oh.... my life

My life is taking a few turns right now and I've got very little extra time to do anything, even make a lunch. I was doing really good on the food, not having time to get to the gym I was still packing a lunch and not eating at the job or away from it. This week my tenants in SF left my condo and I have plans to put it on the market. My agent was taking care of much of the issues we planned it would need but after the tenants were out we realized we need a LOT more done and all in a 2 week period. I started to scramble to cover my work shifts so I could go up and do what I can to help and reduce paying others to do it. Another unit also went up for sale making it so there are 3 units in my complex on the market right now to compete with. Another reason we are taking some big steps to make the place look it's best and really shine above the competition.

I also started training at the airport (yay!!!!) this week and luckily will not have to train this coming week since I will be in SF most of it and also because their big corporate training starts on the 14th. Boy did I get lucky! Both the house and training for this job are big priorities and I'm so glad I can do both. After the 15th I can do on the job training and likely start taking shifts the week or so after.

Guess, what? I ALSO started my Doula apprenticeship training yesterday! I have one more all day class next week then I can start on the floor. So every week I will be signing up with a mentor to do on call at the hospital. I have to get called in 3 times with a mentor before I'm on call on my own. So those sign up times will be somebody elses schedule for a while and luckily the Airport is flexible on their training times and I also get calls to work for them that I can decline. So it should all work out.

I've worked some long days this week (Fri was 9am to midnight, ouch!) and trying to work at my regular job, train at others and fit in the gym.... is sort of hard. I've had to prioritize my days and schedule to the fullest right now and my paying job, life, house chores etc are all on the back burner. So with that, I basically will be running through the finish line on this with out being able to do much of anything this month. I can't keep my promise to you to inspire, encourage and put more time and energy into it when everything is sort of moving in the direction I need it to. In a few weeks like will be doing really good and I hope to get back on track and get losing again.

It seems like we've lost all but a couple people. So your chances of winning are pretty damn good right now to those few that are still blogging. That step alone shows your commitment to what you sign up for. Life gets in the way and you don't always have the time to create the results you want but you are still blogging and acknowledging your commitment and making goals, I'm proud of you and know you have what it takes to reach those goals that you want to get.

Good luck this week. I will be thinking of you! xoxo

waaaaaaaa

I'm sucking big time! I have no excuses except that I have to calm down my social life around my busy schedule. I need to do it anyway but MUST buckle down now. I have worked out most of the days I say I will but not cooking at home and going out will ruin anything I have tried to do. This week will be different. I have one lunch that will likely be bad (taco tuesday) but I am locking myself out of anything social until Friday where I plan to celebrate my bff's bday. Saturday night I work so that will keep me good for the most part (at least out of the social drinking world even though there is another birthday I am supposed to stop by on my way home).

This week: (I'm adding personal goals here too because it holds me accountable to myself and I need the structure)

Today: Gym, tan, laundry. Just kidding. No tanning. Maybe no laundry. Plan out vacation for my boss, send itineraries. Lunch with puppies. Read for 1 hour. Clean room. Cook up my cauliflower for dinner. Yum!  So that didn't work out! Got caught up with emails and work this am to help my sister. Did lunch with 2 pregnant gf's and now going to work at the restaurant. I will be up late finishing computer work after closing down the restaurant. Momma needs the money! And I guess walking for a few hours counts to burn calories. Right? ;)

Tomorrow: Breakfast. Gym. Lunch with co-workers. Goodwill to buy birthing books. Work. No more than 1 beer after work. (Sort of a weekly tradition to hang with co-workers on Tuesdays)

Wed: Pack my lunch. Work lunch shift. Davis for badging. Grocery shop. Run at the arboretum. If it's too hot, go to the gym before going home (no sitting down until I've worked out!). Cook a healthy dinner at home. Read 1 hour.

Thursday: Gym. Shakes, make all meals at home. Read 1 hour. Go to class.

Fri: Lunch pilates class. Sauna. Read 1 hour. Dinner with the girls.

Saturday: unknown. Work dinner till close at 11pm.

Sunday: Work morning shift. Hike. walk. golf. enjoy the sun. Something outdoors.

By next Monday I will be back at my weight of 135. Then I can set my intentions for the next week. If I don't keep these promises to myself then what good is my word? I commit to a good week and getting a lot of homework done while also preparing the majority of my meals and shakes. I know things come up and I have training for a new job that hasn't even been scheduled yet so of course things can change but I will do better this week. This I promise! 

Week 1 - Month 3

It's the beginning of our last month together and I want to soak it up and do my best! My challenge to you is to set your monthly and weekly goals. Adjust each week as needed but set some structure for the month. Create a shopping plan, work out plan, what ever plan you need to make this your best month yet. This is the last chance you have to dive into your real issues and work on them with the support of the rest of us.

My monthly goals are as follows:

Do everything at my best. Make each day important and count.

Work out at least 3-4 days a week.

Read more. Study more.

Cook more, eat at work less, more vegetables, less cheese.

Focus on my jobs and the tasks that need accomplishing with the highest of priorities.

My life is likely about to go through a bunch of changes over the next month. I find out today if I get a new job at the airport. If I get it I will be training while working my other waitressing job. My 2nd Doula apprenticeship starts so my time will be quite hectic. My SF condo is also going on the market and I will be getting it ready in 2 weeks. Financially I don't know how I'm going to survive the 2 months following while waiting for escrow to close and putting money in to get it ready for Market. The pay out will be worth it but you can't make it appear out of nowhere. I'm stressed about it. I'm trying not to think about it because I could easily cry. It will all be over before I know it but I will be finding a lot of comfort in our support group in the coming month.

For this week:

Yesterday I went on a great and intense hike with my nephew. I was going to the gym today but I'm actually pretty darn sore! I'm going to do a few minute arm video and work tonight which will be a lot of walking.

Tomorrow I will run around the arboretum in Davis after my 2nd screening at the hospital for my job. I'm meeting an old childhood friend for Happy Hour so my plan is to go after eating something so I don't eat unhealthy and that I have no more then 3 beers and if I eat, I eat a salad.

Thursday - Kickboxing video or run outside - Lunch with my cousin, my 2nd Doula client and then class that night

Friday - Work lunch shift - go back to Doctors in Davis and either run in the arboretum or go to the gym on the way home

Saturday - 5k run in the morning with friends.

Sunday - unknown. Maybe a round of golf.

A nice little article on how not to waste your life: One of them is take care of your body. Good job to us! http://elitedaily.com/life/motivation/youre-wasting-life-afraid-admit/

Another post will be coming soon to announce the winners of last month! Good luck this week ladies!!

Last week, last few days of Month 2, crunch time!

Sorry, I'm writing so late in the week. I can't believe it's already Thursday! I don't think there is much time for a challenge, if you end up getting time to read this at all. We weigh in on Monday again and by the looks of it, we are a skeleton crew crossing the finish line, which means even better chances at the prizes, so find your motivation and kill it!

Last week was pretty bad for me. It started right after I posted my blog (that motivation didn't last long!), I went to meet my sister and friends at the restaurant I work at and ordered nacho's and ate them all! Then the next day, same thing, bad food. Hardly any exercise, lots of bad food, my monthly vistior and now I'm trying to recover. The scaled said I gained 3lbs and I felt like it! It appears I have gotten back to the weight I started this month at. Not sure I will weigh in any less but I did weigh in low, water weight or something, cause I gained 2lbs back the next day. So if I am under 135 then I will have lost something. I think I was so bad because I legitimately got down to 135 and not just a lucky morning on the scale. I was liking it, I felt like I looked good and felt good. So what did I do? Ruin it.

I went for a 40min run on Monday at the park, it was hard, I'm out of shape again, far too quickly. Tuesday I went to the gym and am sore! Wed off. Today I will go to the gym, do the eliptical, the arm cycle machine, stair master and then some weights, finished by a few minutes in the sauna. Tomorrow, repeat or go for a hike/run out in the sunshine. I'm still deciding if I want to do a pub crawl on Saturday or do something healthy and then work that night (So if anybody wants to do something fun and healthy, let's do something!). This week should end up being pretty good. I'm feeling the energy in turning around the damage I've done by getting too excited and too comfortable. I still want another 5lbs gone and know I can do it. I would simply die if I got into the 120's with out the same kind of work I put in to get there before. I like that this time I'm losing and still enjoying my life, I feel like I have continued to make positive changes that are easy to keep up and make a normal part of life, making it so I can stay in a healthy weight.

I think the 2nd month was less exciting for many of us. It's hard to stay on track for long periods of time, especially if you aren't getting the results you wanted. If this is something you really want and are willing to give yourself the time and energy into, then you have the remainder of the month and 1 more left to do it with us to support you. Don't waste anymore time. Everyday counts! Next month my goal is to give more of me to you. Do more educating, offer more support and lose those last 5lbs myself.

Good luck this week! I'm cheering you on!!

I need a boost too!

I'm slacking and need a boost. I find reasons to eat bad, skip workouts have that 1 extra drink etc. but I want to keep on track, not just for me but for you too. It definitely has it's own pressure added to it, having to sort of be in charge. I don't think I'm going to get to actually writing about each person. It might be hard to line up the time for the "interview" collect a photo, then write and post. So, I was thinking if any of you are so inclined, or willing to share your story and a picture of yourself, that will surely get you a little more connected to your readers.

I have not had the best weekend but until Saturday afternoon I did do pretty well, worked out in the morning, had a shake but went to a baby shower starving and their non-meat options were cheese, crackers and about 5 more types of cheese and crackers. Mixed with some champagne... not such a good day on the calories (considering how much I had to eat to get full). Dinner was pizza after waiting and waiting to eat and trying out 2 different spots, we ended up getting pizza by the slice for a friends bday dinner :(

The remainder of this week I'll be in the clear. No plans for anything fun that will take me off track, the only night I could even think about it is Friday since I work and have school the other nights, so each day I can fit in a solid work out, good meals and get myself back down to the 135 weight on the scale. I'm going to turn this week around!

I know I've mentioned having hot lemon water in the morning before anything else and here is a taste on what the benefits are: http://foodbabe.com/2011/12/27/habits-for-the-new-year-and-beyond-1-drink-lemon-water/

More benefits can be found here:
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/11-benefits-lemon-water-you-didnt-know-about.html

I would love to challenge everybody to boost up their lemon intake. I buy lemons in bulk because I get at least 4 extra for free. It's crazy how a bag costs the same as 2 lemons. There really are countless benefits to adding the alkaline back into your body.

Did you also know that cold water is not good for your system and also hard on your body when eating? Your body temperature is much warmer than that water, it has to work to warm it and digest it along with your food and often won't absorb what it needs if it is too cold and passing it through. If you want to give your digestion a boost, then ask for no ice, or even warm/room temp water with your food. After learning this I try not to make my drinks so cold. We are programed that that is the way we like them. In Kenya when it's hot, they drink hot drinks, that's what they are programed to do. We wouldn't even think of it. Our coffees become iced, our waters frozen... but does it actually cool us off if we are taking extra energy away to warm them up? When what your body actually needs is the water to replenish it's own storage through out your body. Food for thought.....

What have you got to lose? Except a few lbs, right?! ;)

Showcase of the week: Annie

Lucky me. I get to showcase myself :) Not all of these will be the same. I will share what you want me to share. Or you are welcome to showcase yourself too!

I feel like I have struggled with my weight since I was little. I have always had a belly and hated it. I'm 5'2 and only twice in my life feel that I have been skinny. I plan to share a secret with you later on but for now I will share my evolution to ME. Growing up our meals were centered around meat and potatoes, whole milk and a vegetable was an after thought. We had canned beans or corn almost every night. I LOVED ranch and cheese. I could go to town and absolutely would. These two are still big challenges for me. I have always over ate too. When I was in highschool and jr high I always played a sport or had P.E. After highschool I did nothing. I moved to SD at 21, my metabolism slowed, my partying grew (and so did late night food runs), I had fast food all the time and never worked out. I was tipping 150 and considered obese. I was too scared to join a gym, I wouldn't know what to do and was so out of shape I actually hated the actual act. I then moved to the bay a few years later and started working at Google. We had all the food you could eat and we did. We all put on weight. I was now making a little money and had an egg donation and made a little more money. So I booked a liposuction for my belly, arms and lower back. Oh boy was I happy that I was going to be cute again! And I was, for a minute. Because I did nothing to change my lifestyle the weight came back. And when it came back it came back weird (to me anyway). It was lumpy, uneven and my arms were the worst! She really did a bad job there and it was obvious to me that I had had surgery, this was not my body or a normal body. Finally after gaining it all back and not changing a thing I started a program at work, similar to weight watchers. Stanford was sending a doctor to our campus to take clients and help them lose weight on this new program. I met her weekly, recorded my food and did a reading assignment each week on food and my body. I started to lose a couple lbs a week. We would review my week and create a new goal for me. None of the previous weeks goals would end, I was required to only add to them. (I go easy on you ladies! haha) Then I started to see a personal trainer and go to work out classes offered at work (new goals from the program). Instead of spending the money on surgery to fix it, I went and invested in myself. I did pay for the program and the trainer but I don't think I could have changed my habits on my own, so it was so worth it. I needed a team effort in teaching me how to start a healthy life. I think it's the best investment we can make and some people never do. Those that do never regret it. I can promise you that. You only regret it if you paid for it and didn't do it.

It did sort of become an addiction. I loved the high of losing the weight but also felt that I gave up a personal life to do it because I could not go out to eat or drink because I would have to log it and I wouldn't lose weight. So once the program ended I slowly went back to my old ways. Started having fun with my friends, showing off my new body, eating and drinking a lot and gaining again. When I get down (breakups, self esteem etc) I party and eat, so I have yoyo'd for years and can look back at the time I've gained as painful times for me. I finally feel like I am sort of balanced in my life when it comes to food and activity. I made a friend in SF who loved to hike, travel and be active. We became best friends and each weekend was spent being active. We also brought wine and cheese, or went to eat and reward ourselves. This made it fun and I finally got to a point where I started to love the activity instead of doing it for results. I feel worse now when I don't. I like everything about the high's and energy I get when I'm active and eating well. I drank a couple days this weekend and really didn't enjoy the repercussions of it.  Drinking for me has to become a balance too. I can often get excited to be with friends and/or family and make it an occasion to keep getting another drink. I slowly am finding that balance. It will likely be a yoyo thing too. That's OK. I'm admitting it and working towards a good place and can be happy about that. I like making progress, I don't like the idea of cold turkey or change all at once. Its likely a set up for failure. I like to reach outside my comfort zone and take steps in the right direction. In the end, I get there and am proud of myself for it.

This last year while traveling abroad I went once again to get lipo (secret dropped. Boom!). All in the same areas on my body to fix the last one. I was busy eating and drinking around the world and not connected to a gym and not safe to do much on my own for the most part, so I gained weight (I ALWAYS do when I travel). I felt like if I was ever going to fix my 1st surgery it would be while I was gone and nobody would notice. I would have the down time and could keep it a secret. I did it all by myself in Budapest. They took lovely care of me and fixed many of the problem areas I had before that were not MY BODY. I've since gained weight back but I don't feel that I look as weird or bad. I will never do it again and wish I would have invested that money towards doing it the right way in the first place. You gain so much more by doing it for yourself then getting it fixed by a doctor. I would know, I've done them both. Money isn't something we all have but sometimes we can re-prioritize what we spend it on. I cut out a lot of spending by not going out and hiring a trainer instead. Even now I do the visalus shakes but I cut out a grocery bill or eating out (adds up quick!) for the meals I replace with my shakes. When I do it I lose weight. It's easy for the most part and I'm OK with investing in myself now. I buy something new to try each time I go to the store so I can always be learning about more foods. Making new comfort foods that I enjoy.

Thank you for reading my story. It's not over yet but I'm so much better than ever before!

Just before I left for Kenya, prob 10-15lbs heavier. I can see lumps in my arms and can see it in my face. Not close to my biggest but I can see progress. 

Also 10-15lbs heavier about a year ago. 

This last weekend. 10lbs more to go.

You mean everything to YOU!!

Happy Monday!!! It's a new week, a new start to challenge yourself! I didn't notice that I got any feed back on showcasing one of our fabulous ladies each week so this week I will do me. :) Next week will be Karen. We don't have too much time left to do 10 more of you, so a couple weeks I would like to do 2 women. Don't worry about my blog being public. I dropped a big secret in it because I feel safe that you are the ones reading. :)

First tho, I want to put in a weekly challenge. We have already had logging your food as a challenge but I REALLY want to make this a weekly challenge if you haven't done it yet. It's huge, so do it! You must know what your calorie intake is before you can start losing. Food is really the biggest factor in your diet. Now, for the real one. :) A few women have been open with their vulnerabilities, weakness's and struggles. I challenge everybody to be open and share if you have not yet. It's healing and once you let the cat out of the bag you can start working on the women behind it. We all have a different reason for being here. We are not all on the same boat and have had such different lives leading up to this point. But we are all here to support each other. Healing on the inside may just be as critical as the food part. Ever heard the term "Think Thin"? That you can't lose weight if you don't feel think you will ever be thin anyway? If you don't have confidence in yourself to actually lose weight then how will you? Sadly there is no easy fix. We are all carrying some baggage that weighs us down. Have you kept your promises to yourself so far? If you haven't, why not? Do you realize that breaking a promise to yourself is just as bad as somebody breaking one to you or you to them? Why do we not hold up a standard for our own self treatment? Make a promise to yourself this week and keep it. Realize that it's important for your self image, self treatment, self confidence etc. Forgive me if I'm wrong but I also see the women sharing more on here are making the most progress. Even if it's not with the pounds, it's with in themselves. Sometimes the pounds come 2nd. Free yourself from your baggage, share with us, be open. Allow yourself to let go and you might be surprised at what else you start to lose. Make a plan or a promise and keep it. You mean everything to YOU!

My goals for the week:

Start back on my Visalus shakes. I spent last week sampling other protein shakes and have not liked any of them. I've not tried all of them since not all the companies do sample packs but so far Visalus has a more complete package for high protien, fiber, low sugar and carbs and low calorie. Some have high's in all categories and also high in the calorie dept too. They all seem to be around the same price too, so the $50 a bag (free if you sign 3 people up) is comparable to the others.

Go grocery shopping today and make kale chips (Thanks Pamella for the recipe you shared on your blog!) and make my standard meals again.

Work out 3 times. I'm working 6 days in a row this week and finishing up a room in my house so I'm feeling like I can't do everything. I'm trying to join a gym with my roommate but we haven't found a time that we can get there. I really want to do classes because they REALLY help me have fun and make time. I get bored easy and have to mix it up. I'm bored with running already and not wanting to work out. So hopefully that will happen this week.

I don't have much time for much else but I think that those goals are good for this week. I have Friday off and depending on if I get my room done I would love to take myself on a hike. I often (often=always) wait for others to hike. I think a good thing for me is to hike alone if I can't find somebody else to go.

I will do a separate blog to showcase myself. I know you are excited that it's always all about me! haha