A month... really?!

I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted!  Weight wise, things have been kind of uneventful.  I gained for two weeks, and then lost for two weeks.  I did manage to lose over the Thanksgiving weekend, so that was a plus!  I'm down a total of 35.4lbs which is exciting.  Another exciting thing is that I'm officially down a pants size.  I was pushing the limit on what I was wearing before so it took a little while to have those fit comfortably, then be too big, then still not fit into the next size down, etc.  But I had to go shopping for jeans before my Thanksgiving trip and I'm officially a size down!  YAY!

The process is going much slower at this point, but that's mostly my fault.  I haven't been diligently tracking like I was in the beginning, and I have barely worked out this past month.  (I need my 6AM Zumba class back desperately!!)  But I am noticing lifestyle changes that are just becoming part of normal routines.  Making better choices at restaurants... choosing to go for walks... and just overall more energy.

I always do comparison pictures to motivate myself to keep going.  Here's the latest one:

I'm definitely going to need the motivation and keeping the end in sight over the next week or so.  Saturday we leave for a 5 day cruise to Key West and the Bahamas.  Cruises tend to be all about food!!  I'm going to take my sneakers and some workout clothes and try to at least go for walks at some point during the day.  I'm going to have to somehow combat the ridiculous amounts of food I will be consuming!  Pray for me!!! :)

What the WHAT?!

I went to WW tonight ready to own up to my gain from this week.  I officially gave up and just didn't care for the first 3 or 4 days of the week. Then I got a call from my dad telling me that he's hit a breaking point and he needs to lose weight NOW.  So while I was visiting,  the whole time was spent trying to teach him to make better decisions and choices and while I was at it,  I was practicing what I was preaching.   Lo and behold, it works and I lost 3.2lbs this week. Imagine my surprise! Not that I suggest giving up,  but I do suggest trusting the plan and that it really works!
Now I'm off to Zumba for the first time in like 2 weeks...  I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow!

Little by little

I went to WW last night with the mind set of going to face the music and expecting a gain.  I knew I had eaten like crap most of last week and to top it off on Sunday had a serious craving for a big ol' burger and fries.  So I had just that!
I'm not sure how, but I lost 0.4lbs... but I'll take it.
The past 3 weeks I've lost,  but each week has been less than a pound a week. I don't know if I'll hit my goal of 12lbs lost before the cruise but I'm going to try to get as close as possible!
Another concerning issue is that my Zumba studio is going to be stopping the 6AM class until the first of the year.  That totally screws with my schedule / routine so now I'm going to have to try to go after work and that is much harder...  I can find any excuse not to go after work! *sigh* We'll see how things pan out...

Inspiring

So the past few times I've been to Zumba, my knee has been hurting.  I had a fleeting thought that maybe I needed a break.  Then I realized that I can't stop - because if I do, I won't start again.  I know myself.  So now I'm looking into a knee brace.

Then I saw this video:

Now I really won't stop.  Never give up!!

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ~Phil 4:13

Finally back

So, remember two weeks ago that I wrote that I gained 1.6lbs?!?  Well, it's very obvious that it's much easier to gain than lose!  It took me two weeks to lose the 1.6lbs, but I finally did, so I'm back to my total loss of 30.4lbs.  Woohoo! 

I'm having to readjust again because Ryan is finally back from working out of town, so I'm having to cook for more than just myself.  Doesn't really sounds like a big deal, but Ryan is really picky and not the healthiest of eaters.  Just makes for a challenge in making stuff less bad, and a test to my willpower in not eating the crappy foods that taste oh so good. But, this is only for a few weeks, because in two weeks he'll be out of town again for 6 weeks! *sigh* good for my diet, bad for my marriage. :)

Another thing I've been thinking about is that saying that you can't out exercise a bad diet.

I did crazy walking and exercise this past week.   Not only did I work out with my normal Zumba classes, but then Friday night went to Halloween Horror nights at Universal Studios and pretty much walked for 5 hours straight.  My legs and feet were on FIRE by the time I got into bed at 3AM!  So  all that walking and exercising, and I only lost 0.8lbs this week.   Just goes to show that it really doesn't make up for a bad diet.  And I wasn't even that bad... I only had two or three bad meals all week.  Oh well - it's still a loss, right!?

And it's official - we are going on a cruise Dec. 7th!!  My goal is to lose 12.6lbs by the cruise, which means I need to lose 1.5lbs a week!  It's going to be tough - but I think it's doable.  Just going to have to be on plan religiously for the next 8 weeks!!  Wish me luck - and keep me accountable! :)

Gain

I'm a little late in my posting, but I did go weigh-in on Monday and I was up 1.6lbs.  I haven't really been tracking and life has just seemed way too busy to focus on food.  I did have a good conversation with my WW leader so I'm trying to at least track this week.  I've been successful at tracking everyday - but the food definitely hasn't been the best of choices.  For example, my lunch yesterday was a mini cupcake from Sweet and some froyo!  And then to top it off - I had Chick-fil-a for dinner - fries and all! 

What is wrong with me?  I want to continue losing, but I'm just not making the best choices.  I need to start focusing on me and what's best for me  Sounds so selfish - and I don't know how to be selfish!  I'm hoping that after all the activities for this weekend that things start to calm down.   And Zumba starts back on Monday - so I'll be getting my cardio back!

Wish me luck peeps - and if you have any ideas for getting that motivation back - any suggestions are welcome!

ME!!!

Still on my high from last night...  so I made a comparison picture!  Loving the change!

Whoop, Whoop!!

You guys!!!! I went to WW tonight and not only did I lose 2lbs this week, but I hit my first 30 lbs gone!!!!   I can't tell you how excited I am right now.  I've done WW multiple times in the past, and this is the first time I've lost a whole 30lbs... I've come close in the past but never actually hit it! Whoop Whoop!!

And - for hitting my 10% (a few weeks ago) and my first 25lbs I got this:

WW is also doing a Lose for Good challenge and someone wins a little prize every week.  Well, this week, a lifetime member won this magnetic before and after frame, that also had inspirational words.  After the class she came up to me and asked me if I wanted it for doing so good thus far - and since she's already at goal and lifetime she didn't really need it.  She was soooo sweet.  I need to print out some before and current pictures, but I did put up some of the inspirational words...

 So excited for the next steps and goals... but that's for another post! :)

Calling it like I see it...

As I was gently reminded this weekend - I've been neglecting these parts recently.  First off - sorry for the silence the last few weeks... LOTS of stuff happened, to include being sick for a few days!  Work has been beyond hectic and I don't really feel like I'm keeping my head above water anymore.  I can't wait for Sept. 16th...  that's the day we turn in our current proposal that I'm working on, so hopefully after things will be more manageable! 

My weight loss has been kinda all over recently.  I missed a weigh in because of being sick, and then last week when I weighed in I gained 1.4lbs.  I wasn't happy to say the least, but I wasn't tooooo disappointed either because of the circumstances.  Before the weigh in I hadn't been working out because of being sick, and to be honest, I wasn't tracking.  I kinda lost focus of me and my health due to personal situations, but I can't give up.  And - this was only the second time since April that I've gained, so I can't beat myself up too badly!

But here I am....  keeping myself accountable.  I have to keep at it - and I've realize that if I'm not posting here, I'm not keeping myself accountable in tracking and eating either, so it's imperative that I keep writing here.  I can't let life take over to the point where I stop taking care of myself.  I have to take care of me....  I like me! :)

It's official....

.... I'm going to gain weight this week.  My appetite has come back with a vengeance!! Hopefully I can do enough exercise and yard work to counterbalance all the food I'm eating! :)

Stress and weight loss

Life has recently thrown me quite a bit of curve balls that has impacted routine and my mental state.  Before I thought that I was an emotional eater,  but have quickly realized that is not the case...  I do quite the opposite, not eat enough!
So,  on the scale it looks like I did great this past week by losing 4.6lbs, but in reality it wasn't done in the best manner, therefore I'm not too sure if it will stick. I'm hoping I can really stay on plan this week and move forward on a better note. I don't want to get too excited,  but as of right now, my total loss is at 28.8lbs... Kinda crazy to think about!

Another loss... but not necessarily the correct way.

I was very surprised when I stepped on the scale yesterday at WW.  I lost 2 pounds this week!  I totally didn't expect it since this weekend was a total bust as far as eating healthy.  Let's sum it up, shall we: Friday night was McDonald's cheeseburgers and fries; Saturday was IHOP for breakfast, two hot dogs and two bags of chips for linner, and then second dinner was a Zinger salad from Ale House; Sunday was Chinese for lunch, and pizza and bread sticks for dinner.  *sigh*  How in the heck did I lose any weight with those foods?!?!  Well, for one, everything I ate, I tried to get the "healthier" versions, i.e., only had a handful of fries from McD's, hot dogs were chicken dogs, Chinese was steamed chicken and broccoli with drizzled sauce on top, and pizza was thin crust.  Still not the best choices, but apparently it helped.

Also... on Monday, after Zumba, I spent 2 1/2 hours doing yard work, so I'm sure I sweated off any crazy food!  (yeah - I was exhausted after that!)

So, all that to say - I think this "lifestyle change" is really starting to click... meaning, even when I eat like crap, I'm still thinking enough to make the better choices of the crap! :)

Oh - and those two pounds brought me ooooh so close to 25lbs lost...  my total lost now is 24.2lbs so I'm hoping and praying that next week I can really celebrate!! :)

A lot of stuff... but not really.

It seems like there has been a lot going on, but if you ask me what, I couldn't tell you!  We finally finished the proposal that has been taking over my life.  Well, not really, I'm being dramatic, but I wasn't able to go to lunch for the past 2 months because we always had meetings at 11AM and 12PM, so no lunch for me! At least no lunch out...don't worry I still ate! :)

Ryan is out working in Winter Haven, so I've been trying to keep myself occupied.  It's amazing how big an 1100 sq ft house can feel when 1 person isn't there!  Thankfully the herd is keeping me company! 

I'm still having success at WW.  I weighed in on Monday at lost another 1.2lbs, so that make my total 22.2lbs!  I finally am seeing and feeling it, and it's making me really happy.  I put on an outfit yesterday that didn't quite fit back during Thanksgiving, but yesterday it was perfect!  Total non scale victory (NSV) for me!

I feel like there is so much more to say, but the words just aren't there... so on that note, til' next time!

Score!

I am not one to be shy and let everyone know when my birthday is, and as we all know, this past Sunday was the big day!  Needless to say, I celebrated all weekend!  Between lounging by the pool, shopping, and eating at great restaurants, it was a pretty darn good weekend!

Oh the eating... Saturday my family went to Columbia Restaurant. Possibly one of my favorite Spanish restaurants, solely for their 1905 salad and bread!  Warm Cuban bread with butter = heaven on a plate!  And lets not forget the sangria - yummy sangria made table side! After the immense amounts of Spanish food - of course there was cake, Carvel Ice Cream cake to be exact!  Chocolate crunchies, you are my fav! Food coma ensued and we just sat around the condo and played Mexican Train for the rest of the night. 

Of course the next morning we went to IHOP for breakfast so I got one of their Simple & Fit meals.  Definitely nothing to be excited about, but I had to save my points for dinner because, of course, I was going out to eat again - this time with my friends, and we were going to Carrabba's!  I had the best time at dinner with my friends, and really tried to make the time about hanging out with my closest friends and not all about the food.  I totally got the small Pollo Rosa Maria, which I had planned for the whole time, with the Italian green beans instead of the mashed potatoes.  I still had a carafe of wine, and bread dipped in olive oil - so there was no denying myself, but just tried to be a little more conscious of what I was ordering!

I'm here to tell you - working out at Zumba, and just making a conscious effort of what you are eating totally helps!!  I weighed in last night at WW, and I lost 0.6lbs!  That's a total win in my book, especially considering the celebratory weekend I had!

The best part to this whole story...  today I had a co-worker tell me that she can tell I've been losing weight!!  There are only a few people here in my office that know I'm doing WW, and she isn't/wasn't one of them.  She said she can tell in my face and body that I've lost weight...  She totally made my day! Woohoo!!!!

Spanish Telenovelas

This weekend my parents have come to Orlando to spend the week in a timeshare here in town.   I decided to spend the weekend with them so I came to this side of town after work.  What I didn't realize was that this condo has all the Spanish channels that plays the soap operas that my family watches...  Oh my God...  Such drama and bad acting...  And the story lines!!! I'm not sure how they watch these things...  It's awful.
So here I sit,  while everyone watches TV and i entertain myself with blogs and Candy Crush. 
Off to beat level 56!

Holy weigh-in!

I LOST 3.2LBS THIS WEEK!!  That means I hit my first 20lbs gone! I'm so excited!!

I'm sure a lot of that was stress but I was consciously making better choices when going out to eat. OMG it's so worth it! I'm so happy right now...  I needed this good news right now!

ActiveLink Challenge 1... DONE!

I finished my first ActiveLink challenge for the first 12 weeks!!

Not too shabby if I do say so myself... The challenge was 12 weeks, so that averages out to 15 Activity points per week.  I'm totally patting myself on the back for this one - considering before these past 12 weeks I wasn't doing ANYTHING, so to be earning 15 points a week is awesome for me! :)

Go Carmen!!! 

Distractions

I've been trying to blog for about 3 days... I keep getting distracted, whether by work,or movies, or rambunctious little kittens!!  Nothing horribly exciting happened this weekend - I did finish my first week of my online prep course.  (I'm taking an online prep course to be able to take the Certified Federal Contract Manager certification exam by the end of the year)  This prep course is through the middle of September, and it's getting me into the habit of schoolwork since I want to start my MBA this fall, and it will also be online.

On happier news, I weighed in tonight and lost 1.4lbs this week.  That makes my total of 17.2lbs lost!  I'm pretty happy about that!!

Oh - and Sunday at Zumba, Annette (instructor) totally pulled me up to the front of the class.  I was embarrassed for a millisecond, before the class totally cheered me on and it was sooooo encouraging!!  Don't be fooled, I still look silly as hell doing all these Zumba/dance moves, but it's encouraging to have the support of my Zumba class and instructor!!

This post is kinda all over the place - so it's apparent that the distractions are still there...  Till later - and hopefully a more coherent post!

Surprising Changes

I was just cruising through some pictures and found a picture of me from one of my bestie's baby shower.  The difference from then (February) to now was VERY apparent to me, so I figured I'd post it here to let you guys see it too.

And to think this is only 12 weeks and 15.8lbs later...  can you imagine what it's going to look like 6 months, or even a year later?!

So excited for this journey!

Weigh-in happiness

I lost 1.6lbs this week!! That even surprised me...  I was thinking I would lose,  but not that much!  That makes my total at 15.8lbs down!  Yay me!

Secrets

We all have secrets, some deeper than others.  I look forward to Monday blog reading because I know a new edition of PostSecret is there.   Some of the secrets make me really sad, some are horrifying, and others resonate with me - like this one posted this week:

 I've mentioned it before on always feeling judged, and this secret just reaffirms that I'm not alone in my feeling.  I know I'm making progress, and that no one in my Zumba class is probably even looking at me, but there are days that I am SOOOO self-conscious of how I look.  Today was one of those days.  There really wasn't anything different about how I looked - I was wearing my standard workout gear, hair pulled back, etc... but I just felt fat and self-conscious!  I kept tugging at my shirt, hoping to hide some of the rolls, but every time I moved they just kept creeping back into view.  Sucks!

The good thing is that I didn't let it stop me... I was up at the crack of dawn and there, so I figured I better make the best of it, even if I didn't like looking at myself!  I made it through class, and went home and just stared at myself in the full length mirror.  Boy, do I have a long way to go before I am happy with what I see, but you know what...  I can see the difference from where I started - so that's a plus, right!?

Small Update

I feel like I haven't really had much going on this past week - but yet I've been busy!  Don't ask me what I've been busy with - because I probably couldn't tell ya, but I swear, I've been busy!! :)

This weekend was kind of a disaster food wise!  I did a lot of mindless eating, and then had some amazing burger and fries from BurgerFi on Sunday.  I did workout consistently over the week and weekend, so I think that helped because I did manage to lose 0.6lbs this week.  Not a whole lot, but still a loss, considering!

I'm trying to be more conscious of what I eat this week and try not to eat just because it's there.  Or just make slightly better choices.  Example, last night I made Philly Cheesesteaks for dinner, but instead of putting mine on a big ol' hoagie roll, I ate all the fixin's but no bun.  I can honestly say I didn't miss the bread...  and that's huge for me because I'm the biggest bread lover you can find!

So -  onto a week of better choices and bigger loss!!

Weigh-in

Just a quick update before lala land...  I lost 3.4lbs this week!!!  Not only did I lose what I gained last week...   I lost another whole pound on top of that!   I'm stoked!

Moment

And I do!

Body Change

I went to visit my parents this weekend and was looking at some pictures from two weeks ago where we celebrated my mom's birthday, and I immediately noticed a difference in how I look from the pictures that were taken earlier that day.  Although the pounds aren't dropping as quickly as I would hope, my body is changing and shrinking by the day!  That's a total win in my book!  So I decided to do a quick comparison to a picture of right before I started on this journey...

The picture on the left was taken on April 7th, at a car show with my parents and my in-laws.  The next day I weighed in at WW, got my ActiveLink, and started going to Zumba that week.  The picture on the right was taken yesterday (June 16th).  I'm not as puffy, and my face doesn't look as rounded.  Let's be frank - I've still got a lot to go, and I'll never get rid of the rounded face and big cheeks, but I'm slowly starting to see the person I want to be...  will be!

Exciting stuff, ya'll!!  Tonight's my weigh-in so good thoughts my way... I'm sure I'll keep you updated on the results!

My Inspiration Story

I've been talking to my Zumba instructor about my milestones and other silly fitness related things and she has asked me to write my story for her newsletter and grand opening.  She wants to do a spotlight on her students, to show off the awesomeness of Zumba and to promote the studio.  Here's my story:

I've been overweight my whole life and tried every diet you could possibly imagine.  I've struggled with self confidence and being able to accept and love myself for longer than I want to admit.  Something finally clicked on April 8th and I decided to make the change for me.  I went back to Weight Watchers and that week they were starting a challenge to get members motivated and active.  I vowed that day that I would start going to Zumba at Body & Motion twice a week.  It was hard to start back up and there were many times where I swear I wouldn't have made it through the class, but with the support and encouragement of the Body & Motion family I'm loving every minute of every class.  I've even found myself doing the routines I can remember while away on travel in my hotel room!  In 8 weeks, not only have I lost 12.6lbs, my clothes fit so much better, and I am doing Zumba at least 3 - 4 times per week and TurboKick one night a week. I have more energy and am just happier all around!  I love my Zumba and TurboKick family - not only do they keep you accountable and make sure you are in class, but they encourage you every step of the way!  I'm so excited to be part of the Body & Motion family!

When it officially comes out, I'll post the link! :)

Weigh In Blues

I went back to Weight Watchers last night and it happened....  I gained!  I gained 2.4lbs.  I was expecting a gain since I always pre-weigh Monday mornings, but I was secretly hoping my scale at home was wrong!  I wasn't totally surprised since I was on travel last week.  I tried making better choices, but I'm sure the drinking involved didn't help my cause!  I tried to make up for the food and drinking by going to Zumba 4 days in a row, but I think my body started to revolt and EVERYTHING hurt yesterday!  My WW leader says that because I worked out so much, my muscles might be retaining water to repair themselves.  That gave me a little bit of hope that its not all for not.

But on the up side... this is the first time I've gained anything the past two months of my journey.  And it helped me make even better choices when I went grocery shopping right after my meeting!

Plus I have an AMAZING support group of friends... they definitely keep me going!

Now - off to make this a good week!! :)

The future

One of my good friends texted me this morning that she had a dream about me, where I had lost a bunch of weight and I told her that I was at 161lbs. She was so excited and said I was wearing tight workout clothes and flaunting it.

This small text means so much to me because someone can visualize my future....  And it's achievable!!! As I sit here typing this on my phone...  I can't stop crying  because I want that dream to come true so badly. It just gives me the encouragement  and determination to keep at it. So thanks,  Mel...  for being a great  friend and visualizing me where I want to be!!! Where I will be!!!

And now I will stop before the guy on the plane next to me thinks I'm crazy for randomly crying uncontrollably.  :)

Total bust!!

Well - I was all gunho and ready to do Zumba this morning.  I looked it up on the Zumba website, found a place near my parents to go, called to verify that I could come without a membership and got all the details.  Woke up early, came and picked up my Aunt, gave her the downlow, let her know to not try to kill herself... and we get there - and NOTHING!  cricket.... cricket....   There are some guys there doing powerlifting so I ask them.  Apparently it was all over Facebook that there would not be a Zumba class this morning because the instructor was graduating today.  Hmm... that doesn't help me - an out of towner who just called to get the information.  Guess they could have said something when I called, but it sounded like I was interrupting his work out when he answered.

Oh well, I'm going to do Zumba on the Wii - which I totally don't feel like it's the same, but at least I'm still moving.  I now know for next time I'll try out the community center instead of this gym place.... it was really geared more for lifting and MMA fighting than Zumba... they just happened to have a spot cleared out in the back for the Zumba class.

I found an LA Fitness that has Zumba tomorrow morning, so I'm going to get a guest pass and try that.  Let's hope that one doesn't fizzle out!

Alright - off to have some Cafe con Leche y Pan... and then try my hardest to work off those calories - which are oh so worth it!! :)

It all pays off!!

Since this was a long holiday weekend, and my WW location was closed on Monday, I weighed in on Sunday morning.  And wouldn't you know it - I lost 2.8lbs!  I think all the Zumba and TurboKick are finally showing up in my numbers.  I was actually telling a friend the other day that not only is the scale showing results, but I really think that I'm losing inches as my clothes are fitting better!

I'll be missing my meeting next Monday as well as I'll be on travel for work again.  Which also means I'll be missing Zumba/TurboKick all next week. Sad face!!  I'm really going to try to make the best choices I can because not only will I be traveling for work next week, this coming weekend I'll be visiting my parents. 

Funny side story - I was telling my mom of my progress on Sunday and I heard my aunt in the background saying she wishes she could workout with me.  Sooooo, I went online and found a Zumba class for Saturday morning when I will be in town for both of us to go to!  She's definitely started backpedaling now... but we're going!  Especially since I won't be able to the rest of the week.  :)

Work is a little crazy at the moment... and will be until this proposal is submitted in July.  The upside - I can't go out to lunch because my meetings are right smack in the middle of the day, so in turn I bring lunch and can plan accordingly.  The downside - the afternoons seem to drag since I didn't get to leave and I don't get to see my lunch buddy friends!!!  Another sad face!!

Off to my next meeting! Til' next time peeps!

30 Day Squat Challenge

To ensure that my body hates me for the next month, my co-worker (a-hem, Lauren) has decided to do the 30 Day Squat Challenge that has been floating around Pinterest, FB, and Instagram - and has recruited me amongst other co-workers.

If you have never heard about it.... see below:

In searching for this image, I found there is another 30 day challenge for crunches and another one for planks!

Yeah - that's a LOT of squats!  What makes me slightly more insane for doing this, is that during Zumba and TurboKick, there are already a lot of squat-type moves, if not full on squats incorporated.

All I can say is that I better have amazing legs/butt after all this craziness!!

So - anyone want to join the crazy train?! :)

Well.... Holy crap!

I lost 0.4lbs!!!  Doesn't seem like much but I was totally expecting a gain this week... I don't know what happened but I'll take it!!!
Woohoo!!

Back on the Wagon

Weeellll.... it's be about 2 weeks since my last post and I kinda fell off the wagon.  Life got a little busy and we were eating out A LOT!  I've come to realize that when you constantly eat out, making the right choices becomes harder and harder until you just eat whatever looks good.  And trust me, the big ol' bacon cheeseburger, or philly cheesesteak is what ends up looking good.

I was also traveling for work last week, and the same day I got home, I had some friends staying with us through the weekend.  They were great houseguests, and even cooked dinner for us on Friday.  She made the most amazing Chicken Parm with Spaghetti, cesar salad, and garlic bread.  She even apologized when I got home and said - this is not a WW friendly dinner! Who can say no to a dinner made for you!?!?

BUT - I started tracking again today and went to Zumba again this morning.  Man, it was hard getting out of bed at 5:15 this morning for Zumba!! And it was very obvious I haven't done much the past week and a half - I was dying through class!

I managed to get some Activity Points last week amazingly enough.  8 pts for the week and average of 78% to goal.  Ever since I upped my baseline two weeks ago, hitting goal is much more difficult!  Guess I need to be more active - even though I feel like I'm much more active that I was a month or two ago!

Nothing too exciting going on otherwise - we are starting to get the house cleaned up and doing all the fixes required so that we can rent it out if we find our dream home anytime in the near future.  That is a never-ending search - plus we can't firm up if we want to buy a house or build one.  I think as picky as the hubby is, building would be our best bet.  I'm pushing for it at least!!

Ohhhh - the biggest news is that we got a new kitty!!  We picked him up from our friends one week ago on Sunday and have spent the past week trying to make our current herd not hate him!!  I mean,  who could hate this adorable face!?!?

Gizmo

Holy Smokes!

I lost 0.8lbs this week!!!  Totally didn't expect that this week!!

You see...  I went out to dinner on Thursday night and had Mexican food.  I came to quickly realize, that unless you have a salad, there isn't much that's healthy when at a Mexican restaurant.  And then comes Saturday night...  I met up with my little cousin and her hubby at Margaritaville.  They were on a mini vacation and wanted to meet up for dinner.  Sure - no problem!!  Then the waiter tells us that they have a new special - a flight of sampler margaritas!

Just look at how cute and scrumptious they look!!!  How could you say no to that?!  And then lets not mention the big ol' burger I had for dinner.  My only moment of clarity was ordering a side salad instead of fries! :)

Regardless, I knew I had to push hard and work off those delicious drinks and burger so there was no slacking on my part at Zumba on Sunday or Monday morning.  And I drank a ton of water. And it paid off!!! Woohoo!!   I'm 0.6lbs away from my first 10lbs goal!!

Ok - time to do some work - just had to share the good news!

Nothing...

Wow - so early into my blogging "career" and I've got nothing...  Nothing exciting to talk about.  Nothing inspiring... Nothing to complain about.  Just plain ol' nothing!

And with nothing - I'll give you my ActiveLink stats:

Week 1:  18 activity points; Average 155% of goal
Week 2:  19 activity points; Average 128% of goal
Week 3:  19 activity points; Average 129% of goal

I think its interesting that the first week my percentage to goal was much higher than the following weeks, but my activity points were lower.  I just increased my overall goal for this 12 week challenge because I was pretty much already hitting my daily goal target at this point.  This should make me move more than I already am.  Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. :)

My weigh-in is tonight...  I'm hoping for a loss, but praying for no gain.  I'm just not sure this week!! 

Inspiration in places you'd least expect

As I was scrolling through Facebook today, a post from an old co-worker caught my eye.  She shared the following article:  iReporter shakes off 170 pounds.  I felt like I was reading my future...  This is going to be me one day!!  I may not be opening a Zumba studio, but I will be getting to my goal through Weight Watchers and Zumba.  It's amazing to see that all this effort will eventually pay off.  If she can do it, there is no reason I can't! 

I've slowly started to share this blog with some close friends.  The more people that read, the more accountable I feel.  Some have suggested that I share it on FB - but I don't feel like I'm there yet.  There are tooooo many people that might possibly read it, and that scares me! I don't think I'm ready to be that open about it!

I'm kinda nervous about weighing in this Monday.  I was tired last week and didn't work out as hard, and my eating choices haven't been the best.  I just felt hungry a lot of the time so I was randomly eating... and probably not the best of things.  Stupid Oreo Pie!!! :)  Oh well - I'm drowning myself in water this weekend in hopes of making Monday a good one!

Have a great weekend peeps!!

Hurting... In a good way

Ouch...  That's what I've been thinking and saying the past few days.  I've been pretty diligent with working out and staying relatively active the past few days and I think its catching up with me!  My whole body is sore....  legs, arms, back... everything!! Although it's not necessarily a bad thing since this week showed a loss of 1.4lbs. Woohoo!! And that was even with a company picnic and some not so great meals where I threw caution to the wind while making choices.

Nothing too exciting has been going on lately...  Just focused on making every choice a wise one,  whether it is food related,  or just life in general.

Right now I'm pretty tired and have to get up early for Zumba so that's all for me....  Plus writing on my phone isn't very fun!
G'night peeps!

Encouragement

I just read a Dear Abby column (don't judge!) where someone who is overweight and has to lose over 50 lbs was walking with a friend and was ridiculed by a passerby.  This post brought me to tears (which isn't hard, but that's besides the point) because I know all too well how hard it is when you are overweight to exercise - and then when you do, you get made fun of!!

It's easy for people to tell you to brush off people's comments, but when you are overweight and self-conscious about it, words hurt more than anything else.  I still remember being made fun of in middle and high school.  The hurtful comments from classmates have never left.  Even comments from family or friends who love you, which aren't meant to be malicious, leave hurtful impressions. I know what it feels like going to a party or get together with family and/or friends and barely eating because you feel like you are being judged because, "Look at the fat girl - look at what/how much she's eating".  Regardless of if anyone is thinking that or not... that's how we feel because of those hurtful words in the past come creeping back in when you least expect it.

I've finally come to a place in my life where I know the family and friends I surround myself with love me for me, and don't judge when I eat a big ol' burger, or pizza.  But I've also come to a point in my life where I'm ready to make a change.  I've started WW for the 500th time (it seems), and this time making a real go at it and I've started exercising.  And to be completely honest...  the strangers at the Zumba and TurboKick classes are the most encouraging about exercise.  I'm without a doubt the biggest girl in the class, but everyone tells me how great I'm doing.  I remember a specific lady in class - I have no idea what her name is, and I don't even know if I've seen her again - but she made a point to come over to me during class and tell me, "Keep it up - you are kickin' butt!!"  Those words, whether she knows it or not, have kept me going back and feeling good about myself.  

So this is  me...  a big girl, making a fool of herself during Zumba or TurboKick, but having fun and keeping at it in order to continue my journey to happy and healthy!

The Results are In!

I made it to WW 20 minutes late because of an accident and crazy rain, but I made it in time to weigh in, and I'm glad I did.  I lost 0.4lbs, which doesn't seem like too much, but after this past weekend I take it as a win!!  Between taco night on Friday night with friends, the immense amounts of food at the family get together on Saturday, the scrumptious Cuban bread that was had for breakfast on Sunday, and the soft serve ice cream Sunday evening... losing 0.4lbs is a total win!!! 

Not that I think eating all that is good for me, but working out 5 days must have really helped my cause.  I'm pretty positive that if I wouldn't have worked out I would have totally gained this week!

This just motivates me that much more to keep at it.  Tonight I'll be headed to TurboKick to work off the Tijuana Flats Taco Tuesday I just had.  I was good and figured out that the tacos were 8 PP each, but I didn't think about the chips that come with it...  *sigh*   Oh well, I'll work extra hard tonight and then have a salad and shrimp for dinner! :)

New Week

Today starts my new WW/ActiveLink week - as well as the start of a new work week!  I started off the day with a Zumba class at 6AM.  It was my last chance workout (as Biggest Loser would say) and I was so tired I didn't even give it my all.  Granted I still did more than if I wouldn't have gone, but definitely didn't hit it as hard as I have in the past.  I guess we'll find out how it all pays off this evening at weigh-in.  I'm hoping for a loss, but I also know my body could be in shock from the sudden change in work outs.  I worked out 5 days last week... 4 of those 5 were Zumba or TurboKick classes!

Speaking of... my ActiveLink stats for last week were 18 Activity Points Plus earned and an average of 132% of goal!  Not too shabby for my first week!

I'm searching the Interwebs now for some new recipes to make this week...  I'm already tired of my standards and need to find good alternatives so I don't make the fattier choices!  Thank goodness I'm headed to the grocery store this evening!! :)

Wish me luck tonight!  Think skinny! :)

Family

I traveled to my hometown this weekend to celebrate my little cousin passing the FL Bar and turning 25 all in the same week. It was great seeing family and even seeing some that I haven't seen in years!

I was able to show my mom how the ActiveLink works and she was  pretty amazed and excited for me all at the same time. I plugged it in to my dad's computer and was shocked to see my highest percentage since starting to use it...  180% and 6 points plus! It's a good thing too - the abundance of food at the party was ridiculous. I tried to stick to fruit, veggies,  and the cocktail shrimp.  Temptation got the best of me and I ate a handful of Cuban pastries and summer sausage, but all in all it could have been much worse.   Regardless, Monday morning it's Zumba for me to try and work some of it off before my weigh in that evening.

It's been great seeing family this weekend but I'm ready to get back into routine and be able to really count points for what I'm eating!

Walking... and Pain!

I just recently purchased the ActiveLink from WW and it really does make me think about how much activity I get in one day.  Truth be told, if I could sit on the couch and watch TV and/or Movies all day - I totally would.  Plus, my job of sitting behind a desk all day doesn't bode well for much activity.  But, since getting the ActiveLink, I'm really trying to reach and exceed that 100% goal everyday.  

Yesterday was my first day using the ActiveLink that I didn't have a workout planned.  When I got home from work I was only at a little over 50% for the day so I decided to go for a walk.  I decided to walk to the post office that is down the street from my house so I actually had a purpose for my walk.  Phone in hand, earbuds in, and Pandora rockin' I start on my 1.2 mile trek.  

I get right outside of my neighborhood and my right shin starts aching.  I tell myself to push through it and keep going.  By the time I got to the post office I was seriously contemplating calling the hubby to come get me because the pain from the shin splints was so bad.  I finally told myself to just keep going - it's only 15 more minutes back to the house.  

So I did it!!  I made it back - pain and agony and all... but I finished my walk!

(Come to find out - even if I had tried to call the hubs - he would have never answered.  He spent the time I was walking, outside in the yard fertilizing and treating the shrubs, with his phone in the house!  Good thing I pushed through!)

I did reach 131% of goal so that was great!  For the first time I noticed that the different types of exercise definitely yields different Activity Points.   On previous days when I did Zumba or TurboKick (Cardio Kickboxing) and exceeded 100% I got 4 Activity Points.  Yesterday I got 2 Activity Points.  Not that I’m complaining… I still got out there and reached my goal, but it definitely motivates me more to go the classes, as I get more out of it!!

This weekend I'll be going out of town to visit my parents and celebrate my little cousins 25th birthday AND she passed the BAR!  I'm going to try really hard to make the right choices and just keep drinking tons of water so I don't overeat on the yummy Cuban food that will be there!

Have a great weekend peeps!

The Beginning

Never did I think I would start/write a blog. I'm a reader - not a writer. After some thinking, and some pushing *ahem, Heather*, here I am. This is my little space in the Interwebs to call my own and talk about life, weight loss, recipes, working out, and everything and anything in between. 

A little about me, in bullets, because it's easier: 
~ 32 years old 
~ Married - Hubby = Ryan 
~ No Kids - nor do we plan on it. 
~ 2 Dogs and 1 Cat 
~ Live in Orlando, FL 
~ 1st generation Cuban American 
~ Visited Cuba in 2008 - one of the greatest trips I've taken. 
~ Love my family dearly 
~ Love my friends immensely (they are my chosen family!) 
~ Work in government contracting 
~ Love to read 
~ LOVE puzzles (although I never have time for them) 
~ Going to start my MBA soon (thinking June!) 
~ Weight Watchers member 
~ Always searching for new recipes 
~ Social Network addict (I love me some FB, Pinterest, Instagram, etc.) 
~ Been overweight all my life, but finally doing something about it (for realz this time!) 
~ On a never-ending journey to be happy and healthy  

Hubby & I - Christmas 2012

Here is to hoping that I can keep updating and let you peek into my life and journey!