I did it!

Here is me in my happy dance...well it's actually a pic that my girlfriend snapped of me dancing at a party on the weekend (to which I didn't get home until 5am!) But it expresses how I feel this morning!

I couldn't believe it when I stepped on the scale today and I finally did it, I am officially below 140 lbs, it's only by 0.2 lbs but I'll take it! I'm 139.8, it's easily been 7 or 8 years since I've been in the 130s. It's taken 5 weeks to lose 3 lbs which seems crazy, but considering I'm pretty comfortable at this weight I'm thinking that these last few pounds are just going to come off slow. Now that's great motivation as I head to the gym!

I counted calories this week, and it's fairly painful for me. There were times when I just didn't bother, like a different party I was at on Saturday night, there was lots of food out and I just ate whatever. But my big workouts through the week and watching what I ate the rest of the time allowed me some flexibility. I'm not going to count every calorie again this week, but I'll be conscious of what I am eating.

OJB update.

Okay first off just let me get out, that the biggest loser doesn't refer to my weight loss this week. I'm exactly the same as last week once again. I even exercised everyday this week. I can't say I'm surprised, first it's that TOM for me, second my fitness choices are good, but I need to do something drastically different in my eating. I don't count calories...I hate numbers, even in my financial matters I DO NOT pay any attention to my bank account, no idea what's in there at this very moment, but it doesn't matter, because I only buy what I need. I don't spend money wastefully and so I always have enough. I'm a stay at home mom and my very "let's make a spreadsheet" husband calculated exactly how much I should need for: clothes (me and the kids), haircuts, gifts, groceries, entertainment, home items, beauty products, etc (oh and the cleaning lady too). I have $400 every two weeks for all that stuff and I never use a credit card, or go into overdraft. So I don't balance a checkbook, or watch what is left in my account at the end of the day. At heart I'm a minimalist, and even though I love to shop I put a lot of thought into something before I bring it home.

So that brings me to the biggest loser, I'm addicted, I've never seen the show before this season, so I downloaded every episode of the first 6 seasons...I'm almost at the end of season 2 now. Anyway a big part of their weight loss journey really depends on calorie counting. Suzie came on to predict the winner of season 8, and again now 9 by the way they manage money. Well if I could manage calories the way I managed money, only eat what I need, not what I want, I'd be doing great!

So I thought what if I became a calorie counter, just this week, if was given X calories per week that would be it, so I'm going to give it a try... I'll be back later with what my calories this week should be.

Okay here it is, I should eat 1,640 calories per day to get to 130 lbs by July 12, 2010.

Today I have ate 1,495 Calories. Under my limit by 145 Calories!
As for exercise: I burned 100 on the elliptical and did a 45 minute step/weight class.

So I'm going to give this a try to see how I do, this way I can eat whenever I want as long as I keep to the 1640 Cal/Day. It was painful today I wanted to quit already! It's not the being restricted that I mind, it's the calculating!

I once was lost, but now I'm found...

This is the theme of my week...I lost $900 in Canada Savings Bonds for my kids, and the memory card for my camera! With all these beautiful pictures of my kids. I took the card out to get pictures developed to scrapbook and then it disappeared. The Bonds were given to my kids from my parents at Christmas and we've been tearing the house apart looking for them.

I was talking to my mom about the bonds, trying to see if it was possible to get duplicates printed when I opened a drawer to put oven mitts away and saw an envelope peeking out I pulled it out, flipped it over and...tadda..the bonds for my son, further searching in the drawer uncovered the bonds for my daughter! Wow..what a relief. I said now if only I could find my memory card...welll the next day I pulled a sweater out of the closet and what's this in my pocket...the memory card! Hooray :)

My weigh loss this week was much like that too..Most people are weekend warriors, and they just exercise on their days off. But for me, exercising during the week is where it's at, and weekends are my break. It's not like I really want the break, it's just the way my life is set up right now. Anyway here are my numbers..

Last week vs this week:

Hips 39....today 39 (same)
Waist 30.7...today 30.7 (same)Upper Hips 36....today 36 (same)
Weight 141.6 lbs...today 140.6 (1lb less)

I feel lighter, my clothes fit better, but my numbers are all pretty well the same. I lost a pound, I really worked out hard last week. I'm sure I "lost" weight during the week, but then "found" it again with all my other stuff this weekend...that's okay it was worth it!!!!
I felt like I was in a Seinfield episode this week...do you remember "even Steven", well that was me. I even went to a mom's sale, got 4 bags of clothes, costumes, toys for the the kids (mostly clothes) for $35! Then I cleaned out the kids rooms to make way for the new stuff and I got $35 on Kijiji for it!

OMG...I just thought of another even Steven moment from the week! Volleyball! We're in 1st place. Over the year we've slowly worked our way up to the top, and week by week we'd get in an extra point here and there, to where we pulled in a comfortable lead. We were untouchable, with only a few weeks left in the season and on average earning 3 points per week, even if we didn't win every game there really was no way for the second place team to catch us. UNTILL...this week...we had to call 911 for one of our guys who was seeing stars...could barely walk, was dizzy and when he left so did his girlfriend (obviously) which left us with only 4 players vs 6. They were strong and we played hard, the games were close even with 2 players short, but we just couldn't win...we got ZERO points (Even Steven)...we still have a one point lead, but we really left the door wide open for the second place team to catch us!

Can't wait to see what this week holds!

This is how I feel...

Seriously exhausted today, and sore! The Wednesday aerobic instructor had a hurt arm so she focused on the inner thigh for a change, and today I am feeling it! Today I did a long workout, 1 hour of steady cardio on the elliptical, just chatted with the guys at the gym and the time flew by. (600 calories burned) Then I did an hour of upper body weights (8lbs, just for my records). I can barely must the energy to walk up the stairs. With Monday being a holiday I had to make up for that missed workout so I really worked hard this week. I got in quite a lot of exercise these past few days. I'm really tired last night I went to bed at an unheard of 10:30, I just couldn't keep my eyes open!

Breakfast 2 french toast with fresh strawberries and maple syrup
Workout: 2 hours at the gym
Lunch: Beef Barley Soup, handful of chocolate Easter eggs.
Dinner: Pumpkin ravioli, broccoli, grilled chicken and toasted pine nuts.

Well that will teach me...

Yesterday was another awesome eating/workout day, so much so that I thought what the heck I can have a hand full of pringles and a few peanut butter wopper balls....was I ever sorry. I didn't eat much so there must have been something wrong with one of them. I seriously felt like I had food poisoning. I felt so awful and had such a pain in my stomach I made myself throw up, which I have never done before. It helped. I won't be eating that again!


I did 45 mins aerobics, 20 mins on the elliptical, and an hour and a half of intense cardio volleyball, we played one player short and a friendly match of girls against the boys! We're all super competitive (in a fun way) and it took us all night but we finally won the last game! Regardless we all had so much fun and got a great workout in the process!

Today has been another great day! I did a killer step class (which I will probably feel in my legs tomorrow) and a power 23 mins (all I had time for) on the elliptical. Since I didn't have long I really made it count. I also did 10 mins on the elliptical as a warm up to all that. Basically I was at the gym for 2 hours today. I'm meeting up with a girl friend before volleball at 8:30 to walk the track for an hour before we play volleyball, so that will be another two hours tonight!

Breakfast: Hot Cross Bun
Snack: Apple, 1/2 granola bar, glass of water
Lunch: Carrots, Hummus, whole wheat pita, sugar snap peas, and handful of chocolate easter eggs and of course water.
Supper will be beef barley soup that I have cooking on the stove now.

Week 2 Weigh in and measurements

Last week vs this week:

Hips 39.7...today 39
Waist 31.9...today 30.7
Upper Hips 36.6...today 36
Weight 141 lbs...today 141
Height 5'7"...still 5'7" lol

Can't say I'm surprised by these results the long weekend was a total write off. I worked hard for the first 4 days, and ate well. I did little exercise the last 4 days, and ate more than usual and at all different times. So this week was a wash, lost a little in the measurements, mainly I'm happy to have not gained! Back on track today...eating my oatmeal breakfast as I type!

Easter Weekend

Here was my no calorie "Easter Treat" a glass polka dot charm for my Pandora bracelet! I'm not at all a jewelery person but I love the cute characters and monochromatic blue I've got going on with this. Each charm comes from a special place or person so it's much more than just something shiny :)

Today was a crazy day again, no idea how much I ate! My daughter's 4th Birthday/Easter Brunch. I served and cooked so much food today and just ate as I went. I really had my servings of fruits and veggies, I ate a lot of that, but also had a ton of carb type stuff. I'll be glad to get back to my regular routine tomorrow! Back to the gym!

Time will tell...

Well these past two days have been bad days. First off the holiday brings zero chance to get to the gym and second tones of high calorie foods! Yesterday our eating was all out of wack we had a big late lunch and because of that I ate past 8:00, and a lot! Today I spent the entire day cooking for my daughter's 4th birthday, Easter brunch. Which means lots of taste testing I haven't the slightest idea of how many calories I ate today. I got in lots of fruits and veggies, made a nice stew for supper, finished the butternut squash soup for lunch and had oats and berries for breakfast. I'm eating healthy but too much for my inactivity.

I can't imagine tomorrow will be a good weigh in day...time will tell!

Today might as well have been any day, wasn't a diet day at all. The gym is closed for good Friday, so no exercise for me to start things off, and I kind of just ate whatever I felt like whenever I felt like it. Here is what the day looked like:

Breakfast: 2 french toast with fresh strawberries and pure maple syrup
Snack: several desserts (from the plate my husband brought home last night) gold fish crackers
Lunch: 1/2 toasted bun with butter, coleslaw with sunflower seeds and shaved almonds
Supper: Butternut squash soup, ham and cheese bagel melt with honey mustard
Dessert: 2 halloween chocolate bars (yes we still have some in our house)
Snack: Handful of sugar snap peas

Overall not great, not terrible. Lots of sweets! But still keeping to my no eating after 8 rule. Getting moderate amounts of water, so hard to keep track I've probably pored myself 8 glasses! Not sure if they all got drank :) Only 4 servings of fruit and veggies today. The no exercise is actually a good thing, my knee has been bothering me since Wed, and a few days off is probably really good for it.

Little Food +Little Sleep = Low Energy

Okay I had a busy morning, after staying up late (2AM) last night, didn't eat much breakfast then went to the gym. My workout was low energy :( It took me a while to figure out why I was so tired, reading it in print makes it seem so obvious! Anyway lesson learned! Although I must say I'm loving the ball..we have one at home and all this time I didn't know there was this hidden exercise gem sitting waiting to be used. It's my husband's, he loves it as a strength training for his legs, he stands on it, balanced. I've tried that and failed miserably, but my thursday drop in class has shown me so many fun uses for the ball, all great exercises too, here is a link to some stuff we do!

Here is a recap on my day (everything homemade)

Breakfast: pumpkin raisin muffin, 1/2 cup strawberries
Workout: 45 min aerobic class
Lunch: Ham, Lettuce, Tomato Sandwich, granola bar, some organic cookies
Diner: Vegetable bacon soup, coleslaw, Peanutbutter on 1/2 toasted bun
Dessert: 1 square of 85% dark chocolate, 1 dad's cookie (the last one!)

Looking back at the day now I see why I'm so hungry now! My husband even just came home with a plate of yummy desserts leftover from his late night meeting, I proudly packed them away in a tin. Without hesitation. But I laughed when my husband returned to find an empty plate thinking I ate them all. Good times...he seriously left the room for less than a few minutes, could he seriously think I could have eaten an entire plate of sweets???

Late Dinner..

phew..lots of posting today, Just launched a new collection on my Created With Paper site, but still time to squeeze in my food journal for Wednesday!

Breakfast: Chocolate Chip steal cut Oatmeal with pumpkin seeds, almonds, sunflower seeds and coocnut.
Snack: Homemade Granola bar, Apple, Orange, few strawberries
Late Lunch: Ham sandwich with lettuce, tomato, mustard and mayo, very yummy! Tiny bit of ice cream, just getting an almost empty container out of my freezer!
Snack: Homemade Banana Choc Chip Muffin
Dinner: 3/4 of the above picture! Tiny bit of the sour cream, all of the salsa (637 Calories..not sure if they include the sour cream in their calculations if so mine would be less). Plus a celery sick with ranch dressing and a grape sucker for dessert.

Okay so for the first time I ate after 8:00! But I didn't eat after dinner..I ate my diner after 8! Every second Wednesday we play volleyball early and go out to Montana's for appetizers. In order to be able to eat out late I had a late lunch and saved diner until after the game. I passed up the usual wings, nachos or other unhealthy choices and went with healthier Spiced Chicken Quesadilla in a whole wheat tortilla, served with salsa and low-fat sour cream.

Exercise today was awesome once again! 45 min step/weight class, I upped my weights to 5 lbs (from 4 but really felt it!) and upped my step to two levels to increase my cardio. I swear my heart rate gets higher lifting weights then it does from jumping around the step! It was a good workout. And I also played my usual hour of volleyball!