Checking In

Eeek! It's been a while again. Sorry about that. Post ideas are always swirling around in my brain but I never seem to get them to the blog. I will definitely be adding a blog related goal to the list for 2016.

But today I just want to check in and fill you in on a few things that have been going on.

The Christmas Fix Challenge :: I joined a challenge group hosted by Erica and we just wrapped up with that earlier in the week. I wasn't on my game the whole challenge but I do know I was much more aware of when I wasn't doing as well as I would like thanks to checking in daily. Accountability buddies are a huge help to me when it comes to making healthy choices. When others know I want to skip the soda or go to the gym on a certain day I've increased my chances of doing those things. No on wants to explain why they didn't when they said they would.

#letsbelivin :: I was featured on Lex Be Livin' the other week all for using the hashtag #letsbelivin on my Instagram posts.  You can check out the post I was featured in here. And if you want to learn more about the hashtag you can read all about it here.

Beyond the Scale :: Earlier this month Weight Watchers launched their new program, Beyond the Scale.  I'm still learning about the program and want to share my thoughts on it soon. But the main concept is that weight loss is about more than just the scale, it's about you as a whole. I love the idea of it and can't wait to really start working the program to reap the benefits of it.

But speaking of the scale, my weigh ins have been moving in the right direction again! Yay!

Starting Weight: 224.4

November 30: 221.0

December 4: 219.2 (1-.8)

December 11: 219.0 (-0.2)

December 18: 218.8 (-0.2)

Just one more day to make it through if you're like me and have to work Christmas Eve.  We can do it! Or at least that's what I'm telling myself every time I look at the clock.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Turkey Trot 5k Recap

Hi! Remember me? I know it's been a while again but I promise I haven't forgotten about this little space of mine in the blogging world.

The last time I was here I talked about how I was struggling.  I continued to struggle up until Thanksgiving Day.  I ran a Turkey Trot 5k that morning and since then have gotten up before 5am for my first Body Pump class in two months, had my butt kicked with a personal trainer, and actually went into a grocery store to buy ingredients to actually cook something. I think it's safe to say that I am officially off of the struggle bus!

But backing up to Thanksgiving... I completed my first 5k and in a tutu no less! The weather wasn't ideal as it was incredibly foggy and was misting the entire morning. I ran the first mile in 11:35 and then began my run/walk strategy which I really had no plan for. I slowed down to about 13 min/mile for the next two miles. Sure, it wasn't a superstar performance but for my first time I'm damn proud of what I accomplished. And the most important thing to me for this first race was to cross the finish line. But you can bet I have goals for a year from now when I plan to run this same race again. And when I say run I do mean run...the whole thing!

Turkey Trot 5k is in the books! 40:01 is the official time and a new PR for me. 😁 #turkeytrot #running #justdoit #5k

A photo posted by Amy (@lnlbyamy) on Nov 26, 2015 at 9:33am PST

My mom and some other awesome ladies walked (also in tutus) and I was able to cheer them on as they crossed the finish line. So despite the crappy weather it was a great way to start off turkey day.

Unfortunately, sometime after the race ended my Fitbit bit the dust and wouldn't light up at all when it wasn't on the charger despite being fully charged. Rather than worrying about it I chose to take advantage of Black Friday and splurge on myself by getting a new Charge + HR! I felt kind of naked without a Fitbit on my wrist and a challenge going for a couple of days. But I finally was able to pick it up today and I can't wait to put it to good use. I only wish I had been able to pick it up yesterday so that I could have used it to record my personal training session tonight.

I invested in myself by purchasing two one-on-one personal training sessions and tonight was my (second) first meeting with my trainer Chelsea. She definitely kicked my butt and I'm excited to put the information and routine I learned from her to good use. We even had a good chat while I was warming up on the treadmill and discussed some of the mental battles that come with making a lifestyle change. I am meeting with her again on the 16th and definitely want to be able to tell her that I did a good job with working out since she saw me last.

And real quick before this post gets too long... I joined a challenge group hosted by Erica to help with the accountability. It started Tuesday so I'm only two days into it but so far so good. I know it definitely helped get me to the gym Tuesday morning for Body Pump before work because I had told the whole group (plus my mom and friends) that I was going. No way do you want to check in at the end of the day and say that you didn't go.

Starting Weight: 224.4

October 16: no weigh in

October 23: 218.6 (+1.6)

October 30: 218.6

November 6: 215.2 (-3.4)

November 13: 218.2 (+3.0)

November 20: no weigh in

November 30: 221.0 (+2.8)

Struggling

I'm just going to jump right in and let you all know that I am struggling lately.  I set some goals for the month and so far I haven't really done anything to make progress on them.  But like Tammy Jo said today in her blog post while there are things I cannot change there are plenty that I can.

Honestly, I'm sick of repeating the same crap on here about how I'm struggling.  It's the same old crap every time and I am certain that you are sick of hearing it.  Time to pull on my big girl panties and deal with the crap that is what I have made of the healthy living part of my life and get my shit together.

I'm just going to end this here tonight because thinking about what I haven't been doing lately has made me rather grumpy.  So, this is me recommitting to my October goals which I know I won't fully achieve but I can give it my all with the time I have left.

And because yesterday was Wednesday here's my weigh in.

Starting Weight: 224.4

October 2: 220.2 (+2.4)

October 9: 217.0 (-3.2)

Total Loss: 7.4

October Goals

Not that I want to wish away time but gosh am I happy it's Wednesday.  Work has been kind of slow lately so the days seem to go by extra slow for me. But I know things will be picking up in the future so I just have to keep plugging away.

Even though I am glad we're halfway through the work week I cannot believe that it's the last day of September already. As an adult it seems that the months and years just fly by compared to when we were kids and only summer seemed to fly by.  With the end of the month comes the perfect time to set some goals for October.

- Finish the C25K program!  I had a slow start to my 5K training but since coming back from vacation I've been running every day that I'm supposed to.  And I've been enjoying my runs and feeling good on them!  I've started C25K multiple times but this time feels different, like it's finally my time.  To cap off the program I'll be running the I Ain't Afraid 5K on October 31st. And I'm following up my virtual 5K with a Turkey Trot 5K Thanksgiving morning!

- Track with Weight Watchers.  Since last week all I have been tracking on the WW app has been my workouts.  It is well past the time to get back to tracking my food.  The Weight Watchers program works for me, but only when I'm working the program.  By not tracking my food I am only hurting myself as proven by my weigh ins the past month or so.

- Drink 64oz of water a day.  I have been drinking more water this past week than I have in a long while but it still hasn't been consistent.  When I'm chugging water I don't have time to have a Mountain Dew and that is exactly what my body needs.

- Hit my step goal 4 days a week.  I should be running three days a week so it shouldn't be a problem to reach my 5,000 step goal on those days but that fourth day I will have to push myself.  It's time that I make it happen.

And before I forget, here's my weigh in from Friday.

Starting Weight: 224.4

September 11: 217.8 (+0.2)

Total Loss: 6.6

Where I've Been

The post it note this blog post is coming to you from is dated 8/26/15.  Yeah, I've been holding on to it for almost a month and am finally putting my fingers to the keys to share it.

The month of August was spent enjoying cold beer and seeing Tyler Farr perform at the fair, catching another cold (second one this summer, womp womp) and then being on vacation in the northwoods camping for a week.  All of that led to three weeks of no workouts, one week of horrible food choices (every. dang. meal.), no tracking, and no water (lots of Mountain Dew).

September has started off in much of the same way unfortunately.  I did get back to Body Pump and threw in a run here and there but did not get back to tracking or chugging water.  And last week I was in California visiting my girl Chelsea which was fantastic and much too short of a visit.

But now we're here, I'm home and it's time to get completely back on track!

I met with a personal trainer with my friend Flora (cheaper rate for a 2-on-1 appointment) at the end of August and was so sore!  Like, holy cow, never again will I double up personal training with Body Pump in one night.  I am looking forward to more appointments once Flora is back from vacation.

Speaking of Flora, we're going to be workout buddies!  Even when she can't make it due to work or what not it still pushes me to get to the gym because in a way I want her to have that fear of missing out.  I mean that in the best way possible of course. I want her to join me at the gym and make her fitness a priority in her life.  And I know she wants that too.

Three goals to focus on for the rest of the month.  1) 64oz of water a day!  2) Track with Weight Watchers!  3) Figure out a plan! How should I use my PP for the day?  What meals fit into that plan?  And GO TO THE GROCERY STORE!  (Still struggling with that, a lot!)

SW: 224.4

July 24: 214.6

July 31: 217.7 (+3.1)

August 7: ?? No weigh in

August 14: 217.0 (-0.7)

August 21: ?? No weigh in (Camping)

August 28: 218.2 (+1.2)

September 4: 217.2 (-1.0)

September 11: 217.6 (+0.4)

September 18: ?? No weigh in (California)

Those weigh ins certainly speak for themselves.  Not being focused on making healthy changes in my life has led to some weight gain.  Like I said earlier though, time to get back on track!!

I Ain't Afraid - Halloween 5K & 10K

How is it the last day of August already?  Time has just been flying by unless it's those eight hours I'm at work because those almost always seem to drag by.  I have plans to update you later this week on where I've been this past month and what I've been up to.  But today I have something exciting to share with you.

Lately I've been thinking about signing up for a 5K race in order to give myself something to focus on training for.  I was searching the Internet for one that would fit into my life and just could not find one that gave me enough time to train or wasn't months away.  Shannon from Tatlock's Truth came to my rescue and tweeted at me about doing a virtual race which we could both do and be accountable to each other.  They even mail you a medal!

Because we couldn't wait to get going we chose the I Ain't Afraid - Halloween 5K & 10K.  This race is going to celebrate Halloween AND bring awareness to Breast Cancer as October is also Breast Cancer Awareness month.  The great thing about virtual races is you can run it when it works with your schedule during the month of October and where ever you are (you choose the course)!  The registration cost is $18 which includes your medal and shipping.  Plus, at least $4 of every registration will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Shannon and I didn't want to have all of the fun ourselves so we wanted to invite all of you to join us!  A closed group page has been created on Facebook so we can support one another, share training schedules, struggles, and a picture of ourselves at the completion of our run.  No matter your skill level we hope you join us!

I signed up to run the 5K and plan to follow the Couch to 5K program via the free app by Zenlabs.  This is an eight week program that I am beginning this week and will complete the last week of October.  I also plan to run my 5K during the last week of October, maybe even on Halloween.

Don't miss out on the fun, get signed up and join the Facebook page so we can get to training!

Weigh In Wednesday: July 29

SW: 224.4

July 17: 216.6 (-1.0)

July 24: 214.6

Change: -2.0

Total Loss: -9.8

So the scale has been moving in the right direction and I'm less than half a pound away from that ten pound loss mark again! I won't lie, it was a bit frustrating to have to lose the same old pounds that I lost once before. Now that I have them all lost again I hope to never find them ever again.

I've got a short list of things I want to share with you on this fine Wednesday night.

Failure to plan is planning to fail! I don't know how many times I see this while browsing Pinterest or how many times I've talked about this already on the blog but until I'm actually planning I will keep reminding myself about it.  It is a such a true statement.  Without a plan for what I will be eating for the week I tend to not even buy groceries which leads to poor choices like not eating much or choosing unhealthy foods.  To fix this issue I think I'm going to have to move my departure time up from my parents' house.  I've been staying there until 9pm on Sunday nights and I'm not in the mood to hit up the grocery store before returning to my apartment let alone cooking at 10pm or later. Even though grocery shopping and meal prepping on Monday nights works it leaves Monday morning and the midday to chance which isn't starting my week off on the right foot.

Weekends are tough.  I'm haven't been tracking on weekends and am much more relaxed with my food and drink choices.  Even though I've been seeing results on the scale I know that I cannot continue to only change my habits during the week if I want to continue to see results and be able to maintain a new lifestyle for the long term.  I am also very lazy on the weekends.  My step count suffers terribly Saturday and Sunday every week.  I need and want to work on being more active on the weekends.  Bo would love it if I took him for a walk or two or three/four so there is absolutely no excuse for my couch potato ways.

I've been bitten by the running bug.  I've been having the itch to run but haven't given in yet and scratched the itch.  I've even thought about signing up for a 5K in order to give myself something to train for. But how do I find a 5K race to sign up for?  Runners, I need you help!  What are your tips for finding races?

I'm loving Body Pump! I killed it at Body Pump tonight and I loved that feeling.  I'm looking forward to continuing on this Body Pump journey to see where it takes me and increasing the number of reps I complete and increasing my weights as well.

I will finally try RPM tomorrow. I am strangely excited to try this new form of torture called RPM (cycling).  Pray for me.

I joined a DietBet.  I joined Erin and signed up for a DietBet Sunday night.  I submitted my weight Sunday night and now have until August 23 to lose 4% of my weight.  For me, 4% comes out to be 8.8 pounds which would put me at 210 pounds.  You might be doing the math based on the weigh in I shared above and be thinking that I should have a goal weight less than that.  And you would be right, except I weighed in on Sunday night.  Strategy my friends, strategy.  It may not be the correct way to go about it buuut I'm running with it.  When I am ready to submit my final weight I will weigh in in the morning, much like I do for my Friday weigh ins.

How was your weigh in Wednesday?

It's Mine to Move

SW: 224.4

July 3: 217.8

July 10: 217.6

Change: -0.2

Total Loss: -6.8

I've been having an off week. Not sure what else to really say about it. Thank you Aunt Flo for visiting last week but why do you have to mess with the week after too?

Looking at my goals for the month I'm not doing great with them but not horrible either. It's time to buckle down to turn the rest of the month around. This is me recommitting to my goals and to making this lifestyle change happen.

And because I need to remind myself of this daily I'm sharing this again.

How was your weigh in Wednesday? (Yes, I know it's Thursday :) )

Tracking Equals Weight Loss

SW: 224.4

June 5: 217.0 (+1.0)

June 12: 216.5 (-0.5)

June 19: No Weigh In

June 26: 218.4 (+1.9)

July 3: 217.8 (-0.6)

Total Loss: -6.6

Over two months ago I was so excited to share that I had lost 10 pounds since joining Weight Watchers. But since that day all I have done is gradually gain some of those lost pounds back. I'm disappointed that it happened but I know it didn't just happen. I did something to cause those gains. Or rather I wasn't doing something.

This loss, although small, was huge for me today. I have now lost 10 pounds since joining #WeightWatchers! I have never lost 10 pounds before at any point in my previous weight loss attempts so this is a first for me. Even though I have been off my game the scale has still been moving down almost every week so I must be doing something right. #fitfam #weightloss #fit4fifteen

A photo posted by Amy (@lnlbyamy) on May 22, 2015 at 4:59am PDT

Last night I took the time to log into my Weight Watchers account on my computer and take a peek at some of the progress reports that they provide. It was when I looked at the monthly report that I noticed that tracking equals weight loss and not tracking equals weight gain. The amount of activity points earned one week versus the next didn't make a difference. For instance, 6/19-6/25 I earned 14 activity points but tracked 1/7 days and I gained 1.9 pounds. Then the week of 6/26-7/2 I earned 14 activity points and tracked 4/7 days and I lost 0.6 pounds. The same amount of activity points were earned but the number of days I tracked my food was obviously greater one week to the next.

I also feel like I should note that the entire time I have been following the Weight Watchers program I have never changed up my eating a whole lot. I have continued to eat a lot of the same foods I have always eaten but either in smaller portions or by making smarter choices at other meals to balance out a poor choice. This is one of the reasons that I love Weight Watchers and believe that I can make a lifestyle change with the program. I can eat whatever I want! I just have to be smart about it.

I will leave you today with this.

How I am approaching this journey going forward.

How was your weigh-in Wednesday?

Hello July!

The last time I posted my goals for the month was April. That means I missed two whole months of goal setting and during those two months I realized that I missed it. Taking the time to write down my goals helps me have a more productive month and as a result I feel better. So even though I'm a little late to the game I figure it's better late than never. Am I right?

Life

1. Wake up by 6am Monday - Friday. I think this goal needs a permanent spot on my goal list because it seems that once I think I have it under control I'm back to staying in bed until 6:30am every morning and am rushing to get out the door in time for work. Just this past Friday I was up on time and it was awesome to have time to pack my bag for the weekend, take out the garbage, and be ready for work with enough time to stop at Dunkin Donuts. I definitely need to remember that feeling when I'm fighting the urge to hit the snooze button.

2. Balance my checkbook. I feel less in control of my money when I'm not on top of balancing my checkbook and it's been too long. Usually it seems that I take the time to do it when it's slow at work but I should really be taking the time to do it at home.

3. Clean my apartment. I half way cleaned my place in June but it needs a full deep cleaning. It would be nice to have people over spur of the moment without worrying about what my place looks like. Maybe I shouldn't be admitting that I have that worry to the world? Oh well I guess, it's my blog and I share my real life here which means the good, the bad, and the ugly.

4. Blog! This new design has helped to spark the urge to blog inside me and I cannot wait to reconnect with the blogging world. I was telling Erin during the design process that I realized I have been blogging in some way since 2008! No matter how many breaks I have taken I always seem to come back to it.

Fitness

1. Body Pump 2 times a week. Last month I finally went to Body Pump twice in one week but I haven't done that again since. I used the fact that my Pump partner for Monday night had other obligations that prevented her from attending be my reason for not going. I'm not doing myself any favors by skipping just because someone else can't go. I was even signed up for a Monday night class and I cancelled that reservation before I was even done with work. I'm disappointed in myself and know that I can do better!

2. Rib Mountain 1 time a week. A co-worker and I have started walking Rib Mountain (not really a mountain) and I want to keep it going this month. Right now we're starting out gently and only going once a week probably more because of me than her but my poor legs won't be able to handle Pump twice a week and walking the mountain more than once a week (right now). Have you seen the amount of squats and lunges in the latest Pump release?! (It's a lot, trust me.)

3. Run 1-2 times a week. (Finish the C25K program!) Its been at least a hot minute since my last run. With it finally being summer I really should be out enjoying the sun and hitting the pavement again. The C25K program has been great to me whenever I have started to follow it so I finally want to complete all eight weeks of it. (Structure is my friend so I'm not just out there winging it.)

4. Try RPM! I mentioned trying a RPM class last month but never pulled the trigger as Carolyn says. It will happen in July! The perk to RPM classes for me is that they are only 45 minutes long which means I would be able to squeeze a class in before work and still have time to shower and get ready before work. Body Pump runs a full hour so getting done at 6:30am doesn't really leave me enough time but getting done at 6:15am definitely should.

Nutrition

1. 64oz of water a day. I went off track with my water drinking for a while but I'm getting myself back on track. After dropping my tumbler in the parking lot last week I bought myself a new water bottle at Target and since then I've had renewed motivation to drink all that water (while at work). This new water bottle is 32oz so I only need to fill it twice to meet my goal. Is it just me or does having to fill something two times versus 4-5 times make it easier? Crazy mental games we play with ourselves.

2. Track everything. I've been off track with Weight Watchers and tracking and it's been showing up on the scale on Fridays. It has been proven that WW works for me when I work the program so it's time to get back to that. I won't lose weight if I'm cheating myself on being accountable with my tracking.

3. On Mondays I grocery shop and meal prep. Last week I went to the store (without a plan) and threw some things into my cart and managed to pull out a pretty decent haul. And once I was home I took the time to make some meals up for the week. It was great! Repeat performance to happen every week now even if that means back tracking to the grocery store after Body Pump and not getting around to cooking until a little later. (Last week I was at the store and cooking when I should have been at Pump.)

Whew! Lots of goals this month but totally doable and totally necessary to help me refocus and get back on track. I am looking forward to feeling in control of my life again and like I actually got something done.

What are some of your goals for July?

New Design!

Hi friends!!

Just stopping by to tell you to check out my new design. Isn't it awesome?!

Now I can't take credit for this gorgeous face lift that my blog received. Erin from Love, Fun & Football is the wonderful genius behind the beautiful design.  I hope you check out her blog and show her some love. And while you're exploring her blog I really hope you click over to her design site! Erin does more than just blog designs so keep her in mind for invites too!

Now I've got to get back to The Bachelorette. I'll see you soon! :)

Weigh In Wednesday: June 10

Height: 5'7.5''

SW: 224.4

May 29: 216.0 (+1.6)

June 5: 217.0 (+1.0)

Total Loss: 7.4

Woof! Since joining Weight Watchers this is my first time with two gains in a row. This is definitely not the direction I would like to be moving in.

I'll just be honest with you guys, I've still be slacking on tracking my food and really trying to meal plan for the week ahead. The Weight Watchers app reminds me to track but when I'm eating crap and a lot of it it's much easier to avoid tracking it. Tracking my food does it's job, it makes me think about what I'm eating and evaluate my choices. But when I'm off the program it's not fun to track that to have proof that I've messed up. But I know on days when I don't track or only track a meal or two that I went off the program and quit caring. I've been tracking the last few days even if my food choices haven't been the best, so we'll see where that gets me. Next week will be better once I actually have some good food to eat in my fridge.

Today I attended my second Body Pump class of the week. I've been going to Body Pump once a week for a while and have thought about adding a second class but never pulled the trigger on it. Without someone to go with it was always easier to not go to a second class because no one was expecting me. It's an excuse for sure, I'll admit it. And I'll even admit that the only reason I went twice this week is because I had people to go with me each time. The plan is for it to continue to be that way so I'm going to keep on this twice a week Pump regimen. And even if one of my Pump buddies can't I'm going to do my best to go it alone. No reason not to, right?

Group fitness classes seem to be my jam because since trying Pump for the first time I've been the most consistent than I've ever been with workouts. So even though I've slipped up on the monthly goals again this month one thing I want to do before the end of the month is try a RPM class. And I'm going to have to overcome my fear of trying new things alone because neither of my Pump buddies are interested in a cycling class. Wish me luck and that I survive the first one!

Until next time friends!

Short and Sweet

Real quick I want to check in because its been a while again.

I realized tonight that I have been blogging since 2009 (maybe even 2008)! No matter how many breaks I have taken from blogging I have never walked away from it completely. And now that I have a new blog design in the works I'm feeling excited about blogging once again! Be sure to check out Erin if you're looking for a new blog design, a button, or even invites! The girl does amazing work.

Now it's time to get down to business...weigh in business.

Height: 5'7.5''

SW: 224.4

May 15: 214.6

May 22: 214.4 (-.2) 10 pounds lost!

May 29: 216.0 (+1.6)

Total Loss: 8.4

That May 22nd weigh in was a big one for me. Over all of the years that I've been trying to lose weight I have never lost 10 pounds! It was exciting to be able to say that I had lost 10 pounds since I joined Weight Watchers. Even though I gained the next week I'm sure I will get back down to that 10 pounds lost mark again and move on to the next milestone.

Weigh In Wednesday: Results but still Struggling

Hi there! Welcome back to my little corner of the blogging world. I'm glad you're here. Why don't you grab a cup of coffee or whatever tickles you fancy and pull up a chair so we can chat a bit.

The last time I was here I shared with you the exciting news that I joined Weight Watchers. And not only that but I had already been seeing results! I'm still a Weight Watchers member but I am struggling a lot despite seeing results. During a slow morning at work the other week I was thinking about why this is because in the past I felt I was struggling because I wasn't seeing results (The struggle to keep on trying to make changes without any reward is real!). I discovered a few truths about why I struggle whether I'm following Weight Watchers or doing it on my own, seeing results or not.

The truth is... Weight Watchers or any plan to be healthier takes work. Woah! No way, really?! Yes, really. As much as I like to think I am organized and a planner I'm not like that 80% of the time. Weight Watchers takes some work to plan ahead for the week and even just the next day. What will I need to pick up at the store in order to have something to cook? What can I make ahead and have portioned out in containers waiting for me? What will I need to make right before eating? What am I going to pack for lunch tomorrow? When will I work out and what will I do? The questions just keep coming! And like I said, about 80% of the time I am not a planner who has all of these questions (and the countless others) answered by Sunday night so I am prepared for the week ahead. It's definitely something I need to work on.

The truth is... old habits die hard. (Side note: does anyone recognize that as a Justin Moore song featuring Miranda Lambert?) Drinking Mountain Dew and being a couch potato are probably the worst old habits that I have. I made it about a month without drinking any Mountain Dew but once I had one they started to slowly creep their way back into my daily habit. And now I'm back at square one because I've been having Mountain Dew pretty much daily and skipping the water. And being a couch potato has almost always been my thing and I have rarely if ever really truly broken that habit. Both are huge mental battles, to just not have a Dew or to just get up and go to the gym. Why are mental battles with ourselves like the hardest thing ever??

The truth is... being social requires more thinking than just what to wear and how I should do my hair. Weight Watchers doesn't give you a free pass if you want to go out for a night with your friends. But! It also doesn't restrict you from doing that if you want. Weekly points are my friend but they need to be used wisely which means I need to have a plan of what and how much I'm going to eat and drink on my night out. And maybe the hardest part is tightening things up the rest of the week and staying within my daily points. Easier to do for sure if you know ahead of time that you'll be going out but when those nights out surprise you it might change your beverage plan depending on what your points situation is looking like.

The truth is... I have a routine that is not in line with all that needs to be done to succeed. I hit the snooze button way too many times every morning. Hitting the snooze button leads to leaving for work at the last possible minute. Leaving at the last minute means I don't have time to pack the lunch I should have had ready the night before. And why didn't I have my lunch ready the night before? Because I was too "busy" watching TV. Yeaaaah. It's terrible and I know it.

Having said all of that the best part is none of these things are permanent. I can change each and every one of those things that I struggle with. And I'm going to. :)

Now I can share with you those results I mentioned!

Height: 5'7.5''

SW: 224.4

March 27: 216.8

April 3: 218.0 (+1.2)

April 10: 216.2 (-1.8)

April 17: No Weigh In

April 24: 215.2 (-1.0)

May 1: 215.2 (no change)

May 8: 216.8 (+1.6)

May 15: 214.6 (-2.2)

Total Loss: -9.8

A few ups and downs but as laid back as I've been about my eating and my lack of workouts it's to be expected. I'm proud of what I've accomplished so far and am looking forward to seeing what can happen when I'm more on my game.

Weigh In Wednesday: I Joined Weight Watchers!

I am excited to share some big news today. After a heart to heart talk with a friend that grew from her comment on my last Weigh In Wednesday post I decided enough was enough and I joined Weight Watchers. What did I have to lose? Absolutely nothing.

And it was the best decision I've made in regards to my weight loss. Before Weight Watchers I was trying to eat healthier on my own and it just wasn't working. Mountain Dew, Chinese takeout, and crap fast food dominated my diet and I excused it because it was "only once in a while". But let's be honest, it was more than that based on the weight gain I was seeing on the scale.

Weight Watchers has given me some rules and guidelines to structure my diet around. I can still treat myself and enjoy the foods I love that aren't actually good for you. But I'm encouraged to make better choices 90% of the time. Based on the success I've been seeing the last three weeks I think it's safe to say that rules and guidelines work for me.

Height: 5'7.5''

SW (March 11): 224.4

March 13: 220.0 (-4.4)

March 20: 218.6 (-1.4) 5 pounds lost!

March 27: 216.8 (-1.8)

Yes, you're reading that right, three losses in a row! It's strange really because every Friday morning I wake up and worry if I'll see a loss. I step on the scale and hope for the best. But it's not hope that's making those losses happen, it's dedication to the program. Since joining Weight Watchers I have been drinking 76-100oz of water a day, skipping the daily Mountain Dew, and making better food choices. I have been tracking every day religiously too. Guess this just goes to show that your diet matters a lot! I mentioned yesterday that I haven't been working out except for my Monday night Body Pump class so I'm not burning a ton of calories every week to see a loss on the scale.

I decided to change my weigh in day to Fridays so when linking up for Weigh In Wednesday I'll be sharing my weigh in from the Friday before. Next week I plan to have taken some pictures. I'd love to be able to participate in transformation Tuesday one day and have some awesome before and after pictures to show off.

April Goals & 4 Weeks Fit Challenge Results

I swear just yesterday it was March 2nd and now here we are saying goodbye to March and hello to April.

I set goals at the beginning of the month, one I can proudly check off and some I didn't do so well with. I'm excited to take a look at how I did and set some new goals for next month.

1. No soda at work & 64oz of water. I had a slow start but I think I KILLED this goal considering March 9th was the last day I had a Mountain Dew. I have only had diet soda when eating out and that was only twice this month. I have had 76-100oz of water a day every day! Yes, weekends included. I can't tell you how happy crushing this goal makes me!

2. Hit the gym 2x/week. I've kept up with my Monday night Body Pump class but I have been skipping the gym outside of that. No reason other than laziness. It is so much easier to come home and be a couch potato. Definitely something I need to focus my energy on changing now that I've mastered the no soda/drinking water thing.

3. Meal plan and prep Monday nights. Meh. Meal planning and prepping is tough when you feel like you have no idea what you're doing. I think this is something I would learn better by actually being with someone while they do their meal planning and prep. I struggle with knowing how much to buy and make because sometimes I easily get sick of eating the same thing repeatedly in one week and other times I'm all for it. Again, this is something I need to focus my energy on changing. More effort into trying rather than throwing my hands up and saying I don't know.

4. Blog 2x/week. Um yeah about that... Again I'm lazy and even though I can easily blog while being a couch potato I just didn't put the effort in to get this done. I thought a lot about blogging this month but I didn't actually execute.

1. Hit the gym 2x/week. I will not stop making this a goal until I meet it!

2. Reach my step goal 2 days/week. Lately I have been lucky if I meet my 5,000 steps/day goal just one day a week. This month I want to really work on moving more. If I go to the gym twice a week outside of Body Pump I will have little trouble with this goal.

3. Meal plan & prep. Failure to plan is planning to fail. So true! My diet is so much better if I have a plan. Not just once a week either. Knowing what I will be eating for breakfast before my head hits the pillow greatly increases my chances of eating breakfast.  And packing my lunch before going to bed is a huge help in ensuring that I take a lunch with me to work. Otherwise it is highly probable that I will run out the door without anything to eat. Not the smartest idea for anyone.

4. Be up and out of bed by 6am 3x/week. Bringing this goal back from February because I need to work on my morning routine in the worst way. More often than not I'm staying in bed way too long and then am forced to rush to get myself ready and out the door. And as I mentioned above, it's highly probable that I will run out the door without anything to eat. I also want to work on putting myself together better for work. I've been skimping on the makeup and hair routine to save time. Not that I think I have to wear makeup and have my hair perfect every day but it's nice to feel like I'm rocking it.

Come back tomorrow to see how I'm doing in the weight loss department. I'm super excited to share how I've been doing. (Hint: it's been going so well!)

I Confess...

It's Wednesday which means we're half way through the work week. Can I get a heck yeah?!

Wednesday also means hump day confessions with Melissa. So here we go, I confess...

...that I am addicted to cappuccino.  Until recently it was french vanilla but now I'm all about the English toffee. And yesterday morning I saw a vanilla bean flavor that I will have to try soon.

...that I am easily hooked on commercials. The Sprint commercial with the narwhals? Yeah, I sing that over and over. And some oldies but goodies, the Geico commercial where the pig pays his bill and then goes back to vacation mode and sings boots n pants and we can't forget the AT&T commercials with the kids sitting at a table with that one guy. My favorite was the island made out of candy and the little boy that asked, "What about the animals? What would they be made of?" I randomly bust out with commercial quotes. Drives my mom up the wall!

...(speaking of my mom) to being extremely jealous of her vacation. She's on her way to Myrtle Beach with a friend to visit another friend. The weather is actually shaping up here in Wisconsin so it's not the nice weather I'm so jealous of but what she gets to do while she's there. Drinking at beach bars when I'm at work and seeing pit crew practice at Stewart Haas. (Yes, I'm a NASCAR fan. :) )

...that I am LOVING the spring like temperatures we've been experiencing lately. It is so so nice to not need a jacket or the heated seats and to be able to open the sunroof in my car and windows in my apartment.

...I wrote this post on a post-it note at work yesterday.

...that I had a rough first week of March as far as my goals for the month go. Up until yesterday I was back on the Dew all day every day.  I skipped the gym last week outside of Body Pump Monday night. Once a week I'm "treating" myself to Chinese takeout when it should be more like a once a month treat. Meal planning was poor horrible which made my grocery shopping trip terrible and then my meal prep non-existent. And I only blogged once. But it's a new week so I'm working on turning things around.

...I've been skipping the scale and posting on Weigh In Wednesday because I feel like I'm repeating myself because I keep losing and gaining the same few pounds over and over again. I have thought about weighing myself less, like only once every two weeks or once a month, but I'm not sure if that would be a good idea for me. Sometimes I let the scale get me down, like today, and I know that's not a good thing. But I also think the accountability of having to step on the scale every Wednesday could help me make better choices. What are your thoughts on weighing in? And here's to turning things around going forward.

SW: 222

Feb. 4: 219.8

Today: 224.4

Change; +4.6
Overall Loss: +2.4

March Goals

Is it really March already??  I know that February is a short month but it seems like those 28 days just flew by.  Please tell me I am not alone in that feeling!

But with the start of a new month comes a time to reflect and set some new goals.  I surprised myself a little bit with how I ended up doing with my February goals.

1. No soda at work & 64oz of water.  I didn't do well with this goal.  Whether I succeed or fail at this goal is all about willpower because I can drink 76-80oz of water no problem these days if I skip the soda.  I would definitely say I had soda at work more often than not and as a result I definitely did not have 64oz of water a day.
2. Body Pump every week.  Done!  I went to my usual Monday night class three times and tried a 5:30p Wednesday class.  I did not try the 4:30p Wednesday class, or try two classes in one week but those were bonus points had I done them so not required to earn a check for this goal.  It feels so good to be able to check this goal off of the list!
3. Hit the gym 2x/week.  I only accomplished this one week.  The rest of the month I was just lazy and only went once.  Here again it is all about willpower to overcome the urge to sit around and be lazy.
4. Be up and out of bed by 6am at least 3x/week.  I didn't do a good job of tracking whether I accomplished this goal every week or not so I'll give it a half check.  I know I was better at this earlier in the month than I was the last week or so.
5. Take makeup off before bed every night.  Here again I didn't do a good job of tracking whether this was accomplished but if memory serves me right I did a pretty good job of this. I may have skipped a night here and there but they were pretty few and far between.

It felt good knowing I had goals for the month.  I wasn't just blindly going at making this lifestyle change with no structure.  Now my goals for March I've decided that some will stay the some and some will be swapped out.  Can't have things getting boring now can we?

1. No soda at work & 64oz of water.  I know that I can check this one off the list this month.
2. Hit the gym 2x/week.  Another goal I didn't check of last month that I just know I can if I buckle down and actually try.
3. Meal plan and prep Monday nights.  I have a good hour at home after work before I have to leave for Body Pump.  Rather than spending it watching Dr. Phil I can decide what I will eat for the week and make a grocery list.  And it has sort of become some what normal for me to make a stop some where after Body Pump on Monday nights so making a stop at the grocery store a regular weekly thing won't be hard at all.  This month I really just want to work on actually buying food to eat for the week. Recently I have been living off of frozen waffles and other items that I can hang onto for a long time.  But I am tired of seeing all of the amazing food pics on Instagram and blogs while missing out on the fun.  Plus real food tastes so much better.
4. Blog 2x/week. I started strong in February that first week but then I obviously quickly fizzled out.  Blogging is a hobby that I enjoy but not one that I take a lot of time for.  Here's to changing that this month.

While I was catching up with my blog reading over the weekend I came across the perfect linkup hosted by Erin from Love, Fun and Football and Kristin from Mama and Mou.  It is a #4WeeksFit challenge that couldn't fit more perfectly into what I am trying to accomplish with my monthly goal setting.  I am looking forward to seeing what everyone else is going to be working hard to accomplish during the month of March.

Do you set new goals every month or do you repeat some from the month before?

Weigh In Wednesday: February 4

Well it's been a hot minute since I have posted a Weigh In Wednesday post but don't worry I'm back! Must be that new "ready" feeling I have to accomplish my goals that I mentioned yesterday.

To catch you up here's how my last couple of weigh ins have gone.

Dec. 10: 215.6

Jan 14: 222 (+6.4)

Jan 21: 217.4 (-4.6)

Jan 28: 218.2 (+0.8)

Up and down as usual it seems. But overall January wasn't a bad month for me besides seeing that two twenty something number up there. Just goes to show that little changes can go along way and add up to something bigger.

Now for today's weigh in...drum roll please!

Height: 5'7.5''

SW: 222

Jan 28: 218.2

Today: 219.8

Change: +1.6

Overall Loss:

May the scale be ever in your favor. :)

February Goals

I've found that part of being successful at just about anything in life includes making goals for yourself. My last post was all about how 2015 is going to be the year of me and I made some goals for the year. The trouble with that is they're all long term goals. In order to make those goals seem less daunting I need to break them down into smaller goals so I've decided I will make monthly goals.

1. No soda at work & 64oz of water. A coworker and I have been encouraging each other to drink more water and to skip the daily soda. I did really well for four days and then came back to work the next week and only made it two days before we ordered pizza and we caved to having a soda and it was all down hill from there for me. Starting today I'll be back to drinking water like it's my job.
2. Body Pump every week. Last night was my first time back at Body Pump in two weeks. And it was tough! Wishing I hadn't taken those two weeks off now. I have no excuse to skip Body Pump this month since they have now added a 4:30pm class on Wednesdays that works perfectly with my schedule and will give me less time to talk myself out of going by myself. (Mondays I meet my mom at the class.) I may even try going twice one week just to see how it goes. Who knows, it could become part of my routine!
3. Hit the gym 2x/week. Last week I signed up for a 6 month fitness membership where I've been taking Body Pump classes. I realized that if I continued to wait for perfect sidewalk conditions during these winter months I was never going to get out there. Now I can walk, run, bike, or jump on the elliptical during the rest of the week which has previously been all about me being a bum watching Netflix.
4. Be up and out of bed by 6am at least 3x/week. This one is pretty self explanatory, I'm spending too much time hitting the snooze button in the morning. Being out of bed by 6am will help me feel less rushed and stressed in the morning, allow me time to make breakfast and pack a lunch, and take a second to care about my appearance for once.
5. Take makeup off before bed every night. Another self explanatory goal here. Makeup removing cloths make doing this a breeze. Now it's time to be disciplined about doing it.

I'm not sure why but this year feels different than years past. I feel ready to tackle these goals and do what it takes to reach them. I'm looking forward to the challenge I've set for myself with these goals for the month and am feeling confident that they will be reached.

Do you set monthly goals to help breakdown your long term goals?

The Year of Me

In case you missed it, it's 2015.  New year = fresh start! I'm taking full advantage of this fresh start too!

I'm declaring 2015 the year of me.  All of these goals/resolutions (whatever you want to call them) are going to better me.  They are for me. They are what I want.

First up, leave the past in the past. After some self reflecting I realized that I reference the past a lot, and not in a good way. I think about my failed past attempts at losing weight, eating right, and getting fit, etc. and I dwell on the fact that I failed or I let the fact that I failed before negatively affect my mindset for the current goal that I am trying to accomplish. As of this moment right now, no more! I am going to focus more on the right now and what I can be doing to further myself in my goals. Some reflection on the past is good and a learning opportunity though so I am totally on board with that.

Drink more water! At least 64oz a day will suit me just fine. I've been using Crystal Light to flavor my water lately because it makes it just a little more enjoyable to drink water all day.

Eat better. I'm not going to choose a diet to try or start things off with a detox. I'm just going to take baby steps and make healthier choices. I am going to try to stick to the outer edge of the store and only say no to the junk once by not bringing it into my home. Part of eating better is planning. When I don't have a plan I eat a lot of junk. I'll track what I'm eating using My Fitness Pal just to keep things in check.

Move more. I've been going to Body Pump once a week and I'm really starting to enjoy it and am trying to increase my weight on some tracks. But Body Pump once a week is not enough. I am going to join a gym so I can get back to running and doing more activity. I'm thinking just a 6 month membership since I really only need to get through the winter months before I can take my running outdoors again.

Being an adult is expensive so this year I want to do a better job at spending mindfully. Paying for insurance (of all kinds) isn't cheap and I've only added more deductions to my paycheck for 2015 so I need to be a bit more mindful of where I'm spending my money and on what (needs vs. wants). I want to do a better job at budgeting and tracking my spending this year as well.

This year I will turn 25 and I think it is high time that I establish a skin care routine. (And stick to it!) In my 24 years so far I've established some pretty bad habits regarding skin care. I go to bed without taking my makeup off and I wash my face regularly only every now and again. I'm horrible at remembering to apply lotion to my body. My poor feet take a beating and the only time they see any care is when I get a pedicure. This is the year to change it all though!

And finally, be clutter free. I want to take the time to find a place for things in my apartment rather than leaving them out in the open on some surface that isn't "in my way." I also want to organize my bathroom shelves and put clothes away after they're clean and dry. I have a wonderful personalized planner from May Designs that I want to use along with my cell phone calendar to keep track of appointments, birthdays, and maybe even blog posts!

If you missed the lose 50 pounds by December 31st goal that's because I didn't make it. While I would love to reach my goal weight by the end of the year I've decided to take it in another direction.  It seems like I'm not the only one that has decided to take the focus away from the scale in 2015 as I've read some other blog posts recently that have avoided the lose x amount of pounds by x date goal. If I focus on eating better, moving more, and drinking at least 64oz of water a day the weight loss will follow.

I have a good amount of weight I would like to lose and focusing on that number is overwhelming and discouraging sometimes. Taking the focus away from that number and putting it on the steps that need to be taken to achieve results should be more beneficial to me.

My fresh start begins now. I'm feeling motivated and hope to finally find the elusive determination when that motivation fades. I'm ready! 2015 is going to be my year.