Lent Plan

The Season of Lent starts today!!! For those not familiar with Lent it is a season of Penitence (regret for one's wrong doing and sins). Lent starts with ASH Wednesday and ends with Easter (40 days and Nights). Traditionally engage in self denial of a luxury item as penance for your sins and wrong doing. What were my wrong doings this year: over indulgence in food and making excuses not to work out. So I am giving up processed foods and excuses. That is right I will be working out everyday but Sundays and eating clean for 40 days. As always I will keep you updated.

Worth IT!!!

If your tired of starting over, STOP giving up!!!!

Saw this quote on pintrest and thought immediately of all my failed attempts...it is time I start motivating myself instead of looking at others as a source of motivation. All to often I look at someone else's weightless results for motivation. It is time my own weight loss results and progress serve as my motivation to continue so I may stop starting over !!!

Toning routine!!!

After much debate on what workout I would implement to kick start my toning up mission I finally settled on one. I found it on toneitup.com and it is called the "Sand Castle" work out. It claims in the description you can build your sand castle and tone your whole body which is exactly what I need (to tone the whole body). This work out consist of 5 different exercises and I plan on doing 12 reps of each then repeat the circuit 2 more times. if you go to their website toneitup.com and type in Sandcastle workout you can see all the moves I will be doing. I decided to pick this one to start with because all I need is a set of hand weights. I figured because it was so un complicated it would be easier to stick with this work out. I will keep you updated as always.

Focus More on Toning...

How many times have you been eating right and getting all your cardio in and to your delight the number on the scale keeps going down, only to look in the mirror and see that your body is still no where to being bikini ready?!?! This has always been a big problem for me partially because I have a huge amount of fat on top of my muscles and I don't place the same emphasis on strength training as I do cardio. Everyone from Kinesiology majors to trainers in the gym have always stressed the importance of strength training for weight loss. I being very head strong and "knowing my body" knew that I could lose weight eating fewer calories and getting my cardio in. I actually was right I did lose weight but my body underneath my clothes was smaller just still lumpy and jiggly and pudgy. So this year Iam still going to get an adequate amount of cardio in just focus more on stregnth training. Strength training has a host of benefits including speeding up your metabolism so you burn calories when your not working out, improved posture and flexibility, and of course the more you work out the better you are able to handle stress and it improves your mood. The benefits you can see of course is a leaner, firmer, and more toned body which for me is greatly needed. I still want to achieve weight loss so I must combine the two, cardio and strength, because you can not spot reduce when it comes to weight loss. In the past I have never been very good at knowing what to do when it comes to resistance training so this time I have been buying fitness magazines and even surfing the internet for ideas. I came across an awesome website called toneitup.com (I know that is exactly what I wanted) and I found a lot of routines that I can implement into my weight loss/ toning routine. The picture above is from the founder of the website look at how she toned up!!!So I plan on putting an exact plan together and work on my goal of going to the gym four times a week. As soon as I get the exact plan together I will post it and keep you updated.

New Year...Same Me...Just Different!!!

Soooo....I have been away from the blog for a very long time now, but I have actually been thinking about just what to say and in what direction I want to take this blog this year. I think the best direction is just to cater to me but of course this year I think the blog needs some ground rules like post once a week, do more weight updates but also post more pieces about health and fitness. These things will not only help me achieve my personal goals but also help other people that visit my blog. With all that said I guess I should practice what I preach and keep everyone updated on my weight. I am now 175 I am down 12 pounds from my all time high of 187. I finally dug myself out of that hole I let myself fall into but I will be honest it was hard. I just started doing things soley for me like buying myself clothes, wearing makeup more, hanging out with my friends and just being grateful for all the great things that this past year brought me instead of focusing on the negative things that happened. (Of course I started going back to the gym only because I wanted to go and I started watching portions of what I was eating) So now that I have made it this far I only want to go farther I want to set 2012 goals for myself and I have all of 2012 to get it right I figure. With that said here they are:
1.) Since I am so bad about never accomplishing my goals the first one is a no brainer "Accomplish at least 3 of your Goals this year"
2.) Move away from home (Jackson, MS)
3.) Stop being wasteful with my paychecks and start saving money every paycheck
4.) Have a goal and plan in place to go to graduate school
5.) Go back to New York City
6.) Eat cleaner and never go a day without eating fresh fruits and vegetables
7.) Limit eating out to once a week
8.) Work out 4 times a week
9.) Find and implement a strenghth and toning routine into your workout
10.) Finally reach the 150s
11.) Go to church on my weekends off
So those are my goals and I think they can all 100% be accomplished and this will be the year that I will try my hardest to accomplish them all. What are your goals I would love to know?!?!

Update!!!

I've been away for awhile and unfortunately my mind has not been on my diet at all. Recently I have had some major life changes occur such as the ending of my engagement and four and a half year relationship and I moved back in with my family. I have heard how these things can cause a person a lot of stress and depending on how they deal with stress they can lose or gain weight. I definitely eat my stress away and I gained weight I got up to my heaviest this year at 187 (YIKES). I have managed to shed a little of that weight and now I am down to 182. I have no plan in place because as of now I have no will power to go work out or eat right. As always I will keep you posted and let you know which way the scale is leaning!!!

Gym Challenge Update#2

I'm still following my gym challenge and I am very proud of myself. I personally find it easier to go to aerobic and spin classes vs. trying to figure out something on my own to do everyday. I feel healthier but the scale has not moved at all...the culprit my piss poor eating habits!!! Lesson for me and everyone to take away from this DIET is 70% of weight loss it can actually be the only thing you change and you can achieve your weight loss goals. So I must attack the diet portion I talked last night with my fiance about my diet and eating habits we discussed some things for me to implement immediately that I can see great results with.
To attack Cravings:
1.) Drink water when you crave things and even between meals
2.) Chew gum
3.) Eat a low calorie snack like fruit or veggie sticks

To attack bad eating habits:
1.) Only drink water no sodas or processed juices
2.) Use the fruit and veggie juicer to replace one meal a day (like breakfast or lunch)
3.) Eat appropriate foods at the appropriate meal times (I love left overs for breakfast but that is really unhealthy or don't have a huge lunch like steak or potatoes have a salad soup or fruit and a sandwich)
4.) No fast food (it is high in calories and will also help me save money)

So since this is my gym update where I talk about going to the gym everyday I thought I would show a celebrity that goes to the gym every day that has modified her eating habits and looks fantastic now...


Kim Kardashian








The top three are before she started tackling her eating habits and the bottom two are the AFTER pictures. She is still curvy but so much more toned her body is amazing!!!

Gym Challenge Update!!!

I haven't missed a day!!!I find its easier for me to stick with it so far by going to aerobics classes (a trained instructor tells you what to do to have an amazing workout). I've gone to kick boxing, turbo-kick (its like high impact kick boxing lots of cardio), step aerobics, and today i'm going to spin class. Now if only I could get my diet under control I love to binge on all the wrong things. So who is my fitspiration this week?!?!?

None other than Rihanna...




Rihanna follows a low-carb diet and works out. Weight loss with a low carb diet is much faster than your traditional low-fat diet. Some tips to help you start a low-carb diet:
1.) Eliminate white foods such as breads, pasta, rice, and potatoes
2.) Eliminate as much sugar from your diet as possible such as fruit juices, sodas, cookies, cakes, and candies
3.) Eliminate processed and Incorporate more unprocessed foods as possibles into your diet
4.) Finally research popular low carb diets such as Adkins,South Beach, and the Dukan diet (made popular my Kate Middleton)

40 day gym challenge...weight update!!!

I want her abs!!! She is my fitspiration for this week!! Last time I weighed I was 178 I got up to 183 so i'm down 5 which is most likely water weight. However during the time I lost that weight I worked out and ate about 1000 calories a day!!! I want to really keep my workouts up soooo I decided to challenge myself to go to the gym everyday until I leave for Miami which is in exactly 44 days. I have failed at every challenge I have made so this time I asked my Fiancee to raise the stakes for me. He offered me a trip to NYC (Our favorite place in the whole wide world) if I am successful so here goes...I officially start Friday 8-5-2011 and will go to 9-14-11 which is 40 days. I will update you on my success this time I will not fail!!!

Who is STILL Gaining!!!

Me...thats right this morning my scale red 181. MY initial reaction (WTF)...hopefully this week will be better!!!

Exercise!!!

So I will just put this out there...I hate working out!!! So my way around the boredom and hard work is an aerobics class or working out with a friend. They normally last for an hour and you typically get 30-45 min of cardio and 15-20 min of strength. My previous gym really did not have the best variety of classes or any that could accommodate my schedule so last week I joined the YMCA. On top of an awesome variety of aerobics classes they also offer spinning. Spinning is pretty much at the top of the list when it comes to a killer cardio workout that burns a ton of calories and tones and conditions your muscles. I went this Friday with my fiance and we loved it and afterwards we hit the weight room something I normally wouldn't do but I had my workout buddy there and he kept me motivated. What have you all done for your body today?!?!

My weight loss tools!!!

I decided to do a post and list all of my weight loss tools that I currently have in my possession to lose weight. I can assure all the readers the only reason I didn't utilize them up until now is I wasn't motivated enough. There is no special magical solution to weight loss it is a simple formula of how much hard work and dedication you are willing to put in. So what are my weight loss tools?!?!?

1.) My mind set: I have finally realized this is what I really want for my life, to be healthy. I have discovered my weaknesses and strengths and I'm really ready to take control of my weight once and for all. I understand I will not lose 30 pounds in 3 weeks but I do know that if I push myself hard enough I can lose 3-4 pounds a week. I have dieted so much I know what my body is capable of. Another mistake that I will not make this time is talking about my diet to co workers and friends or even family. My readers will be my support group. I read in Glamour magazine's June 2011 issue that we should keep our diet a secret at first and then after we have started to lose weight then discuss it so we can have the "action not the decision praised". I am not losing weight with the hopes to gain anything but health and a much needed self esteem boost when I look in the mirror and see what I have accomplished.

2.) Water: I am blessed to have filtered water right in my kitchen we have a refirgerator with water on the door and we replace the filter when indicated so it is always clean, fresh, and cool. Water is so essential to weight loss because if our kidney's are functioning properly (being hydrated) our liver does not have to help the kidneys do their job but instead can do the job they are meant to do, break down fat...yesssss one of our organ's jobs is to break down fat!!! Additionally, the less dehydrated the body is the more energy it will have to not only to help us complete our day to day functions but to tackle that hour workout we need to see optimal weight loss results.

3.) Exercise options: I have a ton of means by which I can use to exercise. I live less than 5 minutes from a walking track that is a mile long (4 times around= 4 miles). I have an aerobics membership at the gym all classes are an hour long and it only cost 20 bucks a month for unlimited classes all taught by certified instructors and I have access to the indoor track. I also have a rooftop gym at my apartment building there are free weights, cardio equipment such as a treadmil, eliptical, and stationary bike, and there are weight machines. In addition to all of those options for weight loss I have a ton of work out DVD'S from Pilates, to Jillian Michaels, to the firm, to insanity. I have no excuses.

4.) I love healthy food: Don't get me wrong but I I love the bad stuff too but the thought of eating fresh fruits and veggies and grilled meats don't get me down I love this stuff. I think what advantage I have over a few people I have talked to about losing weight I know exactly what foods to eat to lose weight and what not to eat. I also have no problem with the thought of 4-6 small meals a day to keep my metabolism up and running. Yes I will admit it is always harder to resist the thought of having pasta vs a salad but that pasta will always be there but my opportunity to lose no weight that week vs four pounds that week only last 7 days.

5.) I have a digital scale: How else will I know if all my efforts are paying off. Plus I love how it goes to one place pass the decimal. Even a little difference such as going from 156.8 to 156.4 is all the motivation I need to keep doing what is right and not fall off the wagon. Everyone says your only suppose to weigh yourself once a week I weigh myself everyday when dieting and that is when I am the most successful. I can keep myself really on track by seeing how my workout and eating effected my weight from one day to the next.

Those five tools are all I Know I need to be successful at losing weight there is nothing special on that list that most people don't already have access too so if you think you can't start a diet until you obtain this, this, or this then you are wrong examine your surroundings and discover your tools and just do it!!!

Will I Ever Achieve My Goal?!?!

That answer is entirely up to me and it is actually a very easy process to get there but I have to want it to really want it! I no longer can allow myself excuses such as I work 12 hour shifts so I have no time to workout and I crave carbs at work because being a nurse in the NICU is stressful and blah...blah...blah...blah...blah. So this morning I got up had a tall glass of water and some fruit and hit the gym. Tonight at work I'm resisting the donuts in the break room and I'm envisioning myself thinner by the minute. Most times when I start a new "lifestyle change" I think back on all the time I had get it right and how it would have been so much easier then than now so now I'm seizing my opportunity to make those changes because it will only get harder as time goes on. Well enough of my soap box lets see who's body I'm obsessing over these days


Yep...Audrina Patridge!!!! I love how toned she is but I also know how far I have to go to reach a body like hers but like I said it is possible and totally up to me if I do it!!!

weigh In # 1

YEP...IT IS MY FIRST WEIGH IN FOR THE SUMMER AND I LOST 3 POUNDS I AM NOW...
177!!!!!!!

OMG!!! I'm still gaining....

Yep you read that correctly I am still gaining weight which is to be expected cause i'm not trying my hardest right now. I am eating bad and not working out. So how much damage have I done to myself...


180 pounds....

enough is enough it is back to water and working out and lots and lots of fruit an veggies and I'm weighing myself Everyday!!!So let the weight loss begin and hopefully this time I can break this gain and lose and gain cycle and adopt a more permanent approach to weight loss.

Kate Middleton

My current thinspiration is Kate Middleton. She follows the Dukan Diet and works out at least and hour a day. She is in my opinion really healthy and doesnt starve herself but her body is absolutely amazing. I decided to post this to give everyones' diet a little extra motivation. So far Ive been trying to go back to only drinking water and eating fruits and vegetables with every meal. I have to go to a wedding June 26th and I hope to do a body shot before I leave town for the wedding to document my weight lost results. So stay tuned and I hope you enjoy the extra motivation!!!

I gained...ALOT!!!

Well I gained which I'm starting to think that is all my body can do even after i worked out 3 out of the five days I was on vacation. However to be truthful I did eat pretty bad lots of fried seafood (YUMM) and chocolate candy! Eating is my biggest road block to weight loss and I really want to stop this back and forth and just finally succeed. I got really great advice ,from someone that has totally overcame every obstacle there is in weight loss and lost a ton of weight, to set mini goals. So mini goal number 1 is to reach 155 pounds I am dying to see the 150s again it has been ages since I have so that is what my blog will focus on until I reach my mini goal then I will set another goal and try to reach it. In the mean time stay tuned as I attempt to make progress in this never ending battle

Weigh in plus other stuff!!!

I'm exactly 165.0!!! I actually got down to 161.8 but I gained it back over eating I think I have quite of a binge eating problem that I really want to get control over. So for the next two weeks I am actually going to keep a journal and write down everything I crave and everything I eat and try to get a better understanding of why I over eat. I am 100% sure I am an emotional eater so lets see what happens.