Weekly Weigh-in: 215.6

Hello all! 
Down a little over a half pound from last week.  I was hoping for more but it is what it is. 
I had some killer workouts this week.  Club Circuit Boxing whoooooped my butt. BIG TIME.  I burned around 700 calories in the hour long class. I could barely walk for 2 days but it was well worth it.
I'm still working towards 205 by August 31.  That's around 10lbs in 5 weeks. Totally doable.  Counting on you all to hold me accountable!

Sorry this is short, but I'm spending my time with Kevin and the girls today since Kevin's working all weekend. 
I hope you all have a great weekend!

Starting weight:  222lb
Current weight:  215.6
Total lost:  6.4

Weekly Weigh-in: 216.2

Down around 3lbs from last week!
I know for a fact some of it is water weight. I may not weigh myself in the future on my period.  It was such a let down when I did.   Seriously some days I was 8lbs higher than the last.  This was a huge disappointment since I have been making healthy eating choices all week and exercising. One night I was in tears because I felt as if the weight was never going to come off.  Kevin reassured me it would, and it has slowly started to again.


I do count my calories by using the Livestrong calorie counter app on my phone as well as a Polar heart rate monitor for my exercising. 
I know some people don't like to "count calories" but it really works.  Even if you just write down everything you eat in a notebook on your counter everyday. It worked for me last time and I am determined to make it a daily part of my life..not just my diet.  It takes a bit to get into the habit but after a week or so straight of doing it, it just becomes natural to do it.  Somedays I have every meal and snack (except supper) plugged into my tracker before I even sit down for breakfast.  Then I know I have X amount of calories to eat for supper, or I need exercise X amount if I want to splurge. 

I have also cut out soda/pop.  From as long as I can remember, I have been a diet pop drinker.  I LOVE Diet Coke.  Love is an understatement. Although 0 calorie, studies have shown lately that the artificial sweeteners in these can be very damaging to our health.  It was hard the first few days because I craved that sweetness to go along with my salty snacks.  That has slowly started getting better and I try to eat fruits for my sweets craving and I drink around 100oz of water a day.  Water does get a little mundane, so I bought some lemons and limes yesterday for some flavoring. 

I didn't go to the gym everyday this week, in fact, I maybe only went 2-3 times.  Kevin had his wisdom teeth out on Monday morning, and the recovery hasn't been as easy as we anticipated it would be.  I did get up and go to the gym early on Tuesday morning before the girls woke up and then again on Wednesday night.  Kevin had to go back to work yesterday, swollen face and all.  He was gone for 13 hours yesterday (normal) ..but I felt bad running out the door within 40 minutes of him getting home.  I told him I would go when the girls went to bed, but they decided to throw us for a loop and refuse to go to bed last night until nearly 10pm.  Since the gym closed at 10, obviously I wasn't going to make it.  I think I'm just going to have to suck it up and sign the girls up for the childcare and go to the gym during the day.  No excuses then.  It just breaks my heart to leave Kaelin screaming and scared and I'm still nervous about Lauren and the potty.  She does great and I can't even remember her last accident, but she doesn't do well in public restrooms. So hopefully I can get her to go before we go and avoid any public accidents or freakouts. 

Okay..so that is my week.  Sorry for the long, random, choppy, post!

Let's wrap this up! 

Starting weight:  222lb
Current weight:  216.2
 Down 5.8lbs total. 
1st Goal:  205lbs by 8-31


How was your week?

Annoyed with my phone!

I would probably post 3x as much but the blogger app always fails when I try to publish a post from my phone.  It's super annoying!  95% of the pictures I take are on my phone because it's always on me.  I can post a blog that is text only, but when I try to attach the pictures it always says "Publish failed" 
So I apologize for the lack in posts...
I will do a photo dump one of these days, if this app would cooperate!

Weekly weigh in: 219 (ish)

So this week has been up and down. I didn't make it to the gym this week. Part laziness, busyness and injury/sickness.  I weighed myself throughout the week and it was up and down. Remember, last Friday I was at 220.6. Saturday morning I was at 216.6, then as the week went on, 221, 222, 219, 218.8 & then this morning 220.2. With the exception of a small snickers blizzard midweek, my eating has been healthy and within my daily caloric intake.  I just haven't been active.
I strained my hip on the treadmill. I think I just pushed too hard too fast.
Kevin has also been getting home late which makes it hard to get to the gym unless I eat supper without him and run out the door within 30 min of him getting home.
Hoping to find more of a balance this week and see the scale go down down down.

How was your week??

PS...just went to the bathroom and weighed again and the scale read 219.  I must be having some major water retention considering Aunt Flow should arrive in a day or 2. 

Choo Choo

Kevin and I surprised the girls with a trip on the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad on Saturday morning.  We've been looking at things to do around the area to get out and explore.  We're in a new city and state and now that we're settled and Lauren's potty training is more consistent, we thought we'd get out of town for a bit. 
The Railroad was only about 45 minutes from our house and the price was right considering the length of the trip, military discount and the kids being free. 
When we first arrived the girls were ecstatic.  They were running around yelling "Choo Choo!" and were asking when we could ride on the train.  Once the conductors started warming up the steam train and preparing it for our trip, the girls got a little skiddish and decided they didn't want to go anymore.   We had about thirty minutes to kill and with each puff of the steam and toot of the whistle, they began to get more and more used to it and by the time it was ready to go, they were all smiles again.
The ride was approximately 2 hours with a 20 minute break about 2/3 of the way. 
Lauren kept saying "This train is so fun!" and "I love this train!" 
Kaelin kept saying "CHOO CHOO! and ALL ABOARD"  -- I kid you not, she said "All aboard"  at least 30 times.  Very loudly as well. 

As far as being "scenic"  ...ehhh...  We can actually see more of the mountain just a few minutes from our house.  We were closer to the mountain on the train but there was a huge hill blocking the bottom half.  It was fun to see fisherman in the water and a few creeks and streams but other than that, nothing spectacular. 
We did happen to see either a hippie commune or a meth lab..or maybe it was a mixture of both.  Not sure.. but I know there was too much stuff to be campers.

Overall it was a great trip.  Short and sweet and no potty accidents! That's just the way we like it.  We had decided to bring her potty chair with us since she isn't a fan of public bathrooms quite yet.  We just set it in the back of Expedition. She only had to go once after the train ride so we got her in the back and I held up a blanket and she did her thing.  I just dumped the pee in a container and bagged it up.  Had I been near anything other than a parking lot, I would have just dumped it out.  It's kind of a pain but seriously better than having to change clothes if she would have had an accident.  You do what you gotta do! 

I am not sure we'll ever do this again, but I am glad we went this time.  We definitely saw a few places on our ride there and back that we want to check out on a different day.

Weekly weigh-in 220.6

Dun Dun Dun.....:)    It's that dreaded day!  Or is it??  It's the start of a new chapter and hopefully a lifelong change of a healthier lifestyle with the encouragement of friends and family!  I would like to check in once a week until our goals are met, and then after that, we'll figure out a check in/buddy system for maintenence/fitness etc. 

I started this journey almost 2 years ago.  I stepped on the scale the morning I had Kaelin and it read 270lbs.  When Kevin left for Iraq I was 255lb.  When I joined a gym in December 2010, I was at 251 lbs.  Kevin came home from Iraq in November 2011 and my weight was 196lbs.  That's almost 60lbs in the 12months of his deployment. 

After he was home and we were settling and re-adjusting, the scale would read 201, 204, 208, 215, 218 and where I have been stuck for the last few months at 222lbs. 

Last week I weighed in at 220lbs.  This week I am at 220.6.  A little over 1/2lb weight gain this week.  I made it to the gym only 3 days out of the last 7 and I plan on going again tonight. 

I went to a class called Club boxing circuit. OMG LOVE IT! or hate it too..but it was fun!  I've never been to a class where we actually get to put on gloves and punch and kick the crap out of the bag.  It was so exhilarating.  The part where she made us run back and forth in the gym and then only stop us to make us do jumping jacks? Yeah,that part totally sucked but it was at the beginning and we got it over with!  I've heard rumors she sometimes makes the class sometimes run the parking lot. Not looking forward to that! 

As far as healthy eats, it's been an on and off struggle. I have good days and bad days.  The first few weeks are brutal when reducing caloric intake. It feels like I'm starving!  I've tried to just make smaller/healthier meals and snack. Slowly and surely it's getting better. 

How was your week? 

Starting weight:  222
Today's weight:  220.6

Down 1.4lb

Happy 4th of July

Tasty Tuesday: French Onion Soup

I know it's not exactly soup weather for most of my followers, but I don't think you can really ever go wrong with French Onion Soup. 
I found this recipe on www.cookinglight.com  It is extremely easy and delicious. Oh and did I mention only 290 calories for a 1 cup serving of soup WITH the cheese and bread?  We had it for supper tonight.  It's still isn't "summer" in the Pacific Northwest, so we can get away with soups, and I'm loving it! I can't wait to have a bowl for lunch tomorrow. 

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 cups thinly vertically sliced Walla Walla or other sweet onion 
• 4 cups thinly vertically sliced red onion
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup dry white wine 
• 8 cups less-sodium beef broth
• 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 8 (1-ounce) slices French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 8 (1-ounce) slices reduced-fat, reduced-sodium Swiss cheese (we used mozzerella)

Preparation

1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions to pan; sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in sugar, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium; cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high, and sauté for 5 minutes or until onion is golden brown. Stir in wine, and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and thyme; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours.
2. Preheat broiler.
3. Place bread in a single layer on a baking sheet; broil 2 minutes or until toasted, turning after 1 minute.
4. Place 8 ovenproof bowls on a jelly-roll pan. Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl. Divide bread evenly among bowls; top each serving with 1 cheese slice. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.
   
   
   photo & recipe credit

Here I go again...

Remember last year when I lost 50+lbs when Kevin was deployed.  70 total since Kaelin's birth??  Well I seem to have found 20+ back and well that's just not cool, folks.  It's of my own doing!  I'm the only one to blame.  For months I blamed it on Kevin coming home and eating out at his favorite places but it's not his fault at all.  It's only my own.  He didn't put the food in my mouth.  He didn't make me sit on the couch watching t.v. every evening.  He actually encouraged me to go to the gym. I just wasn't "feeling" it.  I would go strong for a week and then lose the groove.  He would tell me it was okay to go, but I somewhat felt guilty (and still do sometimes)  leaving him in the evenings to go to the gym.  I know I shouldn't but I do.  There are other days I am running out the door to get out of there.

I have tried at home workouts and just cannot get into them.  Paying for a gym membership gives that ooomph to get out the door and use the services that I am paying for. 

I haven't been extremely consistent since joining 3 weeks ago. So far I have taken a Zumba class (eh...love zumba just not this particular class...will give it another shot)  ..  Body works plus Abs (ouch..good ouch) and Spin (love/hate and butt ouch the first few times) 

I want to get into a routine with the treadmill/elliptical.  I have tried the couch to 5k and I never make it past week 1.  I am going to try intervals on my own and go from there.  Small goals and my first one is to be able to run a mile without stopping.  Sounds small but I have only ran a mile once in my life in highschool...never since. At this point I can only run about 2 minutes before I need to walk. 

Weight wise:  I am going to make realistic goals. I know it took me months to put it on so it won't come off over night. My goals are 1-2lbs/week, and hoping for 15lb weight loss by August 31st.

To help me keep accountability I am linking up with Mrs. V @ Getting that Glow.   She has been working hard on her own goals and is doing fabulous. 
Weigh ins will be on Friday mornings.  I will be posting on my blog and then linking up in her comment section. 

If anyone is looking for some accountability for weight loss, fitness goals, or even just living a healthy lifestyle, let's all work together and encourage each other! 

Even if you don't have a blog, feel free to leave your goals/accomplishments/or needs for improvements in my comment section. 

Who's with me?