Inspirational Story

Below is a link to a very inspiring story. I love to hear that people have lost weight, especially when it is so much, and they did not have surgery. They just worked hard and exercised self control. There are so many things I can relate to in her story.

Anyway, read it and enjoy!

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/diet.fitness/11/21/weightloss.karen.daniel/index.html

p.s. Thanks to Lehi for finding it and sending it to me.

Christine's Friday Report #6

I weigh 326.5 pounds, and am a size 26/28.

My weekly weight loss is 8.5 pounds.
My total weight loss is 30 pounds.

Wahoo! 30 pounds! I have only 5.5 pounds until I get to my 10% goal. My next goal after that will be 300 pounds.

I started running on the elliptical this week. This may be why the big jump start in weight loss. I was down in Pearland to help my mom and I went with Michelle to her gym for two days. We ran on the elliptical. It was fun to work out with her. If I had not, I would probably still be walking on the treadmill. So, Thanks Michelle! You are a great work out partner!

I'm looking forward to this next week, Thanksgiving! I am going to stay on plan. The good news is that there are some people that are trying to be healthy, so there will be healthy options around and it won't be hard to exercise.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Christine's Friday Report #5

I weigh 335 pounds, and am a size 26/28/30.

My weekly weight loss is -1 pound.
My total weight loss is 21.5 pounds.

Not sure what happened here. Yesterday I weighed 332.5 and was excited for the Friday report. Then I gained. Oh well, maybe next week...

I'm cranky today because I don't feel well. I did my training today, and my treadmill. If there was ever a day I didn't want to do the treadmill and train, this was it. I'd rather be in my bed. I kept yawning through my whole work out.

I'm not quitting or getting too discouraged. I still choose to LIVE!

I'm very proud of you!

I have heard numerous reports that this blog has inspired others to do better, be it exercising, eating better, etc.

I am so proud of you! It's a hard decision that you have to make over and over to do better, So for that I applaud you! Every little decision, and effort counts!

I wish you much success in your journey, and would love to hear all about them! It helps me in my journey to LIVE too. Here is to you and me LIVING!

Why Wednesdays?

What is it with Wednesday?

I am so tired on Wednesdays. It is also my hardest work out day. We did legs again today. ouch! At one point during my lunges, I thought I might puke! That's what Jessica gets for making me work so hard!

Jessica is my new trainer. She is a little cute petite 22 year old. I like her and hate her in a good way! She still kicks my bootie.

Anyway, when it came time to get on the treadmill, I had to go a little slower today. I kept trying to up the speed, but then I'd start to feel sick from over exertion. So I only ever made it up to 2.9 miles and hour. I did walk for 45 minutes still though.

I am starting to feel better, now that my work out is over and I have cooled off. I had my ever so tasty protein shake, chocolate and banana, mmmm!

Only two more days in the gym this week. Yea! Saturday I will be going to Dad's ranch again. I will walk to the gate again weather permitting. It has been so rainy lately.

Also, two more days till the Friday update! It's hard to believe that it has only been a month since I have been doing this. It seems like so much longer. But Friday will be exactly one month. Around the 1st of the month I will start posting my measurements...eek! I will measure myself once a month and report.

I go now! Have a happy "hump day"! I know that I will since the hard part of my day is over...yippee!

I Touched the Front Gate!

The driveway at my Dad's ranch is a mile long. I had never walked all the way from the house to the front gate because I was too intimidated by the walk. It is hilly, and I never thought I could do it without passing out. One time I walked almost half way but turned around because I didn't want to go up the big hill.

Saturday, I took the kids out to Dad's ranch for the day. While I was there I decided to walk all the way to the front gate (two miles round trip). I did it! I walked at a decent steady pace and only got winded on the big hill. Thanks to Emily, Sarra, and Michelle for going with me.

I realise that for some, that walk would be a piece of cake. For me, that was a big accomplishment. It makes me want to make that walk many more times, at least once a day that I am out there. Who knows, maybe I can even work up to jogging it one day.

Living on a Budget

Part of my quest to LIVE is to be balanced and in control of all areas of my life, physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially, etc. I have been way out of control financially. Lehi makes a good amount of money, but somehow I have managed to spend quite a bit more than he makes, hence the large sum of debt we currently have.

My Sister Patrice suggested that I go strictly to cash, so when the money is gone, there is no more spending. Period! No more debit or credit cards. I decided to try that for the month of October. It worked! So I am going to continue to work on a cash basis at least until our debt is gone.

I took my monthly budget and divided it by the weeks, so I get a weekly allowance. This way I don't blow all the money in the first or second week of the month. I am liking that.

So this week, the weekly budget was quite a bit less because I decided to get the kids yearbooks, and we went out to eat last Friday. So today, I headed to the store with my list and my allotted amount of money. At the register I made two piles one of needs and the other of wants. At the end of the need pile, I was already suddenly over my allotted total. I had to take about 8 things off and was not even able to get any of the wants. As I left I thought, wow, that was kinda embarrassing, but then I felt really good that I had paid with my cash and stayed in the budget, financially under control.

If any of you are struggling with your finances, or staying on the budget, I highly recommend going to all cash, no cards. It's a little more work to go to the bank every week and get my money out, but I never go over my allotted amount anymore. And with a bit of work, I will eventually be out of my consumer debt.

Request for Music

Well, It didn't take me long to get sick of my play list, so I am requesting ideas for new songs. What are your top 10 favorite workout songs (please include title and artist). Thanks!

Christine's Friday Report #4

I weigh 334 pounds, and am a size 26/28/30.

My weekly weight loss is 1.5 pounds.
My total weight loss is 22.5 pounds.

I have lost all the weight that I had gained since July. My next weight loss goal is my 10% weight loss. Since I started this at 356.5 pounds that means the weight loss goal is 35.5 pounds. So, I have 13 pounds to go toward my 10% goal. Yeah!

Today is Friday. I am feeling good about life. Even though this week is only 1.5 pound loss, that is a real normal amount. Besides, I just started resistance training, and I'm hoping that I am still losing inches, since the weight numbers are not big.

Yummy Meal!

I tweaked one of my favorite things and made it a little more healthy. I love homemade chili. I used to have it with cheese, sour cream and Frito's. And of course I would have more than the one cup serving size. So I decided to try something new.

I got about 3 cups of salad and dumped my cup of chili on top, no salad dressing, no sour cream, cheese or chips. I like the garden romaine bag salad, it's very crisp and crunchy. It was very tasty to me. And it helps to get in your veggies. I like the cripsyness of the salad with the chili, no need for chips.

I know it's not a new invention, because it is kinda like taco salad, but it is a lot more healthy this way than with all those other add ons. Anyway, if you're interested, you should try it.

btw- I have my weekly weigh in/report tomorrow. It will be interesting to see how things end up. I have had an up and down week, as far as weight. I can only credit that to the added resistance training, because nothing else has really changed. Muscle weighs more than fat, right?

So Tired!

For some reason I am so tired today. I had to lay back down after I got the kids off. In training today, we worked on legs...enough said there. Leg workouts stink for me. They are so hard. Maybe it's because of the lunges and squats. I am terrible at those, and I have bad knees. Anyway when my training was over I still had to to cardio. I had to start slower than normal, and for the first time since I started, I seriously considered turning off the machine and going home early. But alas, I did not! I got in my 45 minutes. YEA!!!

Now that it is all over, I am feeling good about my workout, but for whatever reason it was very difficult today. It makes me happy that I complete my workouts even when it is hard.

This is a life change for me, not just a diet. I really want to be more healthy for the rest of my life. I want to enjoy life and not have back and knee pain from being overweight. I want to LIVE!

I remember that in the two years before I got married, especially the last year, I was a lot more active. I really enjoyed it. I think I was in a good place then, physically and emotionally. Being active always makes me feel better. I have noticed a change in my attitude since I started working out. I feel better about myself and about life in general.

Loving the Workouts

I did not binge! I didn't even have any treats. I was so good. The cravings eventually went away.

I went to the gym this morning. I walked on the treadmill for 45 minutes. I have training appointments on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday of this week. My legs are starting to recover, just in time to work them again on Wednesday.

It felt good to be on the treadmill again today. I almost feel that I miss the workout on the weekend. Obviously not enough to go in on Saturday and Sunday though, right?

I am noticing that my clothes are fitting me better, not so pasted on after losing 20 pounds. It's nice. I'm looking forward to further weight loss.

Another Product Endorsement

Yoplait light fat free Pineapple Upside-Down Cake yogurt!

Ever so Tasty, You simply must try it! How do they make yogurt taste like the cake? I don't know, I do know that I like both!

Halloween Brilliance

I had a revelation that I forgot to tell you about. We went to the trunk or treat Thursday night, where the kids got candy. Then we took the kids trick or treating, where they got a pumpkin full of candy. That night was really hard too, I wanted to eat candy, so after I let them have what they wanted Friday night, as they were going to bed, I asked them if they would trade me all their candy for a toy. I had bought a couple cheap toys earlier as rewards they could earn. Jacob without even thinking about it said yes! Emma had to see the toys first, then she traded me too, so Lehi took all their candy, and will take it to work, and they each got a toy. Now I don't have candy around to tempt me! I think I will try it again next year.

Help Me, I'm Falling!

This weekend has been really hard. I have wanted to eat junk food. And today, for whatever reason, I really want to just binge, nice warm cookies, cookie dough, brownies, anything. I have just eaten my healthy lunch. My stomach feels satisfied, yet for what ever reason, I have this emotional need. I don't even know why. I think I will go lie down and stay out of the kitchen.

I feel frustrated, because I feel the need to eat junk. Some people say, Oh, just go ahead and have one thing. It will kill the craving. Unfortunately, I think if I were to start, even with just one, I would not stop.

Anyway, I just thought I would come and write these feelings. I go now.