A Hippo with a Headband

Temporary Move

2011-11-19T13:57:00.000-08:00

Since my goal is no longer weight loss, at least until August 2012, I will be blogging about my weight, healthy eating, and exercise at Half of Me and specifically about my pregnancy at Coming this Summer from now on. I hope you'll join me on this new journey to stay healthy throughout my pregnancy.

BIG NEWS!!!

2011-11-13T01:06:00.000-08:00

Hi there... still busy as a bee creating blog designs... but I wanted to pop in and let you know I have BIG NEWS!!!! You're gonna have to click over to my weight loss journal to read about it though. Go, go now!

Swamped @ Work!

2011-10-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all. So I missed (I think) two weeks in my challenges. I just wanted to let you know I am still losing and doing good. I actually hit my 5% this week! That means I have lost 5% of my body weight. My next goal is 10% which is 22lbs lost since joining Weight Watchers. I am less than 10lbs from being under 200lbs y'all! Woot! Steady and slow I go... BUT I have been swamped at work. I am so excited! I've had 6 clients in the last week alone and earned more money this week than any other month since I opened in January.

Right now I am running a 40% off promotion for posting on your blog, facebook, or twitter about how it was working with me and offering your readers 20% off after I install your new design. So... if any of you are looking for a cheap custom blog design head on over to Crafty Hippo Designs. My designs are as cheap as $18 right now, $16 for facebook, twitter, and etsy shop designs.

The Best Gift Challenge - Week 4

2011-10-14T23:40:00.000-07:00

The challenge has begun! I'll be posting my weekly updates every Friday to link up at Less of Me, More of Him on Saturday. Here are my weekly goals:

Continuing my daily prayer and Bible study time,
Continuing to lose weight by staying true to my Weight Watcher's plan,
Preparing and eating healthy foods everyday,
Exercising consistently,
Hydrating properly each day,
Taking time to rest throughout the day and get enough sleep at night,
and Setting aside time to play and laugh with my husband and son each day.

I stayed on plan this week and cooked one meal that consisted of more than eggs or tuna. I hydrated well but slacked on my exercise {again}. I am doing okay on sleep because I am feeling sick, but I do need to relax more. I also want to spend time playing cars with my son. My husband and I have been cuddling on the couch while I work on blog designs and he plays classic video games.

So, this week I need to work harder at:

Cooking more nightly meals
Unwinding at night so I can get better soon
Finding a specific exercise I can do every day
Playing cars and legos with my son during the day

Christmas Dress Countdown Week 6

2011-10-14T23:36:00.000-07:00

My Weight This Week: 210.8 lbs {down 1.6 lbs since my Sept 4th beginning weight of 212.4}
Dress Size Today: 18 Woman
Book I'm Using: Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst
My Caloric Limit Progress: I did well this week. I'd like to have had more weekly points at the end of the week, but I did not go over so that is good. By the way... I was looking at my WWers print outs and each of the two times I went off plan it took me an entire month to get back to where I was before the gain. NOT COOL JEANNETTE! As my hubby said when I told him this realization..."So stick to the plan..."
Exercise This Week: I've been working on getting more walking in. I've been feeling sick and dizzy for a couple weeks and now I have a scratch in my throat so I think a cold is coming. I just need to focus on taking care of myself and doing all I can do... and not letting myself slack because I feel a little under the weather. I know my limits and I need to push them, not just say "well I only walked 1,000 steps today because I was sick." Even sick I know I can do 3-4,000 steps. So, take care of myself but don't let it become an excuse.
Number of Days This Week I Drank at least 6 Glasses of Water Each Day: Every day. I have changed my number to 6 glasses a day because that seems to be all I need. {Sorry for TMI... but my urine is a healthy color and I don't feel thirsty during the day so I guess 6 is a good number for me right now. I'll make it higher as I begin to work out... and sweat... more.}

I'm linking up here for the Christmas Dress Countdown! Check out all the other contestants and see how they're doing this week.

Challenges - Weeks 3 & 5

2011-10-08T11:11:00.000-07:00

I'm combining my challenges this week because it was an awful week. For one, I don't feel like making the same post twice and two, I'd rather not dwell on it. I went off the Weight Watchers plan this week. I was hungry all day, every day this week so I ate too much and made bad decisions on food choices. I gained this week and am not happy with myself. I really need to start exercising everyday and planning out my meals from now on so I don't have another week like this one. I was sick to my stomach all week yet still hungry so I reached for breads and sweets. I'm hoping it's just PMS and that this week I won't be so hungry all the time. Anyways, here are my stats for this week. Regular posts will resume next week.

UPDATE: My week ended just as fun as it began too... *dripping sarcasm* Last night I all of a sudden spiked a fever, got the sweats and chills, felt nauseous and faint, had a mini panic attack over it all, and my blood pressure shot up to 150/101 while my pulse dropped from my normal 100 beats a minute to 55. It was not a fun night... but I am feeling better this morning and am not ravenous so I think whatever it was has passed.

I'm linking up at Less of Me, More of Him this Saturday. Here are my weekly goals:

Continuing my daily prayer and Bible study time, (Not every day)
Continuing to lose weight by staying true to my Weight Watcher's plan, (Nope, went over)
Preparing and eating healthy foods everyday, (Nope, did not cooking besides making eggs)
Exercising consistently, (None this week except one day when I worked on the craft room)
Hydrating properly each day, (I did okay here, but still not stellar)
Taking time to rest throughout the day and get enough sleep at night, (Nope)
and Setting aside time to play and laugh with my husband and son each day. (Did okay here)

My Weight This Week: 211.4 lbs {down 1lb since my Sept 4th beginning weight of 212.4}

I'm linking up here for the Christmas Dress Countdown! Check out all the other contestants and see how they're doing this week.

Motivation Monday, October 3

2011-10-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Welcome to Motivation Monday! I will be chronicling my journey back to a healthy body, mind, and spirit. Each week I will discuss how the previous week was and set some goals for the next week. I will also be listing my progress. If you would like to see past progress you can click on the Motivation Monday photo above for other Motivation Monday posts. If you would like to get motivated with me please link up your post using the link form below. Your post can be in any format you want.Whether you are trying to get healthier physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually or if you just have a task you need some motivation to complete...please link up so we can help support each other. I would love to hear about your progress and help keep you motivated!

I'll be linking up from my journal, Half of Me, from now on so check for that link in the list to see my weekly progress!

How did you do this week?

Christmas Dress Countdown Week 4

2011-10-01T16:08:00.000-07:00

My Weight This Week: 210.2 lbs {down 2.2 lbs since my Sept 4th beginning weight of 212.4}
Dress Size Today: 18 Woman
Book I'm Using: Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst
My Caloric Limit Progress: I think I did okay this week. My numbers add up so I don't know if I measured wrong or if I'm just bloated. It's a small gain so I'm not worried about it.
Exercise This Week: I'm still unpacking boxes and moving furniture trying to get the garage cleared out for the car. I have not found a new consistent workout to do when I'm done getting the house in order. I also need to set aside a specific time to work out, do my Bible Study, and relax so I get all three in every day.
Number of Days This Week I Drank 8 Glasses of Water Each Day: 3 Days. The other days I was 1 cup shy of 8, but I'm eating lots of fruit every day so I'm not surprised I wasn't thirsty.

I'm linking up here for the Christmas Dress Countdown! Check out all the other contestants and see how they're doing this week.

The Best Gift Challenge - Week 2

2011-10-01T16:03:00.000-07:00

The challenge has begun! I'll be posting my weekly updates every Friday to link up at Less of Me, More of Him on Saturday. Here are my weekly goals:

Continuing my daily prayer and Bible study time,
Continuing to lose weight by staying true to my Weight Watcher's plan,
Preparing and eating healthy foods everyday,
Exercising consistently,
Hydrating properly each day,
Taking time to rest throughout the day and get enough sleep at night,
and Setting aside time to play and laugh with my husband and son each day.

Today is not a great day... right now it's not even an okay day so this is going to be short and sweet. I did okay on all my points this week but each needs improvement this week. I gained although I don't think I went off plan this week. Either I miscalculated some portions or I'm just bloated. It's a small gain so I'm not really worried about it. I haven't prepared any meals this week that were more extensive than eggs or tuna. I have been moving and lifting heavy things, but still no actual work outs. I need to set aside a specific time for working out, Bible study, and relaxing... I'm just having trouble waking up early enough to do those things before Little Bit starts his day.

So, this week I need to work harder at:

Cooking nightly meals
Unwinding at night so I can fall asleep at a healthy hour
Making sure my portion sizes are correct
Finding a specific exercise I can do every day

Motivation Monday, September 26

2011-09-25T23:19:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Christmas Dress Countdown Week 3

2011-09-24T15:58:00.000-07:00

My Weight This Week: 209.4 lbs {down 3 lbs since Sept 4th}
Dress Size Today: 18 Woman
Book I'm Using: Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst (First update on this book soon... I kinda misplaced it. I have the DVD ready to go though. lol)
My Caloric Limit Progress: I stayed within my weekly points this week with 20 of my 49 weekly points left. I went a little over my daily points each day. According to the WWers scale I lost 0.8lbs this week. I know I can do better if I add exercise to my weight loss plan.
Exercise This Week: I've been unpacking boxes and moving furniture trying to get the garage cleared out for the car before it snows (tomorrow btw...) and trying to get the craft room ready. It's been a good workout, but not consistent and when I'm done getting the house in order I need something to do. Today I bought a mini trampoline, pink 6lb ball, and pink 5lb kettle bell. Pink exercise equipment sees more use than non pink. lol My yoga mat and favorite sports bra are pink too! :0P
Number of Days This Week I Drank 8 Glasses of Water Each Day: 4 Days. I did quite a bit better this week on getting my water in. I've also been eating about 4-6 cups of fruit a day so there's lots of fluids in those as well.

I'm linking up here for the Christmas Dress Countdown! Check out all the other contestants and see how they're doing this week.

The Best Gift Challenge - Week 1

2011-09-24T15:47:00.000-07:00

The challenge has begun! I'll be posting my weekly updates every Friday to link up at Less of Me, More of Him on Saturday. Here are my weekly goals:

Continuing my daily prayer and Bible study time,
Continuing to lose weight by staying true to my Weight Watcher's plan,
Preparing and eating healthy foods everyday,
Exercising consistently,
Hydrating properly each day,
Taking time to rest throughout the day and get enough sleep at night,
and Setting aside time to play and laugh with my husband and son each day.

I've gotten back into my morning Bible study time routine and it's helping so much with my energy and motivation throughout the day. I am still doing well following my Weight Watcher's plan and I lost another pound this week. I got my 10lb sticker today and next week I should be getting my 5% goal! Even with my gain the week I went off plan I have lost nearly 11 pounds in 10 weeks! I am officially in the single digits and am getting so close to being under 200 I can smell it!!!

Still need to drink more water and fix some better meals each night. I've been getting about 6 of my 8 daily cups of water. I am still lacking in my daily exercise. I've been working on unpacking more boxes and getting the craft room set up so that's some good exercise, but when I'm done there I'll need something I can do everyday. Finally, I need to spend some more time relaxing and bonding with my husband this week. He's been so busy at work and I've been going nonstop trying to get the house completely unpacked and decorated that we haven't been spending any time connecting.

So, this week I need to work harder at:

Drinking 8 glasses of water a day
Cooking nightly meals
Unwinding at night so I can fall asleep at a healthy hour
Spending some quality time with my husband each night
Finding a specific exercise I can do every day

Christmas Dress Countdown Week 2

2011-09-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

My Weight This Week: 209.4 lbs {down 3 lbs}
Dress Size Today: 18 Woman
Book I'm Using: Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst
My Caloric Limit Progress: Last week I didn't use even ONE weekly point! I stayed within my daily limit every day this week and it. was. hard. I was hungry everyday, but I lost about 1/2 a pound more than usual. Even more important, I proved to myself that I had the discipline to do it! This week I plan on keeping my weekly points usage to a minimum.
Exercise This Week: Lots of walking. I ended up with a cold last week which kept me in bed for 3 days but I was able to walk at least. I think I'll try swimming this week if I can figure it into Little Bit and my schedule. We don't have childcare for him so I'm having to find a time when DH is home and the pool is open.
Number of Days This Week I Drank 8 Glasses of Water Each Day: 1... I have actually never done that badly but because I normally flavor my water and it costs 1 point I haven't been drinking as much as I should have. I've been getting 5-7 glasses each day. This week should be better.

I'm linking up here for the Christmas Dress Countdown! Check out all the other contestants and see how they're doing this week.

The Best Gift Challenge - Beginning Week

2011-09-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

The challenge has begun! I'll be posting my weekly updates every Friday to link up at Less of Me, More of Him on Saturday. Here are my weekly goals:

Continuing my daily prayer and Bible study time,
Continuing to lose weight by staying true to my Weight Watcher's plan,
Preparing and eating healthy foods everyday,
Exercising consistently,
Hydrating properly each day,
Taking time to rest throughout the day and get enough sleep at night,
and Setting aside time to play and laugh with my husband and son each day.

I've been lacking in my morning Bible study time. These last couple of mornings I have gotten back into my routine and I plan to stay to it this week. Starting my day off talking with God and taking the time to read His word and listen to what He wants me to do with my life really gives me to strength and motivation to make it through my day. I have been doing really well following my Weight Watcher's plan and it's showing. I look better, feel better, and the number on the scale is dropping. I was even in the single digits a few days ago. I hope to see that loss stay on Saturday, but I know that day by day my weight will fluctuate so I won't be devastated if I'm still 210. My clothes are fitting better and that's something big!

I've been eating and drinking alright this week, but I really could drink a couple more cups a day and fix more elaborate meals than tuna or eggs. I really need to work on my daily exercise. I'm getting about 4-6,000 steps a day but I need 10,000 to be healthy and I really need to add some strength training. My Dr says it's good not only for weight loss and heart health, but for my sex drive too which has suffered for years. We're tracking my hormones right now to see if that's the culprit. {Whole other story though.. I'll elaborate on my journal blog, Half of Me, later in case you are interested in hearing what I'm going through.} Finally, I have been doing alright playing with my son and spending time with my husband and relaxing, but this too could use some work.

So, this week I need to work harder at:

Drinking 8 glasses of water a day
Cooking meals that consist of protein, dairy, grain, fruits, and veggies
Unwinding at night so I can fall asleep at a healthy hour
Spending some quality time with my husband each night
Exercising every day and trying to get 10,000 steps in

New Look, New Journal Blog

2011-09-13T23:43:00.000-07:00

You might have noticed a slight change to the blog this week... I'm still not 100% in love with the new look so it might change a bit over the next few days, but I'd love you opinion. You look at my blog too so I want to hear what you like and don't like about it. Is it readable? Do the colors give you a headache? lol I'm loving the rainbow thing just not too sure about the backgrounds. I'll also be editing my sidebar widgets this week to get them updated to where I am now in my journey. I'm really losing weight following the Weight Watchers plan and I want to get a fresh start. Those last two years were depressing and very rough on me. I'm so ready to put them behind me and move on from here: physically, emotionally, and mentally.

I have also added a new blog to the group. Check out the link in the navigation bar for my new journal. From now on I'll be using A Hippo With a Headband to host Motivation Monday, update on my challenges, and post useful weight loss and healthy living tips I find. My journal will be more of a day to day on how I'm doing, feeling, what I'm going through; my troubles and triumphs. The journal is a whole different blog so if you'd like to keep track of my day to day weight loss journey you'll want to either check back often or go ahead and subscribe to that blog as well. There is a Google friend connect over there in case you like to keep up with me in your reader. I hope you are all doing well. Be on the lookout here and on my new journal blog for big changes this month! See y'all around.

Motivation Monday, September 12

2011-09-12T12:29:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps:

This week I decided I was going to stay within my daily allotted points each day and I did it! I didn't use even one weekly point! I didn't see the kind of weight loss I had hoped to see for the amount I was hungry... but I proved to myself that it could be done. I have the discipline to limit my food intake if I really want to. My goal this week is to keep my weekly point usage to a minimum.

My Weekly Weight Watchers Progress Report:

{The orange thing is a multi-vitamin. I have trouble taking mine. They make me sick. I need to find another brand. The drop is healthy oils. I also have problems with this one since I don't cook with oils, but I need healthy fat to lose fat so I need to work on that too.}

My Numbers

Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same

Weight -211

Body Fat % - 49.1

Water % -38

Muscle Mass % -33.5

How did you do this week?

Christmas Dress Countdown Week 1

2011-09-04T19:37:00.000-07:00

My Starting Weight for CDC 2011: 212.4lbs
Size of Dress I'm Aiming For: 18/16 Juniors {not Woman's}
Book I'll Be Using: Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst
My Caloric Limit: Sticking to my Weight Watchers' allotted points
Exercise I Plan to Do at Least 3x Per Week: Walking, Yoga, and maybe add in Swimming and/or Zumba
Number of Glasses of Water Each Day: 8
My Goal Dress: This isn't quite a Christmas time dress, but it is one that I own and would LOVE to fit into. It's a 1950's style dress which is an era I just adore! I can do up 5 out of the 10 buttons right now.

As you can see I can't button up all the way and it's VERY snug in the hips.

This dress is also very snug across the rear and back/bust areas. I would also like to work on my upper arms so they look slimmer and more toned when I am ready to wear this sleeveless dress.

I'm linking up here for the Christmas Dress Countdown! Check out all the other contestants and see how they're doing this week.

Give Yourself the Best Gift

2011-08-30T15:35:00.000-07:00

Because you can't have enough personal challenges and accountability with Halloween candy, Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, and Christmas feasts on the horizon... I am also joining up with Thrice Blessed of Less of Me, More of Him for her Give Yourself the Best Gift Challenge. You can read all about it here:

Here are my statement and action plans for this challenge:

This holiday season I want to give myself the gift of good health. I plan on accomplishing this gift by:

Continuing my daily prayer and Bible study time,
Continuing to lose weight by staying true to my Weight Watcher's plan,
Preparing and eating healthy foods everyday,
Exercising consistently,
Hydrating properly each day,
Taking time to rest throughout the day and get enough sleep at night,
and Setting aside time to play and laugh with my husband and son each day.

Click the button above to join me in the challenge!

Christmas Dress Countdown 2011

2011-08-30T15:19:00.000-07:00

Now that Slimmer this Summer, which was hosted by Debbi of Debbi Does Dieting and Mir of Two Years to Happy Weight After, Mir is hosting a new challenge to fit into that elusive Christmas dress. Her Christmas Dress Challenge 2011 is just in time for all those fattening holiday foods and thankfully I have been graciously accepted into the challenge! Our goal is to continue making responsible and healthy decisions about the foods we eat and the amount of time we are active during these upcoming holidays. Here's how we plan on doing it:

Between September 11th - and December 18th {14 weeks total} the participants will be linking up to the official Christmas Dress Countdown 2011 site once weekly on Sundays to track our progress in these areas:

Fitting into a smaller dress, skirt, or pant size. My goal is a dress. Picture coming soon!
Sticking to a daily caloric limit. I will be following my Weight Watcher's guide and staying within my points each week.
Exercising a minimum of 3 times per week. This will be the hardest part for me but I am determined!
Striving to stay consistent in our eating and work out plans. Consistency is the key to weight loss that makes it a life long change.
Hydrating sufficiently. I really need to keep up with this one. Water and sleep are needed to lose weight and keep it off. I am lacking in both.
Working through a weight loss book to learn and keep motivated. I will be going through the Bible Study Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst.
Posting twice a week: once for official updates and once for issues, progress, epiphanies found along the way. I have been in a posting slump. You may have noticed my last... oh 10 posts... have been Motivation Monday. Not too motivating is it? Well life has calmed back down again so I need to get in the habit of posting more. I plan on posting to this blog a few times a week with two challenges, Motivation Monday, and some interesting/educational posts for you as well. In addition I now have a journal blog where I will be jotting down ideas and thoughts on weight loss as they come to me. That blog will be more personal and less informational. I'll debut it very soon.
Finally be supportive! Weight loss isn't fun or lasting without the support of friends in your day to day life and online as well.

Some other suggestions Mir has for this challenge include:

Using our online gifts to help others whether it is posting yummy, healthy recipes, encouraging friends, or researching weight loss trends to post about.
Be quick to bounce back. We all have setbacks in life and especially in weight loss. Just shrug it off and keep on trucking. I went off the Weight Watchers' Plan for one week and it took me two weeks to lose that weight I gained, but I now weigh less than I did before and I learned a lesson from it.
Prep your house for healthy eating and exercising. Get rid of the fatty, sugar filled foods that temp you at every turn and set apart an area to do work outs at home when the winter months get too cold to be outside.
Build up your faith in yourself. Whether you think you will succeed of fail, you are correct.
And of course consult a professional before starting any workout or diet routine.

To see all the info Mir has for this challenge or to join up, go here!

Motivation Monday, August 29

2011-08-28T21:15:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps:

It took me two weeks to lose the weight I gained back the week I went off the Weight Watchers plan. That'll teach me to go off plan! I am so glad I finally found something that works for me. I wish I were losing more and 1lb a week, but that's more than I've been losing for a year so I'll take it! I've been bouncing around 220 since February 2010. This last month and half that I have been on WWers I have lost every single week (that I was on plan lol). I've also started tracking my steps on WWers which is making me walk more each day. I am doing pretty well getting at least 3,000 steps a day. That is still fairly sedentary though. I'd like to be getting at least 5,000 steps a day.

I'm also linking up to Slimmer this Summer for the last time. It was so wonderfully hosted by Debbi and Mir. Mir is starting a new competition called Christmas Dress Countdown and Less of Me, More of Him is hosting Give Yourself the Best Gift. {Which we all know is good health!} Motivation Monday will continue as it always have and I'd LOVE for you to keep linking up each Monday.

Slimmer This Summer Goals:

Track my calories and use proper portion control {Check}
Exercise at least 10 minutes per day, preferably more {Doing better finally.}
Drink at least 6 cups of water per day working my way up to 9 (48 ounces minimum) {Check}

My Weekly Weight Watchers Progress Report:

My Numbers

Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same

Weight -213.4

Body Fat % -50.1

Water % -37.2

Muscle Mass % -33.9

How did you do this week?

Motivation Monday, August 21

2011-08-20T21:55:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps:

I lost almost everything I gained last week. I started doing a morning yoga routine that lasts 20 minutes. It's pretty challenging, but not too hard as to leave me tired the rest of the day. I have found that I can lose about 1 lb per week with diet alone. Maybe with this daily yoga routine and the neoprene waist minimizer I'll see more weight loss next week. I have lost 3 inches off my waist in the last month and half since starting Weight Watchers. That's not too shabby!

I'm also linking up to Slimmer this Summer hosted by Debbi and Mir. Join us!

Slimmer This Summer Goals:

Track my calories and use proper portion control {Check}
Exercise at least 10 minutes per day, preferably more {Doing better finally.}
Drink at least 6 cups of water per day working my way up to 9 (48 ounces minimum) {Check}

My Weekly Weight Watchers Progress Report:

My Numbers

Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same

Weight -214.8

Body Fat % -50.4

Water % -37.1

Muscle Mass % -33.5

How did you do this week?

Motivation Monday, August 15

2011-08-14T21:05:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps:

Well, I gained this week but you know what? I don't really care. I knew I would after spending 3 days snacking while I wasn't counting my food. On the fourth day I decided I needed to start tracking again. The good news here is that I know the Weight Watchers plan is working for me, I just need to stick to it. Every week I have followed the plan I have lost. That is the most consecutive losses each week in the last 3 years {counting the times when I had surgery and lost weight over a few weeks}! I am excited to see how I do next Saturday since I am back on the plan and doing well. I'm still struggling a bit with my daily exercise, but since finding my FitBit pedometer tracker in my purse I have been walking more each day. {I thought I lost it when I flew to take LB to his surgery.}

I'm also linking up to Slimmer this Summer hosted by Debbi and Mir. Join us!

Slimmer This Summer Goals:

Track my calories and use proper portion control {Check}
Exercise at least 10 minutes per day, preferably more {Still struggling with this, but I am walking more during my days since finding my FitBit pedometer again.}
Drink at least 6 cups of water per day working my way up to 9 (48 ounces minimum) {Check}

My Weekly Weight Watchers Progress Report:

My Numbers

Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same

Weight -214.2

Body Fat % -50.7

Water % -36.9

Muscle Mass % -33.5

How did you do this week?

Motivation Monday, August 8

2011-08-07T21:03:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps:

First off, today is my husband and my 3rd wedding anniversary and we're having cake of some sort! And that is okay. This is our first anniversary spent together. I did really well last week and hit my 5lb milestone since starting Weight Watchers. Next is my 10lb which might also be my 5% goal milestone! I actually lost 6lbs at the last meeting since beginning a month ago and my 5% goal is 11 lbs.

This coming week is going to be a bit of a challenge on me. For one, I am NOT tracking my food this week. I've been tracking every morsel that has crossed my lips for about 5 months now and at times I feel as though all I think about all day is food. I have decided to take a chance and concentrate on good portion control and exercise. I've really been lacking in exercise and I think it's what I need to get through to the big number losses each week that I know I am capable of. My plan is to take some "me time" in the evenings and go to the gym while the hubby and baby stay home. Now that I'm losing weight I feel it is time to do some weight lifting. Plus, I always feel on top of the world after I've finished lifting weights! I could use some of that feeling to help me push through the cardio.

I'm also linking up to Slimmer this Summer hosted by Debbi and Mir. Join us!

Slimmer This Summer Goals:

Track my calories and use proper portion control {Check}
Exercise at least 10 minutes per day, preferably more {Need to do this daily, not huge chunks only on the weekend}
Drink at least 6 cups of water per day working my way up to 9 (48 ounces minimum) {Check}

My Weekly Weight Watchers Progress Report:

My Numbers

Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same

Weight -213.8

Body Fat % -50.5

Water % -37.1

Muscle Mass % -33.6

How did you do this week?

Motivation Monday, August 1

2011-07-31T12:06:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps:

I competed in a 5K race on Saturday! It was challenging, but I came in at 00:59:38 which is just about right for a 20 minute mile. I jogged a couple of times and power walked most of it. I had to walk normally for a bit while my breathing regulated and calves burned something fierce, but I didn't stop and that was a great accomplishment for me. I really wanted to take a break a little after half way through but DH helped me push through it. I snapped at him a couple times, but he understood. We have differing styles of encouragement when it comes to working out. I need calm, supportive, and uplifting encouragement whereas he needs someone to motivate him to push through it and go harder and faster. Overall it was a fun event. AND I lost 2lbs afterward, probably from sweating! It's pretty hot even up here in Alaska, comparability speaking. I think it feels hot here at lower temperatures because our blood is thicker and we are physically closer to the sun, plus it never sets in the summer so the Earth here doesn't have time to cool down over night.

It's getting into fall now though, so I need to start working on getting exercise indoors again. That's a hard thing for me to do since I associate our living room with eating (our dining room and living room are one big room), working, and playing with our son. I get very distracted and can't make myself put in a workout video or do Wii Fit.

I'm also linking up to Slimmer this Summer hosted by Debbi and Mir. Join us!

Slimmer This Summer Goals:

Track my calories and use proper portion control {Check}
Exercise at least 10 minutes per day, preferably more {Need to do this daily, not huge chunks only on the weekend}
Drink at least 6 cups of water per day working my way up to 9 (48 ounces minimum) {Check}

My Weekly Weight Watchers Progress Report:

My Numbers

Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same

Weight -214

Body Fat % -50.5

Water % -37.1

Muscle Mass % -34

How did you do this week?

Motivation Monday, July 24

2011-07-24T15:41:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps:

My loss this week wasn't stellar... but it was a loss. I believe this is the longest streak of losses yet. I need to add some more exercise into my week to boost my losses again. I ate all my weekly points this week which I didn't want to do. I need to monitor my foods better this week. I have found out that even if I eat all my daily and weekly points I'll still lose weight, just not much. Let's work on getting more exercise and make better choices with my points.

I'm also linking up to Slimmer this Summer hosted by Debbi and Mir. Join us!

Slimmer This Summer Goals:

Track my calories and use proper portion control {Check, but can do better}
Exercise at least 10 minutes per day, preferably more {Need to do this daily, not huge chunks only on the weekend}
Drink at least 6 cups of water per day working my way up to 9 (48 ounces minimum) {Check}

My Weekly Weight Watchers Progress Report:

My Numbers

Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same

Weight -216

Body Fat % -51.1

Water % -36.5

Muscle Mass % -33.2

How did you do this week?

Motivation Monday, July 18

2011-07-17T13:23:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps:

I can't explain how other than that they reward you for eating good foods... but Weight Watchers is really working for me! Calorie counting was good, but with the points system I can eat more of the good for me foods without going over my calorie goal. I think before I was just eating to my calorie goal but not eating healthy, filling foods. I lost another .8lb this week for a total of 2.8lb loss in the last two weeks. I can't wait for my weigh ins each week and the ladies at my meetings have some really good ideas to share. Now to implement them into my cooking... I really want to try spaghetti squash and see if the hubby can tell the difference. I couldn't when my mom fixed it for the first time. I'll make sure to let you know how it turns out!

I'm also linking up to Slimmer this Summer hosted by Debbi and Mir. Join us!

Slimmer This Summer Goals:

Track my calories and use proper portion control {Check}
Exercise at least 10 minutes per day, preferably more {Almost - Not every day but I made up for it}
Drink at least 6 cups of water per day working my way up to 9 (48 ounces minimum) {Check}

My Weekly Weight Watchers Progress Report:

My Numbers

Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same

Weight -217.4

Body Fat % -51.3

Water % -36.5

Muscle Mass % -33.1

How did you do this week?

Achoo!

2011-07-14T23:47:00.000-07:00

I'm sick again... this time a cold via the baby. Hopefully I will be well by Monday to resume Motivation Monday. On a plus note, because snotty noses make my tummy ache I have lost 2lbs today. I'll likely get it back when I'm able to eat more than the BRAT diet... but meh. Always nice to see the numbers drop eh? See you soon, hopefully well for quite some time. I am so done being sick!

Motivation Monday, July 4

2011-07-03T18:47:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps:

I went to my first Weight Watchers meeting this week. It went pretty well. With jeans and a tank top on I was 2.8lbs heavier than naked so that's not bad. I'll still be using my NEKED weigh in on here and my clothed one on WW site. I held steady this week and gained last. I hope to see a nice loss this week. Even though I didn't lose, just knowing I am sticking to a plan that has worked for millions is keeping my hopes high. As long as I can stick to their science then I know it will work. Oh and y'all had some questions (which btw I had as well) and I got some answers at my meeting. The reason fruits are free is because they calculated their carbs and sugars into all the other foods you'd be eating in a day to leave you room to eat a full days' worth of fruits without using points. Make sense? The other foods' points are slightly higher than they should be to compensate for free fruits and veggies. You still have to eat mindfully to satisfaction and not fullness.

I was also very confused about the weekly points allowance. I thought Why don't they just give me more daily points and leave it at that?, but there are two reasons for it. One, if you eat only your daily points you will lose weight. If you eat your daily points and ALL your weekly points you will still lose weight, just not as quickly. And the reason for making them extras is so you can choose when to use them. Daily points don't roll over. I have one day to eat 35 points and I need to get as close to that mark as I can since much lower than that and I won't lose weight because my body would think I was starving. Remember my first week when I felt soooo hungry? That's why. lol I was eating junk for points. The weekly points can be used any time through the week. You can use them each day to have your sweets or chips, or you can use them all in one day for a b-day party for example. It really makes more sense to me now that the leader sat down and explained the science. Wish me luck for next week!

I'm also linking up to Slimmer this Summer hosted by Debbi and Mir. Join us!

Slimmer This Summer Goals:

Track my calories and use proper portion control {Check}
Exercise at least 10 minutes per day, preferably more {Almost - Not every day but I made up for it}
Drink at least 6 cups of water per day working my way up to 9 (48 ounces minimum) {Check}

My Week's Workouts:

June 27 - Crunches to the front and each side (5 mins each)
June 28 - Walking - 25 mins Vigirous housecleaning/moving furniture - 3 hours
July 3 - Light housecleaning/moving boxes - 2 hours

My Numbers

Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same

Weight -220

Body Fat % -52.5

Water % -35.7

Muscle Mass % -33.7

How did you do this week?

Motivation Monday, June 27

2011-06-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps:

I started Weight Watchers last week and have been doing pretty well. I went over my daily points last week on several occasions but stayed well within my weekly points. I even had 15 work out points left at the end of the week. I plan on adding more work out minutes and working on keeping my daily points to my minimum for 5 out of 7 days. The weekly points are there so you can have a treat now or then. For me, a treat is bread. Points are determined by taking in account fat, carbs, fiber, and protein. Breads are pretty high points. I really need to work on my exercise. We've gotten out of the habit of riding nightly between the smoke and rain this week. I've been doing unintentional exercise like shopping, unpacking boxes, and carrying the little one around. It's not a sustained work out so it's not really effective in weight loss, but I have noticed my arm muscles getting leaner. Now to work on my belly and thighs!

I'm also linking up to Slimmer this Summer hosted by Debbi and Mir. Join us!

Slimmer This Summer Goals:

Track my calories and use proper portion control {Check}
Exercise at least 10 minutes per day, preferably more {Almost}
Drink at least 6 cups of water per day working my way up to 9 (48 ounces minimum) {Still Working On This One}

My Week's Workouts:

June 19 - Nothing. Relaxing and re-hydrating
June 20 - Squats, crunches, push ups, dips
June 21 - Walking with stroller and dips
June 22 - Walking and heavy lifting
June 23 - Nothing worth recording
June 24 - Nothing worth recording
June 25 - Walking with stroller

My Numbers

Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same

Weight -220

BMI % -52.6

Water % -35.7

Muscle Mass % -33.8

How did you do this week?

Sooo hungry!

2011-06-23T17:12:00.000-07:00

Does a woman need to eat more during that time of the month or does this new diet just have me centered on food? It is ALL I can think about! I can't even think about work or clearing out the garage. Both of which need to be done asap. *sigh* I'm eating as many veggies as I can and drinking water instead of eating when it's not meal time but it just isn't helping. I am still staving! This is so frustrating. How long until my body gets used to my new way of eating? I think I'll check my last three days on FitnessPal to see if there was a big change in my calorie count. I'm eating almost the same as normal but I feel so so hungry! It's odd.

Well I checked my numbers: My calorie goal is 1450 and my Weight Watchers points allowance is 34 a day
Monday - 1405 calories, 31 points
Tuesday - 2005 calories, 51 points
Wednesday - 1384 calories, 40 points
Thursday (so far) - 977 calories (without dinner yet), 21 points so far

Except for Tuesday, it looks like I am eating about 500 less calories than I was last week. No wonder I feel hungry! Maybe we'll see some results this Saturday! :0) If not then I'll just keep at it. From the numbers above it looks like I'm getting about 1300-1400 calories a day with Weight Watchers.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes...

2011-06-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

I'm going through some changes right now. I'm changing the way I eat, the way I exercise, and the way I view myself. I have finally decided to begin Weight Watchers. After I got sick and finally got over that 220lbs hump {after a year of trying} I decided it was time to do something new. Just counting calories wasn't giving me the results I needed. I've been tracking my food online at WW for three days now and I think it's going well. It's not easy and I'm hungry, but weight loss is not easy. "Losing weight is hard; being overweight is hard; choose your hard." I have chosen.

Because I am now using the Weight Watchers system to change myself, I'll also need to change the blog a bit. For example, as far as I know, I can't link you to my daily food or exercise since I have to log in to see it. So I'll be changing the tabs at the top of my screen a bit. WW has some progress reports I could take screen shots of and post weekly. I haven't quite decided yet what I want to do with the new design. I still have three clients I'm working with right now too, so it'll be some time before I can begin working on my own blog, but I thought I'd share the news with y'all. Now I just have to decide when to go to my first in person meeting. They only have 2 evening and 2 weekend meetings in town and none of the times are very convenient for my family so we'll have to work it into our schedule. Do any of you use Weight Watchers? What do you think of the program? I like the points plus system.

Are You Ready?

2011-06-20T14:52:00.000-07:00

I am feeling much better. Whatever that bug was it was a 24 hour one. I am re-hydrated and have had a full day of normal eating. It looks as though my body has equaled out. So you wanna know where I stand after it all?

Are you ready for it? I have lost a total of 5.4lbs for a final weight of 219.2! I am UNDER 220lbs!!! Besides the time last year with my gallbladder and stomach virus when I gained it all back... I am under 220lbs for the first time in 2 years and 4 months! I am officially below my pre-pregnancy weight. Woohoo! You know what this means right?! TIME TO CELEBRATE!!!

I think I'm calling this a new beginning. Thanks everyone for you kind comments wishing me well and your encouragement to see this as a blessing, albeit a painful one. I have also decided to start Weight Watchers TODAY. I am signing up for the monthly pass so I can do in person meetings and use their online tools. Plus, the hubby and I are exercising together daily now. Yesterday we did some squats, crunches, push ups (on the wall), and some dips to work that dreaded arm flab we ladies get. It just gets worse with age and weight loss. Doesn't that suck? Well I'm going to do these daily to keep them fit.

Then we went for a walk around downtown and the park. Today we are going for a nature walk at the reserve on the outskirts of town. Maybe we'll even spot a moose!

Motivation Monday, June 20

2011-06-20T01:07:00.000-07:00

LB's surgery went well. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I, on the other hand, got very sick. This week's loss is artificial.

Motivation Monday

I'm also linking up to Slimmer this Summer hosted by Debbi and Mir. Join us!

Slimmer This Summer Goals:

Track my calories and use proper portion control {Not this week}
Exercise at least 10 minutes per day, preferably more {Not this week}
Drink at least 6 cups of water per day working my way up to 9 (48 ounces minimum) {Not this week}

My Week's Workouts:
Check out all my daily workouts here.

June 13 - Heavy lifting, squats, stairs (about 40 mins)
June 14 - Nothing worth recording (trying to relax before LB's surgery)
June 15 - Toting a toddler through an airport
June 16 - Carrying Little Bit around all day
June 17 - Walked for 2 hours at the zoo pushing a stroller in gravel
June 18 - Nothing at all. Sick all day long.

My Numbers
Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same

Weight -220.2
BMI % -52.3
Water % -35.7
Muscle Mass % -32.5

How did you do this week?

False Hope or New Beginning?

2011-06-19T12:53:00.000-07:00

So as you read in my Motivation Monday post, I was really sick yesterday. I've been checking my weight throughout the night and this morning to make sure I'm not losing too much. I was afraid I'd have to go to the ER and get some fluids. Thankfully I have stopped being sick and it looks as though my breakfast and lunch are staying right where they ought to be. I'm still fairly dehydrated, but now that I'm no longer nauseous I can drink water and more than a sipping pace.

As of an hour ago, after having eaten breakfast, I have lost a total of 6.4lbs and am down to 218.4lbs. You may remember about this time last year I had developed gallbladder stones and could barely eat or drink for two weeks before they removed my gallbladder. I dropped down to 215 during that time but as soon as I was healed and back to a normal diet, as in more than bread and water, I ballooned back to 5lbs more than I was before it all started. I also briefly lost 6lbs from a stomach virus last October and then gained back 8lbs after I was re-hydrated. I can't help but wonder, was this 24 hour bug just another false hope in which I should expect to gain back more than I just lost, or is it a new beginning? Perhaps this quick stomach sickness has ridden by body of the food I had eaten and given me a chance at a new start.

I'm not sure, but I am definitely going to take advantage of this {very painful} opportunity and put good, wholesome foods in. I've been doing pretty good at eating clean, whole foods, but I can do better than "pretty good". I shouldn't be eating something processed every day, maybe just twice a week. And even then I plan on avoiding anything with fake sugars and fats. If I'm going to eat a sweet it ought to be as natural as possible. An all natural, 100 calorie pudding instead of a Pop Tart for example. You can see all the food and drinks I eat by clicking the "Food" tab at the top of my blog or by going here and clicking through the days of the week. Some are missing from the time I spent using SparkPeople, but I'll be using FitnessPal from now on.

I guess we'll see what the outcome is by the end of the week. Last time I had a stomach virus the weight was back on in three days. I'll still be checking the scale a few times a day over the next couple of days to make sure I'm not losing even more. All other indicators say that my hydration is doing better though so that's good news. I hate IVs! Oh, and I won't be having a "Party" for being until 220 until I know it's going to stay. Hopefully we can celebrate next week that I've lost another 5lbs!

Motivation Monday, June 13

2011-06-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

So so sorry for being late with my post. DH is out of town and I am trying to get ready to leave town with LB later this week. He's having his eye surgery on Thursday.

Motivation Monday

I'm also linking up to Slimmer this Summer hosted by Debbi and Mir. Join us!

Slimmer This Summer Goals:

Track my calories and use proper portion control {Check}
Exercise at least 10 minutes per day, preferably more {Almost!}
Drink at least 6 cups of water per day working my way up to 9 (48 ounces minimum) {Not this week}

My Week's Workouts:
Check out all my daily workouts here.

June 6
- 1 Mile Bike Ride and Play at the Park
June 7
- Nothing worth recording
June 8
- Nothing worth recording
June 9
- Heavy lifting and carrying boxes upstairs
June 10
- 2 Mile Bike Ride (to make up for the 7th)
June 11
- Nothing worth recording
June 12 - Nothing worth recording

My Numbers
Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same

Weight -223.2
BMI % -53.5
Water % -34.9
Muscle Mass % -33

How did you do this week?

Thank You and Small Change Challenge Week 1

2011-06-09T00:42:00.000-07:00

First, may I just say I have the best readers! Y'all are awesome. I am feeling a bit better already. To help with the physical side of things I went shopping and bought a new bra and a couple of nice shirts that fit my current form well. DH likes them too. I also want to say, Debbi, you are so right. I can't let this be an excuse.

Now, I do have a hurdle to work through and I missed working out today... but I know I can find a way around it. Our town is in a basin and there are wild fires to our north, west, and south right now. You can imagine the air quality isn't very good with all the smoke settling down here in the valley so bike rides have been put on hold. It's one thing to be outside, but another to be huffin' and puffin' out there... with a baby... whose getting over a cold still. So I am having to find ways to exercise inside. It's not so easy for me... as evidenced by this last winter, but I'll find something I like and can stick to. Now, on to the challenge since I'm a bit late getting this posted. It's already Thursday in most of the US, but it's still Wednesday for me.

June 1-4Count all my calories and keep appropriate portion control (Feeling stuffed is really starting to make me feel sick and sluggish.)

Um yeah, so I've kinda been failing at this for 3 days. I've been counting... but I've been going over. For the last 3 days I've been so hungry and ended up eating an extra 500 calories. No, I'm not pregnant. That was my first thought too, but the test was negative and my BC hasn't failed yet. I guess it could be the increase in exercise, but I didn't think I'd need an extra 500 calories. That's a whole extra meal each day. I'll keep working on this in the next week as well as my second goal, exercising at least 10 minutes everyday.

Oh and PS... TRACE ADKINS HUGGED ME TONIGHT! Oh yeah! I went to his concert tonight and got to go back stage. Woot!

I just want to cry

2011-06-08T13:31:00.000-07:00

It's been a rough couple of days and this morning something happened that one, I don't want to talk about right now, and two broke my heart and left me feeling completely unattractive in every way, not just physically. If you are the praying type, I need healing prayers right now. I do NOT want to fall back into that hole of depression when I was just starting to feel better. The event that made this happen isn't to blame so it's going to be really hard for me to move past this. It was something that was true, and honest, and needed to be discussed but it hurt nonetheless. You've been there before right? Looked that elephant in the room straight in the eye, said "I see you", and had a long hard cry about how to get him out of there. I'm in that place right now. The elephant is big, mammoth big, and we only have a mouse hole to escort him out of. Pray for a wrecking ball so we can get him out of our lives fast. I can deal with the huge hole it'll leave easier than I can deal with the giant crap this elephant is leaving in my life right now. {DANG IT! Why can't I come up with these nice pretty metaphors come to mind when I'm happy? Stupid angsty muse!}

Starting Weigh In: Plus Size Bloggers Tracking Challenge: Bye Bye Booties!

2011-06-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

Yep, another challenge! With all these challenges I know I'll stay on track. Plus DH is in full "help my wife get ~~healthy~~ sexy" swing. LOL By the way... with my two bike rides and stair climbing this week my calves are TIGHT! I stood up from the couch after working on a blog design for about an hour and my legs were locked up. I need to stretch more...

Anywho, this challenge is a Plus Size Bloggers Tracing Challenge. This time our challenge is to lose 15lbs in 12 weeks. That's a good healthy weight loss for anyone.

Starting weight: 222lbs
Goal for August 29th: 207 {Let's see if I can make that 199lbs!}

{This was my weight when I turned in my application last week so I don't have a photo of my scale. As you can see I am up to 223.2 now so I have a bit to make up for. I can do it!}

Motivation Monday, June 6

2011-06-06T00:51:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

I'm also linking up to Slimmer this Summer hosted by Debbi and Mir. Join us!

Slimmer This Summer Goals:

Track my calories and use proper portion control {Check}
Exercise at least 10 minutes per day, preferably more {Check}
Drink at least 6 cups of water per day working my way up to 9 (48 ounces minimum) {Almost!}

My Week's Workouts:
Check out all my daily workouts here.

June 3 - 1 Mile Bike Ride
June 4 - 1.5 Mile Bike Ride
June 5 - 10 flights of stairs (up and down 10 times)

My Numbers
Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same

Weight -223.2
BMI % -53.5
Water % -34.9
Muscle Mass % -33

How did you do this week?

A Little Bummed...

2011-06-05T13:20:00.000-07:00

As you can see I didn't meet my monthly goal for the first time this year. I'd say 5 months of weight loss is great even if it is only one pound a month... but I am still a bit bummed that I missed the mark this month. I was 0.4 lbs over my beginning weight for May. I do have some encouraging news though. I bought a present for my hubby and so far we love it! Little Bit isn't as thrilled since he has to wear a helmet, but he's doing better each day. I bought him this!

Yeah, I know... not quite big enough for DH to fit in... but now we can go on family bike rides. DH LOVES biking and I used to when I was younger. I recently found an old fashioned bike with a saddle style seat that doesn't hurt my hips when I ride and it's been real fun getting out there and biking around the neighborhood. The first day we went for one mile with a strong headwind. Yesterday went biked for a mile and a half and I felt good. Today maybe we can do 2 miles. Maybe not though since I'm feeling the burn from these last two days. But I'm getting in at least 1 mile! I may not have met my goal this month... but next month I will surpass it by far more than one pound!

Motivation Monday, May 30

2011-05-30T12:44:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Welcome to Motivation Monday! I will be chronicling my journey back to a healthy body, mind, and spirit. Each week I will discuss how the previous week was and set some goals for the next week. I will also be listing my progress. If you would like to see past progress you can click on the Motivation Monday photo above for other Motivation Monday posts. If you would like to get motivated with me please link up your post using the link form below. Your post can be in any format you want.Whether you are trying to get healthier physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually or if you just have a task you need some motivation to complete...please link up so we can help support each other. I would love to hear about your progress and help keep you motivated!

Healthy Steps:
Although I had no way of measuring my food over our vacation, I did get a whole lot of walking in. I think it evened out alright.

My Week's Workouts:
On Wednesday and yesterday I was sitting in a car all day, and I mean all day for our 12 hour drive to and from the coast... but on Thursday I went shopping up and down the main street. I got a bit of sun and a lot of up hill walking in. Then on Friday we went to the Sea Life Center and walked around there for a few hours. Saturday we took a cruise for half the day and then walked around town again. And finally yesterday before our 12 hour drive we climbed a mountain to touch a glacier!

It was really hard and I thought about turning back a couple of times but I saw people larger than I am walking back down and kept telling myself If they can do it so can I damn it! Just before we reached the glacier I had some vertigo and took a seat waiting for DH to walk down the side of the glacier then come back and get me. But after it passed I thought, I've come this far... I have to go touch it! So up and up and up I climbed until I reached the glacier... and I couldn't get to it! I was so disappointed. So you know what I did? I climbed under the rope and touched it! Lol, I do not suggest disobeying signs and ropes on a mountain hike, but DH is an excellent hiker and he informed me that it was safe. Plus there were full grown men climbing on the glacier itself so I figured crawling to the edge and touching it would be safe enough. Photos coming soon.

My Numbers {From Last Saturday's Weigh In}
Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same
Weight -224.2
BMI % -54
Water % -34.7
Muscle Mass % -33.7

How did you do this week?

Small Change Challenge

2011-05-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

I've been invited by Tami at Nutmeg Notebook to participate in her Small Change Challenge. As she put it so well, a bit of change doesn't go far. {especially with gas prices up to nearly $5 a gallon... I remember when $5 filled up my tank!} However, if you add up all your change you could rack up quite a bit of cash. The same goes for healthy living. She is challenging each of us to make small changes to better our overall health.

We can choose to make one small change for the whole four week challenge, or choose one thing to focus on and conquer each week. I've decided to work on four things during this challenge and add each week to the previous weeks so I can change four things about my habits in one month. I'll be posting my progress on Wednesdays so make sure to check in on Mondays for Monday Motivation and Slimmer This Summer, and Wednesdays for the Small Change Challenge.

Here are my four small changes:

June 1-4 Count all my calories and keep appropriate portion control (Feeling stuffed is really starting to make me feel sick and sluggish.)
June 5-11 Exercise at least 10 minutes every day (Preferably 30-60 minutes)
June 12-18 Take at least 10 minutes a day to relax, meditate, and/or practice yoga and correct breathing techniques (Get in the mindset that rest and relaxation are essential to staying healthy and proper breathing is paramount!)
June 19-29 Cook nutritious meals with more than 2 ingredients (Be more creative with my healthy cooking to make it more flavorful.)

I'm officially inviting you to join me on this challenge. You can make one small change in a month; I have faith in you! Go here to sign up, but do it FAST! The challenge begins tomorrow! Going on vacation sure does put things behind huh? I'm just glad I got her invite today so I could participate.

Slimmer This Summer Weight Loss Challenge

2011-05-28T15:50:00.000-07:00

Debbi, author of Debbi Does Dieting, and Mir, author of Two Years to Happy Weight After, are teaming up to bring you the Slimmer this Summer Weight Loss Challenge. It's 12 weeks of weight loss by counting calories, using proper portion control, eating lots of fruits and veggies, drinking plenty of water, and exercising daily. Contestants are allowed to pick the ways they will concentrate on losing weight and are responsible for being accountable during the challenge. Debbi will be hosting a weekly linky on Mondays for us all to link up our progress. I'll be making my post on Saturday after my weigh in. Here are my goals for the challenge:

Track my calories and use proper portion control
Exercise at least 10 minutes per day, preferably more
Drink at least 6 cups of water per day working my way up to 9 (48 ounces minimum)

You can join too! Head over to Debbi's blog and sign up here. The challenge begins June 1st!

P.S. Do you like the button? I made it. :0) I think it turned out pretty darn cute if I say so myself. Figured it was a bit different than the measuring tape wrapped around a scale or apple I keep seeing around. Plus, swimsuits and fresh, juicy fruit make me think of summer.

Happy Birthday Hippo with a Headband!

2011-05-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

My blog is 1 year old! Happy Birthday Hippo! Let's see where I was, where I am, and where I wanted to be...

December 20th 2009

Weight: 270lbs

BMI: 44.9%

Body Fat: 53.3%

May 7th 2011

Weight: 222lbs

BMI: 36.9%

Body Fat: 53.1%

Goals (Estimated for May 2012)

Weight: 145lbs

BMI: 23%

Body Fat: 25%

Here's to another year of weight loss and finally reaching my goal! I fully intend to look like the woman in that last photo once again!

Motivation Monday, May 23

2011-05-22T17:27:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday
As you read today's post LB and I are in route across state to see an eye specialist. We are trying to determine if Little Bit will need eye surgery next month. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers today. Thanks y'all!

Welcome to Motivation Monday! I will be chronicling my journey back to a healthy body, mind, and spirit. Each week I will discuss how the previous week was and set some goals for the next week. I will also be listing my progress. If you would like to see past progress you can click on the Motivation Monday photo above for other Motivation Monday posts. If you would like to get motivated with me please link up your post using the link form below. Your post can be in any format you want.Whether you are trying to get healthier physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually or if you just have a task you need some motivation to complete...please link up so we can help support each other. I would love to hear about your progress and help keep you motivated!

Healthy Steps:
I've really been watching what I eat and counting my calories. I bought a food scale for about $10 and it has helped a lot in learning correct portion size. I was hungry the first couple of days but now I am doing well with my smaller portions. I am still wearing my fit bit and tracking my steps each day.

My Week's Workouts:
I tried a dance video from Netflix instant viewing and it was pretty fun. I felt silly because I don't learn dance moves very easily so I was missing a couple of minor movements... plus it was Latin dancing which has lots of hip movement... but I was in my own living room so I just kept at it. I haven't done it again since but I would like to. I was busy cleaning the house and unpacking boxes which left me fairly tired and sore. DH and I have gone on a couple of walks with LB this week too.

My Numbers {From Last Saturday's Weigh In}
Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same
Weight -222
BMI % -53.1
Water % -35.2
Muscle Mass % -33.3

How did you do this week?

Something's Gotta Change

2011-05-11T23:30:00.000-07:00

Losing weight is easy in theory. Burn more calories than you eat. I burn about 2000 calories a day without exercise just by lungs breathing, heart beating, and legs walking around the house taking care of LB and cooking meals. So in theory if I eat anywhere between 1300 and 1800 calories a day I ought to be losing weight. But I'm not.

I know weight loss is more than calories in and calories out but I don't eat many high fat or sugary foods. My main problem is starch right now. I eat cereal and tortillas often. My nutritionist says my eating is alright but that I really need to add in exercise to see the results I want. Last week I went for two 3-6 mile walks and I saw a slight difference in my weight but not much compared to how hard those walks were for me. I just can't seem to find the energy or motivation to use the Wii, go for a nightly walk, or even walk up and down out stairs a few times after a long day of chasing LB around. It's tiring, but not really effective exercise. I've thought about a couple of things tonight but I have issues with both:

Zumba Class - I have heard how much fun this is and am interested in giving it a try but I would be the heaviest in the class by far. They all wear belled sashes around their waists during the exercise and given the photos I've seen I am pretty sure it won't fit me. I would be so embarrassed to be the only one unable to wear one. Also I have a hard time learning dance routines. I know that you can just sorta do your own thing in these classes but it's in one of the dance studios with mirrors all around and I'm a bit shy about that. I think perhaps my depression is getting the best of me and keeping me too nervous to try it out. I kinda feel like crying just thinking about going and being embarrassed even if no one says anything to me about my weight or dancing skills.

Weight Watchers - I've also heard a lot about WW and how people have lost 20lbs in their first month. My concern here is that I already track my calories everyday so would WW be any different from what I'm already doing? It would cost us $40 a month for me to go to meetings (online isn't too much cheaper but those screenshots look almost identical to what I already do). Is it really worth my money? What do they do that is more than tracking calories? Also, I'm not very good at going to weekly meetings. I absolutely LOVE Dave Ramsey and I was able to attend the class for free but for the last 6 weeks I found some sort of excuse not to go. Again, my depression plays a big role in my not getting out and going to meetings.

I don't know what to do but obviously something needs to change. Not sure if anyone noticed, but I haven't even bothered to do my Motivation Monday meme for a couple of weeks. I guess I just feel discouraged and burned out. I've been so close to 220lbs for so long that I feel like I'm almost satisfied with being 226-223lbs. I don't know what is wrong or how to jump start my weight loss again.

It's My Birthday!

2011-05-07T10:16:00.000-07:00

My dear motivators, it's finally Saturday... wanna know how I did?!

Well, I did not lose 3lbs and get under 220lbs for my birthday but I did lose weight AND I maintained my yearly goal to be less each month than the month before. On April 2, 2011 I was 225.6 and today, May 7th I am 222.8lbs! Not too shabby I'd say! My goal for next week is to break this 220lb hump and go full steam ahead to my Onederland party! {I'll tell you all about that later, but essentially I'm having a party when I get down to the 100's.}

But you wanna know what is more important than that? My husband helped me to see I am capable of more than I thought I was. Three days ago he lead LB and I on a walk. He didn't tell me where we were going or how far it would be. I was nervous, but my husband has done so much for me over the past month and seeing how excited he was about this walk I couldn't disappoint him. I prayed for God's strength to follow my husband no matter where he took us and to trust that he knows my limits. We ended up walking about 3 miles along the river on a gravel walkway pushing LB's stroller. We stopped and watched the beavers and ducks a couple of times but kept a good pace. I wasn't tired until we were on our way back and then I just sat in the shade for about a minute before we carried on. It was a pretty nice walk.

Then the next day I wanted to go shopping but DH had the car for work so I packed LB up in his stroller and we set off for the store. LB and I walked almost 6 miles that day. I never thought I could walk more than 1.5 miles before. Now I know I am capable of walking longer and longer distances. We might even walk the 5K next Saturday for our local Breast Cancer Detection Center. The tough thing about that walk is that it will be up and down hills... but I am capable! Now to ride my bike to the gym {which is right next to the store}. That's one of my non-scale goals.

3lbs in 2 days?

2011-05-05T14:09:00.000-07:00

Well ladies and gents... if I don't gain an ounce in the next two days I will meet my year long goal this month to weigh less than the beginning of the previous month. However, this Saturday is my 26th birthday and it's also a weigh in day. Historically weigh ins have decided what kind of day it will be since my weight loss is so important to me so for this weigh in I was hoping to be under 220lbs {finally}. I am determined to have a good birthday this year! I stepped on the scale this morning and I have 3lbs to lose by Saturday morning. I lost 2lbs yesterday from going on a 5 mile nature walk with the hubby pushing the stroller through brush and gravel. Do you think I can lose the 3lbs before my birthday on Saturday?

I think it's probably a long shot given that it took me a month to lose that much {which is completely normal and healthy... but not fantastic}. But, if I'm going to be honest with y'all... I haven't been exercising much lately. I've been busy cranking out blog designs and chasing our now toddler around the house and am just plain tired at the end of the day. But you know what? I'm feeling good right now. I think LB might just have to take his afternoon nap in his stroller as I walk a mile around our neighborhood. Alright, enough blogging and rambling on. If I am going to lose 3lbs before my birthday I need to get out in this heavenly sunshine and walk walk walk! See ya later and wish me luck. Prayers would be great too! :0)

I am FUMING thanks to my MIL

2011-05-04T15:15:00.000-07:00

The wife of my husband's best friend had weight loss surgery and I was confused because I was told she has lost 50lbs and she looks really thin. I thought you had to be considerably overweight to qualify. So my MIL wrote to DH's best friend's mom to ask and here is what she wrote: (Names changed for online)

Did M**** have the gastric sleeve, gastric by-pass, or lap band surgery? Has it even been a year now since she had that done? It seems like she has had a good success with it. (My daughter in law) is asking. She just told me that she has lost about 50 lbs now since her son was born. She had gained lots of weight when she was pregnant. Partly because she just ate and slept all the time. She did not have to work since she was an “Army Wife”, and apparently my son does not want his wife to have to work. Good for them! That’s certainly not how he was raised. And part of the time that they were apart she was very depressed because she could not go with her husband to his training bases, and did not get to go to Alaska until he had been there for a while. Issues…..anyway I think one only has to be 100 lbs overweight before they can have that kind of surgery. She would have qualified if she had not lost this weight. Apparently my son was on her about her weight and her eating habits. Unless she has recently changed, I think he does most of the cooking. That is one thing he did listen to me and my Mom about.

I AM PISSED THE F OFF! EVERYTHING she said is false. Here is my response I plan to e-mail her. Am I being too harsh or does it sound too angry? I don't want to make things hard btw us even though my husband could care less about his own mom. He wants her out of our lives. I just don't want any undo conflict. We all know stress isn't good for healthy living, and especially weight loss.

Interesting. Although, almost everything you told S***** is false. I guess since your son doesn't talk to you often you weren't aware. I only gained 40lbs with our son. I was overweight before we got pregnant from a medication I had to take in college. It caused me to gain nearly 70lbs in one year but I had to keep taking it. I do work actually. I own my own company and work at home because I want to be home with our son and be there any time he needs me. My husband doesn't mind if I work or don't work. All he wants is for me to be happy. And as an "Army Wife" I volunteer quite a bit. I, in no way, sit at home all day doing nothing. And I didn't just eat and sleep during my pregnancy. I was actually working out nearly everyday until my 8th month when my hips began hurting too much to do more than walking once a day. Also, I did go to my husband's training base with him and I was not depressed during that time. I was pretty pissed off that I wasn't approved to go to Alaska right away in fear that he would miss his son's birth, but I wasn't depressed and it didn't effect my weight gain. The reason I gained weight during my pregnancy is because I developed preeclamspia and had about 30lbs of water weight. Also, my husband has NEVER said anything about my eating habits except to say that I need to eat more. I eat salads, fish, lean chicken, and vegetables. We don't eat fried or processed foods. And my husband has never cooked for us. I do all our cooking and always have. I really have no idea where you got all this "information" and to be completely honest it makes me want to cry thinking you are essentially telling people I am fat and lazy. That is not fair. You have no idea about my weight gain and loss. I have lost 50lbs on my own without surgery or medical intervention even after 3 major abdominal surgeries in the last three years. I am in much better health than most overweight women my age because I exercise daily and eat healthy meals. My weight "issues" are due to medication not overeating and laziness.

Motivation Monday, April 25

2011-04-24T23:54:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps

My Week's Workouts:

I bought a FitBit. Its a step counter on steroids. It uses Wii technology to count my step, distance walked, calories burned and overall activity level. It also tracks my sleep patterns and tells me how long it takes to fall asleep, how often I wake up throughout the night, and my total time asleep vs being in bed. It's a pretty neat little gadget and it makes me want to walk more each day. It's depressing to see 10 hours sedentary and 4 hours active.... There is an odd side effect I've been noticing. Since wearing it (I wear mine clipped to my bra) I've had this nervous energy. You know when you are trying to do something difficult, you feel tense and want to bite your lip to concentrate? It's that sort of feeling. I had a hard time falling asleep with it on my wrist last night. I'm thinking it might have a magnet inside. It's kinda annoying, but it also keeps me moving.

Weekly Calories Consumed and Burned Charts

My Numbers {From Last Saturday's Weigh In}

{Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same}

Weight -223.8

BMI % -53.8

Water % -34.7

Muscle Mass % -32.9

How did you do this week?

Happy Easter Y'all!

2011-04-24T10:51:00.001-07:00

Personalize an ecard

Motivation Monday, April 4

2011-04-03T22:22:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps

My Week's Workouts:

We haven't been keeping up with our nightly walks as you can see on my sidebar mile tracker. It got cold and icy again these last couple of days. Today looks pretty warm and sunny though, probably about 30* out. Hopefully we can walk our full route today. Last time half our street was flooded cutting off half our route. We are expected to have sleet and rain this week so I'm not sure how much we'll be taking LB out. We'll see. I guess I need to go up and down the stairs instead.

Calories Eaten and Burned Charts

My Numbers {From Last Saturday's Weigh In}

{Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same}

Weight -225.6

BMI % -54.3

Water % -34.2

Muscle Mass % -32.6

How did you do this week?

Ouch! Yumm.... Ouch!

2011-04-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

Why on Earth do I continue to eat things that hurt me or make me sick?! For example I stopped drinking my daily Pepsi about 2 years ago because every single time I drank one my breasts would ache. It wasn't very painful, but it hurt a bit and was very uncomfortable. But until a couple of months ago, EVERY TIME I had pizza or burgers I really wanted a coke of some sort. Even though I KNEW it would hurt me, not to mention them being unhealthy. Another example? Macaroni and Cheese. I LOVE Mac & Cheese! I could eat it every day for the rest of my life but you know what? Half of the time I eat mac & cheese I end up sick in the bathroom all night thanks to my IBS. But I continue to crave it! In fact, I've been fighting myself for a week now on picking up a box of kraft while at the store.

Is that not the most idiotic thing you've ever heard? Is there anything you eat that you just love and keep eating it even though you end up sore or with a belly ache? I really have no idea why I do it except the thought that you crave what you eat. In her book, Made to Crave, Lysa talks about how people crave what they eat and if you can change your eating habits for two weeks, which is the average time it takes someone to pick up a new habit, then you'll begin to crave those healthy things you never thought you'd like. I've noticed that a little this week. I bought some waffles a couple of weeks ago out of the blue. I've never bought waffles before and they aren't the best choice in foods, but I've noticed that in the evening when I want a snack I go looking for those waffles. A month ago I was looking for my girl scout cookies. I've also found myself craving a big bowl of red and blue berries with a spray of reddi whip on top instead of my nightly chocolate bar. I hope over the next couple of weeks I can gear my taste buds and cravings away from those things that cause me pain, physical and emotional, and toward the things that will strengthen and cleanse my body. What foods do you crave? What foods do you want to crave? I think I'd like to crave carrots. I could use the better eyesight and less calories!

Party Time!

2011-03-31T21:11:00.000-07:00

Let's Party!
Welcome to my blog A Hippo With A Headband. I utilize this blog to journal my way to a healthier me. I have my up days, and down but each day I am moving closer and closer to the woman I want to be and the one God made me to be.

Before we get started I want to give a HUGE shout out to Janice and Susan from 5 Minutes for Mom for sponsoring the Ultimate Blog Party for these last several years. It is always a blast getting ready and then partying with y'all! Thanks so much for all your hard work and dedication to this party.

Now on with the party!!! Since you are here to find new blogs to read and get involved in, I figured I'd tell you what you'll find on my weight loss blog. Each week I host a meme on Mondays called Motivation Monday where I ask my friends {that means you!} to link up a post, any post, that they need motivation to complete or that they want celebration on. Mine is centered around weight loss, but it could be about anything, a job promotion, housework, or getting a house unpacked after a move for example.

Each week I post my weight, body fat %, water %, and muscle mass. I also talk about my exercise during the past week and my food diary. On my sidebar you'll find several things that help me along the way: my progress bar, my inspiration, my weight loss so far, where I started and tools like a calorie counter. Pretty soon I will be starting something new! {Hey current motivators, this is the part you came to see! lol}

In a couple of days I'll be starting some new posts. I've been reading Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst and I just have to say it is an amazing book. I'll be hosting a local Bible study for a group of friends coming this Spring and I just can't wait! Made to Crave is not about how to lose weight, it brings to light a "why to". That is exactly what I've been missing from my weight loss and healthy journey, my why. I know how to lose weight, but I need a reason to suffer through it all. I've been learning so much and have so many new ideas to bring to my readers. I can't wait to share what I've learned and prompt you with some questions I've been asking myself. I hope you'll follow along and join in the discussion!

Oh! And head over to my blog design site, Crafty Hippo Designs, to enter in a giveaway for a free complete blog makeover!

Walkin' A Mile In My Shoes

2011-03-31T14:57:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you've heard the phrase "Walking a mile in someone else's shoes". It means to try and understand someone before passing judgement. It's the suggestion that you imagine walking in someone else's shoes, follow throughout their day, see what they go through every day, their struggles and triumphs.

As you read in this post, together with my hubby, son and puppy, I am going on 1 mile walks every night weather and health permitting. Last night we got half a mile in. We are in our thaw/freeze cycle here in Alaska so half of our street is flooded which in turn cut off half of our route. It's almost too deep to drive our SUV though actually. The stroller wouldn't have had a chance. We're hoping it will be cleared out by tonight.

I bet you're wondering where I'm going with all this... Well, I've been looking for ways to change. Obviously what I've been doing is okay, but the results aren't where they ought to be so something needs to change. My eating habits are alright, they only need a few changes here and there, but my exercise is almost non-existent. I expend a lot of energy throughout the day caring for LB and it leaves me tired and sore as though I'd worked out all day long, but in reality it's inefficient movement. Even though it's hard work, carrying him up and down stairs all day doesn't sustain a quickened heart rate for at least 10 minutes nor does it strengthen or tone my muscles. DH and I took LB and the puppy for a walk around the neighborhood last week and it was quite enjoyable. It didn't take a lot of energy after my busy day because it was a steady workout but it kept my heart rate in my fat burn zone for about 20 minutes which is great. I decided that would be a great exercise I could commit to every day.

Then last night while reading my nightly chapter of Made to Crave, I got to thinking about verse 3 in Deuteronomy chapter 2 that says "You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north." I have circled around the same excuses, the same fad diets, the same eating disorder for years. It is time for me to turn north and make a change! It just so happens that when we leave our house and set out on our walk each night we are walking North. How perfect is that? So every night, with God's help, I will be turning north and walking a mile in my shoes.

Why a "Mile in my shoes?" Well, as I set out to cover 100 miles (see the ticker on my sidebar) and then 100 more and 100 more I plan on walking a mile in my own shoes. When was the last time I really thought about my own struggles with weight and eating disorders. When did I take in consideration my pain and suffering emotionally that lead to over eating? When did I "walk a mile in my shoes" and give myself loving healing instead of yelling at myself to stop being so weak? Um... never. I have never really sat down and hashed out the reasons I kept circling my mountain of obesity and defeat. I intend to use this time to strengthen and heal my body while walking, and my mind, soul, and heart by sorting out these deep seeded problems once and for all. You'll find my experiences and {I'm sure} epiphanies by following along with my "Walkin' A Mile" posts. I can't wait to give this experiment a try and see what comes of it. I imagine some healing is in my near future. How about you? Want to walk a mile in your shoes with me?

Plus Size Bloggers March Competition Complete!

2011-03-31T12:20:00.000-07:00

Alright, here are my final measurements. You can see my starting measurements here. I am happy to say... I LOST INCHES!!! I was so scared that I would gain. I'm not sure how good of a loss it is for one month since I just started taping myself, but I'm damn proud of it!

Measurements for March 31st:
•Neck - 15
•Upper Arm Left - 16
•Upper Arm Right – 15.5
•Chest – 39
•Waist – 43.5
•Abdomen - 49.5
•Buttocks (6″below waist) - 47
•Upper Thigh left -27. 5
•Upper Thigh right – 27
•Calf left – 17.5
•Calf right - 17
•Upper Knee left - 19.5
•Upper Knee right - 18
•Total Inches – 352
•Total Inches LOST - 19

New Goals

2011-03-30T16:19:00.000-07:00

I met with the local nutritionist today and she and I set some new goals. She said the foods I've been eating look fine. I need to continue watching my portion control and try to add more vegetables to help keep me full. The longer days are going to add an extra morning snack to my daily meals since I'm waking about 3 hours earlier than I was in the winter. She said nuts are a good thing to try and I actually found some that are not made along with peanuts so those should be safe. We both agreed I need to continue to limit my cheese intake but she also said I shouldn't have to worry about all the carbs and sugars in a bowl of fruit since my blood sugar is not an issue. She also gave me an info sheet for LB. He's been losing weight since he started feeding himself so we are trying to add healthy fats to his diet.

I nearly cried reading the handout she gave me. They suggest I feed him all the foods I want but can't have. His milk needs to be whole and fortified with cream. He ought to have his meats fried or sautéd in heavy butter. He should be eating French toast dipped in a milk, half & half, and egg mixture and then pan fried in butter. They suggested adding cheese to everything. Pretty much, everything we as adults, especially those who are trying to get healthier, want but can't have, I should feed to my son. It is going to be VERY hard for me to make him these foods I love and not eat them myself. I am an emotional eater and denying myself food has been a very touchy thing this last couple of weeks. Several times it's left me in tears. I am struggling to change my thinking from that of denial to making a choice. It's so easy to think "I can't eat this French toast because I'm too fat." But that isn't healthy at all! I need to retrain myself to say "I can eat this French toast but I am choosing not to so I can get healthier without having to walk 5 extra miles today."

That's the second thing we decided on by the way... my daily exercise. She asked me what I think I could commit to and how often. I choose walking one mile 7 days a week. DH and I have been taking LB and the dog for evening walks now that it is getting warmer and I decided I should make it official. I drove our walking route in our neighborhood and it is only two laps around each cul-de-sac to equal 1 mile. I talked it over with DH and we are committed to doing that every day of the week unless one of us is too sick to be out. Once it gets warmer I plan on walking 1 mile to a different neighborhood, letting LB play on the playground there, and then walking the 1 mile back to the house.

What changes have you been up to lately?

Getting Ready for the Party!

2011-03-29T01:17:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for the Ultimate Blog Party hosted by 5Minutes for Mom? You better get your party posts written up because it'll be here on Friday! I can't wait!!! As a preparation to welcome my new encouragers I decided to give the blog a whole new look. What do you think? I figured before they go handing out my free blog makeover prizes at UBP2011 and filling up my work schedule, I ought to take the time to work on my own blog. I'm pretty darn happy with the way it turned out.

Well, now that I have my "party dress" on, it's time to get this blog ready to party Friday! See you there! ...and here I hope. Who knows... it might be the perfect time to make some announcements about where I see this blog going in the near future. You're not going to want to miss this!

Motivation Monday, March 28

2011-03-28T15:00:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps

My Week's Workouts:

DH, LB, Shippo and I have all been going for evening walks. It's been pretty warm out considering the winter we just came out of. Last night I did some heavy cleaning and took some pretty heavy boxes upstairs. I was sweatin' bad! ...and it was good.

Calories Eaten and Spent Charts

My Numbers {From Last Saturday's Weigh In}

{Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same}

Weight -226.2

BMI % -54.5

Water % -34.1

Muscle Mass % -32.8

How did you do this week?

Motivation Monday, March 21

2011-03-21T13:27:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps

My Week's Workouts:

Phew! Okay, so my arms are killing me from carrying around our nearly 30lb SLEEPING child through an ice park. The sculptures were beautiful!... but the baby was sleepy and HEAVY! I swear he gains mass when he gets tired. lol Also, I did some HEAVY cleaning yesterday. My goal is to do short bursts of activity through out my days to keep my metabolic rate up so I burn more while I'm working... which BTW I got another commission! Woot!!! I am in the black (which means I am earning money above my start up costs)!

Changes I've Seen This Week

I'm tired. Nothing else yet, but I am hopeful. Maybe this means my depression is lifting for a bit. I still need to go have my blood drawn so we can check my hormone levels. I suspect my progesterone is low and that is why I am depressed. I get a surge of happiness at certain times that would be effected by progesterone... so we'll see.

My Numbers {From Last Saturday's Weigh In}

{Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same}

Weight -227.8

BMI % -54.9

Water % -33.8

Muscle Mass % -32.7

How did you do this week?

Join Me on My Fitness Pal!

2011-03-20T16:47:00.000-07:00

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Weight Loss Tools

I signed up for a My Fitness Pal account several months ago but never utilized it until a friend of mine invited me to lose along with him. I figured why not give it a try. Nothing else has been working. He's an old friend and I know he'll keep me to my word. But it's kinda lonely with only one friend... so do you wanna lose weight with me on MyFitnessPal.com? You can see my profile here and befriend me! See you there!

Calling the Computer Hardware Savvy!!!

2011-03-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

So all of a sudden last night my computer started rejecting anything that I plug into my USB ports (except my camera cord thankfully). It pops up a bubble that says a USB was either not read or malfunctioned and then goes away before I can read the rest or click on it to figure out what is wrong. The hubby did a search and everything turned up talking about the motherboard going out. If I'm not mistaken... if the motherboard crashes I lose EVERYTHING right?

Don't worry. I'll be backing up ALL of my pictures and documents today (in about 10 minutes in fact) but I don't wanna lose my beautiful pink computer!!! Anyone know what to do? Being in Alaska we don't have a Best Buy or anything to take it to. There is only one shop in town who is VERY expensive and charges for diagnostic as well. It's the price of their monopoly in this town.

Let's see... um also the battery seems a bit loose and the port where I plug in the charger chord. Could that mean the motherboard itself is lose? That's not good... any ideas would be great! Thanks guys.

Motivation Monday, March 14

2011-03-13T20:23:00.000-07:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps

My Week's Workouts:

Hrm... no workouts this week. Trying to get through this depression right now.

Changes I've Seen This Week

Meh... I so did not even care about this weigh in. I'm running a fever and the baby is still sick so just blah.

My Numbers {From Last Saturday's Weigh In}

{Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same}

Weight -227

BMI % -54.9

Water % -33.9

Muscle Mass % -33.1

How did you do this week?

Sick Baby

2011-03-11T23:54:00.000-08:00

Well... my little one is sick. He's teething, snotty, and now running a 102* temp. I'd normally account it to the teething since he looks like a saint bernard lately... but the snot is not clear this time so something more is going on. I may or may not .... okay, I'll likely have to catch up on my Loving Me Challenge in a couple days. But hey, wasn't that something I love about me? Sticking it out and jumpin' right back in even when life throws a curve ball? Hopefully his fever will break tonight and tomorrow will be back to normal with drool, drool, drool... we'll just have to wait and see.

27 Days of Loving Me - Day 9 and 10

2011-03-11T09:51:00.000-08:00

Okay... now I think I'm caught up! Sheesh it's been a busy week this week. I've had some rough news like learning that not only do we have to worry about DH's career if they can't do another surgery, but if the doctor okays him we could also be facing a deployment. Essentially we have three options, all varying degrees of suck: 1) His wrist can not be healed and he is med-boarded out of the military (read job and house hunting) 2) His wrist can not be healed but he is cleared for duty and he deploys 3) He gets a second surgery and once he is healed (about 2 months) he'll deploy.

We also had some good news though, like LB walking, going out on a date without LB for the first time, and receiving my first blog design commission! The thing I love about myself this week is my ability to see that silver lining. I know that nothing is too big for me to handle if God is taking care of me. I cried a bit at my Bible study when they prayed for the soldiers who'll be deploying this year, but other than that I've actually been able to stay uplifted and calm through all this uncertainty. I know my son is healthy, my husband is extremely intelligent and can get another job, and in the end it's all just another day in my life so what's to worry about? I've decided to just enjoy today and let God worry about tomorrow. He's better at it than I am anywho. lol

Let's see... one more thing I'm loving for Day 10...

This pose! No matter my weight in this photos I have that sexy confident pose. I need to strike it more often throughout my day.

27 Days of Loving Me - Day 7 and 8

2011-03-11T09:36:00.000-08:00

I'm a little behind aren't I? These last couple of days have been BAD as far as my depression goes. A couple of days ago I found myself staring at a blank (and gray... thanks military housing) wall for who knows how long. Thankfully DH and I talked some and somewhere (I'm guessing from God because I sure as hell didn't have any) I found the strength to do a load of laundry. It made me feel productive so I

OMG, STOP, BREAK!!!! I TOTALLY JUST MISSED MY SON WALKING ON HIS OWN FOR THE FIRST TIME!!! STUPID CAMERA WON'T LOAD UP IN TIME.... ARG! At least I saw it in person... we'll have to recreate for the camera... okay... where was I? Oh yes...

went ahead and unpacked some boxes. After I did that I felt even better. Yesterday I did the dishes (which I HATE) and some more laundry since the boxes I unpacked were full of musty clothes from our storage unit. So today (and yesterday) I am loving my ability to just keep going when all seems lost. Each day I'll feel a little better. Tomorrow I go in for a blood test to measure my hormone levels and vitamin D. Both play a huge factor in my depression and libido so I am hoping we can get this fixed and fast! The results won't be in for a couple weeks but I'll keep you posted on my health, physical and mental.

A Little Prayer

2011-03-11T08:28:00.000-08:00

Could we take just a moment and say a prayer for Japan and all those in the pacific region who are suffering from this earthquake and tsunamis? Let us pray and meditate on their safety over the next few days. Let the emergency relief personnel find all those who might be trapped alive. Let them stay safe in rescuing the stranded. Let the healing and rebuilding come smoothly for the people effected. Let God's love show through this tragedy.

Thank you. I have a very good friend stationed in Okinawa and when I heard last night, at nearly midnight here, that the earthquake had been the largest recorded my heart skipped a beat. Thankfully he was logged online and after a few agonizing minutes he responded that he had felt nothing. As you may have read, the earthquake hit mainland Japan. He is alright, and it looks as though our military men and women in Hawaii will be fine too, but the people of Japan and any Americans visiting there are going to be healing for quite some time after this natural disaster. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Motivation Monday, March 7

2011-03-06T23:25:00.000-08:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps

My Week's Workouts:

I am changing my diet. My hubby is on board and here to gently direct me to better choices. I am adding fiber and subtracting fats and carbs. Really all that means is less cheese. That's a big one for me. I LOVE cheese. I am going to limit it to a sprinkle of shredded with my tacos or bean burritos (fiber to the max lol). My body is doing alright with the increased fiber so far. I need more water and I'm sweating more... but my tummy is doing a-okay.

Changes I've Seen This Week

My numbers may be all red this week but I made progress this month! I am less than I was on the first weigh in of February. My goal is to keep this up all year. Even if I yo yo and only lose 1lb a month... that is still progress! Go me!

My Numbers {From Last Saturday's Weigh In}
{Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same}

Weight -225.6
BMI % -54.1
Water % -34.4
Muscle Mass % -32.5

How did you do this week?

OMG I'm Sore!

2011-03-06T16:16:00.000-08:00

So Saturday was my weigh in day and it was the first one of March so it REALLY counted! I so badly needed to see that I'd made progress this month which meant I had to weigh less than 226lbs. On Thursday I weighed 229 and I was devastated. On Friday I weighed 228 and I felt a little hopeful. Come Saturday morning I weighed 226.6lbs. That was NOT going to do so I walked my butt downstairs, turned on my Wii fit and did almost 20 minutes of advanced step and hula hooping. I went up stairs, took a shower, shaved (because hair has weight you know! lol) and stepped on for my official weigh in. I was under 226! Woot!

I was feeling pretty good about myself even though I was heavier than last Saturday. DH came upstairs to check on me and I thought perhaps I could try to accomplish one of my Non-Scale Goals. {I'll let you figure out which one...} I am sad to report that I have not yet accomplished it... but let me tell you... 20 minutes holding a squat and lunge like position simultaneously is ROUGH! My arms were shaking, my abs were burning, my wrists were killing me but I was determined. Eventually I couldn't hold it any longer. But OMG! Today I am sore!!! My poor shoulders and abs are weak and shutter at the littlest amount of work. I think I ought to take it a little easy today and work on my legs or something... man. Anyways... just thought I'd share. *giggle*

27 Days of Loving Me - Day 6

2011-03-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

I may look like this right now...

and be 80lbs over weight... but this

and this...

and these...

brought us THIS!!!

And that is beautiful!

{Even when he takes to screaming at me from across the room lately. lol}

27 Days of Loving Me - Day 5

2011-03-05T18:21:00.000-08:00

DH and I had a very serious conversation last night that left both of us in tears. He was very honest with me and I with him. We sorted out some things that had been bothering both of us. It was fairly healing. One thing he confessed to me was that he no longer finds me attractive. Not because of my weight, I weigh about the same as when we met, but because I have lost all confidence in myself. What I love about myself today is my ability to heal and move forward, with gusto. This morning I decided I was going to show my husband how much a love and adore him and somehow find that confidence again. It's going to be a daily struggle to maintain it for a while, but I found it today, I can do it again tomorrow and the next until I have it for keeps!

27 Days of Loving Me - Day 4

2011-03-04T20:50:00.000-08:00

My Persistence

I'm not very good at keeping up with a diet, a food journal, or daily exercise... but I keep coming back to it. I'm not going to give up. I might fall away from it, but I'll come back and try, try again. I went to the doctor today and got some confirming news that really upset me more than I thought it would. I am as heavy and I think I am and I need to lose more than I thought I did. There is a post coming about that soon but for now I just need to find something that works and keep trucking on. One day the wounds will heal, my body will heal, and I'll look back on all these ups and downs and be grateful that I persisted through it all.

27 Days of Loving Me - Day 3

2011-03-03T21:21:00.000-08:00

My sense of humor... yes, that is the "hippo" with a headband right there. I think that is the first time I have ever worn a headband. And you can't see them, but I'm wearing heels too because working out in heels rocks! lol I wanted to snap some silly pictures for the blog but I guess I never got around to sharing them... so here one is!

27 Days of Loving Me - Day 2

2011-03-01T22:48:00.000-08:00

I never thought I'd say this... but I love my tummy rolls. When I began losing weight my stomach was so covered in fat deposits that I still looked 8 months pregnant. My belly was round and I was horribly embarrassed when people asked how old my son was. He wasn't a newborn anymore...

Here I am a year later and I have two rolls on my tummy. I could be really upset about it, but I know where I've been and how hard it was to get here and I'm proud of my fat rolls dang it! I've lost enough fat that my belly has a shape other than round again. Some day soon it'll be a cylinder. Hopefully by the end of the year it will finally be an hourglass once again.

27 Days of Loving Me! Day 1

2011-02-28T21:17:00.000-08:00

For all of March I am going to celebrate 27 days of loving yours truly. I'd love if you join in and tell me why you love yourself. Each day (minus Motivation Mondays, hence the 27 days instead of 31) I will make a post sharing with you a reason why "I love me". Starting today!

27 Days of Loving Me Challenge

I love how no matter what is going on in my life, on any given day, at any given moment I can usually find the humor in it. That's not to say I'm not sad at times or discouraged; you've seen me in that place recently. But, more times than not, if something is upsetting me, give me ten minutes of talking (and sometimes crying) and I'll end up laughing. I'm likely not laughing at the subject that was upsetting me, but laughter in and of itself puts me in a much better mood and a much better place to deal with whatever it was. It's a trait I feel blessed to posses.

Motivation Monday, February 28

2011-02-27T23:16:00.000-08:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps

My Week's Workouts:

So tomorrow I am beginning my new weekly workouts. The snow has been falling for days now and the temps are back to -20 and below so I haven't been to the gym in a while. I actually saw someone stuck in the gym parking lot today and I drove by... I have come up with some things to do at home until it is warm enough to be out again. I'll be sharing them with you later this week though.

Changes I've Seen This Week

Well, my numbers are all in the green this week. Which is especially odd because for the last half year if the top four were green the bottom was red and vis versa. This week was special and truly needed! I believe this week is credited to God alone because I didn't do anything to lose that weight. I just hope that my new eating and exercise plan can keep me there next week. My jeans were feeling a little tight this week so I think I need to work on hula hooping and step on my Wii fit.

My Numbers {From Last Saturday's Weigh In}
{Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same}

Weight -224.6
BMI % -54.1
Water % -34.6
Muscle Mass % -33.3

How did you do this week?
Link up below!

Plus Size Bloggers March Competition!

2011-02-27T23:03:00.000-08:00

This month's Plus Size Blogger's competition is for most inches lost. Here are my starting measurements:

Neck - 15.5
Upper Arm Left - 15.25
Upper Arm Right - 16
Chest - 43
Waist - 49.75
Abdomen - 52.5
Buttocks (6″below waist) - 49.5
Upper Thigh left -28.5
Upper Thigh right - 27.5
Calf left - 18
Calf right - 17
Upper Knee left - 19.5
Upper Knee right - 19
Total Inches - 371

So that makes my grand total for starting this competition: 371 inches. Time to start losing those inches ladies and gents! I think I need to hula hoop more often. Maybe by the end of the month I'll actually be able to do it... I'll lose quite a bit just trying though lol.

He Was Right!

2011-02-27T15:39:00.000-08:00

My wonderful husband was right! Check it out!!!

He had told me last week that there was a trend in my weight loss. If I ignored the numbers and looked at the chart I would see two weeks of losses with a slight gain in between. When I looked at my numbers all I saw was back and forth between 226 and 227.2lbs... but sure enough he was right! When I weighed myself yesterday morning I was 227.2lbs just like I expected and dreaded... but something made me jump rope later that day and afterward I thought I'll just check. Sure enough, I was down to 226. That was better than gaining I thought. Then today I got home from church and before I ate my lunch I decided to check one more time. Once Monday comes I count that as the next week so this was my last chance. I stepped on expecting a raise since I had already eaten breakfast but it was lower. I wet my feet and took an official measurement with the electrode pulse and all my numbers are in the green! I am so excited. I actually have the motivation to put my new plan into action. I'll share that with you later. I am still working out the details right now, but in short, I've decided to stop worrying about what I need to take out of my diet (sweets) and worry about what I need to ADD to my diet (veggies and lean meats) instead.

Next week is the first weigh in of March. My goal throughout the year is to lose each month. No matter what my weight does week to week, I want the first weigh in of each month to be lower than the previous. Even if I only lose 1 lb a month overall, that is progress to me! Here's hoping my new food and exercise plan can ~~get~~ keep me below 226lbs.

A Big Scare!

2011-02-25T11:40:00.001-08:00

We had a BIG scare with LB last night. You can read all about it here. I think I'm going to be spending all day today trying to relax while he's napping and holding him every moment he'll allow me to. I imagine my blood pressure is up a bit today... not to mention my cortisol level. I don't even want to think about that...

Mid-Week Weight Loss

2011-02-24T21:57:00.000-08:00

I have to admit... I am still a bit obsessed with weighing myself. Although now I don't use it to kick myself, just sort of a how am I doing during the week. Anyways... I have been stepping on the scale about half way through the week and my weight is down, but come Saturday it is right back where it was. I know it fluctuates day to day and even hour to hour, but man it's annoying seeing 225lbs on Wednesday and 227.2 again on Saturday! I was 228lbs today. So not cool... but I did have a date last night so I guess that is fine. It's a marathon, not a sprint! ...right?

Is My Blog Keeping Me Fat?

2011-02-22T14:22:00.000-08:00

I was working on some of my new blog designs and couldn't help but take a fresh look at Hippo with a Headband. Maybe I should make it all over again... I got to looking at my header since its the part readers see immediately and use to determine if they will like the blog or not. It's the focal point. The title and images usually tell you a bit about the content of the blog. I just kept staring at that hippo and started thinking... Am I setting myself up for failure?

Sure hippos are my favorite animals; I think they are adorable and *look* cuddly. The thought of a hippo needing to lose weight makes sense and seeing one atop a scale is pretty cute and catchy I suppose. Maybe it makes people think, "what is that all about?" or "awww, how cute!" But the problem that came to mind was... do I associate myself with the hippo? Is that cute little gal with the pink bandanna up there how I see myself? Have I personified myself in my blog image? Or is it just a cute little hippo on a scale?

Honestly, I have no idea but I guess it's something I should think about. So just a heads up, there might be a total remodel of my blog coming soon... or at least a few tweaks here and there.

Owie! Stupid Hormones...

2011-02-21T17:07:00.000-08:00

My poor body has been through so much with hormones in the last year. First the pregnancy, then the postpartum changes. I tried birth control for a while but the depression and weight gain were too much for me. Then another pregnancy and miscarriage. Now my stupid birth control is causing a freak period 2 weeks early. This can not be good for my body or weight loss. I know that hormones and stress play a big role in weight loss for most women. As much as it makes me cringe to think of having something inserted under my skin... I think I might need to look into non-hormonal birth control more. Who knows, maybe it will make all the difference in my weight loss and mood. Have any of you been on non-hormonal birth control? Which did you use and did you like it?

Motivation Monday, February 21

2011-02-21T01:16:00.000-08:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps

My Week's Workouts:

Been a bad week y'all. I am unpacking some boxes though... boxes full of books. I suppose that counts as upper body workout..

Changes I've Seen This Week

My weight keeps yo-yoing up and down between 227.2 and 226.0lbs. It's annoying! But according to the hubby and my chart, I ought to lose next week again before going back up. And charts don't lie folks. lol... neither does the hubby... so here's hoping they are right. I'm so sick of this rut! Also... something odd. EVERY time my weight, BMI and water % are in the green, my muscle mass is in the red and vis versa.

My Numbers {From Last Saturday's Weigh In}
{Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same}

Weight -226
BMI % -54.4
Water % -33.8
Muscle Mass % -32.9

How did you do this week?
Link up below!

Depression and Withdrawl

2011-02-19T15:01:00.000-08:00

I suppose you might have noticed by now that my normal cheery, uplifting posts have turned to cynical, and much less frequent, ones. I also imagine it is pretty obvious by now that I was, and I suppose still am, dealing with another bout of depression... all when I have brand new readers! Oh where are my manners? I feel like I ought to say I'm sorry for my lack of posting and my downer personality of late. I wouldn't say I've hit a rock bottom, but I think I'm sliding in that direction. Thankfully I seem to have found some solid ground to rest a while and start working myself back out. {Somehow imagining myself in a deep dark hole but no longer sliding down it, resting on a ledge and looking up at the light streaming down from above makes me smile and feel a little better already. The mind sure is an amazing thing.}

Anywho... I have discovered some things that were bringing my mood down and some things that are helping me to feel better about myself and where I am in life right now. I wanted to share them with you, my friends. {Warning: This post has turned out MUCH longer than I had planned... sorry if I seem to be rambling but honestly, I really haven't sat down and thought about all these feelings before so it's sort of just flowing out of me right now.}

As you know, and as an announcement of sorts for my new readers, my husband and I suffered a miscarriage at 12 weeks a couple of months ago. At the time I wasn't very upset about the matter. I knew it was going to happen for a week before I actually lost the baby so I guess I felt like I was prepared. When it actually happened all I felt was physical pain and the emotional pain of my first miscarriage back in high school nearly 8 years ago when I was completely alone physically and emotionally. Afterward I felt okay. I went to the doctor to make sure I wouldn't need any further assistance because at 12 weeks the fetus is supposed to be "safe" and miscarriages after that date usually need surgery to make sure the mother doesn't get an infection. Everything turned out just fine and life went back to somewhat normal. It wasn't until I went to my Bible study a couple weeks later that I realized how hurt I was. There are at least five in the program of thirty or so women that are obviously pregnant. It was so painful to see their smiling faces, watch them rubbing their swollen bellies, and hear about all their appointments and what sex the baby was. I felt guilty because I wasn't sure I was ready for baby number two and then we lost him or her. I also felt defeated because I knew I couldn't get pregnant again until I was under 180lbs. That weight puts me in the "overweight" category and drops my chance of complications by quite a lot. It's the weight DH and I have decided on before we begin trying again. It's a good choice and is the best one for our family, but sometimes it makes me feel defeated before I even begin. Forty pounds seems so far away right now. It took me a year to lose 10lbs following Little Bit's birth. Sometimes I feel like a liar when I tell people I lost 40lbs. I am about 40lbs lighter than when I had LB, but I only worked 10 of those pounds off. The rest was just my body taking care of extra water weight by making me run to the bathroom every 10 minutes for a week postpartum. How am I going to lose 40lbs so we can have another baby? I just keep thinking LB will be 6 year old before we can try again at this rate. You can see how this has been harder on me that I first thought it was. I feel as though I'm being punished for being fat even though I know it's just what is healthiest for me and our future children.

My weight itself has been trying on me as well. As you can see in my weight loss chart, my weight keeps going back and forth. 227.2 down to 226 back up to 227.2 down to 226....

My husband told me something today that has my hopes up a bit though. He said to look at my chart closer and ignore the numbers. I am falling down two slots and only going back up one. So if I can keep this trend next week I will be below 226. I might get to 225 and then back up to 226 but then I should fall back down to 225 or 224lbs. I hope he is right. Maybe my body has found a pattern. I am going to do two things with this knowledge. 1) Try not to let it psych me out and actually gain this week artificially since stress seems to play a huge factor in my weight loss and 2) I am going to work out harder to show myself that it is dropping two slots each time.

I've found a couple of things that should help me to lose this weight. Two of them are Bible studies. One, The Frazzled Female, I am working on right now and the second, Made to Crave, I plan on buying next week. The Frazzled Female has helped me to relax, eliminate the things in my life that I really don't need to worry and stress about, and first and foremost, put God first. My faith has not always been the cornerstone of who I am, but every time I make it that, things go better for me. I suppose I believe in God because He's the only one who has made any positive change in my life so I plan on sticking by Him. I've noticed my mood getting more positive as I've thought about Him first and my problems second. I've also noticed that I have less problems that way too. Made to Crave is a Bible study specifically about living a healthy life with food. As far as I can tell, without having read the book yet, the premise is that we were made to crave God. Some people crave money or fame more than God; I crave food and the numbers on my scale to drop more and that is where I have gone wrong. When I focus on food and on my scale I can't see the bigger picture and I just get more frustrated and the pounds pack on and on. I need to shift my focus away from my unhealthy obsession and look at something positive and loving, which for me is God.

Finally I have some old fashioned exercise to help me out on my continued weight loss journey. I went out yesterday and bought some things... new costume jewelry to make myself feel pretty, supportive and lacy bras to make myself feel sexy and confident, and some sexy little boots to lift the butt and thighs and make me look hot in my jeans... or undies if the occasion suits them. And last, but not least, I bought a brand new swimsuit! It's one of those $100 bra fitted dress ones and it was on clearance! Living in Alaska during -20* weather does have one perk apparently. I was so excited to get such a nice swimsuit for a decent price. I called DH from the store to make sure it would be put to good use before paying for it and he said we could go to the gym and swim every weekend. I have also asked him if he would work out with me while I do my wii fit exercises. He doesn't like the wii fit, but he has agreed to do sit ups along side me. I really think I need someone to work out with to keep me motivated and I love that my husband has stepped up to the plate for me. I don't really have many friends here and working out becomes a problem when childcare isn't available.

Overall, I think things should be looking up from here on out. I'm sure I still have some more issues to deal with, but I feel more able to do that now a days. Thanks for hanging in there with me y'all. You mean the world to me just reading along and supporting me with your words. I'll be back on Monday for Monday Motivation. I hope you'll join me and link up one of your posts.

Motivation Monday, February 14

2011-02-13T19:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day Lovelies!

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps

My Week's Workouts:

Um, so I did stuff this week like dancing and climbing the stairs a lot... but no formal work outs. Bad me.

Changes I've Seen This Week

My fat feels funny. Lol, I'll explain in another post... but it just feels different somehow. I'm not sure exactly how to describe it, but it's definitely a step in the right direction. Also, I am working on feeling sexier. I have some new lipstick and I've sorted through my clothes and underwear. We'll see how that goes next week.

My Numbers {From Last Saturday's Weigh In}
{Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same}

Weight -227.2
BMI % -55
Water % -33.8
Muscle Mass % -33

How did you do this week?
Link up below! If you'd like to have the blog hop linky on your post like mine, just press "Get the Code Here" and copy/paste it into your post.

Goal Celebrations

2011-02-12T22:52:00.000-08:00

I'm in a rut. I'm slipping deeper and deeper into a depression and I need to cling hold of something solid before I fall too far. I've decided it's time to celebrate! I need to get excited about my progress and have something to look forward to and work towards. So here are my goals with corresponding celebrations. I'll be posting them on my sidebar before too long as a constant reminder.

Starting Weight - 270 lbs
Goal Weights --- Celebration

GOAL REACHED! 250 lbs --- New hair do. (I'm thinking a perm)
GOAL REACHED! 220 lbs --- Get my hair done/ scalp massage.
199 lbs --- Onederland Tea Party at my place to celebrate with my friends.
180 lbs --- Try for baby number 2!!!
(Interlude: Enjoy the baby bump, loose the minimal amount of baby weight I put on... teehee, and then)
170 lbs --- Date night out with the hubby. Celebrate, reconnect, and relax!
160 lbs --- Buy all new lingerie. Get re-fitted for my new, smaller, bras!
Final Goal 145 lbs --- Buy all new wardrobe!!! (That is if I'm not preggers at the time...)

Motivation In Motion - Blog Design

2011-02-12T15:11:00.000-08:00

As you may know, I like to design my blogs... a lot. Unfortunately, there are only so many new blog designs I can do to one site while staying on theme and not annoying my readers. So, I decided to exercise my creative side with blog designing. I have done two blog designs for people other than myself so far and it went well. I am going to do five more before I decide if I want to make a business out of it. That's where you come in!

I need five more ~~guinea pigs~~ bloggers who would like a new design so I can practice working with clients, my HTML skills, and determine a reasonable turn around time for my clients, myself and my family. As always, DH and LB come first... but I think this would be a great thing for me to do during nap times. So do you want a new, FREE, blog design? If so, click below to see my portfolio and send me a request!

P.S. What do you think about my button? I'm not 100% sure about it, but I guess it's pretty cute yet still generic so it will fit into any design I do.

Motivation Monday, February 7

2011-02-07T10:13:00.000-08:00

Announcement: I have found my old linky website and will continue to have a link up. No more pretty blog buttons, but that's the price I'm not paying for. lol

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps

My Week's Workouts:

Shoveling Snow from the Driveway and Walks (Moderate)
Wii Fit hula hooping and advanced step with a wii enhancement board (Moderate)
Some other stuff I don't remember right now... but I did not get to the gym this week

Changes I've Seen This Week

Even though my numbers are still down this week I am having a hard time emotionally. For some reason all I can do is think "why bother?" I feel alone in this struggle to lose weight. I feel like I haven't made any progress in over 2 years, only undid the damage that happened to me with the pregnancy and surgeries last year. I guess treading water for 2 years can get pretty damn annoying. I'm having a hard time remembering a lot of things, everyday things, why I enjoy doing things, why I'm even trying to lose this weight. I know the simple answer, to be happy, enjoy life, be healthy... but it's wearing on me. I have to find some motivation and find it fast. I'm hoping it's just some hormonal depression and changing my BC on Tuesday will put me right as rain.

My Numbers {From Last Saturday's Weigh In}
{Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same}

Weight -226
BMI % -54.3
Water % -34.2
Muscle Mass % -32.7

How did you do this week?
Link up below! If you'd like to have the blog hop linky on your post like mine, just press "Get the Code Here" and copy/paste it into your post.

Adrenal Fatigue

2011-02-02T14:29:00.000-08:00

You don't really wake up until 10am, even if you've been awake since 7. You're tired all the time, even right after waking up. You get a burst of energy in the evening or even late at night. You crave sweets and salty foods. You feel depressed, run down, and have no energy throughout the day. You exercise and instead of feeling energized you just get more tired and sore. You're lightheaded; you're muscles are weak; and you can't seem to concentrate on anything. You sigh more often and your allergies are getting out of control. You eat right and work out but the pounds aren't dropping. Does that sound like you?

It sure sounds like me... 'to a t'! I've been struggling with this for a while and couldn't figure it out. I thought maybe I just needed more sleep, but no matter how many hours I spend in bed I never get more than 4 hours straight at a time. Then I thought maybe if I work out I'll sleep better. I expected to feel a high and be energized from my workouts, but they just leave me even more exhausted and sore for days. I didn't know what I was doing wrong. I was at such a loss that I asked my doctor on Monday to run a blood test on my thyroid. It turned out normal. I was relived to know I wouldn't have to take medication for the rest of my life, but I was pretty bummed that I still had no idea why I couldn't sleep or seem to "catch up" with life. Then I read an article today talking about adrenal fatigue. It listed the symptoms above and I checked yes to every single one of them.

We all know that we need to eat right, exercise daily, and take time to relax, but I'd been putting it off for the most part. It's been two years since I've gotten more than 4 hours of sleep at any given time and over the last week I have been unable to read a paragraph out loud without slurring at least 5 words; it is time I stop putting off my health. So what can you do to heal your adrenal glands? It's pretty simple really, but it takes consistency and time.

Minimize stress to give your adrenal glands a rest from the "fight or flight" response
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
Eat lean proteins and healthy fats
Keep to whole grain, complex carbohydrates to keep your blood sugar even
Eat 4-6 small meals throughout the day to stabilize your blood sugar levels
Add sea salt to your daily diet
Take a good B6 multivitamin
Laugh and have fun every day
Avoid stimulants like the caffeine in coffee, chocolate, sodas, and some weight loss supplements

I'll be following these guidelines for the next few weeks and letting you know how I feel. I hope to get on a better sleep schedule and find some relaxing time for myself. Little Bit is going through some major growing pains and it's wreaking havoc on my emotional and physical well being. Just a couple nights ago I had to go shut myself in the closet for a cry when he was throwing a fit. DH took care of everything and came to check on me after a few minutes. It has been a tough couple of weeks in our household and we all need some fun for a change. That leads me to some great news... but you'll have to wait to hear about it in another post.

Heat Wave!

2011-02-01T15:08:00.000-08:00

While the rest of the country is being pounded by a blizzard, (even Dallas is in the negatives!) us Alaskans are stuck in a heat wave! It's been in the positives all day, even before the sun rose this morning. Although it's nice not to have my lungs burning from the cold air, I am a bit worried about the snow melting and icing over the roads tonight. But, seeing as there is nothing I can do about that... I'm going to take advantage of our nice "warm" weather and go for a family walk around the neighborhood tonight. We're going to leash up the pup, bundle up the babe, throw on our winter gear and head out for a stroll. It should be nice to get outside for a bit. We've been cooped up in this house for months now! I think I'm going a bit stir crazy! I hope you are all staying nice and warm and keeping safe on those roads. If you aren't used to snowy roads, just go slow and you'll be just fine.

Owie...

2011-01-31T21:33:00.000-08:00

All day long I have been trying to figure out why my freakin' sides and abs are killing me! Then it donned on me...

I was doing that for 12 minutes yesterday! I also did some step... that's probably why my legs and butt hurt. Wii fit rocks! Oh how I've missed you!

Motivation Monday, January 29

2011-01-31T01:44:00.000-08:00

Announcement: This will be the last MM with a linky since it will cost money from here on out. Since I've only ever had 3 people link up I doubt it will even be a problem, but if you are planning on joining me after this week, please feel free to leave your link in my comments. I'll be sure to stop by.

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps

My Week's Workouts:

Short 1 Mile Walk (Moderate)
Lower Body Weight Training (Moderate)
Upper Body Weight Training (Hard)
Shoveling Snow from the Driveway and Walks (Moderate)
Wii Fit hula hooping and step (Light)

Changes I've Seen This Week

My numbers went back down to where I was two weeks ago. That's a step in the right direction. Earlier this week I had lost over 4lbs. I gained 2lbs back, but a 2lb loss during one week is pretty good. Today I am going to plan out a new daily schedule for myself to help me stay organized. I'll incorporate time with DH and LB, work outs, sitting down to eat, household chores, time for my Bible study, and down time to relax. I'll continue to track my daily exercise and calorie counting as well. It's been a struggle these last couple of days to keep up with it, but I think it is making a difference.

My Numbers {From Last Saturday's Weigh In}
{Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same}

Weight -226
BMI % -54.4
Water % -34.2
Muscle Mass % -33

How did you do this week?
Link up below! If you'd like to have the blog hop linky on your post like mine, just press "Get the Code Here" and copy/paste it into your post.

New Work Out Tracking

2011-01-29T13:18:00.000-08:00

If you read my Fitness and Food Logs then you might have noticed some new work out details. I figured I would take the time to explain them in case you are interested in following along. I am using a Polar wrist watch heart rate monitor with chest strap during my workouts. It tracks my workout time, heart rate, and calories burned. It then gives me a summary report at the end of my work out. Here is my first work out with the HR monitor with explanation in purple.

Jan. 20, 2011 - 1 mile walk, Upper and Lower body workouts {The Work Out this is tracking}
Total Duration {Of the workout and cool down} 01:04:16
354 Calories Burned {During the entire workout}(55% fat) {The amount burned in fat burn HR zone}
HR Max 153 - 78% {My maximum heart rate and the % of heart rate compared to my target zone}
HR Avg 127 - 65% {My average heart rate through the whole workout and the % of heart rate compared to my target zone}
Exercise time in zone (117-135HR) {My heart rate fat burn zone} 00:49:10 {Total time I stayed within that fat burn zone}

Here is what the workout will look like on my Fitness entry:

Jan. 23, 2011 - Shoveling Snow
Total Duration 00.16.03
Calories Burned 90 (55% fat)
HR Max 145 - 74%
HR Avg 129 - 66%
Exercise time in zone (117-135HR) 00:10:58

Unconventional Exercises

2011-01-28T20:16:00.000-08:00

I decided I would share some of my unconventional exercises with y'all and see what you think. The goal is to get moving, any way we can right? Well, here are some ways I get moving during the day:

Sex - great cardio session, sorta like kick-boxing but without the kicking or punching, unless of course, that is your cup of tea
Making Love - great for getting your heart rate up and sustained. Also good for stretching and strengthening your muscles, like pilates.
Rearranging the Furniture - five times in one day because it just isn't perfect and well, it really was better the way it was in the first place
Playing with the Kids - especially if they weigh 26 lbs and can't walk yet and need to be carried everywhere
Vacuuming - have you ever vacuumed a shag length carpet with a $20 wal-mart vacuum? 'nough said.
Doing Dishes - if you don't have a dishwasher and you like to dance while you scrub...
Folding Laundry - This can be considered a complete day's worth of working out if you are like me and you procrastinate two weeks of laundry until it grows into a 5 ft wide, 2 ft tall pile of clean clothes awaiting folding.
Chasing After an Escaped Indoor Cat - On second thought, I don't advise that one.

What are some unconventional exercises you do during your day to keep moving?

Here is a fun calculator that shows you how much you burn doing ALL kinds of activities after you put in your weight, height, and age. I burn 151 calories per hour taking care of LB for example.

http://www.fitday.com/webfit/burned/calories_burned.html

Loving Yourself For Who You Are

2011-01-27T13:46:00.000-08:00

EDIT: After re-reading my post I realize I sound very critical on all people who are overweight. I did not mean to sound that way. This post was about my disgust with my own body. I just felt that most of my posts sound so easy and uplifting when I really don't feel that way all the time. Losing this weight is not easy and I am not happy about my life (as far as my weight is concerned), how I got here, or the apparent difficulty it is to get healthy again. It was so easy to get unhealthy. I simply went to the Dr. every three months and got a shot in my hip then went about my life. It may have been the right course of action at the time, but looking back I know now that it was the easy way out and now I am paying the price.

Now that I have had time to calm down from last night and not write while upset, I would like to explain my feelings a bit better. I will leave my original post below in italics because I don't believe it is right to delete it outright. I wrote it, published it, and although I used the wrong wording to say what I meant, it is no less true today than it was last night. Just a bit more harsh on myself. Here is what I meant to convey, hopefully in the right words today:

It seems like the phrase "love yourself for who you are" applies more to people who are relatively healthy but who envy the "perfect" body. Anytime I hear someone say that I then hear them talk about "those last few pounds" or a blemish that will never go away. To me, it seems to have a bit less impact to myself who is morbidly obese. I guess I feel like that saying is telling me to "accept myself for who I am and get over it". There is no "getting over" who I am today. If I continue down the path I am on right now I won't likely live to see my grandchildren. I may not even survive a second pregnancy. I nearly died giving birth to LB, twice. I think perhaps that phrase should instead say "accept yourself for where you are right now and work healthfully to get where you want to be". That I can live with. It is just frustrating that there is plenty of advice for the woman who is struggling over those last 5lbs but time after time all I hear for my situation is eat less and exercise more. Although that may be the key to weight loss, that advice completely ignores the fact that I struggle just as much emotionally over my weight as the woman who is beating herself up over those last few pounds. I guess I'm just feeling bitter about people assuming every overweight person became that way through gluttony. In fact, most of us eat healthily and exercise weekly or even daily as is the case for several of the blogs I read. Why does our self esteem mean any less than someone else's?

Again, I apologize if my original words seemed harsh and universal. I intended them to speak of myself and how I feel toward my body as it is, not for obesity as a whole.

We've all heard it a million times; we should love ourselves just the way we are. There is no need to be 5'9, 145 lbs, with long golden locks, high cheek bones and perfect C cup breasts. However true that statement may be, I've really been struggling over it. I DON'T want to be that woman... I WANT to be the woman I was 6 years ago. I want to be 5'5, 150 lbs, curvy, with brownish red hair that never seems to do what I want it to and eyes that squint closed when I smile a not so white smile thanks to genetics and fluoride treatments. Sometimes I get angry at the statement "Love yourself for who you are." How the hell does that apply to me? I'm not a healthy, relatively nice looking person looking at a super model and pining. I'm a morbidly obese woman who can't even paint her own toenails looking at women walking around with a bit of pudge around the middle. What I wouldn't give to be her.

Do you ever feel this way? Does it ever feel like that statement really has nothing to do with you right now? I have to be honest with you; I don't have the answer. I have no idea how to love myself when I feel like an abomination of what a human being is supposed to be. If it weren't for modern medicine, most of the obese people in the world would have died. It's a simple fact. Humans were not supposed to live like this. I can love who I am emotionally and psychologically, but how do I love the body I am in today? And is it okay to love everything about yourself except the obese body you are in?

I have a problem...

2011-01-26T14:20:00.000-08:00

This might be a stretch, but remember how I talked about home clutter leading to added pounds? Well... I am earnestly working on getting us settled in to this house and I have a problem!

A 10 foot problem. I could use some advice if you don't mind clicking over and reading about it. Thanks y'all!

Hot Diggity Dog!

2011-01-25T09:58:00.000-08:00

Just for giggles I stepped on the scale this morning. Do you know what it read?! 224.6 lbs. That is a 4.2 lb loss since Saturday morning's official weigh in, which is 2.1 lbs a day! I haven't been meeting my 1200 calorie daily goal... but counting my calories has made me more conscious of the food I eat. I guess I was mindlessly snacking before and didn't realize it. I can't wait to see my results this Saturday after I've been to the gym a couple of times this week. My Wii fit replacement game comes sometime next week. I can't wait to have it back! I love doing the step and hula hooping.

Heck, I don't even care if it doesn't stay off... just knowing that this is making a difference, and such a BIG one at that, makes me want to continue. Maybe I'll get to celebrate my 50 lbs lost sooner than expected... {and my under 200 lbs party!}

Please Excuse the Dust

2011-01-24T13:57:00.000-08:00

I am implementing my new blog design today. I am hopeful that it will go live without a hitch, but I am not a professional blog designer so there's no telling what could happen. If you spot something a bit odd or maybe the header is half way off your screen, please leave me a comment here so I can see what went wrong (and hopefully fix it). I hope you like it. I've been working on my blog on DH's desktop and I noticed that the background looked almost white. It was pretty plain and boring. I figured as a new year - new me move I would ramp up the blog and make it a little more exciting. After all, what's the point of a weight loss blog if not to inspire the blogger to get moving?

P.S.
If you like my design and would like a free blog design for yourself let me know. I can't guarantee to be finished by any set time or that it will even work on your blog, but I was thinking of possibly branching out into blog design and I could use the practice working with a customer. If it all works out well perhaps I can open a business creating blog designs.

Motivation Monday, January 24

2011-01-23T20:23:00.000-08:00

Motivation Monday

Healthy Steps

My Week's Workouts:

Short 1 Mile Walk (Moderate)
Lower Body Weight Training (Moderate)
Upper Body Weight Training (Hard)
Digging out of a Snow Bank (So not fun!) (Extremely Hard)
Shoveling Snow from the Driveway and Walks (Moderate)

Changes I've Seen This Week

This week I did my 1 mile walk, upper and lower workouts all in one night. I liked that better since sometimes I just don't have time to go to the gym or my husband and/or son need me home at night. I am going to aim for three nights a week doing all three exercises. It took me about 1 hour to do them all in circuit. Oh, and my jeans are getting a bit loose. They almost fell off when I went to stand up after playing on the floor with LB tonight! Plus, although my numbers are up... my muscle mass is up! That is good. The more muscle you have, the more fat you burn. I'm hoping to see some low numbers next week with the daily exercise and calorie counting.

My Numbers {From Last Saturday's Weigh In}
{Green is Improvement, Red is Bad, Mmkay?, Blue is Stayed the Same}

Weight -228.8
BMI % -55.6
Water % -33.5
Muscle Mass % -33.3

How did you do this week?
Link up below! If you'd like to have the blog hop linky on your post like mine, just press "Get the Code Here" and copy/paste it into your post.