Calf Presses
40reps / 40lbs Rear Delt
40reps / 60lbs Fly
100reps / 130lbs Leg Press
10mins - Core work/calisthenics
time spent- 65mins / calories burned- 466
So, after a very unexciting day and a nice workout I got home and was informed that my oldest son had some weird sort of rash that was very itchy. I don't know when it appeared or how long he has had it. But it isn't pretty. And it likes to move from place to place on his body. We covered him in Aquaphor and gave him some allergy meds. It goes away and then comes back. I'm not sure what is going on with that. If it doesn't get better soon we will take him to his pediatrician. I do know that he enjoying his vacation from school. He has been watching cartoons and is now playing the Wii. His little brother asked if he could stay home from school to help take care of him...He is too cute. But I'm pretty sure that the main reason he wanted to stay home was to do the exact same things that his brother is enjoying, minus the itchy spots. :)
Stats for yesterday: calories- 1411 / carbs- 118g / fat- 74g / protein- 90g / sodium- 1698mg / water- 72oz
Until next time, remember that you ARE worth it and that you CAN do it!! And now I have been asked to do a Push-up Challenge with Bonnie. Rules are: 1 minute - max reps...Join in and try to beat our scores. I will post them once they are done. (Side Note - I haven't tried to do an actual push-up in a very long time...so this will be fun!)
Danielle- 30 [Modified or Girly Form, whichever you prefer ;) ]
Bonnie- 23 [I believe they were the standard ones]
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Flash Back
Good day to you all, Danielle here. I figured that since nothing really exciting happened yesterday (not that it ever really does *knock on wood*) that I would quickly give you a run down on what I ate and how I moved and then tell you about how I got this whole lifestyle change started.
Yesterday, I had the same breakfast as on Tuesday (oatmeal, with blueberries and Greek yogurt). For lunch I had left over spinach and cheese enchiladas (they tasted even yummier the day after). For dinner I had cheese ravioli and a big salad. I didn't make it to the gym, so instead I lifted weights and used my exercise ball again. Then after the kiddos were all tucked in bed and fast asleep, the hubster and I went for a walk. We talked and laughed and just had a great time spending time together.
time spent- 35mins / calories burned- 336
Stats for yesterday: calories- 1410 / carbs- 158 / fat- 60 / protein- 47 / sodium- 1777 / water- 72oz
Que the wavy lines ~ ~ ~ Flash Back session in progress - I don't really remember when the exact ah ha moment was and when I realized that I was fed up with how I felt about my body and how the lack of energy was effecting my life and my overall attitude. But I do know that not too long before my oldest son's birthday (end of April 2011) that I watched "Food Inc." and I was disgusted. I decided to do some other research and then...that was the end of that part of my unhealthy life and it was the beginning of my Pescatarian life.
The big corporations are more worried about making the big bucks then they are about the crap that is being sold as "meat". I decided that afternoon that I would not eat; chicken, beef or pork again - and I have not. I can't stomach the thought of putting meat that is full of growth hormones and that it has to have an ammonia bath, into my body. The fact that a chick hatches and then 46 days later is slaughtered and packaged to be sold...doesn't sit well with me. The things are so pumped full of growth hormones that they literally can't move. They can hardly breathe. Thanks to the hormones their bodies are growing faster than their organs. You may wonder what they do all day....well, it's not pleasant. They lay around in their own feces waiting until the day they are slaughtered and then served up. Mmmm - makes me want some Chicken Nuggets. NOT!
(**It has been brought to my attention that it's illegal to use hormones in farming chickens. And so I say, do some research for yourself, and maybe even watch Food Inc. and then make a decision**)
Eating better became a huge part of my daily routine. I try not to eat too much processed stuff (I still do though...I'm not perfect). I also became much more aware of the calories in food (thank you so much myfitnesspal.com - I have such a great group of friends that help to motivate me!!). I had never really paid much attention to any of that stuff before. I honestly didn't care that much. I would just stuff my face until my stomach hurt and I felt bad and wished that I hadn't eaten that much...but then I would turn around and do it again at the next meal and the next.
After I was eating better I decided that I had to get some exercise back into my routine as well. At first, I would do leg lifts while laying back in my recliner (no lie) and I would lift weights (3lbs) while sitting there watching a movie (I'm now using a 10lb weight at home and 20lb at the gym). I would get up and do 20 or so jumping jacks a few times through out the day. I also started to drink more water (now it's all I drink aside from a coffee once in awhile). And just in case you didn't know this, but the more water you drink...the more you have to pee...I know, I know - who would have thunk it ;) I decided to make all those trips to restroom worth while. I started to do 10reps of different exercises every time I had to go (after I had finished, of course) and I would set a goal for the day and then or the week. I was also working out with my Wii Fit. A month or so passed and I was getting bored so I knew I needed something else. In June 2011 I got a gym membership and I have been using it pretty regularly. Recently I started running and now for Christmas I am getting a mountain bike. No clothes or shoes or purses or pretty baubles- I wanted a bike. I can't wait to get it and take it out for spin!! Oh, how things have changed :D
And so now here I am, almost 30lbs lighter, feeling so good about my body and I have more energy and confidence then I ever have. And sometimes when I see myself in the mirror or in a picture, I don't believe it's me. That's a pretty awesome feeling. I am in my 30's and I am in the best shape of my life, thus far. It's only going to get better. So now its your turn. Don't let another week, month or year go by. Find out what your body and your mind can really do. Set a goal and then do your very best to reach it.
You ARE worth it and you CAN do it - I am proof!
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Monday...You Again?
Good morning, D here. The weekend flew by and once again the school/work week started. I slept in a bit, I guess it's not a good idea to take a sleep aid at 1AM...*face-palm*. I was still out of bed before 8AM. I miss those long ago days of lounging around in my bed until I wanted to get up.
After I rolled out of bed and took a shower I was once again on the prowl for food. I went to the kitchen and decided to have some regular (unflavored) oatmeal with the frozen blueberries I had gotten at the store. I then added 1tbsp of Greek God's Honey Blueberry Yogurt. I made a mistake and didn't get low-fat, so I will have to use self control when it comes to eating it. I also added a drizzle of local organic honey and just a sprinkle of brown sugar = YUM! I'm so happy that I figured out how to make my own blueberries and cream oatmeal, those are my favorite packets. And since there are only 2 per box...I was always sad when I had eaten them all and then I was stuck with eating the peaches and cream ... blegh!
calories- 201 / fat- 5 / protein- 5
Once breakfast was over I had to get up and get some cleaning and laundry done. It's amazing how dusty a house can get...And for some reason the hubster and I thought that a glass coffee table and 2 glass side tables were a good idea. I found myself once again scrubbing little finger and hand print schmears from off of them all, along with who knows what other kind of grime. I then tackled the mountain of laundry that once again was trying to take over. I despise laundry...it's the bane of my existence.
By lunch time I was ravenous and ready to eat. After my husband got home we decided to have grilled cheese sandwiches (I had 1/2 of one), a cup of vegetarian vegetable soup, a baby dill pickle, and a big salad. It was a great lunch and it hit the spot.
calories-313 / fat- 11 / protein- 11
I spent the afternoon catching up on some shows, playing with my daughter and switching laundry from the washer to the dryer. Today I have the pleasure of folding it all...yay :( Then before I knew it, the boys were at the door and then homework duty started, after a snack and a chat. I decided that I would try my hand at making Spinach and Cheese Enchiladas for dinner. I found a recipe online and then winged it and used what stuff I had at home. I was very happy with how they turned out. They were a big hit (at least with my husband, my oldest and myself....the lil ones are just too picky still) and I look forward to having the left overs for lunch.
calories- 396 / fat- 19 / protein- 19
Through out the day I snacked on some dry roasted and lightly salted peanuts. The store was all out of cashews :( The peanuts will work in a pinch...but they just aren't as delicious. They are more grainy where cashews are just creamy yumminess. I miss my cashews!
calories- 160 / fat- 14 / protein- 7
I wasn't able to get to the gym yesterday...for some reason my legs felt extra tight and sore. I decided it was a good idea not to strain them and I gave them a small break. I did hop on my exercise ball for 20mins and did some core work as well as lifting weights. I then got back in my recliner where I did some leg lifts and some ball squeezes. I bought a cheap children's ball and use that. It's a great exercise for your inner thighs and butt. What I love about doing those types of work outs is that I work up a decent sweat and I am really using my muscles, plus I get to watch my favorite shows while doing it. :)
time spent- 20mins / calories burned- 260
Until next time; keep your chin up, see if you can make better food choices, and move your body. A better food choice could be as simple as buying whole wheat instead of white (pasta and bread). Also trade out one soda for a large iced water, or maybe take the stairs instead of the elevator. I hope you all have a great day! :)
My stats for yesterday: calories- 1345 / carbs- 143 / fat- 63 / protein- 46 / sodium- 2584 / water- 68oz
My stats for yesterday: calories- 1345 / carbs- 143 / fat- 63 / protein- 46 / sodium- 2584 / water- 68oz
Monday, November 14, 2011
It's Shocking...
Hello all, Danielle here. So as I look at the calender and see the date I can't believe it! Is anyone else in shock about the fact that it's already the middle of November? Thanksgiving is only a week away! I can't wrap my brain around it. It's like the days have zipped by while I was asleep. When I was a child the time eeked by ever so slowly and now that I'm a "grown up" it seems that the sand is slipping through the hour glass at an extreme rate of speed. I look at my babies and I wonder where they came from. I mean....me, a parent? How did this happen?? LOL - I look at my children and I see amazing little human beings with their own personalities and their own sense of humor. I am honored to be their mother and I am thankful that they were placed in my life. That being said, those lil humans can drive me crazy...lol. And it only makes me love and cherish them even more, if that is possible. :)
This weekend was quite enjoyable. Saturday I met up with Bonnie and we went to dinner. We always seem to go get sushi (mmmmm) and have a carafe of peach sake (drool). After we ate we grabbed an over priced coffee (yeah at that place that starts with a S and ends Bucks) and then we just talked for hours as we walked laps at the outdoor shopping mall. It's nice when we are able to get together, we live quite away apart so we don't get together all that often. I want to find a place where we can meet up and then go for a run. Bonnie has already ran a 5K and my goal was to run one very soon. I am working towards that goal, I really have to work on my stamina, I tire out very quickly. Side note: I had planned to take some pictures of us but then I completely forgot. Sorry about that.
Sunday was very nice as well. We woke up early and then the hubster and I played some MW3 and then got ready to go to church. I love my church family and the church that we attend. I am so very thankful that my life has led me to this place. After an awesome service at church we went and grabbed a quick lunch at the Taco Bell - I had my usual. A classic bean and cheese burrito and a cheesy nachos and lots of fire sauce...I love that stuff. Calories are a bit high and sodium is as well, but I stayed under my calories for the day. Sundays are normally my cheat days, but I didn't try to calculate the calories of the sushi, sake, and then yummy caramel coffee. I decided that Saturday would be the cheat day, instead. After lunch we went to a house warming party for an awesome family that attends our church. They had just bought their first home and were finished moving in and unpacking. I am so happy for them, can't wait for some "game dates". After the party we went grocery shopping as a family. We don't do that very often...trying to shop with 3 kiddos in tow can be a hassle. But they did great and I was so happy to restock the pantry and the fridge with yummy healthy foods. We ended the day having a nice quick dinner at home and watching our shows.
To say the least, after a weekend of not eating all that well and little to no real exercise I was quite shocked to see the number that popped up on the scale. It is the lowest number that I had seen in 11yrs - 156.6!! That means that I am only 2.6lbs away from reaching my pre-baby weight. YAY!! I am now really confident that I can make my goal by the end of the year. And once I do reach it I plan on rewarding myself with a shopping spree. It will be more out of necessity then anything else, as I now only have one pair of jeans that truly fit, and I just bought those. I can't wait, it will be so much fun to see how clothes fit my new body.
I really need to get up and get at it. I have laundry and cleaning waiting on me, so until next time - don't ever give up on yourself. You are worth the effort! You can accomplish anything if you truly want it. I am proof of that. :)
Friday, November 11, 2011
11/11/11 - Veterans Day
Hiya, Danielle here. Firstly let me say a huge -Thank You- to all the veterans that have fought for our country. Every minute that you spent away from your family, friends and loved ones pays the price for our freedom. Thank you for your bravery and for the desire to fight for a country that sometimes doesn't show much appreciation for you. I salute you all.
Yesterday started out with me being woken up by a little blond curly headed girl shouting at me to "GET OUT OF MY BED!" as she yanked the covers off of me "I WANT TO WATCH DORA!!". So I begrudgingly got out of bed and made it up, I'm not sure why I do this everyday as something or someone (most likely the same little blond curly headed girl) trashes the bed and litters the room with toys. I headed to the kitchen where my husband had my coffee waiting for me. It had 1 packet of Stevia and 1tbsp of Hazelnut creamer (the yummy liquid kind) in it, and it was delicious. It's a huge change from how I used to drink my coffee. I loved it extra sweet and very blond. I then looked in the pantry and the fridge trying to figure out what to put in my belly. I zeroed in on some creamy protein packed deliciousness- I had 3/4 of a cup of Greek non-fat vanilla yogurt with a sprinkle of Honey Bunches of Oats w/ Almonds.
calories- 153 / fat- 2 / protein- 15
Yesterday was just another day around the house...the normal stuff for a mom. Getting sippy cups and snacks, singing and dancing, changing diapers, rescuing the princess from the mighty mud and then from a giant sand storm (my daughter LOVES Diego and Dora...a lot!). I also had some cleaning to do, it seems like that never ends. And as I sit here typing away there are baskets of laundry that needs to be folded and a dish washer that needs to be unloaded. Blah, it can wait until later. I doubt that the laundry or the dishes will run away... A girl can dream though.
The day really did seem to fly by. I was shocked that my husband was home for lunch when it felt like he had just left for work. He walked in and asked what I wanted as he headed to the kitchen. Let me just take a second to give a great big huge shout out to husbands that come home from work and make their wives lunch - THANK YOU! I have an awesome spouse! He suggested a tuna wrap...I said "Heck yeah!". And then after his labor of love is finished he brought my happy plate to me and I devoured it (the food, not the plate). ;)
calories- 204 / fat- 3 / protein- 3
Through out the day I snacked on cashews. OhMyGoodness!! Cashews are my most favorite nut in the world. You will see in the future that I snack on them often and I have zero guilt about it. Such yummy, salty, creamy and delicious goodness. I <3 cashews!
calories- 210 / fat- 24 / protein- 9
I got a late start on dinner, I kept thinking that I had plenty of time to get my tasty Vegetarian Black Bean soup on the stove. By the time I got to it, it was after 3PM...I swear that 2 hours flew by in about 4 mins. I'm not sure how it happened, but it did. It still turned out to be taste-tastic. We ate dinner a little bit later than normal, but it was no big deal. I served it over long grain brown rice, with a dollop of Simply Sour Cream and a sprinkle of sharp cheddar cheese on top.
calories- 343 / fat- 4 / protein- 17
After dinner and once homework is looked over the kiddos brush their teeth and are then tucked safely into bed. They of course have to have their bed time stories, prayers, and good night kisses, my husband joins me for a few minutes before he goes for his run. I was nestled in my chair, blanket tucked over my legs, all comfy in my yoga clothes (I changed after dinner). I sat there and enjoyed one of my Thursday night shows (The Vampire Diaries, The Big Bang Theory, and Bones). I only watched TVD and then I popped in my Yogalates DVD and I got ready for Louise Solomon to help me relax and get my stretch on. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent on focusing on my breathing and stretching out my sore muscles. After I'm all relaxed I climbed back in my chair and finished my shows.
time spent- 30mins / calories burned - 119
My husband and I spent the rest of the evening playing some MW3. He plays a lot more than I do...and you can tell ;) I have come to realize that I have about 2 decent games in me and then I am too tired to really pay attention. So while he played his heart out until like 2AM, I was sound asleep on the couch.
Until next time, be positive, and smile at people when they walk past you. That might just brighten their day and they then return the favor and smile at someone else. :) And if by chance you run across a veteran while you are out and about, shake their hand and thank them for all that they did for us.
My stats for yesterday: calories- 1,210 / carbs- 137 / fat- 43 / protein- 43 / sodium- 455
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