22 Pounds!!!

O.K. so I lost a little bit of my momentum these past two weeks but have still managed to make it to my 22 pound marker. It's amazing how a little added stress can really throw you off balance. Moving an elliptical into the house has really helped though. I've also learned that working out in the afternoons has been much more beneficial. Smaller portions have become my norm and water my drink of choice. These may seem like small steps, but I often stop and think about all that I DID NOT do before. Below is my list, thus far of changes I've made. So far they have been quite effective.

• Waiting 15 minutes before going back for seconds
• Water, Water, Water!
• More lean proteins and fiber
• Little to no simple carbs replaced with complex (low glycemic index) carbs
• BEANS! I've done quite a bit of research on fat burning, metabolism boosting foods and a cup of beans (because of the protein and fiber) with every meal will help shrink that tummy!!
• And last but not least, treating myself. Yes. That's correct. I give myself one cheat night a week. I find that this helps me to make better decisions during the week.

Suck In That Tummy!

So, seeing the number on the scale go down is wonderful, but gaining tone in the areas you used to hide is a phenomenal thought. Due to back problems, crunches have been out of the question for me in the past. Luckily, I've found some great variations that are even more effective. I've been pairing this workout with a jog/walk each morning for the past week and have already noticed my tummy muscles tightening. FYI research shows that an ab workout is much more effective after cardio! I know right?! I've added the link for these "wonder crunches" below from Dr. Oz's website and hope you give this a shot. Remember, even if you can't do it quite like the skinny folks on the video it's o.k.! Some crunches are better than no crunches my friend.

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/joel-harpers-abs-workout

17 Pounds Down!!!

So far on my "Skinny Mission" I've lost 17 POUNDS!!!!!! I know I know, I should have waited until the 20 pound marker but I couldn't wait to let you guys know. This makes me want to go jogging! I'll start posting before and after pics this week.

Battle Scars

After jog/walking for 2 miles this morning I came inside to do my really cool version of crunches and noticed that my right heel has a blister! Ashamed? I think not! I'm going to show it off at work today like a battle scar. Oh and if you want learn more about my flipping awesome version of crunches, you'll have to stay tuned to my next post. I know the anticipation is simply too much, but strap on your big girl/ boy panties and chill.

Stella is Stellar

I loved walking with Stella this morning. She kept me on my toes for sure. Im certain that she was simply trying to punish me for waking her from her beauty sleep. Tennis tonight with the man of my dreams...sigh!

Chocolate Cake Vs. Cherries

I'm victorious yet again! This morning I walked by the taunting office cake approximately 3 times with out even acknowledging it! It was walk by number four that tested my will power. I stopped and stood face to face... well more like face to waist with it, staring at its chocolaty layers. As my mouth began to water it dawned on me that my wonderful fiance had packed a hand full of dark cherries (a very healthy and tasty snack). An intrinsic battle ensued for a few moments until finally I snapped back to reality. Those were the best cherries I believe I've ever eaten!

SWEET TEMPTATION

So it's 2:30 in the afternoon on what has been a rather stressful day. Im sitting at my desk skimming over the sea of emails when one of my not so chubby coworkers prances by with a huge slice of cake. This is no ordinary slice of cake though. I'm talking cake that looks so good it could be used as a bartering tool in peace talks. So one might ask, how can she possibly resist such sweet temptation? I can confidently say that I totally took that skinny girl's bait!! However, after the first bite I threw it in the trash can! I believe that is some mighty fine will power!