Week 5

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 229

Total loss: 18

I'm joining the gym tomorrow, after exhausting all of my guest passes. I feel like it's the right step for me. I'm looking forward to going on my own as well as with my friends.

My husband will most likely be joining a different gym because of his work hours.

We didn't work out a lot together at our old gym before anyways.

It is only $5 for him to come with me sometime to my gym.

We can always workout at the same time, just at our own gyms too.

Sklyar's Run 5K

Today was Michael's 2nd 5k and it was for an awesome cause!

This 5K benefitted our county's special olympics & the special needs school.

Even more special, Skylar is a boy with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy who was pushed in his wheelchair by his father in this race (and every race he does!). Our friends son was just diagnosed with this disease, so as a group we rallied to make this event a sign that we are gonna fight for him & support their family!

To read more about their journey go here.

Week 4

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 231

Total loss: 16

Seeing the scale moving is very motivating. I added in a weight class with my guest passes at the gym. It was fun, a lot different than my last gym's classes.

I can see myself joining this gym and going to classes with my friends a lot more often.

A milestone this week was fitting into my shorts from last summer.

They were too tight at the beginning of this summer, so I had to buy a new ugly pair seen here:

But now, I can rock these size 16's again.



My favorite breakfast!

One of the only things that motivates me to get up early enough to cook is my favorite healthier breakfast!

Usually a combo of egg beaters (sometimes I add cheese, hot sauce and/or salsa), turkey sausage w/ mustard & whole grain waffles with sugar free syrup & I can't believe it's not butter.

I'm also a big fan of chai tea lattes with soy milk & splenda!

Not All Salads Are Created Equal...

I have memories of making hamburger helper, meatloaf, spaghetti & pepperoni alfredo pasta growing up.

Some recipes were box mixes, some were homemade.

As I got older and both of my parents worked 9-5 Monday-Friday, the menu changed.

We ate more and more processed, pre-cooked, frozen meals. 

In high school I feel like all we ever ate for dinner was frozen pizza with ranch.

Or chicken tenders & fries, fried or baked.

When we wanted to be "healthy" we had fried chicken with salad and full fat ranch instead of fries.

I know that I made the decision to eat those things, but I basically grew up with the idea that eating a salad of any kind was healthy.

When I started doing research on my own I realized that not all salads are created equal.

Restaurant salads especially.

Caesar salad is not very good for you at all. 

And once you add fried anything to a salad I don't think you should call it a salad anymore.

Adding bacon, eggs and full fat cheese makes it almost as many calories as everything else on the menu.

This was eye opening to me.

It feels silly to think that I just believed what my parents believed, but I was a kid. 

Now I know better. And I'm so glad that I do.

Week 3

Week 3 was even better for me!

I got invited to the gym by several friends to try Zumba!

Zumba was SO fun, I can't believe it's a workout! The music, the instructors and being there with my friends was awesome.

Starting weight: 247

Current Weight: 233

Total loss: 14

MOTIVATION: Healthy Blogs

One of the things that got me into weightloss before was healthy blogs & weightloss blogs.

Seeing other people achieve their goals, with amazing before and after photos is indeed motivation.

It helped me see there are real people, just like me, losing weight and keeping it off the healthy way.

Even when I wasn't particularly in a "losing mode" I still kept these blogs on my blogroll and read most updates. They pushed me further into the realization that I need to get back on my feet and get this weight off. AGAIN.

These are just a few of the blogs I subscribe to:

Bitch Cakes

Jack Shit Gettin' Fit

Prior Fat Girls Jen & Elle

Roni's Weigh

Mama Laughlin

The Fitnessista

Losing Weight Every Day

Seeing an update from any of them helps me refocus on my goals and my journey.

Healthy habits that STUCK

Because I have lost weight before. I do know mostly what I should be/shouldn't be doing.

Today I thought about all the things that stuck with me since losing weight, even when I wasn't in "losing mode".

I try to only buy brown rice and whole wheat pasta.

I opt for lean ground beef or ground turkey. I haven't bought regular ground beef since 2009.

I've kept seafood in our weekly menus.

I still buy Soy Milk, especially when it's on sale.

I also buy 2% cheese, light sour cream & mayo.

I've kept a lot of light recipes in our rotation too.

I know I learned a lot last time. And maybe it needed to happen that way so I could see that if I don't pay attention and put in the effort the weight comes back, way too easily & fast!
I try to drink only water, but sometimes you need a little flavor, then we opt for Crystal Light (or a cheaper off brand)

Week 2!

Week 2 was not as difficult!

I am down another 6lbs!

We upped our activity this week as we were less sore. We took the dogs for extra longs walks :)

Good for us and for them.

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 236

Total lost: 11

How my work lunch works...

As I mentioned in my last post, I drive a small pickup truck for work.

I usually eat while driving to save time.

I have been known to stop and eat a salad because that is one thing that is super tricky to eat while driving.

I normally try to pickup or bring things that are easier to eat while driving.

Like sandwiches. Homemade turkey/chicken/ham or peanut butter & jelly.

Or chargrilled chicken from Chick-fil-a.

Or QT food that has calories on it! So nice for a convenience store!

Snacks are usually fruit, yogurt or nuts.

I feel like my job does present a challenge to eating healthy, but I accept that challenge!

I have done this before and I am doing it again!

My unhealthy obsession...

So, I drive a small pickup truck for work. I deliver transmissions to shops around Atlanta and I eat my lunch in the truck.

The easiest, fastest place to go to for lunch was McDonald's. They are located everywhere. I can always find one when I get hungry. I know what I like there.

But I know that it's disgustingly unhealthy. And I used to eat there before I lost weight the first time...

And I wish i would've stayed away but I didn't.

So I can basically say I've eaten lunch there almost everyday for the past six months.

No wonder I gained 30lbs.

It wasn't just the McDonald's, but I think to myself, if I already had bad food for lunch, dinner can be whatever because I already ruined a healthy day anyways.

The thing is, I knew that was the wrong way to think, I was just in a state of denial.

I'm here to say though, NO MORE MCDONALDS.

I can do so much better. 

I am so much better than that!