45 and counting! (261 days 'til the big 4-0)

Well ladies and gents, here we are at the beginning of another month.  Five months have passed since I began my wellness journey, and I am happy to share that today marks 45 pounds lost!  I couldn't do it without the support and encouragement of a handful of coworkers, a few close friends, my amazing children, my incredible boyfriend, and, believe it or not, the inspiration of the trainers and contestants of  this season's The Biggest Loser.  Making the time to work in the exercise is by far my biggest challenge. I know, I know, Dolvett and Bob... "No excuses".  However, being a single mom, working full-time, and raising two very socially active teenage girls does not leave much "me" time.  Trying to balance a home life with my girls, with my man, and still take care of business is a juggling act in and of itself.  If I go to the gym during the times that are free in my schedule (5 a.m. or 9 p.m.) then I am not getting enough sleep.  So what's a girl to do?  This is not a rhetorical question.  Some helpful time-management/prioritization advice would be greatly appreciated.  I definitely need to figure out how to get a handle on that.  I keep imagining how much further along I could have progressed at this point, if I was more disciplined with my exercise, but I am not letting it get me down.  If only my feet had the same 176K miles on them that my vehicle does, I would be in GREAT shape!  It would be so helpful to have an elliptical, a recumbent bike, or a treadmill, and a bench with some free weights at home, and I would be good to go!  If anyone has any of these items you're not utilizing, and would be willing to donate, please let me know.  Thanks!  Until next time.....

Workin my way to "swagalicious"! (279 days til the big 4-0)

5K in 47 minutes, a best time for me, at Susan G Komen Race for the Cure 3/10/12

This is my "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger" smile, pre-race.

That's me in the Ray Charles shades, above the foreground lady's head, crossing the finish line!  A great feeling after having to bail out less than a mile into the Edison Festival of Light 5K.  Still sporting the same dumb shoes that give me blisters...ouch!  The others didn't work out, but I'm hoping to trade them in this week.

To date I've shed 38 pounds since Nov 1, weighing in at 229 down from 267 (finally bought a scale), and dropping 2+ pant sizes... only 94 pounds to reach my goal.  I'm more than 1/3 of the way there!  Looking forward to continuing my fitness journey.  Thanks for following along.  I need all the support and encouragement I can get.

Awwwwwwwww yeah, I got your motivation right here!

Couldn't take the pants dragging on the ground anymore. The only thing holding them up was the junk in my trunk. So I stopped at the same store to pick up a new pair of the same pants, and SHAZAM... I'm two full sizes smaller than I was when I began my journey three months ago. Holla!  Who is full-steam ahead?!  THIS GIRL RIGHT HERE!

Wow... it's been a while! Can you say Happy New Year in February?!

HeartWalk went great!  With the help of friends and family I raised $450 for the American Heart Association!  My daddy would be proud.  The weather was beautiful, and I was rockin to go...until I arrived and realized no one told me I was going to be hoofing it up the tallest bridge in our county, but with my guy by my side encouraging me the whole way,  I came, I saw, and I (we) conquered!  Wore the same dumb shoes though, and yes ended up with blisters again.  Just bought myself a new pair this week, with the help of a birthday gift card from a dear friend.  I am looking forward to breaking them in tonight.  My next event will be the Edison Festival of Light 5K on February 18.

People are asking me everyday, "How much have you lost?"  Truth is, I have no idea.  I don't own a scale.  Guess it is time for a courtesy trip to my doctor's office to check that out.  Regardless of what the numbers are, I am wearing a pair of pants today that I haven't been able to put on in four years!  All of the rest of my clothes are falling off.  Needless to say, "saggin" for a near 40 year old, is not cool in the least.  I am looking forward to dropping another full size before doing any shopping though.

Not only can I see a difference, I can feel a difference.  I have more energy.  I can tie my shoes without feeling like I'm going to pass out.  My smile is brighter.  My step is lighter.  My confidence is higher.  Life is good... and will keep getting better as I continue on my journey.  Thanks for following me!

More to come soon...

Gobble Gobble! Momma needs a new pair of shoes! (386 days til my 40th!)

What a crazy way to start Thanksgiving day!  At 7 a.m. my friends and I participated in the 42nd Annual Turkey Trot.  Proceeds benefited the new pediatric ER at Cape Coral Hospital.  We couldn't have ordered better weather!  The morning was cool and clear.  So my goal was to finish this 5K event in 50 minutes or less.  Unfortunately I did not reach that goal.  I came in at a 51.11, only 19 seconds quicker than my last event which involved increases in elevation.  Problem is, I need a new pair of shoes!  I don't know who made these Brooks things that I spent a small fortune on (most expensive shoes of my life), but I end up with awful blisters after every event.  I guess not enough time passed for complete healing between the Midpoint Madness (on 11/11) and the Turkey Trot (on 11/24), so beginning at about mile 1 I was in pain from that point forward to the finish line.  As badly as it burned, I refused to quit.  I am happy that I finished in a bit less time than the Midpoint event, but not happy that I didn't reach my goal (insert sad face here).  I won't let it get me down though.  I just need to go to the big man himself and plead my case.  Dear Santa, for Christmas I need a personal trainer AND a new pair of shoes!...Oh and a scale...I don't have one of those, which is not good.

On to the rest of Thanksgiving day...  Following the race, I had some scrambled eggs and two small pieces of bacon, that was delicious, as I watched some of the Macy's parade w/my girls.  Then it was off to prepare Thanksgiving dinner.  This was the first without my whole family in attendance.  It was very strange.  I had my daughters, my nephew, my friend Laura, and my guy there to celebrate with us.  Dinner was fantastic!  The girls and I did a great job with our preparations.  Thanks to mom for allowing me to borrow your awesome infrared NuWave oven.  Our 12 lb bird was done in three hours flat!  We are still nibbling on leftovers.  I, however, need to quite nibbling and get back on program in full effect in order to reach my 12/19/2012 goal!

Next up is the American Heart Association's HeartWalk on December 10.  I will be walking in memory of my dad.  To support the AHA in my dad's memory, please click here!  Thank you, in advance, for your support.  This one means a great deal to me personally.  I am genetically predisposed, losing both my grandfather and father in their early 60s, and I don't want to be another statistic.  My kids deserve better!  I deserve better!  It's time to eradicate heart disease once and for all!

Thank you all for your continued support and encouragement!  Please keep it up! <3

Dear Santa or Dr. Phil, for Christmas I'd like a personal trainer (392 days til my 40th birthday)

I had my preview workout with a personal trainer at LA Fitness, the health club I joined, last Thursday.  He was awesome and the session went great.  I couldn't walk for three days after, but I know it was because of the hard work and effort I put forth to give my body what it needs.  The trainers do more than just supervise your workout though.  They are inspirational and motivational.  They push when you want to quit.  They write up detailed workouts for you to follow during the rest of the week, and during your weekly session with them, they discuss with you your success and areas that need improvement.  Monthly they assess your overall achievement and celebrate it with you, then re-evaluate and discuss your goals while helping you take the steps necessary to accomplish them.  However, I learned that to sign up with a trainer, even for just one session per week, is $112 per month.  Twice per week would be $208 per month.  Albeit ideal for my health needs, that is a financial impossibility for me.  I know in my heart that personal training works; I have had proven results in the past.  I know in my wallet, it's not happening.  I am hoping that someone from the Dr. Phil show checks my blog and reads this.  Even if I don't qualify to be on the show, I have the drive and the determination to make permanent changes in my life, so that I am active, healthy and able to be here for years to come to celebrate, serve, and nurture my friends and loved ones.  I just don't have the financial resources it takes at the onset to participate in the training program that will help me get there.  My fingers are crossed that Dr. Phil or Santa will come thru.

I would like to wish everyone an early Happy Thanksgiving.  I am reminding myself daily this season that we should not go through life and this world asking what it or its people will do for us, but we are to look beyond ourselves daily, to serve others and meet their needs. It is through this selflessness, that we ourselves will be blessed. I love you all and am so very thankful for the role that each of you plays in my life.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow." ~Melody Beattie

I completed my first officially timed 5K! (400 days until my 40th birthday)

With eleven pounds gone as of 11/11/11 (weird, I know), I registered for and participated in my first official chip-timed 5K on Veterans Day!  What a great way to help fund raise for our local YMCA, and get some great fresh (albeit chilly) air and exercise!  I power-walked that entire beast and, at times, even broke out into a jog.  I finished in 51 minutes 38 seconds.  I was quite proud of myself!  This was not an easy task for me, as we were spanning the Veteran's Memorial Bridge that connects Cape Coral to Fort Myers.  This event encompassed three different hill climbs!  I haven't climbed hills since my childhood in New Jersey, not to mention I have tendon and ligament damage in my ankle.  I did it though, I finished on my own two feet... and I didn't come in last!  I also recorded a better time than the two walks I've done for breast cancer awareness  this year, the ACS's Making Strides (in October) and the Komen Foundation's Race for a Cure (in March), completing each in approx 54 minutes.  In all of my exhausted glory I committed to participating in the next event on Thanksgiving morning at 7:30 a.m.?!  (Can I get a "what the frenchtoast"??)  This event is also a 5K, billed as The Turkey Trot.  It is a fundraiser to benefit the Pediatric Emergency Room at Cape Coral Hospital.  Luckily the course is on flat land!!  If you want to help the children too, sign up online at Fort Myers Track Club.

Sunday was a bit of a challenge for me to stay on program.  I took my daughter to visit the University of Tampa campus.  We had a great time.  What a pretty campus.  I tried to eat as best I could in their cafe, consuming a handful of pretzel nuggets, a spoonful of scrambled eggs (at least that's what they were supposed to be), a cup of fresh fruit, and a half-cup of oatmeal.  Getting in all of my water was difficult, and once again the best laid (exercise) plan of, not mice, but this [wo]man again went awry.  However, between the bridge on Friday and the campus foot tour (x2) on Sunday, I think I'm in ok shape at this point.  I am back on track today w/my nutrition so far, and planning to get to the gym later this evening.

Thanks again for all of the love and support!

8 lbs gone in 7 days! (405 days until my 40th birthday)

Reposted from my Facebook page.  My status update as of 9 p.m. on 11/8/11:   Rough night in the life of this Executive Manager of Chaos, which led to no gym time. Didn't even make it home until 8pm. Guess I will be risin, shinin, and givin God the glory, as I hammer it out bright and early tomorrow. Not looking forward to a two-a-day, but thankful for the hour I spent at home with my girls tonight. Actually I'm working out mentally tonight. Reviewing success stories of others online and watching the Biggest Loser is very inspirational for me. I use those mental images to create visions of my future self, to use for inspiration when I am putting the pedal to the metal. BTW I'm loving the new trainer Dolvett Quince! Wish he was here to kick my butt!

...and that's exactly what I did!  I wasn't quite "shinin" at 5:30 a.m. but I rose (rolled) out of bed, gave God the glory for allowing me another day to be with my loved ones, and dragged myself into the gym.  After a restless sleep, I did hit the snooze button one too many times, so I got a late start.  I was only able to squeeze in 25 minutes on the bike, 180 calories burned, but something is better than nothing!  Looking forward to round two tonight!  I may even begin incorporating weight training. We'll see how ambitious I am at the end of the day :)  Thank you everyone for your support and encouragement.  It means so much to me!

Made it to the gym last night! (406 days until my 40th birthday)

Had a good ride on the stationary bike after work.  According to the settings, I rode for 2.82 miles in 53:44 min, and burned 400 calories!  Followed that with 4 oz of grilled chicken and a half-cup of steamed cauliflower, carrots and snow peas, and 32 oz of good ol' fashioned H2O.  It was a good night.

Things are going, not great, but well (407 days until my 40th birthday)

I really wish I had a recumbent stationary bike, elliptical trainer, and free weights at home!  That would simplify things in a huge way!  I wouldn't incur the expense of a health club, and the equipment would be at my disposal 24/7.  Nutritionally speaking, things are super...but holy food cost, Batman!  I am eating properly, charting my intake, and sticking to my plan.  Aside from some creative accounting, it's the making time to exercise that has proven to be difficult.  Being a single mom, working full time, and nurturing a new relationship requires juggling.  Now we've thrown in ball #4 (the exercise) and it's become even more challenging.  Luckily I have a great guy in my life who is also committed to health and wellness, and he is encouraging and supporting me along the way.  I made it to the gym on Thursday night and spent an hour on the bike; Friday and Saturday proved to be a struggle though.  I thought I had it all planned out well, but I never made it to the gym.  I did, however, do a bunch of shopping and errand running on Saturday, which included extra steps I don't ordinarily take; at least I was moving more.  On Sunday I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather.  My guy and I went for a run/walk (he ran/I walked).  I went 2.5 miles in 40 minutes, and lived to tell the tale!  So looking forward to more of those times to come.  I am thankful for the love and support of my friends and family.  I am blessed.  I love ya'll!

I just did something crazy! (411 days until my 40th birthday)

I took a leap of faith and I wrote the Dr. Phil show!  My friend Jennifer sent me a link yesterday to their site. Below my entry is what I read there.  This is ME! ...except for the "ONE problem area you really want to fix" part.  My one problem is 5'6" big!  As many times as I have tried to break free of these demons, this has been me for my entire life.  I don't want to live this way anymore, and I need all of the help I can get.

I've confided in a few of you all of the nitty gritty dirty details of the past 20 years of my life.  As difficult and challenging as that journey has been, truth is, this battle of mine didn't start there.  I remember having to shop in the "Pretty Plus" section of Sears, while the other girls pranced around in their Jordache and Sassoon jeans.  I remember always being picked last for a team in gym class.  I remember being tormented on the bus ride to and from school each day, so much so that I would get to school and hide in the girls room to cry.

I thought that once school was over, and I was a grown up, things would change.  I was sadly mistaken.  I encountered difficulties in college, in my dating life, in my married life, etc.  As recently as last year's office Christmas party I overheard a co-worker of mine, a grown man in an administrative position, snickering and making awful comments about the size of my behind as I went to retrieve my gift from under the tree.  He was then joined further in his folly with two other male co-workers.  Needless to say, I was shocked, appalled, and humiliated.  These were men I work with, respected and admired.  Merry Christmas?  I think not.

The physical struggles of not being able to go on certain amusement park rides, being concerned about sitting in a camping chair and having it collapse, having to ask a flight attendant for a seatbelt extender on an airline, waking up each morning with joint stiffness and muscle aches, being short of breath while walking thru a shopping center, etc. are enough to deal with on their own.  The emotional struggles which accompany those physical limitations, and then are exacerbated by cruel individuals, just makes matters that much more difficult to deal with.

It's time to put an end to all of that once and for all!  Thank you all for your loyalty and support.  As often as I feel alone in my life, it's comforting to know that I do have a select few that are cheering for me on the sidelines.

Yesterday was a good day, not great, but good.  I ate well and tracked my food and water intake.  My energy level felt increased a bit.  Then life happened, and I didn't get to the gym, but I did walk around quite a bit... and I learned that on Wednesdays I need to sacrifice sleeping til 6 a.m., and get up at 4:30 instead so I have time for me.  There is a plus, at least I wasn't on the couch with a bowl of Halloween candy!

Overweight and Sick of it?

• Are you overweight and tired of hearing things like, “but you have such a pretty face”
• Do you have just ONE problem area that you really want to fix? Like your flabby arms, your muffin top, or maybe thick thighs?
• Are you tired of waking up everyday & dreading your day because of how to look and feel?
• Do you feel sluggish when you get out of bed in the morning?
• Do you avoid shopping for clothes with friends because you’re embarrassed of your size?
• Do you cut out the tags in your clothes and lie about your weight to avoid embarrassment?

Enough is Enough! (412 days until my 40th birthday)

Since childhood I have struggled with my weight.  I was never very active as a kid, nor did I ever pay any attention to what I put into my body.  My only criteria was that it tasted good, and the more sugar it had the better it was.  During adulthood I have struggled with being a healthy, vibrant, young woman trapped inside an ugly, painful, fat suit.  Throughout the years I have endure sneers, jeers, and looks of disgust from both children and adults alike.  The old saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" ... it's crap!  Words hurt worse.

You would think that, aside from being a poster child for what not to do to your body, the fact that I've lost my grandfather, my father, and my former father-in-law to heart disease would be enough motivation to get my act together.  However, fitness requires dedication of time and financial resources.  Considering I work full-time, am now divorced, and have three incredible children (two teenage girls at home and a son away at college), those factors make putting myself as a priority very challenging.  Several times I've gotten a handle on my fitness, and have taken action.  Several times, I've lost my grip and reversed all of my hard work.

NO MORE!  Not this time!  On November 1, 2011 I went grocery shopping, joined a health club, started a diary, and set a goal to lose 130 lbs by December 19, 2012, which will be my 40th birthday!  Hopefully the world won't end a couple of days later, because well that would just be cruel.  I started this blog for two reasons; one, to help keep me accountable and two, to help possibly inspire others to do the same.  Ready....Set....Project 130 is go for launch!  There is no turning back!