OK OK I HEAR YOU!

Truth be told, I totally lost my motivation. Totally. I'm not even going to make excuses. The availability to eat whatever I wanted took over my motivation to lose weight and work out, and it showed, believe me. Not a happy camper stepping on the scale this morning. I made up my mind over the weekend that as soon as I was finished nannying I would get back on track. Why? There is NOTHING healthy to eat at their house, and I know I'm going to be bad when I'm there. So, I'm done, I'm moving on, and I woke up this morning with a new motivation!

I worked out with Brenda this morning, and it felt awesome! I whined all the way through it, my body was struggling as was my mind, but I did it!

I also went back to wearing my bodybugg. I took some time off from it because I was really finding myself frustrated. Don't we all at some point during a diet? The point is, I'm getting back into action instead of totally giving up.

Playing on Twitter today, they made wristbands of quotes from The Biggest Loser. There are 4, and I think they are Jillian and Bob quotes... I think! I don't know, I just ordered them! :) They are brand new, don't actually ship out until June 10th, but I ordered them! You know how I am about quotes as motivation! I am also going to be wearing my reminder bracelet again. It's a little blue leather strapped bracelet that has a symbol on it of "New Beginnings", picked it up at Kohl's on sale :) I will be wearing that non-stop again as well.

I am starting to work at the salon today for the summer. The good thing about working at the salon? I can work out in the morning before work, I work, then I can go after work because it's not too late! :) Saying that, you will see me tonight back at the gym, even after a Brenda workout!

P.S. - Brenda made me lunge down the hallway, go up and down the stairs, and lunge back to where we were working out with weights, then go back up and down the stairs TWICE! MEANIE HEAD! :) LOL Thanks for another great workout, Brenda!

"This is your life. What are you going to do with it?" - Bob Harper

The Protest...

A while ago (ok, so maybe it was like 2 weeks or so), my brother complained to me that he had been checking this daily and I hadn't been writing. So here I have been writing, and AGAIN he has failed to comment. So, here is the protest:

I REFUSE to write again until he comments. So there.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

It has been a very rainy, stormy, past few days in Ohio... UGH! But the good thing is that it gives me time to go to the gym!

So, I know I didn't update yesterday... sorry... I can't even blame it on the internet. But, I have a VERY good excuse! I was watching the Biggest Loser finale :)

This is going to be a very short-but-sweet update, because we are getting more storms and I have a lot going on. But, let me just say this, I am back in action! :)

YAY FOR THE DAY!!! (Tuesday) - A double workout day! I took my little guy on a walk since it was so beautiful out, then after mom got off of work, the 3 of us went to the gym!

YAY FOR THE DAY!!! (Wednesday) - I worked out with Brenda today! :) And I worked my ASS OFF! Just sayin. She was tough on me, and I loved it!

The difference in winning & losing is most often, not quitting. -Walt Disney

Stick With Me...

Our internet at home has been kinda wacked-out lately, so stick with me! If I don't post, chances are I didn't get the internet up that day!

I had a great past 2 days.

Yesterday, I had lunch with a friend that I went to school with a LONG time ago. She moved to Columbus right before high school, and we have only seen each other a few select times since then. So she was coming into town, and we decided to go out to lunch. We went to Panera, I did a "You Pick Two", and did REALLY well on calories! Win #1.

Today I was my dad's teaching partner at school. This was pretty cool, because we have never officially "taught" together. So it was a first! The good news? We were outside for Softball, so I got in a whole lot of exercise! He put me on the farthest softball field to get in some extra steps! Just in the 7 class periods, I did almost 6000 steps!

So, in the event of my "new layout" (which, by the way, was SO BRILLIANT that I forgot what I wrote... LOL), here's what I have promised you!

YAY FOR THE DAY!!! - My yay for the day today was that I was, as usual, running late getting to school (only for McCord for some reason, every other school I'm way early). But that's not my "yay".... my "yay" is that I didn't have time to pack lunch, but I still did really well! The lunch ladies took good care of me and made me a tuna sandwich on wheat bread, and I had some baked chips to go with it. YUMMMM! And it was filling! So thank you to the ladies that run the show at lunch at McCord for providing me with my "YAY FOR THE DAY"! Normally, it would've been pizza! NOT TODAY! :)

"Be brave and be patient. Have faith in yourself; trust in the significance of your life and the purpose of your passion. You are strong enough to sit in the space between spaces and allow divine inspiration to shed some light. When you put positive energy and productive effort into the world it will come back to you. Occasionally in ways you might not immediately understand and on a time frame you didn’t expect. Look. Listen. Learn. Stay open. Your destiny is awaiting you."
— Jillian Michaels (Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life)

Um.... hi?

I know, I keep saying "I'm really back!" So when was my last post? I couldn't even tell you... :(

Truth be told, I lost it for a few weeks. I kept saying "I'm just going to take this week off, it's a crazy time for me, I'll get back into it next week" as I'm sure we're all so familiar with in our own journeys. Well, let's document this day as the SECOND day I am back in action.

I have this history with dieting where I get so into it that I'm obsessive about it. I truly wasn't like that this time, in fact, I think I was almost TOO relaxed about it. I allowed myself to eat things and not document them in the calorie count. I allowed myself to not work out. Not good.

So, here's the new me. I am still down 6 pounds from when I started, so that's good. In my history I would gain the weight back and then some, even if it was only a few weeks. We went to work out yesterday and it felt AMAZING (and it must have been a good one, too, because I laid in bed for an hour this morning after waking up, which I only do when I'm sore...)

This week I have an appointment with Brenda to work out, and I swear if I get a subbing job, someone will get hurt, LOL. Here's the thing - this is a BUSY time for substitute teachers. In the past 2 months, there have been 2 weeks of state testing (special needs children need "testing subs" to come in and read the test to them, scribe their answers, etc.) and all the end of the year hooplah. This is when the teachers want days off because the kids are driving them crazy! So, between subbing and nannying I have had no time to work out with Brenda :( So finally, I get to see her on Thursday!

The new deal is, I am going to have a new kind of "layout" if you will, for my blog posts. I will give an update, then I am going to give my "YAY FOR THE DAY!" (big achievement of the day), and on weigh in days, I will have "RIP" for the weight that I have lost and will NEVER see again. And, of course, my weight loss quote to end the post. Be ready, this is about to be EPIC! :)

"Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work." - Oprah Winfrey

You haven't lost confidence in me, have you?

I have been an epic failure at blogging lately... sorry! The past few weeks have been mass chaos for me. I started nannying a 1 year old boy 2 days a week (food has been a disaster), guard has started back up (add another job into the mix), and we got Gidget - which is SUPER time consuming!

Workouts have unfortunately been few and far between. I get in a walk as much as I can with my mom, but it's been tough. I decided today that I am going to be "no excuses" again, and just say I was lazy. I took every opportunity I had to get in a nap, and it didn't work because I still wound up sick. The little boy I watch sneezed on me, and the next day I woke up feeling yucky. It was that quick. Bummer! But I'm on the up-swing here from the sickness. I was supposed to work out with Brenda yesterday, and I cancelled to take a relaxing day (we will discuss my "weekend" later). I am so glad I did! I felt MUCH better this morning!

So today I am getting back into the swing. I have been wearing the bodybugg still, and making sure I am burning my calories by any means necessary, but I have also been more active in other ways besides working out, and still getting my burn. This can mean great things for the weeks to come! When I'm working out again, I will burn that many more calories, and the weight will just fall off of me.

I have discovered the life of a mom. It's unreal how I'm squeezing in my lunch and eating whatever I can find. It's awful, but true! I only get to eat when he's napping, so it's like he goes down for a nap, I clean up, find something to eat, watch like 30 minutes of TV (usually Dr. Phil - I started taping it to have something to watch), then he's awake and moving again. He's at the age to where he walks all over the place, and I have to keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't eat something he's not supposed to! LOL

So my "weekend" (this is the pain of working way too many jobs) wasn't a weekend. I did get to relax part of Saturday, but I babysat the neighbor's 5 kids Saturday night. AKA, we watched Harry Potter and had a pizza party. But then, the time I should've gotten to relax, one of the little ones wouldn't go to bed. He was screaming and having a fit, so we sat downstairs and chatted until mom and dad got home.

Sunday I had a meeting for OIPA, our winter guard circuit. Now that I'm a director, I'm supposed to go to these annual meetings. Yaaaaaaay! It was fun to see everyone outside of competitions where we can't talk, plus a girl I marched Collage with was there representing another guard, and my director from Collage was there. Pretty cool to say the least! It was a full day thing since it was in Columbus, but it was still fun.

So here we go, time to really get back down to business and back into the swing of things. The real positive? I've manged to maintain my weight from the 10 pounds lost! :)

Um... stop please!

So, I've had this crazy stomach bug where I get sick halfway through the day and can't eat much. No fun. The worst part? I have NO energy, and when I say no energy, I mean it. I have slept like 10 hour nights, and still am tired during the day. I'm really hoping this will end quickly, because I have had it already!

The good news? I'm still at the same weight. No gain, no loss. I'd rather have it that way right now. Honestly. At least that's the one positive out of this.

Sorry, but that's all I have the energy to write now... thanks for the positive thoughts about this! I know I haven't said anything about it, but I'm now starting to get messages about how I have inspired some people, and I honestly never intended to "Inspire", just to share my story. So I'm glad some of you have drawn my energy! :)

"The devotion of thought to an honest achievement makes the achievement possible." - Mary Baker Eddy

Happy Easter!

Just wanted to take a minute to wish everyone a Happy Easter! I have had a great day so far - I came downstairs to an amazing Easter Basket - probably the best one ever! :) It had a slap-on watch (um... can we say perfect?), a HUGE candle (for my bubble baths, of course!), a bag of sweet potato chips, and a little case of M&M's (100 calories for the whole thing... LOVE IT!). Thanks, Mom and Dad! :) I'm glad the "Easter Bunny" knew that I was making a lifestyle change!

So the past few days have been crazy busy, but so much fun! My sister in law got me a lunch box that is huge, so I can fit healthy foods in it! So Thursday I had my first opportunity to use it, and I love it! I could pack all kinds of yummy stuff! We had to take Gidget to the agility class on Thursday night to check things out and have them meet her, and I'll tell you what, it's definitely going to be a GREAT workout! I am going to have to run with her all over this huge room while she jumps and runs through tunnels and stuff! I can't wait! That will be my Saturday workout, for sure!

Friday, I worked at the salon. The salon used to be a huge diet killer for me when I worked there. They ALWAYS go out to lunch, and usually at places not so healthy. I did convince them to go to Subway, though, even though I wasn't eating lunch with them :) Hahaha... but I realized how educated I am becoming on how to eat healthy. I mean, even at Subway, there are unbelievable calories that can accumulate on those sandwiches, and I was so glad that out of the people there I would have been making the best choice!

Yesterday was the "test" of how much I have learned. We had our Easter dinner last night, because our families had to split today to make it to all the in-laws and stuff. So we had our usual food, I just made different choices. I filled my plate with veggies (not too colorful of veggies, but still veggies!) They took over about 3/4 of my plate, then instead of ham I had turkey, a few potatoes, and a piece of bread. Then, Ian and Mandi brought brownies that were 30 calories a piece, which were amazing! And I kept some in the freezer for when I want something like that! :) Thanks, Ian! I did also have a piece of carrot cake, but only 1/2 of a piece. The best part? I stayed in my calorie range! YAY! After dinner, we went for a long walk around the neighborhood, burning 368 calories! Woot woot! (Normally, I wouldn't have gone on this walk.... Mom and Aunt Jody go every time we get together)

So I guess we could say I've been successful, huh? LOL I haven't weighed myself or measured myself lately, but I can definitely see a drastic change... and one of mom's long-time clients noticed my weight loss on Friday! She couldn't believe it was only 10 pounds! :) Good sign, huh?

Enjoy your Easter! And remember, be light on the candy! Is it really worth the taste for the calories? I survived, and felt good afterwards. So will you!

"All glory comes from daring to begin." - William Shakespeare

Dust myself off and try again...

Ok, I am open to admitting I had a really rough week. I let my schedule get the best of me. Plus, at my nannying job, the mom told me not to pack lunch, and they had NOTHING healthy in their house. The end result? Ramen Noodles for lunch. Ugh. But the good news? Well, there's a lot of good news.

First things first, the parents at the house I nanny at told me to make a grocery list of foods I eat. :) Yessir, I will be eating SO MUCH better next week.

Second, I got back on the bandwagon of exercising. Keep in mind, in my diet history, NEVER have I been this routine about exercising. And when I quit, I quit. I don't go back. I started back into it last night, and then today mom and I went after school. I actually WANTED to work out. Kindof. I wasn't totally convinced, but I went before I could really ponder it.

Third, I got back on track with food. I actually made our lunch for tomorrow since I'm working with mom. Ask her how healthy the lunch is. Just ask her, please! :) (She'll beat you to the punch and comment first, I promise.)

Ok, so I thought of a really good quote with Mom in the car today from "Legally Blonde". :) Enjoy. (And Brenda, I miss you. Like for real.)

Elle: I just don't think that Brooke could've done this. Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't.

The Treadmill of Death

So, let me tell you a story. It's a fun story for those of us that enjoy working out, but not so much on a treadmill, because there's not much variety, right?

We have a VERY OLD treadmill at our house, and I repeat, VERY OLD! We are lucky it even runs anymore, that's how old it is! A few months ago, I wanted to walk on the treadmill, so I went downstairs, and it was my first time using this treadmill since I was like 12. In 5 minutes I was totally wiped out, mainly because it was on an incline. YES, DAD, AN INCLINE! (Dad liked to claim it wasn't on an incline. Notice he never used the treadmill to figure it out.) But, thankfully, Dad fixed it a few weeks ago so that we could use it again. Sweet!

That was just the set-up for my actual story.

Tonight, I got to see a friend that I won't get to see much for a while, since she is marching drum corps this summer. So I went to visit her (she was getting her hair done at mom's salon), and we wound up talking for like an hour and a half before I finally left. So I STILL hadn't gotten in my workout. I picked up Subway for dad and I, and the whole way home I was trying to think of how to get my workout in. It's Survivor night, so the Wii wouldn't happen until LATE tonight.

Yep, you guessed it. I thought hey, you know what? Let's do the treadmill! It's fixed!

First of all, it takes a little while since it's so old to get it started up. After 5 minutes of adjusting the speed, I finally got it at my normal speed. I was psyched to get started. I started, and the treadmill slowed down. My normal speed is about 3.5... again, background. So it slowed down to like 2.8.... ok, no biggie. Then it slows down further to 2.2... then it suddenly picked up, kept picking up, and I look down and HOLY CRAP! I was jogging at 4.5! What?! Did I not set the speed at 3.5? Yep, it kept going up and down. I lasted 20 minutes! LOL

So that's my story.

"Making good decisions is a crucial skill at every level." - Peter Drucker

Gidget!

I have to apologize for my lack of blogging lately... our family has been slightly pre-occupied with a new addition to our family! We just adopted a 2 year old portuguese water dog, and she is just so cute! But she needs SO MUCH attention. She has really latched on to me, she wants to be with me all the time! Not that I'm complaining, though, because really, I burn so many calories hanging out with little miss Gidget! She keeps me active at home, which is AWESOME! Just tonight, in the 5 hours I have been home since work, including a 1 hour nap, I have burned 700 calories!

So with that, I need to cut this short! I need to sleep, I didn't get much sleep last night because it was her first night with us and she is going to be sleeping in my room. I wanted to make sure she slept through the night and things like that, so now tonight hopefully I will just pass out! :)

I promise to write more tomorrow!

"Goals are not only absolutely necessary to motivate us. They are essential to really keep us alive." - Robert Schuller

Words to Live By - Mia Michaels

Ok, Ok, I know... I already posted today, jeez.... but I was on facebook and saw a video posted of a speech Mia Michaels gave to the WGI members who stayed for a clinic with her the day after world finals. These are words that I live by, seriously, and she said it so well. Did I mention that the whole "I can't" is what I tell all of my guard kids? I mean ALL of my guard kids, from elementary to high school. So here you go... words to live by via Mia Michaels...

Challenge yourself, push yourself, alright? You want to really push yourself. This moment that we have together will never ever ever happen again, ever. This is all we have right now. This is it. If you want to walk out of here after class and go “I pushed myself to a place I never knew I could.” Always keep breaking down those walls. Keep breaking down what you think you can do, always. Don’t stay comfortable, ever. There’s no “I can’t” ever. And anybody who’s around you that says you can’t, you need to discard them and move them out of the way, because it’s like “No, I can. I can do anything. Anything is possible.” But it’s all your choice. It’s about what you want and how you want to process and how you go on your journey. So you can go on your journey halfway, which will manifest halfway. If you’re like “Oh they’re really lucky” or “they’re this” or “they’re that”. No, they’re probably not really lucky they probably just really went for it full out. And we don’t know that. They just kept knocking down doors and barriers and walls and went full out all the time in order to get to where they want to be in their life. So that’s all it is. If you choose to just kindof walk, or choose to sprint. You know like when you’re a little kid, and you close the door to your bedroom and you put music on and just go. Do you remember that? Remember that freedom? And that like lack of judement? Right? You just go, and you go hard, right? If you can un-cage your spirit and allow it to just go and dance and be free, your body has got to get in line. It has to. It has to listen to it and it just goes. And that place of freedom and that place of just trust, is the most amazing place you can dance from.

Didn't I used to do this everyday?

Oh man... today was my first day subbing in a while, especially in the lower elementary grades. I was a 2nd grade teacher, and you know how I said I was excited to see how many calories I would burn subbing elementary? It's NO JOKE! I burned 1300 calories in my few hours of teaching! Crazy, right? I'm sure kindergarten would be even more wicked... can't wait to find out! :)

I wound up going to work out at the gym last night. Mom called around 5:00 and was wanting to work out unless I didn't want to, so we met at the gym! Even when I didn't have any desire! I was just going to work out at home, but this was much better!

I may have to go walk on the treadmill tonight, though. Dad and I just had Wendy's for dinner... YIKES! I feel guilty. Incredibly guilty. Oh well... at least it wasn't a Big Mac, right? I did good... for eating fast food. Ugh. Treadmill? Yes please.

Allergies = No Fun

Well, it has happened. Not feeling well today because of allergies. YAY for Ohio... but, I'm still not going to let that effect my workout! I have been sitting here, taking care of my daddio, trying to figure out a good way to get in my workout for the day. Luckily, pre-surgery, Daddio set up our workout room downstairs, so I'm thinking I may have to work out with the Biggest Loser tonight! I love working out during the show... I feel like I'm a part of the group! :)

So yesterday I didn't get to write a blog, but we did work out with Brenda yesterday! It was amazing! She worked us harder than she has worked us together... and I loved it! We walked up a hill with the treadmill, then we went upstairs and worked on martial arts. I even got to fight back a little bit while holding the pads! Granted, when showing Mom what to do to hit back, Brenda hit me so I hit my own face with my hands... but still... fun! :) Hahaha... luckily, no visible bruising today! I did kindof punch myself in my eye at one point...

Well, I hopefully will have a more exciting update for you all tomorrow, but you never know! I may be a kindergarten teacher tomorrow for my sister-in-law! It would be interesting to see how many calories I burn in an elementary classroom! :)

"There is real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment." - Norman Vincent Peale

Weekend of Realizations

I apologize for the long time since the last entry. I have been crazy busy the past few days, so I didn't get a chance to update. For those that don't know, my dad had a knee replacement on Friday. He went through it really well, and is walking REALLY WELL with a walker :) We are also in the process of getting another dog, but she is up in Michigan, so we need to "make arrangements" for all of this to happen as well. And yesterday was WGI finals in Dayton, and I went with some friends. So finally, here I am, finally able to write! Yay!

It has been a few days of realization for me. First of all, yesterday I realized WHY I need to count calories constantly. On Friday, being at the hospital all day, I took the calorie counter and wrote down all of the calories I was eating. I was very well aware of how many calories I needed to burn, yada yada yada. But yesterday, I figured what the hell? I know what I'm eating, and I'll be fine. Um... no. I went way over my calories, and I didn't burn more calories than I ate. Bummer. But, lesson learned, I now need to track absolutely everything. Got it.

I also, as I told my mom earlier, feel like a totally different person lately. I make the time to go workout, I don't over-do it, and I feel confident. Going out with friends yesterday really was nice, I liked having the time to do that. And I am feeling confident when I go places now, instead of feeling so on-edge and wondering if people think I'm too fat to be a part of the guard world. I felt really good! And that's only 8 pounds later... not even the full amount of weight I want to lose. Who knows, maybe next year at this time I'll be in the world class finals performing? :) I'm thinking about it. It's definitely under consideration!

Well, since dad is home, I feel like I need to be hanging out with him, so I will take off from here. I hope everyone had a "weekend of realizations"!

Oops... forgot a quote!

"When we accept tough jobs as a challenge and wade into them with joy and enthusiasm, miracles can happen." - Arland Gilbert

7 Pounds... That's a Small Baby!

As of this morning, I am officially down 7 pounds! All I could think of when I saw that was "Oh my gosh! That's how much a baby weighs!"

Also, I measured myself the other day, and so far I have gone down 4 inches... 2 inches in my waist, 2 inches in my hips. :) I may have already written this, so if I'm repetitive I apologize!

So today, like I said, I went to my first spinning class in a while at the gym. OH MY GOODNESS! The instructor was awesome! She was a sub for today, and I loved her! She told me everything I needed to know - things the regular instructors never told me! Then - get this - she says to me "Don't stay the whole time, only stay for like 45 minutes today." WHAT?! Here's why: She said that if I stayed the whole time and did everything all-out, I would hurt so bad tomorrow (true, been there) that I wouldn't want to come back (also true, been there). So at 6:15, I got off my bike, stretched, and cleaned the bike. The best part? This is why I love this gym... EVERYONE in the class as I left said "Great job today Erin! See you next week!"

There is so much support surrounding me, and I have to take a minute to thank my readers :) I know a lot of you are family, but still. It means a lot to me that when I post this, all of a sudden I hit "stats" and it tells me 10 people are already reading my post! So thank you! With this outpour of support, I truly feel like this is my time. I feel different, I carry myself different (so says my daddio), and I feel CONFIDENT! I honestly haven't had a day yet that I haven't hit my calorie burn target. It's amazing!

THANK YOU!

Unlimited Tip:As u envision the changes in ur future u have to let go of the mistakes in ur past. Learn from them then let em go! Transformation is not 5 min from now,it's a present activity. In this moment u CAN make a different choice & it's these small choices & successes that build up over time to help cultivate a healthy self image & self esteem. What are u gonna do differently today to live happier & healthier? - Jillian Michaels (direct from her Facebook)

Brenda = Jillian the Second

Well, going in to work out with Brenda this morning, I had NO IDEA what to expect! She surprises me every time I come in now!

So I started out just warming up, she was still working with her other client. So I was warming up on the treadmill. She came up, turned off the treadmill, and we went back to do weights. Now, usually, if I needed to take a few seconds (ok, minutes... wah wah wah) we would just pick up where I left off. Um... I would like to point out that I rested once for like 2 seconds, and she said "Well, now you have to do 5 more!" WHAT?! This is it, ladies and gentlemen, Brenda has officially transformed into Jillian Michaels... with a big old smile on her face! AHHHHHHH!

So when we finished with weight training, she took me upstairs to do our boxing.... wait... let's call it pain and torture! I was so proud of myself in the end. I would do like 1 minute straight of drills, then 2 minutes, and then, she told me 2 minutes, but I actually wound up doing 3 minutes and 15 seconds! Again, let me repeat, CRAZY PERSON! But I did it, nonstop, and I was so excited! I do believe at one point, I laid down on the ground to cool off, and I literally said "Brenda, you're beating the shit out of me today!"

We were both excited to see how many calories I burned during this workout, so when I got home I plugged in my bodybugg, and I burned 850 calories! YAY! It was amazing!

As you can tell, I'm unusually positive today! Probably because I measured my waist this morning and I have lost 2 inches! Again, YAAAAAAAAY! I'm feeling good, and I'm super peppy! Love it! I love feeling good!

"Success is steady progress toward one's personal goals." - Jim Rohn

"You're Tired, Let's Stop"

Yep, my mom actually had to say those words to me today. We worked out more than we usually do, and it was time to stop when I felt pain in my knee.

We started off today with a 9:30 AM Line Dancing class (super fun, by the way!). I could actually get into dancing and have fun with it, so it was great! And the instructor was happy to see us back, probably because when he says things like "jump, then wiggle" we know what he means and we do it, LOL. (Wiggle = shake your booty... sickos... where was your mind?)

After the class, we went into another room and did some boxing. I feel like we really pushed today, which was awesome! We brought in my iPod and used some music to pump us up. Thanks to Britney Spears for making an amazing album to work out to! Seriously! But after about 45 minutes, I started to feel a sharp pain in my knee. My mom knew, so we stopped. Well... let me rephrase that... she uttered the words, I said "let's do drills then stop", so we did drills, then we stopped.

I feel great! The scale isn't reflecting too much this week, but it's also the dreaded second week. I'm trying to push through to make sure I lose the weight I need to! :)

Well, that's all for today... I need to check about a summer job, here... and Ian, you haven't commented in a while... disappointing... LOL

Fitness to me isn't about a crunch or a push up, it's about taking your power back. - Jillian Michaels

No Workout Day = No Workout Day... Finally

Yes, it's true... I really took a day off. My muscles were yelling at me last night, and I finally caved. I could barely get out of bed this morning. My entire legs hurt. It was awful! But, I thought about it, and I really haven't taken a true day off. (And, admittedly, I didn't really "take today off" as I say... I did like 30 minutes on the Wii... guilty)

I was very strict about my diet though today, because I knew I wouldn't be burning as many calories as usual, so I preplanned lunch and dinner to make sure I was on track. I still haven't burned my 1000 calories more than I consume, but I have faith it will happen. I will make it happen! I am determined!

I can't quite find the words to describe what's going through my head right now... but I can say that I am really really confident this time. I can feel the commitment in myself. Usually after taking a day off of working out, I'm planning my next day off. Instead, I have emailed Brenda to plan our week of working out, planned working out with Mom tomorrow, and am planning on going to a spin class this week! I am trying to get an old friend to go with me, but I don't think it's going to happen... those closest to me know what I'm talking about. But I will be going to the spin classes myself, and I'm totally ok with that! Classes are fun to take with other people, but I feel more focused when I go by myself... especially spin. I can't wait to get back into it! I enjoyed it when I used to go with Cortney and Ashley! :) So here I go again... I will probably go Wednesday night. Updates will be coming!

And my good news of the week? I lost more weight than people on the ranch this week! Definitely made me happy! I always compare myself to Courtney, and she only lost 2 pounds this week on the show! :) So proud of myself!

“Don’t quit. Don’t give up.

It’s just that simple.”

~Biggest Loser

Unlimited Tip via Jillian Michaels

Just saw this on Twitter and had to share...

Unlimited Tip - The top tips to achieve your goals. We all have dreams that should be pursued with zeal & fervor. A key component to that is setting & achieving goals. Although it sounds easy enough, 95% of the people who set goals never achieve them.This isn’t because they’re incapable, it’s because they don’t know how. These 3 steps will help make success a certainty. 1st, be realistic. I’m 5’2. I’m not gonna be playing pro B Ball. Instead, however, I could study the game, play in an amateur women’s league & coach. Next be specific. Don’t just say “I want to be healthy”. That’s like saying I want to go northeast vs I want to go to the empire state building. What does healthy mean to you? Does it mean running a marathon? Getting your total cholesterol below 200? Define your goals so you know what deliberate steps to take in order to achieve them. Last, be authentic. You're much more likely to reach your goals if they're your goals, speaking to your desires, rather than the desires of outside influences. Goals that are meaningful to you will keep you inspired & driven towards success. - Jillian Michaels

I'm Shrinking... Quickly!

So today I went to see "Hop" with Erica... the first thing she said to me when she saw me? You look great! Yep... I'm shrinking.. it's official. When someone that just saw you less than a week ago mentions it, it's official. :) I love this!

I am struggling with my afternoons when I'm home, though. If I'm home the whole day, I find that around 2 or 3 I get STARVING, and no matter what I eat, I'm still hungry. I am convinced that this is boredom speaking. Actually, I'm sure of it. When I work, I have no problems with that, because I'm busy. So this week, spring break, shall prove to be a challenge. Perhaps this is a time I need to go work out this week?

Mom and I tried a line dancing class today. I couldn't enjoy it to it's full potential (for one thing, the instructor did the electric slide wrong... as a Springfield alumni, this simply cannot be happening...) but it was mostly due to the fact that I got a brazilian blowout done yesterday, so my hair can't be up in a ponytail, tucked, or get wet for 72 hours. Yep. Sweating was a concern, so as soon as I started to feel it affecting my hair, I stopped. So hopefully next time we go I get to actually have fun with it. Regardless, I burned 900 calories this morning with the class! That's pretty darn good! :)

Well, I think it may be bubble bath time.. so be it! :)

"This is where it matters the most. This is where lives are made, in these moments where you can choose whether or not to say "I can't" or "I can." It is a choice that will either make or break you for life." - Jillian Michaels

Do Squats to make you Hot!

One of the many hilarious quotes that Brenda came up with today during our workout... or at lest, it was the first of many...

"Do squats to make you hot!"

"Lateral raises get you praise!"

"Lunges make your weight plunge!"

"Presses help you weigh less!"

Have I mentioned my love towards Brenda lately? :)

Today was tough after just having a session with her yesterday, but I went in, no complaints (it helped that I had a paycheck at the gym waiting for me...). I started off VERY sore, but she fixed that with a treadmill/hill workout for 30 minutes! That helped out the soreness in my legs, for sure!

I have noticed a difference in my body, as well as attitude. My body is so different already! I'm getting a preview of what my shape will be when I lose the weight - and it's amazing! I can't wait to see what I look like at my goal weight... :)

Sorry for the short post, but it's time to get moving! Need to find a summer job! Go go go! (Notice the change in attitude?)

"Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success." - Napoleon Hill

Step 1: Lose 5 Pounds.... CHECK!

Yes, yes, the rumors are true. I have OFFICIALLY lost 5 pounds in my first week! :) Not the best first week on record for me with diets, but definitely going strong!

The difference? I enjoy what I'm doing. The bodybugg has kindof made this into a game. What can I do to burn the calories I need to burn? How quickly can I burn those calories? How can I fit it into my daily schedule? I think I'm seeing the difference day to day of how I'm growing and having fun with this, and it's helping. No day is the same this time around. I'm changing up my workouts, intensity, and food.

More than anything, I have the confidence. Usually this is the point when I say "Oh, I'm just going to go get a hamburger from McDonald's, I just lost 5 pounds! It won't kill me!" But you know what? I don't want it. I don't want to go back to what I was a month ago, or even a week ago!

Better watch out - I'm going to be one hot chick when this is all said and done! :) And don't EVER pick a fight with me. I know how to defend myself now!

"All you need to do is work out and eat right and shut up and listen to me." - Jillian Michaels

The Obsession

A lot of people lately have been asking me what my obsession is with the Biggest Loser. So here's the explanation:

I have been watching the Biggest Loser with my family since it first started. I think it's an amazing show, and an inspiring show, for people like myself who have had a weight problem their whole life. It gives us hope, and helps us realize that we can do it, all we have to do is try. When I went to the casting call with my sister, it was out of character for me. I usually wouldn't do that, I normally would say "Oh they won't take me, why even put myself through that?" But it again represented hope for me. I had worked out with Brenda for almost a year, and though my body has made some pretty serious changes and I had decided that working out wasn't so much a "chore" anymore, I was frustrated that I couldn't get in the mindset to change my eating habits. I felt lost, and afraid that I would never get my weight off. So I read up on casting calls for the Biggest Loser, and read about how people change after attending one. I didn't believe it, but I figured why not try? Why not see if I could make the show? And if I don't make the show, at least I tried and met some friends through the process. So I did, and I am so thankful that I did! Not only did I meet some amazing people through the process, but I decided this was my time to get the weight off.

It's hard to describe attending a casting call for the Biggest Loser. There are nerves all around, excitement all around, and most of all, HOPE. Everyone in the room has hope that they will get a callback and make it on the show. And for once, you're not the "fat person" in the room. You don't feel insecure because of your weight. You feel like a part of the group for once, and you're not being judged by your weight (unless you're thin, and then it's the looks of "Why are they here? They don't need this."). So you let your guard down, you talk to people around you, and you find the confidence that you never knew you had. Truly. I think it's one of those things that you don't understand until you're there.

So what's with the Jillian obsession? Jillian to me represents what we all go through. She was overweight when she was younger, and she lost the weight, and is since one of the best trainers in the world. She gets to the core of the weight problem, mostly emotional, and conquers it in every contestant she encounters. That to me is a trainer. I was fortunate to meet a local trainer that does that for me, Brenda. She is absolutely amazing, and she understands me! That is most important! I have always wanted to have a trainer that would find what I enjoy to do and help me excel in it, and that's exactly what Brenda did for me with martial arts. She is AMAZING, just for the record! :)

So, now that I have explained my obsession, let me talk about my day yesterday, since I was slightly sidetracked last night!

Yesterday was 100% a challenge for me. First of all, I started working at 8AM and ended at 8PM. Um... yikes! I was subbing until 3:30, got home at 4, changed my clothes, and was headed to the gym to work in the nursery from 4:30 to 8:30. My last kids left at 8, so I decided to head downstairs to workout.

Wait..... WHAT?!

Yes, I really went downstairs and worked out! My parents had just finished working out, and I was just starting. First of all, a HUGE round of applause and hugs for my parents! :) So proud! So I plugged in my iPod, got on the elliptical, and started working out. Now, it's Tuesday night, 8:00, um, hello Biggest Loser! So I changed the channel and worked out with the contestants. AMAZING! I have never worked so hard on my own... ever.

I was really tired the first 10 minutes of the workout. I had the elliptical on random setting, level 3. This is a usual for me, it's just challenging enough that I really feel like I get a workout. All of a sudden, I look down, and without realizing it I had reached 25 minutes! I love this! But again, I'm starting to feel fatigued from my work day. I'm so ready to quit and head home to eat dinner (finally, almost 9 hours AFTER eating lunch... ugh). So what do I do? Are you ready for this? I turned it up to level 5! I did the last 15 minutes on a level 5! And I didn't quit! I was so excited leaving the gym, I felt unstoppable! :)

So that was my day yesterday. And again, I'm turning into a bubble bath addict. I got to bed late, but I STILL had my bubble bath. Goodness gracious! Crazy person. Anyways, I have a day off, and I need to finish laundry, but that's my update for now.

I leave you with a quote from the Biggest Loser episode last night. Courtney was giving the white team advice, and I had to quote her today because it's so inspirational.

"You keep going, because every single step that you take, you're going in the right direction. And, when I lost 112 pounds at home, I made mistakes, but I kept pushing through those 1 step, 1 choice at a time. Just keep doing your thing and the weight is going to come off." - Courtney Crozier, Biggest Loser Season 11, so far down over 200 pounds

A New Team White....

I have decided I am the new team white. Tonight I worked out (yes, after 12 hours of work... wah wah wah...) while watching the Biggest Loser at the gym. It was awesome!

I think I named myself the new team white to compete with the teams.. although I don't know, I'm thinking I might just track my weight loss with the teams on Season 12 (the season I auditioned for) and compare results during their finale! :)

I'm a bit scatterbrained tonight, a lot going on around the house (Jazzy is on my lap as I type... true story). So I am going to check out for the night. I will write more tomorrow, granted that I don't get a job subbing tomorrow... more updates to come!

"I'm going to work so that it's a pure guts race at the end, and if it is, I am the only one who can win it." --Steve Prefontaine

To Nap or Not To Nap....

Well, it's official. I gave up a nap today to work out. WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME, PEOPLE?! Yeesh.

The change started today at work. I was subbing for my dad again, and he had his kids doing a writing assignment the past 2 school days. Friday I walked around the school quite a bit to get in my exercise between classes. Today, I came up with a new alternative. I like to call it "desk dancing". Basically, I sat at the desk, read my book, and was kicking my feet all over the place under the desk, marched my feet under the desk, all to burn calories while at work. Crazy, right? It was fun, though, and I burned 1800 calories while at work today! :) You can make fun of my "desk dancing" all you want, but I'll laugh all the way to the scale! Hahaha!

So when I got home from work I was TOTALLY exhausted! Usually what I would do is jump into my bed and sleep for a bit. So, habitually, I went upstairs, checked my email, and went into my bedroom. I turned on the TV, then sat on the bed. All the while I'm thinking... Ya know, I could really be working out right now on the Wii... so I changed my clothes, went downstairs, and popped in the Biggest Loser Wii game! By the time mom and dad got home, I was sweating up a storm! AND I burned like 400 calories in the 20 minute workout. It was awesome!

Mom and Dad and I went to work out right after that, and Mom and I boxed again. I'll tell you, she's a fighter! She was throwing punches at me and it's like shoot I know where I get it from now! She is amazing!

Well, I need my bubble bath now! :) It has done so well for me to take baths at night.. calms my muscles down! So great! And it gives me time to read my Kindle... which is awesome!

I'm positive positive positive today! So here, let me throw another quote at you!

"Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness." -Edward Stanley

"No Workout" Day

So I woke up this morning in the mindset that I was going to take the day off of working out. Yep... that totally lasted. I had barely burned 1000 calories by 11:00, and I couldn't stand it. So I put on my workout clothes, put Wii Fit in, and BAM! 1 hour later I had burned 700 calories.

I found that the best thing to do on Wii Fit to burn calories is boxing. I love it! It is still kindof what I do with Brenda and mom, only it's no impact. It definitely isn't as much of a stress reliever as actually punching a pad, but it gets the job done! I did the advanced level today, and between my feet and punches I couldn't keep everything straight! I was like dancing trying to figure it out, hahaha!

Speaking of dancing, after 30 minutes of Wii Fit, I decided to pop in Dancing with the Stars on Wii, to see how many calories I could burn doing that. I'll tell you what! Do the professional level as the woman partner, you really burn the calories! I was around 150 per "tournament" (4 dances)burned. It worked out REALLY well! And it's fun. Though I won't go into getting frustrated because my remote had given out on me halfway through the 2nd to last dance my last tournament... UGH! Tell me you are low on battery BEFORE you decide to stop working!

I really feel like I had a great workout! I was very sore after working out yesterday, and I took a bubble bath before I went to bed. I must say, I get it. The whole bubble bath thing really relaxes your muscles from working out AND helps you relax before going to bed! It was AMAZING! :) May need another bubble bath tonight.. :)

Now for a challenge - I am going to dinner tonight with some of my friends from college. We went through 2 years of cohort classes together (every class together for 2 years..), and we haven't seen each other since graduation! So we are all getting together and going to a restaurant tonight. Here's my thought - I am going to look at the online menu and figure out calories and stuff before I go, that way I know what to get and there's no guess work! Wish me luck!

Jillian put this up on Twitter today, so I had to make this my quote for the day:

Smart Tip: Most people sabotage themselves because they aren't mindful in the moment. Let your daily actions be governed by your goals & dreams. Whenever you are making an important decision first ask if it gets you closer to your goals or farther away. If the answer is closer, pull the trigger. If it's farther away make a different choice. Conscious choice making is a critical step in making your dreams a reality. - Jillian Michaels

Um... Who are you and what have you done with my habits?

Well, I've done it, I've officially starting thinking differently. I think this time my mind is just SO made up that I'm going to hit 130 pounds... it's crazy!

Yesterday, I had a long day of teaching, and of course I got home and had NO motivation to work out. But, I got in a nap before mom called to go work out, so I was in too much of a sleepy fog to fight it. It was tough, I'm not going to lie, I REALLY struggled to get started. But then I started jogging and I was good to go! I even went on the rowing machine, which I haven't been on since like 3 years ago. I hate that thing... but I'm like checked out 1 minute into it because I'm sweating and feeling the burn! I love it! Mom and I were done before dad, both of us were quite exhausted. Oh well, we got our workout in, right? :)

Today I had to work at the gym. I work in their child area, and I'll tell you what! Saturday mornings in the child area is ROUGH... lots of kids, lots of needs to be met... Yikes! But I did check my bodybugg afterwards just to see how many calories I burned, and I burned 1300 calories just in my 3 1/2 hours up there! :) Then I came downstairs (WARNING: this is totally out of character for me - significant change here!) and... wait for it... I WORKED OUT! I went on the elliptical, turned on my iPod, and 45 minutes later I walked my shaky legs out of the gym.

Now, again, this is totally out of character for me. Usually I would stop and get ice cream (Mr. Freeze is literally right around the corner, it's too easy...) or a burger. I stopped at Subway. Wait, it gets better! I walk in, and my usual mindset is a footlong cold cut and 3 cookies. What did I end up with? A 6 inch turkey on wheat with lettuce, green pepper, cucumber, and oil/vinegar. Who is this new person, and I can I hire her to take over my body for the rest of my life?

Now it's time to relax for a bit... I'm so close to all of my goals for the day (except calories, hello...) that I am going to kick my feet up for a few minutes before I go BACK to the gym to work AGAIN :) There's a kid's birthday party that I signed up for today. Why? I don't know... this is the new me, I guess... I just love the gym so much I can't get out for too long! LOL

Another quote? I think so.

“Is it easy? No! ... It has to be a conscious decision.” - Bob Harper

Sore Muscles...

Well, the soreness is starting to set in. But, I'm not letting it phase me! I pushed through tonight, and we went and worked out as a family again. Too bad I hurt my momma :( Sorry, mom! We were sparring and I may have hurt her with kicks... Bums.

On an amazing note, I started with my bodybugg today! My first full day. To start it off, I put it on last night to track my sleeping. And, of course, my first night with it on I can't sleep. I don't know what my issue was, but for some reason I tossed and turned until about 3AM. The good news? I still managed 4 3/4 hours of "REM" sleep! Not quite my goal of 8 hours, but hey.. I'll take it.

I started tracking my calories burned, my exercise, and my calorie intake. And guess what it told me tonight when I plugged it in? I'M IN A WEIGHT LOSS TREND! Yeah, buddy! Let's see how this shows on the scale!

Tonight was my first challenge! It was, as they call it on the Biggest Loser, my temptation challenge. We had our Winter Guard banquet, and it was tough, I'm not even going to lie! I had a tiny piece of cake, and I stuck with the carbs because I knew they would fill me up and help me eat less. It worked! I stayed under my calorie count! :)

I did lose confidence in my ability to meet my calorie burning goal. I am supposed to burn 3500 calories a day, which to me sounded like WAY TOO MANY! But when I got to work out, I had already burned 1900 from working all day. I was thinking, hey, piece of cake! I will burn these calories with no problem. I got home from working out, and what do you know? I only burned like 500 calories in my 45 minute workout. I know it's a lot, but when you have 3500 calories to burn, it's a bit intimidating! So what did I do? I chased my dog around the house. We seriously ran laps around the house! LOL It was AWESOME!

Well, as per usual, I am going to end with a quote...

"People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas." ~Author Unknown

Hitting my Stride...

Well, the past few days I have been tough about going to the gym daily. It has worked out super well! Since Sunday, when dad had his appointment with Rickey (Brenda's husband), we have been doing the whole "family workout" deal. It's perfect!

Today I really wasn't feeling it, I actually avoided going to the gym this morning. But then dad got home from school, we sat and chatted a bit, then decided we need to go to the gym. So we did! So proud! I went and did 30 min. on the elliptical (stayed between 50 and 55 on my stride, I was on a level 3 random, so it wasn't easy!), then I went and did some strength training with my legs, then some abs, and that was it! I felt so good at the end, and so proud of myself for going!

The only problem is I haven't really buckled down yet on the caloric portion of being healthy. Um... probably should do that. Luckily for me, I ordered a Bodybugg the other day (like they use on the Biggest Loser) and it arrived in the mail today! I can't wait to see how this works! I am super excited that it tracks my sleep. That should be an eye opener, I'm sure! I will definitely let you know when I see how it is! It's charging right now :)

Well, I'm staying positive! This is going to work! I have gotten rid of everything negative in my life. Now only positive! :) Wish me luck!

(And I'm going to finish out every post with a weight loss quote, probably mostly by Jillian Michaels, LOL)

"Only YOU can help you. All you have to do is allow change into your life. Walking and calorie counting is not hard." - Jillian Michaels

I Believe In Me!

I know you're sick of me blogging about myself... but guess what? Here goes another one! :)

As many of you know, I have struggled with my weight my entire life. I was thin for 3 years of my life, at 160 pounds. My goal is to be thinner than I was in high school. I finally have a way of achieving it, and it is working so far! Now I'm really kicking it into gear, in a new way! Last time I blogged about weight loss, I put pressure on myself to write about it every day, to share my story. This time, I'm doing it for me. I still want to share my story, but I am not going to pressure myself to write everyday!

My sister and I auditioned for NBC's "The Biggest Loser" this past February, and though we didn't make it, we did make many friends through the audition process.

When I got back home from the audition, I decided that this was it. I wasn't going to have to audition again, because I was going to do this on my own! I am using a lot of The Biggest Loser technique.

I read Jillian Michaels' book about losing weight, and it really made me look at things in a whole new way. I see it as not only a journey, but a life-long journey. I know once I get the weight off I won't be able to eat whatever I want whenever I want. This is why I gained my weight back after high school, I simply stuck to the same eating habits! Not going to happen again, I'm telling you!

This past weekend I ordered a BodyBugg to help track calories in and calories out. Through reading about the product, I also found that it tracks sleeping habits as well! FABULOUS! I can't wait to see how this thing works! I should be getting it soon! :) YAY!

So far since the audition, I have lost 4 pounds. A slow start to a VERY LONG process! But I'm cool with that! I have been in the gym, thanks to Mom and Dad for exercising with me! Mom and I also purchased pads and gloves for martial arts, which I have been doing for almost a year now. Mom just started it with me this week, and it is SO MUCH FUN! It's nice to have someone at home to work out with, so if I don't want to go to the gym, I can just do it here!

Well, let's show the Biggest Loser what I'm made of, and what they're missing out on! Here's to a long, successful journey!

"Change can happen in seconds... It's about waking up. That's all it is. Waking up to your true potential and strength."-Jillian Michaels