Thanksgiving weigh in!

So Thursdays are my weigh in days. I have never been so happy about that as when I woke up Thanksgiving morning! I thought, GREAT! I will weigh in and then be so excited about my weight loss eating good will be easy!
I gained a pound.
I was really sad! I have been working super hard and eating soooooo good.
But I didn't let it get me down! I still ate really good all day. I did give in and eat a piece of cheesecake for dinner.... but that was my only rough spot of the day! I was quite proud of myself and I think I will make it through the holidays just fine! Now If I could just start losing some weight....

I think I can, I think I can....

Wooo hooooooo! Guess what I found!!!!


So in celebration I ran to Wal-Mart and got these new DVD's to up my workout intensity...

Holy cow! I did the "No more Trouble Zones" b/c that is the one Alisa said was awesome. It is soooo great! I was a bit sad that there is a lot of plank work since I can't do that but even just with the stuff I am able to do - this is a very intense workout!!! I can tell you that this is going to be one I do often!!! I can see how it will really help!

Also - You are supposed to use weights for quite a bit of it. On my right side I held 5 lb and didn't even feel it. As a one handed girl the one arm I have is very strong. I need to get a heavier weight I think. The left side is another story. I had a (I think) good idea. I used an ankle weight around my wrist and held a 2 lb weight. It was REALLY hard. I have a hard time moving it anyway but I think that doing this will be really great therapy at the same time! Sweet!

What do you think? I may have to only use the ankle weight next time as is was REALLY hard to focus on trying to move my arm anyway without trying to lift and hold on to the weight.

I am really glad that I got this DVD (Thank You A) and I am excited to try the other one too - I think this afternoon. And there is still another one I can get!

Variety is the spice of life right!

Kind of Bummed

I have been counting calories, eating super good food, exercising like CRAZY.... and I lost 2 lbs. Really I should be thrilled but I can't help but wish it was a little more.... Because I gained back 4 lbs when I was sick I am 2 lbs away from just being at where I am on my ticker (I couldn't bear to move it up....).
I am trying to focus - to realise this is awesome.... to be happy that I AM healthier and stronger. I also am trying to figure out the weights thing so that I can step it up a bit - I also think I am going to get the Jillian Michaels DVD "No more trouble zones" that my cousin Alisa gave an awesome review for.
Meanwhile - we still haven't found the DVD remote. It kind of stinks to have a DVD changer that I can't use. I have a bunch of Pilate's DVD's that I loooove and miss doing. That will help too, I know!
So.... moving on - I am off to work out!

The search continues...

Don't you love it when you are soooo motivated and stuff just gets in your way? I have been doing really good at doing my pilates every day.... It is something that I can tell strenthens my body and stretches me out so well before a run!
Then we lost the DVD remote! Such a small thing to have happen, yet I can't do my pilates till we find it. We have searched and searched, cleaned and cleaned and so far, no remote. I told my sweet hubby - another day and I am just going to get a new one.
It is funny how sometimes it really is the little things that can get you down, but i am not going to let it! I am still doing all my other workouts and trying to do all I can remember from the DVD;)
Wish me luck in my search!

Wait... weights?

I recently asked on Facebook what my friends best weight loss tip was. Most of the responses were serious (though some said things like DQ)! On response has really gotten me thinking.... Weights.
Weights.... hmmmmm....
Weights?
Ok, here is the deal. I love weights but first of all.... can I do things like squats, lunges, Pilate's instead?
Second, they are nearly impossible for me. As explained at the bottom of my blog I have serious health problems and disabilities. I could lift with my right arm but not my left... will that help anything? Really, to do weights I need to join a gym and get a trainer. There is one about 45 minutes away but no babysitting (I think they have it for older kids....) . So, I would have to get a separate babysitter. That is a huge commitment. Especially when $ is tight.
I know the benefit of weights. I lifted a lot in HS and loved the muscle tone and definition I had then. I am sure I could get some of that back, but it is hard to realise that no matter what I do, I will never really be able to get that fully functional body back!
I have thoughts that I could trade babysitting with a friend to go to the gym... maybe I could win the lottery and get my own weightroom and a personal trainer to come every day or two and help me do the weights....
Any suggestions would be grately appreciated!

What to do, what to do....

I was really sick the past 2 weeks. REALLY sick. (Swine Flu, then a relapse with Bronchitis too.) And although I am feeling better now I can't seem to get back into the routine. Before I got sick I was walking at least an hour a day (hard - like 3.8-4 with incline variation) plus running every other day and doing pilates almost every day.
Now if I walk from the living room fro the kitchen I have to sit down. Yesterday I went into the playroom to put on a movie for the kids and I ended up falling asleep for an hour instead of hopping on the treadmill.
Any advice? How hard should you push it when your body is healing?
The really bad part... I ate almost nothing and even so gained 4 pounds.... so now I have to lose those all over again! REALLY bad for motivation, ya know?

My weapons to fight the bulge...

I have a lot of weapons in my possession to keep fat at bay! I am very blessed!
A few years ago we lived in my grandparents backyard for the summer (an internship) in a trailer that we had purchased at a very good price. With the money that we made when we sold it we invested in a very good treadmill! It is wonderful to have especially when the weather is to bad to take the kids outside in the jogging stroller (another weapon I have)!


My Aerofit! I love this thing. Someone recommended it to my parents and for a long time it was the only exercising I could do! It is a great no impact aerobic workout!!! Really good for the days when my body is in too much pain to walk on the treadmill or outside!

And finally - my newest toy! We found this on Craigslist for $70! It works awesome! We got it with the hope that I could strengthen up the muscles around my knees while working on my endurance so that I could maybe not shred my knees so bad when I try to run! So far it seems to be really working! I ran a mile and a half the other day and my knees didn't swell up! They hurt the next day but nothing like they usually do! Hooray!

But the greatest weapon I have is my love for these guys! They motivate me like nothing else! I want to be strong a healthy for them. Be a good example for them to follow! I want them to know that you don't have to accept the limitations that life and people try to put on you - you can do ANYTHING!!!!

I also want to be healthy enough that when they have their children I will be there for them, to do anything for them, to help them with all the challenges they will ever face!

Change of pace...

My awesome cousin Alisa has been doing a blog similar to this where she is able to talk about all things weight/health related! I love that! I love following it and seeing her progress. I decided to turn my personal thoughts blog into the same type of thing. Especially since it was mostly just used to be mad at myself during the last pregnancy.
I am hoping that I will be able to get positive feedback on this and it will help to motivate me in my goals.
Alisa just finished a half marathon and although I know I will never be able to do that because of too many health issues, I am trying to train for a 5K and am hoping to find some other types of fitness goals to motivate me!
Any suggestions?

The 'Breakdown'

(Taken from a post on my family blog a month or two ago....) I think my math has been off - so I really like the new ticker at the top of this blog! Makes it easier to keep track!

Today I want to talk weight. Here is the breakdown... I have just over 30 lbs to lose from what I gained with 'lil E. Plus an additional 10 lbs that I hadn't lost yet from H (she was only 9 months when I got preggers with lil E). Plus and additional 10 lbs that I gained just before getting preg with H because I was so depressed from all the miscarriages (5 in a row). So, there you have it, the breakdown of the weight loss needed! That would be 50 lbs.

Here is the good part! We (my J and I) figured out a rewards system for me! No, not ice cream or a cheat day....I love to read. Loooooove it! LOVE, lOvE, LoVe.... sigh.... Anyhow. I really like the Percy Jackson Book - "The Lightening Thief" So Every ten lbs lost equals a new book in the series and when I have lost it all - A NEW OUTFIT! YAY! We are talking jeans (they are so darn expensive so I NEVER buy the ones I love - Silvers), a cute top or two, shoes AND accessories! SUH-Weeet! I am so excited about this, and I just hope I can stop stressing so I will lose it!