Day 20 P90X , Poop Report

Yesterday was a good day. I did all my scheduled workouts and belly dancing class. Food was on and water was over! I think I'm finally getting back on track mentally too.... and we all know that is the key to success.

Today I have to find a way to build 3 chicken coops (with runs) for 25 hens... I have at least another week before the chicks are big enough to leave their cozy little corner in our house... but I need to get going on them. I'm also going to try and use some of the wood that is lying in piles around our property. We'll see how creative I can be!

Today's Plan:

Kenpo X
walk, walk, walk

Focus: calories and water


The other day I did a post about Poo and was asked so many questions about it that I decided I had to answer them.. so here is part 2 of Poo.

The best place to find information on Poop was the interview between Oprah and Dr. Oz. Here is how he answered these questions:

1. How long does it take to digest food?

Have you ever wondered what happens to the food you eat? First, it passes through the esophagus. It moves by a wave of muscle contractions that squeeze the food down at about two inches per second. When the food reaches the stomach, it falls into a churning pool of digestive juices. In the stomach, the food is broken down into easily absorbable ingredients: proteins, sugars and fats.

Then greenish brown bile produced in the liver is added to help the breakdown of these fats. By the time the food leaves your stomach and passes into the small intestine, it's unrecognizable. The walls of our intestines absorb the nutrients into our blood and that's how we get the energy we all need to live.

How long does this vital process take? It depends on what you're eating, Dr. Oz says. "A steak dinner can take you two, maybe three days to get out of your intestine. What that means is the way you digest it is basically to rot it in your intestines. On the other hand, if you eat vegetables and fruits, they're out of your system in less than 12 hours."

What about chewing gum? Is it true that it takes seven years for it to digest? "No," Dr. Oz says. However, this little urban legend can be a good way to "get kids to stop chewing gum."

2. Why does poop smell?

You might want to light a match because Dr. Oz has something to tell you: The origin of poop's odor is sulfur, which smells like a rotten egg.

Many foods contain sulfur. "Eggs are one of them. Cheese—there's a reason they say, 'Don't cut the cheese,'" Dr. Oz says. Other sulfurous foods include meats and vegetables.

3. Why do I get diarrhea?

Here's the small and large story about the intestines: Serotonin is the natural chemical in the body that antidepressants affect. Though 5 percent of your body's serotonin is in your brain, 95 percent is in your intestines. "You have a second brain down there," Dr. Oz says. "There are 100 million nerves in that intestine tract. That's the same amount of nerves as you have in your spine."

If your intestines become confused, Dr. Oz says, one effect could be diarrhea, bloating and discomfort from inflammatory bowel disease, or IBS, a very common problem. If you have this problem for more than a day or so, "take chicken soup with some rice because it will help you reabsorb sugar and salt." If you get diarrhea chronically, Dr. Oz says the cause may be food allergies. Some common food allergies include milk products and wheat.

According to Dr. Oz, diarrhea is not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, it's just your body's way of protecting itself. "The immune system in your intestines is a very intricate one and it knows when food is not right for you," he says. "So it will tell your body, 'You know what? Get rid of that. We don't want this in us!'"

4. What causes burping and farting?

On a previous show, Dr. Oz explained that the average person—both men and women—passes gas 14 times a day. What's causing this phenomenal natural gas leak?

"Many of those bacteria that are on your side and protecting you normally will eat up the foods that you're eating and release their waste product: gas, which, by the way, is good for you. You want to have a regular amount of gas. The problem happens when you eat certain foods that give you more gas than you want."

Probably the most infamous gas-producing foods are beans, which, Dr. Oz explains, contain sugar. "In fact, sugars in general are the problem." Bacteria love simple sugars and simple carbohydrates because they're so easy to digest.

Dr. Oz says it's not just what you eat. It's also in the air you breathe. "Twenty percent of the gas comes from the air you take in your mouth," he says. "That comes because you're eating too quickly, you're drinking carbonated beverages, you're chewing gum, you're smoking cigarettes, you're sucking air into your body that gets into your intestines."

Think of your body as a refrigerator, Dr. Oz says. If you let food sit in there, it's going to smell after a while. In your body, sulfur-rich foods like eggs, meat, beer, beans and cauliflower are decomposed by bacteria to release hydrogen sulfide—a smell strong enough to flatten a bear. Avoiding these foods is the ideal solution, but when stinky gas persists, the best solutions are leafy green vegetables and probiotics, specifically lactobacilli GG. These can be found in some yogurts. The product Beano can sometimes work with beans, but soaking the beans ahead of time is useful as well.

Poop Color, Poop Shape, Poop Odor/smell-

Dr. Oz says that these indicate and ultimately give a clue to how well your body is functioning. You need 25 grams of fiber per day drink plenty of water to avoid problems like constipation.Taking Olive oil or flax seed oil (like lotions for the intestines) helps let the poop glide out.Drinking enough water helps flush out your system. Your urine should be "clear enough to read through".

Poops should have a curve to them, like an S shape or C shape. They should not be hard, pancake like, or pellets (constipation, need more fiber and water). They should not "plop" into the water but "dive like an Acapulco diver". Floating poops means they have too much fat in them, meaning you are eating lots of fatty foods.



WALK-ON!

Day 19 P90X

I will admit that I had a rough weekend. Food, water, exorcise and attitude were all off. I ate pizza, chocolate, ice cream... I missed my Sunday Yoga class... and worst of all, I didn't care. At least not until this morning. I had the morning guilt trip... and I hate that. There was a rock in the pit of my stomach and I just kept thinking WHY?? Why would I ruin a whole week of working hard with one day of pure stupidity?

Well, I cant go back in time and change what I did.. so I have to just forgive myself. Slap my hand and say 'NO'... and tell myself to never do that again! Today is a new day.. a fresh start. I made up my Yoga class first thing this morning. This afternoon I will do my Legs & Back routine and then go to Belly Dancing class. There will be no lack of exorcise today. What I need to focus on is my food. I had a Cliff bar this morning after Yoga class and four glasses of water. I need to drink 4 more glasses before lunch.. which will be a tuna salad. NOW.. if I can just keep myself out of the kitchen until then!

Today's Plan:

Yoga - done
Legs & Back
Ab Ripper X
Belly Dancing class
walk, walk, walk

Focus: ON EVERYTHING!!!!

Hanlie over at FertileHealthy sent me 5 questions to answer...here they are!


1. Does motherhood live up to the expectations you had before becoming
a mother?

To be honest, I never dreamed of becoming a mother. I was more interested in traveling, working, drinking, partying. Kids were never in my mind. It was when I suddenly found myself pregnant that I had to actually sit down and face it. I didn't get a chance to worry about being a mother too much while I was pregnant. I was trying to work things out with the Daddy... I suffered severe All-Day-Long sickness and also tried to hold down a job. When I was 5 months pregnant I moved in with Daddy. That is when I finally got the chance to soak it all in. I was happy, in love and it was all falling in place.

The whole 'motherhood' did not hit me until the morning that I gave birth to a beautiful little girl. That is when reality hit me square in the face and I fell head over heels in love with her. She was, and is, a blessing in my life. Everyday brings a new challenge, a new 'moment' where you just have to stop and say thank you!

Having two girls now is double the blessing... and double the trouble....but I wouldn't change a thing!


2. How romantic are you?

I have a favorite memory. To me it was the most romantic thing Hubby ever did. I was standing at the stove making dinner. The girls were running around the living room listening to the radio. An old country song came on and before I new what was going on Hubby had swung me around and started dancing with me. At this point he and I had been married for 2 years... AND I HAD NO IDEA HE COULD DANCE!!!! He twirled me and rocked me... and I was in love again!

3. What is your biggest dream for the future?

There are a million things that I could answer here...but the biggest would be to see my girls grow up into smart young women. The future is a scary place now...I fear for them and what they might have to face...I just pray that I will give them what they need to survive it!

4. If you could have any vacation, with cost and time not an issue,
what would it be?

Hubby and I never had a honeymoon... so I would want to take him (and the girls) to Ireland. Stay in a small cottage by the sea...and lay back and enjoy the beauty!

5. What makes you laugh out loud?

Life! Everyday I find a reason to just bust open and laugh. Usually its thanks to my girls... or my Hubby.. or a friend... Life is good, enjoy it!

Day 17 P90X

Yesterday was terrible as far as food, working out and water were concerned. Shoot, it was a terrible day period. BUT!!! I made up for it this morning. I didn't wake up and hop on the computer... I got up and did yesterdays workout and today's workout. I had a beautiful breakfast and snack... and 32 oz of water sitting in front of me.

I'm not sure what happened to me yesterday. I just wasn't motivated to do much. Worse, I ate whatever was in front of me at the time (or in arms reach). Once I started moving today, that feeling was gone. I am ready for a very long day of working outside. We have to rebuild our chicken coupe because we got CHICKS!!! 10 of them. They are Cochin chickens, which means they are friendly, loving chicks. They get to be between 9 and 11 lbs fully grown and they lay 2 eggs a week. We are getting 15 more chicks next weekend... but they will probably be Rhode Island Reds. They are better layers.. and that is why we are getting into chickens again...I refuse to pay $3.00 for a dozen eggs when not even 2 years ago they were .99 cents. So, we have agreed to give some to the rest of the family if we start getting too many... but it feels good to be self reliant! You know!

Here are some pics... the girls love them!




Today's Plan:

Cardio X -done
Shoulders & Arms - done
Ab Ripper X
walk, walk, walk

Focus: CALORIES and WATER

See you Monday!

Day 16 P90X, Poo!

I got in 7.5 miles yesterday thanks to Tang Soo Do class last night. We also worked on Staff forms, which meant swinging a 6' staff over my head and controlling it into downward blocks and attacks. My arms and back are feeling used and abused! The best thing is that I looked in the mirror before getting in the shower last night and noticed that my back has become so much flatter. There is very little 'back fat'.. compared to months ago when I had 2 or 3 rolls back there. I have a tattoo on my shoulder blade, or at least that's where it was when I first got it. As I gained weight it was moved higher up on my shoulder.... it has now settled back down to where it was meant to be! I'm telling you, little changes make the best motivation!

Today I am heading into town to go grocery shopping. I think it is funny that we live hundreds of miles away from the city yet we have no 'farmers markets'. I really wish we had one. I would love to have fresh fruits and veggies... and not have the temptation on every isle. My goal for today's shopping trip is to buy clean... in other words, nothing from the middle isles. I will stick to the outside isles that have the meat, bread, veggies and fruits. We need to focus on eating better in this house. We don't eat bad, but I would like to see us get away from spaghetti, mac n cheese (the kids eat it, I don't!), hot dogs and packaged food all together.


I was watching 'You Are What You Eat' on the BBC channel. This lady is hilarious... she even takes poo samples (and she is very honest about how they smell!). Anyway, she had the couple write down everything that they ate in one week. When she went to their house she placed all the food on their table. It was disgusting. It was mostly a mountain of french fries topped off with more fried 'stuff' and one lone peach sitting among the heap. It made me think about what I had eaten all week.... would there be a mountain of fruits and veggies on that table? Or would bread and sweets out number them? She has her own website where you can be a virtual client of hers... check it out here. One of the things that is mentioned on her website is that 57% of people fail to produce a poo everyday! Is this you?

Ok, enough dirty talk!

Today's Plan:

Cardio X
Walk, walk, walk

Focus: food, water, vitamins

See you tomorrow!

Day 15 P90X, 0 miles :)

I did it! Well, actually, I did nothing!! LOL Yesterday was an official rest day and it felt... to be honest it felt like I didn't accomplish as much as usual. I know it sounds weird, but my morning workouts get me going and I get all my housework done before lunch. Then the afternoon is spent doing stuff with the girls...and the afternoon winds down with yet another workout! Yesterday the house did not get completely clean, the laundry is still in the dryer and I did not get a good nights sleep last night. Hmmm, do you think I'm a work-out-a-holic? I do feel ready to go again today.. and that is a good thing.

Today is the start of week 3! I cant believe how fast this month is going. At the end of week 4 I will take another picture to put on the side lines... I am anxious to see the changes that P90X are doing.

0 miles yesterday... means I need to do some catch up walking! I'm not sure how, but I will think of something.

Today's Plan:

Core Synergistics
Tang Soo Do
Walk, Walk, Walk

Focus: Water, Calories

In other news:

If you have kids then you have seen the cartoon Lazy Town. I love this cartoon because it gets my kids up and moving and trying to dance along with Sportacus! I wanted to send out a big thank you to this man, who cares about getting our kids moving and eating right!!




Magnús Örn Scheving (pronounced skeev-ing) (born November 10, 1964) is a writer, producer, entrepreneur, comedian and a famous Icelandic athlete. He is best known as the creator and co-star of the children's television show LazyTown, in which he plays the superhero Sportacus.

Scheving was born in the capital Reykjavík, but grew up in the small town of Borgarnes. In 1992 he became the Icelandic Men's Individual Champion in Aerobic Gymnastics. In 1993, he became the Scandinavian champion, and was the European champion twice in 1994 and 1995. He was voted Athlete of the Year by Iceland in 1994.

He is the CEO, creator, and co-founder of LazyTown Entertainment. This company produces books, videos, games, and sporting goods to help promote fitness and a healthy lifestyle to children. He is also creator of the show LazyTown (Latibær in Iceland), where he plays Sportacus (Íþróttaálfurinn).

Day 14 P90X, 400th Post, REST DAY!

I only managed 4.5 miles yesterday. I either ate something bad yesterday or the flu has not completely left my body. I was nauseous for most of the evening.. so when it was time for me to hop on the treadmill I did not have too much energy. Funny though, I wanted to get in as many miles as I could last night.. so I RAN!! It felt great. My legs have gotten so much stronger over the past two weeks and my breathing was right on track. It was the best I've ever felt running... ever! I could have kept walking afterwards too, but Hubby was at Karate and the girls still needed bathing and put to bed. Oh well... life sometimes doesn't let you do what you want to, but sometimes you just need to go with the flow!

Today is rest day... and I need to enforce it! I need the rest, my muscles need to heal.. and I don't want to get burned out! I am interested to see what my weight is tomorrow morning. I have a feeling I'm going to drop like 5 lbs of water today!

OH.. and today is my 400th post. Good grief! The fact that I've had that much to say is a little surprising.. and the fact that it has taken me this long to figure out my body..well, that's not so surprising. I'm just glad I kept on blogging...and now it is really starting to pay off! I've made some wonderful friends and have learned some amazing things! Thank you to all my readers who have kept me motivated to keep going... you guys are the best support system ever!!

Today's Plan:

X Stretch

Focus: DON'T WORK OUT! Water, Calories and vitamins.

Day 13 P90X, CHOCOLATE!!!!

A couple of weeks ago I entered a Scavenger Hunt over at Marshy's blog to try and win a copy of DietGirls new book. I didn't win the book, but I did get runner-up! My prize arrived yesterday. A package of MallowPuffs, Arnott's Mint Slice Biscuits, a BAR of Whittaker's cashew nut chocolate and 4 CD's filled with workout music!! For reasons we all know I gave the MallowPuffs and Biscuits to the Hubby and Kids. The bar of chocolate is mine, ALL MINE, muahahahaha!! I am putting it away for a treat every now and then. (Unless I go crazy with it and then Hubby has full power to take it away!) The music came at the most perfect time! With all this walking I am listening to my IPod all the time... and the same music over and over again. Today I have all new music to 'walk' and roll to! THANK YOU MARSHY!!

I barely managed my 6 miles yesterday... the last 3 miles were slow and lacking *umph*.. but I was moving (not sitting on the couch watching TV and mindlessly eating) and that's what counts. My legs are sore today.. but I have noticed that they are slimming down. Some of my old pants are getting really loose in the thigh area... hopefully that will happen soon in the waist area!

I have been drinking Slim Fast for my breakfast lately... something I found out last night is not a good things when you are lactose intolerant! Doh! **sigh** now I have to find something else that is quick and easy and yummy to drink in the morning. (and is a meal replacement) Sometimes trying to eat healthy is a pain in the butt...no wonder we ended up eating what we did, it was easy to!

Today's Plan:

Kenpo X
walk, walk, walk

Focus: Water, Calories

Its time for spring cleaning...and that should burn about 5,000 calories!! LOL

Day 12 P90X....Yoga!

Today I woke up a little sore. Yoga was harsh last night but it felt fantastic. If you don't like to do cardio or weight lifting you should definitely look into taking a yoga class. You work every muscle in your body just by putting your body in different positions. You also get to work on your balance doing poses like 'the tree' and 'the crane'. I HATE yoga...but I LOVE yoga!

Today is the start of week 2 in my challenge! I cant believe I managed to do 42 miles last week. Actually, my body CAN believe it did that much last week. I am feeling %100 different. By different I mean that my muscles are tight but flexible... my waist is being drawn in... my legs are strong and my balance is fantastic. My weight? Hasn't changed but I am not worried about that right now. I am not taking any days off from working out so my muscles are holding on to a lot of water. If you have been reading for a while you will remember that my weigh in was on Monday mornings...Sunday was my rest day and it allowed my body to heal and let go of all the water. With this P90X program I am working out every day accept Wednesday... last week I walked 6 miles that day (for the challenge). This week I might just make it an official rest day and make up the miles on another day.

Today's Plan:

Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X
Belly Dancing class
walk, walk, walk

Focus: water and calories

I am going tanning tonight before class. Hey! I cant get all fit and gorgeous for the summer and then be too white to show it off!!! LOL

See you tomorrow!

Day 11 P90X

I managed to get in 7.5 miles yesterday...I had 1.5 hours of Jui Jitsu in the morning and then managed to do my Shoulders & Arms workout for P90X. THEN.. we went dancing!! My FIL called and asked if Hubby and I could get a babysitter and go dancing with them! I was flattered that they would want to do something like that with us (they have 12 other kids they could have chosen)so I couldn't say no. Besides, Hubby and I haven't gone out dancing since...well, its been years. So I called Granny and asked if she had the energy to watch them for a couple more hours. (Granny watches the kids every Sat morning so Hubby and I can go to jui jitsu together) She said that was fine as long as we dropped them off in their pajamas.

I wore a pair of brown jeans (that are getting a little too big for me) and a black sleeveless shirt that I haven't been able to button in over a year. We met my FIL and his wife at the bar. There was a live country band playing and a lot of friendly faces. We played pool for an hour (Hubby and I kicked butt!) and then danced for the entire last hour. Hubby and I needed that. You forget how much fun your spouse is when you stay home night after night. On top of that it was the same bar Hubby and I met 5 years ago. Afterwards he pretended to walk me to my car, like he did back then, and just before closing my door he darts in and lands a kiss...dejavu!! Yeah, I'm still in love.

Today's plan:

Yoga
walk, walk, walk

Focus: calories and water

See you tomorrow!

Love Yourself , Day 9 P90X

Fatmom wrote a post yesterday that got me thinking. What is it that holds us back? What baggage are we carrying in our heads that is so heavy it causes the rest of our body to suffer from it? What happens to us that food suddenly becomes the only comfort? Why do we all want to suppress ourselves? Shut ourselves up... hide ourselves in a fat suite?

I got to thinking... what is in my head? I told Fatmom that my biggest fear was reaching my goal weight. That may be true.. I am scared to reach goal only to find that it was the only thing keeping me going. Then what? I am dealing with it as I lose weight... but this isn't what caused me to be fat. There has to be something else up there that makes me run to food when I am 'uncomfortable'. Do I want to know? No. What ever the reason was, I am passed it. How do I know this? Because being healthy and living longer is more important to me then anything else. Do I care that my body may not look the way I want it to when I reach goal? No. If Hubby can put up with me being 215, then he will love me with baggy skin on my tummy. Am I going to gain weight again? Sure. I will fall off the wagon over and over again.. but as long as I stay strong and get back on then I am ok. The past is just that, past. I don't care to bring it up... and yes, there are some terrible things in my past that happened, and any one of them could have been my 'cue' to eat and not stop. I cant change the past, but I can change my future. I have had one scare with cancer.. and I have no doubt that cancer is what will eventually kill me... but damn it if I am not going to be strong enough to fight it for as long as I can.

We are given one body in this lifetime. Why would we just let it rot? My goal is to be the strongest and healthiest person that I can be.. I may never reach goal...only because there will always be something that I can do to better myself.

Today's Plan:

60 Min Cardio X
Walk, Walk, Walk

Focus: Calories, Water

I totaled 7.5 miles yesterday... which brought me to 25.5 miles in the challenge. Today is a beautiful day and I hope to get the majority of my miles outside.

See you tomorrow!

Day 8 P90X.....

This is the start of week 2! I love this workout for one very important reason.. I am not bored! I start exorcise routines but usually after a week I am bored out of my mind doing the same stuff over and over again. This workout has you doing something different everyday... and just when you might start getting bored, they switch it around on you!

My waist is shrinking.. or at least I feel like it is. I just feel tighter. My skin is losing its bumps and red spots (especially on the arms!) and my face is slimming down. I even had to buy a smaller bra size! YIKES!

I know this has all been slowly happening over the past 6 months.. but I needed to show myself that this is really working! I have doubts every once in a while.. but then I put on a pair of pants that didn't fit last year, or a shirt that was too tight but now fits beautifully... or I have to go buy smaller bra! (can you tell I am a little excited about that one!) and it gives me the push to keep going.

I have another motivation to add to my list. My best friend JJ has asked me to be a bridesmaid.. I am so honored. She and I have been friends since high school. Her fiance is a wonderful man and they are the best looking couple! Their wedding is February 7th, 2009... so I have plenty of time to look good for that walk down the isle! (which is kinda funny since I never got to walk down the isle, I just walked up to the Judge in the court house with baby on my hip!!) I was invited to go shopping with her and her Maid of Honor (no hard feelings!) for the dress sometime this summer. I am just looking forward to having a day full of laughter and friends!

Today's Plan:

60 Core Synergistics
walk, walk, walk
90 min Tang Soo Do

Focus: Calories, Water, Vitamins

Yesterday I managed to get in all 6 miles. I had to do 4.5 of them in one stretch.

See you tomorrow! Walk-On

Day 7 P90X, Rest Day

Today is Day 7. It would normally fall on a Sunday if I had started it on a normal Monday like most people do.. but since I didn't, my rest day is a Wednesday. I'm not complaining though. I did my one hour of X Stretch this morning and am going to hop on the treadmill after writing this. (Yes, I am walking on a rest day...)

I managed 4.5 miles yesterday...short 1.5 miles. I don't know if I'll make that up today or not.. maybe. If the weather stays nice I might take the girls for a walk on the trail.

Today's plan:

60 min X Stretch
walk, walk, walk

Focus: water and calories

Feeling Good!!

Day 6 P90X

I had a great day yesterday. The only problem was that I ate too many calories. I think I tricked my mind into thinking that since I was doing so much walking I should be eating more 'energy'. pfft. Oh well, today is a new day and I know better now.

My legs are a little sore this morning...but I feel great. A good stretch and I will be good to go! I got my 6 miles in yesterday, it is definitely a good challenge.

Today's Plan:

P90X Kempo
Walk, Walk, Walk

Focus: Calories!, water, vitamins

Have a great day!

Manic Monday, Day 5 P90X

Today is the start of my challenge. Which basically means that I will be walking...a lot!

Yesterday was a nice Easter Sunday. Hubby and I had my family over for a BBQ and egg hunt. I got s-u-n-b-u-r-n-t.... and I wore a dress. Yes, a dress. I never wear a dress (except to formal things like weddings). But, I found this little red dress at Wally World for $5 and couldn't pass it up. It's a size Large.. which is a nice bonus! It was still a little cold so I had the black sweater on...but it warmed up later on!

This picture was taken while I was getting the girls table ready for lunch!


Hubby and I enjoying the sun.(Can you see the deer behind hubby's shoulder?)


The Girls looking for eggs!

Yesterday was also Day 4 of P90X. It was Yoga day. I cannot believe how these simple moves made me sweat and hurt. Yoga is not for sissy's! In fact, I could not finish the entire workout. I made it through 40 minutes of the hour and a half workout. So my goal for next Sunday is to get a little farther.

Today's Plan:

P90X Leg's & Back, Ab Ripper X
Walk, Walk, Walk
Belly Dancing- canceled...(school closed for Easter)

Focus: Water, Vitamins, Walking and Calories

Yesterdays food was WAY off... I ate healthy....but the chocolate thru me off! Dang it!

Day 3 P90X

You know you are doing what you should be when you wake up in the morning and your waist feels slimmer. Your thighs don't cause a friction fire while walking to the bathroom and your arms have dents in them where there supposed to! Cardio workout yesterday was fantastic. It is crazy how many of my muscles are sending a little 'thank you' in the form of a numb pain. I know this is only day 3, but people, I feel this working.

Today's Plan:

90 minutes Tang Su Do class this morning
60 minutes Shoulders & Arms, Ab Ripper X

Focus: Water, vitamins

Tomorrow is Yoga and then an afternoon of Easter Egg hunting and BBQing with family and friends. No worries, I'm making a veggie-ka-bob for hubby to throw on the grill for me. :)

Day 189 , Day 2 P90X

I've had a lot of questions on how I like P90X.. well, yesterday was my first workout. I switched things around and decided I needed to start on the Lean phase instead of the Classic phase where you would normally start. The Lean phase focuses a little more on cardio and fat loss then building the muscles of the upper body. So, yesterdays first workout was Core Synergistics. Awesome workout. Like any at-home workout they had different levels of the exorcise they were doing. I followed Pam who did the 'beginner' version of most of the moves. I was sweating up a storm but didn't feel overwhelmed by any means. My whole body was engaged at some point during that workout. This morning my back and obliques are a little sore.. which makes sense because those are two areas of my body that , I admit, I don't workout along with the rest. So, I know that this is going to do wonders for me.

Today's plan :

Cardio X

Focus: water, vitamins, positive thinking

The wind picked up yesterday so I never got outside. Today the sun is bright and there is no wind.. definitely a gardening day!! I'm thinking of putting in an above ground garden...I'm going to have to get creative!

Monday starts my challenge. I am ready for it!!

See you tomorrow for a review on today's P90X workout!

FIRST DAY OF SPRING , Day 1 P90X

Today is the first day of spring. It feels like it too. We are supposed to get in the 60's today!!! I don't care how cruddy I am , we are spending the day outside. I cant believe that Easter is this weekend. I am used to our yard being all green and beautiful for the egg hunt. This year my grass is barely green and there isn't a leaf on any of my trees or bushes. I have put the sprinklers on every day this week in hopes that my grass will suddenly look green and full. HA!

We got our P90X in yesterday. It looks fantastic. I am debating whether I should start it today (crud allowing) or if I should wait and start on Monday. I hate working out when I'm sick... but I also know that unless I have a fever or a cough there is no reason why I shouldn't. I am too curious.. I'm starting today. I am going to take a 'before' pic like they suggest and do all my measurements.. then in 90 days I will post the before and after pics... This is actually perfect timing because it matches up with my challenge. Not only will I be doing some great workouts but I will be walking a ton too. By the 4th of July I should be looking H.O.T.

P90X also came with a nutritional book. It is really a very easy 'diet' to follow. In fact, I have pretty much been doing it perfectly for the past week or so. I know that the next 3 months are going to be very challenging for me. Not only physically but mentally. I will be doing the P90X as well as my walking challenge daily. I will still have my Karate class two nights a week and Belly dancing every Monday night. I will have to focus on my food and calories... as well as Hubbys. If I can stay focused for the next 3 months, get it done, lose the pounds that I can.. then maintenance should feel extremely easy after that! LOL. Seriously, I just need to do the next 3 months without cheating, crying (whining, bawling, sniveling, whimpering) or missing a workout. It's 3 months people... I can be strong for 3 months!

Ok.. so now that my pep talk is done.. the plan for today:

60 min P90X Chest and Back, Ab Ripper X

Focus: lots of water, vitamins

So, today is day 1/90. Lets get started!

Hump Day

I have come down with 'the crud'. Runny nose, itchy eyes, a sore throat and my voice has dropped 10 octaves. Ugh. It hit me last night while in karate class. We were running around and my body just started to shiver. You know your sick when you are hot, sweaty and your body is shivering. I finished class (I'm stubborn that way) then came home and crawled in bed. Hubby brought me some Theraflu and kissed me goodnight. I'm just glad I didn't get any of the stomach stuff. I'm not good with the whole throwing up thing!

So obviously today's plan is a little less active:

Lay in bed for an unknown amount of minutes!

On the positive side I have 10 people signed up for the challenge!! I am super excited. OH... and a big THANK YOU to Just A Girl!! She designed the button for me!


OK, my head is needing a pillow. See you tomorrow.

Taking Time

My house is slowly getting back to normal. Hubby went to work this morning so I can get busy cleaning. For some reason the house never gets clean when Hubby is home. Maybe I have a cleaning complex? LOL Figure that one out Dr. Phil!



Anyway, I am doing well with my diet and my exorcising. I am anxious to start my challenge so I can really step it up a notch! Being the person who started it I feel a pressure to do it all the way thru... and hopefully cheer on the others to keep it up! Yesterday I took our dog Woodroe for a walk at the park... I think he will be getting a lot of exorcise the next couple of months... and he loved it. My plan is to walk 1 hour in the morning on the treadmill, take the girls for a half hour walk after lunch and then take Woodroe for a half hour walk after dinner. If I can keep that up I will be doing great!

Today's plan is this:

30 min Forza
30 min walk
90 min Karate class tonight

Because Hubby is still not 100% I am taking his place at karate class tonight.

OH!! Hubby has been looking for a new workout. He completed the last one and does not want to repeat it... so he ordered the P90X. Have you guys seen this?? Its a 12 week program with 12 workout DVD's. Each week you change your workout to 'shock' your muscles and keep your body from plateauing. It is supposed to arrive sometime this week... I am SO going to do this with him!!!

Ok.. I gotta get going and get my day done! See y'all tomorrow!

Happy St. Patricks Day!!

Had to share some pics of Baby and I during playtime last night. There's nothing like green playdough to celebrate St. Patty's Day!!







DONT FORGET TO CHECK OUT MY CHALLENGE!!

The Challenge

Ok, so I have officially started the challenge and already have four people signed up and ready to start! I am hoping for at least 10 people... more would be even better... for no other reason then wanting to see everyone succeed this year in finding themselves in a healthier body (including myself)! So please, check it out... pass it along... tell a friend. Lets get everyone on the right track!

On to my weekend. Saturday was great. My mom came by and babysat the girls while Hubby and I went to our Karate class where I was beaten black and blue once again! We came home and then spent the rest of the day watching "The Bee Movie" with the kids and listening to the wind howl outside.

Sunday was not so great. Hubby woke up with the flu and was nothing but a lump under the covers all day. He even called in sick to work tomorrow! Hubby NEVER calls in sick.. so I know he is feeling really bad. The girls and I are taking vitamins by the handful and drinking tons of Orange Juice! I refuse to get sick right now.. I am in the grove and ready to get moving with this challenge.

We rented the movie 'No Country for Old Men' and I was extremely disappointed. The whole movie was FANTASTIC until the end...then...well, it just didn't add up. It was one of those 'wha??' endings. Ugh..

St. Pattys day is usually a big day around here. Hubby is 100% Irish and it is always celebrated with beer and corned beef and cabbage... until this year. It will be celebrated with Theraflu and soup! HA! Anyway... just wanted to remind everyone to wear green!!

WALK THE WORLD WITH ME!!!

This is it... I have created a new challenge. Come and join me!!

YES!!! Yesterday was a perfect day. Calories were right at 1500... I did 90 minutes of karate class, 20 min wogging and 20 minutes of Forza. I feel 100% better today and can tell that my body really appreciates the effort! Today is going to be another perfect day...

I have some fun news. First off, I am working on a summer challenge. I don't want to give it all away but here is a hint:

In 3 months you will walk/run across the United States... next, maybe Europe?

Sign-ups will start next Monday 3/17 and end Friday 3/21. The contest will run from March 24th to June 16th. This is a challenge that everyone can participate in whether you are a walker, runner or wogger! I will have a new blog dedicated to it and will post all the details as soon as I have figured it all out! Tell your friends to check out my blog next Monday!

Ok, next. I am a huge fan of The Biggest Loser. Who isn't? They have a little contest going on right now:

It's a weight loss sweepstakes from MSN and NBC! (January 1, 2008-April 15, 2008)

How to Enter: You must answer (3) of (3) MSN Health and Fitness trivia questions via multiple-choice answers on the entry form. A correct answer is not required for entry.

Trivia questions will be presented in video format, each approximately 30 seconds in length, and will direct you to articles where the answers can be found at the Health and Fitness section of MSN.com. Watching video clues is not required for entry. You can play every day to increase your chances of winning.

Prizes:

Grand Prize
(1): A luxury fitness trip for two people to a resort of the winner's choice from among a list of resort options provided by Sponsor at the time prize is awarded in either the U.S. or Mexico. $7,000 ARV

Daily Prizes
(106): A Zune 30GB digital media player is given away each day ($199 ARV each.)

Play until April 15, 2008 at http://biggestloser.msn.com

Good Luck!!

HAVE NO FEAR... TIGERLILLY IS STILL HERE!

Sorry I've been absent for a couple of days here. I was suffereing from an ear infection and could not bare to even lift my head from the pillow.(Except to eat, of course) After getting medicine yesterday I am up and about doing my normal routine. Thank goodness.

The weather has been beautiful here this week and now that I am well enough to enjoy it they say there is a huge snow storm coming in this weekend. Booooo.

I was a bad girl and ate everything in sight this week. I know I have gained weight, but I am NOT going to let that stop me from starting today. I NEED to get back on track today. No more mindless eating... I think I said this all in the last post.. oh well... I mean it this time!

I have karate class tonight and am ready to do my Forza and walking this morning. I just need to get thru today.. then it will be easy! (snicker,snicker)

My foot is much better.. thank you! Once the swelling went down I could walk a little better. I couldn't let it get the best of me so I still went to Karate class on Saturday morning and on Sunday I did a great workout with Hubby. This morning I am only left with a bruise and just a small ache when I walk.


I am really focusing on getting my upper body looking good for summer. Last year I was terrified to wear tank tops because my arms were fat and flabby. This year I want to feel comfortable wearing what I want to... and hopefully show off my shapely arms!! So my goal is to do Forza 3 times a week (it is amazing for the shoulders!) continue with my upper body weight lifting.. and of course lose at least 20 by June!

Now, my little weight tracker at the top of the page hasn't moved in a looooong time. I think I have been stuck on a plateau... or maybe a yo-yo... either way I am getting my mind focused again. I lost 20 lbs...now I just need to focus on the next 20 lbs and get it done! No more excuses.. no more eating 'just because'... no more lazy days, I will do at least 30 minutes of walking every day...

Today's menu:

B- slim fast shake
S- Grapes
L- Tuna salad
S- Cliff Bar
D- Steak and Veggies

Today's Workout:

30- 45 minute walk (I cant walk fast just yet, it still hurts my foot to much)


Belly Dancing class
200 crunches
50 push ups


Conquer thyself, till thou has done this, thou art but a slave; for it is almost as well to be subjected to another's appetite as to thine own.- Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821 - 1890)

Day 175

Yesterdays food was right on track!! 1499 calories!! LOL

******I HAVE BECOME ACCIDENT PRONE******************

That was the best thing that happened yesterday.... My angel started throwing up again right before my Karate class. Hubby sent me along anyway saying that he would handle it. I had to give him 'the eye'... I know from past experiences that my Hubby has a very sensitive stomach. Whenever he sees somebody else throw up.. he does too. He promised he would be fine though, so I cleaned up the first mess and put her in the bath real quick then ran off to class.

Class was fantastic. We finally got to sparr each other. 15 years ago that was my favorite thing to do... and I was good at it. So I was pretty excited to see how well I was going to do now.

The first three fights went well. Because I took Tae Kwon Do I am not used to punching so I got hit a lot with punches... but... I kicked some of those guys hard enough to remind them I was a black belt once upon a time! The fourth fight didn't go so well. One of my kicks was blocked by this guys elbow... and I think a bone in my foot is broken. If not broken it is REALLY bruised. I iced it last night but this morning it is still swollen, bruised and I cant put a lot of weight on it towards the big toe. (Its the right foot...it looks less painful in the picture then in person)


So.. tready is out of the question this morning... but I still need to get some cardio in.. so I am thinking Forza again, plus some HIT weight lifting. I will be hobbling the whole time.. but I cant let this be a ticket to LazyTown!!!

Today's focus is going to be on drinking 16 glasses of water and writing down my food!!

See you tomorrow!

I am feeling the pain in the shoulders from yesterdays Forza workout. Its a good pain, the kind of pain where you know you worked every muscle in that area. I was going to hop on the tready this morning but I have my Karate class tonight and I do not want to be worn out for class. According to Spark People 90 minutes of Martial Arts burns over 1200 calories!! Yikes!!

I started logging my food on Spark People again. I have been exceeding 1500 calories and that just crosses out my workouts.. time to make it all count right? My plan for today:

B: Kashi Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
Snack: celery or apple
L: Steamed Veggies with a drizzle of salad dressing
Snack: celery or apple
D: Spinach and Onion Hamburgers

If I can stick to that I should be good on my calories today.

Now on to a **duh** moment. When I was making bread the other day I was pulling the pans out of the oven and setting them on top of the stove. I grabbed one with a bare hand trying to make room for another pan. I swear I held on to it for a full minute before I could let go. I got a terrible burn, but yesterday is turned into a blister that looks exactly like the Nike Swoosh... check it out!



Its like a constant reminder to Just Do It!! LOL

Day 173

My Angel woke up this morning and was back to her old self, running around and playing with her horses. It was good to see.

Yesterday went fairly well. I wogged 2 miles but did not do any weight lifting. I will make up for that today. I think I will start up my Forza again and get my arms in shape for the summer.

Today's workout plan is this:

45 minutes of Forza
30 minutes of Wogging
200 ab crunches

Focus today will be on drinking tons of water! I need to obtain "Superhydration".

"Superhydration" entails drinking at least 4 quarts of cold water each day. If a person doesn't consume enough water, his body will try to retain the water it does have. Kidney function is hampered, and waste products accumulate. The liver is then called on to flush out impurities. As a result, one of the liver's main functions - metabolizing stored fat into usable energy- is minimized. The traditional recommendation of 8 glasses (2 quarts) per day isn't nearly enough for maximum fat loss. I recommend twice that.

Furthermore, a person can maximize calorie burn by keeping water ice cold. A gallon of ice-cold water requires 123 calories of heat energy to warm it to core body temperature.
- Ellington Darden, Ph.D.!

I made the mistake of making homemade bread... I am trying to keep my portion down to one slice a day.. but it smells SOOOO good! Do you think homemade bread is better for you then store bought? I think so.. at least I know exactly what is in my bread!! But how do I figure calories??

I think the rest of the day will be spent cleaning the house and disinfecting the girls room!

Stay Focused!

Day 172

My little angel is still sick. It is such a sad site to see a four year old not even want to get out of bed. Her temp has dropped to 101.3... so I think she is on the mend. I am trying to get her to drink more... but she just does not want to drink. So I tricked her last night with some frozen juice pops!! AH-HA!!

I have yet to work out this morning but the plan is to do some all around weight lifting and then 3 miles on the treadmill. I have been slacking on my morning woggs... and I think that it was the key to my losing the first 20 lbs, so I need to get back in the habit of sleeping in my running clothes again!

"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There's a lot of satisfaction in that." - Fred Lebow, first NYC Marathon race director


:)

****By the way, its been another 6 weeks... week 24 pic has been added to the side lines!!*****

Wow... its been a whole week since I've posted. Sorry! Last week was a little hectic.. and then Friday was our trip to the city to take the girls swimming. It was a lot of fun and it felt so good to sit in the sun!! We stayed until Sunday and then drove back home... where it was 30 degrees colder and had just snowed! Not the welcome home I was hoping for. On the way up my older daughter became sick in the car. We thought it was car sickness but this morning she woke up with a fever... I'm afraid she caught a flu while we were down there. I have her bundled up in bed watching movies today.

Here are some pics from the trip:

READY TO SWIM!!


FOUR YEARS OLD AND NOT SCARED OF ANYTHING...(I had a heart attack the first time she jumped in!)


THIS ONE WAS JUST HAPPY CHILLIN' IN THE WATER!




I ate terribly while we were there... and I'm sure I've gained some wait. I also drank a total of 1 cup of water the whole time we were there.. ugh!!! So I am skipping weigh in today and just focusing on getting back to my schedule.

***PS... we went shopping while we were there and I bought shirts in size LARGE and they fit beautifully!! Its been decades since I've been able to fit in a large!***

Thanks to Marshy I was a runner up winner in her scavenger hunt... the prize is some chocolate wafers, chocolate bars and some work out cd's!! How funny!!! I cant wait to try them though!

***WIN FREE SHOES***

Win a year of running shoes (up to seven pairs). Choose your make and model. Enter to win at runnersworld.com/winshoes

See you tomorrow!

Day 164: 193.5

Ok, so it took a couple of weeks but I am finally back down to my low of 193.5! Which shocks the heck out of me after yesterdays splurge of fat free ice cream and chocolate candy bars. Of course this morning I made up for it by doing this:

Muscle Group/ Sets/ Reps/ Rest

Back 4/10/1
Chest 4/10/1
Triceps 3/10/1
Hamstrings 4/10/1
Abs 3/20/1
Quads 4/10/1
Calves 4/30/1
Biceps 3/10/1
Shoulders 4/8/1


In between each muscle group I hop on the treadmill for 2 minutes. This is not a daily workout for me.. but because I missed 3, yes 3, days of working out I decided to push two days together. It ended up being an AWESOME workout.. I might just do this every Monday.

Saturday's Karate class was not what I expected.. although still very informative. We did a lot of different things... but in the end it was working on our CHI that we focused in on. Your Chi is two inches below your belly button. Martial Artists believe that this is where all your power is stored. It is too hard to explain it but some of the things he showed us where incredible. A 12 year old boy was brought up and he told him to focus on the light coming in the window. Posing him so that one arm was across his waist and the other was palm up towards the window. Then asked the biggest guy in the class to come over and bend the boys out-stretched arm. He could not do it. I know it sounds strange... but it was very cool to learn. We learned some exorcises to strengthen our Chi.. and our organs.. every morning. I really am enjoying it.

I also learned this weekend that I am lactose intolerant. I never really thought about it because I don't drink Milk.. just Soy milk. I do , however, eat yogurt... and have always had gas pains after eating it but never thought twice. Then Sunday I had a bowl of ice cream and spent the rest of the afternoon in the bathroom. (that may be one of the reasons I am finally down to 193!)... So, no more milk products for me. I'm ok with that really. I love my Soy milk but the yogurt will be missed.. I am sure I will find something to take its place.

Today is catch up day... hubby is home again so I doubt I'll get anything done anyway, but I can try!

See you tomorrow!

Day 160

Yesterday was another great day. The only thing I would have changed was the 9pm tortilla I ate... I do so much better when I dont eat after 7:30pm.. I sleep better and I feel better. I need to remember that tonight when I start to feel that little snacking bug.

It snowed last night again. I hate snow. Its not the white fluffy stuff either. Its the icy, wet, slushy kind. I love living in the mountains.. but why?

This morning I am going to hop on the treadmill and walk for 30 minutes. Its my 'active rest' day.. so no weight lifting.. but I might try a DVD workout. Switch it up a little bit!

I am super excited for Saturdays Karate class. The Grand Master is coming up and teaching a two hour class. Apparently he loves to vacation up here and is willing to teach a class when he does! You have to understand that it is a huge honor to have a Grand Master teach you. Of course, it is also a little bit stressful. Especially since I will have to show him my forms... which I am fantastic at by the way! LOL Because I was a black belt in Tae Kwon Do our teacher had decided that I will test for a green belt in April... which has me skipping a couple of belts. This also means having to learn a ton of hand techniques and forms before the test. I know I can do it.. and so far I am doing great. I love being back in the game!

Ok, I am babbling... so I better get my butt off this computer and on to my treadmill. Have a great day!!

Day 159

It was a good day yesterday. I stayed on target with calories and then went to my Karate class. It was a good class, but I guess I just didnt feel abused enough. So I got home and ran a mile on my tready. This morning I slept in and woke up feeling that good kind of sore. I hopped on the tready again and walked for 30 minutes. Then did 90 quads, ran 2 minutes, 60 shoulder, ran 2 minutes, 60 biceps, ran 2 minutes. Finished off with a nice cool shower. By the time I ate breakfast it was 11... so it looks like lunch will be around 3pm.. and then I have belly dancing class.

I am feeling in the groove. I am craving chocolate, but have managed to stay strong and stay away from it. I am eating healthy.. .and my workouts are making me feel strong. I have a little over a week before I have to dawn a bathing suite... I just might look pretty good in it after all!

I am off to blog world to visit all of you. I've been terrible at commenting...I need to work on that!

Day 157

I have been beyond lazy. Working out has seemed like too much work. I've been eating fast food, ice cream, chips and chocolate. I've been drinking maybe 4 glasses of water a day and sleeping as much as I can. Sick? Nope... just not 100% in my head.

I know this is a long term change... so I figure there are going to be days where I mess up and go back to old habits. The hard part was getting back on track today. So far so good. I wogged for 40 min this morning and then did an upper body weight lifting regimen.. running for 2 min in between each set. It was kinda gross that I could smell all the crap I ate for the past 4 days seeping thru my skin.

I washed up, drank 32 oz of water and juiced the most yummy drink I've tasted in days. Carrots, cucumber, parsley, radishes, apples, celery, garlic and tomatoes. I drank 8 oz and put the rest in the fridge for this afternoons snack. I then ate one cup of oatmeal and took my vitamins.

Lunch will be a simple turkey sandwich and more water. Its time to replenish my body...and get it working the way it was. Hopefully getting my body on track will help get my head right too.

Day...ummmmmm

I am feeling better... I even went to karate last night. I didn't think I was going to survive the warm up.. let along the entire hour and a half. But I did.. and this morning I feel even better. I am sure that my weight has gone up as the menu for the past two days contained nothing but comfort foods... and chocolate. LOL

Valentines Day was nice. Hubby and I got the girls each a parakeet. I have them next to my bed and it was very relaxing to wake up to the sound of them 'singing'. The girls named them Chili (the white one) and Pepper(the blue one).. how funny!

Today it is snowing..again. I dont think we are going anywhere and I have to get this house in order, so I will go catch up with all of you. See you on Monday!

Had a rough night last night. I think its a touch of the flu. I woke up this morning feeling a little bit better but my stomach is still unsettled. I have decided that the Juice Feasting may not be possible for me.. but I am going to continue to keep it in my diet... a glass of juice is a perfect snack between lunch and dinner when I am most likely to cheat.

I am going to take a bunch of vitamin C and head back to bed.

Marshmallow is having a scavenger hunt.. the winner gets a copy of Dietgirls new book!! Check it out!

Here is my entry:

1)The color brown:

The love of my life and reason for the weight I put on over the years.









2) The color orange:

What has replaced the love of my life and is now showing me the body of my dreams!










3) The color purple:

The other reason I am succeeding... I have found that my body really does have muscles!







4)A Marshmallow

I have learned that you have to let yourself enjoy what you love... like eating chocolate and reading Marshmallows blog!!










5) A cat:

Hmmmmm... do the words HANG IN THERE come to mind???











6)Someone sleeping:

After an early morning of working out I find myself reading blogs... and then dozing off!!










7)The letter M:

I love my fellow bloggers, because I know that I can lean on them for support whenever I am down.








8)The letter W:

Finally the letter W, for every Word that is Written on my blog, may there be millions more where they came from! ..

Day 151

I guess I had a brain cloud this morning. I woke up, walked to the kitchen. Made a cup of coffee (I am not a coffee drinker in the morning) and poured a bowl of cereal. I returned to bed, got warm and comfy under the covers and ate breakfast. It wasn't until an hour later that I thought about having my warm water/lemon/cayenne pepper drink... but then thought 'CRAP!!'. I'm not sure what I was thinking, or if I was even awake! LOL I know I had a night of restless sleep and probably woke up in my old habit of being on auto-pilot when it comes to eating. I think the last time I drank coffee for breakfast was 3 or 4 years ago... weird.

Anyway, I will continue the day with my juicing... I cant be perfect all the time!

Todays work out is supposed to be a 30 min cardio run... but I'm thinking of switching it up a bit and doing my Tae Bo Abs dvd instead. An hour of ab workouts is definitley cardio...

Here is to awakening to a new day!

Day 150 : 195.5

I think I've been looking at this the wrong way.

I've been feeling deprived because I cant eat the food I want. I crave doughnuts and chocolate, sweet chocolate. I want to eat ALL the bread, and in one sitting too! I want to feel like I can eat what I want when I want it.

I've been feeling exhausted because I HAVE to work out or I dont lose the weight. I beat myself up when all I want to do is lay in bed reading my book and sleeping. I am tired of drinking bottle after bottle of water. I HATE water. I hate all of this. Why cant people accept me as I am.. fat.

No, I have not fallen off the deep end! I just wanted you to know what goes thru my head at different times of the day. It's whats in our head that tells whether we are going to succeed or not. If the way you think about food and exorcise does not change, then neither will your body.

This weekend I had a change of mind... one that I desperatley needed.

Saturday we drove 3 hours down to the city. We left at 7am and was there by 10am. We met Hubbys entire family at his brothers house. We then caravaned over to the softball fields where we played a very competitive game against Hubbys half brothers and sisters. At first I was dreading this. I had not played softball in 5 years and I did not feel like making a fool of myself in front of everybody. The weather was warming up, the kids were having fun and it was too late to get out of it. Our team was first up to bat. Hubby was first and slammed it out of the park giving our team a home run. I was second. I strolled out there with one word going thru my mind. 'crap,crap,crap,crap' I HIT the ball!!! Into right field... and made it to second base. I was ecstatic!! From there on it was a blast. I ran fast, hit great and wasnt too bad at playing 2nd base! The final score 22-2 ... oh yeah, we kicked butt!! I cant wait until next year when we have a re-match! The point is, I was really comfortable in my body that day. I noticed how my body was reacting faster, my legs were strong.. and I wasn't out of breath after running to each base! Why would I want to gain the weight back and be a lazy, hard breathing, sweaty lady that cant get her ass off the couch to play a game? I'm liking this new body.. and its only going to get better!

We drove home that afternoon. Sunday I woke up with the worst case of stiff legs I've ever had. It almost felt like I had pulled my groin muscles. Hubby has the same soreness and we are guessing its from running in short bursts while playing.. and not stretching before or after. That was dumb on my part.

I decided Sunday that I was going to try this whole juicing thing. I started the day with the cleansing drink of warm water, lemon and cayenne pepper. I will say that it was kinda hard to put down. Bleh... this morning was a little easier.. but still not easy. I tried all kinds of mixtures all day long. Some were delicious, others not so good. Hubby even ate an apple and an orange for the first time in years... he said the house smelt so good that it was making him crave it. Ha!

Today I am feeling fantastic, I am down 2 lbs from last week and my energy levels are thru the roof! I am also taking my vitamins... so my body is getting replenished with fresh fruit, vegetables and vitamins! I am drinking water along with all the juice and it is actually tasting pretty good.

I ran this morning for 25 minutes...after doing a full lower body weight lifting regemin. I have belly dancing tonight too...

So... after this weekend my mind seems to have made a 180. I am looking at food as energy. I see working out as a way of ridding my body of waste and toxins. Water is refreshing.

I am going to continue this juicing feast for 30 days... when I'm done I will continue on a raw food diet.

Its time for me to see how all of you are doing.

Day 147

It seems that I am not the only one suffering from a lack of energy. So I went to Oprah.com and found a show with Dr. Oz where he explains the daily vitamins we should be taking every day. Now, I havent tried this yet, but am planning on going to the store today and buying what I need.

1) Vitamin D - 1,000 units a day.

Dr. Oz says 1,000 units of vitamin D a day will benefit the body in a variety of ways. "Vitamin D is critically important for preventing cancer and critically important for reducing heart problems. It's linked to multiple sclerosis, to juvenile diabetes. It's one of the best ways of reducing infection rates. It's got a ton of things that it does for you to make your immune system function the way you want it to function

2) Calcium (600 mg) with Magnesium (200 mg)- twice daily

"You want to take calcium, but you've got to take it with magnesium because if you don't take them together, the magnesium loosens your poop," he says. "The calcium makes it a little bit like concrete." Dr. Oz recommends taking 600 milligrams of calcium and 200 milligrams of magnesium twice daily.

3) DHA Omega-3 - 600 mg a day

DHA omega-3. Dr. Oz says a dose of DHA omega-3 is similar to fish oil but comes in a small pill form. "It comes from a source that we know is pretty clean and doesn't give you the anti-coagulant problems that sometimes you run into with fish oil, so I think DHA omega 3s make a lot of sense," Dr. Oz says. He recommends taking 600 milligrams a day.

4) Baby Asprin (162 mg for both)- 2 a day if your over 40

If you're over the age of 40, Dr. Oz recommends adding two baby aspirins to your daily regime. "We know it's very effective in reducing heart disease, very effective in reducing cancer. We think it might actually reduce wrinkles. There's a lot of things aspirin might do that are beneficial to you not only because it thins your blood, but it's a very powerful anti-inflammatory drug."

5) Multi-vitamin - 1 a day spit in half

"If you divide the vitamin in half, then you stabilize your dose during the day. Take half in the morning, half in the evening."

Have a great weekend and I will see y'all on Monday!

Day 146

No exorcise yesterday. Over in calories by 200. Tons of water.

Not a bad day, but not the best by far. Tonight I have karate which helps me in two ways. First, it gives me an hour and a half of working out the entire body. Second, it makes me watch what I eat in the afternoon a little more carefully. I cant go to class with food in my belly or I get really sick. Hopefully that means that today will be better then yesterday.

My hamstrings are killing me. I dont know if they are still sore...or if I'm suffereing from a strained muscle. I'll have to make sure to stretch a little extra before I go to class.

As for my energy level, it is a little better. I cut a multi-vitemin in half and took half in the morning and the other half at night. I think my body is lacking in something...

It is cold today and the girls are getting cabin fever. Hubby is short on work because of the weather so he is home today too. God help me, its going to be a long day.

Day 145

Last night Hubby wanted me to go to his karate class to watch him so that I could help him practice at home. I thought it was a good idea so we bundled up the girls and we all went to class with Daddy. The girls were amazed at all the big guys running around. It was a struggle trying to keep my 4 year old from running over and 'playing' with Daddy. After an hour (the class is 1 1/2 hours) the excitement was gone and the girls just wanted to go home. We went and sat in the truck until class was done. When we got home I helped Hubby with some of the kicks and blocks that he didn't understand in class... the girls decided they needed to get some agression out themselves:

















I have been drained of energy lately. Every muscle in my body aches. I feel sick after I eat... and I cant get anything done around the house. I think I may be over doing it with all the extra workouts I've been doing. I think I will take the rest of the week off from running on the treadmill. Just a short one though. I dont want to drop back into lazy mode... I just want my body to recover.

This Saturday is the family softball game in the city. I know I will burn more calories from laughing then from actually playing the game.. but it should be fun. I was hoping to be at 189 by now.. but I'm not going to stress over it. I am getting there, just a little slower then I had hoped.

We have another vacation to the city coming up the end of February. We are going to the city and spending the weekend swimming in their heated pool!(God help me I have to buy a bathing suite) I know, taking a vacation just to swim, but we live in the mountains where even if you had a pool outside it would be frozen all year round. So its a fun thing to do, especially with the girls! So, my goal for the end of February is 189. I have 3 weeks.. its possible.

Today is yet another day of cleaning house and doing laundry. Have a great day!

Day 144

I am not going to step on the scale again until next Monday... I am tired of the roller coaster. Its playing games with my head. I know that if I just keep taking the next step every day that eventually I will reach my goal. I have been eating fairly well.. more carbs then I would like and sodium up the wa-zoo because of the soups I've been eating for lunch. Dang snow always makes me crave them. I am getting back on Sparkpeople and tracking my food again. I was doing my best when I was using them.. so time to swallow my pride and realize that my head cannot keep track of everything I eat in one day.

Yes, the snow kept falling yesterday and no snow plow in site. I had to miss a belly dancing class, althought I'm pretty sure the school called for a snow day anyway. Some areas got as much as 3 feet of snow.. we got about 16 inches. Enough to build this snowman!! This morning he had about 6" of new snow on top of him...

I woke up hungery this morning and had a yogurt coved in raisin bran, so I have not worked out yet. I will have to wait another hour to make sure my belly is empty before I start running. My goal is to Wogg 2 miles.. 3 would be nice. I need to double up on water today and make sure I keep track of food.

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UPDATE: Almost sabotaged myself on the couch with a good book, but made myself Wogg 2 miles in 32 minutes first!!! yeah me

Day 143 : 197.5

Oh yeah... your not seeing things.. I have gained 4 pounds this weekend. But I'm pretty sure its all water weight from too much sodium and serious workouts. I should see it drop by mid week. I know, I'm so positive.. but I will tell you that what the scale says is null and void compared to how I feel.

Saturday my mom came and watched the girls while Hubby and I went to our Tang Soo Do class. I was the only girl there and it was floor work day... in other words, we worked on escaping different mounts and side positions. Much like wrestling. I have never wrestled in my life and to be put under 5-6 different men and trying to escape them was a workout like no other. Every muscle in my body was aching. My thighs are swollen...yes, swollen.. from all the bucking and squating I had to do with the weight of a man on them. That night I settled in and watched the UFC fight on PPV. It was WWE wrestler Lesnar fighting Mir... Lesnar was huge and really fun to watch fight but even his massive muscles were no match against Mir's kneebar. Mir won it in the first round after getting a beat down... great fight!


Yesterday I did nothing. I couldnt. Overnight my muscles had tightend and hardend.. I could barely crawl out of bed without crying. So we hung out and watched tv all day... and of course the Super Bowl. I have to say, I was sorry to see the Patriots lose their shot at a perfect season... but the Giants kicked butt!


So, on to this morning. I wogged 1 mile, did 30 minutes of upper body weights and then finished with a second mile. I feel good... but can already feel my body moan and groan. Tonight is Belly Dancing but we are in the middle of a snow storm, so unless the roads are clear I will be staying home. Yes, I am a wuss and HATE driving in snow.

Like I was saying... I feel great. My body looks great! Oh and its the end of another month so here are measurements:

AUG: 43/ 40.5/ 44
DEC: 39/ 36/ 42
JAN: 38.5/ 36/ 42

A loss of 11 inches in 5 months... and a loss of .5 an inch since December. I'll take it.

I have been watching Hanlie with her Juice Feasting and am fasinated. I am thinking of trying it for 7 days.. and take if from there. I dont know. Whatever I do I need to start it today. I really think that the only thing keeping me from seeing great numbers every week is my food.

Ok, I am off to rearrange the furniture. See you tomorrow!

Everyone is an athlete. The only difference is that some of us are in trainging, some not. - George Sheehan in Heroes and Sparrows.

Day 140

FRIDAY FAVORITES = I have decided that every Friday I will list a couple new things that I have found during the week that I really enjoy. Todays list is short but sweet. Fiber One came out with some new yummy choices.. give them a try! I like to put a 1/2 a cup on top of my yogurt in the morning for breakfast.

Number two is Making the Cut by Jillian Michaels. It is a '30-Day Diet and Fitness Plan for the Strongest, Sexiest You'. I havent read this book yet.. I'm still waiting to order it, but I listen to her talk show every Sunday morning and she is a truly motivating person.... I am sure that this book will be a winner!

1.FIBER ONE















2. MAKING THE CUT by Jillian Michaels