GOAL!... kinda

Today is my birthday (Happy Birthday to me!!) and the date I gave myself to fit into the jeans I had ordered off EBay in with a big bunch of jeans for my older girls. I tried them on in dismay months ago unable to button them.  No pictures were taken, I was too horrified at the extra "fluff" hanging out making it so I couldn't button my jeans, forget about zipping them fully.

That day I vowed to whip my ass into shape.  Yes, I know round is A Shape but I want to be in a healthy, sexier shape.  After 2 trips through the 30 day shred (not fully completed one of those times)  I have noticed changes.  I definitely feel a change in my ability to keep up with my energetic children.  I will continue to have that evil woman Jillian Michaels kick my ass and keep me motivated to keep kicking back.  I haven't been the only one enjoying the changes in my body.  My husband has noticed the changes in places I couldn't see without a mirror or a silly dance.

With a family history heavy in heart disease and diabetes I didn't want my life to be affected so negatively by my weight.  I started out this weight loss journey at a size 16 (and getting disturbingly tight)  When I woke up this morning I was apprehensive that I would even fit in the jeans.  My thoughts were filled with a replay of my fall off the healthy wagon recently and straight into a big pile of cookies and sweets.  I had stayed and wallowed a while in those sweets and my lack of weight loss results recently shows it.

This morning I just stood there glaring at those jeans for a good five minutes before attempting to plunge in.  I was pleasantly surprised it only required a small wiggle to get them up over my overly ample hips, no full blown hopping or dancing around needed.  ::mini victory dance::   As I buttoned them and slid the zipper up into place I almost began to cry.  They actually fit. I did it, kinda.  Sure I do have a mini muffin top. In all fairness it's more like a corn bread muffin top and no longer a Starbucks mega muffin top.

Pardon the bragging post but I am very proud of myself for achieving my goal (kinda) and during the holiday season no less. (the season of weakness for me)   I wont be stopping here though.  I'll stop wanting to lose weight once my Wii fit stops calling me fat or groaning when I step on it.  That would be around 30 more lbs to lose.  OK so it doesn't straight out call me fat but I don't like the weigh in and watching my Mii plump up to match my plumper proportions.

What is one of your favorite exercise routines to use?  Healthy snack ideas?  My favorite craving buster is any bar of really good dark chocolate.  Dark Chocolate has been proven to be an appetite suppressant.  Even stranger you don't even have to eat it. Smelling the dark chocolate is not enough for me though.  I prefer ingesting my chocolate to just smelling it.  My willpower isn't strong enough to bring chocolate so close to my mouth and not sample even just a small morsel.

Weight Loss Sabotage

I was doing great on my workouts. Julian Michaels was thoroughly kicking my sorry hide into shape. A shape I was beginning to really enjoy seeing. Then it happened...

Aunt Flo finally reared her ugly head after 6 months of no Postpartum visits. She arrived with all the evil excess baggage of migraines, bloating, cramping, sleeplessness, mood swings and feeling perpetually tired. I really did try to stick with working out, but after the first day I thought I was going to need some sort of hospitalization just to recover.

Then once I finally got Aunt flo and all her extra baggage out, I got sick. Not just a little sick either, no.. I am an overachiever and get a lingering chest cold that made me want to drag myself to the doctors for. Which was understandable since I ended up having my first asthma attack in years, but thankfully we still keep a rescue inhaler for that type of emergency. I hate the doctors though, they always want to poke me with needles and rarely do they only stab me once. All that poking and prodding would be for nothing, because I am breast-feeding and couldn't take most medications to help ease any of the symptoms without affecting my milk supply or flat-out being dangerous for my son. A visit to the doctors would be pointless and just be atrocious on top of me already feeling miserable. Instead I drank my orange juice, stayed hydrated, and tried to take it easy.

Back to the weight-loss saboteur sidekick, my dear sweet loving husband who isn't the most helpful when trying to lose weight. Sure he is a great workout buddy, but when it comes to healthy snacking it's a disaster. During this past month he has brought home ice cream sandwiches for me. (He's Lactose intolerant so none of them are for him.) Sure, they are the Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches but that is a slippery sugary slope for me. Then next it was the Twix ice cream bar and more ice cream sandwiches. Which turned into a daily iced coffee instead of it being a weekly treat. Sweets are my weakness. Maybe he's being sneaky and vindictive after I silently giggled at him for never again attempting the 30 day shred after that first workout. Nah, he's not that spiteful and he is enjoying the results of my workouts too.

So, back to the 30 day shred I go. Maybe I'll switch it up a few days with the Zumba workout my mother's group has talked about. Back to the grind! Those goal jeans have been taunting me from the bottom of my dresser. No more self sabotage.

I love you honey, but no more ice cream sandwiches to say you love me, a hug and the real words are better for my waistline.

The First of 30 Days

Yesterday was the first day of my workout routine using the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred.

Let me just say.. She kicked my ass. I was left a shaking, aching, panting, sweaty mess. I can confidently say that was the best workout I have done by far. No other workout left me feeling so thoroughly whipped.  Plus the added challenge of my 4 yr old dancing in and out of the room. (as I refer to her while working out... increased difficulty) Or the blow to my ego when my audience containing my 5 month old was laughing at me jumping around and rolling on the floor. Maxx thought it was hilarious.

To add insult to out of shape injury my husband calls me on the phone just as I finish my first level 1 routine. He actually laughed at how out of breath I was and totally whipped I sounded.    So, I challenged him to do the workout.   He confidently agreed. "No way can a female's workout be that tough"
Well, he tried it.. That was the most sweaty I have seen my husband in a long time.  He was a soggy hot mess.  I can honestly say.. she kicked his ass too.  I didn't point and laugh at him struggling thru some of the moves... like I wanted to. (yes, I am a very sore loser.. and sore winner too) I did giggle quietly to myself when he was cursing at the tv towards the end.
When he finished the workout he was just sitting with his muscles shaking.  I let out a very satisfying...

I TOLD YOU SO!!

Even though I felt horrible right after my routine was over. I still look forward to today's routine.  I was left feeling energized after recovering from the total shock of my first real workout in over a year.  Sure my muscles ache, but for dramatic results you need dramatic action.