Another Birthday

Yesterday was my other sister's birthday.

She's now 24 years young.

Do you remember your twenties?

Or are you still in those wonderful years?

This sister of mine is such a great support to me.

We've had our fights in the past, but since the twins were born she has been nothing but loving towards me and the twins.

She never refuses to babysit when I need her in a pinch.

She loves the twins completely.

Happy Birthday to my sweet sister!

I'm a little nervous about what I'm going to eat for dinner tonight, since we're having her birthday dinner at a restaurant.

I've never been there before, and it's Italian food.

Did I mention that's one of my favorites?

I can't get off the plan because I weigh in on Saturday.

Today's Food and Activities

recovery day- no running

20 minutes abs

50 push-ups

1 english muffin, 1 slice turkey bacon, 2 slices tomatoes, 1 TBS B&B spread

1 Activia yogurt

Healthy Choice Sesame Chicken with veggies

1 roasted chicken breast with 1/2 cup rosemary potatoes

1 very, very small piece of birthday cake

I'm so glad to have good readers who pay attention to my posts and progress.
They've pointed out that I'm more than half-way to my goal weight.
A huge thanks to you! I needed that "pick-me-up" today!
Have a happy and healthy day!

Friendships

I come home from my running, get the twins ready for the day, and walk for an hour with some of the best women I know.

Growing up I had a 3 (girl) best friends.

We were inseparable.

Now I only speak and see one of them every few months even though we live only 20 minutes away from each other.

Even though I don't see or hear very much from her, I still consider her to be a good friend.

I'm really enjoying the friendships I've made with the four girls I've been exercising and walking with.

I've heard that "you are who you hang out with."

Well... I hope I become more like these women because they're kind-hearted, generous, and have good values.

There's nothing like a good friend.

They cheer you on when you succeed.

They cheer you up when you feel like you've failed.

Today's Activities and Food

30 minutes run/walk program

20 min abs

30 min upper body with free weights

1 hour walk with twins

1 english muffin, 1 slice turkey bacon, 2 slices tomatoes, 1 TBS B&B spread

1 Activia yogurt

7 almonds

2 small corn tortillas, 1 slice turkey bacon, 2 slices tomatoes, 1/4 cup nonfat cheddar

7 almonds

1 small serving of chicken edamame stirfry

1 apple

Have a happy and healthy day!

Wishes

I wish

I lived in Hawaii.

I could have more children.

for a million dollars.

I could stop craving a whole bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos.

that rocky road ice cream was totally calorie-free and fat-free.

Last Saturday I weighed myself.

I lost 1.5 pounds.

Phew!

I thought it was going to say,

"You ate WAY too much junk last weekend, and you thought you'd lose weight?"
I can offically buy a cute pair of shoes! That's the next prize for "25 pounds gone."
The sad thing is they definitely have to be sensible.
I might have to buy a pair of New Balance mules. They're the athletic shoes without a back. Maybe I'll find some cute ones to wear around the house (advised by podiatrist).

I'm grateful for this loss and the fact that I've been able to run again without pain.

Thank you to my loyal followers.

Thank you for following me on this journey and for your encouraging comments.

On a side note... I was pretty bad to my body on Saturday. My husband and I went out all day. The afternoon was with the twins, and my sis babysat for us at night.
Breakfast:  pancakes stuffed with... Cookies N' Cream candy bar
(Yeah, you read that right.) It was quite good. I'm sorry if some of you just got grossed out.
If you've never tried white chocolate in your pancakes, you shouldn't try it.
You'll get hooked.
I looked for regular white chocolate chips at the grocery store, but they didn't have any.
So I got a candy bar instead.
Lunch:  16 oz. grilled T-bone steak with fries and a side of ranch dressing. It was yummy.
Dinner:  Lots of chips and salsa, 1 glass of horchata, 3 large pepper-stuffed shrimp wrapped in bacon and drizzled with cheddar cheese, spanish rice
Dessert:  1 small slice of apple sour cream stresel pie and two scoops of vanilla ice cream
Oh. My. Goodness.
It was sooo good.
All the food I had on Saturday was so good that I woke up at 2 a.m. on Sunday and threw it all up.
What the heck is wrong with me?
That was WAY too much food. My stomach felt fine that night, but early in the morning it felt like I wasn't going to be able to digest all of it.
After throwing up, I felt a million times better and fell asleep.
I was totally fine for the rest of the day.

Please remind me again to take it easy on my "Eat What I Want Day."
I'm renaming Saturday as "Eat What I Want Without Getting Sick Day."

Monday's Food and Activites
35 minutes run/walk program
(5 min. run, 2 min. walk)
45 minutes walk with twins
20 minutes abs
30 minutes upper body with free weights
1 light Activia yogurt
1 whole wheat english muffin, 1 TBS B&B spread, 4 slices tomatoes, 1 turkey bacon slice
7 almonds
2 small corn tortillas, 1 turkey bacon slice, 4 slices tomatoes, 1/4 nonfat cheddar
7 almonds
2 sweet wheat bagels, 1 scrambled egg in Pam, 1/2 cup green beans with 1 tsp olive oil
9 mini rice cakes

I hope you're having a happy and healthy day.

Service

I've been doing a lot of thinking and praying lately.

I've been thinking and praying about how to deal with my stepkids.

I've heard several times from several people that the best way to teach yourself to like/love another person (who isn't easy for you to like/love) is to serve them.

What am I going to do?

I'm serving them pie.

I am!

Seriously.

Well... that's one of the things I've decided to do for them.

I was set to bake a couple of these pies for Saturday when they're here, and my hubby just told me that their mother wasn't letting us have them this weekend.

She's lovely. (sarcastic tone, here)

I'll just make something else when they come in a month.

I've also decided to compliment them more on the good things they do.

My husband is a good man, husband, and father.

I want to let him know that I support him and show him that I love him by serving his children.

I know in my heart that when you give "good," you get "good" back.

Friday

30 minutes run/walk program

1 hour walk with twins

20 minute abs

30 minutes upper body with free weights

1 english muffin, 1 slice turkey bacon, 2 slices tomatoes, 1 TBS B&B spread

1 Activia yogurt

7 almonds

2 small corn tortillas, 1 slice turkey bacon, 2 slices tomatoes, 1/4 cup nonfat cheddar

7 almonds

WW Salisbury Steak dinner with asparagus
1 apple

Saturday

20 minute abs

30 minutes upper body with free weights

"Eat What I Want Day"

I weigh myself today. I'll let you know how I did on Monday!

Sunday

rest day

1 english muffin, 1 slice turkey bacon, 2 slices tomatoes, 1 TBS B&B spread

1 Activia yogurt

7 almonds

2 small corn tortillas, 1 slice turkey bacon, 2 slices tomatoes, 1/4 cup nonfat cheddar

7 almonds

2 turkey burger patties, 1 lowfat burger bun, 2 slices red onion, 1/2 TBS hot sauce, lettuce

1/2 cup sauteed green beans with Pam

Have a happy and healthy weekend!

I'll see you back here on Monday.

Why Did I Do That?

Why did I weigh myself today?

Dumb curiosity, maybe.

I don't weigh myself until Saturday, but I was curious to see how I was doing just 2 days before my official weigh-in. And... after two days of running.

I didn't like what I saw.

It said that I weighed the same. 139.5 lbs.

I vow never to do that again.

Today's Activities and Food

30 minutes run/walk program

20 minutes abs

30 minutes upper body with free weights

1 hour walk with twins

1 english muffin, 1 slice turkey bacon, 2 slices tomatoes, 1 TBS B&B spread

1 Activia strawberry/banana yogurt (trying to get regular here, LOL)

7 almonds

2 small corn tortillas, 1 slice turkey bacon, 2 slices tomatoes, 1/4 cup nonfat cheddar

7 almonds

1 large shrimp taco with 1 flour tortilla

Have a happy and healthy day!

Welcoming Spring

Spring has definitely arrived!

I love this time of the year.

Beautiful blossoms dancing in the trees

Warmer weather kissing our skin

Tissues, tissues, tissues...

Oh wait! I forgot about spring allergies.

I should just walk around with tissue up my nose.

It's allergy season, and it's pretty bad around here.

We have had plenty of rain, and now we've got plenty of pollen.

Having so much wind makes it even worse.

I didn't run today. I'm being careful not to overdo it because I want to continue running and training for the 5K in November. Yesterday I ran and walked 2 miles in 30 minutes. I have a lot of work to do in order to get to three miles. I know as I increase my run (currently at 4 minute intervals) I will eventually hit the "3 mile" mark.

Wednesday's Food and Activies

1 hour walk with twins

20 minute abs

30 minutes upper body with free weights

1 honey wheat english muffin, 1 TBS B&B spread, 2 oz. lean turkey deli slices

7 almonds

2 small corn tortillas, 2 pieces of turkey bacon, 1/4 fat free cheddar, 4 slices tomatoes
1 apple

7 almonds

1 veggie burrito with 1 medium flour tortilla, 2 TBS lowfat sour cream, 2 TBS salsa

I hope you're having a happy and healthy day!

I've Got a Feeling... Today's Gonna Be a Good, Good Day!

Yesterday I planned on riding a really nice stationary bike that our clubhouse bought recently.

You see, I haven't been to our clubhouse for over a week because I hated the old fan-controlled stationary bike they had.

They actually still have that bike, but now there's a quiet, fancier one too.

I was excited to ride it, but my butt wasn't.

It has been sore from riding 4-6 times a week.

I decided to do a run/walk program.

Premature?

Possibly.

I walked for 5 minutes to warm up.

I ran for 4 minutes and walked for 2 minutes. I repeated this 3 times, and then I cooled off with a walk.

I felt great.

I got my runner's high again, and it didn't hurt that "Black-Eyed Peas rotated again on my running playlist.

The Verdict:  my toes went a little numb, but no burning. I was okay.

Just to make sure, I iced my feet last night and this morning after my run.

Today I also did the same run/walk program, but this time I repeated the 4 min. and 2 min. 3 times.

It felt so good!

I know, I can't believe I'm enjoying running so much.

Here's the plan for today and what I've done so far.

Tuesday

34 minutes run/walk program (done)

20 minute abs with Jackie Warner (still need to do)

30 minutes upper body with free weights (still need to do)

1 hour walk if the wind doesn't blow me and the twins over (still need to do)

1 honey wheat english muffin, 4 slices tomatoes, 1 TBS B&B spread, 6 slices lean turkey deli slices

1 apple

7 almonds

2 small corn tortillas, 1 piece of turkey bacon, 1/4 fat free cheddar, 4 slices tomatoes

lowfat popcorn

7 almonds

WW Meal:  Chicken Carbonara with 1 tsp. olive oil

1 serving of Strawberry Greek yogurt

Thanks to all of my supportive readers who have been giving me such good advice and encouraging words!

Welcome to my new followers. I make many mistakes in my journey, but I can promise you that it's always honest.

I hope you're having a happy and healthy day!

Year 23

Last Saturday was my sister's 23rd birthday.

It made me think of how wonderful my year 23 was.

I graduated from college.

I started teaching.

I bought my own car.

I made good friends at the school I was teaching at.

I got rid of a stupid and gross boyfriend who was just dragging me down.

Yeah, being 23 was wonderful.

I hope her year 23 will be a good one.

I was actually excited to wake up this morning.

I woke up at 6:30 a.m. and worked out.

I got back just in time for my husband to get to work early.

We found out that he's not having the surgery until this week.
There goes another fun co-pay.

Saturday was also my new official weigh-in day.

I got on the scale, and it said I lost 2.5 pounds.

I now weigh 139.5pounds!

I'm very happy about this loss. Getting to the 130's really helps me believe that I can get to my goal weight of 120.

I can't wait to get my "25 pounds gone" reward- a pair of super cute shoes.

I'm finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.

Don't get me wrong though. I know "maintenance" has been a big problem with me, and I intend to attack it with all my might!

Today's Activities and Food

45 minutes stationary bike

1 hour walk with twins

10 minutes abs

30 minutes upper body with free weights

1/2 honey wheat english muffin, 6 slices turkey deli, 1 TBS B&B spread, 4 slices tomatoes

7 almonds

1/2 honey wheat english muffin, 6 slices turkey deli, 1/4 cup nonfat cheddar, 4 slices tomatoes

7 almonds

2 Western bagels, 1 scrambled egg, 1 cup sauteed green beans

popcorn

Have a happy and healthy day!

Exhausted

I woke up this morning at 6:45, and I really didn't want to get up for the day.

What do you do when you're a stay-at-home mom with 21 month old twins?

You get up.

So I did just that.

I dragged my butt out of bed (about 7:15), went to the gym, and rode the stationary bike for 20 minutes.

I was actually disappointed that I couldn't go the 45 minutes that I did just yesterday.

I had to be home early enough for my hubby to get to work earlier this morning.

He has a lypoma. It's a fatty deposit that seems to have gotten irritated, so he's having it surgically removed this afternoon. It's about the size of a quarter. We are a little nervous about it, but we have faith that the surgeon will do a good job and he will heal just fine. The scary part is that it's in his neck.

I don't know why I was so exhausted this morning.

I hate it when I wake up feeling tired.

Maybe when that happens that means I didn't sleep well. I don't know.

Hopefully I will sleep well tonight.

I weigh in tomorrow.

It has been 10 days since my last weigh-in.

I changed weigh-ins and "Eat What I Want Day" to Saturdays.

It's easier for date nights and relaxing with my family.

Today's Activities and Food

20 minutes on stationary bike

1 hour walk with double stroller in the afternoon

20 minutes Pilates

30 minutes upper body with free weights

1/2 honey wheat english muffin, 4 slices tomatoes, 1/4 cup nonfat cheddar, 3 ham slices

10 almonds

WW Salisbury Steak meal

7 almonds

Healthy Choice Chicken Pad Thai

1 Skinny Cow Fudgsicle

1/2 cup 2% milk

Saturday's Activities and Food

45 minutes on stationary bike

10 minutes abs

30 minutes upper body with weights

"Eat Whatever I Want Day" (taking it easy though)

Sunday's Activities and Food

rest day

1/2 english muffin, 6 slices turkey deli, 4 slices tomatoes, 1 TBS. B&B spread

7 almonds

1/2 english muffin, 6 slices turkey deli, 4 slices tomatoes, 1/4 cup nonfat cheddar

7 almonds

3 oz. grilled steak, cabbage, 1/2 cup potatoes, 1/2 cup white rice

I'll be back on Monday to let you know about the weigh-in.

I hope you have a happy and healthy weekend!

What?!?!

I went to the podiatrist this morning, and I was very excited to tell her the shots worked.

I haven't felt that burning pain in my toes (right foot) since the two shots.

She gave me two shots in my left foot.

She also told me that my feet issues were not too severe, and she thinks I may be able to run again soon and definitely be able to run that 5K in November! Yay!

I went to go pay my co-pay and guess what!?!?

I had a balance of $278.

What the heck?!?!

They didn't tell me that those shots were not covered by my insurance.

I was so mad that I could've bit the receptionist's head off.

I really wasn't looking forward to having to tell my husband.

We don't have anymore credit cards since we filed for bankrupcy, so everything is CASH right now.

Yikes.

Today's Activities and Food

45 minutes on stationary bike

1 apple

14 almonds

4 pieces of salmon sashimi and tuna salad at a yummy Sushi restaurant with a friend

4 oz. lean ground turkey, 2 cups whole wheat spaghetti, 1/2 cup lowfat spaghetti sauce

I hope you're having a happy and healthy day!

Being More Active= Eating More

Yesterday afternoon I was watching TV and felt a little light-headed.

It was about 2 hours from when I had lunch, and I felt a little hungry.

I got up from the couch, and I thought I was going to collapse.

I quickly had a few slices of deli sliced roast beef and a cup of carrots.

I felt better as soon as my blood-sugar level came back to normal.

My deduction?

Yesterday I was on the bike for 35 minutes, walked 45 minutes pushing about 50 pounds (double stroller + twin toddlers @ 24 pounds each), abs 10 minutes, and lifted free weights for upper body for 30 minutes.

I don't think I ate enough to replace all the energy I spent.

That was really bad, and I do not recommend anyone make that same mistake.

I took it easy today.

I skipped my bike ride and went for an hour walk with the double stroller and worked on abs and upper body.

I feel much better today.

I'm also going to make sure I shop for some healthy snacks, so I can keep my blood-sugar normal between meals. I started walking with a group of girls who also have babies and/or toddlers last Monday. It's been fun and a great workout too. I just need to make sure I eat some healthy snacks to keep me from feeling sick again.

I'll be shopping for:

carrots

celery

oranges

Today's Activities and Food

walk 1 hr. with double stroller and twins

abs 10 minutes

upper body with free weights and push-ups 30 minutes

1/2 honey wheat english muffin, 1/2 TBS B&B spread, 4 slices tomatoes, 6 slices lean ham

7 almonds

1 regular english muffin, 1/2 TBS B&B spread, 1/4 cup nonfat cheddar, 4 slices tomatoes, 6 slices lean ham

7 almonds

1 cup raw carrots

3 oz. grilled salmon, 1/2 cup brown rice, 1 cup sauteed green beans and garlic

Have a happy and healthy day!

Flat Tires

Today I rode a stationary bike for 35 minutes. I felt like I could've done another 10 minutes, but I promised my hubby that I would be home early enough so that he could get in a swim before work.

I left the gym and walked into my morning of he**.

Okay, I'm exaggerating a little.

I walked to my car which had a... flat tire. Ugh.

I absolutely hate flat tires.

My mom's car (when I used to drive it)  had so many flat tires. I don't know if it's because we lived in a very "under construction" zone or what.

Flat tires aren't so bad unless you had to get somewhere quickly.

This is why it was bad for me.

My hubby has been so supportive lately about my health and fitness goals, and I really wanted to be supportive of his by being on time in the morning.

Oh well.

$2.25 in quarters later... the tire still wasn't fully inflated. I put the cap on and drove it home. It was still driveable, but I told him not to drive it on the freeway. He later called me and said he spent $90 for a new tire. That stinks. It especially stinks because this is the car we're not even going to have for very long. We gave it up in our bankrupcy.

The rest of my day has been great!

Today's Activities and Food

stationary bike 35 minutes

45 minutes walking with friends and double stroller

abs 20 minutes

arms, shoulders, back, and chest 30 minutes

1 multigrain english muffin, lowfat ham slices, tomatoes, 1 TBS B&B spread

1 regular english muffin, lowfat ham slices, tomatoes, 1/4 cup nonfat cheddar cheese

1 apple

Healthy Choice Chicken Pad Thai (with veggies), 1 WW lemon creme cake

1 serving Greek yogurt with strawberries

Tomorrow is another crazy and busy day.

I plan to go on the stairmaster tomorrow. I know the foot doc told me to stay on the bike, but I'm curious if I could just keep my feet "flat" on the stairmaster. I'll update you on how this goes. I also plan on walking with my friends and the twins again for about an hour.

Have a happy and healthy day!

Reevaluating

I have been reevaluating what I've accomplished and still want and need to do.

Accomplishments

*Cardio 5-6 times a week for 45 min.- 1 hr.

*Eat healthy 6 days a week

*Take a multivitamin every day

*free weights 5-6 days a week

*abs 5-6 days a week
*Drink more water
*Lose consisitently every week

Still Need to Do

*20 push-ups on my toes (This one will take a while because I've been told not to put pressure on the balls of my feet.)

*Get firmer abs

*Get toned arms

Still Want to Do

*Wear my old thinner clothes (Hopefully they'll still be in style when I get to this. LOL.)

*Run for 30 min. straight. (It'll be a while with my feet problems.)

I've decided that I need to take it easy on my "Eat What I Want Day."

I really paid for it with my stomach issues last Wednesday.

I don't want to end up in the fetal position on the floor again.

I know it was all the spicy food I ate because no one else in my fam was sick.

I've changed my weigh-in day and day to "indulge" to Saturdays.

I did this because Saturdays are usually our "date nights" if we ever get them and it's more fun for me to relax and enjoy meals with my family.

I was having a conversation about food, family, and culture with a friend of mine last Friday.

Why is it that almost (I think, anyway) every culture is so centered around food?

My family and cultural background for sure is centered around food.

Don't get me wrong. I think it's a wonderful thing to spend time with family. I just don't know why it has become so unhealthy for mine.

It's one of the many reasons why I can gain weight so easily.

I hope that I'm raising my twins to have a healthy relationship with food.

I'm hoping that I'm learning that

Food is to be enjoyed but not to be lived for.

Saturday

abs 10 min.

30 min. arms, shoulders, chest, back

1 multigrain english muffin, 1 TBS Brommel & Brown, 3 slices lean turkey slices, 2 tomato slices

7 almonds

1 regular english muffin, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 3 slices lean turkey slices, 2 tomato slices
7 almonds

1 egg scrambled in Pam, 1 flour tortilla, 1 cup sauteed potatoes in Pam

1 small apple

Sunday

rest day

1 multigrain english muffin, 1 TBS Brommel & Brown, 3 slices lean turkey slices

7 almonds

1 regular english muffin, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 3 slices lean turkey slices

lowfat popcorn

1/2 cup cheese tortellini with lowfat sauce and peas

Monday's Plan

45 min. stationary bike

10 min. abs

30 min. arms, shoulders, chest, back
1 hour walk with friends and twins in the double stroller

1 multigrain english muffin, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. lean roast beef

7 almonds

1 regular english muffin, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. lean roast beef
7 almonds

1 slice of cheese pizza
1 cup raw carrots
1 small apple

I've been asked why I eat "7 almonds."

Maybe it's for luck?

Maybe I like the number "7?."

Actually... I count all the calories, fat, and fiber that I put in my mouth except for "Eat What I Want Day."

And sometimes I even feel a little guilty that day.

I often catch myself thinking, "How much is this snack/meal worth?."

It may seem a little OCD for some of you, but I think I've got a little bit of that too (OCD). LOL. I have noticed in the past that when I'm lackadaisical (without interest, vigor, or determination) about measuring my food that my "1 cup of this" becomes a little more like 1 1/2 cups or 2.

Also, eating the small handful of almonds 20 minutes before my lunches and dinners really does make me think and feel that I'm not starving right before I eat my meals. I learned this little trick from Dr. Oz's book, You, on a Diet.

I hope you had a great weekend and that you're off to a great start!

Welcome to my new followers and readers.

And a HUGE thanks for the support to those who have been following my journey for a while.

Have a happy and healthy day!

Fun Reward

I originally wanted some cute earrings for my "20 pounds gone" reward,

but I couldn't decide which pair I wanted. I have way too many earrings anyway.

So... instead I bought myself a ring!

No, not a totally diamond-encrusted ring.

A fun one.

A really big and gaudy one! LOL.

I wanted something that would make me laugh and remind myself that I need to keep this journey fun because I'm in it for the long haul.

Here it is.

The picture makes it difficult to appreciate its sparkliness.

It's a champagne color and full of beads.

I had fun picking it out.

I hope it gives you a good laugh!

The stepkids are coming over for the weekend.

I'm gonna try to keep a cool head again.

Last time they were here wasn't too bad.

My hubby and I didn't fight, so it was actually a good weekend.

Friday's Plan

45 min. on stationary bike

10 min. abs

30 min. arms, shoulders, chest, and back

1 multigrain english muffin, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef

7 almonds

1 lowfat english muffin, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef

7 almonds

chicken stirfry with veggies, 1/2 cup brown rice

1 apple

Saturday's Plan

10 min. abs

30 min. arms, shoulders, chest, and back

1 multigrain english muffin, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef

7 almonds

1 lowfat english muffin, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef

7 almonds

2 small bagels, 1 scrambled egg, 1/2 cup carrots, 1 apple

1 WW lemon creme cake

Sunday's Plan

rest day

1 multigrain english muffin, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef

7 almonds

1 lowfat english muffin, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef

7 almonds

4 oz. grilled chicken, 1/2 cup brown rice, green beans with 2 tsp. olive oil

A big "thank you" to all my followers and readers.

I can't do this without you.

Have a happy and healthy weekend!

I'll see you back here on Monday!

Now What

Yesterday morning I woke up, went for my 45 minute ride on the stationary bike, went home, and had a horrible bathroom experience.

Let's just say that I had to quickly make a trip to the store to get some Immodium.

Ugh.

Is there a better word for the pain that I felt in my stomach?

It hurt so much that I curled into the fetal position on my bathroom floor and was sweating.

I also wanted to throw up all day.

No, I'm not pregnant.

I had some super spicy food on Tuesday.

I also had some cheese puffs.

I don't know what happened to me.

My sister said the same thing happens to her when she eats really spicy food.

I might have to rethink my "one night of indulgence a week."

Anyway... I didn't eat all the food that I planned yesterday.

I drank PLENTY of water though.

I think that's probably what my body needed.

Tuesday's Actual Day

stationary bike 45 min.

abs 10 min.
30 min. arms, shoulders, back, and chest

1 multigrain english muffin, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef

1 banana, 5 oz. lean roast beef, small apple juice box
1 veggie taco with 1 flour tortilla

I read on a website what to eat when you're having stomach issues.

It said to drink plenty of clear fluids, get enough protein, and replace the potassium you've probably lost.

It also said not to eat too much dairy and whole grains.

Unfortunately, I read the info AFTER my "rich in fiber" breakfast with cheese.

I felt pretty bloated soon afterwards.

I felt a little bit better at night, so I had the flour tortilla.

Today is definitely a better day.

My nausea and stomachache is gone.

Thursday's Plan

(already did) stationary bike 45 min.

abs 10 min.

30 min. arms, shoulders, back, and chest

1 multigrain light english muffin, 1/2 TBS. Brommel & Brown, 1/12 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
7 almonds
1 veggie burrito with 1 flour tortilla

chicken stirfry with veggies, 1/2 cup brown rice

I hope you're having a happy and healthy day!

Unbelievable

Lately I've been asked how I "do it."

"How do you find the time to work out?"

My answer is just like Huckabee's (even though I'm not a fan of his):

"I make the time."

One has to make the time when

*you're a stay-at-home-mom to twins

*you get less than 7 hours of sleep every night (broken-up hours too)

*you have a husband who still eats like a teenager at times

*you're in charge of every chore in the house

It hasn't been an easy journey, and I know it may get harder as I get closer to the last ten pounds.

It has already gotten harder with my feet problems.

All I know is that I feel good.

I know that I don't want to gain back the pounds that I lost.

Wednesday's Plan

45 min. stationary bike

Pilates 25 minutes

arms, shoulders, back, and chest 30 minutes

1 multigrain english muffin, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef

7 almonds

1 original english muffin, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef
7 almonds

lowfat popcorn

1 apple

1 homemade veggie taco with 1 large flour tortilla

Have a happy and healthy day!

Finally a Fun Shopping Trip and a Nice Surprise

Ask anyone who has just gained weight or is overweight if clothes shopping is fun for them.

If you would've asked me last January, I would've told you just how much I hated it.

Last Saturday, I packed up the twins into the van and went shopping for a pair of pants.

I very excitedly donated my size 14's, and 12's to a local charity two weeks ago, and since then I only have one pair of pants to wear out casually.

I did keep a pair of size 14 jeans though to keep track of my progress and hopefully take a great "thinner" picture in them this summer. I'm hoping I'll be at my goal weight by then.

I also kept some of my workout pants because I can tie them at the waist to fit better.

It was however funny when I didn't cinch the waist of one of the ones I was currently wearing, and they started falling off. Lucky for me, I was working out alone in my own family room!

I'm not THAT comfortable with my bum!

Anyways... back to the shopping trip.

I went to Ross. It's a great store where you can buy a whole bunch of stuff at really good prices.

I ended up coming home with

*size 10 jeans @ $12.99

*size 10 grey pants @ $10.99

*medium size grey rayon shirt with cute ties on the shoulders @ $6.49 (clearance, and totally cute!)

*medium size black/white chiffon see-thru short sleeve shirt @ $11.99

I was a shopping machine! I only spent about $45 and bought two tops and two bottoms!

I also felt good with the experience because $20 of the purchase was a gift from my bday back in February.

The best part of this shopping trip was that I dropped down a couple of sizes in pants, and I actually fit into medium sized tops!

I haven't worn medium tops in over 5 years!

I was talking about the experience with my husband a couple of nights ago, and I started crying.

Yes, I was actually crying. Happy tears though!

It was fun to shop again.

It was exciting to fit into tops that I didn't think I could.

You know, the ones with buttons in the front?!?!

I used to really hate those because I have some pretty big boobs, and whevever I gain weight, I gain it there first.

I just wanted to share this good experience with you.

You readers are such great supporters.

I 've been feeling like my feet issues are setting me back.

Yesterday, I signed up to try out a small local gym by my house, so I can use their more "modern" bike. I really hate the stationary bike at my clubhouse.

This gym is giving me a week for free, and they also do just "month-by-month," so that might work out for me. It's brand new too, so it's pretty nice.

Today's Weigh-In...

I lost 2.5 pounds!

Yay! I'm so grateful that my feet problems didn't set me back this week.

I'm determined to get on the bike 4-5 days a week and burn off calories and fat.

I'll take a pic of my new cute earrings that I buy today. They're my "20 pounds gone" reward!
Have a happy and healthy day!

That Silly Stationary Bike

Last Friday I  told you that I'm having some serious pains in my feet whenever I work out, walk for a long time, or run. My toes get numb now even when I'm just sitting around or standing. This stinks. I've also been advised not to wear high heels. Hmmm... how am I going to do that? 90% of my shoes are high heels. That's probably how I got into this mess in the first place. I've only been wearing heels/platforms since I was 15! Duh.

So what did I start doing?

I started using the stationary bike at our clubhouse gym.

Let me tell you about this bike.

In my opinion, it's the stupidest stationary bike ever made.

I apologize to those readers who actually like this type.

Why I hate it:

*It's so super LOUD! I think I wake up all the neighbors within the 10 mile radius when I ride it!
(I work out around 7 a.m.)

*With my short legs (5'1" only) I can't seem to adjust the seat in the correct position.
Don't even get me started on the butt pain!

Why I Kinda Like it:

I burned over 200 calories after being on it for 35 minutes.

My arms get a little workout too.

My butt and legs feel like it's really getting strengthened.
Any cardio is better than none at all when you're trying to lose weight, right?

All in all, I guess I should be grateful that I can still do some kind of cardiovascular workout.

I did shed a few tears when the doctor told me I couldn't do anything too hard on my feet including running or jumping. We all know how Jillian Michaels loves her jump squats!

Anyway, this is how my weekend went.

Friday

35 min. stationary bike (doing my own fast and low intervals)

25 minutes pilates

40 push-ups, triceps, biceps, chest presses, fly's, shoulders, and rows with 5 and 8 lb. weights

2 corn tortillas, 1/6 c. lowfat cheese, 1 turkey bacon

7 almonds

2 corn tortillas, 1/6 c. lowfat cheese, 1 turkey bacon

7 almonds

3 oz. grilled salmon, 1/2 cup brown rice, sauteed green beans with garlic

6 oz. pear

Saturday

35 min. stationary bike (doing my own fast and low intervals)

25 minutes pilates

40 push-ups, triceps, biceps, chest presses, fly's, shoulders, and rows with 5 and 8 lb. weights

1 corn tortilla, 1/6 c. lowfat cheese, 1 turkey bacon

7 almonds

1 corn tortilla, 1/6 c. lowfat cheese, 1 turkey bacon

7 almonds

1 serving tortellini with lowfat sauce

1 apple

Sunday
rest day

1 corn tortilla, 1/6 c. lowfat cheese, 1 turkey bacon

7 almonds

1 corn tortilla, 1/6 c. lowfat cheese, 1 turkey bacon

7 almonds

3 bbq grilled chicken legs, green beans

1 pear

All I can say is that I really hope that I develop some great arms like Tricia at Endurance Isn't Only Physical.

She's amazing.

What should I do with all my lovely shoes?

I thought of donating them to a local women's charity, but I thought maybe I should wait until I go back to the podiatrist.

I hope you had a great weekend!

Toes on Fire

A few years ago when I lost 45 pounds, I worked out. I worked out a lot.
Once in a while, I would get numb toes. Once in a while, they would feel like they were on fire.
Since I started this weight loss journey back in January of this year, I've been running and working out 5-6 days a week.
My toes get numb one minute and then they're on fire the next.
It's not pleasant, and it feels like it's been getting worse.
I thought it was normal because the pain would go away every so often when I would curl my toes as I'm running. I also thought maybe I was running "wrong."
Well... I did a little research online two nights ago, and I "self-diagnosed" it as Morton's Neuroma.
It sounds scary, doesn't it?
I looked at several sites, and they said the name just sounds scarier than it actually is.
However, if left untreated and gets worse, it can lead to nerve damage.
THAT sounds scary!
So I took my butt over to a podiatric foot and ankle surgeon yesterday to have it checked out.
I have all of the classic symptoms in my toes:
*tingling
*burning
*numbness
*pain
*a feeling that something is inside the ball of the foot,
or that there's a rise in the shoe or a sock is bunched up
The surgeon squeezed my toes together, and I felt the nerve tissue almost go "pop" on both feet.
The surgeon treated me with 2 alcohol sclerosing injections in my right foot. She wanted to do the left foot, but our lovely health insurance doesn't like that. I have to wait a couple of weeks to see if these injections worked in my right foot to get the injections in my left foot. In this treatment, the doctor injects a small amount of alcohol in the area of the neuroma area to help harden (sclerose) the nerve and relieve the pain. Injections are given every 7–10 days and, in many cases, 4–7 injections are needed for maximum relief.
I'm used to getting shots, but not on my foot!
I really hope that these shots work because I really enjoy running now.
The surgeon also told me to stay away from running for now. I can only go on the stationary bike.
That stinks.
Can you believe I'm complaining about not being able to do some kind of exercise?
I can't believe my ears either.
Anyway, I'm really bummed.
The "up side" of this is that I'm taking care of it BEFORE it gets worse.
I'm glad I'm taking care of it early on before my first 5k (November 2010).

Friday's Plan

30 minutes stationary bike, 10 minute abs, 30 minutes upper body with free weights
2 corn tortillas, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef

7 almonds

2 corn tortillas, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef
7 almonds

6 oz. grilled salmon, freshly sauteed green beans with garlic

Saturday's Plan
30 minutes stationary bike, 10 minute abs, 30 minutes upper body with free weights
2 corn tortillas, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef, 1 apple
7 almonds
2 corn tortillas, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef, 1 pear
7 almonds
chicken stirfry with veggies, 1/2 cup white rice

Sunday's Plan
rest day
2 corn tortillas, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef, 1 apple
7 almonds
2 corn tortillas, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef, 1 pear
7 almonds
chicken stirfry with veggies, 1/2 cup white rice

Have a happy and healthy weekend!

I'll see you all here on Monday!

Accidents

The Truth: I really did fall off a mule when going down the Grand Canyon.
 It was me and my husband's first anniversary, and he took me to the Grand Canyon to celebrate. It was my first trip there. My "sure-footed" mule slipped on some rocks, and I was bucked off onto the side of the trail. The craziest part was I really could've died. Over 90% of the trail we were on were lined with huge boulders, but where I landed was full of soft dirt. Never mind that it was several thousands of feet high. I was truly blessed to have survived it with a sprained wrist and ankle. My left forearm was caught on the reigns, and my left ankle was caught on the stirrups.

When I was 19 and 23 I was involved in car accidents.

My mom, sister, and I were rear-ended when I was 19.

Although it wasn't a huge wreck, it did affect me for the rest of my life.

I haven't mentioned that I frequently have chronic and severe neck and shoulders pains.

I don't get enough blood circulating through these parts of my body and then to my brain, so I end up with  really bad headaches. These are the ones that I can sleep with and wake up with the following morning.

To help alleviate the pain, I've gone to chircopractors, physical therapists, taken prescription pain killers, and lots and lots of Advil. I used to get these headaches 4 days out of the week. Now I get them a couple of times every couple of weeks.

The second accident I was in occured when someone ran a red light and I (having a green arrow light) ran into her car. To this day I believe she was on her cell phone and wasn't paying attention. I was the third car out of the intersection that turned into a green arrow. There was no way I could've seen her. That accident may have made my aches and pains worse.

I've been doing A LOT of shoulder-building exercises with free weights, and words cannot describe just how difficult or painful they are to me.

I really hope that one day they won't be an issue because I'm strengthening those muscles.

It's funny how other people's mistakes can really affect you.

My husband was recently in a car accident. It was his friend's fault; he was driving. He said to me that he saw the oncoming car, and he "knew" it was over for them.

Thankfully, all he got was a little soreness on his back. He's okay now.

One of the other things that was affected by these accidents is my confidence in driving. I get a little nervous now and then when I drive around the city.

I don't want to be a hermit, and I don't want my twins to miss out on things simply because of this tiny fear.
 I know I must get over it and continue driving out there.

Thursday's Plan

40 min. run/walk program, Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism

2 corn tortillas, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef, 1 apple

7 almonds

2 corn tortillas, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef, 1 pear

7 almonds

1 serving of cheese tortellini with lowfat sauce, fresh sauteed green beans with garlic

I hope you're having a happy and healthy day!

Staying On Track

Some days it's hard to stay on track.

My motivations to stay on track:

*no more medications

*living a longer, fuller life with hubby and twins

*more energy

*fit into my old skinny clothes

*shopping for skinnier clothes

Wednesday's Plans

33 min. run/walk program, 45 min. circuit training/cardio, 30 minute walk with double stroller

2 tortillas, 1 oz. roast beef, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese

1 Fuji apple
7 almonds

2 tortillas, 1 oz. roast beef, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese

7 almonds

2 tortillas, 2 slices lowfat cheese, 2 pieces of turkey bacon

1 cup fresh sauteed green beans with 2 tsp. olive oil

Last night I went out for "Girls' Night Out." It was fun to get together with just the girls.

I quickly realized the minute I walked into my friend's house that I was the last one to get there.

All the usual girls were already there. There were girls that I hadn't seen in a couple of months.

They all commented on how great I looked. I was happy and a little embarassed.

I didn't know what to say to them except "Thanks. I still have a ways to go!."

Do you feel embarassed when people compliment you on your weight loss?

Maybe I need to figure out how to handle this better.

I hope you're having a happy and healthy day.

Loving the Scale

Do scales ever lie?

Well... maybe when it's the TOM. Lucky for me it's not the TOM.
That was last week. However, I do feel a little bloated. Maybe I ate too much fiber yesterday.
Yesterday's fiber was an apple, 4 small corn tortillas, a serving of whole wheat spaghetti , and a serving of spaghetti sauce. Hmmm.... all that fiber feels like it's still in my belly. Ugh. Oh well.
A loss IS a loss. I'm done being bummed out.
I have to remember that I lost one pound even though I had some awesome food for my birthday and yummy Tres Leches cake!

I weighed myself this morning, and it said that I lost 1 pound.

I'm happy that I lost weight, but I'm admittedly a little disappointed because I've been working out so hard only to lose 1 pound. I've been running too! I have to remind myself that 1-2 pounds a week is healthy. I don't want to lose muscle mass.

Tuesday's Plan
abs 10 minutes. My left knee is feeling a little sore from yesterday's run and also Jillian's No More Trouble Zones, so I'm not going to work out more until tomorrow.  

apple
beef stirfry, potatoes, cabbage with 1/2 cup rice

Eat whatever I want for dinner and dessert!

(one night of indulgence)

I read in a current issue of Oxygen's Fat Loss mag that apples have a low Glycemic Index and has tons of fiber. It helps curb your appetite! I bought a bunch of apples last night to try this out this week.

Have a happy and healthy day!

Award!

Thanks for wishing me an awesome birthday!

It was a fun day!

Awww... thanks, Amberly! She's an awesome blogger and a true inspiration to me!

Here are the rules of the award:

1. Thank the person who gave this to you.

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.

3. Link to the person who nominated you.

4. Tell up to six outrageous lies about yourself, and at least one outrageous truth.

5. Nominate seven "Creative Writers" who might have fun coming up with outrageous lies.

6. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate.

7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know you nominated them.

Six Outrageous lies and one outrageous truth

1.  I used to be an avid snowboarder, but I injured my knee 5 years ago.

2.  I used to smoke 4 packs a day.

3.  I fell off a mule during a ride down the Grand Canyon and nearly died.

4.  I met my husband through the Internet.

5.  I went skydiving above the Grand Canyon.

6.  I met Shakira at one of her concerts and hung out with her backstage.

Who I Nominate:

My Skinny Mission

In College. In Shape.

Black Girl Gets Fit

Escape from Obesity

down the rabbit hole

Crazy Riffs.......

This Woman Less 20

Friday's Activity/Food

run/walk program for 33 minutes, 30 Day Shred, abs 10 minutes

1 small Western bagel, 2 TBSP nonfat strawberry cream cheese

7 almonds

1 large corn tortilla, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef

7 almonds

Healthy Choice Chicken Tortilla soup, 1 WW lemon creme cake

lowfat popcorn

1 large corn tortilla, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef, carrots

Saturday's Food

1 small Western bagel, 2 TBSP nonfat strawberry cream cheese

7 almonds

1 large corn tortilla, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef

7 almonds

1 large corn tortilla, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef, green beans

1/2 banana

Jillian's No More Trouble Zones

Sunday's Food

1 large corn tortilla, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef

7 almonds
1 large corn tortilla, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef, 1 cup carrots

7 almonds

4 oz. lean ground turkey breast, 2 oz. whole wheat spaghetti, 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
1 WW lemon creme cake

30 minute walk with double stroller

The weekend went quickly. It was okay with the stepkids. My hubby had to work on Saturday, so he left me with the twins and the two kids. He took his kids out to a movie on Saturday. I felt a little annoyed because he spent more time with them during the weekend than the total time he spent with me and the twins  the whole week. I should be used to this by now. Sunday went quickly because of church.

Monday's Plan

33 minute run/walk program, circuit workout 45 minutes

1 small Western bagel, 2 TBSP nonfat strawberry cream cheese
7 almonds

2 corn tortillas, 1/6 cup lowfat cheese, 1 oz. roast beef

7 almonds

4 oz. ground turkey breast, 1 cup spaghetti sauce, 2 oz. whole wheat spaghetti

1/2 banana

I weigh in tomorrow morning, and I'm excited!

It's probably because I've been running and working out really hard.

I took Tricia's advice and went to a great running store. The sales person that helped me is an avid runner, and he really knew what he was talking about. He filmed my feet as I ran on the store's treadmill for a few seconds and "diagnosed" me as a little bit of an "overpronator." He suggested a few shoes, and I quickly knew which ones I felt great in. Here they are! They're the Asics GT 2150 in White Lightning/Island Blue. I read some reviews for this pair before I went to the store and was curious if I would like them like the many women who wrote the reviews. I'm happy to say that I'm in love!

I hope you're having a happy and healthy day!