Day 8

Eva Mendes, I like her body because she's fit but still has curves :)

Yesterday's Intake:

Before Workout: Protein powder w/ milk

After Workout: Protein powder w/ water
Snack: 3 hardboiled egg whites, 1 yoke, oatmeal w/ cranberries
Lunch: Really Yummy Chicken Pita from the Pita Pit!!! (grilled chicken, whole wheat pita, lowfat tzatziki sauce, tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives, and lots of peppercinis)
Snack: cheese stick, 12 homemade Whole Wheat tortilla chips w/ homemade guacamole and salsa

Dinner: Sweet potato w/ ICBINB Spray, cinnamon and chicken breast w/ BBQ sauce

I feel I was successful during the office party! I carried around my little baggie of 12 homemade tortilla chips and steered clear of the 7 layer dip. Fortunatly nobody made anything sweet.

Weight Training How I Loathe Thee

Okay so I did the upper body and abs weight training today for the first time in about 2 years this morning. I feel like such a weakling. There's like old people all around me who are lifting more than I am. At least all the weight amounts are easy to remember, they are the lowest possible on each machine. Hahaha...I guess that means there's nowhere to go but up!

I just keep telling myself that what I eat is 75% of how my body will look, if I can at least keep eating healthy my body will dramatically change (hopefully) no matter how much I suck at weight lifting.

But, my hubby and I decided that I can sign up for at least a month more at 24 hour Fitness :)

Body-For-Life Book

After about a week of researching all I can on their website, the Body-for-Life for Women book finally was available for me to pick it up yesterday at the library! I can already tell that I'm going to like it.

Four Day Weekend

I won't be blogging for the next 4 days because I won't have access to a computer. But I will be back on Monday with updates on how the weekend went. I hope that I will be able to make it to the gym at least one or hopefully two days while I'm gone. And I hope I will be motivated to eat healthy while at home with my hubby (this tends to be the most difficult time to eat healthy)

Day 7

I want legs like these, and the shoes too :) :

Yesterday's Intake:

B: Muscle Milk Light
S: 3 Hardboiled egg whites, 1 yoke, oatmeal w/ dried cranberries and Splenda

L: 2 Homemade Whole Wheat tostadas, chicken, green salsa, hummus

S: Edamame and grapefruit w/ Splenda

D: Protein shake w/ water and beans w/ BBQ sauce

I'm still eating clean....yay me!

Beans:

Yesterday was a struggle, I'm realizing that I have to force myself to eat sometimes. Usually because I'm simply not hungry yet or because I don't really like the food I need to eat. Then when I got home from work yesterday I was in a big hurry to get out to church but I was STARVING. So I drank a protein shake. Then by the time I was home from church I was REALLY STARVING, so I didn't want to wait to make my baked sweet potato and chicken. So I just heated up some of the beans I made to satisfy my hunger. My husband is Mexican so I make a big pot of beans every week and keep it in the fridge. I was putting LARD or BACON GREASE in it each time....terrible I know.....but this time I omitted any fat.

BTW, I noticed that beans are listed as a carb for Body for Life food list. I always thought they were a protein :( It's too bad because beans are easy, economical and satisfying.

Cardio Struggle:

I'm just Mrs. Lazy Bones I guess, because it's hard for me to motivate myself to jog or run on the treadmill. I did cardio for 45 minutes this morning, and for 30 of those minutes I listened to this old CD I have that is like this personal trainer who tells you when to speed up and when to up the resistance etc. it's great. The only thing is, once that CD is done I'm sweating and ready to cool down but I've got 15 more minutes to do cardio. I'll have to figure something out.

Also: As predicted, I am REALLY sore today from yesterday's weight training.

Office Temptations:

As if I didn't have enough temptations on a NORMAL day at work we will be having a party today for a girl that is leaving. Great. I know there will be cupcakes involved. They wanted ME to make the cupcakes, thank God I didn't that would be tough being in the kitchen surrounded by cupcakes I can't eat. I made some green salsa instead and I also brought some of my whole wheat tortilla chips so that I can at least partake in the salsa.

Oh and BTW, last night at church they had a big pot of Sopa con Albondigas (Meatball Soup) it smelled SO good, but I didn't have any :)

I didn't have a chance to fix my lunch last night because I was running around like a chicken with her head cut off. So I will allow myself to go to the Pita Pit and get a delicious veggie pita. Yummy!

Day 6

Talk about thinspiration, this is the Sacramento Kings NBA dance team...I went to highschool with three of them.

Don't worry I certainly did NOT fall off the wagon over the weekend, I just did not blog. Here's what I ate:

Saturday (Day 4) Cheat Day

B: Blueberry pancakes, protein powder w/ water
S: 1 scoop Ice cream and 3 bitesize pieces of chocolate
L: Green salad w/ vinagrette dressing, seeds, guacamole, grilled chicken. Chips and salsa, 2 glasses of champagne.

S: Small amount of candy and 1/2 of a Starbucks tall Chai tea

Sunday (Day 5)

B: Protein powder w/ water
S: Oatmeal w/ Grade B maple syrup, dried cranberries, 3 boiled egg whites

L: Homemade baked whole wheat tortilla chips w/ hummus, protein powder w/ light soy milk.

S: Grapefruit w/ a little sugar.

(went to sleep early and therefore did not eat much)

I'm so excited that I have made it to Day 6 successfully! Yay me!

Discouraging weight training:

I made it to the gym this morning before work :) First day of weight training in about 1.5 years! I did get a little discouraged at how much weaker I am. I used to be able to lift SO much more weight. I really pushed myself today, I know I will be sore but that is a good sign. I worked out for 45 minutes this morning about 15 minute cardio warm up and cool down and 30 minute weight training on my legs.

Meeting with Trainer:
No I do not have enough money to have a trainer. But 24 hour gave me a free "orientation" Friday on my lunch break with a trainer. I was happy because she gave me alot of good info about making a routine for myself etc.

They took measurements though...ugh....I knew already that I was about 145 but I honestly thought that my Body fat % was around 23-25, not good but not terrible. Well, they took out the calipers and tell me my body fat is 30.5%!!!!!!!

I was very happy though that now I have an accurate starting point because it's sort of impossible for me to accurately measure my body fat on my own.

Adventures in Healthy Cooking:

I am a total foodie, I love to cook and experiment in the kitchen and I love trying new exotic gourmet foods. This is part of the reason it's hard for me to eat healthy because I just love good food. I didn't get fat on potato chips, I got fat on delicious homemade lasagna.

Well I made my own whole wheat tortilla chips and tostadas yesterday!!! It was so easy and now I can have tostadas that are healthy. It will be an adventure trying to invent healthy recipes.

Cheat Day:

I love the idea of the cheat day, it really really helps me stick to my diet.

I don't want to totally pig out on my cheat days, I still want to try to make healthy decisions. I tried to include protein each time I ate. And when we went to Chevy's (our favorite restaurant) to celebrate our 2 year anniversary of the night he proposed to me, I ordered a big green salad. I felt so good. It was a great night.

Thanks everybody for helping me through my journey!

Day 3

Yesterday's Intake:

B- Smart Start Cereal w/ soy milk, 1 egg white 1/2 egg yoke.
S- 1 egg white 1/2 egg yoke, green apple w/ peanut butter
L-green salad w/ cucumber, tomatoes and fat free ranch, brown rice w/ soy sauce, 1 egg white 1/2 yoke.
S-Cucumber and tomatoes with fat free ranch, whole wheat toast with peanut butter.
D-Protein shake w/ soy milk, oatmeal w/ dried cranberries and Grade B Maple syrup.

Another good eating day! Believe me I haven't achieved two whole days of eating healthy in a long time.

Yesterday I signed up for 24 Hour Fitness. I wanted to do their Free 7 Day pass (because I have no money yet for getting a membership and to comprimise w/ my doubting husband). But the guy informed me that the pass only works between 8-7. Bummer. I have to go at 5:30a otherwise I can't go. So he said if I sign up for a membership I have 5 business days to cancel free of charge. So that's what I did. I'm going to cancel the membership next Wednesday and not get charged. Works for me.

First day at the Gym:
So this morning I woke up at 4:50a to do my first day at the gym :) It worked out great! I actually overestimated how much time I take getting ready so I probably can wake up later next time. Plus I pretty much avoided all traffic.

I decided to ease myself into this, so I stayed where I was comfortable and that is the cardio machines. I walked/jogged/sprinted for 40 minutes on the treadmill. Next time I go I will start the strength training on the weight machines. I have never been 100% comfortable in the free weights area, hopefully in a few weeks I will be because I know that that is the place to be to make the most dramatic transformation.

I really really really need to start LOVING working out. I need to just drag myself to the gym. Eating healthy for me is much easier than working out. I really hope that I will start to love it, because when I love it then my body will change.

Body for Life
I've been spending alot of time over at bodybuilding.com reading people's transformations, diets and motivation. It's a great site with lots of good information. After reading how a book called Body for Life mentioned in story after story I decided to check out the website. I'm surprised I haven't heard of this diet before! It's pretty much exactly what I've been aiming at! And the people who have completed the 12-week Body for Life program have some pretty convincing before and after photos (see above). What a great motivation.

What I really like about this diet is that once a week you get a "cheat day" when you can eat whatever you want! I've decided I'm going to have it this week on Saturday. I think that that is a brillant idea, because it really helps fight cravings. When I see something I want (like ice cream or fried chicken or something) I don't have to tell myself "I can't ever eat that anymore" I can just tell myself "I can save that for my cheat day". It really helps avoid any mistakes. I love it I think that it will be a big part about me sticking to this.

Day 2

Total Intake Yesterday:

B: Protein bar and hot tea
S: Celery w/ 1-2 tbl. Peanut Butter
L: Green salad w/ tomatoes, cucumber and Fat Free Ranch.
Protein shake w/ soy milk
S: Brown rice and soy sauce
D: Smart Start cereal w/ soy milk
Protein shake w/ 1/2 soy milk 1/2 water.

I think I did pretty good yesterday. I succeeded in not partaking in any of the office temptations (chocolates and this stew somebody brought in). Yesterday I got home and had exactly 10 minutes to eat dinner before we went back out the door for church, hence the cereal.
I probably won't be buying anymore cereal for myself from now on, but I want to finish this box and it is a "healthy" cereal so I think it is okay.

The Gym Situation: I did not excercise yesterday. I realize that there is a glaring need for this on a daily basis if I want to look like a fitness model.

I went to visit a gym that is about a block down the road from work yesterday. We will be moving offices at the end of the year and so I know that I will need to cancel this membership and get one at the gym closest to the new office. Only thing is, this one over here you have to sign a 12 month contract and the only way to get out of it is to prove that you moved. My plan is to use my office's address and then "move" to my home address to get out of the $50 fee for cancelling the contract. Is this ethical?





Support from the Hubby:
Support from my husband is lacking. Wouldn't you think he would be encouraging that his wife is trying to make herself hotter and healthier? Which will in turn improve my absent libido, which will in turn improve our sex life? Well, he's just concerned about how full my schedule already is and he thinks I will be more exhausted than I already am. I think it will give me more energy. He's also always had sleep problems, he cannot go back to sleep once he has been woken up. He's concerned that me waking up at 4:30am to go to the gym will affect his sleep.

But, he says he is willing to try to comprimise because it's so important to me. So I guess that means we will talk more about it. Which is fine because I don't have the money yet to start the gym membership anyways.

I've decided that for the next week or two I'm going to focus on eating right. My diet was so out of control before that this in itself will be a big adjustment. Let me get that under my belt and then when I have the money at the end of the month I will get my gym membership and start working out.

The Ex
Before I met DH, I had another boyfriend. He was a completely different personality than DH and was OBSESSED with fitness and working out and sports. He was a huge influence to me and was constantly talking about how I should work out and lose weight. Needless to say I DUMPED him. But part of me wishes I had someone who gave me accountability like that again. My DH now is so loving and great, he would love me even if I was 280 lbs. But that is SO not motivating!It's INSANELY motivating to know that your boyfriend can tell when you gained 3 pounds. Anyways, I haven't seen him for about 2 years or more. I haven't talked to him for about 3 years.

In trying to motivate myself, I think of running into him and what he would think about my body. If he saw me now he would notice that I've gained about 15-20 lbs. It is probably unhealthy to be thinking about running into exes but for me the time I was with him was the most fittest time of my life. And I need accountability people!


Goals for Today:
1. Do not have any chocolate, candy or sweets.

Day 1

So far so good, I've eaten just a protein bar and hot tea so far. Then again it's only 8:22.





Goals for today:


1. Not to eat any of the cookies, chocolate or pizza in the breakroom.


2. Go to grocery store at lunch to buy healthy food.











New Diet:
I've decided to follow a diet similiar to the body type that I admire the most. I really like how fitness model's bodies are. (not the crazy big bulky ones, but fit and toned) Yesterday, I researched what these models ate and therefore I will try to follow it.




Here's an example of a day in the diet I've made myself:
Breakfast: Protein Powder w/ milk
Snack: oatmeal w/ cranberries, splenda, cinnamon
Lunch: chicken on green salad w/ light dressing, brown rice
Snack: cottage cheese w/ cherry tomatoes and cucumber
Dinner: Sweet potato with turkey and vegetables
Dessert: sugar free jello

Gym:
I need to go back to having a gym membership.
Yes we are followers of Dave Ramsey and have tried to trim our expenses down to the bare minimums to pay off our debts, which is why the gym membership was out of the question. But the thing is, I simply CANNOT motivate myself to work out at home. When I go to the gym I am surrounded by inspiration and motivation instead of distractions. The only POSSIBLE time in my busy day is to go before work. Which would mean waking up at about 4:45am. It's not impossible. I can do this.

Day Before Challenge Begins

Here I am again. Trying to lose weight.
But this time I hope I have enough willpower to stick to it.

A little background on me:
I'm in my early 20s and I just got married in January.
Before I got married, I was pretty obsessive about fitness and nutrition. I went to the gym before work and I ate pretty healthy.

That all changed when I got married!
For one thing, we moved to the country. So a whole lot more of my time is eaten up commuting to the city for work and then commuting to another city for church about 3 times a week.
Also, now that I'm married I really really have been trying so hard to be "the capable wife" in Proverbs 31. This is my priority. I come home right after work and cook and clean and spend time with my husband.
So here I am almost 10 months from when we first got married and I've AT LEAST gained 15 pounds. I think that all of my muscles have dissolved into fat. My sex drive has deteriorated because of this. I simply do not feel sexy or appealing at all anymore.

I already feel like I'm heading down the dreaded path of "letting myself go" and I haven't even had kids yet! I refuse to let myself go! I want to be hot!

Okay so here is my goal:
Lose the flab and fat and gain muscle by January 15, 2009.

I need encouragment, I need inspiration, I need your support!!!!

Thanks everyone!