Ok, ok, so I stole that from Beyonce's song, but that song REALLY pumps me up!
I've been a slug for the past two days, so I knew that today I needed to really hit it. I jogged for almost all of my 30 minute 1.3 mile trip on the elliptical. I know it might not seem like much for some, but for me, it's a huge step. I just kept pushing and pushing. If I want results, I've got to push myself. My friend Misty has told me "If it doesn't challenge you it won't change you" and it's so true! I find myself getting a bit lost during my time on the elliptical so I just stare straight ahead at the wall with such intensity. I just picture all of the people (mostly in high school) who made jokes or comments about my size. I think about the "friends" who posted a sign on the door (of Mrs. P's class) about clifford the big red dog the day I wore a really pretty red sweater. I also think about all of the goals I want to accomplish and that really motivates me.
I am so in love with avocados! I was all over Pinterest looking at the different ways to eat them. To be honest, I'm perfectly happy eating them with some hot sauce right out of the shell! I'd really like to find a whole grain bread that I like. Nick isn't much of a "non-white bread" person so I have to keep that in the house lol! I also need to get more grains in the diet. Guess I'll have to check out Pinterest for that, too :-)
Today's workout brought to you by Pop and Hip Hop Power Workout and Janet Jackson channels on Pandora, featuring Usher, Tayo, Jason Derulo, Beyonce and Janet Jackson!
Good night my amazing friends! You're support and encouragement mean the world to me!
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Some progress is better than NO progress
Weight - 233.7 (-2.2)
I was pleasantly surprised with that considering that I went nine days without cardio/physical activity because I was battling a sinus infection!
I have to brag. The speed on my elliptical is in rpm's. Usually, I go between 40-45. Today I was doing small portions between 60-70!!! WHOA! It felt so good to be going that fast. Well, fast for me.
This is a short entry tonight. I am going to look around at healthy meals. What did we do before Pinterest?
Today's music motivator was Britney.
I was pleasantly surprised with that considering that I went nine days without cardio/physical activity because I was battling a sinus infection!
I have to brag. The speed on my elliptical is in rpm's. Usually, I go between 40-45. Today I was doing small portions between 60-70!!! WHOA! It felt so good to be going that fast. Well, fast for me.
This is a short entry tonight. I am going to look around at healthy meals. What did we do before Pinterest?
Today's music motivator was Britney.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Six days a week
I decided tonight that I wanted to set my workout/exercise goal at six days a week. I know it will be tough but I think it's doable. I've got a lot of great partners to keep me motivated! I'm also participating with my cousin in a 2,015 miles in 2,015 challenge and we have to walk/run 2,015 miles this year between the two of us. Sure, she can accumulate 15 miles in two days while I'm only putting out about a mile a day, but that will change! I also have three other friends who are participating in the tone it up love your body challenge and we message back and forth about 1,000 times a day and we're constantly snap chatting each other with workout photos (them more than me) and that really keeps me motivated. I'm also part of a biggest loser group that is a great motivator! I don't want to be the lazy one of the bunch lol!
I'm also so proud of Nick (my husband, for those of you who don't know)! He has been using the elliptical, too, and putting in some push-ups and sit-ups. What a guy! He's such a hard worker. He works retail, an hour away, mostly 10 hour days. So for him to come home and then spend 30-45 minutes working out....that takes dedication! I love that he is doing it because it helps me stay on track.
I'm really getting into avocados lately, so feel free to share some of your fav ways to eat avocado! I'm also trying to get more fiber into my diet that isn't in pill or powder form.
Also, I'm giving up chocolate until Sunday. I may die. Pray for me.
Workout song of the day
I'm also so proud of Nick (my husband, for those of you who don't know)! He has been using the elliptical, too, and putting in some push-ups and sit-ups. What a guy! He's such a hard worker. He works retail, an hour away, mostly 10 hour days. So for him to come home and then spend 30-45 minutes working out....that takes dedication! I love that he is doing it because it helps me stay on track.
I'm really getting into avocados lately, so feel free to share some of your fav ways to eat avocado! I'm also trying to get more fiber into my diet that isn't in pill or powder form.
Also, I'm giving up chocolate until Sunday. I may die. Pray for me.
Workout song of the day
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Being sick is the pitts!
Weight: 235.9 (-4.1)
55 pounds to go (until I hit my goal weight!)
So, exciting news, I'm down 4.1 pounds from last week! I was really happy with that and proud of myself because I worked hard for it. I've been so nervous about this week, though, as I've been battling a nasty sinus infection and haven't exercised a day! Breathing is a big thing in exercising, and that's the one thing you can't do when you have a sinus infection or are really congested! I've been trying to eat extra healthy to make up for the lack in exercise and, well, overall movement! Then Noah decided to spend Thursday throwing up, so that kind of sucked!
I bought a fitbit flex. I have the zip, but I really wanted something that you wear on your wrist. The zip was nice because it was small and it clipped on, but I mostly wore it on my bra so it didn't leave some weird lump in my shirt somewhere. I can even keep track of my sleep patterns on it!
I feel like I don't have much to say but I've found that if I let myself slip and not stay involved with things then I fizzle out.....and I don't want that to happen!
55 pounds to go (until I hit my goal weight!)
So, exciting news, I'm down 4.1 pounds from last week! I was really happy with that and proud of myself because I worked hard for it. I've been so nervous about this week, though, as I've been battling a nasty sinus infection and haven't exercised a day! Breathing is a big thing in exercising, and that's the one thing you can't do when you have a sinus infection or are really congested! I've been trying to eat extra healthy to make up for the lack in exercise and, well, overall movement! Then Noah decided to spend Thursday throwing up, so that kind of sucked!
I bought a fitbit flex. I have the zip, but I really wanted something that you wear on your wrist. The zip was nice because it was small and it clipped on, but I mostly wore it on my bra so it didn't leave some weird lump in my shirt somewhere. I can even keep track of my sleep patterns on it!
I feel like I don't have much to say but I've found that if I let myself slip and not stay involved with things then I fizzle out.....and I don't want that to happen!
Thursday, January 8, 2015
#smallvictories
today's weight: 240
Yep, I just posted my weight. I'm not ashamed. I am on an incredible journey and want to share everything with you (and selfishly, document it for myself) and if I can, in any way, motivate someone else to do the same, I'll share every last detail. Another reason I share it is because it's just a number. It says absolutely nothing about me. It gives you no indication of how much I love my family, or how much joy I take in making people laugh. It doesn't tell you how dedicated I am to God and how blessed I feel to wake up every day to an incredible, hard working, hard loving husband and the two most beautiful little boys. My weight says NOTHING about me and it's just a number. Ladies, young women, listen up: we are beautiful. We are amazing. Never be ashamed of the way you are. Just like Bruno Mars says "Because you're amazing, just the way you are" and how Billy Joel tells me "don't go changing to try and please me, I love you just the way you are." You are loved, you are amazing, and most importantly, God loves you just the way you are! Sure, I may joke every now and then about being chubby or whatev, but what I am about to say is so important (especially to young ladies). I.Love.Myself. I love myself. I love myself. Say it with me. I love myself.
That being said, I am obese. My weight goal is to lose 60lbs. I had a great talk with my doctor this morning about this and she thought it was a perfect goal. And if, once I get to 180, I want to lose more I know what to do! It's been almost a year since I've really done any kind of physical activity. So, imagine an obese woman who is incredibly out of shape starting out.
Today, my third day on the elliptical machine we bought, I went 1.17 miles and was in constant motion with the exception of two times I just had to stop for a few seconds because my thighs were burning. I kept around the same speed for 30 full minutes. I know to some this may seem small, but for me, it was huge. It is huge. At one point, thanks to Beyonce telling me that I could run the world, I was actually jogging for a good 15 minutes. Towards the end with about five minutes left my lungs were on fire and I had a pain in my side. I wanted to just stop. "There's only five minuets left, Mandi, what's five minutes?" I didn't stop. I put my determination hat on and finished. I don't want to sound all "I just did a mile on a machine and I didn't give up" but I'm going to because I am so proud of myself! Sure, I felt sweat in places I had no idea sweat would ever be, but it was that good, accomplished feeling. I know how I can be with physical activity and quitting. Today, I didn't quit. I kept pushing and in the end, I will be so much healthier for it!
Also, water. I just finished 75oz of water. Did you know that you are supposed to drink half your weight in water each day? Today is day three of me trying that and it's been so easy today! It's only 2:30 and I've already drank 75oz of water!
I go to music for a lot. There is a song that really speaks to me. It's called Beautiful Things and it's really helped me to realize that no matter what, Christ will take me and make me beautiful. Click here to listen to the song Beautiful Things.
Also, Thanks to Beyonce today for really making me push and push and make it to 0:00. Who Runs The World?
Now off to shower. I stink!
Yep, I just posted my weight. I'm not ashamed. I am on an incredible journey and want to share everything with you (and selfishly, document it for myself) and if I can, in any way, motivate someone else to do the same, I'll share every last detail. Another reason I share it is because it's just a number. It says absolutely nothing about me. It gives you no indication of how much I love my family, or how much joy I take in making people laugh. It doesn't tell you how dedicated I am to God and how blessed I feel to wake up every day to an incredible, hard working, hard loving husband and the two most beautiful little boys. My weight says NOTHING about me and it's just a number. Ladies, young women, listen up: we are beautiful. We are amazing. Never be ashamed of the way you are. Just like Bruno Mars says "Because you're amazing, just the way you are" and how Billy Joel tells me "don't go changing to try and please me, I love you just the way you are." You are loved, you are amazing, and most importantly, God loves you just the way you are! Sure, I may joke every now and then about being chubby or whatev, but what I am about to say is so important (especially to young ladies). I.Love.Myself. I love myself. I love myself. Say it with me. I love myself.
That being said, I am obese. My weight goal is to lose 60lbs. I had a great talk with my doctor this morning about this and she thought it was a perfect goal. And if, once I get to 180, I want to lose more I know what to do! It's been almost a year since I've really done any kind of physical activity. So, imagine an obese woman who is incredibly out of shape starting out.
Today, my third day on the elliptical machine we bought, I went 1.17 miles and was in constant motion with the exception of two times I just had to stop for a few seconds because my thighs were burning. I kept around the same speed for 30 full minutes. I know to some this may seem small, but for me, it was huge. It is huge. At one point, thanks to Beyonce telling me that I could run the world, I was actually jogging for a good 15 minutes. Towards the end with about five minutes left my lungs were on fire and I had a pain in my side. I wanted to just stop. "There's only five minuets left, Mandi, what's five minutes?" I didn't stop. I put my determination hat on and finished. I don't want to sound all "I just did a mile on a machine and I didn't give up" but I'm going to because I am so proud of myself! Sure, I felt sweat in places I had no idea sweat would ever be, but it was that good, accomplished feeling. I know how I can be with physical activity and quitting. Today, I didn't quit. I kept pushing and in the end, I will be so much healthier for it!
Also, water. I just finished 75oz of water. Did you know that you are supposed to drink half your weight in water each day? Today is day three of me trying that and it's been so easy today! It's only 2:30 and I've already drank 75oz of water!
I go to music for a lot. There is a song that really speaks to me. It's called Beautiful Things and it's really helped me to realize that no matter what, Christ will take me and make me beautiful. Click here to listen to the song Beautiful Things.
Also, Thanks to Beyonce today for really making me push and push and make it to 0:00. Who Runs The World?
Now off to shower. I stink!
Another year, another resolution
So, as you can see, my journey fizzled out after about three months last year. I was so motivated. I was so gung-ho. What happened? I think that I lost all motivation after I wasn't seeing the results I wanted. I got discouraged. "Why am I doing this if nothing is happening?" I also started making excuses. I stopped going to step aerobics because it was at a bad time for my kids. Also because my dog hates being left at home in the crate (we're talking major anxiety) and I used him as an excuse. I just lost it.
Last week I had some blood drawn for some routine tests (it is physical time!) and they posted my results in my online chart. I noticed some things were above normal and I had no idea what they were so I decided to get online to look up what they were. As Julia Roberts said in Pretty Woman, "Big Mistake. BIG." Within 15 minutes I had diagnosed myself with liver cancer and heart failure. I had a dr appt this morning and it turns out that my last few blood tests I've had elevated liver enzymes and that this time I was actually LOWER than in the past! And the elevated red blood cell count wasn't even a concern to my dr. So, don't go online for any medical stuff!
I am glad I freaked out about heart disease. It really lit that flame that I needed to get on the healthy train again. Both of my maternal grandparents had heart issues that killed them. My grandpa, although he smoked unfiltered cigarettes and overworked himself, died of a massive heart attack at 43. My grandma eventually lost her fight against congestive heart failure. Also, non related, Nick's employee lost her husband to an out of the blue heart attack just before Thanksgiving, and her son just recently had one himself. There are only so many signs you can ignore before you realize that your health is really important.
A few of my friends have really motivated me by their journey to get healthy and they are another reason I knew I needed to get serious again. So here I go. A new year, a new me. I'm going to share every part of this journey in the hopes that I can motivate someone else the way that they have motivated me. Thank you for walking with me and supporting me and cheering me on as I journey to a healthier me.
Last week I had some blood drawn for some routine tests (it is physical time!) and they posted my results in my online chart. I noticed some things were above normal and I had no idea what they were so I decided to get online to look up what they were. As Julia Roberts said in Pretty Woman, "Big Mistake. BIG." Within 15 minutes I had diagnosed myself with liver cancer and heart failure. I had a dr appt this morning and it turns out that my last few blood tests I've had elevated liver enzymes and that this time I was actually LOWER than in the past! And the elevated red blood cell count wasn't even a concern to my dr. So, don't go online for any medical stuff!
I am glad I freaked out about heart disease. It really lit that flame that I needed to get on the healthy train again. Both of my maternal grandparents had heart issues that killed them. My grandpa, although he smoked unfiltered cigarettes and overworked himself, died of a massive heart attack at 43. My grandma eventually lost her fight against congestive heart failure. Also, non related, Nick's employee lost her husband to an out of the blue heart attack just before Thanksgiving, and her son just recently had one himself. There are only so many signs you can ignore before you realize that your health is really important.
A few of my friends have really motivated me by their journey to get healthy and they are another reason I knew I needed to get serious again. So here I go. A new year, a new me. I'm going to share every part of this journey in the hopes that I can motivate someone else the way that they have motivated me. Thank you for walking with me and supporting me and cheering me on as I journey to a healthier me.
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