Update

Update on Me...I worked out today but not yesterday.  I did on Monday but not Sunday.  I am weird because if I my planned schedule gets changed just a little bit, my entire day is a bust.  It is a good feeling to be able to get through the workouts easier, knowing I am working out harder too.  I have a sick boy at home today.  Crossing my fingers I don't get sick.  I have had enough for this winter.  My scale hasn't changed but I can feel muscle under my fat now, at least it is something.
My eating isn't good again this week.  I am baking for 4 different cake raffles.  Last night it was Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.  YUMMY.

Oh the Pain!

Calf still hurts!  I did my 30 day Shred Video but couldn't do the Wii, my calf protested.  That's ok, I had a good workout and I don't want to injure it further so I can't work out at all.
My scale is up but some changes have occurred.  I am today wearing a pair of jeans that were too tight a month ago.  They aren't loose but I'm not embarrassed to wear them!
I have a lot of baking I need to do today and tomorrow so I hope I can keep things under control.  I need to drink more water.  I have really let that slide and replaced it with good tasting coffee. 
The weather is beautiful here today and when my stepson gets home from school I think we will take all the dogs on an outing. More exercise and it makes the dogs very happy.  His dog needs some training so it will be a good opportunity to do that also.
Off to bake Red Velvet Cupcakes!  New to me so wish me luck!
Have a great day!
Amy

I'm Back!

I was gone for a few days and had a great time!  I took my exercise videos but didn't do them.  Instead I walked on the beach with my husband and hiked up some rocks and hills.  It was blissful until I found ticks on my dog!  TOTALLY GROSS!  Actually brought one back with us that was sucking the blood from his neck.  Had to yank it out.  It really makes you feel like they are crawling all over you!
Anyway, today I did my 30 day shred and followed it up with my Wii Active.  It was all good until I was finishing off the Wii with a run and had my calf start screaming.  It is really tight.  I hope I didn't pull anything.  Time will tell, it still hurts.
I feel good about working out today.  I really didn't want to but I didn't let self doubt get in my way.  I know I gained weight over the weekend and figured I should just quit again.  What's the point?  The point is I feel better when I am done working out.  Whether I eat a salad or a brownie, the workout feeling doesn't change and I am gaining muscle regardless.
So back on track.
Have a great day!
Amy

I'm okay, I'm okay

So the scale is up still.  I know, I know stop eating cookies and pumpkin bars and homemade bread.  I can't help it darn it.  I want to lose weight not give up what I love...can't I have both?
I did an new exercise video yesterday that my sister uses.  The 30 day shred by Jillian Michaels.  It is only a 20 minute workout but OMG!  I have been doing the Wii for 2 weeks now and felt a tiny bit sore.  After one Shred, my legs hurt and my shoulders.  I don't think I can make it through it today (and not cheat) so I am going to do my Wii instead.
I am still motivated to do this.  Just because the scale hasn't moved doesn't mean that other things haven't changed.  My arms are definitely tighter and I think my legs.  My clothes still fit the same but I am okay, I'm okay.  Not going to give up. 
Lots to do today, going away for the weekend.  I am going to walk on the beach with my husband, maybe play a little soccer with the boys and workout on the machines.  I am taking my video with me but I'm not sure we can use the tv.  The remodel is in stages and I think the living room is now in a remodel.
I can't wait to get there!
Have a great day!
Amy

Amazing

Wow, it's weird what a little exercise can do for your body and mind.  I might be becoming a believer.  I have tried running and never got those endorphins that make you want to keep going, I get the I think I'm going to die lung collapse and side cramp.  But today I started out not feeling well.  I got up, had breakfast, made bread - I want to take some to my husband this weekend, and decided to exercise.  Wow, I feel amazing.  I felt light on my feet and strong.  I am right now eating my really good chicken salad with sunflower seeds and a boiled egg.  Yummy.  For dinner I think I will do a stirfry...Weird how my attitude has changed.  I want to make some semi healthy cookies to take down too.  We have a VERY good friend who is a sweet freak.  If I can get him something that he likes and is a little healthier I will keep getting them to him.  He needs to live a long and healthy life.
Anyway, just needed to share.  Don't give up, something good will happen!
Have a GREAT day!
Amy

Sick of being sick

I don't feel well today.  Bad stomach ache.  I am up and had breakfast (Special K) and now I am waiting to see if the pain stays away.  I don't want to not exercise today.  I can't break my stride or it will get easier to do every day.  The scale wasn't kind either.  I really need to stop baking.  I just love it and like to eat what I make.  I made a version of no back cookies that was in a health magazine.  Uh, yuk!  No sugar sucks.
So today I'm going to take things slow and get some housework done.  I'll let you know how that goes.
Have a good day....I'm going to try.
Amy

Little Rant

First I have to rant against Duck haters!  I was getting a little annoyed with some people that live on the West Coast and wanting the Ducks to lose.  Way to represent people!  The Pac 10 has NEVER been thought to be able to play with the Big Dogs.  The Ducks have proved them wrong and going to the National Championship has opened the eyes of a lot of people.  The Pac 10 and West Coast schools will start getting their due.  Boise has been an incredible team for years but never been recogognized.  What the Ducks have done is going to change things over here.  The teams will be recruiting more powerhouse players because of the better reputation and the West Coast will be known for something other than rain!  The Ducks have an advantage over other Pac 10 schools because of their relationship with Phil Knight (owner of Nike) but isn't that what alumni is for?  There is nothing wrong with a good old Civil War Rivalry but I doubt even Oregon State was cheering against them.  Way to go Ducks, can't wait to see what happens next year.
Ok, that's off my chest...
I worked out this morning and the scale is back down to 168.4.  Slow and steady, slow and steady.  I can already feel a difference in my arms, they are tighter.  Yeah for that.  Eating better is getting easier too.  I have to spend the day in town with lots of errands today so I will see what healthy eats I can find.
It might snow here this afternoon also, so that will be fun to take the dogs for a walk in.  No seriously it will be...they love the snow and I love to watch them play.
Have a Great Day...
Amy

Frustrated

So my scale went up again.  Why can't it just keep going down like I want it to?  This is why I give up.  I know the body has to adjust and it will fluctuate and I should also gauge how I feel and my measurements...yada yada yada.  Not so easy....
I did my workout.  Wasn't really into it but I did it.  That darn inline skating!  On a plus though I did like 3 tricks instead of none.  That will be my positive focus for the day. 
I hope she doesn't mind the report but my sister is doing incredible!  I wish I had her focus and drive.
I am going to see my husband this weekend and hopefully I can stay on track with my eating.  There are exercise machines at the house so maybe I will just walk a lot.
Sorry the post is short but I'm frustrated and have nothing more to say...
Amy

Day 7!

Well today is the 7th day of exercise for me.  Feels good to have one little goal complete.  My scale is still going down.  168.2 this morning.  As I was laying in bed this morning, looking out on the beautiful blue sky I was trying to talk myself out of exercise.  After all it is Sunday, day of rest.  Good thing I didn't give in because that would have turned into a day of eat whatever I want to.  One bad decision gets the ball rolling downhill.
I want to say something about my weight issue.  This is something I need to do for myself.  I have a wonderful husband who loves me the way I am and thinks I look beautiful now.  I know there are a lot of women who get berated by their significant other or just society in general.  Luckily I am not one of those.  I have a great family and wonderful friends.  This is an issue I have with myself and need to overcome.  I don't feel the need to look like a model, not going to happen.  I just want the flat stomach I use to have and be in the healthy weight range for my age and height.  According to caloriecount.com it is 128.  I don't think I weighed that since high school.  Good goal though.  My first big goal is to be 150.  That is the weight I was when I got married and I want to fit my wedding dress which is hanging in my closet.  I LOVE MY DRESS.  It isn't fair we only wear it once.

Have a great day!  I know I will!

Amy

That was weird

OK, so today is a rest day.  I still wanted to do something but like before on my rest day didn't want it too hard.  So I did the Wii Fitness Age test...44.  I have gotten 21 before but whatever.  Then I did some of the exercises for boxing, baseball and tennis.  They just weren't doing anything for me.  After about 5 minutes I felt like I needed more so I put my Wii Active in and did a workout.  Felt great to want to workout.
My scale was kind. 168.8.  Good News for keeping me motivated.
I have the house to myself today...stepson at a basketball tournament.  So what will I do with my day?  Clean house of course.  I keep a pretty clean house but with 6 dogs the carpet could use some cleaning.  Yep...that's right....Shampoo Carpets Today...(I added that so I actually have to do it, It's been on my to do list for about 2 weeks).  I want to make Chicken and Dumplings today too.  Another recipe to tweek.  I make my own chicken broth so I think that keeps the sodium level way low, compared to the canned soup and broth I think.
The snow is melting here.  Sad and glad at the same time.  It is nice to walk to the post office without worrying about falling in the middle of the street.  But the clean, renewed look of snow is pretty amazing too.  Again with 6 dogs my yard hardly looks clean and renewed....another snowfall could get rid of the need for poop patrol though.  Unfortunately snow isn't in the immediate forecast.  Never fret...that's what kids are for right?
Well time for breakfast and housecleaning..
Have a Nice Day!
Amy

That's it, I Quit!

Well old me would be saying it is time to quit, I can't do this, I'm a failure, I am meant to be overweight.  Sound familiar?  I got on the scales this morning and it went up!  Now it's 169.6.  I did that HCG diet 3 times (gained the weight back everytime) and the scale would drop a pound a day.  I have to remember that isn't realistic.  I have to remember that I was baking yesterday, trying out some new recipes and had to sample some. 
I wasn't sore at all today so that is a good sign, especially good because today's exercises were um...jump squats and jump lunges!  They are going to kill me.  I can't wait until I do the inline skating exercise and actually do the tricks.  Right now the Wii me almost falls after every jump.  Pretty sad since I used to be a pretty good skater.  I still have my Bauer skates.  If this snow/ice ever leaves the roads I think I might dust them off.
I still need to take my measurements but I have to find my tape to do it.  Oh, recipes.  I made a light chocolate chunk cookie and it was ok.  I had to change it because of what I had on hand but it isn't bad.  I think it will relieve a craving and it has dried cranberries and pistachios so that is good right?  My bread I made with Whole Wheat Flour, Flax and Oatmeal tastes really good.  The downfall...I was cutting it to make my stepson a sandwich for his Basketball Tournament today and I had a big airbubble in it.  The middle is a giant hole!  Well I am learning as I go.
I am feeling good about this eating right and exercising thing.  It's a new spin to not take it too seriously and not go 200% kill you workout from the beginning.
Enjoy Life!  Have a Good Day!
Amy

Lazy Me

I wake up every morning at 6am to get my stepson up for school and let the dogs out.  Then I go back to bed...this morning I got up at 8:30!  I don't know why I just don't stay up...I really like mornings.  I just feel so lazy lately and unmotivated.  I am sticking with my exercise though and did it today.  My scale said 169.2.  I know it's because I am off my period now but I'll take it.  I am tracking my eating, weight and activity on caloriecount.com.  It's a great site.  Accorinding to the site I am ahead of my weight loss goal by 1 lb.  Yippee...
I said goodbye to one of my horses last night...no he didn't die....I sent him back to the people I got him from.  Their daughter missed riding him and it's hard to work 3 horses, especially when it's 15 degrees and I don't want to work any.  It is better financially too.  He was a beautiful Paint.  Oh well I have Jay, a Grey Dapple and Crystal who is well..Brown.
My sister sent me a weight measuring chart so I can check that loss out too.  She is also doing a photo diary so she can see her progress and motivate herself.  She's doing great! - I love you sis...I told her I would love to do that but I won't let my picture be taken so I don't have any of myself.  I am going to get one of myself now so I have a before picture.  Maybe as I lose weight I will feel more comfortable and take more pictures.
Well I have to run to town and times a wasting....HAVE A GREAT DAY!
Amy

Don't mess with Karma

Unbelievably I was actually looking forward to exercising today.  Probably because I didn't have to.  According to my Wii it is a rest day.  I am actually a little sore from my previous 2 days so I thought a light exercise would be good.  I chose what I thought was an easy one..NOT...Jumping squats, lunges, lunges, lunges, jumping lunges...Karma showed me.  I might not be able to walk tomorrow, let alone do my normal exercise.  I am down to 170.6 lbs too.  I think it is because I am almost done with my period. Being on your period and trying to eat right isn't easy.  That is my number one excuse for previous failures.  I have very bad PMS and painful periods. I had a boyfriend once actually call me Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde because my mood swings were so extreme.  I think I have that part undercontrol but the cravings a week before are killer.  I don't eat a lot of chips normally, I just don't care for them.  A week before my period I want French Onion Sun Chips and Chips with Salsa.  Our bodies are so weird.  I actually saw in a Health Magazine that women who have bad cramping during their periods might have it all in their head.  I would love that MAN who wrote that to make it through an hour of mine.  I throw up, get light headed and sometimes my hands go numb.  I was on a horse the last time it hit me that bad and scared the crap out of my sister in law.  She was trying to talk me into going to the ER.  I told her it would pass and it did. 
So anyway, yesterday was an ok day.  I only had 1 sugar cookie but 10 Nilla Wafers.  I am just trying to get the junk food out of my house and I hate throwing away good food.  Yep, I am really good at excuses.  I am headed out to the Family Ranch and mess with my horses today and maybe clean up the tack room a bit.  My dogs have a lot of energy they need to run off.  I will post more later of my day :)
Amy

Exercise Sucks

Hi-
My name is Amy.  I am a 38 year old women who lives in VERY Northern California.  I am married, have 3 step children (one lives with us) and 6 (yes 6) dogs, 1 cat and 2 horses.  I don't work right now thanks to the economy so I have no time excuse on why I don't exercise.  I live in a beautiful part of the country.  It is sunny here 350 days a year.  I have horses to ride and dogs to walk.  Why don't I? Because I don't feel like it.  That's why.  I have a good friend that had posted on a blog while she dieted and she said it kept her accountable.  I thought I would give this a try.  But I am going to get real.  I am 5'4" and weigh as of today 171.6 lbs.  I usually stick with something for about 2 weeks then find every excuse in the world - and there are a lot of them - to quit.  My sister is going to help me though this weight loss thing too.  She is doing great doing it the way the doctors say to...change your lifestyle.  But lets get real...I'm not buying anymore clothes, even exercise gear, until I can fit into the rest of the stuff in my drawer.  That means when I put on my exercise bra yesterday (I have healthy girls) it was kind snug and they were overflowing the sides.  It did its job though and I wasn't kissing them while running in place.  When I took it off however, wow the intends from how tight it was - ick.  My workout is the Wii Active.  I am on day 2.  Yesterday like I said, really sucked.  Today wasn't as bad.  My eating though not so good.  I LOVE Bread!  I also love to bake.  Cookies, cakes, anything with sugar.
So, this is going to log my journey through doing something I won't be good at.  I think a lot of people, women in general are really rough on themselves about what we should look like and what we should eat.  Well, Let's get real.  I am not going to run a marathon or a triathalon.  Why?  Because I don't want to.  Not going to climb Everest either.  I want to look in the mirror and be ok with what I see.  I want to try on clothes and not have to take 3 sizes in with me.  The one I want to be in, the one that will fit when I lose 5 lbs and the one I should be wearing but don't want to admit it. So come along on my journey and get to know me as I do.  I might post pictures of my progress but that will be a huge step if I do.  Good Luck to us all!!!
Amy