Carb overload!

Since the beginning of pregnancy I have been haunted by the worst case of morning sickness. Nothing helped, the mass doses of Zofran, Vitamin B, Tums, ginger, nothing! Not too long ago I was given Zantac to add to the Zofran and vitamin b regime and finally some relief  Granted there are good and bad days but there are more good ones than bad now.

Given the fact that the morning sickness was pretty much debilitating and every smell on the planet made it worse there was not much cooking going on in my house. The things I did cook and eat mainly consisted of carbs. Breads, bagels, crackers, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, pancakes. You know everything that is bland and a complex carb. Now we are cooking more and eating a better variety of foods but I find myself constantly drawn to bread and potatoes. This habit really needs to be broken. But I freakin’ love bread and potatoes more than ever right now!!! Why can’t I crave spinach?

I am really trying to get my food intake back on track before the baby comes so it is easier to do. In a couple of weeks I plan on buying a mass amount of food and bagging it up and freezing it for crock pot meals. Then there will be no excuses for not cooking something healthy after the baby comes exhausted or not. I can pour something in the crock pot in my sleep if I need to!

So far at 30 weeks and 5 days there has been a 28 pound gain, most of it is baby bump and I gained what I feel like is a good portion in my thighs. Not too bad but more than I was hoping to gain. I still have a while to go and can potentially gain 1-2 lbs a week. That is another 9 to 18 lbs. Hoping for the smaller number but it is what it is. The weight won’t stick around forever and if all goes well delivery wise I can get back to walking about 2 weeks after and in full swing at 6 weeks. My jogging stroller was purchased months ago and I plan to get a sling for days I don’t want to push a stroller. No excuses!! can’t knock the calorie burning benefits of breastfeeding either!

The fact that everything I no longer fit as I lost before is good motivation to get it done. There will be no purchasing of larger sizes to accommodate my post baby body, I will be stuck in maternity clothes until the 12′s fit! I have to be in a party dress by July and a bridesmaid dress in October. I will look good in them too. There is no choice because I refuse to give myself one. Having a baby will not be an excuse to not get moving and take care of myself. Taking care of myself, being healthy and energetic will make taking care of a baby easier. Plus feeling good about myself and having a good attitude will help cope with any stress.

30 week bump pic, notice the lack of hair? Went and got a “mom” cut! No tiny little fingers torturing me with hair pulling while nursing!

I will be back in this dress for my July event! Promise to myself and to the blogosphere!  The last and only time I ever wore this was in June if I remember correctly. Then I went and got knocked up

Day One of Round Two

Today is my first official day of Les Mills Pump Round Two. I decided to take a day off and visit a good friend, go swimming and do other fun stuff instead yesterday. From here on out Tuesday Weigh In’s will be Thursday Weigh In’s. I will weigh and measure in every week just as I did before. I will follow the Les Mills Pump Schedule but switch out the walking days with the Les Mills Pump Ultimate Cross Training and on the rest days I will do a short Yoga session. I will start at Phase One/Day One and will run at least 3 days a week.

In 11 days I leave for our annual vacation, during that period I will pause LMP and continue where I left off when I return. I do not want to fly with a ton of weights in my luggage so taking it with me is not happening. I will find other ways to be active daily while I am there. I am sure there will be some sort of class offered if not I will just go running. There is over a 2000 ft difference in elevation so I am wondering how running will go for me. From a Valley to a Mountain top should be interesting

My Day one stats are:

Let’s Do This

• Chest: 31.5 inches
• R Arm: 12 inches
• L  Arm: 12 inches
• Waist: 32 inches
• Hips: 41 inches
• R Thigh: 23.5 inches
• L Thigh: 23.5 inches
• Weight: 165 pounds
• Pant Size: 12
• BMI: 29.4%

My Goals for Round Two are:

• Break through this plateau
• Up my weights by 5 lbs each track
• Up my endurance
• Lose another pant size and be at a solid size 10

Wish me luck peeps!

Have a Happy Thursday!

Working Through My Plateau..

 

At least I am trying too. I did shave those 200 calories off my diet and replace more calories with protein. I also have added another workout into my daily schedule. So now I do Pump/UCT in the afternoons and additional cardio or a gym session (yesterday both) at night. I am excited to see if this brings on any changes my next weigh in.  My running has not been doing as well as I would like. Already are keeping me so congested I can not breathe so I am just doing what I can and being happy that I tried. The farm fields around my house are blooming so the allergies should pass shortly. Every end of June this happens so I am not shocked at all.

I have been looking up plateau busters online and found a great article on the subject on www.oprah.com. 

1. Hang in there.
You may feel stuck, but you’re probably still losing weight—just not enough to register on the scale. But even dropping a third of a pound per week means that in a year, you’ll be down a whole 17 pounds.

2. Avoid fuzzy math.
It’s common to overestimate calories burned and underestimate calories eaten. Look for places where calories may hide—dressings, spreads, sauces, croutons, and condiments. Are you tasting a lot while cooking? Finishing what the kids leave on their plates? Absentmindedly grabbing handfuls of nuts, chips, or candy? You might try keeping a detailed food diary. Remember that for each pound you want to lose, you need to cut at least 3,500 calories—and if you don’t want to eat less, to lose the same pound you’ll have to add about ten extra hours of brisk walking or the equivalent.

3. Put up some resistance.
Increasing physical activity is particularly useful for moving beyond a plateau because exercise both uses calories and builds muscle. The more muscle you have, the higher your BMR, which is why working out with light weights or doing some kind of resistance training can be especially helpful. In fact, increasing your muscle mass as you lose body fat can compensate for the decline in BMR induced by weight loss.

4. Up your protein quotient.
There is some evidence that shifting fat and carbohydrate calories to protein calories may help preserve BMR during weight loss. But don’t overdo it—20 percent of daily calories from protein is as high as you should go.

5. Shake it up.
Many fitness gurus claim that surprising your body with a change in diet, workout, or both can jostle you out of a weight loss rut. The science is pretty thin here, but the advice is reasonable because variety can keep you interested. Instead of constant dieting, you might try alternating calorie-cutting days, for example, with less-restrictive maintenance days. Switch to a new type of exercise. Alternate aerobic workouts with light weight training. A change may be just what you need to get the progress rolling again.

6. Recharge your drive:
If your motivation is flagging, write down all the reasons you originally wanted, and still want, to lose weight. Look at the list every day. Also let friends and family know what you’re up to, and ask for their support.

7. Reconsider the skin you’re in:
A plateau is an opportunity to reassess whether further weight loss is worth all the work it will take—and to reconsider whether you may, in truth, now be at a perfectly healthy weight and don’t need to go any lower. If you do choose to stop where you are, turn your focus toward maintaining what you’ve achieved and keeping your body in good shape. Remember, eating well and being physically active are good for you. Do a little of both every day, and you will be a total success.

Whew, it wasn’t as bad as I thought.

 

This marks the end of my second week doing Les Mills Pump Ultimate Cross Training and the beginning of week three. With as many mishaps, a back injury, missed workouts, some ultra-modified workouts (due to my back) and questionable food choices I was considering starting the week over but given my weigh and measure-in not being as terrible as I thought it would be I will let it slide and just keep moving along with the programs schedule.

Yesterday I missed my LMP (I did run, so it is better than nothing) because I went and spent the afternoon and early evening with a friend at the hospital, and that was far more important than my workout. After she stayed here and I made homemade chicken noodle soup and made sure she was okay. Her husband and parents are out-of-state so it was better for her not to be alone. Emma was also under the weather last night and this morning so I have the munchkin home from school. She is feeling better now, but it is the last week of school, no point in sending her in for the remainder of the day. She had a rough couple of days. My food intake was at par for the day though, could have used more water intake but eh, o well.

This week there should be nothing that can keep me from getting at it and  rocking this. I definitely am in far better spirits over my sub-par fitness week. I took some encouragement to get over the fact that things just happen and it is okay and that I can just get back on the horse and fix it. The circle of bloggers I have developed blog-friendships with here on WordPress are awesome.

So here are this weeks results:

• Chest: 31.5 inches (-0.5 inches)
• R Arm: 12 inches (-0 inches)
• L  Arm: 12 inches (-0 inches)
• Waist: 32 inches (-0 inches)
• Hips: 41 inches (-0 inches)
• R Thigh: 23.5 inches (-0 inches)
• L Thigh: 23.5 inches (-0 inches)
• Weight: 166 pounds (-1 pound)
• Pant Size: 12
• BMI: 29.4% (-0.1 %)

So yeah, not so bad! I was pleasantly surprised that there was no weight gain and made any progress at all. Yay!

I was also nominated for a Sunshine Award by Lose it Big, I will post about that shortly.

Also, I saw this today and it had me in stitches.

I love this!

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Back on the Wagon

That is where I am, after a good portion of this week leaving me feeling guilty (and fat) I am digging out my sneakers and hopping back on the fitness train. All my meals were to par and today’s workout I made sure I pushed hard. I plan on hitting it once more to make up for not working out yesterday. The entire day and night I spent at a friends Bachelorette party, so I didn’t make time. Tisk, Tisk. Anyhow, no more of that. The house is coming back together, school and sports are ending so I am looking forward to upping my workouts and getting ready for The Color Run. My tulle came yesterday so I can start with the tutu’s and I am starting C25K over (well, in the middle) so I can do my best for the race. Even if I can’t run the entire 3.1 I plan on running as much of it if I can. But am hoping I can run it.

Now, I must be off to put together a book shelf, get the kid ready for bed and do some Les Mills Pump Revolution. See you tomorrow after my morning activities are finished!

The End is Near!

I’m doing it and so can you!

The Best Kind of Cardio

IS SHOPPING!

It is getting warmer out and I of course had nothing to wear. Everything from last spring is too big and most of it has found its way into the consignment shop. So my dear husband gave me some mad money to get some things for spring. I think he got tired of me complaining about only having two pairs of pants and no tops that I like that are weather appropriate. I got some great outfits and it is always more fun to shop when you are looking for SMALLER sizes! I could have used some shorts but I am not ready to brave shorts yet. My thighs are still pretty big and lumpy. I would rather have a gut than huge legs (is that weird?). I did find a great dress for an upcoming wedding too. Anyhow here are some pictures of my finds. I wish I could have gotten better pics but I am still stuck using my cell. Canon’s customer service still sucks. Over $300 for a camera that randomly stops working in 3 months. Ugh. I’d like to take my camera and shove it up their butt!

I don’t miss you..

..SODA, CIGARETTES, FAST FOOD, PROCESSED FOODS, BLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR & REFINED SUGARS!

These are the main things I have given up in order to create a new healthier me… What have you let go of?

Soda: I gave this up before I started with my diet and fitness regimen. It has been 180 days. I have had a few glasses in that six months but in diet and in very small amounts. But going from a 2 liter a day to maybe 6 glasses in six months is a big change. If I feel the need to have a soda I have some sparkling water with some fruit. Does the trick and is far better for me.

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Smoking Cigarettes: It has been 85 days since I quit smoking. I honestly do not miss it and will rarely ever have a craving. I do have an electronic cigarette that I fall back on here and there but I don’t see a problem with that. I use the lowest level of nicotine mixed in with a no nicotine formula. I haven’t even touched it this week. Most of the time I don’t. I never smoked in my house so the smell there was never an issue but it is really nice not having my hair and clothes smell like it. And it has freed up money for other things, like having to constantly buy smaller clothing to wear!

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Fast Food: It has been 78 days since I gave up fast food. This was the easiest thing to give up. I have figured out ways to eat on the run if needed. Even at McDonald’s I can order a salad with no meat and some apples with water if needed. Or any other fast food joint that is. The smell of most fast food grosses me out now. I tried a couple of fries just over a month ago and holy cow did they taste freaking nasty to me. I never imagined the day that McDonald’s fries would taste bad! In a pinch I have even popped into a gas station and bought unsalted nuts and a water, and some even sell fresh fruit so I can grab an apple too sometimes!

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Processed foods: 72 Days have passed since processed foods have left my diet. Pretty much everything I eat is from scratch. I sometimes luck out and find a good organic mix, and I refuse to make my own mayo and love the mayo made with olive oil. I don’t always want to make condiments so that is an exception for me. I do sometimes, maybe not often enough but we are condiment people around here! Most of my time would be used whipping up mustard and ketchup constantly. I still let Emma have her cereal too. She is taking to most of the other food changes pretty well so I let the cereal slide. I can’t expect her eating habits and taste buds to change over night. She has been a trooper with this. Especially for being six. She has opened up to so many healthy foods she wouldn’t eat before. I am proud of her and her expanding palette.

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Bleached, enriched flour: It has been 72 days since I made this change. No more white bread, flour tortillas, white English muffins, cakes made with white flour, you get the point. Even crackers around here are whole grain. This was a super easy change. I still get my breads but just swapped out for healthier options. No one in the house was bothered by the change and texture and the nuttier taste of breads. With baking I have switched to whole wheat unbleached unenriched flour and rice flour. Swapped out white rice for brown rice or quinoa, replaced white pasta with rice or whole wheat .

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Refined Sugars: 72 days; how long I have switched my sweeteners! No more white sugar, no more corn syrup, no more artificial sweeteners. I now use honey, agave nectar, brown sugar or Stevia In The Raw to sweeten things now. I don’t notice a difference at all. No one in the house has complained either.

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Things I have gained:

Better workouts

A smaller figure

Endurance

Strength

A better attitude

I smell better

More confidence

A go to attitude

Broader list of foods I love

A healthier family

The ability to say I am doing the right thing

Goals

And an all around good feeling

Getting the hang of this and loving it.

What I look like running now!

So as you know I have been doing the C25K program, I have switched up the intervals a little bit just because my treadmill is a huge pain to program, but once the intervals are longer I can do it manually with ease so it won’t be so bad. My treadmill has an interval program so that is what I am using as of now. I have gotten faster in the past two weeks, adding an entire mile to my 30 minute time, that puts me at 2.5 miles. Next stop 3.1! And after that no intervals! Yep, I got this.

It is surprising to me how quickly I am able to pick this up. Especially seeing I am still overweight and not in suburb shape. I forget how much strength I have gained doing Pump, it has made trying so many new things

What I will look like running in July, maybe not that thin but that poised!

so much easier! I was able to do some yoga poses today that I have never been able to achieve, do 3 non-girly push ups (had to go to knees after but hey, it is huge for me!), and my hovers are greatly improving. Granted I am not near what I want to achieve but I am doing it! I know it takes time, I know I didn’t fall out of shape overnight.

81 days until The Color Run! All my team dropped but two (bums) but oh well, Sarah, Pat and I are going to rock it! Wondering if I should get different shoes to break in for the race so I don’t chance staining my pretty blue ones I love so much or just running in them and wearing the stains like a trophy? It is almost time for me to order running tutu supplies too! I’m getting excited! Can you tell!