Fat be gone Friday::: Robyn's weigh in day

I am ashamed to admit that I am a grass is greener kind of girl. I am constantly finding myself thinking how the grass is greener on the other side. I am always waiting for something to happen that is going to make everything better. I always think “if only ______ then things would be great”. The funny thing is that when I lived in Cali I didn’t realize how much I love grass. Living here in the valley of the sun has made me realize how a little grass here and there makes me so happy. I love the bright green color and the feel of it under my bare feet. I love how it makes me feel at home. I am beginning to realize that I have to plant my own grass in life, love that little bit of grass that I have, and embrace the good things in my life.

It’s a process. I do a lot of chanting in my head. I remind myself how this is a journey. I remind myself of the much anticipated shopping spree and the name brand booty bling jeans that I want. I remind myself how much better I feel already. This is a lifestyle. It’s not a race. It’s a change forever. I’m proud of the good choices that I made this week. I am happy in my now and so excited for my future.

My gym was closed for renovation this week. Thankfully we had beautiful weather. I got outside and walked and ran.  I DO NOT like running! I never have. It’s so mental. This week I worked up to being able to run 3 miles without stopping!!!! That’s huge for me. I really missed the gym though. It’s just so easy to get cardio in while watching t.v.  The whole week I felt like I wasn’t getting enough exercise. I worked hard and really watched my calorie intake. It’s a slow week, but I am down.

 So, I am happy to report that this week

I lost .5 pound. Yep, half a pound people. But, I’m down!!!!

18.5 total!!

Man did I work for that half a pound. I am going to get that elusive 20 pounds next week!!!!

Weigh In Wednesday ::: Hope

“The brick walls are there for a reason.

The brick walls are not there to keep us out.

The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show

how badly we want something.

Because the brick walls are there to stop the people

who don’t want it badly enough.”
― Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture

 

All this week I have been weighing myself, so I knew that this morning wasn't going to be like the previous 3 Wednesday mornings.

I knew the number on the scale wasn't going to be what I wanted it to be.

I gained a pound this week.

Strangely I'm not that upset about it.

I mean it bothers me, don't get me wrong, but I'm not beating myself up about it.

I knew when I started this journey that there would be challenges.

Nothing worth having is ever easy.

The quote from Randy Pausch reminds me that the set backs are there

to prove how badly I want this.

And I do.

The pound I gained isn't because I gave up, stopped trying,

didn't work out, or ate cheeseburgers every day.

It's part of my journey.

It's there to make me question how bad I really want this.

It's there to separate me from the people that give up.

I will do this. I am doing this. Setbacks and all.

 

On a personal note...

I want to say a HUGE thank you to each and every one of you who have

encouraged me, stopped me to tell me that you've been reading

our blog or have shared how we have inspired you to

start your own weight loss journey.

It is completely overwhelming to me to have this much support.

You all are amazing!!!

 

On another note...

If you have never heard Randy Pausch's speech The Last Lecture,

here is the short version he gave on Oprah.

I highly suggest you check out the full version which is over an hour long.

 

 



Fat be Gone Friday:: Robyn's weigh in

There’s this little part of me that wants to feel sorry for myself. A part that wants to say woe is me. This little part wants to dwell on my bad choices, to point out my flaws, and to be sad that my progress is slow. There is this whole other part of me though that is crushing that little negative voice in my head. This positive part of me is reminding me how hard I worked. I squeezed my curvy body into a swim suit and swam laps for the first time in years. I keep upping my incline, my resistance, and my intensity. I am becoming stronger and healthier. I made so many good choices, more good choices than bad ones. I am that type of girl though. I have to remind myself of the good I do and forgive myself for the bad. This is a huge part of my journey. I’m learning to believe in myself, to not make excuses, and to do hard things so that I can become better. I want this so bad. I want to look in the mirror wearing a great pair of jeans and feel the satisfaction of knowing that I worked hard to look phenomenal. I am starting to believe that it’s going to happen.

However sad I am that I am a curvy girl (I decided not to use the word chubby any more J), I am so grateful for this journey. I am grateful for the knowledge that I have, that when the time comes that I feel great about myself, I will know that I worked for it. I will be a better me in every aspect of life because I have travelled this road.

So, if nothing else I am consistent

I am down 1.5 pounds this week

For a total of 18 pounds.

Although a little part of me wants to be sad and wonder why it’s not coming off faster, I can’t be sad about that. I have lost every single week. I’m going to push a little extra this week to see if I can hit my 20 pounds. I want it so bad I can taste it. It tastes like lots of fruit and veggies and maybe just one cheeseburger or burrito thrown in during the week. J

Weigh in Wednesday ::: Hope

Are you excited?

Me too!

It's my fav day of the week!

Some people may dread stepping on the scale.

I used to be one of them.

Now I LOVE it.

I get to see the fruits of my labor.

 

This week started out a little shaky.

After my 3.5 lb loss last Wednesday,

I caved and had a big old juicy cheeseburger.

The kids school was doing Spirit Night at a local restaurant,

so I treated everyone to burgers and corn dogs.

You know what's funny?

I didn't even particularly want a cheeseburger that night, and surely didn't think I'd eat the whole thing (they are kind of big!)

But, there I was, sitting there staring at an empty wrapper

feeling a tad bit guilty.

But then Robyn's little voice popped in my head.

She said "I didn't get fat eating veggies

and I'm not going to get skinny eating veggies".

What she means by this is that even though we are losing weight,

if we don't indulge every once in awhile,

this whole thing will never last for the long haul.

She's right.

I don't feel guilty anymore, but the cool part is that now I have the

self control to eat the things I know I should be eating after splurging on something not-so-good-for-me :)

 

Then I had to get over some other hurdles, like not having the time

(no, literally, I could NOT find time) to work out a couple days that I wanted to.

I try and get to the gym 5-6 days a week.

This week I only went 4 days and 1 of those

I only walked on the treadmill for 20 min.

Needless to say, I was hoping to lose at least a 1/2 lb this week!

That's all I was hoping for, honestly. But my body had other things in mind.

I got on the scale this morning and guess what?!?!

I lost 2.5 lbs this week!

{EEK!!!}

That means I am down 21.5 lbs!

The awesome part is that I only have

ONE pound to go before I am officially under 200 lbs!

I think know I can! :)

Fat be gone Friday::: Robyn's weigh in day

“Real life”? What does that even mean? Life is a crazy roller coaster with twists, turns, ups, and downs.  We hold on tight sometimes afraid for our lives. We raise our hands in the air and squeal with delight. We kick and scream, fight and cry. Then we have moments of peace, moments of clarity and grace. I live for these moments. The bitter in life teaches us to appreciate the sweet. This week was so sweet for me. J

Going in to our vacation I thought a lot about what my strategy for weight loss was going to be. What was I going to do? I felt a little overwhelmed. I thought back to a family birthday party for my little boys a few years ago. I was toward the beginning of my first weight loss journey. I was really motivated and totally obsessed with losing weight. As we cut the cake and our family and friends all enjoyed some I chose not to eat any cake. That’s a huge symbolic picture in my mind. I want to eat cake!!!! I am going to eat cake!!!! I am going to enjoy my life. I am going to lose weight doing it!

That’s my “real life”. So, I enjoyed my vacation. I ate ice cream, cheese burgers, pizza, and full sugar soda. I just ate less of it then I used to. I also ate salad and lots of fruit. I drank lots of water. I exercised everyday. I laid in the hotel bed each night thinking about what I had eaten that day. My husband would remind me how negatively stress affects weight loss and health in general. I would squash my stress and remember that I am enjoying my life. Then I’d go run on the treadmill. J

This morning I weighed myself with some trepidation. After nearly 2 weeks of chaos, 2 6 hour drives, a funeral, 5 days at Disneyland, and eating out every meal, can you believe that I am

Down 1.5 pounds

For a total of 16.5 pounds lost

I shouted for joy. Then I crumpled and cried in my closet. I can do this people. I am doing it!!! I had the best week with my little family and I lost weight! I am so happy.

    I bought this shirt a few months ago on clearance without trying it on. It was too tight in the arms and hips. I'm really excited that I can wear it now. :) 

Tight Tooshies Thursday

The quest for a tight tooshie requires a lot of hard work and determination. Exercise for me is really mental. It's about confidence and determination. It's about believing in yourself and then following through. Over time I have become stronger not only physically but mentally too. It makes exercise really fun. I recently discovered the medicine ball. I love it. It is a great tool for core strength and toning muscles including the tooshie. I have not yet invested in one for home, but I would love to. I use them at the gym. I love to use them doing crunches. I crunch up and then twist from side to side. This strengthens the tummy muscles and works on the waist line. Plus, it makes sits ups just a little more fun. My hubby and I use them to play catch. This is really fun. I smile and laugh the whole time. It's tiring and I drop the ball occasionally. We throw the ball back and forth a few different ways. We push it out from the chest extending the arms. We also twist at the waist and throw low with arms straight down in an arch upward. I try to bend my knees and get the lower body involved too. It gets your heart rate up too. Another great exercise is to do lunges with the medicine ball. You throw the ball just ahead of yourself, step forward into the lunge and then catch it at the bottom of the lunge. These are just a few ideas to use a medicine ball in your workout. I'm realizing the quest for a tight tooshie can be fun. Exercise can be fun. As I add variety to my workout I'm using muscles I didn't even know that I had. Changing things up keeps it fun and interesting. Now go tighten that tooshie! :) 

Weigh in Wednesday with Hope

Hello again!

I am super excited about today because

I realized that I have almost made it to my first goal.

I haven't told any of you what my first goal was because frankly, I was a little embaressed.

Still a bit embarressed but I'll tell you anyway.

My first goal was to make it to under 200 lbs!

I have been over 200 for about 10 years now, which is soooo hard to say!!!

Having babies and not focusing on your health will do that to a girl.

So, this week I lost 3.5 lbs, for a total of 19 lbs gone!

Can I get a WHOO HOO?!?!?!

And now I am going to tell you what I actually weigh {this is huge for me people!!}

So right now, I weigh 203 lbs.

The last time I did weight watchers, I got down to 200 lbs.

I'm almost there!!!

I have to say that sometimes I look in the mirror and get a little frustrated that I let this happen to my body, but today I have to say that I'm really proud of myself.

There isn't anything easy about it, but that's what makes it so much sweeter ;)

 

{me: 19 lbs smaller}

Fat Be Gone Friday:::Robyn's weigh in day

This was definitely not a normal week for me. I am currently blogging from the not so sunny today state of California. My home state. :) It's been a crazy and stressful week. After hearing about the passing of my Brother in law last Friday, things have been hectic. There has been lots of laundry, packing, planning, road tripping, and family time. We spent a day at Disneyland. ;) We spent time with my family and my hubby's family. We have been out to eat every single meal the last few days. I have been to the hotel gym the last 3 days in a row. I have watched my portion sizes. I have eaten 3 donuts since we've been here. :( There is a serious lack of donuts shops in AZ. But, over all I have made good choices and I am feeling positive and happy.

I did not bring my scale on the road with me. But, I measured for the first time last week and brought along my measuring tape. I am really excited about my results. I had never measured before. I was sort of shocked and really sad about my measurements at first. But, I am excited about watching my body literally shrink.

In just one week I lost 

1 inch in my waist

1 inch in my hips

1.5 inches in my thighs!!!!!!!!

and 1 inch in my bust

We will be here in Cali for 4 more days. Today is the funeral and family time. We will spend 2 more days at the happiest place on earth and one day at church sending off my niece and nephew who are serving LDS missions. I am determined to lose weight and have a great weigh in next week. I'm excited to see how I do. 

On a side note I wanted to just say here on my little blog how much I love my 4 nieces who lost their Daddy this week. Their mom died just over a year ago. They are amazing and strong and beautiful. I know that our Heavenly Father is aware of them and has amazing plans for them. I'm excited to see the wonderful things they do in life. Love you girls!!!!! 

Hope's Weigh in Wednesday

Yay!

It's Weigh in Wednesday and I'm soooo happy to blog today!

If you remember, these past couple weeks have been pretty stagnate.

I have been sitting at the same weight even though I've been working out everyday and watching my calories.

A lot of you encouraged me during that time by reminding me that sometimes your metabolism needs to catch up.

Well, I'm happy to report that it has caught up and we're

moving on down!!!

I lost 3.5 lbs this week for a total of 15.5 lbs down so far!

I even went down a size in my jeans AND

now have to wear a belt with those jeans.

{This poses a whole new problem with my clothes that may require spending some money in the next week or so, but don't tell my husband}

 

One thing I did this week is I sat down and wrote out a menu

with the things I could eat for each meal.

It has really helped from getting too overwhelmed about food choices.

I'm super proud that I stuck with it and overcame that obstacle.

So 15.5 down, 54.5 to go.....

Motivation Monday

Sometimes we think "I only lost a pound this week".

 

 

But when you see how much a pound of fat really is, it puts it into perspective.

The voice in our head that is saying "only", "can't", "too hard", "no time", etc etc etc

NEEDS to be squashed. We CAN and we WILL!!!

 

 

For those of us that think it's just too overwhelming, this video is for us!

This is the video that inspired me to start this weight loss journey.

This man is amazing!!

 

 

Have a happy week y'all :)



SHOUT OUT to my girl Mary

You may have noticed that we got a little face lift on the blog today.

 

My friend & graphic designer from Dallas, Mary Dvorak,

is the owner of Happy Girl Creative, a custom design company.

 

Her speciality is party invitations, baby announcements,

wedding invitations, and much more.

 

She was so super sweet to create a new blog header for us and

we love the words in the background!

 

We think it describes what our blog is all about a little bit better!

 

Mary has been so super supportive of our journey and our blog.

 

Thanks again Mary!!

You ROCK!!!

 

You can also check out her etsy shop here: Happy Girl Creative

Fat Be Gone Friday ::: Robyn's weigh in

I woke up to bad news today. The worst kind that you can get. One of our dear extended family members passed away. I don't want to go into too much detail. I will say however, that we believe that we will be together forever as a family someday. I'm thankful for my faith. But, it made me think about life. It made me think about health.

About 2 years ago I started to notice that I wasn't feeling well. I had rapid weight gain. I was always exhausted, I had heart palpitations. I just wasn't feeling like my normal self. My doctor did a MILLION tests. Everything came back normal. She also decided to send me to the cardiologist because of the heart palpitations. During an ultrasound of my carotid artery the tech noticed that my thyroid didn't look quite right. He told me that I should probably tell my primary care doctor so that I could have further testing. My thyroid labs had been normal but my Dr. sent me to have an ultra sound and to see an endocrinologist. They found 9 nodules (growths) on my thyroid. My endo describes 5 of them as large, the rest small the medium in size. I have had them biopsied twice. (Really long needles stuck into my neck, not a fun experience) No cancer was found. They started me on meds, and we are waiting and watching. I have an ultrasound every 3 months to make sure that they are not growing. The past year they have grown a tiny bit. The growth has been mostly liquid though and cancer is solid. My doctor is comfortable with letting me continue to wait as long as I come every 3 months. It's sort of like this big cloud hanging over my head. At first I used it as an excuse. It is common knowledge that one of the main symptoms of thyroid disease is weight gain.  I told myself that I couldn't lose weight. I was also diagnosed with pre-diabetes. I cried in the doctor's office when she told me. My dad was diabetic. It affected his health greatly. I gave him shots in his tummy for years. Then I decided to sort of sweep it under the carpet. I didn't want to think about it. I took my medications and just lived with it. 

When I started this weight loss journey I was more motivated by jeans with booty bling than pre-diabetes. It's hard to live in a chubby body. But, as I've been losing and feeling better I can't help but think about my health. They say that losing 10% of your weight is the first step to better health. I checked out my BMI today because I was curious. I'm embarrassed to write this but, I'm being real so I am currently obese. Big sad face. I have to lose 20 more pounds to just be overweight. Then 30 after that to be a healthy weight. That seems overwhelming. That's probably why I avoided it. But, I want to be healthy. I want to live a long life. I want grand babies and great grand babies. So, although booty bling still motivates me, so does pre-diabetes. I want to be healthy! I sadly can't change my thyroid nodules. However, I will cure myself of pre-diabetes. 

It seems to be slow going. I have a huge fear that the weight loss will stop. But, I am losing weight in spite of 9 nodules growing on my thyroid. I am so proud of that. 

This week I counted my calories and I worked out hard at the gym. I am changing my lifestyle. I don't really feel like I am dieting. I am living healthier.

I am down 1.4 pounds this week

for a total of 15 pounds

I'm never going to see those 15 pounds again. If I can do it you can too. It's for my hubby, for Gracie, Savannah, Bear, and Gunnar. It's for me. 

Me today, down 15 pounds, 55 more to go. :)