Week 9!

I am finishing up my last week of the 9 week challenge at Goals in Motion.  I am ready for the challenge to be over, although I did consider signing up for the next one.  I would like to do it again and hopefully get a different coach.  However, there is NO WAY I can convince myself or Chris to spend the money on another challenge right away.  I did sign up for a year membership today - excited for that!!  I can't imagine working out anywhere else right now.  The workouts are always, and I really do mean ALWAYS, fantastic.  This means we will probably be giving up our Y membership.  I have a hard time thinking about this, as it was such an important and big part in Brady's and my life over the past two years.  It makes me a little sad!  I'll still try and sign Brady up for a few classes though, and we will probably be getting a pool pass this summer. 

I don't have specific stats to update on, but my weight loss is still incredibly slow.  I feel so much stronger though and can see big improvements in class.  My clothes are also a little looser now too, so I'm excited to see my measurements.  I'll never give up - I'll get to my goal.  For once, I would like to achieve one of my goals. 

Some hang ups I've had and some positives:
* My Bodybugg isn't working right now.  I've called and she couldn't figure it out, so they extended my membership, but it stinks that I can't use it yet.  I was frustrated so did not track my food the last few weeks.  I think that has definitely hampered my success.
* Lifting weights was my favorite form of working out.  I have not missed it once!!!  And I feel so much stronger than I ever did while lifting weights.
* I am so thankful for my family and friends - all the texts, emails, comments and phone calls have been greatly appreciated!!
* It's funny now that some of us challengers are talking more in class, I am hearing that I am not the only one frustrated with the scale.  I don't feel so alone!
* I was 118 when we were married.  Yikes - I still have 35 pounds to go until I reach my goal weight, and my goal weight is not as low as that.  I wish I would have appreciated my weight back then more, but I am accomplishing a healthier life style in a much more healthy way this time and that's good enough for me.
* It's such a GREAT feeling to be done with my workout by 6am.  When we head to the Y for Brady's classes, I often think about how nice it is to not have to worry about working out anymore after his classes.  It's done and we are free to go on with our day!
* I haven't tried any new recipes lately and have noticed my evening eating is not so great anymore.  I hope to start planning and cooking evening meals again.
* I bought the Biggest Loser cookbook.  There seems to be some good recipes in there!  If anyone wants to copy some recipes out of there, feel free too.  :)
* I love that I found a program that is teaching me a healthy lifestyle.  I did not want to count points or have meals delivered.  I want to learn how to eat right to fuel my body.  They promote clean eating - love it.
* I can't wait for the Easter candy to be out of the grocery stores!!!
* I've tried so much over the years to lose weight - switched gyms, worked with two different nutritionists, bought the Bodybugg, paid for personal training sessions, and it goes on and on and on.  I'm proud that I have not given up on my effort to get healthier - I'm going to do it!!

Pictures

"Night Night Drake"

 

 

1 day in Carroll + a day of playing with cousins on both sides of the family = one sleepy little boy!

Skipping classes

Last week was a week of skipping classes.  I skipped Tuesday morning because once again, I was just super tired.  Sometimes the thought of working out and then not being able to nap that day just makes me tired.  :)  I also skipped my church class on Wednesday night.  Friday I skipped my workout again because of the snow.  Drake had me up at 3:45 and my alarm went off at 4:10.  They post by 4:15 if classes are cancelled because of the weather, so I laid back down for five minutes and the next thing I knew, it was 5:15.  Oops.  And I skipped Saturday because Chris was out of town all weekend and so I had Brady all to myself!!  No babysitter means no workout at Goals.

I have been super busy, but there isn't much to update on my Goals progress.  I'm really just embarrassed that I still can't control my eating enough to lost weight.  Last Monday, my weight was still at my midpoint weight - down 5.2 pounds total.  My body fat went down another .3.  If only I could tell that voice in my head to shut up every time I wanted to snack.  I have noticed that my muffin top is slowly going away.  I am toning up at least!  No matter how fantastic the workouts are, it's hard to be motivated when the scale isn't going down.  Completely my OWN fault.  Even though I am not a fan of my personal coach, I am the only one to blame.  I would probably still snack even if she was responsive.  I did work out with her last Thursday during kickboxing and it was my hardest workout yet.  I practically crawled to my water bottle for a drink and could feel it in my lungs that whole day. 

My sister Melissa and I talk a lot about this process for me.  I told her I appreciate her letting me take over our conversations about this since this process is taking over my life right now.  We both share an interest in health and fitness, and she always knows just want to say to me to get me motivated again.  I told her I wished she lived here and we could have done this together.  I was telling her Friday night that I think in my head, I have given up on the challenge aspect of this.  Clearly I don't know what challenge means since I am not doing as great as I wanted to on the nutrition part.  She made me realize that there is still two weeks left and I will want to look back on this knowing I didn't give up towards the end because of fear of failing (typical Heidi-style).  So, this week I am not skipping workouts no matter what!  And I will track my food and not give up in my head.  I know I'm a slow work in progress.  I feel lucky that after this I will continue with a membership there so I don't have to give up these great workouts and I will be surrounded with workout friends who can still give me pointers on nutrition.  I'll get there, at a turtles pace....

And for the best part, pictures of my Brady:

 

Playing in the snow on Friday

With my Mom & Dad

What a week!!!

Car problems - AGAIN!!!  And I had to get it fixed asap or my engine would blow up.  So, I've always had an attachment to my car and have driven it for 11 years this month!  But, after putting into it over half of what it's worth over the past six months, I'm beginning to think it's time for a new (used) car.  I'm going to start looking I think.  :(

Workout was INTENSE this morning!  One of the instructor's husband is beginning to teach and today was his first day.  Yikes.  I burned 100 more calories during kickboxing today than I normally do.  I feel like I've faltered this week - more little snacks and fatty snacks.  And I've come to realize I not only have one excuse, but multiple excuses for everything.  I skipped Wednesday morning because I was exhausted.  And to give you an example of my excuses, it went like this: I was tired Tuesday morning already (more than normal), one of the little girls is teething, so she had a rough day on Tuesday, I get up with Drake in the middle of the night and do not sleep great anyways, I have been getting up early and going to bed later than I should be for a month now, blah blah blah.  I was even up to let Drake out Wednesday morning, but I went back to bed.  I wish, really wish, I was one of those self-motivating people who just "does it", no matter what.  What is interesting about this week is I'm still down almost a pound and I've realized that by supper time, I really am not hungry.  I'm fueling my body with the correct foods and amounts during the day that eating just a lean protein meat with veggies is satisfying most of the time.  Interesting...  I guess they are right.  :)  I feel grateful that I have found a program that works.  I'm still deathly afraid of getting on the scale, and when it does go down, I almost don't acknowledge it at first for fear that it will go back up.  I need to stay positive though since I weigh less then I did before I got pregnant.  Yay.  Finally. 

I have updated goals for the next three weeks at Goals.  I want to increase my water intake by another 16-32 ounces.  I want to consistently lose two pounds a week, not just one to two.  I need to pre-plan every single meal.  Lastly, I want to drink pop on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only.  I've doing pretty good on all of them except for the pop.  Shocker. 

I thought it would be fun to show pictures of Brady when he was a baby in February, when he was 1 years old in February and now that he is 2.  It really shows how fast he is growing!  I need to get his 2 year pictures done asap!

2 months old

 

One year and two months old

 

Two years old!!!  Before haircut!

After haircut!!  And eating.. again..

MidPoint Testing

We had midpoint testing on Saturday at Goals in Motion.  Four weeks down, five to go!!!

My weight was down 5.2 pounds.  My body fat was down 1.5.  Thanks to cross training the night before and sore muscles because of it, I did two less pushups (full) than I did at initial testing, but my situps (full) went up by over 15.  It is so nice to see progress again!!  Now, I just need to remember to stay away from those carbs after 3/4 pm since that has made a difference this past week.  I did try something new again last week - steel cut oats (with protein powder).  Again, it's something that I think I just need to get used too.  And it was so nice to finally have a team meeting.  I felt like I was the only one struggling and that I was failing, but it was nice to hear that others are having struggles too.  What a big life change we are all trying to make. 

And here are some more pictures of Brady.  He figured out how to climb up on the counters last week...

Hmmm..  Can I do it??

Yes, I got this side open!!

But wait, my snacks are over here....

Now, I just need to get up there so I can reach them!!!

Ok mom, now that I can reach the apples, I'll try one...

Or three....