Reminder

I keep telling myself DON'T GIVE UP!

Baby got back

Tell me your secrets

When it comes to weight loss I really do believe there are several right answers.  The hard part is the trial and error finding what works for you.  October of last year I had had it.  I have tried several diets, hormones, pills, shakes, systems, and even my version of "working out and eating right".  Nothing was working and I was tired of looking at myself in the mirror and feeling disgusted.  I was tired of struggling to find anything to wear that I felt good in.  When I asked someone that I viewed as successful in this department what their secret was I REALLY wanted to know.  My biggest pet peeve is when the person I ask shrugs it off and and says something basic like 'just eating right'.  Do you know how many versions of 'eating right' are out there!  So this is what is currently working for me and some of the little secrets that are making it work. I LOVE little tricks..for me I think it's been the difference this time.
1. Went to the source.  Ryan the trainer.  I work with him about 3 times a month.  He writes a 6 day work-out schedule for me.  I usually make 5-6 of those days.  He has a small gym and I try to work out there as much as possible because I know that one of the trainers there is watching me.
2. I got the hubs on board and we committed to a year.  We tend to get sidetracked by the appeal of 90 days or 14 day cleanse...or whatever. I needed a long term fix.
3. Long term is expensive but also cheap.  Typically a gym or a trainer will give you the best deal when they know you are committed for a longer period of time.  How much money is it really?  How much would you spend on a new flat screen TV vs how much are you willing to spend on your long term health.
4. I weight-lift and do cardio.  Contrary to the myth no matter who you are weightlifting does not make you bulky.  Eating the wrong foods and too much of the wrong foods will make you bulky. Weight bearing exercise boosts your metabolism and is the best thing you can do for your bones as you age.
5.Put food first.   I have to COUNT every calorie that goes in my mouth.  There are some great apps for tracking this.  It's a PAIN IN the BUTT!  But for me calories are like money and if I don't keep track as I am putting it into my mouth by the end of the day I've 'spent' too much or in this case eaten too much.  Food is fuel.  The better I eat the less I crave.
6. Thermogenics.  There are several of these on the market.  Max muscle sells a couple I like.  Sometimes they work for a while and then they stop.  I have found one I like called lipodrene.  I only take a half and I only take on days when I know I'm going to be around a lot of food or I'm just super snacky.
7. Energy and a Diet Coke substitute - I use a powder mix that works as a slight appetite depressant and has enough kick to give me energy to get my to-do list done.  D-fine8 and Vemma zero for the fiz.
8. Be accountable.  I txt Ryan every (ok almost every) night my calories.  Even if I'm over where I should be I still count it.
9. Cooking: I find recipes one at a time that I like and my family likes.  EZ is good and I need EZ when I am stressed out and tempted by other foods.  It's hard with kids and sometimes I end up making two dinners, or I'll make white noodles for the kids and wheat for Brian and I.  I also find snacks that I like, that are legal.  It has to be quick and easily accessible.  I know in a pinch on the road I REALLY love subway and the sandwich I order there is only 280 calories.  I also know I can go to the fridge, grab cottage cheese a spoonful of greek yogurt and sprinkle berries on top and it's DELISH!
10.  I WILL NOT GIVE UP.  There have been major moments when I feel like I'm not making the progress I want or deserve.  Sometimes my stress or schedule gets the best of me.  But I will not give up.
BONUS:  find your why. I've had people say, "you look great" "what are you doing?" and then before I can even answer they give me all of their excuses: "I don't have time, I'm going to bulk up, I don't like to exercise, my kids have to come first and they are taking all my time."  The last one gets me because I think hmmm do they  think I don't put my kids first????  There is a time and a season and everyone has a different "why."  To these people I say, "are you happy" if whatever you are doing is making you happy then I think that is perfect for you. If not then take a chance and make a change.

He moved the cheese

At my last measurement I was thinking I had about 8lbs to go. Trainer boy says nope more like 16lbs. Ugh!! Oh well progress is progress and I felt good in my skin on this trip.

4 and 17

It's kind of like football but not quite. I've been with this trainer now 6 months.  I'm down another 4% body fat (19%) 7lbs and some inches.  I want to be at 15% body fat and somewhere between 155-160lbs (I know those lbs sound huge but remember I"m almost 6 feet tall).  The merry month of may is crazy around here.  And summer is typically a time I put on weight (weird I know but all those pool parties, cabin trips and vacations add up).  I need a plan and a back up plan and probably a back up back up plan...but I am gonna get there, hopefully sooner than later, but no later than September 7th.

One more note about the 24

I do believe there is a time and a season to most things.  Some of our daily 'time spend' is in our control and some is not.  I don't love spending 45-60 min EVERY night giving Remy an enema; I can think of a dozen other things to do for an hour, but we have to do it.  I think that's why it's so important to not judge how others spend theirs because you never know the whole story.  I just hope to be more conscious and thoughtful about the choices I'm make.

For me,

Why why why

Normally I don't believe in asking why.  But sometimes it's good to know.  You've said it, you've heard it from others... "I'm so busy right now".  This makes me crazy because, duh we all get the same 24hours.  The unique part is that we all get to make our own choices as to how we spend those hours.  I didn't get in bed until midnight for various reasons last night.  I slept like crap and I have a million things to do today blah blah blah just like everyone else.... I was tempted so tempted to skip the gym especially because I had a session with Ryan today and I knew he would kick my butt.  The choice.  I went to the gym.  Sleep would have been nice and I certainly could have chosen to get a jump on my work emails but I chose the gym.  WHY - Because without fail lately whenever I am tempted to give up (for whatever reason) I see someone in the grocery store or pass them on the street that is uncomfortable in their skin.  By that I mean by just looking at them you can tell physically they are hurting.  The lady at kinkos yesterday, super nice, and pretty but so out of shape she was breathing hard helping me work the copier.  My why; I don't want to hurt like that now or in the future.  I realize I may not reach my goals over-night but I am so grateful for the body I do have.

Saw this on facebook

The only handicap in life is a bad attitude

Vanity

Dressed for work and ready to head out when the husband says to me.  You might want to look at buying a new pair of pants.  Sometimes it's nice to have your clothes be loose; it's like a constant reminder whatever you're doing, you are making progress. I was beyond baggie in the butt; they looked a little ridiculous.  I went back to my closet and pulled out a pair I knew were to small, they haven't been worn since 2008.  Wa-la they fit.  I didn't even have to lay down on the bed to zip them up.  Yee Ha!  I headed to work feeling like could conquer the world.  I work in a friendly atmosphere as I visit with super cute people from office to office; often they are very complimentary.... cute hair, cute shirt, cute necklace Mel, you look great.  NOT that it's true; they are just super nice.  But I'm just as vain as the next chick.  Today when I'm feeling like a rock star NADA not a single comment.  They were probably thinking "oh my heck did she paint those slacks on?" jk I promise they are not even tight, they just actually fit.  Oh well.  whatever.  I will say, the ducktape flower craft I did for / with the 5th grade today I got a bunch of compliments.  So maybe I didn't rock my pants the way I thought I did but I did rock the duck tape!

Birthday Hangover

Calories don't count on your bday right? Problem is now I feel like crap today. I bought this little gem used at kid to kid today hoping it would motivate me Watch now it will snow.

Three strikes... am I out?

About 3 years ago a few gals in my hood decided to get memberships at Golds and go to the 5:30am class. They convinced me to join as well.  Getting up that early is not fun.  But knowing someone else is out in your driveway waiting for you kills the temptation to sleep in.  Eventually those girls flaked, I got pregnant with Bubba and that was the end of Golds.  #2  Cute friend is working out a the Sportsplex and says she will go withe me at that dark awful hour in the morning if I want to join her gym.  So I do.  It was awesome.  Again I love having someone in the car with me; keeps me from talking to myself.  She got busy, I got busy, ...... So I decided to venture out on my own and found Ryan at IMFIT.  Everyone there seriously shows up with a buddy in the morning.  It's a small gym and so I notice these things.  Can you say I am a LONER.  Just put a big L on my forehead.  Determined not to give up I call another friend, active girl, has a few lbs to loose.  She joins with me.  She also gets her mom to join and they want to workout at 10ish 11ish.  Which I would love but doesn't work for my kiddos.  That's 3 strikes I should just give up, right.  Yesterday I am sitting in RS and I am scoping the crowd for anyone I can ask again to be my gym buddy.  This lady gets up to bear her testimony but instead asks for anyone that might be willing to be her temple buddy and go to the temple with her once a week.  hmmmm ok maybe my priorities are off and I should be looking for a temple buddy and not a gym buddy and I'm probably going to hell for it; but I still want one.

Run

I've been inside the gym for a couple months now, because even though I would prefer to be outside, when it comes to cold dark mornings I am a bit of a wimp. I pulled on he under armor and headed out this morning.
Can you say coldass run.

The What the How and the Why

I attended our Zone kick off meeting yesterday and they showed a clip from TED TV by some dude (can't remember his name and he talked about the strategy behind successful businesses and people and what sets them apart.  Imagine a large, medium and small circle layered on top of one another. (like a target)
The outside circle is labeled "What" the middle circle is "How" and the inside circle is the "why".  Most people or companies sell from the outside in.  Here is what we are selling; the how is the features and benefits of that product place or thing, and then maybe if you are still listening they finally tell you why they are selling it. Other companies like Apple or really memorable people like Martin Luther King start from the "why" and work outward.  YADA YADA  What does this have to do with exercise and being fit.  The more focus, belief and projection you put into the 'why' the more successful you will be.  I decided to apply this to my physical self.
My Why: To be STRONG
Strength to be active now with husband and kids and someday with my grandkids
Strength to handle the physical demands of this life; now and 50 years from now
Strength to 'run and not be weary and walk and not faint' from the emotional and spiritual demands of this life.
How: eat right and exercise
What: to Look GOOD! (just being honest)

OH SHIFT!!

Yes, exactly s-h-i-F-t.  As in shift in the scale.  I told trainer boy I didn't want to get on.  He did all my measurements and said get on anyway, and told me not to look.  I looked.  No movement.  Not a single half ounce in 12 weeks.  Are you FREAKING kidding me.  I was TICKED.  I did my workout and then was on the treadmill and trainer boy was giving me more crap about my diet and discipline.  The guy next to me said.  The scale moved it just shifted from fat to muscle.  Which is absolutely true because Ryan called me later that day with my body fat % and it had dropped 6 points.  That's a lot!  Yay me.  Then he threw down the gauntlet, he wants me down another 5 points by March 1st.

Where have I been since then...

Ok I'm back..If you are getting this post via email it's because I value you in my life and hopefully you will help keep me accountable. ...I realized my last post was on 7.11.11.  Whoa what happened to me? = life
Summary: Spudman was great.  I finished in just under three hours.  My goal for this year is to 'bury' that time. Not sure what that number is but I will figure it out.
I spent Aug-December gaining and loosing the same DANG 5lbs.  August and September I focused on biking and running the result was I did increase my average mph but my hip and bum started freaking out = alignment issues causing nerve and muscle spasms.  Begin stalking stage:  I promise I'm not a true stalker, but I kept running into this same girl. Darling, cute, petite, in awesome shape, girl. I figured out I had taken a few classes with her at Golds gym a few years ago, she is married to one of my dental clients, she has a child in kindergarten with my child, I would see her at the grocery store and pass her jogging on the road.  Finally, I thought OK she looks stinking HOT whatever she is 'doing' is working for her.  After a  few phone calls (I have my sources) I figured out her phone number.  I called and via a long introduction told her who I was, then told her she looked HOT and I wanted to know her secret. Lucky for me she was flattered and not freaked out.
She introduced me to Ryan at IMFIT.
He and his darling wife own a personal fitness gym in Layton.  After my first couple work-outs I couldn't walk nor could I raise my arms above my head.  Starting at the end of October meant sticking to a 'clean' diet and cardio and lifting routine throughout the holidays.  I did ok I didn't do great.  Brian decided to join me and we are making long term changes at our house.  Changes are happening slow but sure.  I'm measuring in a week and I will give you the status update.