Week 5, Day 30, Day 2

Okay so it's the fifth week of this whole "Project Manda" deal as well as day 30 so far. Kinda cool! It's also day two of my Body by Vi 90-Day Challenge. Only 88 more days to go! Okay that sounds like a lot, but at the same time, it doesn't! My Challenge End Date is the 27th of August, so 4 days after my 30th birthday. I'm hoping that I can keep up with this whole thing and not become discouraged at all. Think I can do it? I think I can do it...

Today I decided to use my shake mix for smoothies and see if makes me feel more full for a longer period of time. So far, it's working. I made breakfast with 8oz of milk, lunch with 12oz, and added frozen mango to both. However, lunch, I am still finishing. I made too much I think. Which I'm not sure how I could make too much,but apparently with some ice and some frozen mango, it added a bit more. The 12oz of milk makes it fill the whole cup I have verses the 8oz. So, maybe taking me longer to drink it will mean it will last longer for me...

Goal for after I finish my smoothie here and get this post finished, is to get the kiddos down for a nap, and then workout! My shoulder still feels funky, so I'm going to have to just wing it and see what kind of workout I'm going to actually be able to pull off as I go along. I miss doing my Zumba, but I just can't move my arm to where it needs to be moved in order to do the dances. Hopefully today I can, since it doesn't seem to really hurt bad, but just a dull ache. Pain killers and a nice hot shower afterward and I should be golden though! Hehe...

But for now....

We are off to the races!

A New Week, A New Challenge

Okay folks! Today I did it! I started the Body by Vi 90-Day Challenge! I'm going for two meal replacement shakes a day and then healthy (preferably, healthy) meals for dinner and healthy snacks throughout the day! I'm excited to start this new venture and the end date for this current challenge is just a few days after my birthday so WOOT!!!

To continue with exciting information for this week, I reached my two week goal and then some apparently. According to my scales I lost 4.9 lbs this week bringing my total for the past 29 days to 11.7 lbs and a current weight of 194.4 lbs! I made it under 195 even! WOOT!


If you can't tell, I'm SUPER excited about all of this!

I will continue to blog as often as I feel the need to in order to update everyone on my progress and each week will at least post my measurements and such throughout the next 90 days.

As for now, I leave you all with a YOU CAN DO IT TOO! Motivation isn't always easy to come by when you get discouraged, and let me tell you, becoming injured enough to not be able to workout for almost an entire week, doesn't help keep you motivated, but there is no way around it if you want to lose and keep losing!

Week five, here I come!




Body by Vi 90-Day Challenge Week One




Weight: 194.4 lbs
Chest: 40.5"
Waist: 36.25"
Hips: 44"

Trying Something New

Last week I dropped the ball. I barely blogged (I think maybe only once, actually, did I blog last week), and I so completely screwed up my diet! EEK! With my lack of motivation and knowing what I was not doing that I needed to be doing, and doing what I know I needed to not be doing, I found myself only losing 0.2lbs last week, making my goal of 4.1lbs in two weeks now 3.9lbs in ONE WEEK!

Oh my goodness!

Okay, so everyone that has total faith in me is telling me that I can do this! So far, in the month of May, I have lost 6.8lbs. If I lose another 3.2 (verses the 3.9 to reach my two week goal), then I will have lost 10lbs in 4 weeks. I know that sounds outrageous, but I don't see why it can't happen. I just have to boost my workouts and eat a little bit more than I have been. I stopped counting my calories, which was just making things weird to be doing both points and calories anyway. Instead I'm sticking to just counting my points with the whole Weight Watchers system, but I've pulled out the new PointsPlus calculator and am comparing the old system to the new system for counting. With the old system I am allowed 25 points per day, along with 35 extra for the week for days I might go over my points, or if we were to go out to eat or something special. I usually have done my best to not use any of the extra points during the week. In the past, however, I always counted the extra earned points for my workouts, so then I was able to eat a larger (but not over filling) meal for dinner or even a bowl of sugar free or low fat ice cream. I have NOT been doing that this time around, but I might just decide to join that realm, once again, if it means making sure that I continue to LOSE and not gain or maintain my current weight.

Now, with this new points system, things are a bit different. I am allowed 31 points per day, and an extra 49 points per week. However, the reason for the higher point allowance is because foods have a higher point value with this new system and new way of calculating things out. I'm at a slight loss today trying to figure it all out in my head, but I'm going to make a week or two here of checking them both out. I did figure out this morning, however, that my Special K breakfast doesn't change for points. So my cereal and milk are still a total of 3 points, either program I follow. The fiber bar I had with my breakfast had a one point difference, though. All in all, not that bad, actually. It's kind of weird to think that with the new system, I still have 17 points left out of 31 for the day, where with the old I have only 13 out of my 25 left. Strange how it's only a 4 point difference for what I have left...

Now I said I was trying something new here, and the whole points thing is not really new for me. So here's the "new" thing that I am going to be doing: ViSalus! Today I joined the 90-Day Challenge with ViSalus and ordered my first month of shakes. $100 a month gets me 60 servings of their shake mix (used as a meal replacement for two meals a day) and 10 of their flavor packets. I can also add fruits or whatever to my shake if I want a different flavor, and I'm already anticipating the idea of using my blender to make more of a breakfast smoothie by adding frozen strawberries or mango... YUM!

Oh that reminds me! With the newer points system through Weight Watchers, fruits are now ZERO POINTS as well as more vegetables than before. I'm kind of excited about that whole idea and am just now trying to land a new food list with point values for fresh food items, verses packaged items that I can calculate on my own. Anyone out there know where I can snag a new PointsPlus food list without my have to go pay for a month of membership at Weight Watchers? (In store or online, I don't know that I want to pay for the use for a month just for a few items, but I guess it's worth it if I can't find it on my own, in the long run, right?)

Alright, so goals for this week:

- Lose 3.9lbs to reach my two week goal! (Or at least 3.2 to reach 10lbs in 4 weeks...)
- Boost my workouts to include more than just my Zumba routine! (Maybe some cardio boxing again? That is always fun!)
- Drink more water! (No more slacking on the aqua intake!)
- BE POSITIVE! (I know I can do this! I just have a hard time telling my brain to "think thin!")

Last week's weight: 199.5
This week's weight: 199.3

Yesterday's points: 25/25
Yesterday's workout: Zumba Cardio Party

A Slow, Yet Promising Trend

Well, I didn't reach my two week goal yesterday. *insert sad face here* But, I did drop under 200lbs! YAY!

So goal for the next two weeks is to drop another 4.1lbs. I know that's a random number and I have to admit that as I was setting that goal in the Wii it was because I could not for the life of me remember what my actual weight had just been logged at 5 minutes prior. I guess that's what I get for rolling out of bed and weighing in right away before I wake up...

I am finding still that having a bit of a head cold is a hindrance on my working out. That sounds kind of like an excuse, I know, but is it? Breathing is difficult to do while sick like this and the longer my workout video is the longer it takes me to get through it when I have to keep pausing it so I can blow my nose! Hehe! I see that being sick and working out is a hindrance in that sense. I was hoping that all this working out and eating well would help me to NOT be sick, however, the lack of calories and food I seem to be going through here is more or less reeking havoc on my immune system. Wow, what a time to start dieting! Hopefully, I get over this fairly soon!

For now, BRING ON WEEK THREE!!!

Yesterday's points: 20/25
Yesterday's calories: 1,220
Yesterday's workout: Free Day

Last week's weight: 202.4
This week's weight: 199.5

Is Being Sick an Excuse to Slack?

Okay so it looks like I missed a few days of my blog. I figured that one day in between posts was bound to happen now and again, but two or three? That's not unforgivable in my book with this! This blog is how I'm supposed to be keeping myself honest about my diet. It's my way of sharing with you guys about what I'm going through with this whole weight loss adventure. With that being said, I could make an excuse right now that could cover my butt for not posting at least once between Tuesday and today, but would it be a viable excuse? Well, let me ask this then:

Is being sick, or taking care of sick children, and excuse to slack in one's diet and workout plan?

Okay so that's a loaded question, right? Obviously, I am supposed to be taking care of my children and myself above anything else. So I see where maybe failing to get a blog entry typed and posted is something I can get away with, but what about my eating habits? What about my workouts? I will admit that I did not slack off in my workout plan, yet. I am still on goal for this month with my Zumba layout this week, and yes being sick has made it so I feel like I can barely make it through a full video. However, I have spent two days writing out the points for my food choices, and the calories I'm consuming and burning, but I've been horrible at actually watching what I am eating. Yesterday, I blew it completely. I used all of my points for the day and only did I use them all because I had a moment of weakness in my feeling ill and in need of comfort, that I opted to have a serving of shortbread cookies. Oh, I should explain that I had that one serving of cookies, three times! Yay me! NOT! I knew I blew it when I realized as I was putting in my calories that I was getting awfully close to my daily allowed calorie intake of 1,700, but my points were down to 3 by the time dinner rolled around. So what did I do? I said, "Oh well!" and grabbed another couple of cookies. Yeah, that was smart, right? I even told myself that I would make some air popped popcorn for my snack for the night. (I admit, I never made the popcorn, and did end up just going to bed.)

So yeah, that was my day yesterday. Wednesday wasn't the greatest as far as eating went either. However, I just failed to eat anything on Wednesday verses overeating on Thursday. Was I maybe feeling like I had to make up for something there? Huh, I never thought of it that way, I guess. Either way it wasn't right of me to do and to go through and so here I am thinking that I really screwed up this week. But everyone has an off day, right? I guess that is still no excuse...

Well, with all that admitted and out in the open, here's my day so far. I'm left with 10 points for the day and I have only had 850 calories. My plan for the night was air popped popcorn (zero points) with a number of choices for flavorings with the help from Kernel Seasons (again, zero points), which will keep my points count well below my allowed points for the day, and even with the calories included in each item above, not near enough to boost me to my 1,700. Maybe in the next week I'll figure out a way to stay within my points range and actually consume my full calories as well. I fear hitting a major weight plateau in another week if my calorie count stays as low as it has been, but I would sure hate to drop the Weight Watchers points counting deal seeing as it really does keep me on target for less junk food throughout the day!

Goal for tomorrow: BREATHE! BE HEALTHY! EAT RIGHT! and ZUMBA!!!

Yesterday's points: 26/26
Yesterday's calories: 1,372
Yesterday's workout: Zumba Cardio Party

Happy Sore Muscles

Yesterday, I failed to blog. Oops! Guess my day was just so randomly thrown together and getting up and getting out of the house right away didn't help me to remember to sit down and blog! Oh well, onto today...

Monday was a welcome surprise. I'm not a fan of surprises. I like to know what's going on, especially when it involves the whole family being out of the house at one time, over the lunch hour, and when we're not spending money on eating out this month. However, despite my waking up with a horrible head cold making me not want to leave the house at all, I'm glad that Rob dragged me out. He surprised me with a wonderful Mother's Day gift of a full body massage at Salon 297! YAY! It was wonderfully relaxing and I felt great the rest of the day. Okay so for the most part. When I got home and worked out, I actually ended up in pain. I let the masseuse really ream on my upper back and shoulders and my workout yesterday used the toning sticks for Zumba. I don't think that I have ever experienced pain in this way before. Hehehe...

The only downside to the sore muscles is that I still have to workout today before I have a free day with Zumba. I'm hoping that my 50 minute Cardio Party video won't make me too terribly sore added to the rest of my soreness for the day. I'm actually hoping more that I can make it through more than 10 minutes of it while I'm feeling the effects of my cold. I'm kinda thinking that working out will help me get over this cold faster, but only if I actually have the energy to keep up with my workout!

Well, here's to Tuesday and making the rest of the day count!

Yesterday's points: 26/26
Yesterday's calories: 1,255
Yesterday's workout: Zumba Sculpt & Tone and Zumba Flat Abs

Sunday's points: 23/26
Sunday's calories: 1,175
Sunday's workout: Zumba Cardio Party

Mother's Day Madness

I didn't think that I was going to do it today, but I did. I weighed in a week before I had planned on. I think in the long run it's probably going to be a good thing to shoot for a two week weight loss goal and weigh-in on the week between just to see what kind of progress I'm making. Then I will know what to adjust to my workouts and calories and such in order to make sure I'm staying on target for my goal! As of today, I lost 3.7 lbs and have 3.3 lbs to lose to reach my two week goal. Think I can drop that in a week?

Add to the day that, not only did I drop pounds this week, I gained a cold. I think it's a cold anyway. I wasn't sure if it was a cold or allergies. My allergies have been going haywire with it getting nicer outside this week, but before Rob came home from the store this morning, I wasn't feeling the greatest. I realized after he had gotten home and we got the kids down to the living room, that I couldn't breathe. Took me a while to realize I had some Mother's Day flowers on the piano. They are beautiful, but I can't seem to breathe when I'm near them. Downer! So being sick and starting week two of "Project Manda" is not the greatest, but so far it's not completely horrid either!

The biggest downside to nice weather while dieting is being able to smell everyone who is outside with their grills going for dinner. Like right now, for example. I have the living room window open because of how nice it is, and yet here I am, tummy grumbling at me, smelling someone's burgers being grilled up and wishing I could go join them. I figure it's easy to toss something together for the kids, but how to I cook something like that for me and not go over my points? Simple, if I think about the fact that I have ground chicken in my freezer right now. I could take that out and have chicken burgers this week! I bet that it's tasty even. And of course that means no buns because buns are not Weight Watchers friendly! I am sure I'll figure something out though...

So here we go! Week two! Zumba Cardio Party, Sculpt & Tone, Zumba Abs, and Zumba LIVE! I'm so insanely excited about this week that I can barely stand it!!!

Yesterday's points: 22/26
Yesterday's calories: 1,370
Yesterday's workout: Free Day

Last week's weight: 206.1 lbs

This week's weight: 202.4 lbs

Trying Not to Snack

So today has been hard to not sit around and snack. I must say that I haven't had a hard time not snacking so far this week, but go figure that the last day of week one and I'm scanning the kitchen for something to eat to satisfy the want to be snacking. Well, out comes the tea! That helps me feel much more full than plain ol' water. And I do have some of those protein drink packets you add to your water. Those have helped in the past and so I'll go back to relying on those when I'm really hurting for a snack and don't want to ruin my diet for the day.

Okay so I think a big reason for no motivation to stick to my diet today is that I'm dealing with a sick child and am working on some serious lack of sleep! Caleb has pneumonia, and the worst thing about it is that I can't seem to get him to take a fever reducer at all. Ugh! The downer is that it's the lack of sleep that makes me want to nibble on things in the kitchen. Not usually a huge deal, I just don't nibble, but when an awake sick lil' man is happier with some crackers, it's hard to not join in the snacking along at 3am.

So today has been interesting and long yet oddly short feeling and it still feels like it's later than it is. Must be because it's getting warmer outside and the sun is staying out later. Makes me wanna get out and move outside more!

Week one is almost over...

Tomorrow brings week two of "Project Manda!"

Yesterday's points: 16/26
Yesterday's calories:
Yesterday's workout: Zumba 20 Minute Express

Welcoming the Weekend

Today, so far, has felt like it has been going by way too fast for me. Then again, that's what getting up and leaving the house to go to the store does to a person after minimal hours of sleep. Also, it tends to make for less food being consumed in the long run as well. So far, I've only had 160 calories and a total of 3 points for my food log. UGH! I'm not doing myself any good by eating so little in that sense.

I am finding that my workout schedule means nothing to the kids, too. Not in a bad way, mind you, but today was a "free day" on my Zumba schedule and Caleb and Hannah both insisted that I put in Zumba when we got back from the store. So I ended up doing the full 20 Minute Express that Hannah asked for, instead of taking a break today. My legs feel like jelly! Hehehe...

Tonight, Rob and I are planning on going to the movies. This yes, will include popcorn and a soda (I'll stay away from the candy!) as it is part of the "movie going experience," and will then deal with the fact that I have to come home and count those calories for the evening! Points-wise, it's an easy fit in. It's 3 points for 3 cups of movie theater popcorn, without the butter. The Kernal Seasons popcorn seasonings are 0 points, so I can have some sort of flavor to my popcorn, and a diet soda is 0 points! See! An easy fit-in and fun lil' treat!

Yesterday's points: 23/26
Yesterday's calories: 1,120
Yesterday's workout: Zumba 20 Minute Express

Just Three More Days!

Three days and my first week of "Project Manda" is complete!

That doesn't sound like a lot of progress, but in my mind it is a HUGE deal! This week has been interesting counting points with Weight Watchers as well as counting my calories. Even more fun for me is doing all this Zumba stuff because it's making working out an extremely fun thing for me. Not to mention this whole Zumba workout plan makes me want to keep working out verses start to hate having to. Bah!

Today is going to be interesting, I'm thinking. It's another day of a short, yet intense workout and of course watching what I'm eating. I have to keep in mind that doing things to keep me moving and busy keeps me from wanting to eat or snack on stuff.

So here's to keeping on track this week! Here's to making it to Thursday! Here's to having only three more days until the next week starts! And best of all, here's to being able to already squeeze my butt into a pair of jeans I bought two months ago that were the same cut, size, brand as my fave pair to wear and that were a bit way too tight to be comfortable sitting in all day, and have them actually NOT be uncomfortable all day long! WOOT!

I welcome you, Thursday, to BRING IT!

Yesterday's points: 25/26
Yesterday's calories: 1,243
Yesterday's workout: None

Halfway Through Week One!

Well, Tuesday went well, and now Wednesday is practically over with for me here...

All I wanted to do two days ago was eat. It's hard to NOT eat when we're sitting in the house most of the day, and I'm finding that if I'm keeping busy with something that's not around food, then I tend to not feel as hungry or the need to snack for no reason. Yesterday was easier to not snack so much, but I also found that I kept running to the bathroom to pee every 20-30 minutes! Hehe...

My workout for Tuesday was nice and hard core! The 20 Minute Express video for Zumba is insane! I think I got more out of that than I did when I was in the hour long class last winter! That's not a bad thing, but it makes me wonder how much more intense things are going to get when I start the 10-Day Accelerated Weight Loss workout plan on Sunday! EEK! I'm sure I'll be fine and having a blast, but it's kinda scary to jump into so much working out when I've not been working out that hard core for a quite a while.

Speaking of working out, today was a free day from Zumba, according to the schedule I'm following from their information. It's weird to have just spent three days working out though and to have a day not working out. I am trying to decide if I am going to move around the living room and play Dance Central with the Kinect or if I'm going to maybe do some crunches with our ab rocker. Maybe I could do both! Either way it's kind of strange to have a day that tells me to relax my muscles by getting a massage or soaking in a hotub, when I don't have access to either. Hehe! Maybe that's what I need though, a nice long hot bath.

Goal for tonight: RELAX!!!

Yesterday's points: 19/26
Yesterday's calories: 1050
Yesterday's workout: Zumba 20 Minute Express

Tuesday Blues

Okay, so usually people have the "Monday blues" but I apparently have the Tuesday blues! I woke up this morning not feeling so great and just kind of out of it. I thought maybe it was just because I kept myself busy with things and was forgetting to actually stop and eat. As the day has progressed, I find that it seems more like I might be getting sick. I'm kind of hoping that it's just allergies instead of a cold or the flu, though. Allergies I can deal with! Being sick is NOT and option!

So far today I'm keeping things light on the food, mainly because I don't really feel well. I'm about to go to my Zumba workout for the day. Today is the 20 Minutes Express workout! Tomorrow is a "Free Day" according the Zumba schedule I'm following, so I will probably add something else to my day today or throw in some Wii Fit tomorrow.

Short post today! More to come tomorrow!

Yesterday's points: 25/26
Yesterday's calories: 1166
Yesterday's workout: 60min Zumba Basics

...Another Day...

Well, yesterday started things out well. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were all frozen meals, so my sodium intake was through the roof. That will end up getting reconfigured by the end of the week. I have other options for breakfast and about 6 boxes of Special K in my basement just waiting to be eaten! Hehe... Looks like maybe jumping on "The Special K Challenge" maybe for two weeks? At least one bowl a day for this week, maybe.

Okay, here's the breakdown of my day to day diet. I am counting Weight Watchers points and have 26 points to my day (as of right now). However, I am also using CalorieCount.com again to keep track of my caloric intake for each day as well. The nice thing about that is that they have revamped their website and it now takes in all information your food items entered and let's you know where you are low and high on things like sodium, cholesterol, fats, sugars, etc. It was interesting to see how little in vitamins and nutrients I was having verses what I ranges I should be in and compared to how much bad stuff I was still ingesting throughout the day.

I'm hoping to do more than just Zumba today. It's a ton of fun, but I like having the option to use the Wii Fit and the XBox as workout options as well. Yay for Cardio Boxing and Dance Central! So here's to today, to Monday, to another day in the world of "Project Manda" and trying to get to the goals I've set! WOOT!

Yesterday's points: 19/26
Yesterday's calories: 1085
Yesterday's workout: 45min Zumba Basics

...It Starts...

Well, there's nothing like waking up on a Sunday morning and weighing yourself to see that you gained 1.8lbs since the last time you had weighed yourself. Especially when your goal was to lose 5lbs in the month between weigh-ins.

OOPS!

Okay, so I knew I had screwed that one up after week two in Florida last month. So today it's HELLO MAY! and HELLO NEW MANDA!

Not being home all day will make things semi-difficult for eating how I was planning on eating today. I get to stop home after church and grab one of my frozen meals and take that up to my in-law's with me for lunch. I know that sounds weird, but I think that it will really help me in the long run to have my points goal not only met each day, but kept in check at all times by eating things I know are going to keep me from OVER eating.

The ultimate goal is to learn to EAT LESS in the long run. Eating less and exercising regularly, drinking more water and less soda, and keeping my general outlook on life positive instead of delving back into bouts of depression (let's hope I reach my goal before winter! lol), will all help the "new me" happen faster than taking YEARS to achieve!

I weighed in this morning at just over 206lbs. EEK! Yeah, I know. I haven't weight over 195lbs since Hannah was born, and that was three and a half years ago! So talk about motivation to get losing again! I looked back at my last weigh-in before I had given up on things last summer/fall, and I had gotten myself down to 180lbs with a goal of 170lbs by the end of 2011 (and that was mid 2010!). I can't ask myself where I went wrong because I know where I went wrong! I stopped. Simple as that! So the goal this time would be to NOT stop, obviously, right?

Well, here it goes. Day one of the "NEW ME!" Day one of "Project Manda!" Hehehe...

Frustrations CAN and WILL be Overcome!

So a month in Florida did NOT bode well for me and dieting. I tried counting points (which lasted only a week), then counting calories (which only lasted a day!), and then just started watching how much of what I was eating. Not to mention that I wasn't very motivated after a week to keep up with working out, either.

So yes, I'm frustrated with myself and my lack of motivation in all of this.

However, I will get over my frustrations! I am starting out on May 1st with a NEW plan! I figure if I can count points with Weight Watchers, then I can easily keep track of my snacking, meals, and such by spending the money I would spend on fast food, eating out, and all around JUNK, basically, on the WW meals and snacks and things that I know are low to no points.

Now I know that eating is just a PART of the whole adventure of losing weight, so I have a workout plan to put into effect as well. I recently acquired the ZUMBA Fitness program and am excited to really kick that whole thing into high gear! Add to that a few days a week with the Wii Fit to do some yoga and strength training on top of the crazy dance workouts. Who knows, I might even be willing to toss in a few days of Tae Bo in there as well!

I'm kind of getting really excited about all of this, and yeah, I know, if I'm going to do this, then why on earth am I waiting until the first of the month, right? Well, I think my reasoning for that is it's a new month and that's a good jumping off point for weighing-in and starting to keep track. I hope to stay on top of this blog as I stay on top of my weight loss plans, and will be sharing all those wonderfully vulnerable things about the whole adventure as I go along (like my insane weight, and when I screw up, 'cause we all know I'm going to screw up at some point, right? lol), just so I can keep myself motivated and anyone of you who happen to be reading this, well informed!

So, here I say once again...

Wish me luck!

Vactions Aren't About Diets...

...Or are they? I mean a diet doesn't have to be all about food. It's about feeding your body in general. Your diet is what you put into your body to nourish it, to keep it healthy and functioning for you the way that it needs to in order for it to continue to work right. That can be so much more than just the food you eat or don't eat. I have been on "vacation" for the past week, visiting my mom and step-dad in Florida, with the kids and I've been dieting since I got here. Okay, so dieting is the wrong word for that. Let's see... Um... Okay, I've been at least trying to watch what I eat. That is more difficult to do when you find yourself going for a walk and coming home from the 7-11 with not just a Slurpee for the kid you took on the walk to begin with, but one for yourself as well. Yeah, I know, right? But who can honestly pass up a Slurpee of all things?! So this is what I've been doing this past week. I started counting points again. It's just easier for me while not at home, to do that verses try anything else. I've also been walking almost every day, and I pulled out my mom's Wii Fit stuff and have been trying to bust butt on that as well. Today is day 7 of my "new me" in the month of April. I know that as the month goes along here and my "vacation" comes to an end, it will get more difficult to figure out point values for things and such, but so far it's working out. If I have a day or two that I just don't count my points and splurge (like when Rob and I go Disney and Universal, for example) then I know what I can do to kind of keep an eye on what I'm eating, and make sure I'm drinking plenty of water to help keep me from wanting to eat too much. The weirdest venture for me while on this diet for while I'm in Florida, is that I'm not drinking soda. I have to admit that it's much more difficult to be dieting while away from home, but what better time to start. The goal this time is to make sure it is something that I stick with once I get back home! Okay, so counting points is only working if I'm actually eating less. Working out is only working if I'm not adding food to my day from fit points. Not drinking soda only works if I keep myself away from other forms of caffeine as well. I must say that not having coffee every morning is a nice thing. I do miss having a Diet Coke throughout the day, and may need to make a "once a week" rule. I'm not wanting to go back to my "once a day" rule from before. So with all that I have to remind myself that there is bound to be tweaking of the diet to find things that work best, tweaking of my workouts to find what best helps me to actually lose verses just tone. Time is not an issue here, but if I am going back to what I started at the beginning of 2010, I have until December of this year to have lost the 35lbs I was trying to lose and have seemed to bounce back on. Sadly enough, it is now 40lbs I am needing to lose by the end of this year to reach that original goal. It is April. That gives me eight more months. Think I can do it? Think you can do it with me? 40lbs in 8 months That's my new goal, and my challenge to anyone willing to join in creating a NEW them. Maybe you don't need to lose 40lbs, but that's my goal. I'm thinking that it is going to be a great adventure for my coming spring and summer right now, too. Goal for today: Walk, workout, be positive, and above all else, EAT LESS!

Another New Year

Okay so yes, I admit. I got off kilter with things with working out and bailed on my diets and workouts completely...

And once again it's a new year and another chance to me to say "I will lose weight this year! And I will keep it off this time!"

I'm hoping that with this year, I will be able to keep up with my workout schedule despite any trips I might take that get me out of sync with my current home lifestyle. My plan is to use Zumba again (which is oh so much fun!) and not only use it at home, but take it to the church and set up a sort of "workout class" for anyone who wants to come. Maybe I'll even look into becoming an instructor! Oh that would be fun! WOO! And talk about great motivation to keep at the workouts!!!

Finally, I know I have to remind myself that it all comes down to eating right. I will go back to counting points or at least calories and maybe even carbs. Eating right should be easy, but for me it never really has been. I have to learn and relearn to watch what I eat and how much I actually eat. Portion control! WOO! Hehe...

Okay, so with all that said, there. I'm back at the weight loss game, ready to get back into those jeans I was only able to wear ONCE before having to put them back away, and to get out of my "fat pants" for good! WOO!

2011: HERE I COME!!!