A Healthier Me

Announcement

2008-07-23T11:02:00.002-04:00

I haven't posted here in a LONG time. I honestly can list 100 excuses if I wanted to but I won't bore you with them.

I do want to make an announcement.....

I am getting Married. I got engaged on July 13, 2008 and we are planning our wedding for May 2009. Because this blog's sole purpose was for my health and weight loss I am thinking about starting a new blog for the wedding.

I do not have any plans to take this site down but I know my updates will be few and far between. I am still going to be working on my weight loss but I don't want this blog to turn into everything about weddings. Once I start a new blog I'll post the link!!

Sicko

2008-03-13T10:18:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to post a little update.

I am really proud of myself. I have honestly gotten back into the workout scene around here :) I have consistently been going to the gym every day during the week and making a conscious effort to have a long workout on the weekends. I've been alternating morning workouts and evening workouts based on the schedule at the gym and it's been great. The days where I work out at nice seem like a gift because I can "sleep in".

I've noticed my weight is going down. As of this morning I weighed in at 173.2!!! I am determined to be in the 170's before I go on vacation at the end of the month.

I do think I am struggling with a small cold. My throat is a bit scratchy, nose is runny and my eyes are watery. I may try to head home from work a bit early but I'm afraid I will get the urge to snack. I've already told myself if I do go home I must eat the lunch I packed for myself today.

I still need to post about something exciting coming up!!!!! I am running a half marathon in August. I want to create a start post for my training and get a schedule together to regularly post on my progress.

Random

2008-03-05T08:44:00.003-05:00

So my weight has been totally random the past few weeks. One day it's down to 174 and the next it's 178. I dont know what is going on.

I've been very consistent with my workouts and food. I guess I just need to give it another week or two and I should start to see the difference.

I have my official weigh in at work today so I'm hoping it's at least lower that 180lbs.

Monday morning

2008-03-03T08:20:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone!

I had a fantastic weekend. I hung out with friends and the boyfriend. I had a BAD breakfast on Saturday morning but it was too tasty to pass up.

On Sunday I took my new bike out for a ride. I ended up going 15miles and was exhausted by the time I got home. It feels so good to be working out again. My weight is still fluctuating but I'm feeling stronger. My muscles were incredibly sore last week and I'm hoping it wont be so bad after this week.

I'm thinking about investing in a nice heart rate monitoring watch. It will be nice to have while riding my bike as well as going to the gym. If anyone has any suggestions on models they like please let me know!

Vacation goal

2008-02-29T12:37:00.002-05:00

So I am going to Jamaica at the end of March with my Mom. She is going as a business trip so the whole trip is paid for! I am so excited!!!!

I want to set a goal to weight 170lbs before I go. That means I need to lose 5lbs in 4 weeks. I know this is possible but I have to stay focused.

As of this morning I weight in at 175.2lbs!

New toy

2008-02-26T13:53:00.002-05:00

Today I purchased this...

It's a road bike. I've been looking for one of these for a long time but I didnt want to put a lot of money into it. This bike retails at $1,200 and let me assure you I paid less than half of that. It was a lot of money to spend but I am confident I got a good deal.

I love spinning and the thought of being able to ride outside on a nice day sounds wonderful. I even got a helmet thrown into the deal!!!

Now all I need is a good day to ride. I am hoping the weather is nice this weekend and I can take her out!

Weekend and excuses

2008-02-25T13:07:00.003-05:00

I had another weekend out of town. As much as I love traveling it's hard sometimes to be on the go all the time. I spent well over 12 hours in the car but it was worth it to see friends and family.

I am having a hard time getting motivated to go to the gym. I need to go to the gym because I think it will be good for me to break a sweat and I'll feel better about myself. The weather is just gloomy here and all I want to do is go to bed.

Can someone help me find my motivation???

Recipe Friday

2008-02-15T10:08:00.007-05:00

Happy Friday everyone! I am headed out of town this weekend to visit my Valentine. He was sent away from work for a few weeks but luckily we are spending the weekend together.

I wanted to share one of my favorite healthy recipe with everyone:

It's a whole wheat pasta with broccoli and tomatoes!

Ingredients:

12 ounce(s) whole wheat penne pasta
1 large bunch broccoli cut into florets
12 ounce(s) hot Italian turkey sausage
1 pint(s) grape tomatoes each cut in half
1/2 cup(s) fresh basil leaves (loosely packed) chopped
1/4 cup(s) freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Heat large saucepot of salted water to boiling on high. Add pasta and cook as label directs, adding broccoli when 3 minutes of cooking time remain. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water; drain pasta and broccoli.

Meanwhile, thinly slice sausage on the diagonal. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook sausage on medium 7 to 8 minutes or until it begins to brown, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and cook 5 minutes longer, stirring.

Stir pasta, broccoli, and 1/4 cup pasta cooking water into sausage mixture in skillet; heat through, adding additional cooking water if needed. Remove from heat; stir in basil and cheese.

1 serving: Calories 505; Carbohydrates 74g; Cholesterol 71mg; Dietary Fiber 10g; Fat 13g (Saturated Fat 4g); Sodium 760mg

Let me know what you think or one of your favorite healthy recipes!

High Metabolism Diet

2008-02-13T16:38:00.002-05:00

I found this article on MSN today. I highly recommend reading it. The reason I wanted to post about it is so I can keep it in my archives.

The article talks about the High Metabolism Diet. Here is what it says:

To really make your metabolism soar, couple the workout with our High-Metabolism Diet, developed by Dan Benardot, PhD, RD, an associate professor of nutrition and kinesiology at Georgia State University, and Tammy Lakatos, RD, coauthor of Fire Up Your Metabolism. Start today and you'll sleep better, have more energy, feel firmer, and notice your clothes are looser in as little as 2 weeks. Here's how:

Eat Enough

You need to cut calories to lose weight. But going too low delivers a double whammy to your metabolism. When you eat less than you need for basic biological function (about 1,200 calories for most women), your body throws the brakes on your metabolism. It also begins to break down precious, calorie-burning muscle tissue for energy, says Dan Benardot. "Eat just enough so you're not hungry—a 150-calorie snack midmorning and midafternoon between three meals (about 430 calories each) will keep your metabolism humming."

Rev Up in the Morning

Eating breakfast jump-starts metabolism and keeps energy high all day. It's no accident that women who skip this meal are 4 1/2 times as likely to be obese. If nothing else, grab a yogurt. Or try oatmeal made with fat-free milk and topped with nuts for an essential protein boost.

Drink Coffee or Tea

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, so your daily java jolts can rev your metabolism 5 to 8%—about 98 to 174 calories a day. A cup of brewed tea can raise your metabolism by 12%, according to one Japanese study. Researchers believe the antioxidant catechins in tea provide the boost.

Fight Fat with Fiber

Research shows that some fiber can rev your fat burn by as much as 30%.Studies find that women who eat the most fiber gain the least weight over time. Aim for about 25 g a day—the amount in about three servings each of fruits and vegetables.

Buy the Big Bottle

German researchers found that drinking 6 cups of cold water a day (that's 48 ounces) can raise resting metabolism by about 50 calories daily—enough to shed 5 pounds in a year. The increase may come from the work it takes to heat the water to body temperature.

Go Organic

Canadian researchers report that dieters with the most organochlorines (pollutants from pesticides, which are stored in fat cells) experience a greater than normal dip in metabolism as they lose weight, perhaps because the toxins interfere with the energy-burning process. Other research hints that pesticides can trigger weight gain. Always choose organic when buying peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, and pears; they tend to have the highest levels of pesticides.

Always Include Protein

Your body needs protein to maintain lean muscle. Add a serving, like 3 ounces of lean meat, 2 tablespoons of nuts, or 8 ounces of low-fat yogurt, to every meal and snack. Research shows protein can up postmeal calorie burn by as much as 35%.

Eat Iron-Rich Foods

It's essential for carrying the oxygen your muscles need to burn fat, says Tammy Lakatos, RD, co-creator of the diet. Until menopause, women lose iron each month through menstruation. Unless you restock your stores, you run the risk of low energy and a sagging metabolism. Shellfish, lean meats, beans, fortified cereals, and spinach are excellent sources.

Get More D

This vitamin is essential for preserving metabolism-revving muscle tissue. Unfortunately, researchers estimate that a measly 4% of Americans over age 50 take in enough through their diet. Get 90% of your recommended daily value (400 IU) in a 3.5-ounce serving of salmon. Other good sources: tuna, shrimp, tofu, fortified milk and cereal, and eggs.

Skip the Second Cocktail

When you have a drink, you burn less fat, and more slowly than usual, because the alcohol is used as fuel instead. Knocking back the equivalent of about two martinis can reduce your body's fat-burning ability by up to 73%.

Drink Milk

"There's some evidence that calcium deficiency, which is common in many women, may slow metabolism," says Lakatos. Research shows that consuming calcium through dairy foods such as fat-free milk and low-fat yogurt may also reduce fat absorption from other foods.

What of these tips to you guys do???

New Weigh-In

2008-02-12T15:30:00.000-05:00

So I've joined a Biggest Loser type competition at work. To be more accurate they are calling it the "TALK IS CHEAP NOW GET OFF YOUR BUT AND MOVE" Competition. Today was the beginning weight in. It wasn't horrible but I wasn't very excited about weigh in with a bunch of co-workers. We did weight, body fat % and BMI. They had a personal trainer there for any questions.

First of all I weight in at 180.2lbs with all my work clothes on and my shoes (I wanted to weight in at my heaviest!). My body fat % was a 33. I briefly spoke with the instructor and he said the ideal percentage for a woman my age would be 25%. So I did some research online and found this:

General Body Fat Percentage Categories

Classification	Women (% fat)	Men (% fat)
Essential Fat	10-12%	2-4%
Athletes	14-20%	6-13%
Fitness	21-24%	14-17%
Acceptable	25-31%	18-25%
Obese	32% plus	25% plus

Now I will admit that being in the Obese category hurts a little. I know I am only at the edge of Obese but I was really hoping to be acceptable. I knew I still needed to lose weight but I want to leave the obese category ASAP.

Our TALK IS CHEAP competition is for 12 weeks. So by the end of those 12 weeks I would like to see anything plus or minus a pound at 170 and I would REALLY like to see a body fat of 30%. According to the calculations online I would have to weigh 154lbs to have a 30% body fat. I dont know how accurate that is but I know I cannot lose 26lbs in 12 weeks.

Back from my hiatus

2008-02-11T15:14:00.001-05:00

I doubt anyone is still reading this blog but I am determined to get this puppy up and running again.

I am recommitting:
To myself
To my weight loss
To my healthier eating habits
To my blog

I have no more excuses. This blog has helped me through so much and kept me on track before. I have an official weigh in tomorrow. By the end of the week I want to get a new look and set some goals.

Hiatus is over!!!

Naughty or Nice

2007-11-08T15:27:00.000-05:00

I am having a hard time even posting about this topic. I cannot believe it's already November 9th!!! What happened?!?!?

Anyways...I got an email from my Mom this week asking me to start thinking about my Christmas list for this year. She wants it by Thanksgiving which is like two weeks away! CRAZY!!!!

I honestly cant think of anything that I want for Christmas other thank new clothes. Since it's hard to explain exactly what kind of new clothes I want it easier to ask for gift cards to store. I want Ann Taylor Loft, the Gap and New York & Co. Other than that I have no clue what to ask for.

So Internet, what are the hot gifts for Christmas 2007???? What is on your wish list this year??

Quick update

2007-10-25T20:56:00.000-04:00

If anyone still reads this blog I figured I owed them an update :)

I started my new job. It's going to be a challenge and I hope I am up for it. I joined a new gym and I am working out. I've been eating much better lately but I have no clue if I've lost any weight.

I promise to try to get back into blogging soon. If you are still stopping by, thank you!!!

Schedule change

2007-10-12T11:30:00.000-04:00

My new job starts in a little over a week and in a little over a week my whole life (I'm being over dramatic) is going to change.

For the past seven months I have been in transition mode. I would be at home on the weekends, I pack, I fly to DC for the week, I pack, and I fly home for the weekends. I started traveling for work as a necessity. There wasnt much of a calling for my field down in Virginia Beach.

Traveling for work has a few benefits:

1. Free access to all the fruit I could want. I get fresh cut fruit for breakfast and my chose of bananas, apples, pears and oranges. All provided by my hotel.

2. Me time. At night I have no one to report to. If I want to work out for two hours I can. If I want to go shopping I can. If I want to spend the entire night in my bed I can.

3. No cleaning. You dont have to make your bed or change your sheets!!!

4. Per Diem....two of my favorite words. My job paid me MORE money because I was traveling for food. I could spend as much or as little on dinner as I wanted and I was getting paid for it.

5. Access to the hotel gym. Even though I stopped working out in the morning I COULD have used the hotel gym. That means not having to get up, get in the car and drive to the gym!

Traveling for work has a few draw-backs:

1. Never at home. I miss my things. I miss my friends. I miss the ability to lay on the couch and watch tv with my roommate.

2. Alot of your time is spent traveling. I used to spend at least 2 hours a week packing and over 6 hours a week in airports and air planes. When I was driving I would spend up to 8 hours in my car during the week.

3. No cooking. I had access to a fridge and microwave. That only gets you so far in the cooking world.

4. Too much Me time. There were days were I really missed having someone to go home to....anyone.

Since all this traveling is going away in the next week. The things I am most looking forward too are being at home, seeing my friends during the week, and cooking!!! It's going to be interesting to see how I will work the gym into my schedule now. I will need to figure out if I can get back into my morning routine or if I'll go to the gym at night.

All I know is I need to get motivated to lose 10lbs before 2008!!!!

My new news

2007-10-08T15:50:00.000-04:00

I got a new job!!!!

I put in my two weeks notice at my current job today!!!

I am going to be in the same line of work but I will be located in Virginia Beach. Since I moved to Va Beach in May I've been commuting to the DC area every week for work. The traveling has been fun but also VERY exhausting. I miss my bed, I miss my friends, and I miss the little things in life.

I am sad to be leaving some great co-workers but I know I am on to better things! This opportunity sort of fell into my lap and I couldn't be more excited! I am most especially looking forward to 'cooking' again. My idea of cooking is a plain tuna fish sandwich but it's still something I put together.

In other news, my cake was FANTASTIC. I was unfortunately un-able to find the reduced sugar cake mix or icing. So instead I used a regular yellow cake mix and cream cheese frosting. I mixed the cake mix with a can of pumpkin, water, three egg whites and some pumpkin pie spice. It was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Columbus day (even though I had to work)!

On a mission

2007-10-05T11:34:00.000-04:00

This weekend I am on a mission to find these treasures:

Pillsbury Moist Supreme Reduced Sugar cake mix
AND Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Reduced Sugar icing

My only dilemma is I want to make a pumpkin flavored cake. Normally I make it with a box of yellow cake mix, a can of pumpkin and some water (just that simple!). I need help with what flavor of icing to get!!!!

What do you suggest:

Vanilla or chocolate???

Have a great weekend!

I hate to do this too you

2007-10-05T11:14:00.001-04:00

I have some VERYYYYYYY potentially exciting news that I am waiting on....but, I cannot tell you yet.

I am just asking for some good vibes to come my way. If everything works out I'll let you know ASAP!

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2007-10-03T16:45:00.000-04:00

Fact:
It is estimated that over 178,000 women in the US will be found to have invasive breast cancer in 2007.

Fact:
Women over the age of 40 should get a mammogram once a year.

Fact:
Over 2 million women in the United States are living with a breast cancer diagnosis.

Fact:
By the age of 20, women should be giving themselves breast exams at least once a month in addition to seeing their gynecologists on a regular basis.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I wanted to do my best to share some information for anyone who reads this blog. I do not have breast cancer and neither does anyone in my immediate family, but I feel as if I have been touched by it. This time last year I had a scare where my doctor found a lump. It was the scariest couple of days in my life at the time. Luckily for me it was a false scare but there isnt a day that goes by that I dont feel the pain that these 2.3million women but be dealing with.

I want to encourage everyone to perform their monthly self breast exams. I will be honest and tell you that I am not always good at doing these. Mainly because it scares the hell out of me but I know how important they can be. I just had my doctor perform a breast exam and I am all clear for now.

My heart goes out to all the women living with this disease. There is hope and I truly believe that one day we will find a cure. To all the women with this diagnosis I want you to know you are an inspiration to me.

92 days

2007-09-27T12:34:00.000-04:00

As of October 1st there will be 92 days left of 2007. That is 13 weeks and one day. In that time I want to be committed to losing 10lbs. I was to be as close to the 160's as possible for the new year.

I took the entire month of September off. I have worked out here and there but it has not been as constant as it needs to be. I know I have come along way but I also know I have a long way to go still. I have about 30lbs that I want to lose to be at my ideal weight and I cannot give up.

I think about weight loss ALL the time. It's literally on my mind 100% of the time. Even though it is always in my mind I haven't been committed to it. Starting October 1st, 2007 I am recommitting myself to weight loss. I want to achieve my goal of a 10lbs lose by the end of the year. I want to focus on working out (and enjoying it again) and eating right.

I have a nice long weekend starting tomorrow. I will allow myself to enjoy this restful weekend and realize that it all ends Monday morning. I want my body to experience total physical fitness now while I am young. I know I will be fighting this fight for the rest of my life but I know that the sooner I reach my goal the better. I can rest knowing that I was able to maintain for an entire month but I want to know I can maintain for the rest of my life.

I am committed to myself. I know now more than I ever knew before that reaching my final goal is possible, I just need to keep pushing myself.

Something I've noticed

2007-09-25T14:00:00.000-04:00

When Im not focused on working out and eating healthy, I am not focused on blogging about working out and eating healthy. I am still on my vacation from losing weight routine. I am currently not on a workout schedule, I have not been following NutriSystem and I have not been watching what I eat. I have no clue where my weight is at the moment but I dont feel like its that bad. I am going to be back in the game come October 1st. This week I am going to post my "Game Plan for the rest of the year".

Tonight I am off to do some Fall/Winter shopping. I hate spending so much money on clothes but I dont have enough outfits to get me through Fall/Winter right now.

I wish I had more exciting things to talk about!

West Palm Beach

2007-09-18T10:28:00.001-04:00

My trip to West Palm Beach this weekend was soooo much fun. It was me and two of my favorite girl friends and we laughed the entire time. We stayed at a beautiful resort hotel on Singer Island.

We got to the area around noon on Friday. We grabbed a quick bite to eat at a local seafood restaurant and took a quick walk on the beach. Then we headed off to the first of two DMB concerts!

I went for a quick run on Saturday morning and the girls and I spent the rest of the day at the beach!

The three of us had a GREAT time!! I cannot believe I will be seeing these girls again tonight for another concert tomorrow :)

(That is me in the middle)

In the end...

2007-09-13T11:21:00.000-04:00

...it all works out.

I stepped on the scale yesterday and saw 181.4lbs. I cannot tell you how much of a relief it was that I hadnt gained the 5lbs I thought I had. I really think I have revved up my metabolism in the past year. Dont get me wrong, I dont think I could continue to eat the way I did on vacation and continue to lose weight. It's nice to know that the hard work I've put in has done good things to my body.

In other news I received a surprising present for my birthday. I got a shirt. It's a cute going-out-type shirt with matching earrings that I received from two of my girls friends. I was surprised because I have never received an article of clothing from anyone. I have seen plenty of my friends give clothes as a present before but until now I was never one of them. I always knew it was because my friends either didnt know what store to shop in or what size to buy.

This summer I have really started to feel "Normal". Not that I wasnt normal before but I don't always feel so different from everyone else as I did when I was obese. I dont want to offend anyone by using the word normal but it was the best thing I could come up with.

Now that the summer is coming to an end I need to work out my next attack plan. I am going back on NutriSystem, I am getting back to my workout routine, and I am going to set a goal for the end of the year to achieve!!!

This weekend I am headed to West Palm Beach, Fl to see the Dave Matthews Band!!!! If I wear my new shirt I may take a picture or two ;)

I'm Back

2007-09-11T15:23:00.000-04:00

I am back from vacation. My summer vacation of 2007 is officially over :( While on vacation I eat new foods, saw new places and met some new friends. I started in Virginia and hit South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina on the way back home. I celebrated my birthday on 4 separate occasions :) I wish it had been longer.

Now that I am back to the real world things are starting to hit me. I didn't make the best food decisions while on vacation and I didnt work out at all besides walking around doing some site seeing. I am having a hard time getting back into my routine.

I am scared to death about what the scale is going to say at the gym tonight. I haven't decided if I'm ready to face that right now or not. I AM going to go to spin class tonight then I am headed home to watch the Biggest Loser. I hope I'm not too devastated by the scale!!!

Weight In, Vacation and Birthday!!!

2007-08-30T17:17:00.000-04:00

I actually did my weigh in this week and surprisingly saw 181.6. I know that isnt much of a loss but at least its a loss.

I've officially decided to take a few days off working out. My birthday is in a few days and I'm going to be going on vacation. I am going to focus on eating healthy and moving my body whenever possible. I'm not going to worry about hitting the gym or eating my NS meals.

Speaking of vacation :) My vacation starts tomorrow. For the first half of the week I am going on a road trip with the Boyfriend. We are hitting up Athens, Ga, St. Mary's, Ga, Savannah, Ga and Charleston, Sc!!! I am most excited about Charleston but I am looking forward to the entire trip. I am going to be meeting some of his friends for the first time so I am naturally feeling self conscious. I cant help but worry about what his friends will think of me, but I guess that isnt what really matters right?!?!

For the second half of my vacation I am headed to the Outer Banks with my family! This will be a great time for me to read a book, catch up on TV and just plain relax. I plan on eating a LOT of seafood while I'm there :)

Have a great week and I'll be back on Sept 10th....My Birthday ;)

My new addiction

2007-08-27T14:49:00.000-04:00

So recently I tried a few of those Crystal light sugar free On-the-Go packets for bottled water. My favorite flavor so far has been the Peach Tea. These little flavor packets are ZERO calories and make drinking a lot of water soooo much easier. With all the high temperatures we have had staying hydrated was really important and the taste of plain water was getting old.

Cheers!

Checking in

2007-08-23T17:15:00.000-04:00

This has been one heck of a crazy week!!!! I am so glad tomorrow is Friday.

Here are a few status updates:

Weight loss - Nothing new to report (182.2lbs)
NutriSystem - SLACKING! The weekends are really hard for me but I am still trying.
Exercise - My 8k training is going pretty well. I RAN 2.5miles the other day :)
Birthday Count Down - :) I turn 26 in 18 days!!!!!

Weigh in at home

2007-08-15T12:39:00.000-04:00

I'm working from home today. I've been on a conference call for the last three hours. Yuck!

The good news is I weight in yesterday at 182.2lbs! I'll take it!

I hope you guys are having a good day :)

Today is my Friday!

2007-08-14T13:52:00.000-04:00

I am going home today. I am going home to Virginia Beach and I could not be more excited. I want to sleep in my own bed. The reason I am leaving today is because I am going to see Dave Matthews Band tomorrow :) I dont think I have talked about my DMB obsession enough on this blog but to give you any clue this is the second of 7 shows I am going to this summer!

This weekend I saw DMB with my Mom and we had a blast! We were talking about random things and I decided to ask her what she would think if I got a boob job. She seemed a bit surprised but made sure to tell me that finding the right surgeon was important. To my knowledge I do not know anyone personally who has had a breast augmentation so I dont have any references.

This is something I've been thinking about for a long time. The more I get comfortable with my body the more I feel like I can open up to these kinds of things. I always thought it would have been ridiculous to get a boob job for a girl that weight 299lbs. When I was at my heaviest I was lucky to fill out a size C cup and now I am VERY lucky to fill out a B cup. I wouldnt want to have HUGE porn star boobs but I want boobs that make me feel sensual and womanly.

If I ever do anything about it I'll be sure to write more on it! Thanks for listening.

I am off to finish up work for the day, hit the gym then drive to Virginia Beach!!!

Gain, gain go away!

2007-08-10T10:26:00.000-04:00

This week has been a mix of emotions. I was riding high on life on Tuesday but Wednesday when I went into the gym and weight myself I hit a low. I had gained weight (sorry for the cheesy title). I was shocked, I was devastated, and I was totally discouraged.

I knew my exercise had started to slip a bit (especially on the weekends) and my eating habits haven't been 100% on plan (especially on the weekends) but a gain was not something I was prepared to see. Not only was it a gain, it was a significant gain and since I am too chicken to actually tell you what it was I am postponing my weigh in. I know I'm cheating myself but I have to do it for my own sanity.

I've been doing pretty good this week at the gym but I'm being really hard on myself about everything else. I just needed to have a pitty party for one and move on with my life.

This weekend I am going to see Dave Matthews Band :) Which is one of my absolute most favorite things to do in the whole wide world. Not only will I see Dave and the band I am going with my Mom. I love my Mom to death and I cannot imagine a better person to go with. This show is the first of 5 shows I am going to this summer (yes I have a mild DMB obsession!!!).

I am still following my 8K training plan. Yesterday I ran 2miles non stop and I felt great afterwards. I told myself I could take a quick walking break at the half way point but I kept going. I have a 30mins cross training tomorrow and another 2mile run on Sunday.

Have a great weekend everyone. I know I will!!!

HOT!

2007-08-08T09:51:00.000-04:00

Today at work we are having a group picnic. Our team consists of over 100 consultants so it's going to be a pretty big deal. We have rented out a park, we have TONS of food, and we are playing all kinds of games.

Since it's been unbearably hot in the Metro DC area this week I was concerned about what to wear. Yesterday I went on an adventure to find a cool (temperature wise) yet work appropriate outfit. Since I travel and cannot take my entire wardrobe with me I had limited myself to jeans or a cut off jean skirt that was too big for me.

I hit up Old Navy first and determined that everyone else who shops at Old Navy is a size 14 because the only thing I could find was a pair of khaki shorts. When I tried the shorts on I realized that I will NEVER be able to wear shorts in public again. I have the dreaded loose skin on my upper thighs that I don't want anyone that I work with to see. (Reminder: post about this topic later!!)

Next I ended up in Ann Taylor Loft. This store is my new addiction. I used to be addicted to Lane Bryant and saved up their coupons as if they were gold. I loved shopping there because I knew I would find something that would fit. I love Ann Taylor because it's a great combination of sexy and classy clothes that fit MY body very well. Since loosing weight I have become obsessed with wearing dresses and Ann Taylor has the best dresses. I tried a few things on in the store and I fell in love with this....

I cannot even begin to express how sexy, young, THIN, and happy this dress made me feel. Even though it was full price I had to have it (AND the earrings to match). I cannot wait to put it on and head over to the picnic where I will feel great, look great, and still be cool (temperature wise).

Shopping has always been therapy for me, even when I was heavier. I thankfully never reached a point where I couldn't find a size large enough to fit me. My goal was to find something that would fit my body and make me feel better about myself. It's funny how clothes can give you the confidence you need sometimes.

PS....I got a size Medium dress! YAY!!!!

My Priority

2007-08-06T17:04:00.000-04:00

My goal for August is to stick to an 8-week 8K training schedule that looks something like this:

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Miles
1	Stretch & strength	2 m run	30 min cross	2 m run + strength	Rest	30 min cross	2 m run	6
2	Stretch & strength	2 m run	30 min cross	2 m run + strength	Rest	30 min cross	2.5 m run	6.5
3	Stretch & strength	2.5 m run	35 min cross	2 m run + strength	Rest	40 min cross	3 m run	7.5
4	Stretch & strength	2.5 m run	35 min cross	2 m run + strength	Rest	40 min cross	3.5 m run	8
5	Stretch & strength	2.5 m run	40 min cross	2 m run + strength	Rest	50 min cross	4 m run	8.5
6	Stretch & strength	3 m run	40 min cross	2 m run + strength	Rest	50 min cross	4 m run	9
7	Stretch & strength	3 m run	45 min cross	2 m run + strength	Rest	60 min cross	4.5 m run	9.5
8	Stretch & strength	3 m run	30 min cross	2 m run	Rest	Rest or 60 min cross	8-K Race	10

I found this training guide here. I signed up for an 8K run in Virginia Beach on September 29th. This is something I KNOW I can do but if I did it right now it would probably be a struggle. Tonight I am doing a strengh training workout and hopefully a little cardio. I may do 30mins on the treadmill to break a little sweat!

I am pumped!

New Challenge

2007-07-31T14:59:00.001-04:00

Paige has started up a new Challenge based on the 2007 Challenge that Michelle started!

I signed up for the month of August!

Go visit the challenge site and let Paige know if you want to join in! I will try to post my goals for August tomorrow :)

Happy Birthday to you....

2007-07-27T10:32:00.000-04:00

Today is the first birthday of my blog and of course we need a cupcake :)

A year ago today I created A Healthier Me and wrote my first blog entry. At the time I was 24 years old and weight in at 270lbs. Today I am 25 years old (obviously!!) and I weight in yesterday at 182.2lbs!!!!!

This blog has been such a huge support system for me. I have signed up for several challenges where I was responsible for my actions. I have learned so many facts about healthy foods and how to exercise. I have sought out your opinion and I have received great advice. I have found the motivation that keeps me going. What I am most thankful for in this past year is the advice and support from all the other ladies out there blogging about weight loss. You have truly been an inspiration to me, and for that I thank you.

As of today I have 32.2lbs to lose till I reach my goal. This is the first time in my life that I know it's possible to achieve something I work hard at. During the next year I would like to work on my fitness, get down to my goal weight and start to work on myself as a person. I need to work on improving my self-esteem and confidence.

Thank you all for reading my blog and allowing me to share in your lives!

Nope, Nada, No

2007-07-25T15:56:00.000-04:00

Why I haven't posted....

Am I reading Harry Potter? NOPE
Is my life just that exciting that I dont have time? NO WAY
Has work been really busy? NO
Have I had anything mildly interesting to talk about? NOT AT ALL

I haven't posted in a while just because I haven't had must to post about. I cannot complain about life too much. I am trying to enjoy my summer as much as possible, all the while fitting in time to make money (a.k.a the job).

Today is my official weigh-in but I doubt I'll be going to my regular gym. I am hoping to motivate myself to do at least 30mins of the elliptical at the hotel tonight. I am meeting my mom for dinner after work for food and probably a little shopping.

I'll try to post my plans for the weekend. A friend is in town that I haven't seen in a year so it will be very exciting!

Weigh In

2007-07-19T09:13:00.000-04:00

184.4!!!! Yay!!!

PS....NustriSystem tuna casserole is TERRIBLE. It looks NOTHING the the box and the tuna looks like it was pureed into a grayish sauce. I ate regular tuna instead and it was tasty!

Tomorrow if FRIDAY! Im excited if you couldn't already tell :)

Sad

2007-07-18T14:24:00.000-04:00

I really needed to talk about the Michael Vick news that came out today. It makes me sick to my stomach to see his picture. I dont know how someone could harm an innocent animal. These animals get such a bad reputation because of people like Vick. The news is reporting they found seven dead dogs that have illegibly been electrocuted and/or beat to death.

My parents actually have a pit pull. He is 95lbs of pure love and joy. I don't think he has a mean or aggressive bone in his body but people are scared to death of him. The dog is such a sweetheart and it makes me sick to think of someone abusing these animals. I really home Vick gets the punishment that he deserves.

In other news, my weight in day is today. I'll weigh in at the gym and post it tomorrow. As of Monday I was down to 185.4 but I dont know what to expect today. Nutrisystem is going GREAT during the week. I love having the food already here for me and I just pick something that I think looks tasty. I am still surprised about how good the food is. The hard thing is the weekends.

On the weekends my boyfriend loves to cook and he loves to cook for me. I would feel terrible if I said "No honey, I have to eat my Nutrisystem". So the weekends I tend to eat out a lot and eat nice home cooked meals. I always try to make healthy decisions but I know I am going off track with NutriSystem.

Anyways, I am off to finish up some stuff for work for the day then Im going to the gym. Have a good night everyone! I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will see a loss!!!

Short and sweet

2007-07-12T10:02:00.000-04:00

I weighed in last night at 186.4lbs. That is 2lbs down from last last weigh in two weeks ago! Hopefully it will keep going in that direction. My weight has been fluctuating alot in the past month or so.

I've been bad about doing a weekly weigh in. I always step on the scale when I go to my regular gym but I've been bad at writing it down. Im going to try to create a table of some sort on my blog to track my weight.

Maybe I'll make a real post later today!

Update

2007-07-11T13:31:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone. I've been MIA for a while.

My weekend was alright. Saturday night I went out with my roommate and another girl friend and we had a bit too much fun. I may have taken advantage of my new found self-esteem and buddied up with a few Navy Boys to get them to buy us drinks. The boys were nice but we were just having fun. I drank way too much and spend all day Sunday recovering. Recovering means I had a egg and cheese bagel, pizza, and fajitas. I didnt have ANY NutriSystem food that day. I didnt worry about it too much and I've moved on.

I spent my Monday cleaning my apartment and dealing with a slight crisis. My AC unit is dripping water into the closet of my neighbor downstairs. There wasnt much I could do about it but try to stop the water from going everywhere. I wasnt able to get my closet cleaned out but I hope to do that soon.

I am back on the Nutrisystem bandwagon. I honestly have to say that I cannot complain about the food. I headed up a chicken patty for dinner one night and it was a weird consistency so I had a hard time eating it. The one thing about this diet is that you need to be kind of organized. You have to remember what to eat with each meal and how much. For example for breakfast you eat a NS meal, a serving of fruit and either a dairy serving or a protein serving. The key is to know what exactly a serving is. A fruit service is only half a banana or a small peach. I feel like it's going well though.

I am going to weigh in today at my normal gym. I trust what the scale says there because I've been using it for a while. It's hard to travel and use 5 different scales because it's inevitable that they will all say something different.

I got news from my Mom yesterday that my Dad was in a bad car accident. He was on rt 77 in Charlotte, NC headed to work when he was rear ended by a semi-truck which caused him to then hit another semi-truck in front of him. He is doing alright but the impact caused the airbags to deploy and it broke his sternum. I cannot thank God enough for looking over him yesterday morning. He is in a bit of pain right now but he is safely resting at home.

Sorry for the random post!

Have a great hump day :)

Day 2

2007-07-06T10:01:00.001-04:00

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you had a great 4th of July!!!

I started NutriSystem yesterday. Everything is going just great. So far I cannot complain too much about the food. I will say it's not incredible but it's definitely edible. I never felt hungry until I woke up this morning, that was mainly because I ate dinner at 5:30pm instead of my usual 8pm.
The one thing I wasn't happy about is for women who have less than 100lbs to lose you have very little carbs. I have never liked the no carb diet. Men and women with over 100lbs to lose are all allowed one carb (equal to one slice of wheat bread) with breakfast, lunch and dinner. I've decided that I will add the one carb to my diet at least once a day. I hardly ever eat processed carbs anymore so I am comfortable that this is a diet I can maintain, even after I go off of NutriSystem.

The one thing I really do like is you are allowed between 2 and 3 free foods a day. A free food has to be under 45 calories. So 1 rice cake and 1 cup of jello works great as a free food!

I am still supper excited about this diet. We will just have to wait and see what kind of weight loss I see after a week :) I'll post an official weigh-in on day 7 (or around day 7 if I forget!!).

My first 14

2007-07-03T15:18:00.000-04:00

Guess what I got???

My first size 14 jeans! They fit like a glove!!! It's a huge change because all of the clothes I have are way too big for me. My closet at home is packed full of clothes and I bet only a 1/3 I could actually wear and leave the house in. I plan to organize everything over the weekend and I'm sure I will have multiple bags of clothes for goodwill. If anyone wants clothes in sizes 22, 20, and 18 let me know!!! I have a few nice dresses size 24 too!

In other news, It appears that the rest of the world is a size 14 too. I spent an hour at the mall yesterday night trying to find some black work pants. The only pair I found was at New York and Co. and there was a hole in the side. It was a challenge before to find clothes a size 24 (because there aren't very many) and now it's a challenge to find a 14 because I think everyone else is buying those too.

I hope everyone enjoys the holiday tomorrow. I am going to be "working" from home but I've gotten all my work done today :)

Happy 4th of July everyone!

My weekend and NS

2007-07-02T16:11:00.000-04:00

I had a very nice weekend overall. I started it off with a pretty big Greek dinner on Friday. Not all of my food was eaten but I don't even want to think of how many calories I inhaled. Saturday was pretty uneventful. I had plans to go out with some friends but that didn't happen. I saved some empty calories there.

I'm back in the DC area for the work week. I plan to stick to my workout routine I've been in. I am still loving the water aerobics class. Its a very nice change to my old routine.

I am going home to my parents house for the 4th of July. Nothing very excited planned but since the holiday is in the middle of the week I cannot just go home. My job is letting take a comp day next week so I'll have next Monday off. YAY!

My NutriSystem order should be delivered today. According to UPS the package is out for delivery. I am super excited. I spent my morning reading through the website and going through the community message board. The first thing I've noticed is that if you have less than 100lbs to lose you are not allowed to eat many carbs. You ARE allowed to have whole wheat bread with a few meals (i.e. hot dogs, hamburgers). Many people seem to be complaining about getting board eating so many salads. The menu calls for a salad with lunch and a salad with dinner. I am committing to doing this for a month and then I will re-evaluate if it's going to work for me.

My challenge goal for this month is to stick to the NutriSystem plan. I wont start until Thursday but I figure that it still counts :) I cannot believe it's already July!!!

Welcome to Nutrisystem

2007-06-28T11:41:00.000-04:00

I signed up for Nutrisystem.

I picked 28 of what I thought were the most appetizing breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and desserts. I have no clue how this is going to work but I want to give it a try. Since traveling I have found that I am always eating out and I know I could be eating better. Since I live out of a hotel eating the Nutrisystem dinners may be a challenge since I dont have a microwave. But I figured I can eat the dinners for lunch and have a salad for dinner.

I probably wont get the food for another week and a half but I'll keep you posted on my thoughts. For some reason I am both scared and excited!!

Weigh in at the gym last night....188.6. I am tired of staying in the same spot. I want the 170's sooooooooo bad!

Shaq attack

2007-06-27T16:28:00.000-04:00

Did anyone watch Shaquille O'Neal's new show last night on ABC called Shaq's Big Challenge?
If not I definitely would recommend watching it next week. The whole point of the show is Shaq is the trainer/motivator/activist for a small group of kids that range in ages from 11 to 14 that are all over weight. A few of the kids were even morbidly obese. I was just in total shock after the kids went through a physical and the doctor was giving them the results.

I see myself in each one of these kids. I know I was fat when I was that age but I'm not quite sure if I would have been considered obese. Obesity for me hit in my late high school/college years. I really want to try to keep up with this show. I would absolutely love to see these kids change their lives for the better. I would love to see their dreams come true.

If you watched it, what are your thoughts?

Snooze

2007-06-25T15:24:00.000-04:00

I was up at 4am this morning. Was I doing anything fun and exciting you ask?? NOPE!

I got up at 4am, got ready for work, drove to the airport and flew to DC. The flight was about 45mins total and I think I slept for 5mins on the plane. So I am sitting at my desk this afternoon doing anything and everything to keep my eyes open. I plan to go to the gym tonight but I dont know if that will actually happen. I may be satisfied if I just put in 30mins on the treadmill at a slow pace. We will see.

Even though this Monday has been rough I had a fabulous weekend. I sipped Mimosas by the ocean front yesterday and had the best seafood ever at local hot spot. My diet wasn't the best and I have worked out since Friday. Oh well!!!

If I get to the gym tonight I'll weigh-in. I have a feeling it's going to the right around the same thing it's been these past few weeks.

I almost forgot....

2007-06-22T11:30:00.000-04:00

I HAVE been recording the food I've had for the past three days. I've been using an online tool. It's pretty resourceful but there are a few foods that I eat alllll the time they arent available. So I dont know if the calorie count is true to life but it's a good way for me to pick my snacks. Yesterday I saw I was getting a little high on the calorie count so I opted for a banana instead of hummus and pita. I probably wont do this over the weekend but I feel good about what I've done this week :)

Beach

2007-06-22T11:11:00.001-04:00

I cannot tell you how excited I am to go home this weekend. I am leaving work in a few mins to head down 95 to Virginia Beach. I've gotten used to this travel life where I am only home on the weekends. It makes it seem like a small vacation. I do have to save the driving back and forth was getting really exhausting. But I ran the numbers and I will save my company around $5 if I fly up here! So that is what I am going to be doing for the next few weeks. I'll fly up bright and early Monday morning and fly home on Friday afternoon.

I am want to start a new goal for myself. I may save it for July but 'practice' next week. I want to start doing light cardio (walking on the treadmill or easy work on the elliptical) at the hotel gym every morning. I used to get up at 5:30am every single morning to go to the gym. Even though it was a hard routine to get into I got used to it and it was no big deal after a while.

I started working out in the evenings since I generally dont have anything to do after work. But things always seem to come up at night...dinner, happy hour, etc. I want to make sure I am doing SOMETHING every day. I did it this morning and I plan to do it all next week starting on Tuesday morning.

Anyways, have a great weekend everyone!!!

101 posts

2007-06-20T09:43:00.000-04:00

This is my 101 blog post! It's very exciting to me because I've tried blogging in the past but never made it past my 10th post! I guess something is working :)

My weekend was wonderful. It was a bit longer than originally planned because I decided to take Monday off of work. I drove down to my Dad's house on Saturday and met the rest of my family. We went to the Charlotte Knights baseball game to celebrate Father's Day. They are the AAA team for the Chicago White Sox. The stadium was quite small but we had a blast!!! I eat before the game so I had no need to get food there but I did have a few (2) beers.

I visited the gym on Monday and was able to weigh myself. I didn't go to my usual gym and so it wasn't my usual scale but I saw......188.4!!!! I was shocked!! I don't know how it works to my advantage but I didn't work out at all and I didn't eat all that great and I still lost weight. I think I've increased my metabolism from all the hard work that I've been doing. It's very encouraging!

This week is nothing special. I had my first Deep Water Fitness class last night. It's a group of all women and I am the youngest by at least 20 years. There is nothing wrong with that but I made sure I was pushing myself to get a good workout. I could definitely feel my muscles working in my arms and legs. I have class again on Thursday.

I feel that I am doing okay on my goals this month. I've been trying hard to read AND comment on everybodys blogs! You guys are such an inspiration to me!!! As far as losing 5lbs is concerned, if the scale I used the other day is accurate I have lost 3.2lbs since June 1st. My lose has slowed down A LOT recently but as long as it keeps going down I'll be happy. Lets just hope I can lose the last 1.8lbs by the end of the month!

Weekend plans

2007-06-15T12:15:00.000-04:00

I am getting ready to hit the road to head home. I wont be spending much time there because tomorrow morning I am hitting the road (Yes, AGAIN) for Charlotte, NC. My dad recently moved down there to work on their new subway system so my Mom and I are going down for a visit.

For Father's Day we are treating him to a baseball game at the local AAA team. It should be a good time. I have to admit that I am already craving a beer and a hot dog :) Maybe I'll do a beer and see if they have a grilled chicken sandwich!

Have a great weekend everyone! Tell your Dad that you love him!

Sign me up!

2007-06-14T17:38:00.000-04:00

So last week I had looked into a few community water aerobics classes near the area that I am working. Since I am now traveling I tend to spend most of my nights working out. I have just been craving something new and adventurous to get myself excited.

I found a Deep Water Fitness class that is every Tuesday and Thursday nights. I promptly signed up. I don't know anyone in the class and I have never been to the facility before but I have high hopes. The class starts next week and it goes to mid-August.

I have never done water aerobics before but everyone that I know who has says it's wonderful. I love the water, I love to swim and I love the fact that I can work out and not sweat! I'll let you know how my first class goes next week!

I am definitely in a weight loss plateau right now. I haven't gained or lost anything in what feels like a month. This is the first time I have experienced this kind of thing before so I am trying to make a few changes.

Have a good night everyone!

Finally!

2007-06-12T12:58:00.000-04:00

I've been wanting to post some pics on the blog. Here are some pics from my weekend in Atlanta. I went to the Georgia Aquarium:

Me and the fishies!

Me in the "tunnel-of-fish"

Beluga Whales

Sea Turtle

**Please keep scrolling down for my other post for today!! I am looking for tips on counting calories**

It's the numbers that count

2007-06-12T12:39:00.001-04:00

So I am feeling a change coming in the wind. In the past two weeks I have really started to feel my eating habits slipping. I've been eating junk and I'm not very proud. I need to get myself into some new habits.

I really think I need to start counting my calories. This is something I have never honestly attempted to do for longer than a day. I know it's something that I need to read up on but I thought I would ask my fellow bloggers for some advise.

Do you guys have any tips or tricks of the trade? Do you know of any helpful websites or books that I should look into?

I just bought a brand new 2008 Weekly Planner. It starts July 2007. I would like to spend the next few weeks slow and go full force in July. I'll let you guys know if I found out anything interesting out of the web!

AHHHH

2007-06-08T12:29:00.000-04:00

Okay so let me set up this scenario for you:

There is this guy that works for my company that is totally gorgeous. He is the kind of guy who has a great body and a GREAT personality.

A few weeks ago I was waiting at the gym for my kick boxing class and I looked over and there he was. He was waiting for one of the weight machines. He smiled and waved and I smiled back and quickly (and probably red faced) went into my class.

A few days later I ran into him in the hall and he asked how my classes were going and we got into a discussion about kick boxing. It was the first time I had had a conversation with him outside of a work related meeting.

Now, I know I have a boyfriend and I know he has a girlfriend but I got all giddy after what happened this afternoon....

I had just gotten out of my seat to go get some carrots and humus for lunch (I was being good) and he came around the corner. He called my name and said he was coming over to talk to me...AHHHHH! Im sure I turned six shades of red and he then asked me some advice on going to Virginia Beach!

The whole point of this story is that I don't know if I would have ever had the confidence to talk to a boy like this before. I have no interest in him and I know he has no interest in me! I was just really impressed by myself for being so outgoing.

I see myself changing ever day, and not just physically. I have never been more confident or proud of myself than ever before.

Have a great weekend everyone! My goal for next week is to post some pics to my blog :)

Fit Flop

2007-06-07T11:05:00.000-04:00

These are totally amusing to me! I found them over at Popgadget.net!

All I have to say is if these flip flops can make my butt smaller but just wearing them then sign me up. I am a flip flop-aholic but none of the ones I have promote a built in gym.

Im kidding of course!!! I would never by flip flops that promise a good workout unless they did the walking for me :)

They do look comfy though!!!

Motivation

2007-06-06T10:16:00.000-04:00

Since we are all always looking for the motivation that keeps us going and working hard at our goals I figured I would post the positive things I have experienced since losing weight.

Pros of losing weight:

Feeling healthier and more fit every day
There is nothing like the high of trying on a size smaller and having it fit!
Finding clothes that fit you in a "Normal Sized" store (ie. not Lane Bryant)
Being able to wear sexy summer tops
My fingers have gotten smaller so I can wear rings now that I never could before
Crossing my legs makes me feel sexy
Receiving compliments from people you haven't seen in a while
Finding muscles you never had before
Seeing new definitions in your body
Fitting comfortably in an airplane seat
Having the ability to walk up several flights of stairs without getting totally winded
Looking forward to your next workout
Watching the numbers on the scale going down is a rush
Having your friends ask you for advice on losing weight or working out
Having the confidence in yourself that you may not have had before
I now wear sexy strappy sandals

These are a few reasons that I can find the motivation to keep going. What positive things have you guys realized since losing weight??

June Challenge

2007-06-01T11:17:00.000-04:00

I am recommitting myself to the Challenge and to all the participants!

In June I want to:

Lose 5lbs
Blog 3 times a week and leave comments and encouragement to all my weight loss blog friends

June is going to be a good month :)

All natural

2007-06-01T10:24:00.000-04:00

Thanks guys for all your comments on my last post. I really wanted to know other peoples opinions. I've talked to my friends and even my mom about it. I knew that I was opposed to it in the beginning. There just seems something totally unnatural about taking a pill like that.

In my humble opinion I think I have done phenomenal this past year. I have lost over 100lbs with a healthy diet and exercise. Im not going to let a "quick fix" get the better of me. I would however never judge someone if they chose to take a weight loss drug. Exercise has worked for me but I know it might not work for everyone.

I hopped on the scale yesterday and saw 191.6!!! I cannot wait to be in the 180's. I am really going to try hard next week to reach that goal. I am spending the weekend in Atlanta with my boyfriend and his family. That means we will be eating out a lot but there should also be plenty of site seeing (lost of walking!!!).

Have a great weekend everyone. Maybe I'll post some pictures next week!

I want your opinion

2007-05-24T12:07:00.000-04:00

I know I've mentioned this before on my blog but I thought I would go ahead and do it again.

The new FDA approved weight loss drug is scheduled to be available mid June. It's called Alli (funny that its a girl's name). Alli promises 50% more weight loss than with regular dieting alone. It gives and example that if you lose 10lbs by dieting alone you can lose 15lbs by dieting AND taking Alli. Sounds great right?!?!?!....Tell me what you think.

I've always had a hard time taking weight loss pills. I dont like taking pills in general. It's fairly expensive; $65 for 90 pills. The side effects don't sound dangerous but unpleasant. The pill works by blocking 25% of the fat your body tries to absorb in the food you eat. If you eat a lot of fatty foods your body wont be able to digest them. Here is what Alli says:

The main side effect occurs when you eat a meal with too much fat while taking alli. If so much fat is blocked that your stool can’t absorb it, you might have side effects. Because they are not harmful, we call them “treatment effects”. They include loose or more frequent stools, an urgent need to go to the bathroom, or gas with an oily discharge.

That doesnt sound like fun!!!

So, would you try it???

Weekend recap

2007-05-22T17:13:00.000-04:00

I worked every day this weekend and it felt wonderful! I only had one snafu...it appears that the Gold's Gym in Virgina Beach is owned by someone else than regular Gold's Gyms so I cannot use my swipe card. They told me I can get a travel pass from my regular gym that I can use up to 14 times a month. That wont be a problem at all since I am only home on the weekends! Crisis averted!

On my way back to Northern Va for work on Sunday I had a minor incident. One of my back tires blew. It was VERY scary to be stranded on the side of an intern state with no clue what to do. I took a deep breathe and figured out how to fix things. Now I have four brand new tires and a hatred for Volkswagen dealerships. Don't get me started on that one!!!

Other than that I am going to spin class tonight then just relaxing.

My grandma is in the hospital right now because they found an aortic aneurysm. I still dont have many details but I am just praying that everything is going to be okay.

I. AM. GETTING. BACK. ON. TRACK.

2007-05-18T12:45:00.000-04:00

PERIOD!!!!

No more non-sense from me.

No more un-healthy snacks.
No more being lazy.
No more excuses.

I am only cheating myself.

I am only a little over half way to my goal. I need to stop backsliding out of the good habits I have gotten myself into. From this moment on I am getting back on track.

Shout Out

2007-05-15T13:28:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Tuesday!

I really want to give a shout out to a fellow blogger that has been a very good friend to me lately. Kellie is a very smart and caring woman and I thing she rocks!!!

Nothing very exciting to report on the weight loss front. I've gotten out of the habit of waking up early to workout but I've been faithfully going to the gym after work! This weekend I did things around my parents house (i.e. cleaning, mowing the lawn and washing the dogs) in honor of my Mom for Mothers Day! I got a little bit of sun and some exercise!

I have recently fallen back into love with Diet Snapple Peach Iced Tea. Im not supposed to drink caffeine but I don't think the drink contains a lot because Im never jittery or hyper like I get with Diet coke.

MIA

2007-05-08T09:23:00.000-04:00

I am so sorry for being MIA for such a long time.

Before yesterday I hadnt stepped foot into a Golds Gym in about two weeks! I had no real clue where my weight was at and I was feeling pretty unmotivated. Slacking on workout seemed to allow me to slack on my eating habits so I had convinced myself I had gained at least 5lbs.

Well yesterday after work I went to spin class and weighted in at 194.6lbs!!! I couldn't believe it!

I wanted to get up this morning to go swimming in the hotel pool before work but I couldnt make myself get up. I WILL be going to the gym after work tonight to lift.

My goal for May is simple. I want to lose 5.6lbs! I want to be at 189 for June. I think it will be a challenge and by no means do I think I can achieve this on the current path that I am going on. To achieve this goal I know I need to work out and eat healthy. I really need to watch my snacking habits. Once I start eating it's really hard to stop.

Slipping..

2007-05-02T17:55:00.000-04:00

This weekend was my move and let me tell you it was an exhausting experience. I have bruises all up and down my legs (Im not the most graceful person) and sore muscles all over the place.

I haven't been to the gym in what feels like two weeks. I am going to go tonight!!! I am going to go tonight! (sorry I had to say it twice) I really need to get a routine back in my life.

I am going to be traveling for work from now out. I'll work in the DC area and spend my weekends in Virginia Beach. I have a feeling it's going to be exhausting but it's a pay check for right now. I am still actively looking for work in Virginia Beach but only time will tell what I'll be doing in a week, or month from now.

Im going to try not to complain so much in this blog anymore. I really want to focus on finding new tips and incentives for being active and losing weight.

I'll try to post my goals for the month later tonight!

Exercise....what is that?!?!

2007-04-20T15:53:00.000-04:00

So I've been a bit under the weather all week and to avoid getting "Sick" I've been taking it easy. I've been sleeping in and loving it. A few days this week I went to the gym at night but the past three days have been exercise free. Oh well!

I am going to spend my weekend cleaning and packing. I want all of my stuff besides my bed, sheets, some towels and a few clothes packed up by Thursday night.

I am going to see a movie tonight with my girlfriends and I am going to try to avoid Junior Mints! They are my kryptonite.

Free Coach....count me in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-04-19T16:49:00.000-04:00

This is way too good to pass up!

Not every day do you read about a blogger giving away a free Coach purse!

My day in as few words as possible.

2007-04-18T16:09:00.001-04:00

Deadline at work, sore throat, tired, too much food for lunch.

I will be so happy when today is over!

Party Foul

2007-04-16T16:13:00.000-04:00

My interview on Friday went well. I left about 80% confident that they loved me but I still haven't heard anything. I'll let you know if I do!

Before I headed home I got a call from my roommate saying she had headed down to our alma mater for a big weekend celebration. She convinced me to spend the weekend there so on a whim I drove down. I had sooooo much fun.

Even though I was a good 5-8 years older that the other people there it was a good time. I didn't work out but I tried to eat as healthy as possible. I broke one of my April challenge goals but I will try to make it up this week by not having any alcoholic beverages!!

In other news: It breaks my heart to read about the shooting at Virginia Tech. As a resident of Virginia and having so many friends that have attended Virginia Tech it is hard for me to imagine how this kind of thing can happen. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends, students, professors, residents of this community. All I can hope for is that for a tragedy like this to bring these people together and remember those who lost their lives.

Thank you

2007-04-12T14:32:00.000-04:00

I really want to thank everyone who has been so supportive the past few weeks. It warms my heart to get such nice comments from people I have never met in person. I know having the support from everyone over at 2007 Challenge has really helped me!!!

I am leaving tonight to head down to Virginia Beach for my interview tomorrow. I don't know if I will have time to post but I promise to provide an update on Monday.

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

The good, the bad, and the move

2007-04-11T11:23:00.000-04:00

The Good:
I weighed in at 199.8 yesterday :)
I am eating lots of fruits and veggies
I have officially become a regular size 16, not a woman's 16

The Bad:
I am VERY unmotivated to work out
I am hungry all the time - although my snacks are healthy I still feel like I am eating a lot of food
I have two pairs of dress pants that fit me and no money to spend on new clothes

The Move:
I am moving to Virginia Beach! I quit my job, I got an apartment and I am moving to Va Beach at the end of this month. I do NOT have another job lined up (although I have an interview on Friday!! Wish me luck). I feel like my whole life is about to change and I am scared to death.

What if I start eating crap again after I move?
What if I don't work out?
What if I wake up and weigh 289lbs again?
What if I cannot get a job?
What if I am moving for the wrong reasons?

blah...

2007-04-06T10:34:00.000-04:00

I have been in such a blah mood lately. There are so many changes going on in my life right now that nothing seems to be registering. I am both scared and excited all at the same time and it's making me feel very indifferent about everything.

So tonight I have decided I need some "Me" time....so of course I am going shopping :) I love to shop alone. I don't know if it's because I was always too shy to shop with my friends because they never had to go to the big girl stores but I love to walk around the mall all by myself. Tonight I am going to Ikea, Old Navy and maybe Macy's.

In other news, I weighed in at 200.0 the other day at the gym. Granted it was EARLY in the morning, no food in my stomach and I had no pants or shoes on but it was still 200.0. I am hoping to see that 2 go away next week :)

April Challenge

2007-04-03T08:30:00.000-04:00

I cannot belive it's April already! I am pumped. The warm weather and sun shine has motivated me.

I am going to steal one of my goals from Morgan this month :) I hope you don't mind!

April Goals:
Limit my alcoholic beverages to three a week.
Run 3 miles each week.

The first one is going to be pretty hard for me but I am committed to make it work. The second one shouldn't be a problem at all considering I didn't really struggle to get it done in March.

I really want to see a loss of at least 5lbs this month. I will do my official weigh in tomorrow to get myself started.

Good luck to all the Challengers this month! I'm excited to find out my partner(s) will be :)

Another milestone

2007-03-29T14:28:00.000-04:00

Guess what I did last night????

I ran 3.1 miles and NOT on a treadmill. I continuously ran those 3.1 miles outside yesterday after work. I did have to take a few breaks at cross walks but I did it. This is not something I could have even come close to doing last summer! I felt like a million bucks when I got home!

However, I did get a nasty blister on my big toe. I think it was because I had thick socks on.

My march challenge was a success :)

Tight squeeze

2007-03-27T14:27:00.000-04:00

One of my biggest nightmares when I was 'fatter' was trying to ride a roller coaster and not fitting into the seat. About three years ago a group of my girlfriends headed to Kings Dominion.

I had butterflies in my stomach on the way down to the amusement park. To be honest the only reason I went is because I wasn't the only fat girl. One of my friends I thought was about the same size as me, so I figured I would always let her go first and then I would know if I could fit. I would painfully analyze all the riders in line to see if there was anyone my size or larger.

We had gone on a few of the rides that day (all of which I fit) and headed over to the water park where I could relax. I knew I could fit in the pool :) Then we decided to do one more thrill ride before we went home. The wait in line was about two hours long and I did everything in my power to convince my friends to leave.

Faithfully I stood in line and silently had an anxiety attack. I knew the was a pretty dangerous ride so I knew the bars were gonna be tight. Sure enough we go up to the front of the line. I sat down....the bar didn't come down enough....one of the ride workers came over and pushed...another guy came over and PUSHED. After a minute or two the guys were like sorry ma'am we are going to have to ask you to leave.

I was crushed!!! From that day on I vowed to lose weight. Of course that feeling didn't last for very long but I have never forgotten that day. I knew I would never EVER go back unless I lost weight!!

Now a days I've started wondering if I should give it another shot. I love roller coasters and I'm curious to see how difficult or easy it would be to fit on one now. If only they gave you size charts online :)

Has this ever happened to anyone else?

I just have to get this off my chest....

2007-03-23T15:55:00.000-04:00

My co-worker who shares the cubicle next to mine has played the same song over and over and over since lunch. I can't tell what song it is but it's got the most annoying rhythm EVER.

I know I should just say something to him but it's his birthday. No matter how annoying it is to me I'll let him slide today. However if you don't hear from me in a while it's cause I've lost my mind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just kidding.....Only 30mins more till the weekend :)

Thank goodness it's Friday

2007-03-23T09:30:00.000-04:00

I havent posted in a while because I haven't had much to say.

Lately I've been on an emotional roller coaster. Sometimes I feel great about life and sometimes I feel like I just want to throw the towel in. I am taking things one day at a time.

I am hovering around 204lbs. Some days I am 1lb down then I am 1lbs up. I have been letting myself go on my diet on the weekends and I know that is the problem. Im not stressing out about this because I know the big picture.

Yesterday I bought this skirt at Old Navy:
I have NEVER purchased a jean mini skirt before. I went into Old Navy with the intention to buy a jean skirt. I was bold and picked up a size 16 and headed to the dressing room. To my surprise it fit and wasnt skin tight. YAY!!! But I have to say this skirt is WAY out of my comfort zone. I have always hated my legs but I have noticed a huge change in them in the past couple of months. I can see my calf muscles and my ankles! My thighs are still more than desired but oh well. I'm not sure if I'm comfortable enough with my body to wear this outside yet but I am going to work on it. I wore it around the house last night and ask my roommate her opinion about 6 million times.

Nothing really exciting going on this weekend. I am planning on going to two spin classes back to back tomorrow morning. I have never done this before but there are a lot of people that do. So I'll be spinning my heart out tomorrow morning. Let's hope I can make it :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Update: I almost forgot! I met my weekly challenge yesterday with a 4 mile run. I felt GREAT for the first 2 miles and then took a break and it was a struggle to get going again. I was happy when I was finished!

Im still here

2007-03-14T10:30:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted in a while but things have been a little crazy.

I have good and bad news.

Good news:
I weighted in at 202.6lbs this morning....I am soooooo freaking close :)
I ran over three miles this morning. I dont remember the exact amount because I walked a little at the end.

Bad news:
I am breaking up with my boyfriend this weekend for far too many reasons. It's going to be hard but I know it's for the best. Trust me I wont turn to Ben & Jerry for comfort!!

If I dont post for the rest of the week I wouldnt be surprised. I'll definitely try to check in on Monday though.

This is a test

2007-03-08T09:37:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was certainly a test of my body, mind and soul. I hate to be so vague but I was faced with a few personal problems. There have been times in my life when I would be depressed or upset I would turn to food. I could polish off an entire box of cereal or I would want 4 grilled cheese sandwiches.

Yesterday was one of those days where I wanted comfort...but this time I didnt go to food. Sure, I WANTED to eat bad things but I told myself I've worked way too hard to get to where I am. I found comfort in myself and in my friends. I am so thankful for the people I have in my life and the strenght and self-confidence that I have gained in the past year.

Today should be a much better day! The only thing is that I HATE what I am wearing. I have on a button down dress shirt that is WAY too big for me. I look like a kite walking down the hall way with my shirt flapping in the wind. Oh well....This shirt will be retired after today.

PS....I finished my 3 miles for the week this morning :)

Weekend recap

2007-03-05T14:13:00.000-05:00

First off I would like to thank everyone for being so encouraging about my March challenge! It has definitely made a difference to get me motivated.

My weekend was pretty relaxing. I hung out with my roommate most of the time and we were pretty low key. Friday we had dinner and a movie. If you were thinking about seeing Black Snake Moan let me know because I would tell you to wait till video! Saturday I worked out for 2 hours!!! It was wonderful. I did Body Step then Body Pump. My body was stepped and pumped out after that.

Food wise I did pretty good till my roommate decided to make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. They were great with a glass of milk.

My official weigh in on Friday was 206.6. I couldn't be more excited about being this close to the 100's. I think it will take me a little over a monthly but I hope to be right at or under 199 by the end of April.

This morning I ran two miles on the treadmill at the gym. I am almost at my weekly goal!!

Have a great Monday guys!

March Challenge

2007-03-01T08:43:00.000-05:00

I have decided to participate in the March Challenge this month. Most everyone in the group has been participating since January but they accept new members at the beginning of each month.

My goal for this month is to run 3 miles a week. I know that isnt much but I really want to make running a part of my workout routine. I'm getting too comfortable with the elliptical machine so I need to mix it up. Since I've seen good results from doing interval training when I run on the tread mill I usually walk for 2 mins then run for 8 mins and so on and so on till I reach my total time.

One of my ultimate goals is to run a half marathon. I know there is no way I could do it any time soon but eventually I know I could.

Happy March everyone!

Lent

2007-02-21T11:57:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again, the Lenten season. Although I am not Catholic I have participated in Lent the past two years and I don't see a reason to stop this year. Lent is seen as a time of prayer and preparation for Easter. Christians today use this time for introspection, self examination, and repentance.

The first year I gave up chocolate which was pretty hard for me at the time. Last year I gave up all cheese and that was VERY hard for me. At the end of Lent I always have a feeling of accomplishment and I feel as if I could change other things about my life.

Over the past year I have made many changes in my life; eating healthy, exercise, and no more soda (caffeine). So it was hard for me to come up with something to give up for 40 days. What I've decided to do instead was start doing something new. Something new that will benefit myself and my body. What I am going to do is take a multi-vitamin EVERY DAY! I know that sounds simple but I'm always bad at remembering to take vitamins. I want to do this to see if there are any real health changes over this period of time.

Are you doing anything for Lent?

I've lost it for now

2007-02-15T10:16:00.000-05:00

I've lost my motivation to work out. I don't know what it is but I feel terrible.

I don't want to get up in the morning. I don't want to go after work. I don't want to go period.

I think it's the weather. With all the snow and cold weather it's hard to get motivated to leave the house. My eating habits have been so-so but nothing spectacular. I'm going to try to not beat myself up about it and just focus on how I can improve instead of where I've failed.

I have my workout clothes in the car with me. I'm going to work on getting the motivation to go after work today.

Is anyone else besides me grateful that tomorrow is Friday?!?!?!

What do ya think???

2007-02-08T09:43:00.000-05:00

Okay so I want your opinions....

FDA just announced a new non-prescription diet drug. You can see news articles here and here.

I have to say it is pretty tempting to want to rush out and get a drug that could help you lose 50% MORE than you would normally with diet and exercises. My problem is I don't know if it would be worth it. Both articles say that the prescription strength drug was found to cause precancerous lesions of the colon.

I feel that up to this point I have been fairly successfully at losing weight but the temptation for a little help is very strong. Is this drug something you guys would try or do you feel that it's too good to be true??

Feeling the burn

2007-02-08T09:08:00.000-05:00

So I've been back to the gym three days in a row. I feel great but let me tell you I am sore. I really missed working out while I was on vacation but I didn't dwell on it. I did a lot of squats last night so I'm sure I'll be walking around like an old lady today.

I got an official weight........210.0! I am so excited. I can taste Onederland around the corner. I really think when I see a number that starts with 1 I may shed a few tears. My goal is to be at or under 199 by April 1st (I know it's April Fools Day but that is no joke).

Im back!!!!!!!

2007-02-01T14:40:00.000-05:00

I am back from the most amazing experience I have yet to have. I spend 10 days in Belize City. I helped build a house, met the most amazing children, climbed a Mayan ruin, swam with sting ray and made new friends.

Here is the most recent picture of me:And here is a picture of me that is well over a year old:
I know they are not the greatest pictures but there is a huge difference.

I have no clue how much I weigh right now. I haven't been to the gym in two weeks but I feel great! Im getting used to being back home now and getting back into my routine. Im back to the gym and back to healthy eating habits.

I'm leaving on a jet plane...

2007-01-18T10:01:00.000-05:00

So I am going to Belize City!!!!!!! I am doing a missionary trip with two of my girl friends from college. We leave tomorrow morning for Kentucky and then leave from there to go to Belize. I'll be back home Feb 1st and I'm sure I will be exhausted.

While in Belize we are going to be building a home for a needy family, helping out at a children's AIDS hospital and doing other community service project in the city. We are of course going to get to see all the tourist attractions in Belize. There is a Mayan Ruin, beaches, and shopping.

I have already checked into a Gold's Gym location in Belize City and there are none :( I am bringing my tennis shoes and workout clothes and hope to go for a few jogs while I'm there. I will miss working out!!!

Have a good two weeks and I hope to catch up on everyone's blogs when I get back.

See ya in February :)

Weigh-in

2007-01-17T11:14:00.000-05:00

So to my surprise guess what the scale showed me this morning:

217.8

Yea, I have no clue how that happened!!!!!

Tired

2007-01-16T16:26:00.000-05:00

I am so out of it today.

I went to see my boyfriend, who is incredibly awesome, this weekend. I dont talk about him much on here but I wanted to give him a shout out! I didnt get home last night till almost 3am and I had to get up at 6:30am to go to work. Needless to say I am dragging my butt around all day.

I ate well all weekend and today but I havent been to the gym since Saturday afternoon. I was going to bring my workout clothes with me to work to go straight to the gym after I get off of work but I didnt. I may way till like 9pm to go to the gym but I seriously doubt that will happen. If not I am back to my regular schedule tomorrow morning.

TGIF!

2007-01-12T16:27:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday everyone.

It is almost time for me to start my weekend (15mins and counting).

Yesterday morning I got my butt out of bed to go to BodyPump at the gym. The class was cancelled and so I decided to go to spin class instead. For some reason spin class was not a rewarding as I hoped and I decided to go to BodyPump after work. Let me just tell you I feel like my thighs are on fire. For those of you who aren't members of Gold's Gym, BodyPump is a whole body workout with weights.

This morning I passed on my workout and I am trying to find some motivation to go tonight. I know it's a Friday and I should attempt to have a social life but I feel like I haven't been home in weeks. Since I didnt go to the gym I dont have anything to report as my official weigh-in for the week. Which brings me to the point that even though I am not a part of the Pool this time around I am still gonna try to post my weigh-ins each Friday!

Have a great weekend!

Buyer beware!

2007-01-11T12:59:00.000-05:00

So my roommate went to the store yesterday and picked up some Campbell's soup. Since it was buy one get one free she got a can of the regular Campbell's Mexican Style Chicken Tortilla soup and she got me the Campbell's Healthy Request Mexican Style Chicken Tortilla soup. The Healthy Request (HR) soup had the pretty green letters on it promising 98% fat free which of course catches all of our eyes.

While eating the soup for lunch today I decided to look online to compare the nutritional facts between both soups and I was surprised by what I saw!

The regular (normally cheaper) Campbell's Mexican Style Chicken Tortilla soup:

Calories 130

Total Fat 2g
Sat. Fat 1g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 10mg
Sodium 800mg
Total Carbs 20g
Fiber 3g
Sugars 1g
Protein 8g

The "healthier" (normally more expensive) Campbell's Healthy Request Mexican Style Chicken Tortilla soup:
Calories 130
Total Fat 2.5g
Sat. Fat 1g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 10mg
Sodium 480mg
Total Carbs 20g
Fiber 3g
Sugars 2g
Protein 8g

Bottom line is buyer beware! This product has MORE fat and sugar and only 40% less sodium. Make sure you really pay attention to the nutrition labels even if it says 'LOW FAT' or '98% FAT FREE'!!! No offense to Campbell's soup!!! The soup is very tasty and I would definitely stock up on it more often if on the buy one get one free sale.

Advice

2007-01-10T10:31:00.000-05:00

So I got the following email today:

have a good day my friend. I miss youllllllll!
Love you...keep up the good work and please let me know what your doing. I did dinner with anna last night and she says she look great and youve taken off more weight. I'm trying the no carb thing-high protein. Please give me some tips cuz i wanna start feeling better about myself. I should prolly utilize the gym a bit more huh. ok well take care love youuu...so proud of you babycakes! Hard work and determination...

-dev

I was so shocked when I read the email. My friend is a beautiful girl, both inside and out. She like me was carrying around probably 70-80lbs of extra weight. For her to come to ME for help made me feel very accomplished.

Here is what I told her:

We will def. get together when I get back from vacation.

Im not really good at tips but this is what I can tell you. I try to go to the gym for at least an hour every day. There was a period of time where I would go 30mins in the am and then 30mins after work. Working out in the morning is REALLY hard at first but you have to start slow. Make yourself work out 3 days a week for two weeks, then go 4 times a week for two weeks and you'll see that after a month going to the gym 4 or 5 times a week is routine.

As far as a diet I've never done the no-carb thing. I watch what I eat: whole wheat breads, always eat breakfast (cereal or oatmeal), i eat fruit for snacks throughout the day, salads or fish for dinner.

I think working out tends to motivate my eating habits. I dont want to get up at 5am for no reason, ya know! If it's something I can do it's something you can do too!!!!!! Let me know if you need any support cause I am here for you :)

love,

lana

That email has made my day!!! I am so motivated to eat right and exercise it's not even funny. I'm so glad that I can help and inspire my friends.

ZZZZZ.....

2007-01-09T16:05:00.000-05:00

It has taken everything inside of my soul to not fall asleep at my desk. I know there were several moments this morning where I nodded off while looking at my computer. I am back to my normal workout routine. Which means, 5am spin class on Tuesdays (hence being sleepy).

I really hope I see a loss this week. I've been up and down the past two weeks and I just want to be under 227lbs. I really would like to be at 220lbs by the end of the month but I don’t know if that will happen or not.

What else besides caffeine and eating would you suggest to help me through the next couple hours of work?

30 unknown facts/secrets about yourself

2007-01-08T12:57:00.000-05:00

I saw this on Anne's page and thought I would give it a try.

1. When was the last time you shaved your legs? Friday
2. What were you doing this morning at 8am? Driving to work
3. What were you doing 15 minutes ago? Doing work/wanting Monday to end
4. Are you any good at math? I like to think so
6. Do you have any famous ancestors? As a kid my mom convinced me I was related to Johnny Appleseed.
7. Are you mad at anyone right now? Not at all
8. Do you know the words to the song on your MySpace profile? I honestly cannot remember what song is on my myspace page
9. Last thing received in mail? Car insurance bill
10. How many different drinks have you had today? Water
12. Do you ever leave messages on people's answering machine? It depends
13. Any plans for tonight? Dinner and laundry
14. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach? Not really
15. What's the most painful dental procedure you've had? I've had a root canal
16. What's outside your back door? Grill and a table
17. Do you have plans on Friday night? Nothing yet but I want to lay low.
18. Do you like the ocean? I was there this weekend and it was wonderful
19. Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different kinds of popcorn for Christmas? Yes but a long time ago
20. Have you ever been to a planetarium? No
22. Something you are excited about? Im excited about my up-n-coming Belize trip
23. Who around you has the most problems? It's not my job to judge
24. Are any of your great-grandparents still alive? No
25. Describe your love life? I've found my best friend
26. Where do you keep your change? In my new Coach wallet :)
27. When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people? A few weeks ago at a client meeting
28. Do you like anyone right now? I do!
29. What was the weather like on your birthday? It was a sunny September day
30. Do you sleep with the door to your room open or closed? I always sleep with it closed

Be proud

2007-01-08T09:10:00.000-05:00

So this weekend I spent with a group of my girlfriends down at the Outer Banks in North Carolina. The weather was gorgeous and we had such a great time. It's hard after graduating from college because most of my friends were scattered all around the state of Virginia. We have always been good at making time for road trips and a weekend get together but they aren't always as frequent as I would like.

Since loosing weight everyone comments on it first when they see me. I'm not saying I don't like the attention but it's always humbling to have a good friend gush over you. What really got to me was my friend Ashley asked me if I was proud of myself for losing weight. It took me a little off guard but I immediately said "Yes" and I truly meant it.

I've always been the fat girl and I still am the fat girl in my group. But this weekend was the first time that I didn't feel like I was always going to be that fat girl. I really REALLY want to hit my goal weight this year and I know it's not impossible.

So my question is to all of you: Are you truly proud of yourself for losing weight? If not, you sure better start being proud of yourself!!!!!!!!

Marathon weekend!

2007-01-03T15:18:00.000-05:00

I can really get used to this work three days a week and have a four day weekend! I hope everyone had a happy New Year celebration. I was with some friends and managed to drink myself silly. By silly I mean I made out with some random boy at the bar!

In other news my weight has not budged in the past few weeks. That is good for one reason...my weight hasnt gone up! But I'm working hard this week to make it go down.

I stayed up on Monday night and watched the Biggest Loser Marathon on Bravo. I cannot tell you how many times I teared up. I was motivated and amazed watching these people change there lives!

Happy Holidays!

2006-12-28T08:44:00.000-05:00

I hope each and everyone of you had a very happy holiday this year. I got to spend time with my family and relax. As much as I love this time of year I am happy that it is coming to an end so I can get my routine back. I got some Nike spinning tennis shoes from Santa, I'll let you know how they work after spin class on Saturday.

The other day I was looking in the mirror and I got a glimpse of the woman I am becoming. I know I've lost a lot (not enough) weight and its really starting to show. It makes me so excited that I can't stand it. I went shopping this weekend with some gift cards I had gotten and got a pair of size 18 dress pants. That hasn't happened in a LONG time :)

I'm still hovering around 227lbs for the past two weeks. But come 2007 I'm going to be back on track. I'll try to post some of my goals and game plan for the new year.

Although I don't think it's going to be right for me at this time I encourage all of you to sign up for The Deep End of the Pool. The only reason I am not doing it is because I will be gone for three weeks in January. But this group was very VERY supportive for the past 12 weeks and I lost a total of 27lbs during the challenge.

Time to come up with my New Year Resolutions!!!

I'm working hard for the money

2006-12-20T09:37:00.000-05:00

So this past week I worked approximately 60 hours and I'm feeling the affects. I have HUGE amount of work to do in a very SHORT period of time.

In other news I have exactly one month till my vacation. It's not a typical vacation but two of my friends and I are going on a Missionary trip to Belize. We are going to be building a house and other community service type stuff in Belize City. It will be a very welcome break in my work schedule.

I am still doing pretty good on my workout schedule. I didn't go this morning because I was so tired but I'm going to attempt to go to a pilates class tonight at the gym. If I can get there early I may try to get in 30mins of cardio before. I'm not going to pressure myself for the next two weeks. My goal is to be 225lbs before 2007. I know I can do it :)

Pilates

2006-12-12T12:52:00.000-05:00

So tonight my roommate and I are going to Pilates class again. This will be the 4th time I've gone in the past two weeks and I love it. After the first time I was sooooo sore but that is getting better. I'm using muscles I don't normally use which is always a good thing.

If anyone who is reading this is a bit intimated by Pilates I definitely encourage you to try it. It's a fun work out that goes by quickly. You can relax and stretch and work all of your core muscles. I'm going to try to find out how many calories are burned for an hour of Pilates...I'll try to update later!

Have a great day!

"Stop right there"

2006-12-07T09:56:00.000-05:00

I found this while browsing the Internet this morning: The Talking Plate

Now, If I could just get a talking plate, a talking fridge, a talking microwave and a talking pantry that can all knock some sense into me I don't think I would have a problem. But somehow I doubt the plate can tell the difference between a pile of broccoli and a pile of chocolate chip cookies.

Chest cold

2006-12-05T13:39:00.000-05:00

So I've come down with another cold. This one was given to my by my Father over Thanksgiving...Thanks Dad!

Anyway, things have been kind of slow the past week because I've been so out of it. I am really going to step my game up for the rest of the week for the exception of Wednesday night. My roommates and myself are inviting our friends over for a potluck Christmas party. I'm going to be making my Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle tonight for everyone to enjoy.

On a side note: My roommate and I tried the Pilates class at offered at our gym last week. We went once during the week and then on Saturday morning. Let me tell you my muscles haven't been that sore in a long time. I definitely think it's something I am going to add into my routine. I could feel it in my abs, butt, legs AND arms!

I want it so bad I can taste it

2006-11-29T16:01:00.000-05:00

Recently I've had this weird feeling that I may never reach my goals. Growing up I was always heavy. I don't blame anything other than myself for my weight. The reason why it's taken my 25 years to be comfortable to say I know I have a problem is because I never saw myself as over weight until now.

In the past year I feel I have change my way of thinking, my way of life, and my heath for the better. I have drastically improved my fitness and eating habits. I want to lose the weight to become healthy and attractive. I just sometimes get to stuck thinking it will never happen.

As a teenager I wanted the easy way out and that never worked. As an adult I've realized that there is no such thing as an easy way out. The only reason why I've seen results is because I exercise every day and eat right. I'm not even half way to my goal yet and it's scary.

I'm just scared I can't do it. I'm scared I will never get out of the 200lbs range. I'm scared that I will never feel 100% good about the way I look. I'm scared that the girl who I see in my head will never match the girl I see in the mirror.

I'm not trying to be negative here. I just think that when you want something so bad you can taste it, and it's a long term goal, there are times where you doubt yourself. What I do know right now is that I am motivated and I am making progress. I am going to try my hardest to keep going for as long as I possibly can.

Holiday in Review

2006-11-28T16:42:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving was a hit!

Although our table was smaller this year for more than one reason it was still nice. My mom went above and beyond to provide us with a tasty Thanksgiving dinner. My Pumpkin Gingerbread trifle was the highlight of the dinner. We had the trifle and cheesecake and the trifle was almost gone by the end of the weekend and the cheesecake hadn't been touched. It's a keeper!

On the weight loss subject everything is going pretty well. My mom even commented that I really look like I've lost even more weight than the last time she saw me a few weeks ago.

I am fighting off yet another cold. This one is just a sore through but I've slept in the past two days instead of going to the gym. Although I know it's not that big of a deal I still feel down. Once I got into my routine of exercising in the morning I can really see the benefits of my mood and energy when I don't go.

I hope everyone had a great day...Tomorrow is hump day :)