Engagement Photo's

I thought I would share a few engagement photo's of myself and my fiance.  We have each lost over 30 lbs and were rather excited when we got our pictures back.  We both have about 10 pounds until we reach our goals.

Back On Track

Starting today I am back on track with my weight loss to lose my final 10 pounds.  The last month I stopped worrying about weight loss and just ate healthy enough so that I didn't gain weight.  But today I am back on the wagon; which means sticking to my 1200-1400 calorie diet and exercising on an almost daily basis.  My workout routine will be a combination of Jillian's 30 Day Shred, Yoga, Running/Jogging on the treadmill, and riding my exercise bike.  Because I get bored easily with working out I need a good combination.  My goal is lose 1 pound a week, with this I hope to reach my goal by my birthday (December 19).

Yoga Retreat...Well Needed

I just returned from a fabulous weekend full of yoga, meditation, relaxation, vegetarian food, and great people.  I was amazed by how wonderful it felt to do yoga again, the atmosphere made my stress vanish.  I had taken a few months break from yoga, but after this retreat I plan on getting back on it and doing it weekly.  I find that yoga helps release my stress and allows me to find my center again. 

1 Year From Today

One year from today I am marrying the love of my life.  A man who can put up with my shit and love me for being me.  I am so lucky to have such an amazing man in my life and am so happy that a year from today I can call him my Husband.

This means I have 11 months to lose 10 pounds...I think I can do it! :)

Yoga Retreat

Friday I will be off to my first yoga retreat and I am kind of nervous.  I haven't practiced yoga in a few months and worry that I won't be able to keep up with everyone.  I hope they are ready for a newbie as I am not ready to be practicing with the pros.  I hope that from this three day retreat I will take back control over my body.  The Yoga Retreat is through the Yoga Studio that I attend in Puyallup, the owner is wonderful and puts on this retreat yearly.  We will be staying at the Harmony Hill Retreat Center on the Hood Canal. http://www.harmonyhill.org/  My day will be full of yoga, vegetarian food, meditation, and time for myself which include hikes, reading, massages, or anything else that I want to do that's relaxing.  I am so excited for this besides it helping with my stress because my best friend will be there with me too!

I have allowed stress to take over and I am sick of it.  Starting today I am getting back on track and am running my heart out on the treadmill right after work.  I then have to do homework and cook dinner, but I am going to make sure that fitness continues in my routine!

Stress Sucks

The last few weeks I have allowed stress to take over my body and I am about sick of it!  I have tried exercising, drinking (in moderation of course), and even not think about it, but it continues to take over.  Aaahhhh  I am going to a yoga retreat on Friday and hope that it helps with my stress because I am having a hard time staying awake during the day due to my lack of sleep at night.  It's gotten so bad that my back has a ton of tight knots that make my back hurt so bad that I can hardly move....I need this stress to be gone!

Gaining Weight Article

I came across this article today and found it rather educational.  This article talks about the 5 surprising reasons you're gaining weight and they make complete sense.  For those of you who are like me and think you have things figured it out when it comes to weight loss, then read this article because I was surprised!

Five Surprising Reasons You're Gaining Weight

Extra calories may not be the only cause of weight gain.
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

It's no mystery that a diet full of fried foods, giant portions, decadent desserts, alcohol, and sugary soft drinks will lead to weight gain. And there's little question why the pounds pile up when you take in more calories than you burn in physical activity. But how do you explain weight gain when your lifestyle includes regular exercise and a healthy diet that is controlled in calories? Gaining weight is absolutely maddening, especially when you really don't understand why the needle on the scale keeps going up.

Several things should be considered if you are gaining weight while watching calories and being physically active. More than likely, it's a variety of things working together that have resulted in the weight gain.

"Weight gain is so complicated; there are so many factors that can impact your weight. It is more likely a combination of things more than just one factor," explains Michelle May, MD, author of Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don't Work.

Here are five factors that can cause the scale to creep up when you least expect it.

(Need to lose a few pounds? Maybe even 50 lbs? You’re not alone. Join the discussions in our Diet Club message boards.)

1. You Might Be Gaining Weight Because of Lack of Sleep

The body functions best when well rested. "When you don't get enough sleep, your body experiences physiological stress and, biochemically, you store fat more efficiently," says May.

When you're tired, you also don't handle stress as well, so you may reach for food as a coping mechanism. Further, you may be taking in extra calories from late-night snacking. Some people think eating might help them get back to sleep, but all it really does is add more calories to their daily total.

Symptoms that you may not be getting enough rest include fatigue, low energy levels, nodding off easily, and feeling irritable.

Strive to get eight hours of sleep each night.

"Add about 15 minutes to your bedtime and see how you feel," suggests May. "Continue to experiment with additional 15-minute increments until you find the ... amount of sleep that is right for you."

When you develop good sleeping rituals and get regular exercise, you sleep better, she adds.

2. You May Be Gaining Weight Because of Stress

We live in a society that demands we do more, be more, and achieve more. Stress moves us forward and helps cope with life's demands, but it also affects our mood and emotions.

"Stress response, whether it is 'fight-or-flight,' juggling too many responsibilities, or coping with financial pressures, triggers a biochemical process where our bodies go into survival mode," explains May. "Our bodies store fuel, slow down metabolism, and dump out chemicals [cortisol, leptin, and other hormones] which are more likely to cause ... obesity in the abdominal region."

Many people reach for food to help ease the stress. But, of course, this doesn't work in the long run.

"Food is a temporary fix because it does not deal with the real stressors that must be addressed in order to reduce the trigger for eating and fix the problem," says May.

Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, assistant director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, says stress eaters tend to prefer high-carbohydrate foods because these foods trigger an increase in the brain chemical serotonin, which has a calming effect. "It is almost like self-medicating," she says. "Many people binge on starchy foods to make themselves feel better."

Both May and Bowerman recommend relaxation techniques as well as exercise, which also burns calories and provides other health benefits.

3. You May Be Gaining Weight Because of Medications
Some prescription drugs used to treat depression, mood disorders, seizures, migraines, blood pressure, and diabetes can cause weight gain, from a modest amount to as much as 10 pounds per month. Some steroids, hormone replacement therapy, and even oral contraceptives may also cause gradual weight creep. Your medicine cabinet might be the cause of your weight gain if you've gained 5 or more pounds in a month without a change in your lifestyle.
"Every drug works a little differently to cause weight gain, from increasing appetite, altering the way fat is stored, to how insulin levels change," says May. "And not all drugs have the same side effects on all people."

In the case of antidepressants, weight gain may not even be related to the action of the drug -- feeling better can also result in a heartier appetite. Some drugs can cause fluid retention that shows up on the scale as weight gain, but is not fat, and is usually easily corrected.
Experts say that some of the most common types of medications that may cause weight gain are:
Steroids
Antidepressants
Antipsychotics
Antiseizure medications
Diabetes medications
High blood pressure medications
Heartburn medications

But it's important to remember that a few extra pounds may be well worth the trade-off of what a particular medication does for your overall health, experts say. Further, even if your medications are the cause of your weight gain, you still need to be mindful of eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise.

"Rarely is the problem solved with a change in meds," says May. "These things can contribute, but rarely are the sole cause of the weight gain."

If you suspect your medication is causing weight gain, talk to your health care provider to see about changing your prescription. But whatever you do, don't go off your medication without seeking medical advice.

"There could be very serious consequences if you stop taking your medication without consulting your physician," says May.

4. You May Be Gaining Weight Because of a Medical Condition

The most common medical condition that causes weight gain is hypothyroidism. A deficiency of thyroid hormone can decrease metabolism, causing appetite loss and weight gain.

"If you are feeling fatigued, lethargic, swelling, hoarse voice, intolerance to cold, sleeping too much, or headaches, you should see your doctor for an easy test to determine if you have hypothyroidism," says May.

Much rarer is a condition known as Cushing's syndrome -- a disorder caused by an excess of the hormone cortisol -- that can also result in weight gain.

5. You May Be Gaining Weight Because of Menopause

Women reach menopause at a range of ages, but most are in midlife and are often less physically active than when they were younger. Along with aging comes a natural slowing of metabolism. At the same time, hormonal changes can trigger hunger, depression, and poor sleep.

"It is multifactoral. When women go through menopause, they lose estrogen, causing their shapes to change -- usually a loss of hip and thigh weight. And they start to gain more in the middle," says Bowerman. She explains that estrogen favors fat deposition in the lower body, and when you lose this hormone, fat is more likely to be deposited in the midsection (much like men). This spare tire around the middle has been not so affectionately called the "menopot."

The key to avoiding this extra belly fat is to maintain and increase the amount of lean body mass, which will, in turn, increase your metabolism or calorie burn rate.

"Women need to understand how critically important weight lifting and strength training is to their health," says Bowerman. And don't worry, doing strength training won't make women muscle-bound, experts say.

Exercise also helps offset bone loss that can come with menopause. A combination of exercise and a healthy, calorie-controlled diet rich in calcium and vitamin D is the answer to thwarting menopausal weight gain.

Original article cane be found at: http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/5-surprising-reasons-you-are-gaining-weight

Bring it

I have only taken off two days in the last two weeks when it comes to working out and it feels great.  I am so happy to have found my motivation again I just wish the scale would start cooperating with me.  I know inches are coming off, but the pounds aren't!  I am still 10 pounds away from my goal as I have been stuck at the same weight for over a month...hopefully my body starts playing nice because I just want to reach my goal!

Sneak Peak of our Engagement Photos :)

Day 6 of Jillian Yelling at me...

Today is day 6 of 30 day shred and I am finally not overly sore. Since starting 30 day shred my entire body has been sore, but I think it's finally over the sore stage...YAY!!  Today I plan on doing level 1 along with 30 minutes of cardio on the treadmill.  I am happy to say that after 5 days of 30 Day Shred I have lost 1/2 inch off my hips and 1/4 inch off my thighs.  With these results I can't help but want to continue for the entire 30 days. 

Engagement Photo's

I can't believe today is finally here, it was only 5 months ago when the love of my life asked me to marry him.  I feel so fortunate to have him in my life and am so excited for our photo shoot.  My goal was to be at my final weight for our photo's but I have fallen short, but that's okay I am happy with my progress and look forward to showing it off with our photos. My fiancee and I have lost a combined total of 84 lbs which is amazing since we both started our weight loss journey January 3, 2011.  I am so proud of both of us!

Calorie-Torching Workouts

I came across this article in an email that I received and I thought it provided some great information for people who aren't sure how they should be working out.  
Extreme Fitness: Calorie-Torching Workouts
Don't plan on reading a magazine while you do these workouts. You're entering a no-slacking zone.
By Annabelle Robertson
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Looking to blast calories? Get ready -- it's going to be intense.

"It’s got to be high intensity, whatever the workout is, if you’re going to torch calories -- not just burn them,” says Bret Emery,a behavioral psychologist and weight loss specialist based in Weston, Fla. “Heartrate is key. That’s the speedometer of the body. If we speed the body up, it will burn more calories, just as a car will burn more fuel if it speeds up.”

so they stay challenging. This will help keep your heart rate up, and force your body to burn more calories, Weston says.

The following workouts will zap calories, butthey’ll also push your body way past your comfort zone. So check with your doctor before taking on the challenge. Don't just tell your doctor you want to work out -- let him or her know exactly what you're planning to do. That way,your doctor can make sure you're ready.

If you're not active now, remember that it is better to ease into exercise in order to help prevent injury. Even though you may want to go all-out immediately, it's wiser not to.

Interval Workout
Interval training is all about challenge and recovery -- over and over -- fora cardio blast.
You can do intervals many different ways -- running,on any sort of cardio equipment, or in a pool.

This particular workout -- which comes from Michael Banks, certified personal trainer and owner of Body by Banks Corporation in Salt Lake City -- uses a treadmill. If you're already fit, you can add dumbbells for an extra challenge.

1. Warm Up: On the treadmill, with the incline set at a challenging angle, power walk at a speed of 3-3.5 for 7minutes. Keep your elbows up above your heart. Stop, get off the treadmill, and stretch.

2. Sprint: Drop the incline to 0, increase the treadmill speed, and sprint hard for30 seconds. Aim for 90% of your maximum heart rate. To recover, bring your speed down to 3.0 and walk for one minute.

3. Squats: Get off the treadmill and squat, with your bottom out to the rear and your legs slightly apart. Then jump from the squatting position into the air, landing in the same squat position as before. Do this for one set of 15 or 20, working your quadriceps. If you’realready in good shape, hold dumbbells by your sides.

4. Overhead Presses: Do 15 or 20 overhead presses with the weights, pushing them straight up and directly over your shoulders.

5. Sprint: Get back on the treadmill and sprint for 30 seconds (no incline). The goal is to be at 80% of your maximum heart rate. To recover, decrease your speed to 3.0 and walk for one minute.

6. Tricep Extensions: Using dumbbells, do one set of 15 or 20 overhead tricep extensions. Your elbows should point toward the ceiling, with the weights behind your head. Lift the weights directly above your head and back down again.

7. Push ups. Do one set of 15 push-ups,with your elbows at a 90-degree angle from the body. Modification: Do the push-ups with your knees on the ground, but do 25 instead of 15.

8. Sprint: Back to the treadmill.Sprint for 1 minute, aiming for 70% of your maximum heart rate. To recover, jog for 90 seconds.

9. Jumping Jacks. Do one set of 15 or 20jumping jacks. If you're strong enough, add two 10- or 15-pound dumbbells --lift up the weights when you jump out, in an overhead press position, pulling them back down to shoulder height as your legs go back together.

10. Finale: Incline your treadmill to an angle that really challenges you -- but don't hang onto the treadmill's rails. Walk at a 2.0-3.5 speed for 30 seconds, aiming for 60% of your maximum heart rate. To recover, bring the treadmill down to a 1.0 incline and drop your speed to 1.9 or 2.0 for a 1-minute walk. Finish by stretching.

Quick CrossFit Series
CrossFit workouts are about getting maximum effort in minimum time.

The following exercises come from Doug Katona, co-founder and owner of CrossFit Endurance in Newport Beach, Calif.They can be done on their own, all together, or in any combination.
30-90s

1.    Warm up for 10-12 minutes, finishing the warm-up at 75% of your maximum heart rate or at 7.5 on the perceived exertion scale, in which 0 is no effort and 10 is your max.

2.    Choose any type of cardio. Do it at your maximum effort for 30 seconds.

3.    Stop and recover for 2 minutes, or for 90seconds if you're already in good condition. Do not shortchange the rest period.

4.    Do this up to three times.

Body Weight Blast
As fast as you can, do 10 squats, 10push-ups, and 10 full sit-ups. Then do nine reps of each. Then eight, seven,six, and so forth, until you reach one rep of each exercise. Rest as little as possible between sets. Record your time and try to improve each week.

100 Burpees
If you only have a little time, try to do 100burpees. Or, if that's too much, start with 25, then move to 50, then to 75,until you can do 100.

Begin in a squat position with your hands on the floor, in front.
·        Kick back your feet to a push-up position.
·        Return your feet to the squat position.
·        Jump from the squat position into the air,straight above you.
·        Repeat, moving as fast as possible

Rowing or Indoor Cycling
Don't overlook the rowing machine and stationary bikes in your gym. You may be sitting down, but you'll be sweating when you try this workout from Scott Nohejl, coach and program director of The Chatham Area Rowing Association in Savannah, Ga.

1.    Row or bike for a minute.

2.    Sprawl with push-up. Run in place, with your feet just coming off the ground, for a count of five. Lower yourself onto your hands, jump your legs backward to a push-up position. Do one push-up, then bring the legs back, tucking them in. Stand and repeat for 1 minute.

3.    Squats. With hands on top of your head, squat so your knees are at 90 degrees -- make sure they do not go past your toes --and then stand up. Repeat for 1 minute.

4.    Side jumps. With feet together, toes pointed forward, jump from side to side for 1 minute.
5.    Rest for 5 minutes.

6.    Row or bike for 1 minute.

7.    Scissor jumps. With one leg in front and the other in back, jump and "scissor" your legs before landing. Do this for 1 minute.

8.    Sumo jumps. Squat down, then jump, bringing your feet slightly off the ground. Do this for 1 minute.

9.    Jumping jacks. Do these for 1 minute.

Repeat the full set four times, nonstop, fora 16-minute workout. Cool down, and then stretch.

Swimming
The pool isn’t just for cooling off. It’salso a great way to heat up your metabolism-- and burn a maximum number of calories.

Craig Keller, chair of the U.S. Masters Swimming Coaches Committee and head coach of the Asphalt Green Masters Swim Team in New York City, offers several workouts for swimmers, including two that will work well for people with injuries.

If you like distance, begin with two 500-yard(or meter) freestyle swims on intervals of 6.5 minutes. The quicker you finish,the more time you’ll have to rest. Then swim at an easy pace for two minutes.

Follow that with two 400-yard freestyle swims on a 5.5-minute interval, and another easy, two-minute swim. Finish with two300-yard swims on 4.5-minute intervals.
Sprinters may prefer this workout:

1.    Do 20 freestyle lengths (25 yards) with five seconds of rest in between lengths. Recover with a 100-yard swim of your choice, at an easy pace.

2.    Do 16 25-yard swims of your choice with 10seconds of rest, followed by another slow-paced 100-yard swim of your choice.

3.    Next, do 12 25-yard freestyle lengths with 15seconds of rest between each. Recover with a 100-yard swim.

4.    End with 8 25-yard Freestyle lengths, resting for 20 seconds between lengths.
Got a leg or hip injury? Just grab a buoy and do a “pull swim” instead.
This workout consists of three rounds of four200-yard freestyle swims. For the first, put the buoy between your ankles and pull the four 200-yard swims on 3-minute intervals. For the second round,remove the buoy and swim, dragging your legs. Do these 200-yard swims on2.75-minute intervals. For the final round, place the buoy between your legs and pull on 2.5-minute intervals.

If your arms or shoulders are hurting - or you simply want to work your legs - use a kick board and do two sets of four100-yard swims, with 20 seconds of rest between each.

For the first 100 yards, kick hard for the first 25 yards, then go easy for the remaining 75 yards. For the second 100yards, kick hard for 50 and easy for 50. Kick hard for 75 yards, then easy for25 on the third one. And for the last one, go all out. Repeat the set.

More Calorie Burners

There are lots of other great options for burning calories through exercise. Here are some:
·        Playing basketball
·        Running
·        Jumping rope
·        Cross-country skiing
·        Taking an aerobics class
·        Spinning (stationary bike class)
·        Dancing (the faster you dance, the more calories you'll burn)

Exactly how many calories you burn depends on your weight - and how intensely you do the exercise.

Can We Say Sore?

I finally found some motivation and have now done the 30 day shred video 2 days in a row and I plan on continuing for 30 days.  I've decided to mix things up and instead of doing level one for the month I am changing up the levels daily.  I get bored easily so in order to keep my attention I need to mix it up.  Today is day 3 and I plan on doing level 3 for the first time, I am excited and nervous at the same time.  I am sore from head to toe today and I've only done it for two days so I worry that I won't be able to walk after today's workout.  If you are interested in a workout video that only takes up 30 minutes of your time, you need to buy this.  Jillian is an amazing instructor and motivator!

Life

I find it hard to concentrate on eating healthy and exercising when I have a lot going on in life. Currently between school, work, and person issues I have had a hard time finding time to exercise.  I have even found it hard to wake up for work, and I know this feeling will go away with time, but how do you defeat yourself and force yourself to workout?  If you have the answer let me know :)  Yesterday was the first day in about a week that I worked out and it felt like I hadn't worked out in month, I'm not sure if it's because of my lack of sleep or because my mind was going a mile a minute.  It also didn't help that I was doing a Jillian DVD so when we did punching I punched my heart out visualizing a face of someone I wanted to punch.  I don't think I have ever been that into a DVD in my life, so I decided maybe this is what will help me get out of my funk.  Today I am doing 30 Day Shred again, but this time level 2 in hopes that I can continue taking my anger out on exercise instead of on others.  Wish me luck! :)

My inspiration for the day: "People not only gain understanding through reflection, they evaluate and alter their own thinking." - Albert Bandura

Happiness in my Life

Through thick and thin I find it rewarding to have found a man who loves me unconditionally.  I am lucky enough to have some of the same interests with him.  We both own Harley's and love to ride together.  Last weekend we decided it was time for a ride to Leavenworth for lunch we had everything planned and then sh*t hit the fan in our personal life.  Because of the stress in our personal life we weren't sure if we should go to Leavenworth or not, but at the last minute we decided we should.  I am so thankful that we did because it was so relaxing to just ride and get all of those negative stressful thoughts out of my head.  When you ride it's as if everything around you is slowing going by and you can smell everything, some are wonderful smells like flowers and trees and water and sometime you get really nasty smells like skunk and rotten eggs.  The best part about riding it that we ride together and we burn a TON of calories while riding.  If you think riding isn't hard on your body think again...consider the wind hitting you at 70mph or the turns you have to take which require you to use your whole body or the fact that your hands do a lot of work using the break and changing gears.