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!!! 

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!

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

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!! 

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!