Eek!!

It's starting to show!!

We had Kyles Christmas party on Saturday (for Total) and my MIL swung by to pick up the kids and take them on a sleep over at her house. She told me that I am losing weight and I look good. Woot woot!!

I haven't made it to the gym since last Wednesday; our schedule hasn't allowed me to go and now I'm sicker than a dog. All three of us girls are sick. It started with tonsillitis for poor Maren, then Addison caught a cold and now she's shared it with me. Boo.

I'm still losing weight, though! I lost one more pound! Whoo!

Hopefully soon I'll be feeling well enough to get back to working out.

Till next time...

I Can DO IT!!

Good morning everyone!

Just wanted to drop in with an update. I am still hitting the gym regularly- at least 5 times per week, and it's slowly paying off. I've lost another pound and a half, which brings me down to 186.5 lbs.

Yahoo!

Which makes me feel relieved, because I feel as though I've hit a brick wall when I'm at the gym. It's so.much.work these days!! LOL. Five minutes into the elliptical and I'm ready to quit! I haven't, though! I pushed through it last night and ran for 35 minutes. Hopefully tonight is easier!

If not, consistently losing weight will keep me going. Losing that little big is such a fantastic motivator! Not to mention encouragement :)

Dietician

Well, I've been struggling these days with eating properly. I'm still working out, but am losing the battle to sweets and comfort foods. I'm not happy about that!

Having said that, we met with the dietician yesterday, and we were pleasantly surprised by the news we received. Kyle isn't technically a diabetic yet- he has pre-diabetes, and it's completely treatable and reversible. But, that's as long as we observe a strict diet following the Canada food guide and smaller portions more often throughout the day.

So, even though I am not diabetic/prediabetic, I have a new goal to reach. This morning, I ate a proportion accurate breakfast that incorporated three of the food groups already. And, I feel good!!

Oh, the other thing we must change is going from regular everything to "lite" everything. Should be easy, right?

Less

So I just wanted to drop in with some good news!

When I started my exercise journey, I weighed 190 lbs (give or take a few--I don't know how accurate my bathroom scale is. It got a bath one night. It's digital). It's scary admitting that, but there's the truth.

Happily, I've dropped two pounds!! Who!!

I've also discovered the elliptical trainer at the gym. It's quite a bit tougher than my beloved stationary bike, but I like that it burns calories more calories- and in a shorter amount if time- than the bike does. Sold!!

I can just barely run 15 minutes right now, but it's a start, right? Between speed walking, the elliptical and the bike, I can burn at least 300 calories per visit.

Eek!

I can't wait for the next two pounds to come off!

My personal tracker

Good morning!

It feels so good getting out to the gym. My favourite part- other than the goal of losing weight?

An hour all to myself. No kids. Just my music, an adult tv program (while I ride the stationary bike), and keeping my sanity intact. It's fabulous. I covet it!

My friend told me about a really great iPhone app- my fitness tracker. Enter all the food you eat in a day, and it calculates the calories you take in, enter what kind if exercise you've done and it deducts from your calorie intake, and at the end of the day, it calculates how much weight you could lose in a months' time.

I really like keeping track of what I'm eating. It's a terrific visual resource for me- its keeping me conscious of what I'm I'm putting in my mouth.

Which has made me wonder what the ratio of caloric intake vs. calories burned should be. Does that make sense? Should the calories I burn be greater than what I eat or should it be equal to or does it even matter?

I'm still trying to work out some kind of schedule. It's too expensive to bring the kids to the gym 5 days a week, though its still cheaper than finding a sitter. I'm hoping the neighbour boys will commit to a couple afternoons/evenings per week, then I'll alternate days and evenings. It'll also help out in the home maintenance area of my life. It's taken a back seat because we go at such a crazy time of day (10:30). My whole day seems shot after coming home from the gym.

Hmm...

Anywho. Just wanted to check in.

Make it a good one!!

Back in the saddle

Yep, that's right. Back in the saddle again.

Back when I tried the first time to turn my health around, I struggled like crazy trying to make myself "right" again. I had no idea what was wrong with me or what was going on. All I knew was that life was pure hell. I tried whatever I could to make that change. All unsuccessfully.

Until my husband and I went to marriage counselling together. Our marriage counsellor asked me if I'd been diagnosed/treated for post partum. The answer was a resounding NO!

I was incredibly grateful she had brought it up. Every doctor I spoke with about it just wrote my feelings off as stress, anxiety or other similar feelings/emotions. Nothing was ever considered serious. I did try an anti depressant, and I did try counselling (previously at different times) and I felt that nothing ever made a difference.

Until now. Either the medication I am on is the best one for me (and a strong enough dosage) or the combination of counselling and medication did the trick. Whatever it is, I haven't felt this good since before I got pregnant. I feel like ME again- the girl I used to know.

Our marriage counselling brought up an ongoing concern that I had with my husbands own change in attitude and behaviour, so I strongly encouraged him to have it looked into.

It turns out he is now diabetic.

THAT is why I am back in the saddle again.

This unfortunate diagnosis has inspired me to get control of my life and turn things around. I'm looking for healthier recipes to cook for dinner, I'm trying to get my husband to incorporate more fruit and veggies into his diet (and mine) and I'm trying to encourage him to come exercise with me- when his schedule allows.

The exercising--I'm two days into. I go to the gym at the Miller centre. I lack the discipline to do it at home. I'm happy just riding a stationary bike and power walk the track for an hour. I'm determined to lose weight and feel better overall.

Getting moving feels great. The added bonus: the break from the kids that hour affords me! I love it!!

(They love going to the 'gym' too. There's child care available while parents exercise, and they have an absolute riot there! ! Mommy doesn't exist as soon as they walk into their day care!)

So, watch out Whitecourt. A new and improved Ali is on her way!

Fallen

Day 6 or 7???

...I've fallen off the bandwagon. At least, the exercise bandwagon. I am still trying to eat more sensibly, but that's been a struggle in the last few days too. I guess the 'honeymoon' stage is over?? It ended all too quickly, though! I know that exercising is work, and staying fit is work, but I was hoping the excitement would have lasted a little longer than this! LOL Maybe I need to try a different tactic.

Here's to trying again!!

Feels Good

Its another day to get this right!

Day 4-


I woke up planning on not exercising, but when Kyle suggested having egg wraps for breakfast, I changed my mind. If we were going to eat a healthy breakfast, then I was going to do everything I could to keep myself in that healthy frame of mind.

And, so far, so good! I added 10 more jumping jacks to the two reps that I'm doing- totalling 60 altogether, and as far as the posture stretches goes, I added two more to make the hip flexor (??) portion 5 each instead of 3. I could probably add a lot more to that routine- it isn't strenuous at all.

At lunch, I ate the same as the kids- a cheese sandwich and a glass of fruit smoothie (todays concoction was peach, strawberry, banana, spinach). I made another one after nap time, and that concoction is peach, banana, pineapple. (There's still some left in the fridge). Yum!!

Since J is over right now, and probably will be staying for supper, I'm whipping up a couple pizzas.

Last night was pretty low, which is why I kind of woke up in the wrong frame of mind. I seriously pigged out on peanuts before bed time, which is a huge no-no. At least, I've been struggling not to do things like that. So, I fell off the bandwagon last night, but through Kyle's gentle persistence, I got back on! Thank goodness for that!

Different

Day 3--


The day started off unlike it usually does; I was woken up at 9:30 by my sister of all people, climbing up onto my bed. Before I opened my eyes, I thought it was Kyle leaning on our bed to give me a kiss goodbye before leaving for the day, but when I rolled over, it was sister!!

You're all probably wondering why I was still in bed at 9:30 this morning. Well, all four of us had an incredibly rough early morning- between 3:30 and 5:30, Addison wouldn't sleep. I'm not sure what was going on, but she'd settle for a while, but then start crying all over again. I'm beginning to wonder if this child is ever going to sleep through an entire night in her life??? Getting up multiple times throughout the night for her got old long ago!!!

So, the kids probably would have kept sleeping- for how long I'm not sure, but sister asked if she could go in their room and wake them up. Of course she could. If they didn't get up then, they wouldn't want to sleep at nap time, and then at bedtime. Bedtime is already a tough enough fight trying to get Miss Addison to bed when she is tired. I've concluded Addison is in the midst of the infamous 'terrible two's'.  I'm beginning to worry what age 3 is going to bring us. If we fight with her this much now, what will it be like when she turns 3?! Oi!

So, because the day didn't start off like usual, I didn't get any exercising done. I did, however, eat a well-rounded breakfast. This time, including eggs! I haven't willingly eaten eggs in a coons age, so eating something other than toast or cereal felt really good! The girls liked it, too. So, note to self: actually cook breakfast a little more often! Eggs, especially. They've tried eggs here and there since they were able to eat solids, but they've never appeared to like them. Until now. Phew!

And, on that line of thought, I didn't really snack much today, either. At lunch time, when I probably should have eaten lunch (but wasn't really in the mood for it), I munched on two cookies that the girls didn't want to eat after eating their own lunch. It kind of surprised me, but oh well. If they weren't going to eat them, then I would! I ate only two. No more.

It might not have been a wise decision (because I should have eaten a good lunch), but I feel that eating only two cookies is another personal victory. Usually I have no self control when it comes to goodies like that. So, yay on me!

Then, late this afternoon, after my appointment to see Dr. Mwanza, I picked up a Dr. Pepper and peanuts at the pharmacy, while I waited for my scrip to be filled. I've heard that nuts are a good source of nutrition, so I thought that would be a good, small snack to eat before I got home and had supper. I wanted cashews, because they're my favourite nut to munch on, but there weren't any. Boo. Peanuts were the next best thing.

Supper was just a left over hamburger from last night. Unfortunately, no salad, though, or veggies. Oops- I did realize I had a fruit smoothie today too- with oranges, strawberries, bananas and plain yogurt. It was good, but I hate the rind when I add oranges. Bleh.

Tomorrow there won't be much exercise either, but we will be walking around the airport most of the afternoon, so I'm going to consider that my exercise for the day!

(Tomorrow is the W.C. airshow, and we are taking the girls and my parents to see it). Its been pretty neat watching the airplanes- specifically the snowbirds- flying overhead in formation while they practice. Hopefully the weather stays nice for it!

Feelin' It

Day 2-

Its another day to get this right!

And, I think I did pretty good.

So, I'm just trying to feel things out and get a rhythm for a work out routine that works good for me. I came across stretches on Pinterest to help improve posture, and the only two items that are in my personal workout arsenal are jumping jacks and sit ups. (Right now). I want to expand on that, and get the old heart pumping for a little longer than it currently is when I work out. There is a couple cardio videos that we have, but I'm not sure I want to do them. Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like a failure when they can't keep up with the program via dvd?

I did good again today. I exercised after eating breakfast (which, I had a bowl of cereal for breakfast- which the kids helped me with when they finished their toast). I didn't snack (or even think about it, honestly), until lunch time. The kids and I shared another fruit smoothie, and I made us kraft dinner. Food didn't cross my mind again until sometime between 3 and 4, which was when I started getting hungry again. I realize that its probably alright to have a snack, as long as I keep the portion small and healthy. And, I probably would have a snack, but for the fact that I'm always eating it at exactly the wrong time. Such as when supper is about to be prepared. Or, just when I should be going to bed.

I saw, somewhere, that Dr. Oz recommends not eating 3 hours before hitting the sack. I'm going to try and subscribe to that ideology. It was definitely a struggle last night, at 10 or 11 when I really wanted something to munch on, but I didn't cave. Yay me!!

...and Murphy's struck again. As I'm typing this, the ice cream man is driving through our neighbourhood. Cruelty, or what?! Its a test. Good thing is, most of the stuff that all ice cream men carry I don't care much for anyways. So, not much of a temptation. I do, however, have a Reese's Pieces ice cream sandwich in the freezer that's been calling my name for the last two days. Kyle brought it home a couple nights ago (along with a slushy- sorry, I just can't turn down a cold, refreshing Pepsi slushy when its ridiculously hot out). One of these days I will eat that delicious morsel of goodness, but not now. I'll give it a few more days, and then treat myself for doing a job well.

Getting back on track...I'm going to have to make some sort of visual chart to follow when I exercise. The two things I've got going so far- sit up and jumping jacks, and postural stretches- is great, and I feel good knowing that the outcome will be beneficial, but I forgot to do the sit ups this morning. Having the kids around and distracting me didn't really help either. So, if I had something to check off after every event, then I wouldn't forget anything! Its on my to do list.

Supper tonight was hamburgers and salad. I'm not sure I ate enough, because I still feel hungry, but at least its staved off the serious hunger pangs. I had a hamburger and a half (which is normally a lot for me, when I snack a lot in between meals), and a plate full of salad.

Hmmm...I wonder if...now that the sun is shining...we should take a walk with the kids.

Alright, I'm off. Going to run it past husband- hopefully he's game!

Its a New Day

Its just after midnight, so a new day- a new beginning!

Yes, its already begun, but this is just another way that I hope staying accountable to myself, my husband, and my children--and now to you, the world wide web--will keep me on the skinny 'straight and narrow'.

I suppose the main objective of my blog is to journal my thoughts, the struggles, the successes- everything related to my goal of losing weight and getting back into shape.

I'm glad you've joined me on this journey!