Let the workouts begin

I actually met both of my goals this week - I’ve been eating a lot more veggies AND I signed up for Jazzercise. I’m so proud of myself!

Going back to Jazzercise was like meeting a friend you haven’t seen in awhile. It was as if I’d never been gone – except of course for not being able to keep up. I can’t believe that I used to do back-to-back classes because I am so far from that point right now, but I’m back and that’s the important thing. I told Chris last night that it’s funny all the excuses I can come up with to keep from going, but once I finally took that first step I wondered why I waited so long. It felt so good to be moving and sweating.

There are two locations for the Jazzercise here, so I figured I’d check them both out, and I probably should’ve stopped while I was ahead because on my second night of Jazzercise I went to the other location and this time it was in a small room with mirrors all around – OMG! There is nothing like a bold, in your face, wake-up call that only surround full-length mirrors can provide. I seriously thought it looked like my head on somebody else’s body – very bizarre and frightening. I barely recognized myself – I guess I really don’t look like Jillian Michaels – funny I could’ve sworn I had her body. LOL!

I’m very proud of myself – I have made it to Jazzercise 4 days in a row and I plan on going tomorrow too. My only complaint right now is my knee is sore. It’s those darn side lunges. I was talking to Chris about my achiness and had to laugh – it’s not like I’m in my 20’s anymore, and it’s really hit me this time around.

Chris and I ordered P90X off of Amazon – we thought it would be a great workout. I was all gun-ho about it when we ordered it (Sunday night) but now that I’ve started back to Jazzercise (Monday night) and I can literally “see” how far I’ve digressed I’m starting to get anxious that I’m in over my head with the whole P90X thing. Chris actually did some of it before and said that there are 3 levels and that I should be just fine. Either way he is leaving for 5 months so that gives me a little bit of wiggle room for starting and stopping the videos. My goal is still to be at 160 by my birthday. 35 pounds in 5 months – that is definitely do-able if I focus.

I do not have any major goals for the next week. I just want to keep up with Jazzercise and incorporating more veggies into my diet.

April showers bring us May flowers

It's true you know - April showers bring May flowers as well as "rainy days and Monday's always get me down..." This kind of weather always makes me moody. Last Monday was a gorgeous day! It started off overcast, but then the sun burned through. We spent most of the day outside. The past two days it has been overcast and rainy.
Weather like this also makes me wish I had a treadmill or a gym membership. I've actually been thinking about Jazzercise again. My dilemma as usual is the kiddos; it's not a big worry because they do provide day care, but Denver is still so young I don't know if I want to take him yet. It's also not cheap, there is the monthly Jazzercise fee on top of day care for two kids. Amazing how I can come up with ways to talk myself out of doing something isn't it?! If I mentioned it to Chris he would probably say, "it's not that much money and we can afford it if it's going to make you happy and give you a needed break while I'm gone."
I lost the "same 3 or 4" again this week. I'm down to 196 pounds. I honestly don't know how though. I did not track and I re-discovered the box of chocolates Chris and I had hidden in the cupboard a few weeks ago, so not only do I feel bad about eating so much chocolate but my face is showing it as well. :(
Okay, so I have been working on this post for over 2 weeks now. I log in, type some, and then have to stop because one of the kids needs me. I'm hoping that when we get cable the internet connection will be much faster so that I can hop on and post in seconds rather then minutes; also I'm hoping that livestrong will download much faster (I'd be happy with loading in 2 minutes over the 10 minutes it takes now on top of the constant booting because my service drops).
On the weight front I have been maintaining 196. I guess that's not bad considering I'm not logging or being very conscious of my decisions. Now that Chris is home I've managed a few hot meals. The good thing about summer coming is that sandwiches are so good and quick. Denver is only getting bigger which means the next few months as he learns to eat I won't be eating - LOL.
My best friend Crystal is selling her treadmill and I offered to buy it. I have the perfect spot in my cramped home. It will just fit too...although it will be a bit of an eyesore. I'm hoping it will help to get me motivated. Chris and I have been toying around with the idea of purchasing the P90X or the Insanity workout programs. Denver is now sleeping until 5am and then sometimes goes back to sleep for another hour and a half - perfect time to squeeze in a workout.
That's all the updates I have for now...still maintaining and busier then ever. I'm thoroughly enjoying having Chris home and trying very hard not to think about mid-May when he leaves for 5 months. Interesting times ahead.

Goals:
1. Work on getting more veggies into my snacking. It takes as long to open a container of carrots as to open that bag of chips - right?!
2. Get in some workouts while Chris is home...I'm thinking a month pass to Jazzercise will serve as 1) a nice break from the kids in the afternoon and 2) a good start back into a workout regime. 

Same 3 or 4...

I just realized that it has been 2 weeks since I blogged (I notice that Barb hasn’t either…oops, whose motivating who here?!?!). I have not been to any Weight Watcher meetings and since this is my last week on it I dare say I won’t be to anymore. I am going back to using LiveStrong now that my WW membership is up; back to tracking calories instead of points. I’m going to stick with the idea of fruit and veggies being “free.” I think that’s an ingenious idea to get people to eat smarter and healthier.

I stepped on the scale and it read 199. I have been gaining and losing the same 3 - 4 pounds for 4 weeks now. I’m really not surprised by this – I have not been tracking or “exercising” and I’ve pretty much been eating whatever I felt like, and as a result I am no further ahead than I was a few weeks ago.

Stew’s wedding is 6 weeks away. If I stick with it and log my food and walk every day I should be able to lose 10 pounds in that time. I need to get out of the house to be successful – I am fully aware of this! I’m a terrible snacker when I’m just sitting around the house. When the weather turns nice we will probably do 2 walks a day plus trips to the park. It will only get easier as Denver gets bigger (I can’t believe it’s been 10 weeks already!).

I started “running” last week. I met my goal and got 2 runs in and then Chris left again. I can’t run while Chris is gone until Denver is big/old enough to go into the jogging stroller. My first “run” was on an outdoor trail and I alternated 2 minutes of running with 1 minute of walking; I thought that my lungs were going to burst open, but I did it for 15 minutes. I was so proud of myself. My second “run” was on a treadmill at the base gym (it was raining); again I alternated 2 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking but I did it for 30 minutes (double the time). I don’t like running on treadmills, but there is something about working out in a gym that just motivates you. I want to do the C25K (couch to 5K) program, but again I can’t do this until I either 1) join a gym that has childcare or 2) Denver is big enough to go into the jogging stroller.

So, not much has changed in the past 2 weeks:  still weigh the same, still not tracking, still feeling huge, and still beating myself up about it. I don’t remember it being this difficult last time. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Katelynn was almost a year old and I only had one baby; having two can be so taxing.  Or maybe it was that the whole process was new to me so I was super excited about it; I kind of have this whole been there done that feeling. I pulled out all my summer clothes and packed up all my pregnancy clothes the other day. I should’ve just kept the summer clothes in the box because they are not going to fit. Barb and I went to Kohl’s 2 weekends ago and I got 2 pair of jeans and 2 pair of capri’s (I can’t remember the last time I attempted to wear shorts). My fat girl jeans (a size 16 Levi’s) that I have are too tight, so I figured I should go and get something that fits (thinking maybe it would help boost my confidence wearing something other than yoga pants). I hate the fact that I had to shop in plus sizes and that I was trying on 18. I grabbed some 16’s too (I was feeling optimistic), well guess what?! Those 16’s fit!! I did not have to buy 18’s. I know it’s still not the size 12 and 14’s I have in the drawer upstairs, but it’s something. I got a couple cute tops too. I think I looked pretty good on my Anniversary date with the hubby!

Oh wait, did I just attach the pic of me eating chocolate?! And is that bowl empty?? Can I say that Chris ate most of it?! But, no worries, there WAS a strawberry UNDER all that chocolate!

Goals:

My goal for this upcoming week is to track my food in Livestrong and then to blog about my "success" next week!