So Sore and I LOVE It!

Shoulders on fire - CHECK!
Abs ripped apart - CHECK
Thighs shredded  - CHECK!

There is a certain feeling about being sore from head to toe from  working out, and I LOVE it! That tells me I am gaining muscle, strength, and intensity. How could this NOT feel good??? Today I have quads and hamstrings and I am going to RIP THEM APART! Oh and then I'll do 30 min. of cardio when I'm done ;-)
Getting in there and doing what I need to do every day gives me sense of such accomplishment and just makes me feel like a million bucks! And in another 3 weeks after this one, I'm going to start to LOOK like that million bucks! ;-) I have a bathing suit to buy here soon so let's do this!

You Are What You Eat...REALLY.

Now that I'm a "normal" food eater I get to make the decisions on my menu myself. I still have Medifast for one to two snacks a day leaving me with four to five meals to plan myself. Now my trainer does my menu with me but I have the last say. He has a million great ideas and I love trying new things but good heck it gets to be a bit of a mind game at times! So, when I'm picking and sorting my food plan, I have come to find that remembering the pure and true statement "You are what you eat" really helps me WANT to chose the best foods possible. I do NOT want to be a twinkie, cookie, donut, or bread and cheese! lol I want to be made of all that can sustain me, my fat loss, my energy, and my happiness! Thank you to who ever coined that  phrase, it will forever be in the front of my mind and I will forever make the best choices!

Success Never Ends

Ok everyone, I am so sorry for being so behind on this blog. I have not done well as of late due to sicknesses, time of month stuff, and temptations. I, however, am back on it 100% as of today! I needed a little break, some times you just need to step back, relax, and then regroup.
I believe I will only need the rest of this month, March, April, and May to get to my goal and THAT excites me. 3 months and 3 weeks is really a very short time and then I will be swim suit ready. Yeah BABY! I have NEVER been swim suit ready, all though I will need a tummy tuck and I will still have saggy stretch marked butt and legs LOL I feel I will finally be comfortable to be out there in front of others in a bathing suit ;-)
I will now be posting new weight, body fat percentages, and inches lost for each week. I meet with my trainer not this Monday but the next, so look for new results then!
I am ready to Spring Clean the fat from my body!!!

Week 1 and 2 with my trainer and the holidays.

The first week was great! I had great workouts and ate good. I had my cheat day that my trainer allows and everything felt really good. Week 2 was not to successful. I got sick, T.O.M came, and I was all clogged up. I feel like I need an enema and a detox day because I'm eating bread again. But I still lost almost a full  body fat % and gained 2 lbs, thank you muscle!
So Wes, my trainer, changed my diet and workouts, and I am so glad. No more bread and on to brown rice instead. I also get to add Activia to aid in digestion, thank goodness! I feel pretty good though and I can't wait to workout tonight. I feel so lousy when I don't workout, it's a new addiction that I think I'll allow myself to have hehe. So this next week is going to be rockin and I know I'll have good  numbers to report next week!

Glitter and Glam New Years Make-up

I got to be the makeup model for Valerie Osmond on The Daily Dish CW30! Glitter and Glam New Years Make-up

Trainer Time!

Today I saw my trainer, was weighed, had my body fat % taken, got my new workouts and eating menu and schedule. Tomorrow I start this next stage and dang I am excited. This is the next and LAST corner I take to my ultimate goal! I will post my body fat % and weight weekly and remember, it's body fat that matters from here on out! ;-) My trainer and the gym are my love affairs and these are two my husband totally approves of! LOL

Weeks 27 & 28 WOW!

WOW, how in the world did I not GAIN weight here???! Weeks 27 was good and I lost another pound, yay! Week 28 should have been a disaster! I worked out only twice last week and went to Vegas for my husband's company Christmas party. I didn't stay on plan at all! I gave myself the weekend to let lose and boy did I. The first night we got there we went out to the CUT and I don't even want to know how many calories, fat, and carbs I consumed! I didn't even have the bread at the beginning of the meal and I only had a bite of our sides but there must have been a lot of that stuff in my Indian spiced ribs, oh and also in the gelato I had after dinner! I ate like that all weekend! Even though I had like one meal a day because each meal filled my up and lasted me all day, I know I must have eaten a barrel full of crud! We were very active all weekend though. We walked endlessly every day all day, so that helped. All in all, I walked away with out gaining an ounce, or losing ;-) but what did I expect?
I think I'm not going to see good numbers on the scale for a while, I am really hitting it hard with weights and everything else, it's time to get back on the "building lean muscle" train! I started yesterday, back on plan and in the gym!
I started off yesterday with a great cardio that left me TIRED! I did 35 minutes on the treadmill and at a faster pace. I usually do 20 min, on the tread, 10 on the stairmaster, then another 10 on the tread @ 4.8 speed. I decided to stay on the tread and just run @ 4.9 speed. Today my legs, (top to bottom) are sore. It was great! I think I'll do this every other cardio workout so I can really build up my endurance. I am SOOO not a runner so this is all good for me ;-)
I hope I don't allow the holidays trip me up and I can knock this out of the ball park!

Here is the dress I decided to go with, I loved it!

Week 26, A Good ONE

Week 26 was a good one, I lost ONE pound but it was still a sweet one pound! At 143 I am feeling better and better about my finish. I know the last 10-20 lbs are harder to lose but I have hope. If I lose one pound a week at this point then I know I will get there sooner than later ;-) However, that might have to wait till after the holidays, but I'm good with that! ;-)

Another One Bites the Dust!

Thanksgiving is over and it is bitter sweet. I LOVE Thanksgiving. We go to my grandparents cabin in the mountains of Montana and have a beautiful family reunion with all aunts, uncles, cousins, and siblings that can make it. We eat, drink, and be merry. Making Christmas swags and crafts with my aunts and grandma is the best time. We listen and all sing to Christmas music and with a family that is musically talented it makes for beautiful memories. AND of course we EAT and eat and eat! I let go over the  holiday and threw up a few times because my small stomach couldn't handle it, no one bit. So I'm GLAD that part is over but am sad to see another great holiday come and go.
I am down another pound this week though! I weighed myself on Monday and totally surprised  myself, it sure made me a happy woman let me tell ya! I have been doing some great workouts and my muscles are shaping up nicely, I feel so much stronger now. I still see a lot of women at the gym that have rockin bodies and that makes me want to push harder. I actually workout around the guys because they aren't there to socialize and look cute like the majority of the girls. So they make me want to give it all I got. I have my Christmas dress to fit into here in a week, I don't even know how it fits now because it hasn't arrived yet! lol BUT I will hope and show pictures when I wear it ;-)
Everyone have a great OP day and a dynamite weekend!

Week 25 Results

WOW was this last week hard or what?! I only got in three workouts in and I ate off plan for our in-law's Thanksgiving dinner, BUT I still  lost a pound! Yay! Another not so good thing, I started feeling really light headed again last night, I ate some extra food to see if that would help. It didn't and actually made me sick. My stomach is so not use to having too much extra food too often and I threw up quite a bit. :-( I felt better later but gosh man! This is another reason why they have you only add in certain foods and amounts every week when you are in transition mode. I totally get it!
I started this week off good and hard. I got a GREAT workout in this morning. I cut down my rep time from 8 seconds a rep to 4 seconds a rep, but I added 4  more reps to each set and shortened my wait time between exercises. So I was able to get more reps in each exercise in less time, which really boosts fat loss. I also increased my running speed on the treadmill again. I felt great through the workout and nice and wore out after ;-) I am going to workout tomorrow and Wednesday before we leave to Montana for Thanksgiving, and I am going to bring my weights so I can work out there as well. There's no reason to let the Holidays throw you off your game ;-)
I am feeling so good since I started my workouts. I get to go to the gym and get out of the house, I am really toning up, I have received so many compliments that really help me to keep working hard, and I have 19 pounds to my ultimate and final goal!!! Life is good, even with all it's up's and down's, life is GOOD!
I just realized I need to put up my week 24 pictures, hmmmm where's my camera again???

Just Around The Corner

I have decided to start transitioning with  my next order of Medifast. I have three weeks till I start my new order and I am so excited. I am nervous but still very excited. This starts a whole new ball game for me. Transitioning will be a great test in a way. To see if I can add foods and not cave in and keep up a healthy diet is going to be a big step. My trainer is really excited to have me back once I start my transition and from then on out I will be working out hard and eating a normal balanced diet to finish this fat loss and hit my goal.
I am so close to being in a size 8 and that really makes me feel accomplished. I am going for a lean size 4, but hitting a size 8 is so so SO exciting to me! This is the smallest and healthiest I have been in my adult life, and after having 4 kids! lol I am blessed to have found Medifast, and I owe that all to my mom :-) She introduced it to me after she found the add in the back of a magazine and the rest is history.
I do have concerns for myself though. I have always had  low energy and unbalanced hormones and Meidfast has always helped me be more normal in those areas. Will I be able to feel as good as I do now once I cut my Medifast down to just two snacks a day? Will I be able to keep a healthy balanced diet? Will I be able to have little treats here and there and not over indulge? Can I keep up my workouts? CAN I BALANCE MY LIFE AND NOT RETURN TO BAD HABITS??? I am scared, really scared. I don't ever want to be what I was before and I do not want to constantly be stressed about keeping my new life style up. I want it to come naturally. I am willing to do what ever it takes to be the healthy woman I deserve to be and I will battle any problems no matter what though. I hope and pray for the keys, knowledge, and blessings to keep myself strong and healthy, I want a full happy life. No more judging or judgments. No more sadness or pain. No more missing out on anything!
I choose I FULL life!

Week 24

Well I can sure tell you that this last week was insane! I worked out really hard and ate really hard ! lol I did very good most days and a few days I had some little pig outs. I would get so hungry bc of the work outs and didn't have any food with me, so I had to eat whatever I had around with me. I had my kids treats with me bc I packed things for them when I went out, I didn't have my stuff bc I ate right before we would go out on our errands. I didn't think I would need anything so soon after but the workouts seriously made me hungry and of course my kiddos treats were not at all what I needed and were bottom less calories. SO I just ate and ate and ate. BUT I did still lose a pound LOL. I however have learned from my mistakes and will  be prepared from now on.
I feel great and can I just say wow?! My body, especially my legs, are feeling so much stronger! M-W-F I do 20 minutes of cardio and about an hour of weights. When you do a good 20-30 mins of cardio before weights you are in for a much better work out. The cardio burns through the sugar and the weights can get right in there and attack the fat. I started out doing 5 mins of normal walking, then 5 mins of fast walking, then 5 mins of jogging, 2 mins of fast walking, 2 more mins of jogging, ending with 5 mins walking for a cool down. Then I do squats. 3 sets of 8 with each rep lasting 8 seconds (4 sec. up 4 sec down). All my exercises were exactly like this. With doing exercises for hamstrings, back, chest, shoulders, biceps, triceps, and ball abs. Talk about killer! Then T-Th-S I do 30-40 mins of cardio. I start out on the treadmill doing what I do before my weights, then I go to the Stairmaster, and end either on the eliptical or treadmill for my cool down. Today I actually started on the treadmill and jogged for 10 mins with out stopping and that is really good for me! I hate to run lol. This week I will do exactly what I did last week just upping my time and weights if I feel I can and nest week my routine will change.
I am so glad I finally went and got a gym membership, it helps me keep my goals, and that is more than worth it! I am hoping that this next order of Medifast will be my first order in transition. We're all getting there and it is so worth it! Stay on plan and kick some fat!

My Week 20 Pictures

I realized that all my previous picts I was in dark colors so this time I wanted to do it in a white shirt, show all the imperfections ;-) I am in a medium shirt and my pants are a size 10. By looking at all my pictures on here, I think I look so much bigger than I am. I think " those don't look like 10's, I look like I'm bigger than that." But then I realize what everyone says about the camera and I think it really is a valid point. But I am feeling good and plugging along.

Week 22 and 23

WOW, I have been on a roller coaster lately!  The week before this last I had a one pound loss and this week a 2 pounder but ugh I felt so out of wack. I had a cheat day 2 Thursdays ago but sadly it went through that Saturday. This was right before my cycle started, just so you know, I have always been someone who eats a ton and is starving constantly the week before my cycle. I need to stock up on calories and retain lots of water just to get me through my t.o.m. So I know that the extreme hunger, cravings and blacking out was due to t.o.m. So I understand it when I had a one pound loss but most of all, I felt so tired and hungry. Then this last week with t.o.m going I have had the cravings but not the hunger.
This is the main reason I do Medifast, with doing other programs or just simply working out and cutting my calories I can't stick with it. When my cycle comes it throws me off so bad it completely ruins all the progress I made in the weeks before it started. I would eat healthy and work out 6 days a week and do wonderfully but as soon as my cycle gears up my body goes into 'hoard' mode. I get SO hungry and so tired, I feel like I'm pregnant all over again. On Medifast, my cycle is  more calm and lighter. I don't have the cravings or hunger that I normally do. I think it's the soy, it helps regulate my hormones (which have always been way off) which is worth more than you can imagine for me. But I don't know what's going on with me the last 3 weeks, I felt like my old icky self again and that scares me. I am going to look into getting my hormones and thyroid checked by a specialist as soon as I can.
NOW I think a 3 pound loss in 2 weeks with having 3 cheat days and my cycle is very good results ;-) I am still working hard to get into that size 8 that I need to be in for my husband's company Christmas party, I WILL do it! I hope every one STAYS on plan, stick with it, keep going! A slip up is just that, a SLIP up. It doesn't mean it's who you are or what you are! We are what we make of ourselves, so KEEP GOING and be the better person! I know we can do what we want and what we need regardless of our imperfections! Have a great on plan week you all and stay in touch with what really means the most to you ;-)

Another Friendly and Inspiring Personal Journey

A very good friend of mine just posted this on her blog, I wanted to share it with you all. She has an amazing spirit and is letting that spirit shine. Here is her journey thus far.

"To whomever still reads this blog, I wanted to say that I have finally been taking charge over my weight. 

It has been a hard and long battle {or at least it has felt that way}. I was never overweight until about 

2 1/2 years ago before we had our baby boy. I couldn't get pregnant and the weight started to mount on...then the miracle happened, had a beautiful baby boy...but it left mommy looking not so beautiful, even worse, FEELING not so beautiful. This was hard, because it is not like I was having a bad hair day {which happens to me oh so often} when you can just improve on the next day, but it was something "permanent". I wasn't happy with my looks, how I felt, and it was going to be the same thing the next morning, and the morning after that, and the morning after that. Unless I did something about it. Which I have done for a couple of months now...and I have to tell you that I am finally starting to feel like the old me. 

I have felt in the past couple of years that I am not in my own body, I never looked like this before, when I used to exercise I used to be able to do so much more...and this body that I am in {slowing getting rid off} was just not mine. 

This time though I am so committed...this time it is not coming back. I will feel like me again. 

I have lost 27 pounds and I am so proud of myself. It has been lots of hard work {not to mention sweat!} and I still have SO much more to go...but I really know that I can do it...! 

There are many reasons to why I am losing weight. I know that you may be having your own to do it ...but I will tell you the main 3 reasons for me

1. To be healthy: Heavenly Father has giving me this body, and I have abused it. I must take control of it before it takes control of me...as simple as that.

2. To look and feel beautiful: and you see, it is not to feel and look beautiful to the world, but FOR me! My most wonderful hubby has always been loving and caring...and has found me beautiful no matter what. But I refuse to live my life being heavy, I have never been like this in my life, and I will not keep on being like this. {these can later on be called my "dark ages"}

and the last one...

3. I want to live life now!: I don't want to be 40 something and finally do something about my weight {not that 40 is sooo old or something...but it is lots of years away, for me}...I don't want to be older and finally be able to do athletic things with my already grown up children. I refuse...

For these reasons I am doing it now and I am NEVER going back!

I hope that if you have plans to lose weight and take back your life...you GO and get them...get up and do something with the body that God gave you and make yourself proud!!

Thank you, To whomever is listening!" =)

A NEW New Weigh In Day

Ok, so I didn't just cheat Thursday, it continued through Saturday. I started fully on plan yesterday so I am back to my Sundays to weigh in. I feel so much better, no light headedness or blacking out. During t.o.m I get like this really bad, I have been like this my entire life. So adding those extra calories for those 3 days has really helped and will help carry me through the rest of the week.
I am completely back on plan and am SO glad I am! I felt soooo GUILTY eating those foods, it's a good sign that I will be health conscious during transition and when I am done with the program. I'm glad it was easy to get back on plan, I love the way I feel and am going to see how much I can lose this month with working out. I am going to go pick up one of those body fat measuring devices and see where I stand. That will help me gauge my fat loss as I gain muscle. I have a size 8 Christmas dress to fit into in about 6 weeks! ;-)

New Weigh In Day

About 5 months ago my husband made a deal with a friend/co-worker that involved us taking him and his wife out to dinner at our favorite restaurant Bombay House (Indian food). So they finally set on a date which was last night. I have been preparing for a cheat night for about 2 weeks knowing that there isn't anything you can get there that will be on plan. Today I am feeling the unwanted affects of eating foods like that. My stomach has been killing me and let's face it, bowel movements are not so comfortable! I got my all time favorite dish and everything was superb including our dessert at The Chocolate BUT I am feeling like I have a food hangover. So now my new weigh in day is on Fridays, I started this next 4 weeks strong today and I can not wait to get to my goal!
I only allow myself a cheat about every 4-6 weeks, it actually revs up my metabolism and since I don't have near as much as weight to lose now I need a little boost here and there. I also try and make it around my t.o.m so I don't get so light headed. I DO NOT think others should do this and put their weight loss at risk, not ever! I hate how I feel the next day and heck even while I'm eating the stuff, I do enjoy the extra boost and I really do need the extra with my cycle. I also can really tell why they have you add such little foods at a time during transition, it would be a shock on the body if they did it any other way.
Speaking of Transition, I am hoping that the new shipment of food I just received will be my last normal shipment so I can transition! Of course I will still be on Medifast but I am hoping that after this next 4 weeks I will be transitioning and adding in those other foods. I have 25 to lose but I will consider transitioning after the next 15. I don't mind doing it sooner now because of my workouts, I really do need the extra food for these work outs and this way I can have a little more time finishing my goal with doing it the old fashioned way, eating the proper food groups and exercise ;-)
I know that I could not be succeeding they way I am with out Medifast. I am forever in the debt of this great program, thank you!

Week 21, Wonderful and HARD!

I don't know why after 20 weeks week 21 proved to be the hardest week yet. I was constantly hungry, craving tons of different foods, and temptation was at its all time high. My best guess is because t.o.m is right around the corner BUT still I have never felt like I did last week ever on this diet. I did my best, had nibbles here and there, and came away with another two pound loss! I am now in the 140's!!! 149 is a number that is a little monumental to me. The last time I did Medifast I got down to 150 before I got pregnant, 149 is the lowest I have weighed in my adult life. Today is a day to smile for me....so I think I will do just that ;-)
Today for church I am wearing a really pretty dress I bought right at the end of September. It is a medium and it was snug with the pockets bunching and sticking out on the sides. Now, it fits perfectly....I feel great just knowing I get to wear it today. Thank you Medifast, I couldn't be doing what I am doing with out you. And a much deserved thanks to my husband who works so hard to provide it for me and who is my biggest cheer leader! OH and I noticed I need to post my 20 week pictures....let me get right on that!

THE Dress

Here is THE dress! I fell in love with it instantly and just had to get it! My hubby's company Christmas party is in Vegas and the theme of our trip is Vegas Bling, obviously ;-) This dress was so different from all the other ones I looked at and tried on. I'm not going with red anymore because all the other wives will be wearing either red, gold, or silver. So I went with another very popular Christmas color that has been one of my favorite colors my entire life, a BEAUTIFUL dark green! If you visit the web site this dress came from you can see what the dark green looks like. I am going to have to adjust the neck line and sleeves a little bit but it will still look the same only with more coverage.
Oh and I bought it in a size 8! I am so nervous about that because I can only return the dress if there is something wrong with it. HOWEVER, this will ensure my workouts. I will HAVE to stick with my workout routine, I have seven weeks. I know I can do it and I can't wait to post picts.! Time to rock myself into this dress, here I go!!!

Week 20 and a Sisters Weekend in Park City!

Last week had some ups and downs. I got in some really good workouts, all walking. I love walking and most of them were up hill at a fast pace. I didn't get any weight lifting days in though but I am ok with that bc I did tons of walking! I also go sick on Wednesday and it lasted till....well I'm still sick :-( And when I get sick my weight loss isn't as good. I am happy to say though that I still lost my normal two pounds last week and once again I am very happy with that.
Thursday I went to Park City on a ladies only vacation with all my sister in-laws, it rocked!!! I stayed on plan 99% of the time. We went out for sushi, I ordered a cucumber, radish, crab salad that had a vinegar dressing and a Utah roll. I pulled as much of the rice of the rolls as I could but there was still a little, very little, left on each roll. I'm not too torn up about the rice because we walked all over the place for two days straight! Everyone had a delicious breakfast and ate out for lunches and dinner but I didn't :) I ate out with them for dinners but did very well and stayed on plan, mostly. It was a fabulous weekend and I can't wait to do it again.
On another note, I have a company Christmas party in Vegas in December. I need to find a dress for the dinner! I am on the hunt for a red sequined dress and my goal is to make that dress a size 8! IF I do then that will be the smallest I have ever been in my adult life! I am ready to meet this goal! Wish me luck :)