My Brand New Year

2014 has come to a close and I, like many, was ready for that to happen. It wasn't a bad year by any means but it wasn't a fantastic year either. We made some good memories throughout the year...a trip to the Dells, camping with the boys for the first time, building a deck. My biggest accomplishment was losing 18 pounds. It's certainly nothing to scoff at but I didn't walk away from the last year with that one "big" memory or accomplishment. And while that's ok, 2015 is going to be different.

2015 is going to be the year of Me. I'm taking the opportunity of a brand new year to become a slightly better version of me. I won't claim to become a brand new me because there are parts of the current me that I enjoy such as the sarcasm and wit that everyone has grown to love. ;)

After taking a hiatus for the holidays, I'm back with a brand new challenge. Glenn Jackson and I are embarking on a three-month weight loss challenge with big things at stake. The person who loses the biggest percentage of weight by March 31 gets a coveted prize. For him, a new gun. For me, a beautiful new Coach purse. I've managed to mostly maintain my weight loss from the competition with my brother (only up about a pound) so I'm not starting out in a bad place. I'd like to walk away with a 20 pound weight loss but I'm shooting for more than that.

I know this will be tough. Glenn's got a lot more to lose and hasn't been "dieting" since August like I have but I'm not giving up without a fight. Last year I had every intention of completing a half marathon and even went so far as to sign up for it but I didn't follow through for several reasons, only one of which is completely valid, in my opinion. I don't think I'm cut out for a long run. Short ones? Those are definitely more my thing. So 2015 is my year of 5k's. 12 of them to be exact. I haven't signed up for any and I don't yet know when they'll happen but there will be 12 of them.

I'm on a mission to make this year great. I want to better my body so I can keep up with my kids and get off this damn blood pressure medication. But I'm also looking to better myself personally. For instance, I want to become a better parent. The kind who doesn't feel like they're always getting upset with their kids because they don't listen or constantly talk back. I don't claim to be a perfect parent nor am I am a bad parent; I just want to be a slightly better one. :)

I know this next year will not be without its challenges and disappointments but come December 31, I want to look back and see more good times than bad ones. I am committed to making 2015 my year and with a little faith, I know it will happen.

Water, Weight Loss, Water, Oh and More Water

One week into my newest challenge with my sister-in-law and I'm down 5 pounds. Sounds great, right? Well the reality of it all is that when we weighed in a week ago, it was in the middle of the day after we'd eaten. Plus I was coming off my Thanksgiving binge. I'm back down to where I was when my brother and I finished our weight loss challenge so if you look at it from that perspective, it's not that impressive. But really, all that matters is that I've lost weight.

My personal challenge for December has been to drink half my body weight of water every day (in ounces). 6 days in and I've managed to do it every single day. And let me tell you, it's hard. I have absolutely no problem drinking water at work but at home, especially over the weekend, it's difficult because you get distracted by kids and housework.

I have noticed a few things though.

1. My lips aren't dry and cracked like usual.
2. I pee about 12 twelve times a day and I can tell my system is being flushed.
3. The skin on my hand that was once chapped is almost gone.
4. I don't feel bloated like I usually do.

I'm interested to see where I'm at by the end of the month. I know water can be a big contributor to weight loss so I'm crossing my fingers! Kate and I are competing until mid-January and I'd love to be able to pull 15 pounds out of this challenge. Plus I could really use another manicure. Send positive thoughts, people!

Pre-Turkey Day Weigh In Results

Turkey day is almost here and with it, the end of the competition between me and my brother. Now I don't know about him but I'm certainly not going to complain about the results because it means he has to take my kids for a weekend!!!

Nathan lost 2.88% of his body weight and I lost 4.43%. I'm incredibly proud of both of us. We both stuck to our guns and managed to pull off an incredible weight loss over the last 6 weeks. And we're not done yet!

I'm officially down 18 pounds since the end of August. That is such an incredible feeling especially because it means I'm down a pants size. I've still got a long ways to go but I'm definitely happy with how far I've come in three months.

Tomorrow brings family, good food, and a lot of be thankful for, including my wonderful family and friends. And for just one day, I'm going to eat whatever I want! Saturday kicks off yet another competition with my sister-in-law. She's going on a cruise in January and is trying to fit into the dress she wore at our wedding. Me...I'm just looking for an excuse to be able to buy clothes in a smaller size. Hopefully we both get what we want!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Progress: One Day At A Time

Apparently complaining about hitting a plateau was enough to kick start me up again. All I'll say is I'm pleased with where I'm at. I'd like to leave my brother in suspense for the next week. *insert smiley face here*

I didn't get up and work out this morning. I just didn't have the energy. But I'm not beating myself up. I'm trying really hard to live by the philosophy of taking it one day at a time. I will have good days and bad days and everything else in between. There will be days where I won't see any progress and will want to do nothing more than give up (read: last week) but I won't. And there will be those days where everything goes right and I go to bed feeling fabulous. Those days? They're the best days and the ones that make this journey worthwhile. Today wasn't one of those days but it was a step in the right direction.

Plateaus Are The Worst!

Why does losing weight have to be so hard? I did so awesome during my challenge with my sister-in-law but this current challenge is harder for some reason. I'm down a little over 4 pounds, which is nothing to scoff at but it seems like no matter how hard I work out or how much I watch my calories, the weight just doesn't want to come off.

I'm trying to tell myself that I'm actually building some muscle, and maybe part of that is true, but I'm not sure that's it. I've done fairly well with getting up in the morning to work out (not 100% mind you) but I've been pretty consistent. I get at least 30 minutes in at a time. And I've been pretty good about sticking to my calorie count. I'm not doing anything different than I did during my first challenge. If anything, I've stepped it up. So why is it that when I step on the scale, the number doesn't move? It's so frustrating!

I'm sure stress doesn't help and I've had more than my fair share of it these past few weeks between work and children with ear infections and bad attitudes. Don't get me wrong...I'm happy with the fact that I've lost over 14 pounds since the end of August. I'm just feeling a little defeated, particularly this last week.

I've got two more weeks in my challenge with my brother and I need to get past this plateau. If anyone has any tips or tricks to get my body kick started again, I would love to hear them. I can't let him win!

Wednesday = Whining, Workouts, and Wine

Today has been a bit of a challenge. Getting up this morning about killed me. I was snuggled in all cozy in a super deep sleep when my stupid alarm clock chimed in to remind me, "oh yeah, you vowed to get up early to work out". I just read that in my head with a super whiny/bitchy tone. It accurately describes how I was feeling.

Then, my workout was interrupted twice. Once because the dog didn't come when I called him. Nor did he come the next 10 times that I called him. I discovered him still snuggled in bed. What an ass! Then I had to go potty. I gave up my workout after 25 minutes. Today, that will have to be good enough.

The kicker was getting a call at 10:30 this morning to tell me that Keegan was running a fever of 102. I tried to call Glenn as I had a full schedule but to no avail. Cancel said meetings, get him a doctor's appointment, and lo and behold, ear infection! Poor little guy. He's holding up pretty well despite everything but I can tell he's miserable. He actually snuggled with me before he fell asleep. That's pretty rare these days as he only does one thing and that's move...fast. Hopefully some antibiotics and a good night's sleep will make everything all better. If not, mommy's always got wine!

Mornings Will Never Be My Friend

I managed to drag my butt out of bed for my first workout this morning. It was not pretty. I don't think my eyes cleared until well into my workout. Perhaps the sweat dripping down into them helped.

I did Tae Bo. It was exhausting. But as I sit here in my sweaty clothes drinking a big glass of water, I'm reminded that I did it. I got up, got my butt downstairs, and completed a 30 minute workout. And now I'm done for the day. I can come home from work and enjoy my evening with my family.

Mornings may not be my friend but they will definitely make my nights more enjoyable.

New Me November

November is here and bringing a few challenges (all positive!) with it. But I'll get to that in a minute.

My baby celebrated his first Halloween, which prompted me to realize that 21 days from today, he will turn 1. I can't believe how fast this year has gone by. Last Halloween I was running up and down the stairs handing out candy. I was 9 months pregnant. This year was much better!

 

 

My other baby decided to be a ninja turtle this year. Specifically, the red one. He made it almost an hour trick or treating before the cold got the best of him. He spent the rest of the night helping me hand out candy. Glenn Jackson believes in giving out handfuls so luckily we don't have much left. I'd be a goner if we need.

 



I, for one, am looking forward to what November will bring. As you know, I'm in a competition with my brother to see who can lose the most amount of weight by November 26. I've heard rumors that he's exercising (what???), which means I'm kickin'er down starting now. Starting Monday, I am committing to waking up at 5:30/5:45 every weekday morning to get my work out in. If you know me, you'd know that this challenge might kill me. I loves me some sleep.

Glenn and I are also committed to meal planning, which should hopefully help us from making 12 trips to Target in a week. Today we planned out what we're eating for the next two weeks, made our grocery list, and actually stuck to it. I was so impressed with myself! I also made pita chips, roasted three batches of pumpkin seeds, and made some chocolate chip cookies. Rowan insisted on the cookies as he felt he needed to also "cook".

Only 27 days to Thanksgiving, which means only 28 days to Black Friday shopping. Ahh, my favorite shopping day of the year! I can't wait!

Oh Happy Day!

It is indeed a happy day. I stepped on my scale this morning and lo and behold, I am officially under 200 pounds! I haven't been here since December 2012. I. Am. Ecstatic!

I am now two weeks into my competition with my brother and I'm down 4 pounds. Six more pounds in the next four weeks seems like a lot of pull off but I'm going to do my very best. I just need to give away the 12 pounds of candy we have sitting in a bucket ready for the trick or treaters and I'll be good. Why is Halloween candy so tempting?!?!

Friday I'm allowing myself a cheat day. Glenn and I both took the day off work and are going to do a day date. We can barely remember the last time we went to a movie that a) wasn't a kid movie and b) we went to together. I'll definitely take an app and tap and a movie over work!

Next week I hope to report that another one to two pounds have hit the bricks. Wish me luck!

Operation: Beat the Brother Has Commenced

Last Wednesday evening my brother and I kicked off our official weight-loss competition. We are competing for 6 weeks with the final weigh in taking place the night before Thanksgiving. We figured that way we could enjoy the holiday and all of the glorious offerings it will bring. Like pie. And cheesecake. Maybe a little ham. And more pie.

So far I'm down 1.2 pounds from my starting weight. Ideally I would like to lose another 10 pounds from where I was following my competition with my sister-in-law but I'll take whatever I can get. I just need to lose enough to beat my brother. The loser of the competition has to take the other person's kids for a weekend. I would love to take Noah and Emma for a weekend but I would love it even more if Rowan and Keegan got to spend some time in Iowa. My sister-in-law is on my side as she really wants my kids for a weekend. Either way, it will be fun.

I've kicked started my workouts and am back to counting calories. I gave myself a bit of a break between competitions and not once did I feel guilty about it. Despite not keeping track, I didn't gain any weight back, which is awesome. The farther I go, the more I learn about my body. For instance, I am very dependent on protein but am not real good about getting my daily allowance. You'd think I would for all of the chicken I consume. Thank goodness for orange crème protein powder, the breakfast of champions.

Just over 5 weeks to go before my brother must bow down to the weight loss champ. Wish me luck!

Competition Results Are In!

The day has finally arrived. My final weigh in with my sister-in-law. I wasn't nervous because I know I've been making progress but I still wanted to pull out a good number. And a good number it was!

In seven weeks, Kate lost 1.3% of her body weight and I lost 4.1%. I lost 9 pounds, according to my mother-in-law's scale. And that makes me the official winner of our competition! Woot woot!!

Now if you go by my scale and what I weighed yesterday when I was sans clothes, I'm actually down 11 pounds. It's amazing how much clothes weigh. But 9 or 11 pounds, it doesn't really matter. What matters is that I lost weight and I feel amazing.

I am proud of both of us. We went into this competition with the intent of dropping some pounds (check!), but I'm leaving with more energy, a lot of pride, and a huge sense of accomplishment. A huge thank you to Kate for pushing me to do this!

I'm on a roll and not stopping anytime soon. October 15 starts my competition with my brother. Whoever loses the highest percentage of weight loss by November 26 is declared the winner. We're purposely weighing in before Thanksgiving so we can enjoy the day. Loser has to take the other person's kids for a weekend. In actuality, it's a win for either one of us. Our kids love spending time together. I think Rowan is hoping I lose so that Noah can come to his house.

Through my sister-in-law, I've heard that my brother hopes I like my niece and nephew's company. Well of course I do. And to him I say "Bring it". I don't think he realizes what he's gotten himself into.

The End Is Near: 5 Days Until The Final Weigh In

Five more days until my final weigh-in with my sister-in-law and I couldn't be happier. Not that our competition is over, but for the progress I've made. I finally feel as though I've hit my groove. Now, granted, the last two weeks haven't been great on the workout front due to our hectic schedule but that still hasn't stopped me from dropping some lbs. I'm not ready to say how many but it's a good number, at least in my mind.

I'm not even done with this challenge and I'm already thinking about my next one. I believe I will be competing with my brother for about 6 weeks with our final weigh in taking place on the beloved turkey day. Glenn and I are trying to figure out our plan of attack. He wants to lose at least 20 pounds by Christmas so this will force me keep on my path through the end of the year. After that, the world is my oyster!

Stay tuned on Sunday to find out whether or not I crushed this competition!

The Scale Doesn't Lie...And That's a Good Thing!

My post today comes to you live from lovely Phoenix, AZ. I'm in charge of programming for a new conference in January so we're checking out the resort for planning purposes. So given that, I did my weekly weigh in this morning and was surprised by what I saw.

We were at my brother and sister-in-law's this weekend and I wasn't great about watching what I ate. I didn't overindulge but I certainly wasn't counting calories. And even still, I lost a couple of pounds. I am officially down 7.4 pounds in the last 5 weeks. Can I get a woot woot?!?!

I've got a little less than 2 weeks until my final weigh in. I would love to step on that scale and see a 10 pound weight loss but I'll take what I can get. It's definitely hard traveling for work. I'm trying to make good choices and walking around the property in this 101 degree heat certainly helps sweat it out but you don't always get to control what you get to eat. I've been implementing the "it's ok to not clean your plate" rule while I'm here. I just hope I don't see a weight loss gain when I get back.

On a different note, we took in a kick ass concert over the weekend. Nothing More, Hellyeah, Volbeat, and Five Finger Death Punch played the US Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids. And let me tell you...Volbeat. Was. Awesome!! I would definitely go see them again. Too bad you missed it Jared!

Workout Challenge: Complete!

I didn't realize it until today but yesterday was the end of my 30 day workout challenge. I fulfilled all but one of those days but I consider this a huge win in my book!

What's so awesome is that the past month hasn't felt at all like a lot of extra work. Yes there have been times where the last thing I wanted to do was work out but I did it anyway. I'm still slightly in shock that I actually made it! 

Because this went much better than I expected, I'm pushing myself to another thirty days. Plus I'm adding to it. For the next thirty days, I'm going to actually measure my food rather than saying "yup, that looks like 3 ounces". I've only got three more weeks to beat my sister-in-law and earn myself that pedicure!

On a completely separate note, I'm considering selling Thirty One mostly to get out of the house at least once a month and earn a little extra money for funsies. Would anyone book a party if I did that? It's just an idea but one I'm strongly considering. 

You Inspire Me

Last night at my thirty-one party, the consultant had everyone go around the room and introduce themselves and then say one positive or encouraging thing about me. I heard that I'm friendly, I'm fun, I have a great sense of humor, I'm always willing to lend an ear, and they like having me as part of their lives. But the one that stuck with me the most was hearing one of my friends say that I motivated her. I loved every single one of the comments I heard but to have someone tell me that I motivate them gave me an overwhelming sense of pride. And also made me want to cry a little.

I've had people tell me before that I've motivated them for one thing or another but never when it comes to weight loss. My friend and I have similar struggles when it comes to our bodies so it was refreshing to hear that I, an overweight person, inspire her. And truth be told, she's an inspiration to me as well. It's comforting to have someone else that that can challenge you and remind you that you don't have to feel guilty if you miss a workout.

I have many friends (and family) who inspire and motivate me and I want to take a moment to say "Thank you". I haven't given up yet and it's mostly because of you. There have been a few days where I wanted to quit but I thought about what I promised myself and all of you and I kept going. Every day I get closer to my goal of losing weight and becoming a healthier, happier me. So thank you for being there for me, even if you didn't know you were.

Ain't No Stopping Me Now

Three weeks into my weight loss challenge with my sister-in-law and I'm down 5 pounds. Sing it with me..."Ain't no stoppin' me now"!

I've got more energy.

I feel stronger.

I. Feel. Amazing.

This weekend we went camping with my brother and sister-in-law and their two kids and I allowed myself to have a "cheat" weekend. I still worked out (with the exception of last night) and kind of kept track of my calories but still allowed myself to eat what I wanted. And while the bliss of drinking multiple beers and eating powdered donuts for breakfast was fun, I felt absolutely awful afterwards. Not in the sense of guilt but my stomach hated me for it.

Allowing myself to cheat on food confirmed that I was on the right path with this weight loss challenge. I'm certainly not a clean food eater but I'm definitely not where I was a month ago. That's definitely got to count for something!

Seventeen Days In and I Refuse To Sink

Two days ago I stepped on the scale and the number hadn't changed much. I immediately felt frustrated. I kept within my calorie count. I worked out. So why hadn't it gone down?

I had to take a step back and remind myself that seeing that .2 change was actually a good thing considering I weigh myself every morning. Some of you may not agree with that. The whole weighing in each day thing, I mean. I've heard mixed feelings about it. Some people say you shouldn't do it because it just leads to frustration and tears when you don't see progress. Others say it helps keep you on track. That's the way I'm choosing to look at it. If the number is up, I look at what I ate the day before and how much I worked out. Clearly something didn't work, which forces me to change how I approach that particular day.

This morning I saw a good half-pound loss, which, when added to the .2 from yesterday and the .2 from the day before, means I'm actually down .9 pounds. It's amazing how different that number looks when you do some simple addition.

I'm also walking like an old lady. Two nights ago we did a killer deck of cards workout that almost took my legs out of commission. Last night...Tae Bo. I introduced Glenn Jackson to the boot camp version, which involves a lot of squats, kicking, and quad work. I loved every minute of it. What I didn't love was the fact that it now hurts a lot to sit down and go potty.

I'm on track and feeling fabulous. A month ago I couldn't even imagine myself saying that but something clicked with this workout and weight loss challenge. I can't even tell you what it was that made me get in gear but this time, I'm not giving up.

Repeat After Me: Donuts Do Not Control My Life

I resisted temptation today. If you know me, then you know I'm a fan of sweets. Cake, cookies, anything that involves sugar or frosting...I'm game. This morning I stopped at the gas station to fill up and grab a diet coke and there staring longingly at me were...dum dum dum...donuts.

I may have drooled just a tiny bit but I walked passed them, grabbed a bel-vita breakfast bar, and didn't look back. It doesn't seem like much but the fact that I walked away is huge in my book. THAT is progress.

On the other hand, I'm pretty sure I'm becoming senile. It took until 3 pm to realize that I put my underwear on inside out this morning. They're actually quite comfortable this way. If anyone asks, I'm starting a new trend.

Tonight's workout was killer. Push-ups, lunges, crunches, and jumping jacks. "Let's make the Aces be 14 instead of one", I say. My arms and legs say "Screw you". My butt's not as mad as the rest of my body but it's still pretty pissed. Eventually I will have a great return on investment.

Birthdays and Bachelorettes Are The Bomb

Day 12: workout complete

We did Deck of Cards again tonight. We did a combo of scissor kicks, reverse crunches, squats, and push-ups. I did all of the push-ups. On my knees like a girl. But that's ok because I am a girl. And now my abs are screaming at me "reverse crunches AND scissor kicks tonight? Really?" It felt awesome. I needed to kick my ass after yesterday.

Yesterday was the bachelorette party for an very dear friend of mine. I've known her since we were in preschool and was so excited to be invited to be part of her fun day. We spent the day on a party bus touring wineries in Red Wing and Cannon Falls. I got to hang out with many old friends who I haven't seen in awhile plus meet some great new people. It was an absolute blast!

Oh, and yesterday was also my birthday. The big 35. Based on the math, I am indeed only 5 years away from turning 40. I'm surprisingly ok with that. Everyone says 40 is the new 30 so if that's the case, it's like I'm really only 25. That's chick math in case you couldn't tell.

I was up a couple of pounds this morning but that's ok. I'm back on track today and that's what matters.

I'm Hangry But It's Worth It

Day 4 of my weight loss challenge and I'm officially down 4 pounds. Woot woot! I stepped off my scale this morning feeling like a million bucks. 4 pounds isn't a lot considering how far I have to go and I'm starving all the time (see below) but it's something. I'm seeing progress. I'm seeing the number on the scale move down as opposed to up. It's something!

I'm also one week into my exercise challenge and haven't slipped up once. God, between that and the weight loss, I think I should get a gold star. I haven't been this disciplined in a long time. 6 more pounds and mama gets a new pair of shoes!

And in case you're wondering, the boys started at their new daycare on Monday. The verdict? They absolutely love it. Rowan no longer fights going to bed at night or waking up in the morning because he's so excited to play with his friends. He told me last night that he really likes Lynn, his new daycare mom. Hearing those words come out of his mouth is a huge weight off my shoulders. It makes me feel a little guilty that I didn't step up and make a change sooner. I knew he wasn't happy at his old daycare but I thought it was just a phase he was going through.

Baby Keegs is loving life, too. He gets to play outside, he's got new people to talk to, etc. Glenn picked him up one day and he was hanging outside in an exersaucer eating cheerios and having a blast. I cannot say enough good things about this new daycare!