Lifestyle Lift

Week three

2023-01-16T18:25:00.005-08:00

It is absolutely amazing to me the dedication I have put into this journey. I mean I have always put in this type of dedication but it usually wanes by week three. And so far that hasn't happened.

I have not found excuses to avoid a workout, sometimes I do not do a full cycle and strength workout, but I always do something, yoga or even meditation.

Sure meditation might not get my cardio heart rate up but it is helping me with my focus, with my staying attached to these goals, it also gives me the grace to be ok if I don't put in a hard workout. Usually my meditation days do come after I have closed my exercise ring, so for what it's worth I am still getting in some activity according to my watch (How somedays I have no idea)

Journalling isn't going as great as I would have hoped, I mean it's better than it was before but I still forget or just don't do it, it's more consistent than it's been in the past, yet I don't journal as I feel I should. There I go shoulding on myself. That's something I'd like to stop this year.

Stretching, this is still a work in progress, but I have incorporated a couple of yoga routines into my weekly schedule to help with that. It's still a workout but it's a stretch too. I've found a couple on the Peloton App that are amazing (Dennis Morton Flow for Riders!!!) and the hip flows. I think I need to do a few feet and wrist flows as well because those are trouble areas during some of my workouts.

It's been one week into the second half of the school year and I have completed some type of activity every day, I think I had 5 workouts (cycling, core and strength) last week and I have done my workout today, tomorrow will be interesting I have signed in to do a live ride with Ally Love (she's one of my favs) but it is at 5:30, I'm usually up by this time when I don't have to be, I just don't know how it will go when I actually have to wake up for it. Fingers crossed it all goes well. I am trying to time my cycles so that I can jump on a live ride for my 100th Cycle, it would be so cool to get a shout out and to also get a PR that ride as well.

I have a goal to read 55 books again this year, I have read 3 books already and finished one audio book. I think I have gotten back into my reading groove and it is refreshing, still working on the intentionality of my reading during the day so that it's purposeful and helps me settle for the night.

I'm not sure if these progress photos are showing in changes, I know the scale is changing, recording lower weights and less body fat. But I am going to keep taking them because this is a journey and not a destination.

Also I do feel like there are changes and they are subtle, and soon others will notice, but at the end of the day, this is for me, for my confidence, my health and my self esteem. This isn't a journey for anyone else or for anyone else to comment on. I know it's not reaching an audience because I don't share this and I have no plans to.

The one thing I notice though is how long my hair is! It's incredibly long now and it's pretty healthy!

Journey to Health 2023 Update 1

2023-01-07T14:20:00.003-08:00

Last week I set some lofty but doable goals for myself this year. I think Tunde (from Peloton) calls them standards. I set standards for myself to help me reach my lofty goal of getting in shape and being strong in 2023. I am going into my 44th year on this planet with a driven mindset.

What I recognize right now is it is super easy because 9 hours of my day are not dedicated to work, or having to drive the children to various appointments. Having those 9 hours free makes it so easy to work out for 30-60 minutes, journalling for 15 or reading for 15. There is so much time in the day to do all those things. When those 9 hours are dedicated to work and fulfilling my role as a taxi driver for my children it is not as easy.

So how do I overcome these impending barriers???

I plan, if you fail to plan you plan to fail. So I have to dedicated some of my free time on the weekends, finding recipes for supper and having them ready to go (Crockpot, instapot, quick stove top) If I do not have to do much to get supper ready, I can do a workout after work, easy peasy, if I have to prep and cook everything I am losing that time. Utilizing my son and husband to also take on part of supper will also have to happen.

I have had some success this week. I have workout every day this week, even done some intense strength exercises after finishing a cardio. I feel good, like I have extra energy, I am sleeping better. My food is better and I am making better choices and avoiding those tasty snacks that do not have a lot of nutritional value. I have lost weight, but what I think is more exciting is having lost 4.5% body fat.

I took my measurements this week, most are exactly where they were six months ago, but my belly bloat is down by 4 inches which is saying something to the things I have been doing.

Today I am tired, but I spent time in a hot tub yesterday and was up late with an early morning wake up, it's been all good and I already finished my workout, so tomorrow I will do my meal prepping and figure out how to make this stick. The only person stopping me from reaching my goals is me.

2023 Journey to Health

2023-01-01T13:11:00.005-08:00

I would say my life since my first child 24 years ago has been in a weird love hate relationship with my body, my size and my own health. Even before my first child I could not claim a healthy relationship with my body. To much external pressure to have the perfect body, the flat abs, to look like my skinny friends and yet I wish I was a skinny as I was the first time I thought I was fat.

In the last year I have done a lot of growth and no longer have any hate for my body, my body is a strong machine that has supported me through so many things. Three babies, a couple half marathons, different exercise programs and regimes and it has allowed me to enjoy so much food. And I do love food, especially baked goods and anything sweet. I know that there are lots of things that influence my body shape, the number on the scale and how I feel about it all. The biggest growth I have had I think this year is the learning that it's not just my body's physical health that I need be aware of, I need to take care of my mental health. Deal with my stresses and use my strategies to support myself as I go through different stressors. Be that relationship, job or finances.

So these are my most current pictures. I am the largest I have ever been and it makes me extremely uncomfortable, but the reality is this is my reality and I put myself here with my poor habits and choices.

Some of these choices would have been due to convenience and the stress of the last two years. A pandemic and my masters didn't make for a relaxing life and I am not really good at identifying my stress or when I am fully in the a stressed state, which is probably more problematic than one could know.

Things still aren't as bad as I feel they are though. I mean I am strong, I can still carry things, I can still do hard workouts without getting completely gassed. I have a lot of strength underneath this layer of padding. I am also super thankful that I do not seem to only gain weight in one area, but I gain it all over fairly evenly.

I am not writing this blog hoping people will reply and comment and encourage me, which I have done in the past, I am writing this for me so I can track my journey with my photos and build some new healthier habits in 2023.

These habits will include

1. Journalling: I have some beautiful notebooks to journal in and I will also use this platform to journal once a week and overall statement. So planning to have 52 blog entries this year.

2. Meditation: I love meditations to put myself to sleep at night, I want to be more mindful of this practice and I am going to try to start with one meditation a week, and slowly increase to two a week.

3. Stretching: I know my body is doing well by me, it works hard for me, it gets me through each day and I need to return the love and stretch after my workouts more, or stretch at night before bed to get some better sleep.

4. Work outs: I would love to work out 7 days a week, but the reality is that I do not have that dedication yet, I need to slowly build it up and I need to structure my days to include all those things I love to do. This first week I am going to work out every day. Kick start the new year, but once school starts and activities start back up I need to be realistic about my expectations. If I can get in three workouts a week for this whole year that will be amazing!

5. Reading: I am an avid reader, but I will sometimes not do any reading because of my mental health, so I am planning to do 20 minutes of reading every night before I go to bed. I am going to change my ipad watching habit to a reading habit, even if I do turn on the ipad after to go to sleep I will have to read for 20 minutes before I do that. I am also going to get up each morning and read for 20 minutes.

6. New morning routines and new bedtime routines: By the end of the year I would love to have built a habit in which I wake up each morning and do a 20 minute work out, followed by 20 minutes of reading and 20 minutes of writing. In the evening I would love to have an hour set aside in which I would do 20 minutes of journalling, 20 minutes of stretching and 20 minutes of reading. I am going to start my mornings with exercising and my evenings with reading. Once those feel set then I will add in the writing. and then the last one.

To my future self: You are amazing and you can do wonderful things, just keep going one step in front of each other. You just have to keep working on yourself and everything else will come around.

Week One Results

2012-05-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

So it's been an interesting week, that's for sure. I was able to stay within 200 calories of 1400 Calories a day for eating. I was able to eat right 6 times this week, in fact I ate right all 7 days on a caloric stand point, but I wouldn't say it was a perfect six days. A Big Mac Meal got in there as did a donut and pumpkin cupcake with icing. So not horrible, but not excellent either. The teacher in me gives me a B-, I have a lot of stuff to tighten up if I want to be successful in the long run.

Week two's short term goal is to do cardio 5X a week for a minimum of 30 minutes a day, 3 toning exercises a week for 15 minutes, and to eat right 6 days a week in order to lose 1-2 pounds.

Now let's see how I did in the weight and measurement category.

Beginning measurements: Week One Measurements
Weight 1XX (no I am not saying that number :P) Weight: 1XX -1
Neck: 13.5 inches Neck: 13.5 no change
Shoulders: 42 inches Shoulders 41.5 -0.5
Bust: 43 inches Bust 42 -1
Chest (under armpits and across) : 36 inches Chest: 36 no change
Thigh: 25 inches Thigh: 24.5 -0.5
Calf: 15 inches Calf: 15 no change
bicep: 13 inches bicep: 13 no change
Hips: 45 inches hips: 44 -1
Waist 1 (smallest part of waist): 35 inches waist 1: 34 -1
Waist 2 (over belly button): 39 inches waist 2: 37.5 -1.5

Well I have lost a total of 5.5 inches in the first week, that's very encouraging!!! And I lost a pound which means I am on track to be losing 6-10 pounds in the next 6 weeks.

Through last year when I was losing weight, I didn't really lose a lot of inches in my neck or chest area those areas pretty much stayed the same so I am not suprised to see no movement there. I also didn't see much more than an inch shift in my calf or bicep so those aren't surprising. What I find the most encouraging is the loss of inches in those areas that are so problematic for me, my hips and waist!! I always identify those areas as my problem areas with my thighs, but hopefully this will start dropping and I can begin to feel like I have no problem areas!!

Bring on week 2!!!!!

Week One Meals

2012-04-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday Meals
Protein Shake with yogurt and fresh fruit 344 calories
English Muffin with peanut butter and honey 183 calories
Apple and Cottage Cheese 153 calories
Steak, Stuffed Potato and Corn 386 calories
oatmeal, apple and cottage cheese 263 calories
Total Calories 1329 calories
water 2.25 Litres
Monday Meals
English muffin peanut butter honey. 178 calories
Steak stuffed potato garlic toast 393 calories
Banana 50 Calories
Chocolate chip cookie 120 calories
Chicken breast rice cream corn 298 calories
Keystone beer 143 calories
Total Calories 1370 calories
Water 1.5 litres
Tuesday Meals
Shhhh don't judge me today
Special K with 1% mild 111 calories
Big Mac Meal with Diet Coke 890 Calories
Taco meat and Ceasar Salad 313 calories

Total Calories 1314 calories
water 2 litres
Wednesday Meals
Protein Shake with yogurt and fresh fruit 344 Calories
turkey wrap with mustard 260 Calories
Donut 200 Calories
Pork chops, rice and cream corn 330 Calories
strawberries and cream cheese dip 94 calories

Total calories 1216 Calories
Water 1.5 litres
Thursday Meals
whole grain toast, peanut butter and honey 331 calories
bbq porkchop rice and cream corn 292 calories
3 pieces pepperoni pizza 600 calories
strawberries and cream cheese dip 94 calories
Total Calories 1317 calories
Water 2 litres
Friday Meals
protein smoothie 344 calories
pumpkin spice cupcakes with icing 264 calories
cottage cheese 81 calories
crepes 410 calories
apple and strawberries 184 calories
Total Calories 1202 calories
Water 750 ml
Saturday Meals
smoothie 344 calories
raspberry muffin whipped shortbread cookie 219 calories
sandwiches, mixed raw veggies, fruit 275 calories
popcorn 110 calories
hamburgers fries and Caesar salad 496 calories
Total Calories 1444 calories
Water 750 ml

* I use My Fitness Pal App to help me calculate my calories*

So it hasn't been a bad week, I have kept within 200 Calories of my desired caloric intake. So yeah!!! There are a few items I am embarrassed to have put on this list, but this is about being honest, so that if anyone else is struggling, they can see what I am doing to find success, as I find things that work, then I am going to make sure to highlight those things. Losing and maintaining weight is hard work, there is no quick fix and I don't just want to lose weight I want to be healthy doing it. I am going to keep the same goal of 1400 Calories but I have to be within 100 calories for next week, then the next week I am going to drop it 200 calories to hopefully kick start my metabolism!!!

Week One EXERCISE

2012-04-29T08:15:00.000-07:00

Sunday Exercise
30 minute walk with Lil Man and Sasha
20 minute toning circuit (25 squats, 25 push ups and 50 sit ups /2X)

Monday Exercise
40 minute walk
15 minute toning circuit ( same as Sunday only once threw though)

Tuesday Exercise
30 minute walk

Wednesday Exercise
15 minute toning circuit (same as Sunday)

Thursday Exercise
I didn't do any formalized exercise this day, although I did help set up tables and chairs then take them down again.

Friday Exercise
Again nothing, hopefully next week will be better for consistency.

Saturday Exercise
Today I had a trade show in Sedgewick so I didn't get anything done for exercising.

I am going to keep the same goals for next weeks exercising, Cardio 5X, Toning 3X and eating right 6 X. I get one Fatday, where I get to eat above my calories and enjoy food. But I can't eat just bad food, but I get to have a few snacks.

Goal Charts

2012-04-24T15:19:00.000-07:00

Alright so I think if I use Google Documents and paste the link here you can see what I am doing and the sheets I am using to keep track of my goals.
Here is the first one, it's a calendar type chart that I will use and make annotations on each day so I can make sure I am reaching my goals.

Goal Chart

Blueprint to success This one let's me record what I want to do and what I did each week!!

2012-04-23T15:11:00.000-07:00

Ok so here is the beginning of my 6 week challenge. Participant ME!!!

First step is to set my goals, long term and short term.
Long term goal: In six weeks to lose 6-10 pounds by eating right and exercising frequently.
Short term goal: During week one I will do five cardio and 3 toning exercises for a minimum of 30 minutes a day for cardio and 15 minutes a session for toning, I will also eat within my 1400 calories 6 times a week.

Now for the measurements section
Beginning measurements:
Weight 1XX (no I am not saying that number :P)
Neck: 13.5 inches
Shoulders: 42 inches
Bust: 43 inches
Chest (under armpits and across) : 36 inches
Thigh: 25 inches
Calf: 15 inches
bicep: 13 inches
Hips: 45 inches
Waist 1 (smallest part of waist): 35 inches
Waist 2 (over belly button): 39 inches

So there's the dark and dirty of where I am beginning. I will then let you know how many lbs I am down each week. Don't worry that 1 in my weight won't disappear.

I would like to attach the goal charts I am using so when I figure that out I will lead you to the links!!!

OMG What have I done?!?!?!

2012-04-22T14:15:00.000-07:00

Recently I uploaded some pictures from my birthday party in March. My first thought was, "I really like my new shirt!" Which was followed by a more 'surprising' thought, "but man do I look fat!" Omg I did not just think that, but unfortunately as I peered at the photo a little more, I realized that it was true. I had gained weight yet again.

Who's fault is this weight gain, well none other than yours truly, I mean I can't really blame anyone else, I ate the food, I stopped the exercise program, I did all that, no one else, so I am the one who is to blame. Yup that was me.

I haven't stepped on a scale to see how much I weigh I really don't need the scale to be taunting me as well, I do a good enough job at that as it is already. But it has definitely lit a fire under my ass, I mean I don't want to be the fat mom, I want to be the healthy has lot's of energy, and hey my mom looks good mom. I don't expect to have changes over night, I know this is an arduous battle, I have been in this spot before, about 18 months ago actually, and I am here again, so now I know I need to make a change.

I am going to talk to my doctor about it at my next appointment, I mean the weight gain is a little surprising I didn't feel I was being that negligent on my eating habits, maybe a little, but not to this extreme. So I want to rule out any medical reason for the weight gain, then I am going to "diet". But not really diet, I am going to track my food intake and I will post weekly results here, to keep me on track. I don't know who all reads this but I don't want to be eating crap and having you all judge me for it. And I am going to exercise every day, so when I post my weekly food log, you will also see my weekly exercise log. And my total earnings that I am going to reward myself with.

So the plan is this, for every day I am within 200 calories +/- my daily caloric intake of 1400 I get $2. For every day that do at least 30 minutes of cardio exercise I get $1 and for every day that I do 30 minutes of strength toning exercises I get $1. So I can potentially earn $4 a day. This will go for 6 weeks. At the end of 6 weeks we will check our progress and go from there. This will start tomorrow so tomorrow I will measure and weigh myself then post the results here. Not the weight, I will just post my % lost after on each weeks update.

Ok here we go 6 weeks to a new me!!!!

Morning Workouts, or Daily Workouts

2011-12-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

I find it so difficult to get out of bed on mornings when I don't work, but I know I should, I know I should get up do quick exercise circuit, but I don't. I usually laze in bed and then get up, then eat, then play on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest for an hour, then I clean the house, and then I do anything but exercising. ANYTHING!! I know this is so bad for me, especially because I am considering saving myself some money by quitting the gym and just getting a family pass at the Collicut for the year. It's cheaper because Hubby works for the city, so then we can both go. I know, absolutely KNOW that, hubby would not have half the aches and pains he did if he began working out regularly. So for 1/2 the price of my gym membership a month, I could take my whole family to one of the City Centers, (Collicut, Rec Center, Dawe) and work out there. We would also get to go swimming as a family or do lane swimming with other friends. So the thought of quitting the gym, though it pains me to say it, means that I have to become more motivated at home to stay active and in shape.

The gym has given me some great tools and I am very happy with them. I am not quitting the gym because I am not happy with my trainer, in fact I would offer my trainer money to come train my hubby and I for one hour a week just to make sure I stay on track. I am quitting the gym because my family cannot afford the cost anymore, especially if we begin looking into moving away from the city.

So this is what I have begun in December that I am going to push on my entire house. (Yes I am that pushy, my 2 y/o will even get involved) I typed up 14 different quick workouts for us to do in the morning. Some will take 15 minutes others closer to 45. I am going to print them off and put them onto some Scrapbooking paper then we will put them in a little container. Each day we will pick one of them to do the next morning, and Hubby and I will for sure do them at some point during the day, then we will pick another one. We will both get one veto day, or day of rest, but it doesn't have to be the same day. But when we are working out it has to be the same workout. If the kids are up they will join us.

Also the days I usually go to the gym we will still go to the gym to workout and we will add another day to that schedule so that we are going to the gym 4 times a week. I think we will work on cardio mostly, but we will definitely do some strength training too.

Much to my family's dismay we are going to go be changing some eating habits as well. Especially my hubby, who still snacks out on chips and goodies all the time. He is going to be put on my diet and I will be making his lunch and snacks and breakfasts for him and he will eat them..... because I said so with love of course.

I will update my workout cards when I have them done, I need to get pictures for them too, so that we know what we have to do. But it's going to be so worth it. I heard awhile ago that a family who works out together stays together.

Dirty Dozen Work Out

2011-11-30T10:00:00.000-08:00

This is seriously a hard work out. We did this workout when my trainer was on holidays. I think the goal of the substitute trainer was to kill us. Seriously, we had the most brutal workout. It didn't help that I had been missing a week prior to doing this workout, but I still think it would have been a dirty workout, regardless. The trainer called it the Dirty Dozen. I think it was a very appropriate name.

We started with a warm up, whis is a bit unusual, but it wasn't horrible. We got our heart rates up and warmed up before we went to face death. The warm up was a collection of cardio activities from jogging, to high knees, to butt kicks, lateral squats and walking lunges. First of all I have no coordination to do walking lunges I always tip to one side while doing them. We had practicum students leading the workout and I am probably the worst student to teach. I rolled my eyes and proceeded through the warmup, only to be faced with a horrible workout on the white board.

The workout looked horrible, and we hadn't even started it yet. This is how the workout was written
1. Burpees
   2. TRX Jump squats/ TRX squats ( TRX is the name of the equipment we were using)
   3. KB Swings/ OH press (KB= Kettle Bell/ OH = Over Head Press)
   4. MB Slams (MB+ Medicine Ball)
   5. Bosu push ups ( Bosu are those half balls)

12----->1 then
1------->12

Meaning we had to do these 5 exercises with descending reps, then repeat with ascending. So we started with 12 burpees, 12 TRX Jump Squats, 12 Kettle Bell Swings, 12 Medicine Ball slams, 12 Bosu Push , then 11 of each then 10 of each and so on and so forth. When we got down to 1 we started over again at 1 and worked our way back up to 12.

I made it to the end and back up to 3 reps of each exercise. Then I died, or wished I had.

We ended the 60 minute workout with ab exercises. We did a 1/2 tabata or three different Ab workouts. A tabata is 20 secs of work and 10 secs of rest 8 times. A half tabata is 20 secs of work 10 secs of rest 4 times. We did Bicycle crunches, the plank and V sit extender.

I was so sore after this workout!! But it was a great workout and one that can be altered for at home with little to no equipment.

For example you can do Burpees, Squats, Lunges, tricep dips on a chair, push ups. Then you can do the tabata as well of ab exercises. Yup try it let me know what you think!!!

New Diet Planning

2011-10-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

I have been doing a lot of reading lately on dieting and planning an appropriate diet, where you get all your nutrients and all your vitamins but where it still tastes good.

I believe that processed sugar is not great for you, but I believe if you practice portion control and serving sizes, you will do fine with eating a balance of sweets and nutritious foods. That being said, I do not believe that you can live or subsist on a diet of treats alone, nor if you are entering a competition where they are going to evaluate your body, do I think you should indulge in these treats. However, if you are only trying to maintain a healthy diet then these habits or portion control and serving sizes will be very beneficial.

I read, in a book, I believe it was Eat, Pray, Love, that the Italians never eat anything, they taste everything but eat nothing. It's a habit to sample all the food in front of you but to not eat everything. I don't believe in wasting food, but I believe in second and third helpings if you need them. That would be the way to truly be able to manage your weight.

So that is my goal for the next 21 days. I am going to manage my portions and take second helpings if I am hungry but all my meals will be manageable and won't leave me stuffed. I will use my hand as my guide for what size of portions I should be eating. Maybe even my plate division, but I am going limit my treat intake to just weekends and during the weeks I will stick to the 4 food groups to maintain my diet and we will see how that goes.

Also as I am on a weight loss cycle right now and not onto maintaining my weight yet, I will be having two protein shakes a day as a meal replacement, one at breakfast and one for a bed time snack, I will post some more recipes that I try in the future in case anyone else wants to join me.

The next 21 day plan will be exercising, getting back on that stupid Wii fit and making those programs work for me, and doing my Jillian Michaels DVDs. Bikini Body 2012 is going to be smoking!!!

Weigh Ins again.....

2011-10-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

I am getting so frustrated with my weight, but at least my measurements are going down. My weight is staying up and it's not at a number I am comfortable with, that's just the honest truth. However, my measurements are down, I went down a whole eight inches on the skinniest part of my waist in three weeks, so I just have to stick to my new diet plan and things should be ok.

I am down 2% in measurements and up 1% in weight. So it could be muscle mass, and as my clothes are fitting well and even better still I am inclined to believe that. I just wish the number on the scale didn't mean so much to me right now. It means less and less, but it is the one number I can easily check to keep myself on track. I guess from now I on I have to just check my dress size.

Protein Shakes

2011-09-29T07:03:00.000-07:00

I have been going to my gym for almost ten months now.... that's shocking!! But it has taken me at least nine months to enjoy Protein Shakes. I seriously hated them and the thought of having to drink one would turn my stomach.

But now I am enjoying them. I am even willing to try new shakes. My good friend Michelle is sending me some Visallis Shakes in the mail to try and may order them if I enjoy them. But for now I am creating tasty treats in my own home basing my ingredients on my diet plan from the gym.

My two new favourites are: Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Cup and Vanilla Berry Banana Cup.

The ingredients are listed below in a single serving size but feel free to experiment, it's the only way to find how you like your Whey.......

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cup Vanilla Berry Banana Cup

1/2 banana 1/2 banana

1 heaping tbsp of Peanut Butter 5-6 strawberries

1 cup 1% milk 1/8 -1/4 cup blueberries

1 scoop of Chocolate Protein Powder 1 cup 1% milk

2-3 ice cubes 1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder

Blend for all it's worth and drink 2-3 ice cubes

Blend and Enjoy

It's only a number..

2011-09-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

We had our weigh ins again this week. Sometimes I dread these bi-monthly occurrences but they do help to keep me honest or more honest.

I need to create an excel sheet that will record my body changes in percentages. I am really good with Mircosoft, but sometimes it's hard because I don't use Excel that often and sometimes my ideas are much more complicated than I initially think they are. With this spreadsheet I would have actual stats to show me how well my workouts are going. Also if I stick to my diet I would be able to see how much more the diet helps in the weight loss category because sometimes I am still skeptical at the diet component.

So here is what I found out from the latest weigh-in. I am up 4 pounds, not good, but I am not worried until I see the differences in the measurements. It is the inches where it counts. So the bad news is I am up 2 centimeters in my chest, Jayzus, the one area I want to lose inches, I gain almost an inch. I mean some girls may enjoy gaining inches in the chest, but I don't want to go up to an E cup. Like come ON!!! The Ok news, I have not changed in inches thighs, glutes or neck or shoulders. The good news, I am down 5 cm in my waist, this would be the smallest part of my waist, my calf is down 3 cm, and my bicep is down 1 cm.

So here is my next goal. I am going to book a photo shoot with a photographer, or if money is an issue I am going to set up a photo shoot with my friend where we do some glamour shots and do our hair and make up. I want it to be an Old Hollywood shoot, so I have to get some ideas for hair and make up and then outfits. But I think this would be great to keep me motivated and it will be a great activity to do with my friend or friends that want to get involved with this.

Finding a new end date.

2011-09-07T07:25:00.000-07:00

I have every intention to continue working out and watching my diet, but I have encountered a slight problem..... yup I find that I don't feel the desire to stay on the diet as strictly as before.

When I started my lifestyle lift, I had long term and short term goals, many of which have fell to the wayside at this point, but the weight loss one stuck. I felt that I had let myself go since the passing of my father and the subsequent pregnancy etc, etc.

Not that I had become Jabba the Hut, but I was four rolls short of this happening, seriously, it was not a great situation. I happen to be one of those people that can put on weight, and I put it on fairly evenly through my entire body so it's not like one area becomes a problem and the rest still look great. No, as I put on weight I develop all the problem areas, belly, thighs, double chin, wingy arms, well you get the picture.

So then I decided I want to get in shape, for the long run, which is a more important factor than any other that I have come up with, to enable myself to have more energy and be healthy for my kids. I wanted to enjoy their childhoods so that I could participate with them in their activities and not just be stuck on the sidelines watching because I had no endurance to keep up with them. The shorter term goals had to deal with the wedding and wanting to look amazing in my wedding dress.

Now I am finding that I don't have the same will power to stick to my diet, because I don't have anything that I am working towards. Just my long term goals, but there isn't really an end date in which I have to bee a certain weight/size by. I talked with my trainer and she suggested trying to sign up for a bikini show, which is based on how you look and stuff, but I don't know that I am ready for that. That seems like it might be a long way off when I look in the mirror, so I need something that may be in the middle of that. She also suggested doing a Boudoir photo shoot. Which is something I have considered, but now I have to decide how long I want to give myself to set up this end date.

I have determined that I would like to lose another 15 lbs. We were talking at the gym the other day that to loose a healthy amount of weight you should take your weight multiply it by 10% then divide it by 52. I think that was the formula and if I follow that formula, that would mean I need to loose 1 pound a week. I don't know that that is the formula, but when we were figuring it at the gym that is what we came up with.

Therefore, it can be determined that if I want to lose 15 pounds I should give myself 15 weeks to obtain my goal. Thus, by Christmas I should be at my goal weight. But then what goal do I put for myself, do I set up a Boudoir photo shoot as my reward for reaching my goal weight? Should I set it up for before Christmas on the 22 or should I set it up for just after New Years? Or just before New Years?

I am leaning towards doing a Boudoir shoot, so I can pretend I am a model, and maybe I can be discovered. Then I can reset my short term goals to maybe do a small bikini show, but I have to set my mind to this goal. I can't just make the goal, but not actually set up the shoot, because if it's not a concrete possibility in my head I won't do it.

Any ideas or suggestions from my readers would be greatly appreciated!!!!

so here's where I am at....

2011-07-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

I have given myself four weeks to get into shape, and lose ten pounds. Now that isn't my final desired weight for my life, but it's the weight at which I would like to leave Canada before my wedding. So I had four weeks to get to work and work out in order to accomplish this goal.

I have been working out and I have made some motivational pictures and posters to hang up so I know the desired look I am working towards. I have been good on my diet, there have been a few, oops-ies, but nothing that has totally derailed me. Nothing I don't think a little extra effort can't burn off.

Awhile ago I posted some dreaded bikini shots of me, the front the rear and the side view, I had Adrian take them again so that I could have a visual comparison. I am down five pounds in the after pictures but you wouldn't be able to tell, at least I don't think you can. That and the lighting and distance of the pictures was changed so it's hard to say. I am going to retake them tomorrow so I can get a better sense of what's going on. I know that I had my measurements and I am down a total of 6 inches as well. So there are changes happening, and they should be visual, but I think I need another pair of eyes to tell me what they think. I could be dreaming it all, but I don't think I am.

So here are my pictures for you to see. Let's see if we notice anything.

So this is the whole shot with all six photos side by side, I will now put up three more pictures with each view on it's on page.

Besides the love handles I don't see much difference but that could be on account of the lighting, angel and the fact that I have a great tan now is really coming through.

Here are the dreaded first set of bikini shots

2011-07-12T11:34:00.000-07:00

I am trying to be brave and not worry about what my insecure voice is going to say once i put this out there. It's one thing to put up shots of yourself in gym clothes but it's quite another to put up bikini shots when you used to be over 200 lbs. yes I said it that was my top weight when I decided enough was enough. I have lost 20 lbs of fat but gained some lean muscle mass, so my weight isn't down 20 lbs but it's close. I have lost more since these photos were taken a total of 3 lbs. So I think my next shots that I will take tonight will maybe show some of these changes.
So here are the front, side and rear view of me. I am going to do another blog here soon and show and progression of pictures, from when I started to now.

Running, running anywhere

2011-07-06T13:41:00.000-07:00

I am starting to enjoy running again. I have gone out twice (well I know it's not much but still) and I thoroughly enjoyed myself both times.

I have done a 4 km run and 5 km run. The 5 I did last night and it took me 30 minutes, I am terrible at telling time when I am working out and I couldn't tell if it was longer or shorter than 30 minutes. I have decided that next time I go out I am going to plan out my route so that it's longer. Maybe 7 km and build myself up to 10 km by the time my friend Alex gets here, then I can try to take her on a run with me.

So that's what I did yesterday, and today I went for a walk. It took us an hour to walk to the library and back. It was a good walk, like 4 miles, which is like 9 km. I enjoy walking to the library, I get books and I get to be outside with lil man enjoying the summer weather.

I don't know what day it is of 55

2011-07-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

But I am back. My access to a computer was limited while I was in Saskatchewan, well it wasn't limited I just chose not to access the computer. And my mother's wifi is so hidden I can't ever find it, so I didn't feel like sitting upstairs at night after they had gone to bed to update my blog. There it is I was being lazy....

However I did go for a run on Friday, a long run too and on Saturday and Sunday I went for long walks with friends.

Eating not so great, but I am ready for the next 4 weeks to bust my ass in the gym and with my nutrition. I have a new nutrition plan and I am going to bust my ass to lose these last ten pounds. Ten pounds and I should be in good form for the wedding, I can even work on losing another 4 pounds while traveling down to the wedding.

I know I can do it and I am going to look amazing for the beach and my wedding!! And for the fall!! I am not going to be lazy or use any other excuses I am going to do this and I am going to see some amazing results!!!

Day 9 of 55

2011-06-29T06:55:00.000-07:00

Well it was the last day of school, so besides feeling a little sad because I was done for the year, it was an ok day.

I didn't eat great but I didn't eat to badly, and I was active. I went for walks around the school and then I played with Little Man when I got home, it wasn't much but for the way I was feeling it was a lot!!

Day 8 of 55

2011-06-28T06:17:00.000-07:00

Today was an excellent day!!!

I ate well, not perfectly but I ate well. Also I did some walking with Lil Man and then I went to the gym where I pounded out my workout.

I am loving my new workouts, but I do need to do a workout at home to ensure that I am making progress in getting stronger and faster at working out. Although yesterday we had to run around the outside of the gym 3 times which three months ago was a serious struggle for me. I am thinking that since it's been over a week of working out I am going to post a dreaded bikini picture so that I can see the comparison in a weeks time.

Hopefully that will be even more incentive for me to work doubly hard this month before the big nuptial trip!!!

Day 6&7 of 55

2011-06-27T09:49:00.000-07:00

Ok so I got a little behind on this whole diary type blogging for my countdown to the wedding. But I think most weekends will usually be like this so I will just group them together and update on Monday, that will be way easier.

So didn't have a great dieting weekend, but I didn't eat too badly.

I didn't do to much exercising either. I only played some Kinect with Chandler on Saturday, but I feel I made up for it on Sunday. I did a whole bunch of yard work on Sunday and I was able to clean up under my deck and do the edging around my yard.

So today is Monday I will update what I am doing in a later blog.

Day 4 of 55

2011-06-24T15:41:00.000-07:00

Today was not a good day. It's the end of the year and we are doing all kinds of wrap up parties and well, unfortunately, the kids don't always bring only healthy food, and when it comes to sweets my will power falters.

Then it was a day at school all day with me not participating in gym today, I just didn't really feel like it. They were playing dodge ball, and well they were a little too exuberant with their competitiveness.

And now Sherry isn't going to the gym tonight because she doesn't feel well (get better soon Sherry) but it is a deterrent from going to the gym especially since Nicole is absent today as well. But I am going to go then I am going to meet up with Adrian for a steak night or something. It will be fine and I can get back on track tomorrow, so I am not too worried right now. But today hasn't been a great day!! Not one of the days I will be highlighting that's for sure!!!

Day 3 of 55

2011-06-23T19:43:00.000-07:00

So another day of working out and keeping active.

Took the little man and the dog to the dog park today. It's a good hike around, usually it takes about 40 minutes. It took us over an hour, but that's because Little man wanted to walk part of it, and well he is easily distracted.

Then it was an afternoon and relaxation and enjoyment. I wanted to do another workout tonight but I am so exhausted and burnt out that I just needed a break. So I took it. I will get back into everything tomorrow. Another gym class, another workout and maybe some time at the driving range.

Keeping active to keep in shape!!!