Progress

Well I am down to 276.5 pounds. That's a total of 21.5 pounds lost in a little more than a month and a half. I haven't really had any DRIVE this week. Not for the gym, not for class, not really for anything. I have like negative energy. I talked to my friend Monica this week and she just recently started using "Shakeology." She told me how she's lost weight, gained muscle and she has really had such an increase in her energy it's been unreal. I decided to try it. It was $175 for the "21-Day Fix" challenge program, and I purchased it today. The tagline states you can lose up to 15 pounds during the challenge. I hope that it gives me both the inspiration and motivation to get back at it. My main concern is that it will actually work for me, but I won't be able to afford to continue it once the first month is done. I hope I can figure something out to make it work.

I have been pretty good at tracking all of my calories and monitoring other things like sodium, sugar, carbs and fats, but I haven't been to the gym in almost a week. I can't keep that up. I want to get healthy and that doesn't mean JUST losing weight. I want to be active and strong. I have to commit to making it to the gym and working on my Couch 2 5k program. I am also going to be doing the workouts that come with the challenge for the next 21 days. After that's done I may go back to training for Mudderella.

I hope to post some update pics this weekend (Maybe Monday? as I'm hoping to hit my first major goal of 275 pounds). But for now I have a Cert of Trust to draft for work and a Motion to Compel to draft for class.

Melissa

Stay-cation

This week Matt and I were supposed to go to Tennessee for a little vacation, but instead we gave my dad some money to pay off bills and we are taking a little "Stay-cation" (meaning we are off work for the week, but we aren't really going anywhere). I am actually getting my injections done tomorrow, which puts a little damper on the week of fun, but that's okay.

I haven't worked out as much as I'd have liked this week, and I haven't eaten that well either. I still went to Yoga last night and on Sunday, Matt and I bought bikes and went on a six and a half mile bike ride. Monday I didn't workout at all. I am hoping to get back on track today. I had a bowl of cereal for breakfast and am planning on Subway for lunch. Not grocery shopping makes it incredibly more difficult to eat healthy. I am hoping to finish my homework by 3 or so, so I have time to get a workout in before class tonight. I have quite a lot to do and I can't seem to get motivated to do it (I've been awake for four hours and I have finished one of my assignments).

I guess I should make this a short post since I have so much to do. I just wanted to check-in and give a bit of an update. Oh yeah, at weigh-in on Monday my goal was just to see the 270's, so I was HOPING for 289.9 even, and when I weighed-in I was at 278.9! That means I am down a TOTAL of 19.1 pounds!!! Just 5.9 pounds shy of my first goal of 275 and just 10.7 pounds shy of losing 10%!! :) They say the first 10% shows an impact on cholesterol, blood pressure, the risk of diabetes, sleep apnea and swelling. :)

Proud of... Me?

It's weird to feel this proud of myself. I have been busting my ass to workout and eat healthy. I  might be losing weight slower than I'd like to be, and running at a pace that is walking for some, but I AM doing it. I AM losing weight. I AM going to the gym. I AM getting healthier. I am going to be able to carry my baby for 9 months. I'm going to be able to walk around Disney and Universal next February and not need an ECV. I am going to start enjoying my life.

Tuesday night I went to yoga for the first time. I can't believe how much I enjoyed it. It was challenging and two days later I can definitely feel it, but I loved every sweat filled minute and plan top make it part of my weekly routine.

I also agreed to join my friend Ashlee in doing Mudderella this September. It looks very intense, and offers it's own training program to prep for it. I am going to start that this week as well. There are a ton of obstacles and a bit of running so I plan to keep up my 5k training too.

So my training is going to include Couch 2 5k training, the Mudderella workouts, and yoga on Tuesdays :) I have a whole typed up plan which I haven't followed this week very well, but I am working on it.

I really want to run a 5k before Mudderella, so I'm looking for one to run in August. Here is my schedule of upcoming events I would like to participate in:

August: Glow in the Park
September: Mudderella
October: Wicked Halloween Run (Plymouth, MI) 10/26
November: Turkey Trot (Detroit, MI) Thanksgiving Day


We'll see how this goes. :) I'm just happy that this is my new focus. I'm sure Matt loves how much money I've been spending... Please read the sarcasm here...

Mel

Couch to 5k - Day One

So I only made it 16 minutes into Day One before I called it quits. I then walked another .25 of a mile and went back to my apartment. I am literally dripping sweat and in desperate need of a shower. I may not have finished but I'm proud of myself. I went further than I thought I could and WAY further than I thought I would. I think this is a great stepping stone. I know its going to take time and I don't want to over exert myself.

I'm posting pics for comparison. Heads up, avert thine eyes. This pic was taken today at 283.1 pounds. I have none from 298, but that's probably for the best...

With my fingers crossed, my hard work, and my new found determination, I will NEVER see 283.1 again.

Reasons and Rewards

When I was on my last vacation I did not take one photograph of myself, I was uncomfortable on every ride I went on, and there were things I couldn't do simply because of my weight. My weight makes me self-conscious, unhappy, and causes me to miss out on so many things in life. I want a baby. I want to be able to climb a flight of stairs without feeling like my lungs have collapsed. I am doing this so I will be able to enjoy life. 

Here are a list of my most compelling reasons and motivations:
•A baby
•I want my kids to be healthy, and I want to be a good role model
•A better sex life
•Going to HP World and Disney in February 2015
•Be able to walk around at Disney and Universal and walk around without DYING!
•Feeling better about myself/ Not being so self conscious
•Enjoy the moments I have with my friends, instead of worrying about how fat I look in the pictures they are taking
•Being able to keep up with everyone else




And here are the rewards I plan on giving myself at KEY weight losses:

I'm starting off with new workout clothes, shoes, and gear ($250)

275 – Elemental Nature Nail Package ($70) (only 8.5 pounds till this goal!!)

238 - Elemental Nature Massage. This is the halfway point to "Onederland" so it's a big deal! ($105)

199 – Caribbean Therapy Package from Sakora Spa (Massage, Facial, Manicure and Pedicure) ($180)

150 – Photo Shoot with Jessica!! New wardrobe at goal!!! ($250)


Motivated and Determined. Minor setbacks like my fitbit not recording and my weight not going down after the gym wont get me down. Not this time.

A little Disappointed

I'm bummed because I weighed myself this morning and after two days of working out (one walk at lunch and one gym session) I weigh the same as I did two days ago. Since I didn't lose anything at this "weigh-in" I'm going to try to go back to ONLY weighing myself on Mondays. I can't quite figure out what I did wrong or what caused me to not lose, I can only think it's because I went over the 1570 calories I'm allotted (though fitness pal said I could because I'd exercised). I'm going to try and stay under the budget number from now on because I think that is the issue. I'm not really sure.
:(

On another note -- I guess you have to wear the fitbit pretty snug because I went to the gym and worked my ass off for an hour and a half yesterday and when I got back in my car and updated it, it didn't even log ONE STEP. Of course, it also didn't log any active minutes or that I burned any calories either. It was just a bummer, and topped by the fact the scale didn't show it this morning either, doesn't make me WANT to go to the gym, that's for sure. :( I'm just going to power through it and pretend yesterday was a practice run and that I built some muscle lol. I'm going to go back this Thursday with Matt and I'll see what it's like then.

Guess I'd better go. I have to get to work so I can write a complaint and read 50 pages at some point before 6 today and I have Cognitive Therapy at lunch :( Wow can I not wait for graduation!

A new me, a new attitude

I feel so good about the choices I've been making these last few weeks. I know that if fueled by the numbers that have been dropping on the scale. I wish that I could see the changes I know are happening, but that part will come. I'm proud of myself. I know that 133.1 seems like quite a lot of weight to lose, but if you consider that in the last three weeks I have lost 15 pounds (Without exercise), it doesn't seem that bad. I mean I was at 148 to go when I started. The closer I get to the 125 mark, the more attainable it seems to feel. 

I went for a walk at lunch yesterday, and today after work (and physical therapy) I am going to the gym with my momma. I plan to hit the gym on Thursday too. I'm trying to amp up to go three to four times a week. I want to start out slowly and build. I have never felt so driven for weight loss before. That's why I feel THIS time will be different than every other time. I feel like I've got this whole new outlook on life. I wish I would have felt this way a year ago, before it was time for kids or Florida, but at least I feel this way now. I'm ready for the change. I am proud of myself. That alone is a pretty amazing feeling.