Leese Ramblings
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Things I've Learned From My Weight Loss Journey
2. Maintaining weight loss is even HARDER.
3. There is no magic solution or one thing you have to do to lose. There are so many variables and every person's right way is different.
4. I am proud to say I have never done any pills or crazy diets to lose weight. That is not to say I have not been sorely tempted when the scale stops responding.
5. I LOVE working out. There is no way I could have accomplished what I have if I hated it.
6. I am competitive. Even if it's with myself, I get a kick out of lifting heavier from one day to the next or learning something new and doing it well. (I also really like lifting heavier than almost everyone else in class.)
7. There is a fine line between healthy and obsessed. I cross this line frequently, but usually I can pull myself back.
8. The scale sucks. That is all. Sucks.
9. The awesome compliments stop coming when the weight loss stops. I'm still trying to find my own way to appreciate myself and not be so needy of those compliments.
10. I will never reach a final "goal" and be done. There will always be something to improve on. (This one is a difficult lesson when it hits. I soooo thought I would hit that magic number on the scale and be satisfied.)
11. Finding like-minded friends has been the best thing that has happened to me. I have never been good at making friends, but now I can talk to people in my classes and we encourage each other.
12. One of my big goals now is to help other people. I'm not sure yet how I am meant to help, but I know that I have something to offer and if I can help or encourage one person with my knowledge/story, then I will be happy.
13. Food is still my kryptonite. Some days I'm great, some days not so much. It has been even harder to not give in to temptation when I don't see results from my disciplined days.
14. I don't think I will ever be a runner. I still hate it. The thing is, there are so many things I do now that I said "never" about that I can't be sure that 5 years from now I won't be running a marathon.
15. Even after all of my lifestyle changes, my blood pressure remains high and my Iron levels stay low, and that pisses me off. I want to be healthy in all ways.
16. I'm a homebody, stick to the routine, antisocial kind of girl, but my new lifestyle doesn't really fit with that so I have had to re-evaluate what is important to me in all areas of my life.
17. Not everyone is ready to workout/ eat healthier/ lose weight/ change their lives at once and that is OK. It took me until I was 35 to make the changes I needed to and I am still a work in progress. I do not judge anyone for the choices they make. BUT. Somehow I think it comes across that way because it is such a big part of my life right now.
18. I go through cycles (sometimes several times a day) of being satisfied and proud of myself for what I have accomplished or frustrated and mad at myself for any perceived setback. The last few months have been difficult because I am watching the scale creep up, up, up and nothing I do seems to help turn it around.
I want to say thank-you to everyone who has supported and encouraged me along the way. I have the best friends and family a person could ever hope for.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
I'm Overdue for an Update
So after my ankle got a little better I actually went back to my old faves, Turbo Fire and Chalean Extreme. I used a hybrid schedule and got through most of that during the summer. Summer. Oh how I love having summers off. Unfortunately I actually was making less time to workout and eating more, not to mention the vacation eating. I am a person who really needs a routine to thrive. So while I love my summers, it was really nice to go back to work a month ago so I could establish my new routine.
And that brings me to my new endeavour. I joined our local YMCA! It took some convincing for my husband to agree, but after showing him how important it was to me (I really needed something new.)and how much it would benefit all of us he agreed to sign up. I love it. I surprisingly like working out with people, either in a class setting or just nearby so I can see what they are doing. I love love love Zumba. I've been going to a Zumba class about 3 times a week, resistance training about 3 times a week, and then I get on the elliptical or the rowing machine about twice a week.
So I've had this routine about a month now, and I am very happy with it. But. I still have these last
The end result of all these musings is that I am going to keep doing what I'm doing and try not to worry so much about the scale as about the reflection in the mirror is telling me. And I realize some of this sounds very braggy, but I have worked very very hard for what I have. I spent a lot of years not happy with my body. I know that anyone with a goal can accomplish it. Just start and take it one day at a time. Research, connect with others, find something you enjoy, make small changes, etc., etc.
Today: September 30, 2012 |
My P90X2 Collage |
Thursday, April 5, 2012
P90X2 Results and What's Up Next
I was going to take a week off after I finished to give myself a break, but I just couldn't do it. I am officially addicted to exercise. So I started Insanity the Asylum on April 1st. Woah. Seriously this is like nothing I have ever done. I have gotten through 4 days and I have been so sore the entire time that going up and down stairs was torture. Just today I am starting to feel a little more normal. Today was the first of only 2 rest days for the entire 30 day program and I needed it. This program IS heavy cardio so I hope to lose another few pounds and get closer to my ultimate goal (130's!)
I also signed up for a 5k this weekend with my sister. I don't run. I don't like running. But I want to be able to say I've done it so... We did a practice run Sunday (also Day 1 of Asylum, might be a factor in my extra soreness) and we got done in about 32 minutes with one short walking break at the halfway point. I hope to do a little better at the race, but I am worried about it being in the morning. I also don't do morning workouts.
So wish me luck and I'll post my race results and Asylum results ASAP.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Quick Fitness Update
Anyway I want to update my healthy journey status. I started this journey on January 1st, 2011 with some Wii and Turbo Jam. May 1st I started hard core with Turbo Fire and Chalean Extreme. When I finished my first round on September 18th, I was down 35 pounds and smaller than I had ever been as an adult. I kept working out but had a bit of a slow down from then until December, losing only 5 more pounds. Then December was awful. The combination of holidays and a wisdom tooth removal had me put those 5 pounds right back on.
So I recieved P90X2 as a gift and decided I would start that on January 1st. Those 5 pesky pounds quickly came back off with Phase 1 (plus I got my eating back on track). Now I am finishing up week 1 of Phase 2 and the weight is dropping again. I am down another 2 pounds (a lot considering I am now past my original goal), and I am seeing more definition in my arms and abs. Plus I am determined to do a real pull-up by the time I am done with this.
I have decided that it doesn't really matter what program/workout you choose when trying to lose weight or get in shape. It matters that you commit yourself to it, put 100% into each workout, and make sure to change things up every once in a while. And it helps to enjoy it, too. I actually look forward to my workouts every day and miss them on my rest days.
So here is an updated collage. Not seeing big changes anymore, but...
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
11 years on 11-11-11
Monday, November 7, 2011
Report Card Day!
Ben is not getting letter grades yet, but he also has an awesome report card: S+ in reading and math, E in spelling, and S in English. His conduct is S-, but I am proud of how far he has come and how much better he is doing from even last year.
Good thing I made pumpkin muffins before they got home from school today, because they sure deserved a treat!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Dancing Baby
We were carving pumpkins for Halloween and Tommy was "helping": he'd reach in with is scoop, swish it around, and bang it in the garbage. Daddy was cleaning out the junk drawer, (I know, random, but he was looking for the carving tools.) and he found an old CD from Kriss Kross. Remember them? No? Well, you shouldn't. But they had a fun dancey beat, al least Tommy thinks so. Check it out:
Friday, October 28, 2011
Sick :(
But...Halloween weekend! I love Halloween! We need to get pumpkins and carve them, then find some Trunk or Treats, trick or treat, etc. etc. Ugh. Was this whiny enough for you????
So I am going to put my warm jammies on since I am freezing and let the big boys put on a movie and hope the little one can be contained for a while. See you in the AM feeling better {fingers crossed}
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Halloween Costumes
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
My First Run
I wanted to post about my run on Saturday so I will start there. I am signed up for a 5k this coming Sunday and since I never run I thought I might give it a try (a few friends are walking it so I am not too worried about having to run). I took the 2 older boys and their bikes with me to the bike path, did a little stretch and hit the trail. And ran. Immediately realized that my capris are too big. I had to run while hiking them up every few steps. Joey said "You should have done a practice at home to make sure." Well. Other than that the first mile was easy peasy. The next half mile was slightly more difficult, but I was at a 10 minute mile pace and thought 3 miles was very doable. So at 1.5 miles we turned around to head back. And then my bladder started talking to me. Not very nicely. No bathrooms at any point on this path. So the last mile involved some brisk walking in order to keep my pants at least somewhat dry for the drive home. Got back to the car in 34 minutes. Not bad for a first run. Straight back home and into the potty!
Sunday my shins and calves were pretty sore and by Monday they were really sore. According to my HRM I burned similar calories to my workouts at home and I find them way more enjoyable (plus the bathroom is nearby), so I still don't think I'll ever be a runner. But I am glad I tried it and still looking forward to the race- if nothing else I get to visit with some old friends.
Not much other news at the moment. I want to try to post pictures of all of our costumes in the next day or so. Tommy has several options so maybe we can have a vote for which one he should wear on Halloween.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
A Picture Update
Isn't he the cutest baby ever? Just this week he has started talking and communicating sooo much. He asks for an app-o when he wants a snack, shoos or molk when he is thirsty. For a long time he has called all animals Sasha (our dog's name), but now he learned Grandma's dog's name and animals are boo-boo or Sasha. He loves balls and points them out wherever he sees them. And whenever something is missing (sometimes because he hid it), he says "(where)Is it?" then when we ask him where it is, he says "don't know" and shrugs.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Snippets
*Tommy is 18 months old (almost 19!) and has yet to sleep through the night.
*Joey finished 3 books today. 3! (He tends to read several books at a time.
*Ben is a night owl and prefers to sleep in in the morning, but he has been surprisingly agreeable about getting up on time for school this year.
*We had a houseguest this week (left today). We enjoyed having him but I am happy to be sitting here in my jammies right now.
*I signed up for a 5k. I'm thinking I want to try to run it?!?!? I just feel like this is the next step for me in my fitness quest.
*I love my job. Love it. Love 3 year olds. Do not love the "outside the classroom" stuff and nonsense.
*My bathroom is rarely clean. Know why? 4 boys. Boys are messy. Boys are sloppy pee-ers.
*My laundry is always done. Know why? Not sure actually. Just something I can easily control I guess.
*My toenails are bright blue today.
*I really like the new show Pan-Am, especially Cristina Ricci.
Ok, running out of steam. Thanks for visiting. Come back soon.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Shopping!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Back to Blogging (again)
So I want to recommit to blogging again. Stories about the boys, my fitness news, and so on and so forth.
Today I will list Tommy's words that he has so far:
Da-Da
Ma-Ma
cheese
sticker
shoe
Joe-Joe (and Ben but they sound the same)
Sasha
Tom-Tom
Mine
Where it is?
I don't know (this one is new)
poo-poo
teeth
no-no (while pointing to his nose)
eye
ca-ca (icky)
fishies
Love you
night night
juice
cracker
That's all I can think of for right now. Until tomorrow (or maybe the next day)
Saturday, September 17, 2011
My Turbo FIre/CHalean Extreme Results
So I started small- Wii workouts 4 to 5 days a week. Smaller portions and less eating out. By May 1st I had lost 12 pounds (not nearly what I had hoped), and was ready to start Turbo Fire and Chalean Extreme. I was committing to a 20 week schedule of working out 6 days a weeks for 45 minutes to an hour and a half each day. 3 days of high intensity cardio and 3 days of strength training. I enjoyed the workouts from the beginning, though some days were harder than others to get going. By the end of June I had lost 10 more pounds and was starting to feel more confident and comfortable. In the beginning of August I hit my original goal of 160- 30 pounds lost. More and more people were noticing and commenting on my results.
Now it is September 18th and I have reached the end of my 20 week schedule. I missed a couple workouts when we went on vacation and had to adjust my schedule for other priorities on occasion, but I have completed the program. My results since May 1st:
Weight: 178 to 155 23 pounds
Pant size: 14 to 8!!!!!!
Shirt size: L to M
Bra size: 38c to 36b
......and pics: