Weigh-In Wednesday!

Weight: 238.2 (down 2.6lbs.  Looks like I made up for that .6lbs I didn't lose last week!)
BF Weight: 104 (up a pound)
BF%: 43.9 (up .8)
Body Water: 40.9%
Bone Mass: 7.0%

YES!  I love losing!  Weight that is :-)  I felt like I had still slacked off even though I was determined to work it hard so I was surprised at my results.  Just think, though, if I had worked it as hard as I could have, how much more would I have lost?  Either way, if I keep consistent with albs/week, I'll be down to my goal weight by the beginning of January next year!  WOOT WOOT!

Today I have started two things.  The first is a 30 day plank challenge.  We've been doing planks at the end of step class and I was like "whatev, this will be so easy" and then it kicked my ass and I just had to laugh!  I tried the challenge before, well, only day one, and it was too tough so I quit.  This time around it was so much better!  You'd think that a 20 second plank isn't anything to bat an eyelash at.  WRONG.  I was shaking and my muscles were feeling it but I went the entire 20 seconds without taking a break!  Eventually, I will be able to do a plank for 300 seconds/5 minutes!  Here is the challenge if anyone wants to try it!

I also started a "biggest loser" challenge with a group of ladies on Facebook.  We started out in a mom group and then branched off and started a fitness/workout support group and the idea came up to do a biggest loser challenge!  Too bad it didn't start last week, I'd have a great start!

I've been LOVING Pinterest and looking up workout motivation and different workouts.  There is SOOOO much stuff there.  Not to mention the healthy recipes and snack ideas!

Speaking of snacks, it's lunchtime and I've got two hungry boys!

Make today the day you want it to be!  Nobody but you can produce the results you want!

No Excuses!

For all of us who say we can't make it to the gym....
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/gear/dvds/get-slim-without-the-gym/?sssdmh=dm17.718335&esrc=nwfitdailytip012314

Went shopping the other day and loaded up on healthy, protein packed snacks and when I got home I put them ALL into one-helping snack size bags so I can grab and go.  I've got two little ones so I don't always have a lot of time to count/measure out one serving size!

All I had to do was find a place to put it all!

I slid a bit this week on my working out.  I only "worked out" twice and that was for step class.  I did a lot of dancing with my kiddos and lots of housework/cleaning/organizing BUT - I promise you that starting tomorrow it's back on track!

I've been looking into cleanses the last few days and think I may be interested in trying one.  I was told that as long as I am eating healthy and drinking lots of water I don't really need one, but I've eaten crappy for so long that I wonder if maybe it wouldn't help out as I get started with my healthy eating.  Anyone have any suggestions for a cleanse the like?

According to MFP (My Fitness Pal) I've been taking in LOTS of carbs and small amounts of protein so I have been trying to incorporate more protein.  I love Greek yogurt, it's my newest obsession.  Here is a link to some protein packed foods!  http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-highest-in-protein.php

Alright, I really didn't have much to say tonight, but I feel like I am losing a bit of my spark so I needed to write to get my mind back in the right frame!

Be Well!

Weigh-In Wednesday!

Time to see if my hard work has paid off......

Weight - 240.8 (down 1.4lbs)

Body Fat (BF) Weight - 103lbs

BF % - 43.1

Body Water - 41.5%

Bone Mass - 7.1%

My scale is really cool and does all of that for me!  But how exciting!  Down 1.4lbs!  Yes, I was shooting for 2lbs/week, but I'm pumped about the loss and know where I can do better so I will adjust this week.  I went pop free pretty much all week except one day (maybe two, I can't recall right now) and have been a water champion the last few days!

I've been keeping up with my step class and it's pretty bad ass.  Tonight I was having my own internal "YES" because I did a really good job in getting the steps right and looking like I knew what I was doing.  Never once in that class have I felt like the out-of-shape big girl or like everyone was staring at me wondering what I was doing there.  I've already made a couple friends, and an old co-worker of mine goes on Wednesdays and it's really nice to see her!  My step class also does some stuff with hand weights and yoga, so it's nice to get some of that in. Some of the end of class yoga stuff is a bit tough because of my size, but I enjoy it a lot and look forward to it NOT being so tough!

Tomorrow I am going to Meijer to stock up on healthy snacks and fruits and vegetables.  I've been doing A LOT of looking on Pinterest at recipes for granola bars and hummus and even homemade butter!  You can find anything on Pinterest!

I'm just so pumped.  I love how I've been feeling and I have been so much more conscious of what I'm eating and my activity level and it feels really good to be a "new" me!  Thank you for following me on this journey and for your motivation and inspiration!

Calling all exercise gurus and health freaks!

First I wanted to say that my weight loss goal is 2lbs/week.  If I lose more, awesome, but I'm shooting for 2 a week.  How excited am I that by this time next year I could be down to my goal weight?  I don't think I shared that in my original post!

Ok, so, I'm pretty dumb when it comes to healthy living.  I know there are so many super foods out there (and things like flax seed) that I can eat/add to food and I don't know what they are.  I know there are TONS of great exercises that I can do right at home in my own living room, but I don't know what those are.  I need someone to give me pointers!

My amazing friend Sarah gave me a gift subscription to Fitness magazine and so far I am LOVING IT!  So many great ideas for exercising and eating right.  I also utilize their website and I wanted to share the following link for your fast-food folks or those of us who don't always have a better choice due to travel/work/whatever.  Lots of healthy options at your favorite fast-food restaurant.  http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/on-the-go/healthy-fast-foods.  KFC is on the list. Who woulda thunk it?

Thought this was great because I was just writing about how I am unfamiliar with super foods!  Here are 6 Fat Fighting Super Foods!  http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/superfoods/fat-fighting-superfoods/

This is a link for the Couch to 5K running program.  I started it months ago and fizzled out, but since I signed up for my first 5K, I better get running!  Two things I love about this program is that there is a great app for it and it syncs up with MFP (myfitnesspal)!  http://c25k.com

I think that's all I have for now!  One of my goals with this blog is to share tips on exercising and recipes and healthy snacking ideas I find.  So, with that, I will keep searching!

Step it up!

So, I started a step aerobics class Monday night that goes every Monday and Wednesday from 6:00-6:55.  I always knew I was uncoordinated, but Monday night showed me just how uncoordinated I am, and what lack of rhythm I have!  But ssshhh, don't spread that around....I need to keep my rep as a sweet dancer up.

Tonight was night two and while I found myself able to follow along a lot better, it still kicked my butt!  I also tried it with a lift under each end of the board, so I think I will keep those out.  I found myself having to take more breaks tonight than Monday night.  According to myfitnesspal, I burned just over 1,000 calories!  WHOA!  I double checked this with another calorie burning app and it was around 950, so pretty close.

Because of a late in the day dentist appt for my youngest and class starting soon after the appt, I didn't have a chance to eat dinner and I didn't plan ahead very well so I ate when I got home.  I was so hungry and just wanted something easy so I ate three slices of a frozen pizza and I put myself through a major guilt trip!  I just burned off 1,000 calories....why would I come home and eat that pizza so late?  AAAHH!  Hopefully it won't hurt too much!

Maybe I'll go back for some C25K tomorrow while the boys are at preschool!  Good night!

January 13, 2014: The Beginning (officially)

I'm fat.  There it is.  Whew!

Now, don't go getting all "Oh Mandi, you're not fat" on me.  I'm fat, and by medical standards I'm very obese.  Again, don't come at me with your take on obesity and medical standards and what not.  I'm fat.  I'm not self-hating.  I'm being honest.  That honesty is exactly what I needed to finally be "ready" to get healthy.  I've joked before with my friends "Well, what I see in the mirror is NOT what I see in the picture haha!" and the sad truth of that is that I wasn't really seeing myself.  I didn't see myself the way the picture showed me.  I saw what I wanted to see in the mirror.

For a couple years now I've been off and on when it comes to the fitness wagon.  I get into these phases where I'm so pumped up about losing weight and eating healthy and it goes well for a few weeks and then I'm back to pounding Hershey bars and Swiss Cake Rolls and chugging as much Wild Cherry Pepsi as I can.  I'm done with that.  I am ready to change my lifestyle and eat right and get healthy.  Yes, losing weight is my main objective but I am also focusing on HEALTH.  I want to be healthy!  For those of you who don't know me here is a little background information.

I am a stay at home mother of two boys who keep me very busy.  Busy enough to fail every time I start an organizing project.....or folding clothes or doing the dishes, etc!  I don't have one of those bodies that bounces right back after pregnancy.  After our first born, Scott, I nursed and pumped and was back down to my pre-pregnancy weight within a few months but my body shape had changed so much.  After our second son, Noah, was born, my body was in such bad condition!  It didn't help that Noah was 11lbs 5.2oz.  It didn't help that I wasn't able to nurse OR pump much.  While those two things are true, I can't blame it all on poor Noah.  What really didn't help was my lack of activity.  What also did not help was my constant snacking on junk food and drinking pop.  I was my own worst enemy, and on top of that, I am an emotional eater.

So, I decided about a year ago that I was going to change everything.  I started out well, but fizzled out.  I'd get so exited to see a bit of progress and think "Oh, I can eat/drink this, I'm doing so well" but it all comes back to not treating yourself with food or drinks.  Anyway, I'm getting off topic.

So now it's real.  I registered, and PAID, for my first 5K (it's in May - if you want to be on my team sign up for Run or Dye in Kzoo!).  I want to be able to run and play with my boys and not be tired.  I want to make it up and down the stairs without being winded.  This time I'm ready; I know 100% that I am ready!

I was looking through a clothing catalog yesterday (and it wasn't a plus-size catalog!) and rather than thinking "I wish I could wear that" I thought "I can't wait until I will wear that!" and was so excited at the thought of putting on a size 12 something.  Mentally I'm there.  I'm finally there.  I haven't been really ready until now and that is the reason I always failed.  Mentally, I'm ready to become a healthier me.

I started a membership at the YMCA thanks to a monetary Christmas gift.  I started a step aerobics class Monday (1/13) night (it's every Mon and Wed) and it was so much fun even though it really challenged me and kicked my butt!  I'll eventually move on to more intense classes, but for now it's step!

So, here goes nothing.  I'm putting it all out there.  Weight, goals, progress, etc.  I hope that by documenting this publicly it will keep me motivated, if being healthy isn't enough of a motivator!  My plan is to check in at least weekly, if not more.

Current Weight: 242.2
Goal weight: 160
Goal activity: Cardio - 4 days/week
And of course changing my lifestyle when it comes to eating.

I'm on www.myfitnesspal.com (alsmith1104) so look me up if you're on there.  It helps me track my calories, exercise and all that.  I also have a fitbit to help me with daily activity and calories burned.

Let's do this!  Fat to Fit baby!