Thursday almost got away from me!  I've been thinking it's Monday all day long.  We had a four-day weekend and yesterday was so busy that I felt like I was just starting my week today.
In my previous post, I talked about all the memories we made this weekend.  I've been in a pretty good mood ever sense then!  I'm not having a hard time being positive!
Where I do need a big dose of positive is getting back on track. I did treat myself for my birthday - I ate an entire dessert by myself on Tuesday and I'm still paying for it!  I did see a change in my weight this morning and I've been feeling the carb bloat.  I have kept up with my Couch25k training.  I'll be starting week 4 on Saturday!

Here's what's on my TO DO list for getting back on track:

• Spend time in THE WORD every day.  I've got to get re-focused on why I'm doing this.  My body must be in the best shape it can be in so I can live a life worthy of the grace and mercy I've been given.
• Do the Mean Abs June calendar I found on Pinterest. 
• Continue C25k until I can run 5k in less than 40 minutes.  Then keep running!
• Try some Body Rock videos.
• Read I Quit Sugar and follow her tips.  I don't want to eliminate fruits, but I do want to eliminate all other sugars.  I think that is what my body likes to store as lard-o the most.

That should be enough for now!  I can do this.  I've done similar things already.  Maybe I should challenge myself a little more!

Hey fat girl!

I read this blog today and had tears streaming down my face as I read it.  I have always wondered what those fit runner-types think when they see my overweight body huffing and puffing around the track.  I wondered if they rolled their eyes as they passed or gave me an "atta girl" in their heads.  If you've ever felt out of place anywhere, this is worth a read!

Positive Thinking Thursday

Well, it's Thursday...
I'd love to be positive right now, but I'm having a hard time.  I've been fluctuating within the same .7 pounds for 2 weeks now.  It is so frustrating to know that I've stayed between 1200-1600 calories every day and I've worked out 5-6 days per week.  What is going on here???

Since i'm struggling, I decided to search for some positive thoughts to keep me going.

This is for life.  This isn't just about getting ready for swimsuit season in 2012.  This is about being the best I can be - the strongest, the healthiest, and the fittest.  What is lost can be found again. I'm BURNING it and it won't come out of the ashes! (OK, that was a little cheesy, but work with me!)

If I'm honest with myself, my body is behaving.  It just isn't behaving the way I want it to.  I can feel muscles in my arms. My rib cage is much narrower.  I can feel how much more muscular my legs are.  I do have a lot of fat left to lose, but it will happen.  I'm exercising to make a healthier and stronger me and it is working!

I really like this one!  I will try not to say "I am fat" ever again! 

Exactly - I have lot 11 pounds!  I HAVE LOST 11 LBS!!!

That's something to be pretty excited about.  I have reached 2 of my mini-goals and I'm on my way to another.  I have lost several inches.  I have muscles.  I'm confident enough to go to a dance class with an entire mirrored wall!!!  I work out 6 days per week and I've learned to cook new things that are better for me and for my family.  I have found ways to encourage my friends who offer me so much encouragement.  I am wearing clothes that have been sitting in my closet because they didn't fit.  I've gotten rid of jeans and shirts that are TOO BIG!!!  

I have a lot to celebrate and I'm looking forward to celebrating more!

OK...I think I feel a little better now.  I just have to figure out why I'm stuck right here and make some adjustments.  I'm thankful for God blessing me with a healthy body that can handle exercise and that has put up with junk I ate and the lack of exercise.  I can do this!  The longest journeys have the greatest rewards!

Positive Thinking Thursday - Obnoxious Edition

I'M SUPER EXCITED!!!
I hit my next goal of a total weight loss of 10 pounds was reached today!  I'm am so stinkin' excited that I can't contain myself!  Now, I still have a lot more to lose, but 10 pounds seems like such an accomplishment.

I feel like I can reach my final goal now.  It has taken me 3 months to get here, but in that 3 months I have achieved so much.  

• Exercise has become a daily habit.  
• My refrigerator is overflowing while the pantry is minimally stocked because I do better shopping and eat more fresh foods.
• I can FEEL my muscles working when I am using them in every day activities.
• I catch myself squeezing my arms muscles from time to time :)
• I know I can run around and play whenever I want.
• I know I'll reach my goal.
• I know I CAN DO THIS!  Finally!
• I want to influence others who have felt like I always have - that they are just naturally over weight and out-of-shape.
• I am confident!

All of this to say - if there is anything you want to do, but you don't think you can, try it anyway.  Keep at it until you reach that first small goal that means something to you.  I guarantee you'll keep it up after that.  

My next goals: 15 pounds total loss and running!  I can do it :)

Positive Thinking Thursday

I've been doing a lot of thinking about Friends.

No, not those Friends.

I've been thinking about all the friends I've had in my life.  Growing up, I always had at least one "best" friend, a close circle of girl friends, and several other circles of friends I fit into.  Sometimes those circles changed.  It was hard to grow apart sometimes, but there was always another group of people I gravitated towards then.
I went to a fairly small school for college.  I was in a sorority, so I lived with 64 of my closest friends all the time.  I was close to people in my department and I felt like I knew almost everyone on campus.  Friends were everywhere all of the time, whether you liked it or not!  I liked it.
I get along with people fairly easily, so I've always had friends at work.  No matter where I worked, there were people that I would spend time with outside of the 40 hours we put in together.
I've always had a lot of friends, but I haven't always had deep relationships that included complete trust and unconditional love. With the exception of a few people, I haven't experienced that much in my life. I didn't realize it until I started to take inventory of the friends I've got now.
I don't fit into the "Mom" groups where friends are usually made at my age.  I don't have a job outside of the house, so I don't have "work" friends.  I am not really part of any clubs or organizations, other than a fabulous church.  In spite of all that, I have amazing friends.
I have friends who I can trust with my problems and fears.  I can trust that they won't talk about it with anyone else.  And I can trust that they will support me and pray for me.
I have friends who are as nutty as I am :)  I can just be myself and I don't feel that I'm being judged.  They "get" me.  I don't know a better way to describe that.
I have friends who understand me.  They have been through some of the same things I've been through and they don't mind sharing the burden sometimes. They can empathize with me.
I have friends who love the Lord along with me.  We may not agree on everything, but we can agree that we love because He first loved us.

So, if you're one of my friends, thank you!  I love you!

Positive Thinking Thursday

Why is it that I always need an adjustment on Thursday???  I guess it works well with my decision to blog about it every Thursday!
Anyway, the hubs had a BIG birthday on Tuesday.  When I first started this trek into health and fitness I told myself that I wasn't depriving myself, I was just choosing not to eat unhealthy things unless it was really a treat - a special occasion.  Well, I asked him what he wanted to do.  He didn't want to go out, he wanted the girls here and for me to make a nice quiet dinner.  He requested steak, rice, green beans, "good bread", and a coconut cream cake.

I thought that was great because I don't like coconut - then I wouldn't be tempted to eat it!  Well, the kids don't like it either, so I made it without the shredded coconut on the outside.  Turns out I do like the flavor of coconut.  So much so that I couldn't resist licking the batter bowl - here's hoping I didn't give myself salmonella.
Anyway, I grilled the LEAN steak - good.  I didn't eat the brown rice - good.  I had a few butter bacon green beans - good.  I ate a super scrumptious buttery crescent roll - not good.  I gorged on a large piece of cake - bad!
Good news - the cake has been in the fridge since Tuesday and I haven't touched it again.
Bad news - I felt AWFUL Tuesday night and Wednesday all day.  I was sluggish, cranky, bloated, and craving sugar.  It was so not worth it!  Have I been away from sugar long enough that I can feel its affects?  If so - great!  Aside from the irrational cravings, I have no real desire for sugar now. Or simple carbs, for that matter.
I have stuck to my exercise schedule, which was really hard when I was feeling sluggish yesterday.  My pace was almost a whole minute slower this time, but I did it!  I'm back on the wagon again and my weight has not gone up from that night of abandon!

So...here's the positive stuff:
1. One mistake or off day does not change my goal.
2. I can have a treat here and there, but the treats can rule me.
3. I'm kind of happy that the carbs made me feel so bad.  It helps me see that they are not what I really want.

Positive Thinking Thursday

I'm seriously going to try this every Thursday.
Today I'm leaving for a ladies' retreat in the mountains with 23 other ladies from church.  It's my first retreat with this group and I'm excited!  Satan, of course, is trying to get in my mind and make me nervous about it.  Why am I nervous?  No logical reason.
But if I had to list the reasons:
1. I'm on Day 8 of my new diet/exercise routine and I'm proud of myself for sticking to it and working hard.  I'm afraid I'm going to get off track and ruin my exercise and eat junk.
2. What if I say something stupid?  I'm pretty sure I'm not as good of a Christian as these other ladies.
3. What if I don't like it?  I'm trapped!

So, here is the positive thinking...
1. I'm excited to be able to face these challenges and defeat them. I'm going to feel so good when I head home on Sunday having eaten well and gotten my exercise in. I'm going to the store to stock up on healthy low-carb food to bring with me.
2. Who doesn't ever say something they wish they could shove back in their mouths?  God knows my heart and he knows I love him. These ladies won't care how silly I am, they will know how much I love God!
3. You get what you give!  I'm going to have a great time because I'm going to have a great time!

Positive Thinking Thursday

That's Thursday's new name.  Now that I've decided to blog about my Pinterest addiction, I've had some thoughts.  Wanna hear them? Hear we go...


I saw this quote on TechCrunch: 


"Pinterest... where hot fitness models frolic among travel dreams and crockpot recipes."




Ha!  It's true!  It is easy to feel inferior or unproductive when you spend so much time looking at all the fabulous things other people are making/cooking/doing/going/being.  I don't know that I've ever consciously looked at Pinterest and felt bad, but maybe I have.  I tend to see it as more of a motivator or inspiration.  I've seen a lot of health and beauty tips that I've tried and loved. I've found recipes that made healthy eating taste a lot better in this house.  It has been a way for me to share my creative side with people all over. I love it!
Obviously, I'm not the only one who loves it.  Pinterest has more than 10 million unique visitors each month now!

So, on this first POSITIVE THINKING THURSDAY of mine, what do you have to share with the world?  What would your hallmark pin be?  We've all got something that the world needs to see!  What's yours?