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Thursday, November 28, 2013

Checking in – 6 Weeks

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

I convinced the kids to do the Turkey Trot with me this year. Freezing cold and early but we got out there and did it! The last 3 years I have run this on my own. Today there was very little running by the girls and I. The boys ran ahead and had some great exercise. The girls and I plugged along at a good walking pace. Laura was willing to jog a bit and we would set goals for ourselves. I am so proud of all of them. The Turkey Trot was actually 4.2 miles. That is a long way for them. Then add walking home and we hit 4.75 miles this morning.  IMG_6285 IMG_6303  IMG_6313

After the Turkey Trot and walking home. 4.75 miles total.

THE NUMBERS

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The smallest part of my waist. Several inches lost!!! My smallest ever was 29.5 inches.

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No real change in weight in 2 weeks. I am trying not to get discouraged. I was 23.4 pounds heavier just 6 weeks ago so my body needs to adjust. I am working hard on toning so the flab is shrinking and getting tighter.  Also my calorie intake has been a bit low so my body probably went into starvation mode so I have to be patient and figure out what I need to do to see the numbers drop again.

 

6 wks jeans

The exciting news…

I can actually put on and do up my favorite jeans again. YIPPEEE! I have a good size muffin top and they just might split out if I sit in them BUT they can do up!!! I hope I can wear them comfortably by New Years, we’ll see.

Friday, November 22, 2013

Sometimes I need to remind myself…

I know better than to weigh everyday but that doesn’t seem to stop me. Once a week is enough! Water retention, hormones and sore muscles add to weight quickly.  I have seen a few extra pounds this week on the scale and I needed a cute picture to remind myself that I am beautiful and I am still making progress in the right direction. Now to get on the elliptical before heading out of town for the weekend! Last night I ran/walked  3.75 miles on the treadmill. I feel it today but I was so proud of myself to push through even when it was so hard to run.

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Tuesday, November 19, 2013

One Month Check-in

I have been back on track for one month. I am so thrilled to be able to see great results. 23 pounds so far and 30 more to go!

Friday, November 15, 2013

I was too tired to workout…

and it was 10pm BUT I have goals to reach and so I did it even though my legs were wobbly. 32 min and 500 calories on the elliptical. 40 push ups, 200 crunches while watching the Biggest Loser to keep me motivated.

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Thursday, November 14, 2013

Healthy Sugar Cookies

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1/2 cup room temp butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups applesauce
3 eggs
2 tsp almond extract
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
7 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt

Mix sugar and butter very well until light in color.  Add eggs, flavorings and applesauce. Mix well then add dry ingredients slowly.  This dough will be thick and a little tacky.  Divide into manageable balls and roll out to desired thickness onto a well floured surface.  I keep mine thick at about 1/4 inch or a little more.  The cookies will be nice and soft if you don’t roll them too thin.  They will raise in the oven some.  Cut into shapes and bake at 350 degrees till they slightly change color, about 10 minutes.  Since they are whole wheat you won’t see much change.  You can decorate them with frosting, sprinkles or glaze. I enjoy them them plain.

A Healthy Body Feels SO Good

I took what feels like a long break  from making healthy choices. Did the food taste good, YES! It was delicious. What I really hated was how tired and lazy I felt. I can’t explain it but for some reason doing the 12 Step program and focusing so much on the inner self and the WHY behind eating threw me into a downward spiral. I was depressed over it. I fell back into all of the old habits that I had worked so hard to overcome.  I quit going and slowly the desire to change came back. I wanted to make healthy choices but it just seemed too hard.  I was making being healthy too difficult.

So I went in to have a yearly physical done and was thankful that my blood work is still perfect. On paper I am healthy except I carry around too many pounds. So back to healthy food choices and some exercise. Exercise used to be the easy part but now the eating right is easier and the exercise is harder. I used to go out and easily run 4 miles at a  10 min/mile pace. Now I am struggling to run at a 11 or 12 min mile pace for a mile or 2. I know it will come back but it is HARD!!! Nathan is running the American Fork Half Marathon with me in June so I have to keep going and get faster because he wants me run with him.

The upside of all of this is that eating right and exercise FEELS SO GOOD! I love the stinky smell after a hard workout, the red face, the sweat dripping! I know that I made a choice to be a better me today.

WHY DO IT IF IT IS HARD?  To have a healthy body that will see my kids grow up. To someday see my grandchildren and be able to run and play with them. That is why I do this. I want a good life where I can be a full participant and not just watch life pass me by.

Thankfully I have seen quick results as my body usually responds quickly to change. It was been only 3 weeks and I have lost 20 pounds. Yes that is fast and no loss for the past 5 days. Most of it is water weight and not fat but I will take it!  I can already run a couple miles without stopping and although I am slow,  that is a huge accomplishment over a couple weeks ago.

So my all time high weight (this time around)  here at the house on my scale (first thing in the morning/ aux natural) was 249.9 lbs. (The scale at the doctors office read 254.4 lbs in the afternoon fasting but with clothes.) The scale yesterday was 229.1 lbs. The doctor wants me back under 210 lbs to be healthy and so do I. That number isn’t in “onederland” like I wish it would be but my darn bone and muscle structure comes from my Viking ancestors and they just weren’t light weights! I was there once and I may be there again someday but THIN is not my goal this time around.

 HEALTH is my goal and feeling GREAT!

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After a great workout of running and walking. The number is the step count. :-)

IMG_5750 Fun at SCHEELS.

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  I am so glad to have a separate bust and waist again. They were getting blurred because of the extra 20 pounds that mostly filled in the abdominal area.IMG_5836

Pictures taken November 2013.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Remember…

weight

 

I am heading in the right direction again after topping the scale at the doctors office at 254 lbs. About 20 lbs gone already!  :-) It isn’t easy but it is worth it to feel better about myself.