Hi guys, I'm back from the dead! Not really, but that's kind of what it feels like though, haha! I'd really like to tell you all that I'm back with news that I was killing it while I was away, but that's just not the truth. After having some serious mental health issues, my health wagon basically went off the road, turned over in a ditch, and caught fire.
So what does this mean? It means I am starting over from scratch. And to be honest, after being diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder (among other things), it's taken me a LONG time to be ready to start again. To be 100% honest I'm starting off worse than I did the last time. That 83 lbs I lost, well I gained all of it back and then some. That being said, I think I'm ready to try this again. It wasn't pretty before, but this time I can 100% tell you it's going to be ugly. I've accepted this, as my journey to being healthier is not only for my body, but mind and spirit as well.
However, I will not be updating my progress here as I launched my own beauty website and will be including my weight loss/health journey on that website. I launched Outside the Lines Beauty not too long ago, and I'm using it to not only showcase my love of makeup and beauty products, but beauty in general. Which, in my book includes health and weight loss.
SOOOOO, if you're interested in still following my journey, please check out www.outsidethelinesbeauty.com and follow along there. I also have Twitter & Instagram for my website. My handle for all of my social media is @otlbeauty.
I apologize for not sticking with things. I feel really terrible about letting you all down. I'm hoping some of you will stick with me and keep me company on my journey. Thanks all and love you all lots!
xoxo,
Jamie
Sunday, March 11, 2018
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Hey!
Hey everyone! I am SO sorry that I've been missing in action. And this time when I say that, I really mean it! I know my last post I said that I was getting back on track, and I have been! My schedule has been a little hectic with some work stuff, and then working out has taken up a good chunk of my life. But, as things dwindle down, I promise to update this blog and my FaceBook page more.
As I said above, I am back on track! It was a long time coming, but I've finally fallen into the routine. I've been back on MyFitnessPal tracking my calories, and I am proud to say that I am working out five (5) days a week. At the end of May I joined the new Planet Fitness that opened near me, and I never looked back. My very first workout was June 9, 2015, and I have been making some great progress.
Two years ago (wow, it's really been that long), I lost 83 lbs. Over the last two years, I gained a little over half of it back. That left me at 30 lbs lost overall. Needless to say, when I stepped on the scale before I started back on track, it was a huge blow. Mainly because I know how hard I had worked before to lose the weight. I was discouraged, but I knew I had to start making changes now. I had issues with my right foot (plantar fasciitis), which was making even doing everyday things hard. I couldn't walk for long periods of time without extreme foot pain, and I was even beyond the point of shoe inserts helping. It was hard to find clothes I felt comfortable in, which was another huge blow because I never wanted to go back to that. And I was constantly being reminded by my loved ones that if I don't do it now, it will be so much harder to lose it later. So I decided it was now or never. The only issue was the foot pain. So, before I started working out, I started with the diet aspect. Once I dropped a little weight, and my foot didn't hurt so bad, I hit the gym.
I started small. I did the treadmill, played around with some of the weight machines. Slowly but surely, I began to do more. I remember the first time I stepped on the elliptical and could barely do 5 minutes at the slowest speed. Now I'm doing 30+ and I'm pushing myself ! I've come a long way, and I can't wait to keep getting better and doing more.
I've now been working out 5 days a week for about two months, and in that time I have lost 23.6 lbs to date. That brings me back up to 53 lbs total lost. I can't even begin to tell you how awesome I am feeling. My plantar fasciitis is GONE. I don't have that foot pain anymore! That's enough to make me completely ecstatic! I am getting so close to getting back to 80 lbs lost I can taste it. But, I have noticed a big difference this time around. Last time most of my workout was walking, which is an awesome workout in itself. But this time I've incorporated weights, which is helping me lose more inches. I do cardio (mostly on the elliptical) 5 days a week, and I switch off what parts of my body I work each day I go to the gym. So with the weight I have been dropping, I'm also shrinking more rapidly! My clothes are already fitting better and I can see the changes in some of my problem areas. Just recently my best friend looked at me and was like "your arms are getting so small!" I shrugged it off until I looked in the mirror this morning and realized she was right! My stomach is also starting to go down, as well as my thighs. I'm just so happy. Seriously. It makes all the hard work totally worth it.
I won't lie though, some days it's really hard to drag myself to the gym. I've had a couple of slip up days where I didn't go. I've also had some days where I've binged on food. Binge eating has always been an issue for me due to my food addiction. But these days, binge eating doesn't happen nearly as much as it used to. And when it does, it's not nearly as bad as it could be. Maybe one day I'll tell you what a binge day used to be.. haha. I have my off days, but thankfully I have a supportive circle of people around me who will not let me fail. Honestly, some days they are the only reason I make it through my workouts. I couldn't be more blessed to have their support and love.
I know I always said I would be an open book here, and I want to keep that promise. I've shared a lot about my weight loss journey on my personal FB page, which has mostly been met with nothing but support and love. However, there are a few who get sick of seeing me talk about it. The thing is, this is a HUGE part of my life right now. And if I can inspire just ONE person to take control and better themselves, than I've done what I've set out to do. I've been working on a post about why I want to share my journey that hopefully will be posted sometime this weekend.
But seriously, if I can do this, you can do it! Even small changes can do SO much more than you know. I'm definitely a fan of the quote "An avalanche begins with a snowflake" because it's so true. Something that seems so small can really start the ball rolling and get you moving in the right direction.Just keep your goals in mind, and keep pressing on. <3
As I said above, I am back on track! It was a long time coming, but I've finally fallen into the routine. I've been back on MyFitnessPal tracking my calories, and I am proud to say that I am working out five (5) days a week. At the end of May I joined the new Planet Fitness that opened near me, and I never looked back. My very first workout was June 9, 2015, and I have been making some great progress.
Two years ago (wow, it's really been that long), I lost 83 lbs. Over the last two years, I gained a little over half of it back. That left me at 30 lbs lost overall. Needless to say, when I stepped on the scale before I started back on track, it was a huge blow. Mainly because I know how hard I had worked before to lose the weight. I was discouraged, but I knew I had to start making changes now. I had issues with my right foot (plantar fasciitis), which was making even doing everyday things hard. I couldn't walk for long periods of time without extreme foot pain, and I was even beyond the point of shoe inserts helping. It was hard to find clothes I felt comfortable in, which was another huge blow because I never wanted to go back to that. And I was constantly being reminded by my loved ones that if I don't do it now, it will be so much harder to lose it later. So I decided it was now or never. The only issue was the foot pain. So, before I started working out, I started with the diet aspect. Once I dropped a little weight, and my foot didn't hurt so bad, I hit the gym.
I started small. I did the treadmill, played around with some of the weight machines. Slowly but surely, I began to do more. I remember the first time I stepped on the elliptical and could barely do 5 minutes at the slowest speed. Now I'm doing 30+ and I'm pushing myself ! I've come a long way, and I can't wait to keep getting better and doing more.
I've now been working out 5 days a week for about two months, and in that time I have lost 23.6 lbs to date. That brings me back up to 53 lbs total lost. I can't even begin to tell you how awesome I am feeling. My plantar fasciitis is GONE. I don't have that foot pain anymore! That's enough to make me completely ecstatic! I am getting so close to getting back to 80 lbs lost I can taste it. But, I have noticed a big difference this time around. Last time most of my workout was walking, which is an awesome workout in itself. But this time I've incorporated weights, which is helping me lose more inches. I do cardio (mostly on the elliptical) 5 days a week, and I switch off what parts of my body I work each day I go to the gym. So with the weight I have been dropping, I'm also shrinking more rapidly! My clothes are already fitting better and I can see the changes in some of my problem areas. Just recently my best friend looked at me and was like "your arms are getting so small!" I shrugged it off until I looked in the mirror this morning and realized she was right! My stomach is also starting to go down, as well as my thighs. I'm just so happy. Seriously. It makes all the hard work totally worth it.
I won't lie though, some days it's really hard to drag myself to the gym. I've had a couple of slip up days where I didn't go. I've also had some days where I've binged on food. Binge eating has always been an issue for me due to my food addiction. But these days, binge eating doesn't happen nearly as much as it used to. And when it does, it's not nearly as bad as it could be. Maybe one day I'll tell you what a binge day used to be.. haha. I have my off days, but thankfully I have a supportive circle of people around me who will not let me fail. Honestly, some days they are the only reason I make it through my workouts. I couldn't be more blessed to have their support and love.
I know I always said I would be an open book here, and I want to keep that promise. I've shared a lot about my weight loss journey on my personal FB page, which has mostly been met with nothing but support and love. However, there are a few who get sick of seeing me talk about it. The thing is, this is a HUGE part of my life right now. And if I can inspire just ONE person to take control and better themselves, than I've done what I've set out to do. I've been working on a post about why I want to share my journey that hopefully will be posted sometime this weekend.
But seriously, if I can do this, you can do it! Even small changes can do SO much more than you know. I'm definitely a fan of the quote "An avalanche begins with a snowflake" because it's so true. Something that seems so small can really start the ball rolling and get you moving in the right direction.Just keep your goals in mind, and keep pressing on. <3
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Prove them wrong
One of the hardest things to overcome when you've decided to get healthy is unchaining yourself from the thoughts of others. And let me tell you, it's hard you guys. As humans, we seek validation and support from our peers. It's just human nature. The issue is, the thoughts and energy we get from others are not always positive.
My best friend Michelle (www.MichelleSwoons.com) & I embarked on this weight loss journey together in the beginning. She was with me every step of the way when I dropped 80 pounds 2 years ago. She was with me when we walked our very first 5k. We had our successes, and we had our ups and downs together. But we were there for each other. So of course, when I decided to get back on track, she was also game.
Thankfully, I have the support of you guys, and many of my friends. I am very blessed to have all of you on my journey. There have been times when I've just felt so defeated, but all I had to do was make a post and there you all were. Your words of encouragement have been amazing. Even though I know I am doing this for myself, it's nice to have that support system.
But what do you do when you don't have a great support system? What do you do when the people who SHOULD be in your corner, aren't? What do you do when those you look to don't encourage you, but rather use negativity to "push" you. I've posted before about how I feel about "tough love." You can read that entry here: http://beyondthefat.blogspot.com/2013/02/deep-thoughts-with-jamie.html Basically, it doesn't work. When someone is in a fragile state already, which most of us on the get healthy wagon are, your tough love only drags us down. The world is full of enough negativity as it is, why not build someone up. A little encouragement goes a long way.
Today was a rough one for Michelle. I joined Planet Fitness last month, though today is the first day I'm going, and she has been talking about joining for awhile. Well, she's finally joining today, and hitting the gym with me later. The issue came in when one of our co-workers made a comment after he found out she was joining. He basically implied that she wasn't going to go. Now, I won't lie.. I've been there before. You pay for a gym membership and go a couple of times, only to stop going and continue to pay for Casper the friendly ghost to use your membership. Because let's face it, you're clearly not using it now. I think it's safe to say that we've all done that at one point in time. Am I right? Yup.
Why would anyone say something like that? What good came out of your comment? Was that 10 second snarky remark really worth it? Not only does it make you look bad, but you've just discouraged someone who is trying to make a MAJOR life change. Rather than discourage someone, congratulate them on their decision and ENCOURAGE them. Give them that positive push to actually make their change. Plus, the chance to throw a little positivity out there not only does that person good, but it's also good for you. You get what you put into this world. Just sayin'.
Negative Neal's & Nancy's are everywhere. What's important is YOUR decision to start taking control of your life & making a change. Again, you're doing it for you, but wouldn't proving them wrong make your success a little sweeter? So my dear Michelle, you know I love you. You're going to kick some ass! You are MORE than capable of reaching your goals. Take that negativity and use it to fuel your workout today. When the inches and pounds are coming off, remember what your critics said, and be proud of what you have accomplished. And as always, I'm right here with ya. We're in this together. Let's do this! Let's prove them wrong.
My best friend Michelle (www.MichelleSwoons.com) & I embarked on this weight loss journey together in the beginning. She was with me every step of the way when I dropped 80 pounds 2 years ago. She was with me when we walked our very first 5k. We had our successes, and we had our ups and downs together. But we were there for each other. So of course, when I decided to get back on track, she was also game.
Thankfully, I have the support of you guys, and many of my friends. I am very blessed to have all of you on my journey. There have been times when I've just felt so defeated, but all I had to do was make a post and there you all were. Your words of encouragement have been amazing. Even though I know I am doing this for myself, it's nice to have that support system.
But what do you do when you don't have a great support system? What do you do when the people who SHOULD be in your corner, aren't? What do you do when those you look to don't encourage you, but rather use negativity to "push" you. I've posted before about how I feel about "tough love." You can read that entry here: http://beyondthefat.blogspot.com/2013/02/deep-thoughts-with-jamie.html Basically, it doesn't work. When someone is in a fragile state already, which most of us on the get healthy wagon are, your tough love only drags us down. The world is full of enough negativity as it is, why not build someone up. A little encouragement goes a long way.
Today was a rough one for Michelle. I joined Planet Fitness last month, though today is the first day I'm going, and she has been talking about joining for awhile. Well, she's finally joining today, and hitting the gym with me later. The issue came in when one of our co-workers made a comment after he found out she was joining. He basically implied that she wasn't going to go. Now, I won't lie.. I've been there before. You pay for a gym membership and go a couple of times, only to stop going and continue to pay for Casper the friendly ghost to use your membership. Because let's face it, you're clearly not using it now. I think it's safe to say that we've all done that at one point in time. Am I right? Yup.
Why would anyone say something like that? What good came out of your comment? Was that 10 second snarky remark really worth it? Not only does it make you look bad, but you've just discouraged someone who is trying to make a MAJOR life change. Rather than discourage someone, congratulate them on their decision and ENCOURAGE them. Give them that positive push to actually make their change. Plus, the chance to throw a little positivity out there not only does that person good, but it's also good for you. You get what you put into this world. Just sayin'.
Negative Neal's & Nancy's are everywhere. What's important is YOUR decision to start taking control of your life & making a change. Again, you're doing it for you, but wouldn't proving them wrong make your success a little sweeter? So my dear Michelle, you know I love you. You're going to kick some ass! You are MORE than capable of reaching your goals. Take that negativity and use it to fuel your workout today. When the inches and pounds are coming off, remember what your critics said, and be proud of what you have accomplished. And as always, I'm right here with ya. We're in this together. Let's do this! Let's prove them wrong.
Monday, June 8, 2015
Monday- I'm starting over.
So here I am again. I keep making promises to you guys, and to myself, but I never keep them. That all changes now. I'm back y'all!
Lately I've been having so much trouble getting back on track. I've been eating fast food like no one's business, and the food that I have had in the apartment hasn't been the best. I've been binge eating a lot lately. I notice when I have things that crop up I'm not prepared to deal with, I turn to food. Food is my drug.
But this weekend I think things clicked a bit more. I've been having a hard time finding the motivation to get back on track. You would think my joints hurting & feeling like crap all the time would have been enough right? Apparently not. But this weekend I did a family photoshoot. Photography is my first love. I love it even more than food, and that's saying a lot. To get some of the shots I had to get down on the ground. Well, for a fat person getting down isn't so bad... It's getting back up that is the problem. That was a wakeup call. Not only that, the summer I was down 80 lbs, I didn't mind the heat. Actually, I began to really like it. Well, since I've put 40 lbs back on, the heat is not my friend. Add that in with the plantar fasciitis I've been dealing with, along with the photos of a thinner me on my Timehop.. and that did it. I can't keep doing this to myself. I know I am more than capable of taking control of my health again.
Yesterday I did my grocery shopping. I now have all good food in the apartment. I have my meals planned for the next two weeks. Tonight after work I'm taking a walk with Michelle before the Hawks game. I also ended up joining a gym. So tomorrow after work, that's where I'll be. One of my co-workers has really been helpful with keeping me in check when I ask him to be. So tomorrow, he will be checking to make sure I brought my gym back and everything. I know if I don't go straight from work, I won't go. So that is the plan. I can do this. I can get back on track.
So how have you all been doing? What is your plan for this week?
Lately I've been having so much trouble getting back on track. I've been eating fast food like no one's business, and the food that I have had in the apartment hasn't been the best. I've been binge eating a lot lately. I notice when I have things that crop up I'm not prepared to deal with, I turn to food. Food is my drug.
But this weekend I think things clicked a bit more. I've been having a hard time finding the motivation to get back on track. You would think my joints hurting & feeling like crap all the time would have been enough right? Apparently not. But this weekend I did a family photoshoot. Photography is my first love. I love it even more than food, and that's saying a lot. To get some of the shots I had to get down on the ground. Well, for a fat person getting down isn't so bad... It's getting back up that is the problem. That was a wakeup call. Not only that, the summer I was down 80 lbs, I didn't mind the heat. Actually, I began to really like it. Well, since I've put 40 lbs back on, the heat is not my friend. Add that in with the plantar fasciitis I've been dealing with, along with the photos of a thinner me on my Timehop.. and that did it. I can't keep doing this to myself. I know I am more than capable of taking control of my health again.
Yesterday I did my grocery shopping. I now have all good food in the apartment. I have my meals planned for the next two weeks. Tonight after work I'm taking a walk with Michelle before the Hawks game. I also ended up joining a gym. So tomorrow after work, that's where I'll be. One of my co-workers has really been helpful with keeping me in check when I ask him to be. So tomorrow, he will be checking to make sure I brought my gym back and everything. I know if I don't go straight from work, I won't go. So that is the plan. I can do this. I can get back on track.
So how have you all been doing? What is your plan for this week?
Monday, March 31, 2014
I have a case of the Mondays...
Monday.. I don't like you. It feels like my whole weekend just flew right by. The plus is, this time next week I'll be packing for my road trip to Texas. We leave next Tuesday night.
I'm sick of saying I'll "get back on the right path," only to fall off a few days later. That is essentially what I have been saying, and what has been happening for the past month or so. I'm not sure where or why I lost my motivation, but I don't like the changes I am seeing. I can feel the weight gain in my body, I can see it in my face.. I don't like it. My knees and back ache, it's just not good.
I weighed in yesterday and, miraculously, I was down a pound. That was the first loss I have had in quite some time. After I weighed in, I went to Blackwell with Michelle & her hubby Hicham. We walked Mt. Hoy, which showed me just how out of shape I am, and we did the trails. It felt good to be out and walking again. My feet weren't as bad as they were the other day when I decided to attempt a three mile walk after not walking since last year. Yeahhhh, that was stupid. Actually, I wasn't really attempting 3 miles or anything, but I pushed myself further than I should have. With how my feet felt, I honestly should have turned around and headed back home after 30 minutes. The issue is, I am really hard on myself. So rather than starting slow again, I talked myself into going further. At one point, I could literally feel the blisters forming on the bottoms of my feet. By then, I was already pretty far from home. When I finally got home, after taking a shortcut because my feet hurt so bad, I had blisters. I've noticed that I have more trouble walking on pavement and really flat surfaces than I do when I walk trails and grass. Also, I am in desperate need of a new pair of shoes.
After our walk, we went and had a late lunch, and then did our grocery shopping. When I got home, I put my groceries away and baked the chicken for the week. While I did pretty well at lunch, the evening wasn't as good. I really need to get my binges under control. I see why I do it now, which is a start. I really need to get back in the habit of portioning everything out. I've held off on doing the because I don't exactly have tons of room to put all this stuff, but if I have to actually think about what I'm going to eat, I'll just say "screw it" and then that makes an issue. Soooo tonight I'm going to get some small baggies and portion out a weeks worth of snacks. That way I'm not guessing and I can only eat what's in the bag.
One thing I am really hoping for is that Texas will be a reset button for me. I really need this trip. I need to get away for a bit, clear my head, and hopefully come home ready to get my butt back in gear.
I'm sick of saying I'll "get back on the right path," only to fall off a few days later. That is essentially what I have been saying, and what has been happening for the past month or so. I'm not sure where or why I lost my motivation, but I don't like the changes I am seeing. I can feel the weight gain in my body, I can see it in my face.. I don't like it. My knees and back ache, it's just not good.
I weighed in yesterday and, miraculously, I was down a pound. That was the first loss I have had in quite some time. After I weighed in, I went to Blackwell with Michelle & her hubby Hicham. We walked Mt. Hoy, which showed me just how out of shape I am, and we did the trails. It felt good to be out and walking again. My feet weren't as bad as they were the other day when I decided to attempt a three mile walk after not walking since last year. Yeahhhh, that was stupid. Actually, I wasn't really attempting 3 miles or anything, but I pushed myself further than I should have. With how my feet felt, I honestly should have turned around and headed back home after 30 minutes. The issue is, I am really hard on myself. So rather than starting slow again, I talked myself into going further. At one point, I could literally feel the blisters forming on the bottoms of my feet. By then, I was already pretty far from home. When I finally got home, after taking a shortcut because my feet hurt so bad, I had blisters. I've noticed that I have more trouble walking on pavement and really flat surfaces than I do when I walk trails and grass. Also, I am in desperate need of a new pair of shoes.
After our walk, we went and had a late lunch, and then did our grocery shopping. When I got home, I put my groceries away and baked the chicken for the week. While I did pretty well at lunch, the evening wasn't as good. I really need to get my binges under control. I see why I do it now, which is a start. I really need to get back in the habit of portioning everything out. I've held off on doing the because I don't exactly have tons of room to put all this stuff, but if I have to actually think about what I'm going to eat, I'll just say "screw it" and then that makes an issue. Soooo tonight I'm going to get some small baggies and portion out a weeks worth of snacks. That way I'm not guessing and I can only eat what's in the bag.
One thing I am really hoping for is that Texas will be a reset button for me. I really need this trip. I need to get away for a bit, clear my head, and hopefully come home ready to get my butt back in gear.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Day 2
So today is day 2 for me of being back on track. Last night I had a little hiccup, but it wasn't anything crazy like it has been. I went over my allotted calories for the day, but I'm okay with that. And it wasn't a horrible snack either, so we're all good.
This morning I had steel cut oats with some cinnamon. My first snack of the day was a couple pieces of dried pineapple and some raw almonds. I had my breakfast at about 8:30 and had my first snack at about 11. By the time I was able to have lunch (about 12:45) I was really hungry. For my lunch I had a boneless/skinless chicken breast, half of a green bell pepper, & steamed carrots/broccoli/cauliflower. Around 3 I plan to have my second snack of the day, which will be a protein bar.For dinner I'm making brown rice, mixed with stewed tomatoes & other veggies. After dinner I have about 500 calories left over, which is good because there's a Blackhawks game on tonight & I'm sure I'll want a little snack while watching.
I'm proud of myself because I've been getting my water in, which was never really an issue anyway because I LOVE water, but lately it's seemed like more of a chore. The one thing I am noticing is that I have to re-learn when I'm really hungry, thirsty, or just bored. I almost had that down to a science before I, as my friend put it, hit a giant pothole in my journey. So I'm back at square one again.
I also feel kind of bad because my parents likely think I'm being anti-social. I went upstairs pretty early last night, mainly because I needed to be as far away from the kitchen as I could be. It's not that I didn't want to hang out with them, I'm just having troubles keeping myself away from the yummy food that is in the kitchen. And while I don't buy anything TOO tempting for myself, the donuts my parents bought looked particularly appetizing last night. So I did the best thing for myself, which was walking away.
Tonight will be a real test though because I usually watch the Blackhawks game with my mom downstairs. Like I said though, at least I have some calories left over to have myself a nice little snack, so hopefully I won't be doing anything too crazy being close to the kitchen. Whatever I do decided to snack on, I'll have to portion out so I don't go crazy during the game.
So that's basically what's up with me today. I'm just taking it one day at a time. :)
This morning I had steel cut oats with some cinnamon. My first snack of the day was a couple pieces of dried pineapple and some raw almonds. I had my breakfast at about 8:30 and had my first snack at about 11. By the time I was able to have lunch (about 12:45) I was really hungry. For my lunch I had a boneless/skinless chicken breast, half of a green bell pepper, & steamed carrots/broccoli/cauliflower. Around 3 I plan to have my second snack of the day, which will be a protein bar.For dinner I'm making brown rice, mixed with stewed tomatoes & other veggies. After dinner I have about 500 calories left over, which is good because there's a Blackhawks game on tonight & I'm sure I'll want a little snack while watching.
I'm proud of myself because I've been getting my water in, which was never really an issue anyway because I LOVE water, but lately it's seemed like more of a chore. The one thing I am noticing is that I have to re-learn when I'm really hungry, thirsty, or just bored. I almost had that down to a science before I, as my friend put it, hit a giant pothole in my journey. So I'm back at square one again.
I also feel kind of bad because my parents likely think I'm being anti-social. I went upstairs pretty early last night, mainly because I needed to be as far away from the kitchen as I could be. It's not that I didn't want to hang out with them, I'm just having troubles keeping myself away from the yummy food that is in the kitchen. And while I don't buy anything TOO tempting for myself, the donuts my parents bought looked particularly appetizing last night. So I did the best thing for myself, which was walking away.
Tonight will be a real test though because I usually watch the Blackhawks game with my mom downstairs. Like I said though, at least I have some calories left over to have myself a nice little snack, so hopefully I won't be doing anything too crazy being close to the kitchen. Whatever I do decided to snack on, I'll have to portion out so I don't go crazy during the game.
So that's basically what's up with me today. I'm just taking it one day at a time. :)
Monday, March 17, 2014
Getting back on track
Happy St. Patrick's Day & happy Monday!
Let's play catch up! I have a lot I want to post here so you all know what's been going on in my life. Sooooo, here we go.
So today is the first day of me REALLY getting back on track. I did my grocery shopping last night and prepared my food for today. I also weighed myself this morning for the first time in a few weeks. Yup, I gained 30 lbs between Thanksgiving and now. So that brings my total weight loss to 50 lbs. I was at 80, but I refuse to beat myself up over this because I know what I need to do to get back on track. Thankfully I have an amazing support system behind me, and several of my biggest supporters are amazing friends & family who are also on a journey to get healthy.
For the first time in almost three years I am going to visit my friends in Texas. I leave in 22 days, and I am SO excited. I'm driving down with Michelle and her hubby Hicham. We'll be leaving on April 8th, and will be driving to Fort Smith, Arkansas to spend a day with Michelle's Uncle Brian. I know that is going to be a blast because Uncle B isn't called "Party Bus" for nothin! So we'll be spending Wednesday the 9th with Uncle B and then the morning of the 10th we'll be heading out to Sherman, TX to see our Texas friends! We'll be in Sherman the rest of our trip, and will hopefully be taking a day trip down to Dallas to have some fun & do some shopping. Yeah buddy!
Michelle and I used to go down to Texas twice a year to see our best friend Kimie. The last time we were there was for Kim & Kyle's wedding. After that, we made several attempts to go down there, but something always came up and we had to cancel. So I am SUPER stoked that we are finally going. I think this is just the trip I need to reset my mind. There is just something about Texas that usually helps me do just that! Plus, it's going to be nice and warm down there! It will be nice to get away from the cold & yuck that has been Chicago this winter. I'm really looking forward to living in sundresses and sandals while I'm down there. I can't wait!
One thing I've really wanted to share is the issue I've been having with binge eating. I could do so well all day, then I get home and just go crazy. This is something I really have to get under wraps. I feel like lately it's been brought on by stress/feeling unbalanced. I won't even lie to you, I love food. But it's the unhealthy stalker kind of love. I'm an emotional eater. When I get upset about something, I eat. If there's nothing that strikes my fancy at home, I will hop in the car and go to McDonald's, Burger King, or Dunkin Donuts. I've found myself doing this a lot lately. Like I said in my previous post, I've had more fast food since the beginning of the year than I have in a LONG time. I find that I cave & go get fast food when I'm having a hard time dealing with things. Lately, I've had a lot to deal with. There are a lot of changes happening over the next 4 months in my life, add my anxiety issues lately and you have this lovely ball of mess that is me. It's been a lot to deal with. So I'm currently trying to take things one day at a time and remember that there is only so much I can control. For a control freak like me, that is a hard lesson to learn.
What do you guys do when you find yourself emotionally eating? What are your plans for success this week?
Let's play catch up! I have a lot I want to post here so you all know what's been going on in my life. Sooooo, here we go.
So today is the first day of me REALLY getting back on track. I did my grocery shopping last night and prepared my food for today. I also weighed myself this morning for the first time in a few weeks. Yup, I gained 30 lbs between Thanksgiving and now. So that brings my total weight loss to 50 lbs. I was at 80, but I refuse to beat myself up over this because I know what I need to do to get back on track. Thankfully I have an amazing support system behind me, and several of my biggest supporters are amazing friends & family who are also on a journey to get healthy.
For the first time in almost three years I am going to visit my friends in Texas. I leave in 22 days, and I am SO excited. I'm driving down with Michelle and her hubby Hicham. We'll be leaving on April 8th, and will be driving to Fort Smith, Arkansas to spend a day with Michelle's Uncle Brian. I know that is going to be a blast because Uncle B isn't called "Party Bus" for nothin! So we'll be spending Wednesday the 9th with Uncle B and then the morning of the 10th we'll be heading out to Sherman, TX to see our Texas friends! We'll be in Sherman the rest of our trip, and will hopefully be taking a day trip down to Dallas to have some fun & do some shopping. Yeah buddy!
Michelle and I used to go down to Texas twice a year to see our best friend Kimie. The last time we were there was for Kim & Kyle's wedding. After that, we made several attempts to go down there, but something always came up and we had to cancel. So I am SUPER stoked that we are finally going. I think this is just the trip I need to reset my mind. There is just something about Texas that usually helps me do just that! Plus, it's going to be nice and warm down there! It will be nice to get away from the cold & yuck that has been Chicago this winter. I'm really looking forward to living in sundresses and sandals while I'm down there. I can't wait!
One thing I've really wanted to share is the issue I've been having with binge eating. I could do so well all day, then I get home and just go crazy. This is something I really have to get under wraps. I feel like lately it's been brought on by stress/feeling unbalanced. I won't even lie to you, I love food. But it's the unhealthy stalker kind of love. I'm an emotional eater. When I get upset about something, I eat. If there's nothing that strikes my fancy at home, I will hop in the car and go to McDonald's, Burger King, or Dunkin Donuts. I've found myself doing this a lot lately. Like I said in my previous post, I've had more fast food since the beginning of the year than I have in a LONG time. I find that I cave & go get fast food when I'm having a hard time dealing with things. Lately, I've had a lot to deal with. There are a lot of changes happening over the next 4 months in my life, add my anxiety issues lately and you have this lovely ball of mess that is me. It's been a lot to deal with. So I'm currently trying to take things one day at a time and remember that there is only so much I can control. For a control freak like me, that is a hard lesson to learn.
What do you guys do when you find yourself emotionally eating? What are your plans for success this week?
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
I'm here.
You guys, I'm terrible at keeping this thing updated. I wish my first post back would be "I'm still doing awesome with my weight loss," but sadly that's not the case. Honestly, I'm really struggling with it. I mean REALLY struggling. Obviously you can see that because it's been basically a year since my last real update. I'm sorry about that.
I told you all from the beginning I would be very truthful & candid in my posts here. I said I would blog through the good, the bad, & the ugly. Well, I'm here to blog about the ugly in hopes that this will jump start me back on the right path. Soooo, here we go.
I was flying high after the 5k I did last summer, and I wanted to keep up the momentum. I didn't... I started off with the best of intentions to keep up with my walking. As most of you know, I'm incredibly heavy so, right now, walking in the best exercise for me and it worked. Hell, I lost 80 lbs just from eating right and walking.
As summer faded and fall came, I started to slack more and more. I wasn't walking anymore, but for awhile I was doing a half-assed job with tracking my food intake and eating clean. Then Thanksgiving hit, then Christmas, then New Years.... You get the picture. Well, here I am, in a situation I am not happy with. It's now March 11th and I've gained quite a bit back of the weight I lost. It's been a few weeks since I weighed myself, but last weigh in my total loss was down to 50 lbs from 80. So basically between Thanksgiving and now I gained 30 lbs. I know how it happened. Boy do I know how it happened. I'm more upset with myself that I even let it happen.
I'm really trying not to be so hard on myself because that really gets me nowhere. I've been telling myself over the last two weeks that I would get back on track, but I haven't been able to find the drive or motivation. In all honesty, I've not been eating my meals like I'm supposed to. I've been going to work without my lunch, and then basically binge eating when I get home. Add in the fact that, since January I've had the most fast food I've eaten in over a year, and you can see my troubles. It's terrible and I feel terrible. My clothes are getting tighter, and I just feel like crap.
All I've really wanted to do lately is sleep. I know part of this is from how I've been eating. My body feels sluggish and I can feel the negative changes from my recent terrible food habits. I do have issues with depression, which I feel is just adding to the mess. There's a lot of changes happening in my life right now that are making me feel unbalanced. I don't do too well with change. But, life isn't always easy and I need to get back on track.
I think the hardest thing has been, not only letting myself down but, letting you guys down. I have received some of the most amazing messages from you guys. Some of you have even gone as far as to say I inspire you. You have no idea how much that means to me. So right now I am going to remember the lovely things you all have told me, along with the clothes that are getting tighter and tighter by the day, to get back on track. Thursday is payday and I'll be doing my food planning & grocery shopping. I also need to start walking again. I'll be excited once it gets warmer out so I can go back to Blackwell and do my walks there. But until then, I may need to suck it up and get a gym membership. I found one close to home that is $10 a month and it has all I need. I mean, I can't just walk anyway.. I do need access to some weights. So we will see. Either way, I need to get back to eating clean and walking.
So thank you to those who have stuck around with me while my fitness train went off course a bit. Hopefully I'll be having some good updates coming soon. Thank you all again and let's do this!
I told you all from the beginning I would be very truthful & candid in my posts here. I said I would blog through the good, the bad, & the ugly. Well, I'm here to blog about the ugly in hopes that this will jump start me back on the right path. Soooo, here we go.
I was flying high after the 5k I did last summer, and I wanted to keep up the momentum. I didn't... I started off with the best of intentions to keep up with my walking. As most of you know, I'm incredibly heavy so, right now, walking in the best exercise for me and it worked. Hell, I lost 80 lbs just from eating right and walking.
As summer faded and fall came, I started to slack more and more. I wasn't walking anymore, but for awhile I was doing a half-assed job with tracking my food intake and eating clean. Then Thanksgiving hit, then Christmas, then New Years.... You get the picture. Well, here I am, in a situation I am not happy with. It's now March 11th and I've gained quite a bit back of the weight I lost. It's been a few weeks since I weighed myself, but last weigh in my total loss was down to 50 lbs from 80. So basically between Thanksgiving and now I gained 30 lbs. I know how it happened. Boy do I know how it happened. I'm more upset with myself that I even let it happen.
I'm really trying not to be so hard on myself because that really gets me nowhere. I've been telling myself over the last two weeks that I would get back on track, but I haven't been able to find the drive or motivation. In all honesty, I've not been eating my meals like I'm supposed to. I've been going to work without my lunch, and then basically binge eating when I get home. Add in the fact that, since January I've had the most fast food I've eaten in over a year, and you can see my troubles. It's terrible and I feel terrible. My clothes are getting tighter, and I just feel like crap.
All I've really wanted to do lately is sleep. I know part of this is from how I've been eating. My body feels sluggish and I can feel the negative changes from my recent terrible food habits. I do have issues with depression, which I feel is just adding to the mess. There's a lot of changes happening in my life right now that are making me feel unbalanced. I don't do too well with change. But, life isn't always easy and I need to get back on track.
I think the hardest thing has been, not only letting myself down but, letting you guys down. I have received some of the most amazing messages from you guys. Some of you have even gone as far as to say I inspire you. You have no idea how much that means to me. So right now I am going to remember the lovely things you all have told me, along with the clothes that are getting tighter and tighter by the day, to get back on track. Thursday is payday and I'll be doing my food planning & grocery shopping. I also need to start walking again. I'll be excited once it gets warmer out so I can go back to Blackwell and do my walks there. But until then, I may need to suck it up and get a gym membership. I found one close to home that is $10 a month and it has all I need. I mean, I can't just walk anyway.. I do need access to some weights. So we will see. Either way, I need to get back to eating clean and walking.
So thank you to those who have stuck around with me while my fitness train went off course a bit. Hopefully I'll be having some good updates coming soon. Thank you all again and let's do this!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Hello Prairie Path!
Hey everyone! So 5K training has "officially" started for Michelle and I. Thanks to GeoDistance.com & Google Maps, I was able to find the mileage for the leg of the Illinois Prairie Path near my house. With that in hand, Michelle & I set out for a walk last night. This is the path we took:
EDIT: So I tried to embed the map here, but it didn't work out as planned. SO, here is the link to the route we take. :)
West Chicago Prairie Path! (Google Map)
West Chicago Prairie Path! (Google Map)
The walk takes us from the start of the Prairie Path in Reed Keppler Park, and ends at Kress Road, which is a total of 1.7 miles. So to walk to Kress Road & back, the total mileage comes to 3.4 miles, which is a little over what we need for the actual 5K in July.
Sadly, we didn't make it to the end last night. We were almost to Kress when we turned around and headed back. The only reason, the mosquitoes were INSANE. Honestly, it's a great path to walk. I had never walked out that far on the Prairie Path before, but it was a nice walk. Very peaceful. You do share the path with other walkers, joggers, & cyclists. And if you decide to walk the Prairie Path, I would suggest bringing some kind of mosquito/insect repellent. Poor Michelle was getting eaten alive and it seemed like clouds of mosquitoes were following her, haha. So bug spray is a MUST.
So all in all, Michelle and I walked 2 miles last night. It was honestly probably a little over that. My feet were a little sore afterwards, but I felt good. Today it's raining, so the path is out of the question today. But I'm hoping we'll get another crack at it before the end of the week. I'll keep you all posted. :)
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Sunday check in!
Hey everyone! Hope this Sunday finds you all doing fantastic! I'm sorry I haven't been around much lately. Life has been interesting the last couple weeks, which has kept me busy. In short, CAR REPAIRS. This next week my car will be going in for some new tires after the lovely blowout I had last week.. so I'm hoping the car repair costs will stop for awhile.
Anyways! Last Sunday when I weighed in, I was up 3 lbs. I wasn't really all that surprised by the gain because I still have yet to get my monthly visitor. For awhile there I had it like clockwork, but I feel like with the increase in working out and my consistent weight loss, that my body is still trying to catch up. When I weighed in today, I was down 5.2 lbs. That brings my weight loss total to 62 lbs (36 lbs since 01/13/2013). Needless to say, I am happy with my results so far.
On April 8, 2013 I took my measurements for the first time and decided that I would take my measurements once a month to see what kind of progress I was making. So when I took my measurements on May 5, 2013, I was a very happy person. In total, I had lost 8 inches. I lost 3 inches in my hips, 3 inches in my thighs, & 2 inches in my upper arms/bicep area. I had been able to tell that I was losing inches because of how my clothes were fitting.
Which brings me to my next point, I'm getting smaller!!! A lot of people have pointed out to me that my face is not as round anymore. I can also tell a difference in my upper body. I'm having some slight issues because I have lost quite a bit up top, but my bottom half still needs to catch up. So, that makes for some interesting clothing purchases. I bought a couple of dresses recently in the size I would normally need, and they are way too big in the top now, but they fit my bottom okay. I also recently bought a dress a size smaller than I normally would at Target. It's really amazing the stuff I am starting to be able to fit into. With the loss of inches in my thighs, there are jeans I have that I have either never been able to wear, or haven't worn in quite some time that I can now wear! I also have some of my favorite dresses going in to be taken in so I can wear them over the summer. ALSO!! I bought a coat last year that was super cute. The issue was, I couldn't zip is closed. Well, I CAN ZIP IT CLOSED NOW!! As you can tell, I am SUPER stoked about that. Being a woman of my size, I've head to almost always wear open coats, even in blizzard conditions, because it was hard to find a coat that fit. Now I CAN!! It's rather exciting!
My feet aren't hurting as bad anymore either. Being that I'm still quite heavy, I notice that after I've walked about an hour my feet are unhappy with me. I thought it might be the shoes I was wearing, but I start to notice the time I'm walking more. Usually when I hit about 45 mins, my feet start to get sore. I mean, I DO need to go get fitted for proper shoes, but I think with my weight it's more the time I'm on my feet than the shoes at this point. So with my continued walking, I know this will start changing.
Which brings me to my next thing.. COLOR ME RAD!! We are officially 61 days away from the 5k Michelle & I will be walking. I hope some of you will be joining us. Check my last blog post for more info on how you can sign up and join us :) I made a nifty countdown for myself. I'm getting excited, but I know I still have some work to do before then. I'm hoping maybe this next week Michelle and I will be able to hit the prairie path and see how far we can go. I really want to be able to time how long it takes for us to do 3 miles. I really need to get a pedometer.
Other than that, not too much is up. I've been eating out more recently, which I've been making good decisions with, but I really need to get back in the habit of cooking. I have more control there, and it's cheaper for me anyway. :) So that is my plan this next week. Get back into the swing of things with cooking & prepping. I'm VERY successful when I go that route.
So how have you guys been? What were your successes this last week? What will you do to be successful this week? Share your thoughts! :) Thanks for reading!
Monday, May 6, 2013
Color Me Rad 5K Chicago
I know I've posted about this before, but I feel it is worth
posting and talking about again. How many of you Chicago area lovelies will be
joining Michelle (https://www.facebook.com/MichelleResi82) &
I for the Color Me Rad 5K on July 20, 2013??
For you larger lovelies concerned about having to run the 5K, rest assured that you can walk it too. Michelle and I will be doing just that. While we would like to be able to jog a portion of it, we know that running/jogging is a lot of impact and pressure on our knees in our current state, so we'll be walking a good portion of the race. So if you would like to join us, it's not too late!! Here is the link to join in on the fun.
Michelle and I will be doing the 10:00am wave, and if you would like to join the "team" I've set up, click "join an existing team." It will ask you for my team name, which is Beyond The Fat, and my last name (Kelly). To get 10% off of your registration fee, you can enter promo code “WORLDSPORT." The use of the promo code also gives World Sport Chicago 15% of your race entry fee.
If you're not already familiar with World Sport Chicago, they're a pretty awesome organization. World Sport Chicago is an independent, non-profit organization that teaches positive values and leadership through sport. The organization acts on the belief that sport has the power to strengthen individuals, and in turn, Chicago’s communities. World Sport Chicago promotes programs and events and collaborates with several community partners, public agencies and Chicago’s professional sports teams to deliver impact and change.
World Sport Chicago has a unique history as the living legacy of Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The organization has evolved substantially since the bid. However, the collaborative spirit that drove those efforts remains central to the work of World Sport Chicago.
The mission of World Sport Chicago is to promote the development of sustainable sports programming that improves the quality of life for under-served youth in Chicago and at-risk communities. World Sport Chicago does this by:
-- Teaching
life-enhancing values and character development through sport
-- Leveraging
on-going sport programs and events to engage families and strengthen
communities
-- Directing
resources and technical expertise to communities of need for high-quality and
sustainable programming
-- Sharing
practices and innovations to develop thought leadership on the positive impact
of sport
-- Advocating
sport-for-all, regardless of physical and visual abilities.
So pretty
please, use that promo code when your checking out so that World Sport Chicago
can get 15% of your race entry fee. They are a great organization and, if you
would like to learn more about them, you can visit their website at the link
below!
I would
LOVE to see a lot of you there. This 5K is not about how fast you walk/run, but
it is to do it for a great cause like World Sport Chicago. It is also to show that, no matter your size, you CAN get moving. Speaking from my own experience, you would be amazed at how much walking can do for you. So please, if you've been thinking about signing up for the Color Me Rad 5K, do it! Come join in on the fun with Michelle and I. And if you are going, please let me know so we can look for you! I'll be bringing a camera along, so expect LOTS and lots of photos. Let's DO IT!!!
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Checking in!
Hey everyone! Happy Sunday! It's a beautiful day here in Chicago, but I'm working so I can't enjoy it, haha. Hopefully you all are having a wonderful day.
Today was weigh in day for me. Last week I didn't blog my results, so I figured I'd cover that now. Usually the week right before my period I have a big loss. So when I weighed in on April 21st, I was down 5.8 lbs. That was to be expected since I was supposed to be getting my monthly visitor the following week. So that following Sunday I weighed in and I had gained 3 lbs. Again, that was not all that unexpected as I usually fluctuate a lot around my period. So again, I was not surprised. Well, it's Sunday again, so it's weigh in day. Also, I still have yet to get my period. It's 7 days late. Don't worry, I'm not pregnant.. haha. That would actually mean something would have had to happen, which I can say DID not.. haha. So unless it's an immaculate conception.. I'm golden. LOL.
So anyways, last week I walked Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I didn't walk as much as I would have liked, but I did at least get some walking in. I plan to change that this week. So when I got to work I weighed in and found myself down 7 lbs. Needless to say I was shocked with this weigh in. I didn't expect it, especially since I am a week late on my period. But, a loss is a loss and I'll take it! So that brings my weight loss total to 60.8 lbs (33.8 of it since 01/13/2013).
I would be telling a lie if I said I couldn't feel the difference in my body. I tried on some of my dresses that I wore last summer. I've always been really self conscious about my thighs, so I always wore leggings or shorts under my dresses just in case they rode up a little bit. Well, I am happy to say that this summer I will NOT be wearing shorts or leggings under my dresses. I tried some of the dressed on this week and there really is no need to break out the leggings and shorts anymore. :) So that will be a whole new ballgame for me this summer. I'm super excited to break out some of the sundresses I have and really wear them for the first time. I also tried on a pair of black jeggings that I had. The last time I wore them was last spring and they were tight and uncomfortable. I was able to get them on last spring (I couldn't even get them on before that), but my thighs were too fat and they were tight in the waist which made things SUPER uncomfortable for me. Well, I tried them on yesterday and they FIT. They actually FIT me. My thighs have shrunk with all the walking I've been doing, and I actually sit down in them without cutting off circulation.. haha. Needless to say, I am super stoked to see what the summer holds for me. I can't wait!
So how have you all been doing? Any successes you would like to share? What are your plans for this new week to be successful? Let's kick this weeks butt!
Also, Michelle and I have been thinking about getting a group together on the weekends (Saturdays) to walk with us at Blackwell. Would any of you in the area be interested in doing that with us?
Today was weigh in day for me. Last week I didn't blog my results, so I figured I'd cover that now. Usually the week right before my period I have a big loss. So when I weighed in on April 21st, I was down 5.8 lbs. That was to be expected since I was supposed to be getting my monthly visitor the following week. So that following Sunday I weighed in and I had gained 3 lbs. Again, that was not all that unexpected as I usually fluctuate a lot around my period. So again, I was not surprised. Well, it's Sunday again, so it's weigh in day. Also, I still have yet to get my period. It's 7 days late. Don't worry, I'm not pregnant.. haha. That would actually mean something would have had to happen, which I can say DID not.. haha. So unless it's an immaculate conception.. I'm golden. LOL.
So anyways, last week I walked Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I didn't walk as much as I would have liked, but I did at least get some walking in. I plan to change that this week. So when I got to work I weighed in and found myself down 7 lbs. Needless to say I was shocked with this weigh in. I didn't expect it, especially since I am a week late on my period. But, a loss is a loss and I'll take it! So that brings my weight loss total to 60.8 lbs (33.8 of it since 01/13/2013).
I would be telling a lie if I said I couldn't feel the difference in my body. I tried on some of my dresses that I wore last summer. I've always been really self conscious about my thighs, so I always wore leggings or shorts under my dresses just in case they rode up a little bit. Well, I am happy to say that this summer I will NOT be wearing shorts or leggings under my dresses. I tried some of the dressed on this week and there really is no need to break out the leggings and shorts anymore. :) So that will be a whole new ballgame for me this summer. I'm super excited to break out some of the sundresses I have and really wear them for the first time. I also tried on a pair of black jeggings that I had. The last time I wore them was last spring and they were tight and uncomfortable. I was able to get them on last spring (I couldn't even get them on before that), but my thighs were too fat and they were tight in the waist which made things SUPER uncomfortable for me. Well, I tried them on yesterday and they FIT. They actually FIT me. My thighs have shrunk with all the walking I've been doing, and I actually sit down in them without cutting off circulation.. haha. Needless to say, I am super stoked to see what the summer holds for me. I can't wait!
So how have you all been doing? Any successes you would like to share? What are your plans for this new week to be successful? Let's kick this weeks butt!
Also, Michelle and I have been thinking about getting a group together on the weekends (Saturdays) to walk with us at Blackwell. Would any of you in the area be interested in doing that with us?
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Happy Tuesday!
Howdy everyone. I hope your Tuesday is off to a good start. It's a rainy day here in Chicagoland, which made it difficult to get out of bed this morning. Sorry I haven't been updating like I should, I'm working on fixing that.
So Sunday was my weigh in day and I found myself down 5.8 lbs. The Sunday before I hit the 50 pounds loss mark! So that's two Sundays in a row of great news! But this Sunday I was shocked at the loss, but remembered that (this next part may be too much info for you guys out there) next week I get my monthly visitor. For whatever reason, I always have a big loss the week right before my period. So being that I'm supposed to get it in less than a week now, it all makes sense. But a loss is a loss, and I'll take it. So being down that 5.8 lbs brings my total weight loss thus far to 56 lbs, 29.8 lbs of it lost since 01/13/2013. Needless to say, I am thrilled with my progress.
So last week I didn't work out at all. I had been having some knee issues, so I gave my knees a rest. I probably could have done some arm workouts, but I didn't. So this week I had to get back into the swing of things. I realized last week that I am still too heavy to be jogging. While I LOVE it, it's too much impact on my knees at the moment. But anyways, my best friend is in Morocco until the 30th of April, so I went to Blackwell by myself to get in a good work out. It was such a beautiful day and I was feeling good.
When I got there, I expected to walk Mt. Hoy, walk the trails, get in some pushups, and then do some free weights. Yesterday it took me only 10 mins to go up Mt. Hoy, and down the trail. I only made two stops on the way up (usually I take 3 or 4), which is an accomplishment for me. For some of you, it might not be work, but when you're carrying around the weight I am, it is definitely a struggle. So, once I got to the end of the trail, I stopped and did 30 pushups (3 sets of 10) on the bike racks, then started heading back to my car. Once I got there, I found myself looking at Mt. Hoy again and the voice in my head told me "give it a shot, I bet you can do it again." At that point, I found my feet taking me back to the hill. I made my way up Mt. Hoy (making 3 stops on the way up), and I was shocked. If you would have told me two weeks ago that I would have been able to walk Mt. Hoy twice in one day, I would have laughed at you. But I did it, and I felt amazing afterwards. So, I walked down the trail, around the parking lot again, bringing my walking to 50 mins. Once I reached my car I did some free weights, and then headed home. All in all, I got in a great 60 minute workout and I felt great, though I am sore today. And, I did it all by myself. Usually I hit Mt. Hoy with my best friend, but I am glad I made myself go. Plus, it was nice to get out in the beautiful weather... though I wish it would have carried over into today.
With the rain today, and the dropping temperature for later, it's looking like Mt. Hoy won't be happening today. BUT, the rest of the week looks okay, so I think I'll head back out there hopefully tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday. Looks like some rain is possible, and it will be cooler so I'll just have to bundle up and be prepared. I may go walk the mall tonight after work, so we'll see. Either way, I'm happy with what I've been accomplishing. I have the Color Me Rad 5k on July 20th, so I'm hoping to get my walking up to speed. And maybe by then I'll be able to do some jogging.
Other than that, I've just been taking things once day at a time. I'm still tracking my calories (I'm KittyCat613 on MyFitnessPal if any of you are on there), and eating right. Though the M&M's I had the other day beg to differ. BUT, I don't regret them one bit. They were within my calories, and made a nice little treat. :) So here's to be successful the rest of the week!
So Sunday was my weigh in day and I found myself down 5.8 lbs. The Sunday before I hit the 50 pounds loss mark! So that's two Sundays in a row of great news! But this Sunday I was shocked at the loss, but remembered that (this next part may be too much info for you guys out there) next week I get my monthly visitor. For whatever reason, I always have a big loss the week right before my period. So being that I'm supposed to get it in less than a week now, it all makes sense. But a loss is a loss, and I'll take it. So being down that 5.8 lbs brings my total weight loss thus far to 56 lbs, 29.8 lbs of it lost since 01/13/2013. Needless to say, I am thrilled with my progress.
So last week I didn't work out at all. I had been having some knee issues, so I gave my knees a rest. I probably could have done some arm workouts, but I didn't. So this week I had to get back into the swing of things. I realized last week that I am still too heavy to be jogging. While I LOVE it, it's too much impact on my knees at the moment. But anyways, my best friend is in Morocco until the 30th of April, so I went to Blackwell by myself to get in a good work out. It was such a beautiful day and I was feeling good.
When I got there, I expected to walk Mt. Hoy, walk the trails, get in some pushups, and then do some free weights. Yesterday it took me only 10 mins to go up Mt. Hoy, and down the trail. I only made two stops on the way up (usually I take 3 or 4), which is an accomplishment for me. For some of you, it might not be work, but when you're carrying around the weight I am, it is definitely a struggle. So, once I got to the end of the trail, I stopped and did 30 pushups (3 sets of 10) on the bike racks, then started heading back to my car. Once I got there, I found myself looking at Mt. Hoy again and the voice in my head told me "give it a shot, I bet you can do it again." At that point, I found my feet taking me back to the hill. I made my way up Mt. Hoy (making 3 stops on the way up), and I was shocked. If you would have told me two weeks ago that I would have been able to walk Mt. Hoy twice in one day, I would have laughed at you. But I did it, and I felt amazing afterwards. So, I walked down the trail, around the parking lot again, bringing my walking to 50 mins. Once I reached my car I did some free weights, and then headed home. All in all, I got in a great 60 minute workout and I felt great, though I am sore today. And, I did it all by myself. Usually I hit Mt. Hoy with my best friend, but I am glad I made myself go. Plus, it was nice to get out in the beautiful weather... though I wish it would have carried over into today.
With the rain today, and the dropping temperature for later, it's looking like Mt. Hoy won't be happening today. BUT, the rest of the week looks okay, so I think I'll head back out there hopefully tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday. Looks like some rain is possible, and it will be cooler so I'll just have to bundle up and be prepared. I may go walk the mall tonight after work, so we'll see. Either way, I'm happy with what I've been accomplishing. I have the Color Me Rad 5k on July 20th, so I'm hoping to get my walking up to speed. And maybe by then I'll be able to do some jogging.
Other than that, I've just been taking things once day at a time. I'm still tracking my calories (I'm KittyCat613 on MyFitnessPal if any of you are on there), and eating right. Though the M&M's I had the other day beg to differ. BUT, I don't regret them one bit. They were within my calories, and made a nice little treat. :) So here's to be successful the rest of the week!
Monday, April 8, 2013
Happy Monday!
Hey everyone! Okay, so I have just a few things I wanted to update here. Sorry I haven't been around much, but rest assured I've been eating healthy and working out!
So last Saturday my best friend Michelle and I started working out at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville, IL. As I posted before, we did some jogging, climbed Mount Hoy, and did some trail walking. We had such a great workout in the great outdoors that we decided to hit Blackwell as many times as we could the following week.
Sooooo, this last week Michelle and I worked out and Blackwell on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, & Saturday! Each workout we managed to throw in some new stuff. On Friday our friend Kristin came along with us, and helped us utilize some other places in the park for some workouts. When I tell you we utilized a good portion of the park, I mean it! Honestly, I think Michelle and I will make a video on how to make a park your own personal gym. :) But that day we did more jogging, climbed Mount Hoy, did some kickboxing moves at the top, walked the trails, did some push-ups & squats at the bikeracks, did some free weights, and then finished off with another round of jogging. It was a fantastic work out!
Honestly, it is amazing what you can do in the great outdoors. Since the weather is getting nicer, I want to be able to work out as much as I can outdoors. There is nothing better than getting in a great workout in the fresh air! So that really is my plan. To hit the park as many times as I can in a week and get my workout on!
As you all know, Sundays are my weigh in day. I weighed in and was down 1.2 lbs from last week, which brings my total to 49 lbs lost (22.7 lost since January 13, 2013). So this week I should be breaking the 50 lbs lost mark! I was expecting to lose a little more this week, but I know I have definitely lost some inches because my clothes are fitting better. Last week I wore a pair of jeans I've never been able to wear, and some underwear I haven't been able to wear in years. Haha! So I know I'm making progress, I just have to be patient. I also took my measurements today. It's something I wish I would have done at the beginning of the year, but at least I have them now as reference and plan to take my measurements once a month.
Another thing I have realized is that I miss working out on my "rest" days. My rest days right now are Sunday & Monday due to my work schedule on those days. Yesterday and today I have been chomping at the bit. I'm ready to get back out there tomorrow and workout. I have also come to the realization that I enjoy jogging. I know I have a long way to go before I'll be able to run, let alone run any great distance, but the time that I spend jogging I enjoy. Which brings me to my next topic...
Since I like jogging so much, and I have my very first 5k coming up in July (July 20th), I've been reading up on the Couch to 5k info and I'm seriously considering doing it. It's a 9 week program that prepares you to be able to run a 5k. I know it will take me longer than 9 weeks to be able to do that, and I know I may have to repeat some weeks a couple of times, but I feel like the structure of the program will help me a lot. And it will help me lose some more weight. So I think I may start giving that a try sometime this next week, we'll see. Either way, jogging will help me get back into shape so when I play basketball again, I'm not killing myself on the court. But, I did come across this article that I like, and I wanted to share it with all of you.
http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=running_while_chunky_a_guide
Other than that, not too much is up in my world. It's supposed to rain a lot this week, but I'm hoping some of it will hold off enough to be able to get my workouts in at Blackwell. Otherwise, it'll be plan B. :) Hope you all have a wonderful week, and I will check in again with you all soon!
So last Saturday my best friend Michelle and I started working out at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville, IL. As I posted before, we did some jogging, climbed Mount Hoy, and did some trail walking. We had such a great workout in the great outdoors that we decided to hit Blackwell as many times as we could the following week.
Sooooo, this last week Michelle and I worked out and Blackwell on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, & Saturday! Each workout we managed to throw in some new stuff. On Friday our friend Kristin came along with us, and helped us utilize some other places in the park for some workouts. When I tell you we utilized a good portion of the park, I mean it! Honestly, I think Michelle and I will make a video on how to make a park your own personal gym. :) But that day we did more jogging, climbed Mount Hoy, did some kickboxing moves at the top, walked the trails, did some push-ups & squats at the bikeracks, did some free weights, and then finished off with another round of jogging. It was a fantastic work out!
Honestly, it is amazing what you can do in the great outdoors. Since the weather is getting nicer, I want to be able to work out as much as I can outdoors. There is nothing better than getting in a great workout in the fresh air! So that really is my plan. To hit the park as many times as I can in a week and get my workout on!
As you all know, Sundays are my weigh in day. I weighed in and was down 1.2 lbs from last week, which brings my total to 49 lbs lost (22.7 lost since January 13, 2013). So this week I should be breaking the 50 lbs lost mark! I was expecting to lose a little more this week, but I know I have definitely lost some inches because my clothes are fitting better. Last week I wore a pair of jeans I've never been able to wear, and some underwear I haven't been able to wear in years. Haha! So I know I'm making progress, I just have to be patient. I also took my measurements today. It's something I wish I would have done at the beginning of the year, but at least I have them now as reference and plan to take my measurements once a month.
Another thing I have realized is that I miss working out on my "rest" days. My rest days right now are Sunday & Monday due to my work schedule on those days. Yesterday and today I have been chomping at the bit. I'm ready to get back out there tomorrow and workout. I have also come to the realization that I enjoy jogging. I know I have a long way to go before I'll be able to run, let alone run any great distance, but the time that I spend jogging I enjoy. Which brings me to my next topic...
Since I like jogging so much, and I have my very first 5k coming up in July (July 20th), I've been reading up on the Couch to 5k info and I'm seriously considering doing it. It's a 9 week program that prepares you to be able to run a 5k. I know it will take me longer than 9 weeks to be able to do that, and I know I may have to repeat some weeks a couple of times, but I feel like the structure of the program will help me a lot. And it will help me lose some more weight. So I think I may start giving that a try sometime this next week, we'll see. Either way, jogging will help me get back into shape so when I play basketball again, I'm not killing myself on the court. But, I did come across this article that I like, and I wanted to share it with all of you.
http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=running_while_chunky_a_guide
Other than that, not too much is up in my world. It's supposed to rain a lot this week, but I'm hoping some of it will hold off enough to be able to get my workouts in at Blackwell. Otherwise, it'll be plan B. :) Hope you all have a wonderful week, and I will check in again with you all soon!
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Getting my workout on!
As I have started to get into the swing of things with working out & eating healthy, I am feeling great. I've already noticed a change in my body and my limitations. I'm doing things that I never thought I would be able to do.
As I shared on my FaceBook page yesterday, I started some HIIT training with my best friend Michelle, which she learned from her trainer Christopher Sasha. On Saturday my best friend Michelle and I hit Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville, IL and conquered Mount Hoy. It was such an accomplishment for us, and I don't think we realized the scope of what we accomplished until we were leaving the forest preserve and could really see the hill.
Sunday and Monday we didn't walk (different work schedules), but Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday we did. Tuesday we did our walk, but we added more in Wednesday and Thursday. For the first time in over 10 years I jogged on Wednesday. So we jogged a bit, then hit the hill for our walk. Today we did the same, and added in some kickboxing moves once we reached the top of the hill.
Usually I would be embarrassed to post the photo right above (the one of me getting ready to throw some punches), but honestly.. I can feel and see a change in my body already. I'm approaching the 50 lbs lost mark (21 since January 13th, 2013), and I can tell in the way that my clothes fit me that I've dropped weight and inches. For example, I wore a pair of jeans to work today that I have NEVER been able to wear. So that was a victory ALL in itself.
"I'm not sure how often you ladies do this, but I just wanted to come over and say hi and show my support and encourage you to continue doing what you're doing. All the hard work will be so worth it in the end. Good luck to the both of you."
He congratulated us on our effort and really just wanted to motivate us to keep up our plans, and encourage us. Honestly, it was just really awesome for a complete stranger to feel moved to give us some encouragement. I tell ya, God sometimes sends people your way to show you you're on the right path. We got the message loud and clear. I hope we run into him again so we can hear how his training is going. He is truly inspirational.
So, I can't wait for weigh in day. I can't wait to see my progress for this week. Weigh in day is Sunday and I'm really hoping to hit the 50 mark (I'm at 48 right now), and I will be SUPER stoked. Also, I have the Color Me Rad 5K on July 20th that I'm starting to train for. I know I won't be able to run the whole thing, but if I keep up the way I'm going I should be able to do a pretty decent amount of jogging. I'm super excited about that!
The plan for tomorrow (Friday) is to get up early and get my walk/jog on with Michelle at Blackwell. Our friend Kristin is joining us, so I am super excited about that! After that I'm doing a photoshoot with Michelle. For those of you who don't already know, I'm a photographer. :) If you want to see some of my work, let me know and I'll post the info. Then, later that night I'm hitting the gym with my friend Katie! I'm SUPER excited and I've been feeling SO accomplished.
Honestly though, I couldn't do it without all of you. I don't think anyone realizes just how much support from those around you means. It's hard when you're trying to do things on your own. You could have all the willpower in the world, but knowing that you have an army of support behind you makes life easier. It makes you want to succeed not only for yourself, but for the people who are supporting you. Knowing you have people behind you who WANT to see you succeed makes all the difference. I couldn't imagine doing this without all of your support. So THANK YOU all SOOOOOOOOOO much! I can't say thank you enough!
And I wanted to leave you all with a quote from Tony Robbins that my friend Jenni tagged me in recently. This quote has been on my mind a lot lately. So here it is.
As I shared on my FaceBook page yesterday, I started some HIIT training with my best friend Michelle, which she learned from her trainer Christopher Sasha. On Saturday my best friend Michelle and I hit Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville, IL and conquered Mount Hoy. It was such an accomplishment for us, and I don't think we realized the scope of what we accomplished until we were leaving the forest preserve and could really see the hill.
Sunday and Monday we didn't walk (different work schedules), but Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday we did. Tuesday we did our walk, but we added more in Wednesday and Thursday. For the first time in over 10 years I jogged on Wednesday. So we jogged a bit, then hit the hill for our walk. Today we did the same, and added in some kickboxing moves once we reached the top of the hill.
 |
| This is me pre-workout :) |
 |
| Michelle showing me some wall kicks she learned from her kickboxing trainer Carrie :) |
 |
| Me getting ready to throw some punches. |
Michelle has been kicking ass too. She has honestly been showing me a lot of new things to do. She was the one who suggested we do some jogging, and I'm glad she did. When she first suggested it, my initial thought was "no way, I can't do this." But, I DID do it and I felt amazing. There really is no way to describe how awesome it feels to do something you thought you couldn't. I hadn't jogged in well over 10 years, so that accomplishment was amazing.
Another awesome thing that happened today was the biker training for a 100 mile race. As we were working out on top of Mount Hoy, this gentleman riding his bike up and down the hill came up and headed down the hill. He saw us working out, but left us alone. Sometimes it embarrassing when people bust in on your work outs, mainly because I have a lot to work on with my confidence. As we worked out and made out way down the train, he lapped us a couple times on his bike. As we reached the bottom of the trail he had already lapped us and was heading to ride up the hill again (this guy was a BEAST!). When he saw us at the end of the trail, he turned around and came over to us. He was honestly the sweetest man. He said the following:
He congratulated us on our effort and really just wanted to motivate us to keep up our plans, and encourage us. Honestly, it was just really awesome for a complete stranger to feel moved to give us some encouragement. I tell ya, God sometimes sends people your way to show you you're on the right path. We got the message loud and clear. I hope we run into him again so we can hear how his training is going. He is truly inspirational.
So, I can't wait for weigh in day. I can't wait to see my progress for this week. Weigh in day is Sunday and I'm really hoping to hit the 50 mark (I'm at 48 right now), and I will be SUPER stoked. Also, I have the Color Me Rad 5K on July 20th that I'm starting to train for. I know I won't be able to run the whole thing, but if I keep up the way I'm going I should be able to do a pretty decent amount of jogging. I'm super excited about that!
The plan for tomorrow (Friday) is to get up early and get my walk/jog on with Michelle at Blackwell. Our friend Kristin is joining us, so I am super excited about that! After that I'm doing a photoshoot with Michelle. For those of you who don't already know, I'm a photographer. :) If you want to see some of my work, let me know and I'll post the info. Then, later that night I'm hitting the gym with my friend Katie! I'm SUPER excited and I've been feeling SO accomplished.
Honestly though, I couldn't do it without all of you. I don't think anyone realizes just how much support from those around you means. It's hard when you're trying to do things on your own. You could have all the willpower in the world, but knowing that you have an army of support behind you makes life easier. It makes you want to succeed not only for yourself, but for the people who are supporting you. Knowing you have people behind you who WANT to see you succeed makes all the difference. I couldn't imagine doing this without all of your support. So THANK YOU all SOOOOOOOOOO much! I can't say thank you enough!
And I wanted to leave you all with a quote from Tony Robbins that my friend Jenni tagged me in recently. This quote has been on my mind a lot lately. So here it is.
"You're in the midst of a war: a battle between the limits of a crowd seeking the surrender of your dreams, and the power of your true vision to create and contribute. It is a fight between those who will tell you what you cannot do, and that part of you that knows / and has always known / that we are more than our environment; and that a dream, backed by an unrelenting will to attain it, is truly a reality with an imminent arrival." -- Tony Robbins
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
What flipped the switch
For those of us who need to lose weight, or even those who don't have a lot to lose & just want to look/feel better, there is always that one moment that propels us to get on the healthy wagon. It could be a photo, an article of clothing you can no longer fit into, or even an activity you are now struggling to do. Honestly, it could be a number of things. All that matters is you're getting healthy, and you're most definitely not alone on the journey.
I've always been the fat kid/girl. The way I dealt with being made fun of, was to make fun of myself first. I still find myself making jokes at my own expense, just ask my friends. Though, I don't see it as a bad thing. It's honestly more of a way to show that I have a sense of humor about my situation. Also, once I crack a joke, it makes it less appealing for someone else to do the same. While I was growing up, I used to play sports with the guys. I loved doing that, and honestly wish I would have just sucked it up and committed myself to getting healthy by playing sports back then. There are a number of reasons why that didn't happen, that maybe I can get into in another blog post.
Back then basketball was the love of my life. Around 5th or 6th grade I learned to play and realized I was quite good. Through Junior High and High School I played basketball in my free time with the neighborhood boys, at youth group, and at open gym through my church. Even for being large, I was good. When I would play, people actually wanted me on their team. I would take a basketball class in gym class every semester, which lead to my gym teachers always telling me I need to join the basketball team. I considered it for awhile, and in my sophomore year I was ready to try out for the team. Sad to say, once one of the things we had to pass was running the mile, I knew I was a goner. I was already quite large and running a mile in an acceptable time frame was just not something I could do. So, I didn't end up going for the try out. I honestly kick myself every day for that. Maybe I wouldn't have done all that great, but that could have also been the start to me getting healthy. Also, with my skills it was very possible I would have made the team.. which makes me think about what could have been. It's not a nice thought, and that is always a failure in the back of my mind.
I guess what I am trying to say is, I had a couple of things flip the switch in my head telling me I need to get healthy. The main one happened in 2009. In November of 2009 there was a birthday dinner and night out for my best friend Michelle. A group of us met up downtown Chicago at the Grand Luxe for dinner, and then we hit a couple bars for drinks afterwards. I had a great time, and our friends took a lot of pictures. The moment came when I saw those pictures on FaceBook. I was shocked and honestly, ended up untagging myself in most of them. I mean, I knew I was big (of course!), but I looked TERRIBLE. I hated those pictures, and after seeing them, I had a little but of a mini breakdown. I just, didn't take very well to the photos. After that, I started to make more of a conscious effort to eat better. It did take awhile for me to get into the swing of things, and I did fall off the wagon several times, but this time it finally stuck for me and I'm SO happy about that.
Those right there are two of the photos from that night. I was the heaviest I had EVER been at this point. Maybe someday I'll share the actual number with you all. I hate even looking at those photos and sharing them here, but I know eventually I'll be able to look back at them as a stepping stone. They will be a reminder of where I've come from & just how far I've come. The plus is, even after falling off the wagon quite a few times, I've lost a total of 47 lbs since this photo. So, I've already made progress, and I am proud of myself for that.
I guess the reason I posted this blog is because I know there are a lot of you out there who have already had the "oh my gosh, I need to get healthy" moment, and there are others that are just having that moment now. Or maybe you are at the healthiest point in your life, but know someone who may be going through this. Either way, I wanted to show that anyone taking that step toward being healthy is not alone. It is possible to get healthy. It is possible to lose the weight. Even if you have a lot of weight to lose like me, IT IS POSSIBLE. You just have to really want it. You have to be dedicated to getting healthy. And, there are so many options out there to get healthy.
What options did I choose for myself? I chose to do it all natural. I'm eating better & cleaner, tracking my calories, and working on moving more. Don't get me wrong, I had thought about weight loss surgery, but the idea of surgery scares me. I know I know, people go through surgeries all the time, but I'm a wuss. But, it was a thought. The reason I decided to forego the surgery was the fact that, by the grace of God I'm not a diabetic, and I don't have any health issues that would require me to go the surgery route. If I did, and dropping the weight was something I needed to do more quickly, it is definitely something I would do. I know a few people who have had weight loss surgery and are having success with it. They love the decision they made, and are feeling great! Any way you break it down, no matter what the method, getting healthy and losing weight is hard work. It takes a lot of strength, drive, and determination. We also need to remember that we didn't get like this overnight, so it's not going to come off overnight either. It takes time, and in the grand scheme of things, all the time and hard work is SO worth it.
And honestly, I want to thank all of you who read this for your continued support of my journey. Knowing I have you all in my corner makes this journey a little bit easier. And if you're also on a journey of your own, I hope my blog helps you on yours. We're in this together! So thank you for reading. I think my next entry will be my goals post, so stay tuned!
I've always been the fat kid/girl. The way I dealt with being made fun of, was to make fun of myself first. I still find myself making jokes at my own expense, just ask my friends. Though, I don't see it as a bad thing. It's honestly more of a way to show that I have a sense of humor about my situation. Also, once I crack a joke, it makes it less appealing for someone else to do the same. While I was growing up, I used to play sports with the guys. I loved doing that, and honestly wish I would have just sucked it up and committed myself to getting healthy by playing sports back then. There are a number of reasons why that didn't happen, that maybe I can get into in another blog post.
Back then basketball was the love of my life. Around 5th or 6th grade I learned to play and realized I was quite good. Through Junior High and High School I played basketball in my free time with the neighborhood boys, at youth group, and at open gym through my church. Even for being large, I was good. When I would play, people actually wanted me on their team. I would take a basketball class in gym class every semester, which lead to my gym teachers always telling me I need to join the basketball team. I considered it for awhile, and in my sophomore year I was ready to try out for the team. Sad to say, once one of the things we had to pass was running the mile, I knew I was a goner. I was already quite large and running a mile in an acceptable time frame was just not something I could do. So, I didn't end up going for the try out. I honestly kick myself every day for that. Maybe I wouldn't have done all that great, but that could have also been the start to me getting healthy. Also, with my skills it was very possible I would have made the team.. which makes me think about what could have been. It's not a nice thought, and that is always a failure in the back of my mind.
I guess what I am trying to say is, I had a couple of things flip the switch in my head telling me I need to get healthy. The main one happened in 2009. In November of 2009 there was a birthday dinner and night out for my best friend Michelle. A group of us met up downtown Chicago at the Grand Luxe for dinner, and then we hit a couple bars for drinks afterwards. I had a great time, and our friends took a lot of pictures. The moment came when I saw those pictures on FaceBook. I was shocked and honestly, ended up untagging myself in most of them. I mean, I knew I was big (of course!), but I looked TERRIBLE. I hated those pictures, and after seeing them, I had a little but of a mini breakdown. I just, didn't take very well to the photos. After that, I started to make more of a conscious effort to eat better. It did take awhile for me to get into the swing of things, and I did fall off the wagon several times, but this time it finally stuck for me and I'm SO happy about that.
Those right there are two of the photos from that night. I was the heaviest I had EVER been at this point. Maybe someday I'll share the actual number with you all. I hate even looking at those photos and sharing them here, but I know eventually I'll be able to look back at them as a stepping stone. They will be a reminder of where I've come from & just how far I've come. The plus is, even after falling off the wagon quite a few times, I've lost a total of 47 lbs since this photo. So, I've already made progress, and I am proud of myself for that.
I guess the reason I posted this blog is because I know there are a lot of you out there who have already had the "oh my gosh, I need to get healthy" moment, and there are others that are just having that moment now. Or maybe you are at the healthiest point in your life, but know someone who may be going through this. Either way, I wanted to show that anyone taking that step toward being healthy is not alone. It is possible to get healthy. It is possible to lose the weight. Even if you have a lot of weight to lose like me, IT IS POSSIBLE. You just have to really want it. You have to be dedicated to getting healthy. And, there are so many options out there to get healthy.
What options did I choose for myself? I chose to do it all natural. I'm eating better & cleaner, tracking my calories, and working on moving more. Don't get me wrong, I had thought about weight loss surgery, but the idea of surgery scares me. I know I know, people go through surgeries all the time, but I'm a wuss. But, it was a thought. The reason I decided to forego the surgery was the fact that, by the grace of God I'm not a diabetic, and I don't have any health issues that would require me to go the surgery route. If I did, and dropping the weight was something I needed to do more quickly, it is definitely something I would do. I know a few people who have had weight loss surgery and are having success with it. They love the decision they made, and are feeling great! Any way you break it down, no matter what the method, getting healthy and losing weight is hard work. It takes a lot of strength, drive, and determination. We also need to remember that we didn't get like this overnight, so it's not going to come off overnight either. It takes time, and in the grand scheme of things, all the time and hard work is SO worth it.
And honestly, I want to thank all of you who read this for your continued support of my journey. Knowing I have you all in my corner makes this journey a little bit easier. And if you're also on a journey of your own, I hope my blog helps you on yours. We're in this together! So thank you for reading. I think my next entry will be my goals post, so stay tuned!
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Payday & ready to grocery shop
It's Thursday! Thankfully today is my Friday, and I have the whole weekend off. I'm SUPER excited about that! I hope your Thursday has been fantastic!
So today was payday, which means grocery shopping this weekend. I've made my grocery list and have a recipe in mind I would like to try. I've been finding some great recipes at the following websites:
I found a recipe I want to try out this next week. It looks so yummy, and while it takes some prep (minor), most of the work is done in a crock pot. Here is the link to the recipe.
There are some discrepancies in the recipe from the title etc. For instance, the recipe is for stuffed pork chops with bacon, apples, and walnuts, but the actual recipe calls for pecans. So nothing major. I will, however, be making this with walnuts. I am also thinking about substituting cinnamon for the Spanish paprika. I'll let you all know how it comes out and I'll be sure to take some photos. I also read in the comments that, in the crockpot, it has only been taking most people 8 hours to cook. So I'll verify that as well. :)
I need to start writing down some of "recipes" of the stuff I make. The thing is, I'm kind of a "throw it in the pan" kinda gal, so sometimes what I make is just a hodgepodge of what I have available, haha. I do measure though, I guess I'm just afraid most of you will think it's odd. Haha! But honestly, it makes for some YUMMY food most of the time. But, since some of you were interested in what I've been eating, I'll make a point to write what I'm adding down and take some photos. :)
Also, if any of you have some great recipes you would like to share, please feel free to leave them in the comments here, or you can post them on my FaceBook Page here: https://www.FaceBook.com/MyJourneyBeyondtheFat :) Also, please don't forget to like my page, if you haven't already. It's a great way for us to connect!
Another thing, I am in need of a food scale (I wan't to be as precise as possible), and I would also like to get a food processor. I'm working on a budget, so if any of you have some leads for me on where I can get these items more affordable, I would GREATLY appreciate it. :) Have I mentioned how much I love you guys?
So what will YOU be doing this weekend to be successful? What are YOUR plans?! :)
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Paleo/Primal Eating
So a friend of mine asked me what my thoughts on the Paleo "diet" are, and if I would blog about it. So here are my thoughts.
Since deciding to get healthy, I have been making a conscious effort to read more about food & nutrition. While I still have A TON to learn, I am picking up more things here and there. My journey to get healthy has evolved quite a bit over the last two years. Two years ago, my main goal was to log my food and make healthier choices. At that time, healthier choices were adding more salads into the mix, doing more of my own cooking, mixing in some veggies, and essentially eating food that I considered "healthier." There was a time where I wasn't eating breakfast, so when I began to log my food/calories, I was eating Nutrigrain bars. I was also eating a lot of oatmeal, and not the best kind either. I was buying the packaged oatmeal with the variety of flavors. You know, the oatmeal FULL of sugar. Yeah, that's the one. At the time, what I was eating was healthier than my previous diet full of fast food. But while I was eating "healthier" than I had been before, I was still eating things that were really not the best option for me.
As things progressed, I wanted to cut out more of the processed food I was eating, and opt for healthier foods. Around that time my friend Katie and her husband Fonz had joined Crossfit and they were beginning to eat Paleo. Intrigued, I had Katie explain it to me, which lead me to read about it online. I toyed with the idea for awhile before I took the plunge and decided to try it out.
Would I consider myself Paleo?? No, I wouldn't. I'm not quite on that level yet, and I'm not 100% sure that is the right path for me. If anything, I would consider myself more Primal, and somewhat loose at that, though I'm working on it. There is a difference, and I will explain and provide some links as well. Please note, I could be wrong in my explanations here, this is just what I've picked up via internet research. But I consider myself more Primal as I have yet to cut out dairy and grains completely yet. I still have milk from time to time, I love cheese, and I do find myself eating some grains upon occasion.
The thing is, both Paleo & Primal are very similar. What they both have in common, the need to eat REAL food. Both diets cut out processed foods & sugars, and aim for diets with animal protein/fats, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Basically if a caveman could have eaten it, it's fair game. There is more to Paleo & Primal, so I've put some links below for your reading pleasure.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-101/#axzz2NCVuYZ18
http://www.foodrenegade.com/why-i-heart-paleo-primal-wapf-diets/
Now to answer your questions as to why I chose to go the more Paleo/Primal route. To me it really just is a no-brainer. Often times before I opted to eat more Paleo/Primal, I would find myself hungry with very little left for my daily calories. As I started to eat more protein, and fill my side dishes with veggies, I was full longer and had less cravings. And honestly, I felt good. When I made the switch toward the Paleo/Primal direction, I was a little hesitant at first, but after about a month or so of it I felt a change. I felt better, which is not surprising since I was eating REAL and better food than I was before.
Another reason why I chose Paleo/Primal... I've seen it work. As I stated above, my friend Katie & her husband Fonz have been doing the Paleo thing as well as Crossfit, and I've seen the success they have had with it. Katie has been working on getting back into the swing of Crossfit & eating a stricter Paleo diet, and has toned up and lost some weight. Fonz on the other hand went into Crossfit & Paleo full force and lost quite a bit of weight. We're talking over a hundred pounds in a ten month time period. So I've seen that, when you really put in the work, you can be successful. So seeing the differences in my friends, and having their support, I decided to go the Paleo/Primal route. And hopefully soon I'll be incorporating a very modified version of Crossfit. But that is a post for another time.
If anyone would like a more in depth blog post about this, I can definitely work on that. As I said, I'm still learning and will share any new information I come across if you want to read it. :)
Since deciding to get healthy, I have been making a conscious effort to read more about food & nutrition. While I still have A TON to learn, I am picking up more things here and there. My journey to get healthy has evolved quite a bit over the last two years. Two years ago, my main goal was to log my food and make healthier choices. At that time, healthier choices were adding more salads into the mix, doing more of my own cooking, mixing in some veggies, and essentially eating food that I considered "healthier." There was a time where I wasn't eating breakfast, so when I began to log my food/calories, I was eating Nutrigrain bars. I was also eating a lot of oatmeal, and not the best kind either. I was buying the packaged oatmeal with the variety of flavors. You know, the oatmeal FULL of sugar. Yeah, that's the one. At the time, what I was eating was healthier than my previous diet full of fast food. But while I was eating "healthier" than I had been before, I was still eating things that were really not the best option for me.
As things progressed, I wanted to cut out more of the processed food I was eating, and opt for healthier foods. Around that time my friend Katie and her husband Fonz had joined Crossfit and they were beginning to eat Paleo. Intrigued, I had Katie explain it to me, which lead me to read about it online. I toyed with the idea for awhile before I took the plunge and decided to try it out.
Would I consider myself Paleo?? No, I wouldn't. I'm not quite on that level yet, and I'm not 100% sure that is the right path for me. If anything, I would consider myself more Primal, and somewhat loose at that, though I'm working on it. There is a difference, and I will explain and provide some links as well. Please note, I could be wrong in my explanations here, this is just what I've picked up via internet research. But I consider myself more Primal as I have yet to cut out dairy and grains completely yet. I still have milk from time to time, I love cheese, and I do find myself eating some grains upon occasion.
The thing is, both Paleo & Primal are very similar. What they both have in common, the need to eat REAL food. Both diets cut out processed foods & sugars, and aim for diets with animal protein/fats, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Basically if a caveman could have eaten it, it's fair game. There is more to Paleo & Primal, so I've put some links below for your reading pleasure.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-101/#axzz2NCVuYZ18
http://www.foodrenegade.com/why-i-heart-paleo-primal-wapf-diets/
Now to answer your questions as to why I chose to go the more Paleo/Primal route. To me it really just is a no-brainer. Often times before I opted to eat more Paleo/Primal, I would find myself hungry with very little left for my daily calories. As I started to eat more protein, and fill my side dishes with veggies, I was full longer and had less cravings. And honestly, I felt good. When I made the switch toward the Paleo/Primal direction, I was a little hesitant at first, but after about a month or so of it I felt a change. I felt better, which is not surprising since I was eating REAL and better food than I was before.
Another reason why I chose Paleo/Primal... I've seen it work. As I stated above, my friend Katie & her husband Fonz have been doing the Paleo thing as well as Crossfit, and I've seen the success they have had with it. Katie has been working on getting back into the swing of Crossfit & eating a stricter Paleo diet, and has toned up and lost some weight. Fonz on the other hand went into Crossfit & Paleo full force and lost quite a bit of weight. We're talking over a hundred pounds in a ten month time period. So I've seen that, when you really put in the work, you can be successful. So seeing the differences in my friends, and having their support, I decided to go the Paleo/Primal route. And hopefully soon I'll be incorporating a very modified version of Crossfit. But that is a post for another time.
If anyone would like a more in depth blog post about this, I can definitely work on that. As I said, I'm still learning and will share any new information I come across if you want to read it. :)
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Happy Sunday!
Hey everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.
Sundays for me are usually pretty busy. Sunday is the beginning of my work week, weigh in day, and also my food prep day. On Sundays I work 3pm-midnight and when I get off I usually go home, catch up on The Walking Dead, and make my food for the week. Tonight will be no different. :)
Last night I had the chance to spend a lovely evening out with some awesome ladies for my friend Katie's birthday. We had a dinner at Zaza Trattoria in St. Charles, which is Italian food. Now, for some of you who don't know, I have a love/hate relationship with pasta. Earlier in the week I checked out their menu so I could plan ahead for the evening. I DID order a pasta dish, and I DID have a couple drinks last night, but I also planned ahead. I knew what I was getting into, and made sure I had the calories to allow myself to have a good time. It's honestly so awesome to see the changes in myself already. If you would have talked to me two years ago, planning ahead was something I didn't do. I would have eaten/drank whatever I wanted without planning ahead, just with the thought of "this is a special occasion." I was the queen of excuses. A bad day for me now is NOWHERE close to a bad day for me two years ago. It's honestly amazing. Also, it helped that we did some walking last night as we did a bar crawl after dinner. It was a lot of fun.
With all of that said, I weighed in today and was down 4.6 lbs for this last week. I'm super happy & proud of my progress! Honestly, the bulk of my success comes from keeping track of my calories, & planning ahead/food prep. There have been times where I didn't log my food, or where I didn't get to prep for the week, and I was not nearly as successful as I could have/should have been. Planning is KEY to any success. Even if you're not Martha Stewart in the kitchen, a little planning goes a long way. For me, I eat a lot of chicken. I know a lot of people who really can't stand chicken, but I am NOT one of those people. I like to sautee it up with some veggies, bake it, there is SO much you can do with it. My newest thing when I bake chicken is to bake it in a foil pouch with some extra virgin olive oil, and I'll throw in a couple tablespoons of pico de gallo or fresh salsa. It comes out nice & moist, with a nice kick to it.
So, for those of you struggling with trying to lose the weight, here is my challenge to you. Log your food. Seriously. Keep a food journal and log your calories. I log my food on MyFitnessPal.com and I use their iPhone app when I'm not at the computer. Be honest with your food logs and give it a month. If you're honest in your logs, and make the effort to eat better, you WILL see a difference. Yeah, logging can be a pain in the butt sometimes, but it is SO worth it!
If you do decide to join MyFitnessPal, feel free to add me on there. I'm KittyCat613! Let's keep each other accountable!
So what are your plans for this week to be successful? The start of a new week means a fresh start! Give this week your best!
Sundays for me are usually pretty busy. Sunday is the beginning of my work week, weigh in day, and also my food prep day. On Sundays I work 3pm-midnight and when I get off I usually go home, catch up on The Walking Dead, and make my food for the week. Tonight will be no different. :)
Last night I had the chance to spend a lovely evening out with some awesome ladies for my friend Katie's birthday. We had a dinner at Zaza Trattoria in St. Charles, which is Italian food. Now, for some of you who don't know, I have a love/hate relationship with pasta. Earlier in the week I checked out their menu so I could plan ahead for the evening. I DID order a pasta dish, and I DID have a couple drinks last night, but I also planned ahead. I knew what I was getting into, and made sure I had the calories to allow myself to have a good time. It's honestly so awesome to see the changes in myself already. If you would have talked to me two years ago, planning ahead was something I didn't do. I would have eaten/drank whatever I wanted without planning ahead, just with the thought of "this is a special occasion." I was the queen of excuses. A bad day for me now is NOWHERE close to a bad day for me two years ago. It's honestly amazing. Also, it helped that we did some walking last night as we did a bar crawl after dinner. It was a lot of fun.
With all of that said, I weighed in today and was down 4.6 lbs for this last week. I'm super happy & proud of my progress! Honestly, the bulk of my success comes from keeping track of my calories, & planning ahead/food prep. There have been times where I didn't log my food, or where I didn't get to prep for the week, and I was not nearly as successful as I could have/should have been. Planning is KEY to any success. Even if you're not Martha Stewart in the kitchen, a little planning goes a long way. For me, I eat a lot of chicken. I know a lot of people who really can't stand chicken, but I am NOT one of those people. I like to sautee it up with some veggies, bake it, there is SO much you can do with it. My newest thing when I bake chicken is to bake it in a foil pouch with some extra virgin olive oil, and I'll throw in a couple tablespoons of pico de gallo or fresh salsa. It comes out nice & moist, with a nice kick to it.
So, for those of you struggling with trying to lose the weight, here is my challenge to you. Log your food. Seriously. Keep a food journal and log your calories. I log my food on MyFitnessPal.com and I use their iPhone app when I'm not at the computer. Be honest with your food logs and give it a month. If you're honest in your logs, and make the effort to eat better, you WILL see a difference. Yeah, logging can be a pain in the butt sometimes, but it is SO worth it!
If you do decide to join MyFitnessPal, feel free to add me on there. I'm KittyCat613! Let's keep each other accountable!
So what are your plans for this week to be successful? The start of a new week means a fresh start! Give this week your best!
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
New stuff!
Just a quick blog, although I'll likely end up blogging more later, to say that I added some new tabs here on the blog. You can see the new tabs above. I added an "About" section, as well as a link to my Beyond the Fat Facebook Page and Twitter. I also have a link section so you can take a look at some of my favorite links, and other inspirational sites. So check it out and I will talk to you all later! :)
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