Motivate Me Monday - final weigh-in

Last fitness post...or is it???

I think I'll make this a Hi/Lo post (gotta get back to more of those)

Lo - When I started blogging weekly for Motivate Me Monday I felt like I needed to blog more in general or else the whole blog would be about weight loss and I didn't want the world (or the 4 people who read my blog) to think that's all I cared about.  I didn't realize how quickly things could get out-of-hand...you know, one blog post leads to another and then another and before you know it you've over-shared! haha

Hi - I really did it!  I said I would eat better, exercise, and lose weight and I did.  I didn't do anything crazy - just counted calories (most of the time) and got in a solid 30 minutes (at least) of exercise.  So are you wondering how much I lost???  9 lbs.  I'm pretty happy with that...especially since it wasn't grueling and didn't require fasting or giving up my favorite foods or cutting off a limb.  I do have a few more to lose but it's not going to drive me crazy...just keep swimming, just keep swimming (Nemo).  I have to say that blogging about weight loss just might be a magic pill...something to think about.

What is the future of Motivate Me Monday you ask..well, you didn't really but I'm sure you were about to...hmmmm, I'm trying to decide.  I feel like it's been a great tool for me to do better and there are LOTS of areas that I need to improve upon so next week I'll let you know.  One thing is for sure, it will include a once-a-month weigh-in to keep me on track! ;-)

Happy Monday!

{Motivate Me Monday} Reaching a place of balance and peace

I have ZERO desire to look like the above model but I do appreciate the truth in this Nike ad...it takes work to keep your body healthy.  I think everyone has a place where mentally and physically they feel their best.  Like I said, mine is not having cut abs and ripped biceps...but it is a way that my body moves easily and my mind feels sharper, my stress is down and my energy is up.  I'm grateful that I have happiness in that place without any jealousy or desire to look like anyone else.  How can I complain about my legs when they will run for miles for me?  How can I complain about my arms when I have two of them and the strength to hold my beautiful Scarlett for hours?  How can I complain about my abs when they provided a home to four of the most amazing children on the planet?  I am thankful today for contentment with myself and my body.  I know that the goals I have set are just a place of balance...and I'm almost there.

Our 13th Anniversary is this weekend!  So next Monday is my last Motivate Me Monday post..at least about fitness.  I'm thinking about choosing another area to focus on, hmmmm...we'll see.

Motivate Me Monday..errrr Tuesday ;-)

Don't you just love the 4th of July?!  It does my heart good to look over a sea of people wearing red, white, and blue.  I love the crowds and festivities...happy, patriotic chaos!  That also means I didn't have a moment to blog...besides today feels more like Monday than yesterday did. 

I promised a precise review of the BodyBugg and I must say that I officially stink at precision. Ha. I just couldn't eat pre-packaged food all week and then that led to a LOT of grey area and then blah, blah, blah here we are a week later.  I do have good news though.  I did track my calories and I did wear the BodyBugg all week (oh, but not while sleeping) and in the end it totally helped me!  I lost 2 lbs which is pretty awesome in my world.  I felt much more aware of how much exercise and activity I was getting, as well as being very conscience about what I ate.  So while I may not have been exact to the calorie, I was as honest as I could be.  I seem to burn about 2400 calories a day and eat about 1400...that equates to 1000 calorie deficit each day, which means 2 elbees ;-) in a week.

Curious about the best workouts???  Running totally wins!  I burned 330 in only 30 minutes of running, whereas Zumba was a 440 calorie burn in an hour.  I also jogged in place in between songs in Zumba..totally bugs me that other people just stand there!  They. are. wasting. precious. time! haha  I went to a couple of different instructors and my burn seemed consistent in all the classes.  I also love kickboxing but haven't had a chance to go to a class - I'll let you know how it compares as soon as I go.

Thanks again for checking in and for any tips you've given me!  I was sooooo hesitant to do this series but it's been fun and it's definitely kept me on track.  1/2 way done too!!!! Now I just have to commit myself to those darn weights...uggghhhhh!

Motivate Me Monday - BodyBugg & Gadgets

Two weeks in and I can tell a difference. Yay! I have to admit that stating that I enjoy working out was like jinxing myself for a not-so-stellar workout week. That's life and you just have to keep going - so while the girls were in swimming lessons at the Y and Roman and Scarlett were in childcare, I hopped on the treadmill for a 30 minute run but I did something different today...I wore my BodyBugg. Am I revealing too much info that I own this?! I bought it after our move to Cali when I also put on some moving weight..and it helped me lose it.

Have you ever heard of this little gadget? Maybe you've seen it on my favorite show, Biggest Loser?? So it's an armband that you wear that tracks how many calories you burn during the day. It also tracks how many steps you take each day. It does NOT track how many calories you eat - you have to do that yourself. So the company that makes the BodyBugg claims that it's at least 90% accurate - if Biggest Loser trusts it, then I can trust it. It's not a magic pill but it is another way to be held accountable for what you're really doing each day. You may think that you are getting a good workout in but wearing the BodyBugg shows you what you're really burning. Today I only had 30 minutes to run and I was able to burn 310 calories! Later I'm going to do 15 minutes of toning...just a DVD that I've gotten results from in the past. (don't laugh, it works! k, I'm slightly embarrassed about the name but fer rilz it's awesome!)

Pros of the BodyBugg - Gives you an accurate account of your day. Losing weight is Calories in - Calories out, so if you're tracking both you can know exactly what to expect on the scale. Also makes housework more fun - love to know how many calories vacuuming burns vs. facebook time ;-) .

Cons of BodyBugg - Let's face it, it's a big black armband. People will wonder what you're wearing. I'm considering blingin' the thing out like Chalene... (she has the BEST DVDs on the Planet!)

So this week I'm going to track EVERY calorie in and EVERY calorie out to really see how well this thing works. I'll post my updates on the sidebar. I'll also let you know what workouts give you the best bang for your buck.

Yes, yes, there are web sites out there that you can put in your weight and activity levels to see how much you're burning during the day - but I have to say that those are usually very generous. You probably sit around way more than you think - or you are chasing kids way more than you think...anyway, we'll see the results next Monday.

For Food Tracking I'm using the LoseIt app on my itouch. I think it's a fairly basic system, but it's a quick way for me to enter food without having to hop on the computer to look it up.

So does anyone else have a BodyBugg? Track calories? Use gadgets? I'd love to hear what you use and what you love/hate about it! Do you use the same DVDs as me??? If not, do you have any you recommend?

PS - The cribskirt is 1/3 done. I opted to weed for no lie...7 hours on Saturday...rather than finish it. What can I say? I had no idea one could become addicted to pulling weeds & our yard was THAT bad!

Motivate Me Monday - Workin' Out

A Happy Father's Day.

Soooo it's already been a week??!!!

Quick Update: I have to say that I was 90% good and maybe 10% really happy...haha pounding some Texas Sheet cake yesterday with great friends made for the Best Father's Day ever! I'm going to weigh-in tomorrow but I don't think I'll post the actual numbers. I know a lot of people don't like the scale, but for me it's just a way to gage results.

Food: So sometimes I like to eat quick and convenient foods - like Fiber 1 bars, light yogurt, etc. but last week I focused on eating mostly food that isn't processed. Noooo, I'm no organic hippy but I do like natural, "Heaven-made" food. Soooo..that's nuts, fruit, cucumbers and other veggies, sweet potatoes (my favorite), and I have to say that I want to at least lean towards these foods always..there's room for both but the 90-10 rule for mostly pure vs. processed is do-able.

Working out has never been my problem. I LOVE a good workout. I'm in heaven when I run on my treadmill to some great music and HGTV on the tv. I can feel the minute the endorphins hit my brain and things become very clear. I can design dresses in my mind while I run, decorate rooms, finish projects....ahhh, if you've never had that moment, then you haven't had a great workout. That being said, I'm not a fast runner - I like to run at a 5 for 30 to 45 minutes. Usually around minute 10-12 I start feeling great. Soooo if you think you hate the treadmill, download some Miley Cyrus "Party in the USA" and CeeLo "Bright Lights Bigger City" jog for 10 minutes and tell me you don't feel better!

My other workout LOVE is Zumba!!! Have you tried it?! Since I was a little girl, I would BEG my mom to put me in dance, but there was no $$ for such. I would dance in my room though and I was in junior high drill team - loved it. Then at BYU I started taking aerobics and loved the dance-like workout...anywho...along comes Zumba and I feel like I'm taking my first dance classes. If you're a dancer-at-heart like me, try Zumba.

Nowwwww....I need to add in some weights, boooo. Weights are just boring to me, there's no workout high but they are necessary so I'll add 'em in this week.

NEW CHALLENGE:

I'm really glad that I posted my "jean" intervention last week, thank you for the comments! Nowwww...I need to challenge myself publicly to finish the crib skirt for Scarlett's room. Wow, now I feel committed - no pressure, right? I'll just whip that up and post the pics by Friday. ;-)

If you commit to something on your blog, lemme know and I'll come over to cheer you on!

Motivate Me Monday...

My pants don't fit. :-(

I have very valid excuses:
1. Baby
2. Move
3. Food is yummy. (especially something called Killer Brownies!)

I don't want to buy a new wardrobe (well I can't afford one & love mine) but I haven't been able to find the motivation to do anything about this situation. I saw this quote the other day...

"You will never be the person you can be if pressure, tension and discipline are taken out of your life." James G. Bilkey

and it made me think that I should give myself some pressure, tension, and therefore discipline by committing to a goal on my blog. {cringe} I also realized that my 13 year anniversary is in 5 weeks...soooo my goal is to be able to wear "my pants" on my date with Darin in 5 weeks. I'm not doing anything crazy - just eat right and exercise, blah, blah, blah kind of stuff....and I'll keep you posted on Mondays. Feel free to join in my challenge and I'll keep you motivated too.

PS - I'd LOVE some support in my journey and promise a handcrafted gift to my most loyal supporters!

Yay for goals & clothes that weren't purchased for an "in-between stage"!!! (gearing myself up;-)