Staying on track...

...is harder than it looks.

But it's not impossible. Yesterday was proof of that. Well, almost.

The morning started off great. I had my turkey and tomato sandwich and then I threw in a banana. I drank my 16 oz. of water. I was feeling good. As I got closer to lunchtime, I could feel those snacking urges kick in. But nope, I waited until lunch and had a delicious serving of red beans and rice with an apple. I also polished off my second glass of agua. It started getting a little tougher as the day wore on. I got to eat my yummylicious snack of yogurt, berries and almonds. But that wasn't holding me over until I got home. So, my eating took a turn for the worst by me consuming some Nutter Butters, then some animal crackers, and finally some cheddar cheese rice cakes. Now, of course, I'm exaggerating and they were the mini kinds and I ate, maybe, only like 5 of each (except for those nutter butters!!). Although, I went off my path for a bit I finished the day out right with a healthy dinner and the rest of my water.

And there was no soda involved.

It also helps that I had an uhmazing workout. I finished up my night at the gym with some steam room time and I was walking on cloud nine. The steam room is heavenly. If you have one at your gym (or better yet, your house) and you haven't tried it, you are seriously missing out.

Although, my day wasn't perfect, it sure was good enough. For me, anyway. Besides, who wants perfect? I like a challenge.

=)

I could sleep all day...

Last night, I didn't get to bed until really late. The boyfriend and I got into chatting and time just flew by. I know what I'll be catching up on this weekend.

This morning's weigh in was a nice one. I'm down 1.6 pounds for the week. High fives all around!! And I am at the lowest that I have been since I started this whole mess!!

Yesterday, I went to my beloved Kickbox Jam class. Seriously, guys, I love this class. I sweat so much and get some cardio out of it. Plus, the instructor is a fun guy. I'm really sad that this class is only taught a couple times a week. And I am only able to make it to two days. Sad face from me.

My eating was just ok. I was a Snacky McSnackerson yesterday. But better than I have been. And Praise Jesus, those chocolate chip cookies are gone. I don't have much plans for the weekend, so I will concentrate on the eating.

I just realized that I've lost 5 pounds!! Woo hoo!! It's not a lot but it's something. And it's that much closer to 10 pounds!! I think I deserve a reward.

Thank you Scale Junkie!

Have a great weekend!!

Time is on my side...

Yes, it is.

Actually time is just flying by. I can't believe it's almost Friday already. And I can't believe it's almost June!!

Tuesday workout
30 minutes on the treadmill
30 minutes on the elliptical

Wednesday workout
20 minutes on the treadmill
20 minutes on the elliptical
Weights

I've decided to go back to my roots and start working out on the elliptical machine again. It's such a great workout with not too much strain on my knees, so I'm loving it.

I've been a bit better on the eating front. I did make the mistake of baking some chocolate chip cookies the other day, so the cookie monster inside me has escaped. But the cookies are almost gone (I'm hoping by the time I get home tonight), so he'll get tucked away soon enough.

Tonight is Kickbox Jam night at the gym!! Woo hoo!!

(Look how far I've come...I'm actually looking forward to working out!!)

Today is not Monday...

but I'm going to recap the weekend anyway.

On Friday, the boyfriend and I decided to take a day off from the gym. We went out to eat with a friend instead.

I actually woke up at 9:30 in the morning on Saturday to get to a Kickbox Jam class. I told you I loved that class. It's going to be my Thursday and Saturday workout from now on. After the gym, me and the boyfriend ran all over town doing errands. I was beat by the time we got home.

Sunday was a lazy day. I love those days. Sleeping in, staying in your jammies all day. Those are my kind of days!!

Yesterday, I had one of the best workouts that I've had in a long time. 20 minutes on the elliptical, 20 minutes on the treadmill, and 20 minutes on the cross ramp. Plus, lots of weights. I was at the gym for 2 hours. Whoa!! I think I spend way too much time there. But it's all for a good cause, right?

On the eating front, well, you know how that goes. But I'm slowly starting to grasp the idea that my workouts are pretty much going down the drain if I continue to eat loads of junk food. Seriously, what's the point of working my butt off at the gym if I'm going to stuff my face with chips and McDonald's? I do love that stuff, but I need to have them more as a treat and not on a daily basis. I'm not there yet, but I am really trying to get there.

Did you guys hear about Juan Carlos Cruz??? So bizarre! And I used to love his show 'Weighin In' and 'Calorie Commando'! =(

Some workouts and a weigh in...

First thing to get off my chest is my weigh in. It was not a pretty one. I was up 1.2 pounds for the week. That really sucks.

I have been doing really good with the workouts. I have been to the gym every day this week and have gotten some pretty good sweat sessions in. But from that weigh in, you can tell my eating hasn't been very good. It still hasn't clicked in my head that "hey, just because I'm working out doesn't mean I can eat whatever I want." It's not that hard of a concept, but I'm a real hard head (just ask my boyfriend and my mom). So who knows when it'll start to dawn on me that if I want to see some real, true results, I'm going to have to start working on my eating.

I tried the Hip Hop class the other day. It was a big NO NO. I did not like it one bit. It started off great with the warm up but then it turned into one big routine. Now, I used to be a cheerleader (I know, hard to believe) so I am all for learning routines. But not learning them in 20 minutes! Let's just say I didn't get the routine down and I looked like a fool. It was not fun for me at all.

I was starting to think that taking classes at the gym would be a lost cause until last night. I took the Kickbox Jam class. I L-O-V-E-D it!! It was so much fun!! It wasn't so much a routine. More like a bunch of moves put together. There were times when I was lost, but I was having too much fun to really care how I looked. And I left the class drenched in sweat. This is definitely going to go on the workout regime.

I also tried a Core class last night. Big mistake. I am way too big to be taking a class like that. We had to use those balance trainers. I seriously thought I was going to pop mine. The concept of the class is a great one because I really felt the burn, but at my weight, it's just not a comfortable class for me to take. =(

So pretty much all those workouts went to waste with my eating habits. Grrr! Come on, Little Miss Fatty Pants!!! This isn't rocket science. This shouldn't be THAT hard!! What the heck am I waiting for?!?!

I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you until you love me...

Made it to the gym last night. I was fighting with the boyfriend to not go to the gym. But he won (very unusual) and we ended up going. I felt really good afterward. I hate it when he's right!!

Got in 30 minutes on the cross ramp and about half an hour with the weights. I finally got back into squats. They hurt so good, but they make me feel ALIVE!! I love feeling the burn!! But two days of weights and my arms feel like they are going to fall off.

I have a new gym buddy so tonight we are going to try a class. I'm finally taking advantage of what this gym has to offer (and finally getting my money's worth!). It's a hip hop class so we'll see how that goes.

One more thing, I saw this vid and I am utterly amazed at this kid's talent. His performance seriously gave me goosebumps. You've probably seen it already (he's going to be on ELLEN tomorrow) but watch it again...it's amazing!

A post about nothing...

Is better than no post at all.

I have been feeling pretty blah lately. About weight loss, about bills, about a certain someones family members. I hate when I let insignificant things bring me down. That's not what life is supposed to be about. I do know I have gotten loads better about enjoying life with what I have and enjoying it with the people that I care about (just ask my boyfriend), but sometimes I find myself slipping back into my "Woe is me" mindset. Grrrr! Oh, how I hate that.

But no more tristeza for me.

I get to go home to the two loves of my life. Thinking about the time I get to spend with them totally brightens my day.

So, Friday was a pretty mediocre (according to the boyfriend) workout day. My knee was really bothering me. That stair master messed me up bad. So all I did was weights and I walked 15 minutes on the treadmill. I didn't even sweat that much.

Saturday and Sunday - there was no workout. There just wasn't time. I loooove to sleep in on the weekends and we had some plans with some of the boyfriend's friends on Saturday, so we didn't get a chance to make it to the gym. We got in pretty late Saturday night, so we slept most of Sunday. Don't you just love those relaxing days where you just sleep, do nothing, and laze around the house? Gosh, how I love those days.

But it was back to business on Monday!! I did all the weight machines that I usually do. Except for the leg one, I'm pretty scared of hurting my knee so I'll stay away from leg exercises for awhile. I got in 15 minutes on the cross ramp and 15 minutes on the treadmill. And I actually jogged for 3 minutes straight! Whoa!! It actually wasn't that hard. But when I tried to do my next interval, my calf started to hurt real bad so I was only able to walk the rest of the way. But I was back to my old, sweaty self.

Oh, yeah, nothing new on the food front. I'm still eating junk food.

Wow, that was a whole lotta post about nothing!!! =D

Oh, what a feeling!!

I have been eating way too much but I don't care because I was down 2 pounds on the scale this morning!! Woo hoo!!! I am getting closer and closer to the 240's.

I didn't make it to the gym on Wednesday (I just wanted to relax and play with my Cricut). But it was game on on Thursday night. I got in 20 minutes on the cross ramp. Now get this, I got in 10 minutes on the stairmaster. Yea, I don't know how I did it. Trust me, I was in pain and I regretted it later on when I tried jogging on the treadmill. Seriously, I got the worst feeling in my feet and my calves. Maybe the stairmaster just isn't for me. I finished out my cardio with 15 minutes on the treadmill. And there were weight machines thrown in there also.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mommies out there!!! Hope you get spoiled rotten on your special day!!

This is not a good feeling!

Getting back to the gym does not feel great. In fact, being back is downright painful!

The boyfriend and I finally got to the gym last night. It was so tough getting into working out. I was really lazy. I had the worst headache. But I still had to get my butt in there and continue on with some exercise.

I went ahead and did 30 minutes on the cross ramp (I still love that machine!). Then I thought I'd mix it up and try out the stair master. Ohmygoodnessgracious! That thing literally beat me up. I could only last 7 minutes on it. My legs were seriously on fire throughout those entire 7 minutes. And I was out of breath. On level 1. It was pitiful. But at least it was a start.

I finished out the rest of my 23 minutes on the treadmill, no incline. My legs were still burning up so I decided to just walk it out.

Am I only one who gets their butt handed to them on the stairmaster? Is it really that hard or am I just being a weenie (an out of shape one at that)??

My calves are killing me today. So, so sore. But it's back to the gym tonight. The good thing is it is a weight day, so a little less cardio. My legs will be thanking me tomorrow.

Counting sheep to go to sleep - Day 29

Monday
Breakfast: kashi, banana, milk
Snack: peanut butter fiber bar
Lunch: chicken breast, rice, green beans
Snack: chili cheese fritos, string cheese
Snack: 1/2 apple, 1/2 banana
Dinner: lentils, rice

Workout: 15 min. on the elliptical, 25 minutes on the treadmill, weight machines

My eating was just OK yesterday. I seriously could have done without those chili cheese fritos. But they sure did taste good.

I was exhausted last night. I was really hesitant to work out. I just really had to push myself. Instead of the walking/jogging, I did the hill setting. Wowza! My legs and butt are super sore this AM. But I really liked the workout, so I may stick with walking hills for this week.

I didn't get enough sleep last night so today will be a blur. I'm still planning on going to the gym tonight, though. It feels weird if I don't go. Like I'm missing something. Is that weird or what?

I need a longer weekend...

I wonder if I can remember what happened this weekend:

Friday
Breakfast: sausage and egg croissant, hash browns, coke
Lunch: a lean gourmet thing
Snacks: peanut butter egg, lots of M&M peanut butter eggs, string cheese, apple,
Dinner: pork chop, rice, potatoes, salad

Workout: 15 min. elliptical, 30 min. walk/jog on treadmill, weight machines (legs, arms, back, chest, shoulders)

Saturday
Breakfast: egg wrap
Lunch: soup, rice
Dinner: Colombian hamburger, french fries
Later on: lots of chips and some popcorn

Workout: Day off

Sunday
Breakfast: egg wrap
Snack: Kashi bar
Lunch: 1/2 Southwest chicken wrap, protein shake
Dinner: rice, chicken breast, green beans, salad

Workout: 45 min. with personal trainer

It was definitely a food-filled weekend.

But we're moving on.

I did get my time in the gym. Sunday was the boyfriend and I's complimentary session with the personal trainer. Man, it was tough. Not so much painful, but it left me out of breath a couple of times. But it felt great. He talked over some prices with us. They are pretty expensive so I seriously doubt we'll be having any sessions with one soon. I am going to steal some moves from Sunday's session though. I'll work them into my workout and take it from there. Sneaky, sneaky...

FYI
For every pound you lose, you alleviate pressure on your knees by 4 pounds,

according to twitter.com/davezinczenko. Check him out, he posts some very interesting things.

Day....I don't know

I went to bed at 2:30 am this morning. I am so exhausted. The boyfriend had some friends over and I stood up late finishing laundry. I am so looking forward to getting a good night's rest tonight.

Thursday
Breakfast: kashi, banana, milk
Snack: fiber bar
Lunch: 2 slices of pizza, 2 chocolate pasty things
Pre-workout snack: apple, string cheese
Dinner: BLTT from the gym cafe (their stuff is so good and so good for you but so damn pricey!)

Workout: cardio day - 15 minutes elliptical, 45 minutes jogging/walking on treadmill

That is not what I had planned for my lunch. At work, it was really crazy so the boss ordered pizza for us. I ate some and totally regretted it. The pizza made my stomach so uncomfortable. I must have gone to the bathroom like 6 times (I know, TMI!). I don't know what happened but I did not feel good. I'm staying away from pizza for a while.

I almost forgot to weigh in this morning. I kinda wish I had forgotten. The scale was down 2 pounds. And this is an official 2 pounds. No flukes, no water weight, just fat. I really though it would be a little more because I have been so on point with the workouts and have done a better job on eating in a long time. However, I am definitely happy with two pounds. Plus, I'm at the lowest that I've been in a long time. And that feels rilly good!

Have a great weekend!

Day 24

Wednesday
Breakfast: scrambled egg wrap
Snack: strawberries, string cheese
Lunch: ajiaco, rice
Snack: carrots w/ peanut butter
Pre-workout snack: apple, 1/2 fiber bar
Dinner: rice, chicken leg, 4 slices of potatoes, tomato and avocado salad

Workout: 15 minutes on the elliptical, 30 minutes walking/jogging, weight machines (shoulders, back, chest, arms, legs)

Another day of 3 hours at the gym. My workout was probably an hour and fifteen minutes long so most of the time I was just waiting for the boyfriend to finish his workout. Then we went to the jacuzzi. That was the greatest idea ever! The water was so warm and felt so good on my sore muscles. I could have fallen asleep in there. I will definitely be jacuzzing a couple of times a week from now on.

My eating was great. The only oopsie was a Reeses Peanut Butter Egg. But don't worry, I have gotten it out of my system and won't be eating one of those in the near future.

Well, last night I needed some shorts to go to the jacuzzi at the gym. I do not wear a bathing suit without shorts in public. Never have, never will. Anyways, the only shorts I have are a pair that I have not worn since last summer. I seriously thought they wouldn't fit because I think I am more fluffier now than I was almost a year ago. But I could be wrong because the shorts fit. Not a perfect fit, but good enough so that I didn't feel uncomfortable for people other than my boyfriend to see me in them. I know if I hadn't been working out these past weeks there is no way I would have fit my chunky butt into them. I can't wait to see what else I can fit into.

=D

Day 23

Tuesday
Breakfast: kashi, milk, banana
Snack: ginormous chocolate chip cookie
Lunch: arroz con pollo, watermelon
Snack: carrots and cucumbers w/ dip
Pre-Gym Snack: string cheese, apple
Dinner: ajiaco, rice and avocado

That pesky chocolate chip cookie somehow managed to come back into my life. It's okay, though. It's been a while since I've had one. The good thing is that I only ate one. Those damn cookies are on special right now 2 for 1. Even the store clerk reminded me that they were on special. But no thanks, one was good enough for me.

It was cardio day so I did 15 minutes on the elliptical and 45 minutes of walking/jogging on the treadmill. Wow, I've come a long way since my measly 20 minute workouts, huh?

Day 22

Sunday night, I was at the gym for about 3 hours. Monday, night I was at the gym for 3 hours. Now tell me, what's this world coming to?

Monday
Breakfast: kashi, milk, banana
Snack: watermelon, carrots w/ dip
Lunch: 2 slices of veggie pizza
Snack: apple, string cheese
Pre-workout snack: 1/2 chicken wrap
Dinner: arroz con pollo, salad, 1 pc. of plantain

Wow, I could honestly say it was a pretty excellent day.

The boyfriend and I stayed so long at the gym because we had our fitness assessment with a personal trainer. Now I'm not sure if it was because...well, I don't really know what it was, but I was not feeling the trainer. He really didn't sell me on his services. First off, he did not give us his undivided attention. There were so many distractions and it was just so impersonal. Not a great way to sell yourself, buddy. Plus, he didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know. I can't judge all personal trainers off this one incident but I'm not sure they are for me. We scheduled a workout session for the weekend, so maybe he'll change my mind. But as of right now, a personal trainer is a no-go.

My workout consisted of 15 minutes on the elliptical and 30 minutes on the treadmill. And I am happy to say, I have started jogging. Yes, people, I have started jogging. All 255 pounds of me was jogging on that treadmill. I seriously thought I was going to break something. I only did 2-3 minute intervals with lots of walking in between but whoa!, that was good enough for me. I also got in some chest, bicep and back exercises on the weight machines. I don't know how well I'll do with the machines. I am super self-conscious so I'm not that comfortable working out in front of tons of people. I don't think that'll help me get a more efficient workout. I have to think about what I'll be doing on the strength aspect of my regime.

After, 2 days at the gym, I feel great. My legs are a bit sore and stiff, but it still feels awesome. Joining the gym has got to be one of the smartest things I have done this year!

Day 19, 20 & 21

Let's see if I can correctly recall what happened this weekend.

Friday
Breakfast: ???? (I can't remember)
Lunch: fish sandwhich, french fries
Dinner: pasta with tomato cream sauce and shrimp, 2 slices bread

Workout: 20 minutes HIIT, ALA strength exercises

Saturday
Breakfast/lunch: chicken soup, arepa with cheese
snack: banana
Dinner: steamed rice, veggies, teriyaki chicken
Late night: >2 beers, lots of chips, waffle

Workout: ALA strength exercises

Sunday
Breakfast: kashi with milk
Lunch: shrimp, rice, avocado and strawberry salad, chicken with peaches, 1 pc. of banana, coconut, & pineapple cake; small scoop of fruit salad (this was my Easter meal)
Dinner: small turkey sandwich, 2 slices pizza

Workout: 15 minutes on the elliptical, 30 minutes on the treadmill (walking), 2 chest exercises

I think I ate fairly decent over the weekend. A lot less than I have eaten in the past. With the exception of some M&Ms that I went crazy with while preparing my nephew and niece's Easter baskets, I didn't do too bad with the sweets. On Easter day, the only candy I ate was a handful of jelly beans. I think that deserves a pat on the back.

I have now completed 3 weeks of consistent exercise. What's my record? I can't remember at the moment so I'll have to go back and check. I think it's 4 weeks so I still have a bit to go before I can bring out the champagne and celebrate. I am still celebrating though. I feel great and can tell that the workouts are working.

The boyfriend and I joined a gym. Yes, the boyfriend tricksed me! But I think it is for the best. Can't you tell? I did an extra 15 minutes of workout at the gym. I never would have done that at home. Plus, this gym is so pretty! The machines are all shiny and they just call out to you. Except for the stair climber...that one is scary. I do believe the gym will become my second home.

Tonight, the boyfriend and I have a complimentary session with a personal trainer. I am so scared. Personal trainers are so intimidating. They really do scare me. But since this will probably be the only session (since PTs cost way too much), I need to get as much as I can out of him. I'm hoping things go good tonight.

I think some very interesting things are coming my way!