WEIGHT LOSS: FACIAL PROGRESS

 Before: 9/2011  During: 6 & 7/2013

I didn't realize how heavy I had gotten. This wasn't due to pregnancy. This was 2 months of a crumb-cake and Pepsi diet. Trying to keep myself awake with a new born, eating something that would fill me up quickly. How incredibly fast the weight came on, and how incredibly slow it is leaving! But, IT IS LEAVING. The first progress pictures I am sharing, and I hope I'll have more soon. As nerve wracking as this is, it's also liberating and motivational to me.

I owe thanks to my family and friends who are endlessly supportive (and patient with my constant blabbering's of weight loss)!

My current short-term goal is to lose 8lbs by 8/28. 15 Days. :)

MOTIVATION.

LEG PRESS: (unknown weight. 6th bar.) 5x8

CALF RAISES: (same machine, same weight) 5x8
CHEST PRESS: (unknown weight. 4th bar.) 2x6  (3rd bar): 1x6 1 1x8
LEG EXTENSIONS: 78lbs 2x6  66lbs 2x8
MID ROW: 115lbs 4x6  135lbs 1x6
SEATED DIP: 99lbs 1x6  86lbs 1x6  72lbs 2x8
BICEPS CURL: 70lbs 2x6  62lbs 2x8
SHOULDER PRESS: 76lbs 1x4  69lbs 1x6  62lbs 1x8 55lbs 1x8
LAP PULL DOWNS: 117lbs 1x6  102lbs 1x6  85lbs 2x8
LEG CURLS: 115lbs 2x6  97lbs 2x8
OUTER THIGHS: 140lbs 2x8  120lbs  2x8
INNER THIGHS: 120lbs 1x8 90lbs 2x8 100 1x6
CRUNCHES: C 2x8  R 2x10  L 2x10  C 1x10

SQUATS: 45lb bar 2x25lb weights = 95lbs 3x8

TREADMILL: 31.5min 2-3.5 walking & power walking, 1:30 5.5 jog.

BIKE OF DEATH: 26.24 minutes (I aimed for 250 calories/6 laps.)

 

 

 

There came a point in my life very recently that I whole-heatedly decided that enough was enough. The Queen is almost 2, and I am still the same weight I was when I gave birth to her. That is unacceptable. Women pacify it by dealing out comforting thoughts such as "It usually takes about 2 years to get the weight off!" and "Well you have no time- it'll come off on its own!" Thank you, but that's not the case.

The case is was that I wasn't trying to get the weight off. It's that simple! I'd get into these super-overdrive-motivation modes for 3 days, just to give up as quickly. The work outs were too hard, I couldn't keep up, my joints, my lungs, no time, no energy, school is in the way, it's the holiday-- how many things can get in the way of me?!

 

The answer then: a lot!

The answer now: myself.

 

I've stopped trying to find the time to go to the gym, and now I make the time to go. I feel so good each day I go- it's motivation that carries me through the day.

 

I have friends that have been in the same boat that I was/am in. The only thing that I can do is encourage them. It is SO, INCREDIBLY HARD to get out of the rut you can get stuck in. Not only for mothers, either. Women in relationships that put the comfort pounds on, college freshman 15, birth control weight gain, health issues- whatever the cause and case may be. It is hard to find the motivation and to hold onto it. I know- I did it for 2 years now!

 

I started this blog as a way to keep up anonymously with my progress, but lately I've realized that not everyone is as verbal about their insecurities as I am- but they are still struggling with the same thing I am. So, here I am. Accountable for my actions and inaction. Putting myself out there like my friend did for me. I am on a mission to get my old body back, and then improve it. I am on a mission to show my daughter that I can keep up. I am on a mission to improve my health so I can be her superhero. I am on a mission to chase my dog around the block every time he runs away, and not feel like I am about to implode. I am on a mission to skinny jeans and pretty tops, wearing tank tops and lifting my arms, stepping out of the plus size section and getting back into my favorite stores. I am on a mission to feel confidence, to walk with my head high again- because I've been teaching my daughter to look down at the floor. No more.

NO. MORE.

I'm on a mission to becoming A MILF. Yeah. I am on a life changing mission that started with a realization, baby stepped into quitting soda, tumbled into joining the gym, and is snow balling into working myself 110%, sweating without caring, and eating with purpose.

I am on a mission to be proud of myself-inside and out-because I am working for it.

<3

Peace, Love, Sweat, & Happiness.

 

 

 

A Clueless moment from me to my friends:
My machine just started inclining without letting me know and I yelled out "what the F%#$ is happening?!" in a panic. It was like an earthquake. I shouldn't be allowed here.



 

PROGRESS

2+ WEEKS WITH NO SODA. ABSOLUTELY NOT A DROP!

So my last post was about how dedicated I was to losing weight using Insanity by The Queen's 2nd birthday party in June. Well, I should have known better! If it isn't life, or school, or overwhelming circumstanced getting in the way of my late night work outs- it's my exhaustion by the end of the day. Once I missed a day, it was too easy to keep on missing 'em. If I am being perfectly honest here, I hate that damn work out. It is so impossibly hard to keep going with all thing jiggle going on with each jump! So, I quit.

But wait a second! I DID however join a gym! My sister told me about a gym that opened up less than a month ago right by my laundromat. Sweet! GTL, baby! I went and joined! I had some anxieties over going alone but I finally had big sister babysit me through a work out and tonight, I went all by myself! THAT is a personal achievement for me.

So I've done the 30 minute circuit on both days, which includes:

 

Leg press
Hamstring Curl
Chest Press
Biceps Curl
Triceps Extension

and I throw in a few reps of:

 

Abdominal Crunches

 

There are more machines that work the thighs, the back, and the arms. All of which are killing me!

I love it!

 

I also purchased this book by GAIAM called FITPLAN from Target. I wont go into detail, but this is right up my ally. I like to keep a track, draw, doodle, and have something to DO with all of this information at the end of the day. I like to be accountable for my food decisions and my inactivity- and reading it will help motivate me in all aspects. It is an 84-day (12 week) planner with a bio at the beginning and at the end. It focuses on your energy and mood levels as well as your activity, diet, and exercise. Check it out if you're into this sort of thing.

 

 

Finally, I want to just address something for myself. I start my 9th term today (each term is 2 classes/6weeks long.) Digital Manipulation. (you cannot fathom how long I've waited for this class!) I started August 2011, semi-immediately after The Queen was born. She kicked my perspective into high gear- a gear I've never had before her.
Now she is almost two, and I haven't stopped. I'm damn proud of myself. I have big plans for myself, and this is the first major step in getting those plans in motion. Two years have passed by SO quickly. I can't wait to look back at myself two years from now and see what I've accomplished as a student, toward my career, and as a woman. Motherhood is my priority but I am not letting myself fail as an individual. I will be an inspiration to her.

 

 

Be Your Best.

BREAKING UP WITH SODA

I am breaking up with you, soda. Your carbonation bloats me, fills me, and gasses me in ways no woman should experience. Your acid is eroding my insides, your caramel coloring is staining my teeth. Your sugar is keeping the jiggle in my wiggle. Your caffeine is starting to give me the shakes. I love you, soda. I truly, deeply do. We have been together for as long as I can remember. No one can part us; but me.

I have to say good-bye, soda. It is for the best of myself and my future that I terminate our relationship. Maybe someday I will find self-control, and will come to visit you on an occasion. Maybe that day will never come. To say your sweet, bubbling love will never cascade across my lips again would be too extreme; too terrible to admit. For now, this is good-bye.

Always your love,

Fatty Fat Fat

Sugary drinks are the biggest source of added sugar in the U.S. diet. Each 20-ounce bottle of soda contains 16 teaspoons of sugar -- that's  22 packets of sugar and 240 empty calories in one bottle! (http://www.kickthecan.info/soda-facts)

 

Rest Day!

Today is my intentional rest day from INSANITY. I say intentional, because it took me 10 days to complete the first week-not including that fit test! Between being too sore to function & too busy with school, I had to start with the most important of my tasks & put off the least important for another day. I even debated on skipping rest day, but my butt cheeks decided for me when they were sore getting out of bed this morning!

This is the farthest I have gone with INSANITY in my 3 attempts at it. This is huge for me! Even though it took me 4 extra days, I still kept going. The effort was not lost- either. I already see results in what my body can do physically. At the beginning I couldn't (&wouldn't) jump. Without jumping, this takes out a large portion of the workouts- but I modified them if possible OR did squats in their place.

Things I physically could not do on Day 1, that I could do on day 6(10)

Basketball Jumps
Suicide Drills (bent knee push-ups. Lets not get carried away!)

Heisman
Mountain Climbers (my wrists couldn't support the angle while I brought my knee in)
Knee In's (Plank, jump in, jump out. I refer to them as fat-pincher's.)

I've also noticed that I can do more of the exercise than before. Where I would crap out at lets say 10 Heisman's (Heismen?) on day 2, I'd crap out at about 15/20 on day 6(10). I know my body pretty well from years of dancing, and I am sure I will be able to keep up with about 85% of the work out someday. I'm really impressed with my progress in the last 5 workouts. Its motivating- & I am really starting to wish I never gave up the first time I tried.

I don't expect miracles to happen within the next few weeks, but I do expect improvement. I demand improvement. The more results I see, the more motivated I feel to keep pressing on. I am VERY excited to build my body, endurance, stamina, & confidence back up! <3

I think May 13th will be 8 weeks. That sounds good for a progress photo, I'd say.

Dun dun dunnnn!!

Weight Loss: A journey back to my real body.

The Queen will be 2 in two months time, & I am still at the same weight I was before my water broke. I know, right? How humiliating! But, this time I am sticking to losing the unwanted pounds & I am going to post about the journey here, on my blog! I've taken my before photos and my measurements. I am not going to post them until I have an update to compare them to. Also, it's really taking a lot of nerve to come out publically with my figures!

I like lists. I like organization. I like deadlines. I have no self control or discipline. Now that you know this about me, you'll understand why I am creating patch projects of charts and inspiration boards! I've printed out the INSANITY 60 day (which is actually 63 days-9 of which are rest days) calendar and wrote out the dates of my workout, and a countdown to The Queen's shindig. There are some motivational quotes to read when I am feeling like death, to brighten my mood. Below that, is the 30 Day Squat Challenge that is circulating. I've added dates on the squat challenge as well. By the time her birthday comes, I should look better in my bathing suit and feel a bit more comfortable.
On the back is the image of what 1lb in fat looks like, & ridiculous pictures of me at my ideal body image. With dancing, working out, giving up pepsi (yikes!) I should see results.

I want to record and post videos, too. I know from experience how difficult it is to stay motivated when you're so defeated, find time between taking care of your family, school, and work.

EDIT: I posted this to my other blog 9 days ago, but I am re-posting it here. This is my journey, therefore it belongs in my blog-not my daughters.