Baby Steps

If you try to become a fitness junkie overnight, you'll burn out in a week or two!  You must take baby steps, and make this a lifestyle change.  Do not get overwhelmed!

- Improve diet first.
This first step involves its own baby steps!  Unless you're one of the great few that can quit everything cold turkey, you must take it slowly.  Cut out sodas.  Then cut out high calorie desserts.  Then start counting calories with an app like MyFitnessPal .  Then shoot for higher protein.  Try to cut out processed foods...  always improve, but one step at a time!  And don't forget to drink, drink, drink that water!

- Get moving.
If you're extremely overweight, any movement is good!  Start slowly.  Walk.  Then when you're able to, walk a minute run a minute.  Programs like Couch to 5K are great!  Go outside with the kids.  Swim laps in the pool.  Anything!

- Weight training.
Once you have a decent diet going and a regular cardio routine, add in some weight training.  If you ever want to look toned, you will need to have some muscle!  Also, more muscle burns more calories.  So pump that iron!  Ideally you'd make it to a gym to lift hard and heavy... but if not, invest in some weights for your at home workouts!

-Make it routine.
Just like brushing your teeth, or taking a shower, make these new fitness habits a routine!  NO excuses.  Mark down in your calendar the days you will be at the gym, and the days you'll just go out for a run.  If you want it, you're the only one that can get it!  Make your health a priority and get to work!


*The biggest key to losing weight is making sure you are eating in a calorie deficit.  So MAKE SURE to count your calories!  You can find out how many calories you should eat here .

Happy New Year!

Happy new year everyone!  My resolution?  Blog more.  Heehee

What has happened since I've last posted?

Well, I hit my 160 mark:

I showed some belly this time so we can start seeing some ab changes... HOPEFULLY! ;)

I'm now at 155, only 5 more to go until my next progress picture!

High School Jeans!

Yesterday I decided to pull out my old high school jeans... and I GOT THEM ON!

They're from Hollister (LOL!  Remember that store??), and they're size 7!!  Yeah I couldn't sit down but they BUTTONED!  Haha :)

The smallest jeans I have are from high school, size 6's.  It shouldn't be too much longer until I can fit them!!

Another fun weight loss milestone.  :)

The Scale

The ominous "they" say that you should only weigh yourself once a week or less.

But I don't listen!!

I weigh myself every single morning, right after I wake up and use the potty.  Yes, I know my weight fluctuates daily due to water weight.  *But* seeing that number every morning keeps me motivated. 

If it has gone up, I work to eat better that day and workout harder. 

If it stays the same, I just breathe a sigh of relief that it hasn't gone up!

If it goes down, I do a happy dance! 

You have to find what motivates you.  If you see a higher weight and get sad and just want to eat a pan of brownies, then DO NOT weigh yourself everyday!!  Stick with once a week or less. 

Remember water weight will throw you off a little, and if you are female, you have the added fun of your monthly cycle making your weight fluctuate.  So do not get down on yourself if the scale isn't moving as fast (or in the direction!) you would like!

Keep working hard everyday and you will eventually see those results!

My First 5K

Yesterday I ran my very first 5K race.  It was a big accomplishment, seeing as how I could hardly run for 60 seconds just a few months ago!!

On Friday I went to pick up my packet, got my goodie bag, and my *first ever* race shirt.  Yes, I'm a nerd.  :)

I took two entire rest days before in order to be well rested and feeling good.  On Saturday morning, I got up, had coffee and breakfast, fed the baby, and then left the kids with my husband to go for registration! 

After registering, I still had 45 minutes until race time, so I hung in my car for a bit checking Facebook on my phone and things, LOL.  As it got closer to race time, I thought I'd eat some Gu for a burst of energy but EWWWW.  It's like eating toothpaste.  (I need fruit chews!!)  So I spit that out... haha

Then it was race time.  It was a small race, maybe 50 people?  We lined up, and off we went!  I *tried* to keep my normal pace.  But halfway through I realized I had been going a little faster than my normal.  (Because I was TIRED!!) 

Hubby was parked in the middle of the course with the kids and took this stalker pic of me.  I'm in the pink shirt and black shorts.

Since I was going faster than my normal, my brain kept telling me "WALK!  WALK!"  But I told my brain, "NO!" and kept going! 

I finally got around to the finish line, and an older guy that had been run/walking the whole course was in front of me.  I was determined not to let someone that had WALKED beat me, so I did a final kick and passed him!  I went across the finish line and the timer said 33:08.  I was happy!  I was shooting for under 35 minutes... the only other time I've timed myself running 5k I ran it in 39 minutes.  So 33 was GREAT for me!

Here I am with my kids after the race... we were facing the sun so none of us can see, hahaha

I was feeling a little sick afterwards and had to sit awhile... I really pushed myself and hadn't done that since high school!

Soon afterwards there was the kids race.  My oldest, Kaydence finished third behind two older boys, and she was in jeans and flip-flops!  Hmmm, new sport maybe??  ;)

I almost didn't stay for the awards, but the kids wanted their face painted and wanted to play on the moon bounce, so I did. 

So guess my total surprise when they called my name for 2nd place in the 25-29 female division!  Eeeek!

I'm not quite sure how many 25-29s there were, but I at least know I beat the lady in third place!  Hahaha  :) 

All in all it was a great time!  Makes me want to go run some more!  Racing is a great way to stay motivated!

Now thinking of doing the half-marathon for the Oklahoma Memorial next April...

170!

Great news!  I hit 170 today.  Thank you to my oldest daughter for the great photography.  ;)

51 lost, 20-30 left to go!  Woo hoo! :)

Calculating Your Calorie Defecit

Most experts agree that you should lose weight slowly, at 1-2 lbs a week.  (Of course when you have a lot of weight to lose in the beginning, it can come off much faster than that... but that doesn't last long!)

In order to find out how many calories you should consume to lose 1-2 lbs a week, you will subtract a percentage of your total calories according to how much weight you want to lose.  Here's the numbers:

10-15 lbs loss needed- 18%
20-35 lbs loss needed- 25%
35-65 lbs loss needed- 35 %
70+ lbs loss needed- 40%

So yesterday we figured I burn about 2508 calories a day, for a 175 lb, 25 year old female.  Let's say I want to lose 30 more pounds:

2508 x .25 = 627
2508-627= 1881

So in order to lose 1-2 pounds a week, I need to eat 1881 calories a day.  That ain't too bad.  ;)

The thing to remember is that as you lose weight, you'll have to re-calculate your BMR and your needed calorie defecit.  Smaller people need less calories.  Re-calculate every 5-10 lbs or so in order to stay on track.  :)