10 Years in the Making!

 

Whats Your Passion?



7.4.2013 week.130

                  Wow... Its been a while since I last blogged ~ 30 weeks to be exact! Last time I blogged I was at 100 weeks of "Bustin My Ass" and know I just wrapped up week 130! :) Don't worry, just because I haven't blogged doesn't mean that I have been slacking in any way with my fitness routine, as a matter of fact, Ive been doing FANTASTIC with it ... Ive just been plain BUSY! I have found that once you have a PASSION for fitness its SO.EASY. to STAY.COMMITTED.  However, its not easy to find that passion unless you give it some time. Once I started seeing the resultz that Ive ALWAYS wanted, but never had the passion or belief to achieve, it ignited a fire in me that I will NEVER let get put out! I know my facebook friends think Im nuts BUT I don't care!  Im SO.PASSIONATE. about what Im doing and how I feel that I just cant help myself, I have to share it with everyone! Once you have a passion for something its hard to keep your mouth shut! lol!  I have friends, family (my sister Carol) and a hubby whom are so passionate about their careers, or a product that they sell, and they too are succeeding in every way! Once you believe in something .. it just takes off! Whats Your Passion??  I bet if you find it, believe in it, preach about it, and most of all WORK.FOR.IT. you will find nothing but POSITIVE.RESULTZ! :)


Coming soon ... 'A Few of My 'CURRENT' Favorite Things' Blog!

2 Years and Counting!! :)

 

 

When you feel like quitting ... Think about why you started!! :)

Top middle photo was taken Oct. of 2010 vs. week 52 (jan.2012) & week 100 (dec.2012) of "Bustin My Ass"
 Bottom middle was taken in 2002 vs. summer of 2012 (on the left and right)

 

                       Exactly 2 years ago this week, Tuesday 1.11.2011, I took my first Kickbox Fusion class taught by an amazing instructor, who I can now proudly call my friend! Little did I know, that the class that had just kicked my ass and made me feel like I was going to puke, ...was going to change my life, my body, and the way that I workout, for good!
Even though I barely made it through that class, I returned the next day to take her Boot Camp class (aka .. Booty Camp Wednesday!) and received an even bigger ass whoopin!! And if that wasn’t enough, I went back on Thursday to endured yet another Kickbox Fusion class! By the end of her 3 classes that week, I was HOOKED!! ... Even though I could barely walk, stand or sit I didn’t let that stop me from going back!
                     These challenging classes that I've taken religiously for the last 2 years, 3 days a week, have not only completely changed my body in ways that I never could have imagined ~ They have taught me discipline, endurance, dedication and commitment to myself. They have also taught me that the pain is only temporary and to push myself, and that I can do anything that I put my mind to if I try hard enough, and most importantly to NEVER.GIVE.UP.!!
                     These classes have changed me in so many positive ways both physically and mentally and have also made me stronger both physically and mentally!
With all of this being said .. I'm so proud to be starting year #3! ~ Week #104 of ‘Bustin My Ass’!
                      Don’t ever give up or stop working out! It’s the least you can do for yourself ... You get so much back in return from it!! :)
  

100 W.E.E.K.S!! :)



100 Weeks of Committing to MYSELF! :) 

                           This Sunday, December 9th, will be the 100 Week Anniversary of me "BUSTIN.MY.ASS."!!  I.CAN.NOT.BELIEVE. that I have been committed to this for 100 weeks and counting! (2 years this coming January!) ... It doesnt even seem possible! But I guess Im living proof that when you LOVE what you are doing its not that hard to STAY.COMMITTED. to it!

                            100 weeks ago I dedicated myself to a healthier lifestyle.  I added more intense exercise to my workout routine, starting eating healthier and also eliminated unneeded stress in my life.  After making these 3 changes/improvements, I started seeing results almost immediately in myself.  This is the HAPPIEST.AND.HEALTHIEST. that I have EVER.BEEN. in my life!

                             In the last 100 weeks Ive managed to lose 30lbs. of fat AND gain a TON of muscle! And of course, I have lost SEVERAL INCHES thoughout my body.  My 'body fat' is at an all time low of 17.8% as of this week, and my 'lean body mass' is 112.12 lbs.  My BMI (body mass index) is in 'NORMAL' range and my 'waist to hip ratio' puts me at 'LOW RISK' for diabetes, heart disease & high blood pressure! AND... Ive been able to maintain my weightloss for over a year now! (I have NEVER been able to do that before!)

                      

 My weight the first week of December of 2011 vs. My weight the first week of December 2012! :)

                           This 100 week 'Journey' that I have been on, so far, has been very challenging at times but so worth it ...  It has given me SO.MUCH.BACK. in return!  It has given me happiness, good health, confidence in myself, patience, discipline and a strong mind & body ... just to name a few!


                        Im sooo looking forward to the next 100.WEEKS.!! :)

                BELIEVE.IN.YOURSELF. so that you can LIVE.THE.LIFE.YOU.LOVE.! ;)

Going that EXTRA Mile OR MileS!! :)

Its been a while since I have blogged  so I combined a few together! :)
                                   
      
                                                                        

               

 

                                  The last blog that I wrote I talked about how Ive added an extra 12 miles of running to my week.  Because of the extra miles, I finished the month of October with 119 plus miles. I rounded up to 120 miles only because some days I went over in miles while cooling down and I dont keep track of those, PLUS we run laps in Boot Camp Class and I dont keep track of those miles in the months either.  So thats why Ive actually ran 120 PLUS miles in October.  That is the most I have ever ran in a months time!! :)  Amazing how it all adds up!  (Below is a picture of my workout calendar... Ive been tracking my workouts for the last 94 weeks!)  Ive also uped my 8 Mile Sunday to 10 Mile Sunday which helped contribute to the 120 plus miles.  Im not sure how long I will be running these extra miles.  I started it to just get over the plateau that I had been on... which worked.  I havent lost anymore weight by adding the extra miles, which is fine because I am maintaining my comfort weight and I also feel that I look leaner. I just dont see how I can run 120 miles every month!! ~ But ... YOU.NEVER.KNOW.! :)

 

                                                                

 

 

11.01.2012

                                                                                           


                                I just wrapped up week 94 of Bustin.My.Ass.!! ...  Here are a couple of photos of my favorite muscles that I have built and I can see a difference in as far as them looking leaner.  One of these days I would love to get some professional photos done to highlight my hard work ... I think that would be fun! :)

                         

 

                   LOVE this ... Cause I feel that you are NEVER too Old to GET.FIT.!! :)
                           If I can do it over 40 ... anyone can! ~ BREAK.BARRIERS.!

Im looking forward to the month of NOVEMBER to see what BARRIERS I can BREAK!! I hope I have another Amazing month of workouts and I also hope I inspire someone who is reading this to do the same!! :) The Holidays are just around the corner which makes it a little tuff to stay focused on fitness AND make the right decisions when eating holiday meals! :) I have to say that nothing feels better than knowing that my New Years Resolution this year IS NOT going to be to get fit and lose weight like it has been my whole life!! :)

BELIEVE.IN.YOURSELF. & BREAK.BARRIERS. so that you can LIVE.THE.LIFE.YOU.LOVE.!! ;)

ONE. LAST. THING....
                                   Obviously Im addicted to YOGA WEAR.!! :) Ive been noticing a trend in myself and I think I may have a problem! I seem to ALWAYS be in YOGA/WORKOUT gear! If Im not in my actual 'workout clothes' working out ... I am in Yoga pants and Jackets while I run errands, grocery shoping, ect...!! I have bought some great jeans since Ive lost weight and they are very comfortable, but I STILL want to grab my YOGA pants! Oh Well... At least the outfits are cute, Right?!? :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally ... MY. COMFORT. WEIGHT. once again! :)

                        

10.06.2012

 

                           If you are a friend of mine on FB then you will know that I mentioned earlier this week that I have been struggling with the numbers on the scale lately.  MY. COMFORT. WEIGHT. is 138lbs.  I feel GREAT at that weight and also feel comfy in my jeans at 138.  Well, the scale has been fluxuating between 139 - 141.5 for the last couple of months.  I couldnt figure out why, for so many months, I cruised between 135 - 138 with no problems but now have started to add a little.  Well, when I first started with my Journey (90 weeks ago and counting) I was running 3 - 4 miles on the treadmill before each of my classes that I take on Tues., Wed., and Thurs.  See, once I started working, and was working out on my lunch hour, I didnt have the time to add those extra miles in before class ... so I got out of habit of doing those extra miles each week.  Apparently my body was used to that extra burn before class, because this week I added 4 miles in before each class (so 12 extra miles) and dropped 4 lbs.  I was at 138.2 yesterday and this morning was at 137.4.  Im hoping to start fluxuating again between 135 - 138!  SO... I guess I know what I need to do to keep cruising along at my comfort weight! Cause as far as nutrition goes, Im really good with my calorie intake so I KNEW it wasnt that!  The old saying is true ... CALORIES. IN. vs. CALORIES. OUT. is where its at! I just had to push myself to get over that plateau.  To be honest it REALY ISNT about the number on the scale that defines me ... Its about where I. NEED. TO. BE. to feel great inside and out! ~  I dont think that there is anything wrong with having a goal AND maintaining it ... it keeps me focused! :)

                                                                      
       
                                This delicious salad that I created is MY FAVORITE MEAL these days! I could eat it for lunch & dinner everyday.  I dont, but I could! So simple to make... and under 400 calories!

                                3 cups spinach & mixed greens
                                1 can of Pink Salmon (skinless boneless in water)
                                1 hard boiled Egg White
                                2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
                                2 Tbsp. of raw Pumpkin Seeds
                                lots of Red Onion!
                                2 Tbsp of  Balsamic Vinaigrette made with Olive Oil

                      This would be one of my favorite breakfasts these days after my intense workout ... Its just about 400 very satisfying and filling calories!
                               
                       3/4 cup of cooked oats cooked with 3/4 cup of 1% milk
                       topped with 1/2 Tbsp. each of Almond Butter and Honey
                                 

NO. GOING. BACK. FOR. ME.!!

          


Week 89 ~ DOWN!! 9.27.2012

                                 So today I just wrapped up week 89 of "Bustin My Ass"!!  Can I get a high five! :)  Its crazy how once you make something a habit it becomes second nature ... Well kind of!  I still struggle with motivation some days, but I get thru it!  This is my life now... NO. LOOKING. BACK.!!  Ive sold most of my clothing, that were too big on me, on CL, and have also resized my wedding ring to a much smaller size! ~ NO. GOING. BACK. FOR. ME.!  Selling my larger jeans and other articles of clothing, that I used to love, was HUGE for me ... I used to keep all of my different size clothing 'just in case' I put weight back on.... But again ~ NO. GOING. BACK. FOR. ME.!  Ive actually met some really nice women, thru Craigs List, that have come to buy my stuff .   And the really cool thing is that Ive even motivated a couple of them to make that change in theirselves that they have been wanting to do but havent had the drive or motivaton to do so.  I like to tell them my story... It gives me motivation in return, and it also lets them see that anything is possible at any age.  The more I talk about it, and share on FB or my BLOG, the more motivaton I FEEL!! ;)

                               Lookout weeks 90 - 100 ~ Here I come!!

                                   

Im Bringing Sexy .. BACK! ;)

 

 

 

 

                        Just for fun, yesterday I had my son snap a picture of my Back.  Im always posting pictures of my arms, but there are sooo many other muscles in my body that have developed and changed over the last 86 weeks.

                        PUSH-UPS and PLANK STYLE EXERCISES do amazing things to the WHOLE. BODY.!!  What amazes me the most, about the above photo, is how you can see my tricep muscle go all the way down to my elbow! ~ CRAZY!! :)

 

SORE. ~ The Self Inflicted ... Most Satisfying Pain!



 

 

 

Week 86 ~ 09.04.2012

 

                 86 Weeks ago I started kicking up my workouts to a WHOLE. NEW. LEVEL. and COMPLETELY. CHANGED. my body one S.O.R.E. week at a time!

                  I seriously have been sore for the last 86 weeks of my life! ... At least 3-4 days, out of the seven days in a week, one or more muscles in my body has been SORE!!  There have even been days when EVERY MUSCLE in my body has been sore at the same time! UGH!! ~ Those days are brutal! BUT ... I have to say that it may be painful, but it is THE. MOST .SATISFYING. PAIN. EVER! :) (That is, besides childbirth!) ;)

                  When you feel sore after a workout .. you know that you had a GOOD.ONE.!  And from good workouts, and soreness, comes change ~ change in your body that you are working so hard to achieve. 

                   I have been sore for 86 weeks and counting and have the photos to prove that SORE. IS. THE. MOST. SATISFYING. SELF. INFLICTED. PAIN.!! :)

Week 12 ~ 03.29.2011 vs. Week 34 ~ 08.30.2011 (1year ago) vs. Week 86 ~ 09.04.2012
86 WEEKS and COUNTING!! :)

What. Motivates. YOU.?

                    Its been a while since I last blogged ~  August was a VERY BUSY month for me!  BUT. IM. BACK. and READY. to get refocused on whats important to ME!!

MOTIVATION is defined as:  Giving a reason to act. The act of giving somebody a reason or incentive to do something.

                    After reading the definition of MOTIVATION I thought long and hard about WHAT. MOTIVATES. ME.!  I feel that in order to succeed, with weight loss and fitness, you need to surround yourself with things, and or people, that motivate you and help to keep you focused.  I created a list of, who and what, helps motivate me!

THINGS. THAT. MOTIVATE. ME ~ (not in any order of importance, they are ALL. IMPORTANT. TO. ME.!)
*MUSIC ~ Music plays a HUGE role in motivating me!  I HAVE TO have good ass shakin music when I workout or its a no go! All the songs that I listen to when I workout have a fast beat so that way it helps to keep me moving.  I cant stress enough how important it is to listen to music while working out ... I couldnt do it any other way!

*MY BOYS ~  My BOYS motivate me!  I want to be around for a long time with them.  I want to be there for their kids and their kids kids! :) I want to make my boys proud of me, and I also want to be a positive role model for them.  Nothing feels better than having YOUR KIDS tell you that they are PROUD. OF. YOU. and what YOU have accomplished! :) Working out helps give me the patience to be a better mom, listener and friend to my boys!

*MY HUSBAND ~ My husband motivates me!! He is an amazingly hard working man ~ Im so lucky to have him! Actually we are so lucky to have eachother! He motivates me to want to be a better WIFE, LOVER and BEST FRIEND! and I. SWEAR. TO. YOU. ... Working out and taking care of yourself makes you feel SEXY, which in turn, makes you a better partner (if you know what I mean! ;))!! ~ It creates confidence for days!! :)

*SIZE 27 SKINNY JEANS ~ Im now wearing a size 27 in Miss Me & Rock Revival skinny jeans (bootcut jeans too!).  Being able to fit in a 27 (or size 4) jean is mind blowing for me.  Its motivation to want to stay in this size for the rest of my life.  I make sure to try my jeans on at least once a week to make sure all is good! Cause as you know ladies, JEANS. DONT. LIE.!! ~ They will tell you if you are puttin on a lil weight! :)

*COMPLIMENTS ~  Compliments, or acknowledgements, on the results of the hard work that I have done, and still continue to do, on myself is a HUGE motivator for me!  It makes me want to keep going ..  It helps justify what I am doing in so many ways!  I always try to compliment people around me because its such a good feeling to be recongnized for whatever it is you are doing to make a difference in your life or even someone elses!

*NEW WORKOUT CLOTHES ~  a new workout top, shoes or pants always motivates me! Its fun to get something new, and when its cute and a smaller size then when you first started, its EVEN BETTER!  You should feel good in your clothes when you workout no matter what ~ NO. FRUMPINESS. ALLOWED.!!

*LOOKING BACK AT OLD PHOTOS OF ME ~ Looking back at old photos of me has to be one of my BIGGEST. MOTIVATORS.!!  Seeing the results of my hard work, when I compare my before and after pictures, is PRICELESS! Its sad that I used to look that way BUT its all good now!  Im just thankful to be on this side of the fence in my 40's.  Im glad to have had that part of my life over and done with ~ It made me who I am today, so NO. REGRETS.!  and IM. PRETTY. DAMN. PROUD. OF. MYSELF.!!

*HEARING OTHERS TELL ME THAT I MOTIVATE THEM ~ What a compliment when I hear from others that I. MOTIVATE. THEM.!! That is HUGE! It makes me feel amazing and un-stoppable!  I LOVE to help motivate others ... its so powerful! Thats one reson why I write this BLOG, I hope to motivate at least 1 person with it! (along with myself!) :)

*GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES ~ Group exercise is an awesome motivator for me!  I enjoy group exercise over all other forms of fitness.  I feel that you get energy off of eachother in a group setting which makes for a fun and productive workout! You have to make exercise fun for yourself or you will not make it a habit.  It helps that I have found an amazing instructor for the classes that I take ..  I am proud to call her my friend! Also when you get involved in Group X classes you form friendships and with these friendships you create ACCOUNTABILITY, which is also HUGE!!

*FITNESS MAGAZINES AND BOOKS ~ You can never know too much!  I read to keep up with the newest and greatest workouts and fitness equipment and also recipes and diet ideas!

*FEELING COMFORTABLE IN MY CLOTHES ~ Feeling comfy in my clothes is an amazing feeling! Like I said earlier, your Jeans dont lie ~  Some of your other clothes (stretchy ones) can lie a little bit .. But you know when they are feeling tight or just not the same.  Feeling comfy in your clothes is the best feeling and its a pretty damn good motivator! :)

*THE DREADED SCALE ~ I weigh myself EVERY MORNING .. no matter what time of the month!  It keeps me accountable and motivates me to NEVER. GIVE. UP. NO. MATTER. WHAT.!! You have to take the good days with the bad days, and either way, you need to know that magic number on the scale! :)

*MY BLOG! ~ My BLOG motivates me to keep on ~ keepin on! :)  I have to practice what I preach so what better way to motivate myself ... and hopefully motivate a few others along the way! I just wish I got a little more feedback from my readers so I know Im not the only one reading it! :) 
Feedback would also be a huge motivator for me!! (hint.hint!)


So that was a list that I created off of the top of my head, and Im sure I could think of many more motivators for myself, but this list is long enough! I think that you all get the point!!

Surround yourself with things that motivate YOU and I. PROMISE. YOU., that in no time at all, you will be 'LIVING. THE. LIFE. YOU. LOVE.'!!

Those Dreaded ~ "Im Just Not Feeling It" ~ Dayz!

               Just like with most things in life, I find that with working out, you HAVE. TO. take the GOOD. DAYS. along with the BAD. DAYS.! 
             
               I know its hard to believe, but I dont wake up everyday and have a huge desire to workout! (lol!)  Dont get me wrong, I do SOMEDAYS ...  but NOT. EVERYDAY.!!  Somedays I wake up and Im like 'Im so going to dominate this treadmill today' OR I have so much energy that I cant wait to get to class so that I can KICK. SOME. BUTT.!  Then there are the DREADED. DAYS. that I get up and call the treadmill a filthy name, which I wont disclose, (Ive nicknamed the treadmill 'THE. DREADMILL.' for days like these!) OR I just know that when I get to class, that within 10 minutes, Im going to be DYING cause "Im just not feeling it"!  Im sure the fact that Im 42 years old plays a huge part in the "Im just not feeling it" days ...  But none.the.less. I. WORKOUT. ANYWAYS.!!  The crazy thing is that sometimes I find that the days that "Im just not feeing it" before I workout .. I end up having one of my best workouts of the week!! ~ I love it when that happens! :)

               YOU. HAVE. TO. make yourself workout on those "Im just not feeling it" days or its not going to happen.  You are the ONLY. ONE. that can make it happen ~ and you will be SO. GLAD. that you did!!  Im pretty damn sure that NO. ONE. has ever regreted a workout ~ I know for a fact that I. HAVENT.!! :)

               Nothing comes easy in life ~ YOU. HAVE. TO. WORK. FOR. IT!! ~ Even on those days that "IM. JUST. NOT. FEELING. IT."!!

Tired of being 'Sick & Tired'?!?

                When a person is TRULY tired of being 'Sick and Tired' ... They WILL make that change!  No matter what it is in their life that they are sick and tired of ...  NOTHING will stand in their way! 

                When you are TRULY. SICK.AND.TIRED. ~ Its a game changer!  There will be no more complaining. No more I cant's and what if's. No more but's.  It will just happen! .. And you will do EVERYTHING in your power to make it happen.

                  It wont happen overnight and it certainly wont go smoothly, without ups and downs, BUT it WILL.HAPPEN.!!




6.2002 vs. 6.2012

               You TRULY have to be SICK.and.TIRED. of being SICK.and.TIRED.!!

              'Believe in Yourself' so that you can 'Live the Life That You Love'!! :)

When you feel like Quitting ... Think about WHY.YOU.STARTED.!!

2001 - 2004

 

                 I posted these photos a couple of days ago on FaceBook.  It was interesting to see how many people said that I was just as beautiful then as I am now. (I truly appreciated all of those comments! :))  BUT .. I didnt feel beautiful then AT.ALL. .. Dont get me wrong, I think I looked 'pretty' in those photos ~ my hair and make-up was ALWAYS perfect, and good god, my teeth were as white as can be! lol! BUT inside, I was dying!
                
                 The crazy thing is that I cant even blame pregnancy on any of these photos because most of these were taken 4 years AFTER my second son!  Anyone who has known me for years knows that my weight has been up and down like a roller coaster my whole life!  When I look at these photos I see a broken person.  As a matter of fact, I dont even recognize myself.  I see someone who is hiding behind a fake smile .. Sad but True! ~ but NOT. ANYMORE.!

                  I am not perfect by any means now, and I will forever be working on myself MENTALLY and PHYSICALLY, but I am truly HAPPY. &. HEALTHY. inside and out ... And Im pretty sure it shows!! =)

                  Ive also posted photos of my handsome hubby, with myself, so that you can see the changes he has also made in himself along with me.  We are so blessed to have been able to make these changes in ourselves and most importantly SUPPORT and COMPLETE eachother in the way that we do!

              When you feel like QUITTING ...  Think about WHY. YOU. STARTED.!!



2001 - 2004



07.20.2012 =)
(BTW .. I just happen to be wearing my 'Live the Life You Love' bracelet in this photo!)

Loose Screw, Maybe?

            So Im starting to think that I may have a screw loose!!  I'll explain why ...
I just happened to finally watch an 'INSANITY' workout infomercial last night for about 20 min.  Can I just tell you that I. COULD. NOT. FALL. ASLEEP after watching that!! ~ I seriously could not wait till morning to get to the gym and do my Kickbox Fusion class today!!  It was like I was jonesing for crack!! LOL!!  It got me so pumped up and ready to go, that I could have seriously put on my tenni's and loud ass music and gotten busy doing some serious cardio and push-ups at 10:30pm!  Now you have to understand that the Kickbox Fusion class's and Bootcamp class I take are pretty much AS. HARD. or HARDER. than 'Insanity'!  So maybe now you see why I think that I may have a screw loose!! ... Who the hell looks forward to that PAIN?!?  ~  Apparently I. DO.!!! :)

            Ive said it before and Ill say it again, If I could only bottle and sell the rush & adrenaline I get from working out ... I'd be one RICH. MO. FO.!!

            So YA ... Im thinking that you could probably classify what I got going on as an addiction BUT at least its a 'GOOD. FOR. YOU.' addiction.   AND I dont do it for more than an hour to an hour and 20 min. 5 days a week! ~ So Im not too Crazy!!

             The other thing that Ive noticed that I do is, when I shop, I tend to go to the workout clothing department more so than the 'everyday' clothing departments!! :)  Speaking of which ~ I got a smokin deal today on some 2012. NIKE. LIVESTRONG. AIRMAX. at the Nike outlet!!  They are normally $175.00 ... but I got these bad boys for $109.00!!  ~ My kind of deal!!  
Oh, another thing ... I tend to spend more money on my workout shoes than dress shoes for myself .. That goes to show you whats IMPORTANT. TO. ME.!! ~ My workout shoes are MY. EQUIPMENT.!! ;)

Positive. Role. Model.

                         This morning I was getting ready to leave the house to head to the gym (for my Wednesday 'Booty Camp' class).  My 15 year old son, Corliss, said to me "Mom, can I tell you something?" ... "You look amazing and really lean right now" ...  "and I am so proud of you!".  He said, "I know you work hard and it shows!" :)
                   
                          WOW!! ~ Hearing those words come from my son makes it so worth while!  As a parent, you want to be the best role model for your children/teenagers as possible ... Knowing that they are acknowledging what I am doing, and supporting me as well, is PRICELESS!  It also gave me a sense of motivation that I cant even explain!  When your children/teenagers believe in you ... it makes 'believing in yourself' that much more important!

   I am so thankful that I can be a POSITIVE. ROLE. MODEL. in my teenagers life! :)

                     

Counting Calories ... Old School!

                  Today I decided Im going back to my 'OLD SCHOOL' way of counting calories.  I have a BODYBUGG, which a a great tool for counting calories and keeping track of calories burned, but I just dont use the calorie log daily like I should.  I personally think it is more of a hassle to use than actually looking up and writing down the calories that I consume daily.  I really enjoy the BODYBUGG for being able to keep track of my calories burned and steps taken, but the calorie tracker ... not so much!!  So Im going back to my old school ways! ... I feel like I have been lacking in this lately and need to get back on track.  Writing down what I eat daily, GOOD. OR. BAD., keeps me accountable and also helps me to make the better choice when deciding what to eat.  Its amazing how fast calories add up in a day!  ~  Getting the most out of your daily calorie intake is what its all about!

                    Writing down my calories helps to keep me focused on those days that I dont workout.  Im sure Im not the only one who tends to eat healthier on the days I workout vs. my off days.  If you still have to be accountable for something on those days it keeps your mind in the right place! 

                     I suggest to anyone and everyone to keep a daily food log ... you would be amazed at what you eat in a day ~ GOOD. OR. BAD.!   I myself have a pretty good stack of journals that I have used over the years to log my food. 
Its kind of like working out, once you have made it a HABIT ...  it is NO LONGER a chore! :)

Now ... To practice what I preach!!  =)

Size WHAT??

 

            I still cant get used to my size of clothing now! ~ More so the size of my tops.  My pants have always ran smaller then my tops, so getting used to a size 4 pants seems a little easier.  But wearing a size SMALL in a womens top ~ seems so odd to me and Ive been wearing a size S womens top now for at least 8 months (size M if its a junior fit). 

            For example ... Yesterday I went to ROSS with my oldest son.  Not my favorite store ~ but he wanted to go.  Not that there is anything wrong with shopping at ROSS, I just dont have the patience for that store.  See when I shop ... I graze!  I have a hard time looking through racks of clothing ~ I prefer the clothing to be on display or have only one type of clothing on a single rack, not a variety of styles and brands.  Anyways, thats all besides the point!! :)

              So I was waiting for Corliss to pick out what he wanted and I started grazing!  Which like I said, is very hard to do at ROSS!  I happen to see a really cute BCBG hoodie hanging on an end of a rack with a pair of matching capris.... SO CUTE!  My first thought was .. I wonder if they have it in my size?.  The set I saw hanging was a size S and it looked SMALL!! ... Needless to say, I DID NOT want to look through all of the racks to see if I could find the set in a M so I tried on the S ... and to my surprise ... The outfit fit like a glove!!

               I just cant wrap my mind around the fact that I can wear a size S in ANYTHING! ~  It seems so foreign to me!  Never in this lifetime would I have ever imagined me fitting into these sizes.  I am programmed to look for size L or XL when I shop.  Ive worn a L, or larger, almost my whole life, from elementary school right on up through most of my adult life.  Even now, knowing I can wear a smaller size, I will still take the next size up with me into the dressing room ~  'just in case'!!

               It amazes me how some things in life are taken for granted by some people and for other people, those same things, are a daily struggle.  And its not just about the size of a persons clothing it could be about anything in life.

               Honestly, SIZE really doesnt matter BUT it kinda feels good for a change!!  It really threw me back yesterday when I saw this outfit as being 'so small' but it fit me just fine!! It goes to show that all of my hard work on myself, physically and mentally, is paying off !! 

Cute outfit, right?!?  Paid $45.00 for it ... tags said it retailed at $300.00 ~ WHAT??

Epidemic

              It has been a few days since my last blog ... Ive been thinking long and hard about this subject.  I feel that body image is an epidemic!  I know that this isnt a "News Flash" BUT it really has been a subject that has been on my mind.  I personally dont know anyone, male or female, that has not struggled with it.  If you really think about it ... Do you know anyone who has not had an issue with either feeling too fat or too skinny (what would that be like? see there I go!! :)), too weak, too flabby, too flat, too jiggly ect., ect.?? ... I mean the list goes ON AND ON!  How many people eat something throughout the day, or week, and are mad at themselves because it wasnt the best choice for them??  How many people wake up every morning and say to themselves "today is the day that Im going to start working out" ... and fail to do so??  I feel EVERYONE struggles with these issues, if not always, then at some time or another in their lives.

               There are soooo many quick fixes out there that people are so quick to spend their money on because they hope that it will help them to not feel "THAT WAY" about themselves.  There are so many companies and individuals making money off of this epidemic, that I feel we have, and there truly is NO. QUICK. FIX.!!  You have got to DO. THE. WORK.!!

               Truth is that we are all in this epidemic together and NO. ONE. IS. PERFECT.!!  Only a handful of people "GET IT" and even a smaller handful actually do something about it ... I feel mostly because people have no clue where to begin ~  and lord knows that the beginning is always the hardest!  I feel that everyone has a perfect image of themselves ~ but ... Is it really perfect??  ~  Is this image really doable??  Perfect to me, finally, is being comfortable in my own skin which includes working out not only to feel great but to also feel more confident about myself.  Exercise gives me confidence and adrenaline like nothing else can! ... I feed off of that! :)  I also workout to strengthen the most important muscle in my body ... MY. HEART.!!  Without my heart being in shape .. I wouldnt be able to do anything! ;) 

                    It has taken me YEARS to "GET IT" ...  And Im still working on it daily!  I have always tried to do something 'about it' but had failed over and over throughout the years.  I have learned that until you mentally get yourself together ~  physically YOU WONT get it together!  ~ Its a package deal!  I believe the epidemic is 90% mental and 10% physical. (I havent done any research on this .. these are ONLY my thoughts ...  I am speaking only from my own personal experience and belief.)

                    Everyone struggles with this epidemic!! ~ Its pretty sad!  BUT if you think about all of the GOOD that comes out of working out ~ YOU. CANT. GO. WRONG.!  ~ That is, as long as you are doing it for all the RIGHT reasons! :)  If you can make it a habit ~ It will then become a lifestyle that will no longer feel like a chore!

                     There is no 'quick fix' for this epidemic, and there probably never will be, but I believe that if you do the work, PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY, you will feel better about yourself!  ~  Being comfortable in your own skin is PRICELESS!

                     "Believe in Yourself" so therefore you can "Live the Life You Love"! ... Lets get rid of this epidemic one POSITIVE. THOUGHT. about YOURSELF at a time!! :) 

         

All You Need Is Love, Support & Determination!!

03/02/2012 vs. 10/12/2002

                I was just looking at my wedding picture, for the gazillionth time, and Im pretty damn proud, not only of myself, but also VERY PROUD of my husband Justin.  He has lost a total of 100lbs. since him and I have been together. (I have lost 65lbs.)  We have been together for 12 years this July  ~  married for 10 years this October.  Together, him and I have lost a total of 165lbs.! ... That's a whole person if you think about it!! ~ WOW!!  Its amazing how being happy makes things in your life all come together!  Dont get me wrong ... It hasn't been easy for him and I to lose the weight ... It has taken time (years as a matter of fact) and a whole lot of work, for both of us, both physically AND mentally ... But together WE HAVE DONE IT!!  Finding happiness in yourself comes first and foremost in order for you to be happy with anyone else OR for you to make that physical change in yourself permanent ... Anyone can lose weight, but I can guarantee that if mentally you are not fixed, that weight will come right back!  Like I mentioned in my first blog post, inner happiness is HUGE!!

                When you have the support of your spouse believing in YOU ~ Believing in YOURSELF comes a whole lot easier!! Im so thankful that I have a supportive husband and that WE believe in eachother!

                   I think it shows in our before & after photos ... Dont you?!?

10/12/2002 vs. 6/08/2012

YUMMY!! =)

I just created another DELICIOUS Protein Shake / Smoothie! (287 cal.)

*  1 scoop of  Whipped Vanilla protein powder ~ 150 cal.
*  1 1/2 cups ice
*  handful of Spinach ~ 7 cal.
*  1 cup Dole Frozen Tropical Fruit Mix ~ 80 cal.
*  1 cup Minute Maid 50 cal. O.J. ~ 50 cal.

Well deserved after a hard workout ...  AND much needed!! :)