My First 5k!

Let me just start by saying this, if you have never ran a 5k in your life it is something worth striving for. If you have been battling weight loss, running a 5k AND FINISHING gives you a sense of accomplishment.  Why? Because there are a lot of people that will never even attempt to run a mile let alone 3.1 miles. Now, If you are going to run a 5k for the first time I would suggest running The Color Run. It is NOT timed and to make it even more amazing at every Kilometer they dust you with a different color of "paint" (colored cornstarch)! At the end you look like you've been hit by the rainbow and it is pure awesomeness!

Now for the other reason I wanted to post here in my Weight-loss/Workout blog. For a while I was in a transition. We switched gyms and in I was trying to adjust to a new schedule, kids schedules and my husband's schedule. I use to do a great circuit class at the previous gym and since switching I was looking for a class that would be similar. But being a new place I struggled. I would run, I would lift weights with my husband and I really enjoyed that, however I needed to be in a class setting. I wanted to be told what to do and working out in a class helps because you don't want to just quit and walk out in front of everyone! So it is encouraging.
I started gaining a little bit of weight back :( but not too much. I knew I just needed to find a class. Well I increased my cardio (of running) and started a new class called Total Body Sculpt. There are three different instructors and so far I have only done classes with two of them. The first class we used a 12-15lb body bar, we used light and heavy hand weights (5-8 lbs), we used a step, and some used a bar bell with changeable weights. (I stuck to the body bar) And basically we worked each muscle group. It was pretty intense but my next class I will use heavier weights. My Second day was different. I really enjoyed this instructor. She believes in using your body weight as the main source, she wishes we could do it all barefoot and she is a gymnast and a dancer, so in this class we used a 12lb body bar and a yoga mat :) We did tons of lower body lunges, squats, plies and we did some presses with the body bar. It was such a different workout from the first class but it was so much harder!!! I loved it. I am now officially hooked on this class. I love that it is different because of the different instructors. I like that it challenges me and makes me stronger. For a while now I have been feeling like I've just gained this little bit of extra weight and I look soft. I really struggle with seeing myself as "thin, or strong" I know i'm not overweight, I know I'm not fat but I don't feel fit, toned, or like I said STRONG. But then I saw my pictures from the Color Run. Let me post the first one for you.

When I saw this picture I was like "wow, I have muscles in my legs and my arms look thin and my stomach isn't bulging out like a hot air balloon"  I was honestly shocked because to me, when I saw this picture I look strong. I look tone, I look fit. My thighs aren't hugging each other. Then I thought well maybe, it's the angle? Maybe it's the lighting that helps hide some of those things making my arms appear thinner? So I went looking through some other shots of me.

Here, I find that my arms do look thinner, I'm not exactly flexing but if I did I pretty sure there is some muscle there :) But my biggest shock was my bottom half. This is my problem area. I've always hated my legs, hated my thighs, hated my lower stomach (since having kids) But my legs don't look bad, in fact they look thinner than ever.  Now lets address my shorts that i'm wearing. This is the first time I've ever worn these under armor shorts out in public. I don't know why I chose to wear them on this day of all days, but I said "who cares" I don't want to wear long work out pants, I don't want to be hot and dying from the heat (which it was actually a really beautiful and perfect day to run). So I wore these and I'm glad I did because I really can see that my body is transforming and that feels soooooo good. 

It's nice to finely find your groove. Something that works for you. Something you enjoy doing. I just wish it wouldn't have taken me so long to realize how much I actually enjoy it!

The Color Run ~ the Happiest 5k on the Planet

129lbs

Paleo Paleo how I faileo! LOL I have been reading up on the Paleo lifestyle, and I like a lot of the things I have learned, I agree with most of what I have learned but I think there is still so much further to go and learn. That being said, I am doing much better with our meal planning. On top of that I feel good knowing that we are eating my clean and organic foods. I am still working out and watching my calorie and fat intake. That being said I am now 129lbs! I am so excited about this. I have come so far. When I first started running,I could only do 1.25 mile in 25 min. Now I can run a 5k (3.1 miles) in 34 min. I use to be able to do 1 push up and now I can do 10 uneven push ups on both side. Oh and that dress that I've been talking about?? It fits. Yup. It's a size 4! I'll have to get a picture. but I am just so excited and I have to say that I am glad that I have been taking notes and writing it all down. I go back and I can literally see the progress. I can see the frustration but I also see the determination. And that pushes me even more. I want to keep going. I want to get stronger, leaner and meaner LOL.

No More Low Carb

Well I had to stop the low carb diet. I just didn't think it was a healthy way for me, even if it was to lose a bit of weight in area's that are hard to slim down. I hated all the fake sugars and the mentality of eating something that is high in sodium or high in fat and calories but has no carbs... I really need to find a balance. I need to find a way of clean eating. Remove fake and processed foods and replace it with stuff God makes. I don't mind having carbs in my diet but I do think they need to not be the main source of what I eat. This morning I had a white corn tortilla (65 calories for 1, 11.5 carbs)  with a scrambled egg, spinach and a few piece of chicken left over from our rotiserrie chicken smothered in organic salsa.
I think the tortilla was the only item that is processed. I would like to learn to maybe make my own or find a healthier option than corn, but we shall see.
I think that there is so much information out their on what is healthy and what isn't healthy that it can become overwhelming. My husband is still doing the low carb and he loves it, and if that works for him fine. But it doesn't work for me. I would rather count calories and  try to make healthier choices as to what I put in my body. This is a learning experience for me and the fact that I'm eating vegetables without gagging is saying a lot for how far I have come. Even eating eggs is a huge step in the right direction for me. I'm learning and trying and that's what matters. I am working out and I am drinking water. I am losing weight at a slow pace, but I am still getting the job done. I need to stay balance, I need to keep my goal in mind, not just for me but for my kids. I cut back on the amount of candy I allow them to have and what snacks they choose to eat. They need less milk and juice and a bit more water. Just because they're kids does not mean I can give them junk because "hey they're kids they'll be fine and they love it" I need to teach them, I need to SHOW them. So that way we can all be stronger !

Day 3 Low Carb and Learning to Make Wiser Choices

So I need to get this low carb thing under control. Maybe it is just the 3rd day and it is getting harder, but I need to remind myself that just because it is low carb does not mean it is healthy to eat in large quanties or maybe it shouldn't be eaten at all! For example : Last night we (my family and brother) went out to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings. This is maybe the second time we have gone since living in Michigan. We sat down and order our $.49 wings, and I think we each had about 12-14, I had maybe 10-12 wings. I looooove crunchy, deep fried, drenched in hot sauce wings. They're scrumptious! But 12 of them??? Lets break this down shall we? I had a few Hot wings a few mild, a few Parmesan garlic and a few spicy garlic.
Hot wings: 50 calories each x2
Parm Garlic: 120 each x 2
Mild: 50 x 5
Spicy garlic: 50 x 3
If I added this correctly I ate 740 calories!!!!!!!! NOT INCLUDING THE RANCH SAUCE!!!! HELLOOOO! But there are ZERO carbs. So. I don't exactly know how this could be healthy for me, or anyone. Carbs or No carbs, I can't eat this way. So from now on, if it is extremely high in calories, I'm just going to either eat moderately or not eat it at all. There are plenty of healthier ways to eat.
The other thing that I don't like about this diet is the use of fake sugar. I just don't see it being healthy. In fact I think it's harmful for those trying to lose weight. But I do eat it because when you are on this diet if you want to drink coffee with vanilla creamer, if you want to eat a dessert, if you want to DRINK something other than water, most likely you have to use imitation sugar. So for now this is what I am doing. When I am able to up my carb intake, I will choose my carbs wisely and try not to use the imitation stuff.
Now for my work out; Today I did butts and guts and yoga. Sara killed us today in B&G but I made it through without any dizziness. At one point I did want to cry for some reason (working out sometimes does that to me) but I was strong enough to hold back the tears. I have been drinking plenty of water to make sure I am staying hydrated.
It's funny because I never thought I would become this person. The person that counts calories, or carbs and exercises all the time. I have come a long way and I like where I am.....

Day 1 and 2 LOW CARB

Yesterday was my first full day of low carb eating. I have to say it wasn't too bad. I was worried about working out because my 3-2-1 class is pretty intense and I was worried I might get too light headed, but I ended up not going due to some stomach problems. But today I felt much better. I've been sticking to just 20 carbs a day. I'm suppose to do this for the first 2 weeks. The main thing I notice is that I am hungry, a lot. Maybe it's because I don't have oatmeal to fill me up and bloat me in the morning or may because the foods I'm eating are digested quicker. What I DO know is that I don't ever feel completely full. Today I went to my Zumba class, and right before I ate a low carb bread with a little peanut butter on it. When I got to class, the room was pretty warm, it was probably a little below 70 but when we were done it was at 70 degrees. I broke a great sweat though. My instructor also decided to make us do some dances that were a little more demanding, and I love that. But for today, half way through I was so tired. I caught myself looking at the clock quite a few times.... I'm hoping that this gets better and that my energy level will pick up and my endurance will be stronger for my workouts. Some of the things I have made are:
Breakfast: Cheese and Pepperoni Omelette, little bit of pepper and then a little bit of Tapatio sauce.Breakfast Burrito w/ Sauteed steak with salsa, cheese and scrambled egg wrapped in half a low carb tortilla with a little bit of tapatio.
Lunch: Broccoli and spinach sauteed in smart choice butter, chicken tenderloin and then seasoned with cajun seasoning. Broccoli with Jalepeno and cheese turkey dogs, pepperoni, smothered in Tostito cheese.
Dinner: Buffalo wings : steak burrito with cheese
Snacks: Pork Rinds with Tapatio, Sugar free caramel pudding.
Drinks: Water, Coffee with sugar free creamer

Low Carb Diet

Yesterday was my first day on the Low Carb diet.  Diets are not something I ever do. I don't really believe in them, that being said, I believe that we as a nation take in so much junk. I believe that we eat way more carbs than our body can handle. That's one of the reasons Diabetes have gone up so much. Initially my husband started on the low carb diet. He was curious to see if it would help him lose those last 10 or 15 lbs that his body has been holding on to. So far he has been on it for 9 days and he has said to me several times "Man, I can't believe I use to eat so many carbs. No wonder why I wasn't losing the weight even though I was working out." That got me thinking, "how many carbs do I eat"? I love my carbs, pasta,rice,potatoes, breads, fruit smoothies, dumplings, anything breaded, grilled cheeses, quesadillas, burritos, tacos, nachos, candy bars, coffee creamer, biscottis, I mean I can go on and on. And even though I am losing weight and even though I am working out like crazy, I feel like I am still not doing all that I can to be balanced and healthy. I didn't quite understand how the whole carb thing worked. I didn't understand how NOT having them would help me be healthier. Yes, I eat a lot of carbs, but I don't over eat. I don't sit on the couch eating one bag of chips and then another. I stay on a 1200 to 1500 calorie count. Then my husband started explaining to me why  the low carb diet works and HOW it works. And it made a lot of sense to me. This is a short explination from the Mayo clinic's website:
 Your body uses carbohydrates as its main fuel source. Sugars and starches are broken down into simple sugars during digestion. They're then absorbed into your bloodstream, where they're known as blood sugar (glucose). From there, the glucose enters your body's cells with the help of insulin. Some of this glucose is used by your body for energy, fueling all of your activities, whether it's going for a jog or simply breathing. Extra glucose is stored in your liver, muscles and other cells for later use or is converted to fat.

The theory behind the low-carb diet is that insulin prevents fat breakdown in the body by allowing sugar to be used for energy. Proponents of the low-carb diet believe that decreasing carbs results in lower insulin levels, which causes the body to burn stored fat for energy and ultimately helps you shed excess weight and reduce risk factors for a variety of health conditions.

My reason for this is to detox my body of all the carbs I have put into my body. I also am curious to see if I could lose some of the fat in area's that i've struggled toning up and getting lean such as my upper thighs and around my mid section. I don't plan on doing the low carb diet for a long period of time but I do want to be conscientious of how many carbs I am consuming. As of yesterday I weigh 131.0 lbs. I plan on writing each day about my experience in cutting out carbs, and still working out. I don't think that there is ever a easy way to lose weight. I don't think it is healthy to go from one diet to another. I think it is important to know what you are putting into your body and the bodies of your family members. We need to be wise, we need to stop being ignorant about the foods we are or are not eating. It could be a matter of LIFE or DEATH.

Before and after photos

Oh.My.Goodness! Did you hear that??? Someone just screamed! Oh wait, that was me : ) Why am I screaming? Well let me tell you.
November of 2010 I weighed 149 lbs. I was wearing a size 10. This was the biggest I have ever been post pregnancy. When I realized I could not fit into one of my favorite dresses (a size 4), I decided to start working out and getting back in shape. The funny thing was that I didn't even realize how I got to be 149lbs in such a short time. Looking back I can tell you how it happened. I was nursing my newborn up to 12 months of age. You lose about 500 calories by nursing. When I stopped nursing I was still eating and drinking whatever I wanted, and therefore I blew up to 150lbs. My calorie intake was too high.
  This was me when I was a size 4: To be honest, My body wasn't toned the way it is now, but my thighs were skinnier and I fit into clothes a lot better.

Within literally 3 months I went from a size 4 to a size 10

You can't see my body but you can see the weight gain in my face. 

My workout started out with doing Zumba on the Kinect. It was a good workout. I broke out into a good sweat. The dances where 20 minutes and then over the next couple of days it increased to 45 mins. I did this almost every day. I didn't change my diet at all. I ended up losing about 7 lbs. over the course of a few months. I wasn't consistent with anything or any workout.  Then I became determined. I started reading and learning. I changed the way I ate, counting calories and portion control. Then I started running a little bit with my husband. I hated it. I hated it so so much that I was mad at him for making me run outside with him. But then that started to change. I didn't really like running but I still did it. Then I started jumping on the mini trampoline (rebounding) It came with a counter so it told me how many jumps, time, and calories burned. I loved that! It was hard but I burned twice as many calories in a shorter time span than I did running. Finally I told my husband that I wanted a treadmill. I wanted to see how far I could run and for how long. So we got a very simple basic treadmill. The furthest I have ever ran was 5 miles. I have never felt so accomplished. It was amazing. That's when I really started loving my runs and appreciating them. December of 2011, I signed up for a gym membership at my husbands work. I started Fitness classes. I believe these classes helped me to really push through those plateau's. For a long time I was stuck at 139 lbs. Then I started to mix up my rebounding with running. I then dropped to 136lbs. When I started to mix up my workouts with the fitness classes I dropped to 133 lbs (my current weight, 5'5 height) I was slowly shrinking. I went from a size 10 to a size 8. I went out and bought all new pants this past November. And NOW I am finding my size 8 jeans to be too big. 

 

This is me wearing my size 10 jeans. It is the same pair  in the first picture below.

top: size 10 pants bottom:size 8

Today I took the kids with me to go try on some jeans and I picked out all size 6, different styles and cuts, but same size. The feeling I got when I pulled up those pants over my hips and buttoned them was like a "ah ha" moment! I even had a little bit of room! I can't explain how good it felt. Not just because I was almost back to my pre pregnancy size, but because I knew that all of the hard work that I have been doing was paying off! I know I'm not there yet. Though I am more tone and stronger, I still want to lose at least 10 more pounds. This is such a good feeling for me. I think anyone that has tried losing weight and has been successful at it can relate. When you work hard it pays off. 

These are the same jeans that I am wearing in my very first picture. They're my favorite pair of jeans. These jeans are hard to wear because they are a low rise jean. If one is not careful, they can easily have a muffin top while wearing low rise jeans. When I first bought these jeans, I didn't have a muffin top at all!!! But as you can see in the first photo here, I do. This picture was taken a few months back, in the middle of my transformation. At my heaviest I couldn't even button these pants. They barely fit over my hips and thighs. So I took progress photo's. The first was at 138 lbs and the second is at 133 lbs. The jeans are still snug. But I only have a little more to lose before they fit just perfectly. You can see that my sides are not hanging over the pants nor is my gut! So I am getting there. I am shrinking and that feels good!