Church photos comparision...oh my God!

So the other day after church as we do every Sunday we congregate on the church patio and visit. My brother in law and his family also attend the same church so we always visit after. My nephew took a photo and my husband and I and he took a good photo which was nice for a 13 year old! So after I uploaded it I was making space on my computer and going through other photos of what I could clear when I came upon a photo of me on the church patio maybe 1 year ago. Oh my GOD! Horrific. I did a comparison below but this is what helps me keep going to the gym and watching what I eat. My motivation is myself sometimes! :-)

Please don't scratch your eyes out with a cheese grater after viewing my before :-)

I Survived Thanksgiving & Found motivation again...

I went to the gym back to back, trained hard cut calories all in preparation for Thanksgiving. Well I enjoyed myself on Thanksgiving no problem but I surely did feel all of that food really wasn't the same emotionally maybe as it had been in the past. I was kind of over it. Yes its good food but me being healthy and keeping on track was actually more important to me. There was the biggest loser special where are they now and that was perfect to have before Thanksgiving keeps the motivation up. Also last weekend hubby and I were able to go out to dinner with some good friends. The friends are very athletic and I see them at train with my husband. Over the four of five years they've known us I've been heavy and had two babies back to back. They train at the same gym I train at and so I see them all the time when I go and they're always praising me and giving me motivation so that is fabulous but whenever I see them I'm in my frumpy gym attire. So when we went out to dinner I was able to get dressed nicely and it was really sweet how they kept complimenting me. Telling me wow, look how skinny and stylish you are! I mean I do see them all the time but I think when I dress up it makes a difference and I was really happy about that. They gave me extra motivation to continue on without even knowing it. My scale is moving again yipee!!

My little princess stepped on my laptop and cracked the plasma screen but I figured out last night I was able to just hook a standard computer monitor up to my laptop and view the screen! Yipee access to photos and videos again, phew. So that saved me a good chunk of money. I'm trying to work this thing as long as I can. It is a good little laptop for what we've put it through. I have TONS of music on it and photos so that would really be a bummer if I lost all that. Now I'm going to back up the whole drive so in case something else happens I should be good to go with my stuff.

Okay so Hubby is a friggen world class cook and baker and with my weak will power its been hard. I usually arrive home from work and he has dinner ready. Usually always a healthy meal so its fabulous. But when I arrived home from work last night he had baked from scratch whole wheat macoroni and cheese. Oh my gosh like I need tempation. So that was my dinner!!! But I didn't have too much but it was really really good AND it had vegtables in it too. Who knew!

I am trying to get back my motivation to be very very strict with my intake and its not coming. It was helpful today in the gym that they have a mirror on the SIDE of the tredmill so I got to look at my bumps and lumps from the side which I can tell you is motivational! At MY gym the treadmill faces the mirror, and my face is all I can see and my face is thinner so I'm totally happy with that view. The side view ew.. I think also the fact that its winter is detering me. During summer when everyone is practically naked it certainly motivation to keep losing weight. By next summer I should be good. My ultimate goal is to be very fit. Very in shape. And to be very healthy.

Excercise: Weights & Cardio

Food:
6am: skipped, too lazy to get food bad bad
9am: Balance Bar & Water
12pm: Green Salad with Turkey
3pm:

Me A Soccer Goalie??

Ah early rise again but a slow early rise. I didn't leave the house till 4:45am, then I got to work about 5:20 am so I only had 40 minutes to work out and shower. I wasn't able to get much gym time in because I still needed to shower and get into my uniform for work so I have to cut it short to be on time. I most likely am going to have to go back again today but to my own gym (which I love!) near my house.

I have been snacking a bit, will power does not reside at my house anymore! I will be honest I have *lost* my huge motivation to continue losing weight. I think because I am so thrilled with where I am, I haven't looked like this is probably 10 years that its hard to keep striving. I think for a mother of 4 in her early 30s I look pretty good. But then I do have societal pressure (which does help) I mean have you seen Orange County Housewives, do you see the types of ladies which prance amoung California. So that is helpful to 'some' small degree.

Hubby suggested I join some competitive sport thing. Something that will keep me really active without the focus of losing weight. With the focus of just having fun and doing a team or individual sport. Which is a good idea. One problem, gotta find a sport and find more time ! haa haa

Todays Diet has been alright:

6am: Cottage Cheese
9am: Chicken Salad & Pita chips (yes, thats a cheat!)
11am: some cashews & pita chips (yes cheating again!)
1pm: Tuna & Green Salad
4pm: Balance Power Bar
7pm:

Workout : 20 minutes on the KILLER stair mill!

4am wake up...

Seriously people, if I can lose weight ANYONE can. I am awake and busy probably 20hrs of the day. Litereally last night I only slept 4hrs. Wednesdays are my night off of the gym. I went to work 12hrs, came home took the big boys to their fighting stuff, took Gabriel to his baby boyscout meeting. Ran home put babies to bed, then Hubby and I went groceries till 11pm. This was 'our' time to visit. I was dead tired but I thought it was sweet that he wanted me to go with him groceries so that we could 'visit'. This is when we have to squeeze time in?, grocery shopping. Not the most romantic type idea but hey at 10pm at night, grocery shopping with ZERO kids is a treat. Came home, unpacked all the goodies,showered and the snuggled into a fresh bed and watched one episode of my favorite Judge Judy!! (even my 3 year old knows the first three beats of Judge Judy theme music, da da da da... Mama Wudge Wudy?) Once the lights go out I don't even attempt to fall asleep it just happens like a strike of lighting. Just done. Goodnight,asleep. I took the fitness class that is required at work in order to utlize the City's gym. SO as of this Monday my keycard now has access to the gym. So after my glorious 4hrs of sleep I sat up rolled out of bed put on my workout clothes and drove to work. It was really toasty in the gym which I was excited about because at 5am its rather cold. I mean I do live in California so its not that bad but its cold for me. I worked out then took a shower and walked over the Station. Its nice. I already feel accomplished for the day and I think I will eat better today knowing I already worked out! I have 10hrs of work ahead of me then a 1hr commute home then tonight is an honor roll awards ceremony for my teenager. Phew... do you see why I make the claim if I can work out and lose weight anyone can! Its true. I'm sometimes jealous of people who have so much free time on their hands or a quiet house with stuff that doesn't move out of place. But I am also truely blessed with my family so I appreciate that.

My Workout this morning:

I realize I'm all over the place with my body parts. I wasn't focusing on my back or abs etc.. just chosing machines I like today.

Leg Press Machine
Lat Pulls
Cable Crunchs
Cardio: Ellipitcal


Food:

6am:Cliff Bar
9am:Snack some cashews
10:45: Fat Free cottage cheese
1:30pm: Spinach Salad with Tuna Fish


As I've mentioned I'm a drink person. Some people aren't. If you are a beverage kind of person you understand what I'm saying. I love my drinks. Of course water is #1 choice, but when I want a treat I go for tea. I even make pitchers of tea for the kids at home. Each pitcher uses about half a box of the tea bags. So i get two pitchers of tea from a box of tea. I usually get the teas that are on sale $2.50 or 2 boxes for 5 boxes. Figure $2.50 for two gallons of juice would be a bargain. So instead I give my kids Tea. Anyways this stuff is delish. They also have sampler boxes which I go for when I'm not sure of which flavor I may like. I really find that I've liked all the teas I've purchased. So I don't necessarily have to use a certain brand. I generally get a fruity tea or a green tea with some fruity flavor. Black teas are a little blah for me.

SICK!!!

I was sick for 3 days!!!! You'd think you would loose weight but after I stopped being sick I was so thrilled to have an appetite and be able to taste we went out to dinner!

Back at work today and back on the track! Watched the Biggest Loser which is always inspirational to me. Did you see Rebecca my gosh she looked wonderful!!!

I should mention, my aforementioned princess daughter all 25lbs of her stepped on my laptop and broke the plasma inside the screen so I am computerless. I work odd days so when I'm on my days off I'm not able to blog.

Back to the routine, ah. During my days off I will admit I am doing bad food wise. I think my problem is I need to get more snacks for myself. Also hubby and I we enjoy going out to dinner together during our days off.

We have a fabulous work out together on Sunday. I think it was an hour and half. It was wonderful. We did our workouts and finished off with a trip to the steam room. It was nice.

My lower back is hurting much as it used to when I was more overweight. I think I need to lower the weights on my routine. Lately I've increased my weight. I think that coupled with other factors (like my 16 month old wanting me to carry her in a sling!) has strained my back. I need to remember that I want to TONE up not BULK up. So I'm going to lower my weight but increase my rep. So now instead of doing 100lbs lat pull downs, 10 reps, 3 sets. I'm going to do 70lb lat pull downs, 15 rep, 4 sets. Its like lifting a flea to pull 70lbs of weight which feels dumb but I need to reduce the strain right now. The worst would be really hurting myself and being out of the gym for a bit.

To answer some specific questions which have been asked. As far as protein bars. To me they are like a candy bar! Sometimes I need that little fix so I prefer to eat a protein bar. I myself like the cliff bars they have 21g of protein which is perfect for me. I buy them for $1.66 at the grocery store but they sell them anywhere. The specific one I get is the Cliff Bar Builders. If my laptop worked i could link photos of everything but for now i will include internet links to make my life easy. I also eat Trader Joe's High Fiber Cereal. If you follow my diet you we see its pretty boring and pretty much the same. But I change my patterns every so often cause I find something new I like or just get on some new fix to eat sprouts. Or whatever it may be.

Intake:

6am Cliff Bar
9am TJ Cereal
12pm Turkey Cesar Salad
3pm Cliff Bar
7pm-Chicken & Veg

Exercise: Day off tonight