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!

The Mission

This will be no easy feat, but my mission is to lose 60 pounds before my wedding in December. Of course, this is my short term goal. I know I must take this one day at a time and that I will falter here and there, but I also know that this mission will be life changing. Here we go!

What Does My Weight Affect?

My Confidence

As we all know, confidence trickles down and affects everything in our lives whether we like it or not. I've noticed that as I have put on the pounds, my confidence has been waning, to say the least. Getting dressed in the morning, shopping for clothes, and being in highly social situations is utterly painful for me these days.  My number one goal in the "Skinnyish Mission" is to regain my confidence.

My Relationship

Relationships can be fragile. That may be a simple statement, but oh how true it is. While I know Michael (My wonderful fiance) loves me, it's still difficult at times to understand why he is attracted to me. This, of course, is no fault of his. I simply lack the confidence to see what he sees in me. Of course, my weight is the major culprit here.  

  

My Career

Being that I'm in the insurance business, it's crucial that I meet with people and make sales on a daily basis in order to grow in my career. Having such a lack of confidence makes it easier and easier for me to be complacent and hide behind a desk. This is totally not O.K. if I still plan to rule the world one day!!

My Fertility

I know that if it's meant to be, God will bless Michael and I with an adorable little photo copy of the two of us. Being overweight, however, causes fertility levels to decrease immensely. How heartbreaking would it be to know wh could have had children had I lost the weight. Tisk Tisk!

My Social Life

Once upon a time, I LOVED being in social settings. I enjoyed meeting new people, making friends, and learning from others. Unfortunately, since I have put on so much weight, I find it incredibly challening to be in social settings. This, of course, affects my career and personal life as well. What's a girl to do?

My Health

The mere fact that I have a history of heart disease on both sides of my family and diabetes on one side, should be all the reason in the world to drop the pounds. Leaving all other above issues aside, this should simply be my only reason for wanting to shed pounds.

The Problem

Being "big" has always been a part of my life. From the time I wake in the morning and stand face to face with my (not so forgiving) mirror, to the time I lay my head down at night, I'm constantly reminded of the fact that I am not of a "normal" size. I've tried joining the "big girl" movement and embracing my body as a plus size woman, but still deal with the emotions and technicalities of being overweight. Which is where my Skinny"ish" Mission comes into play. Yes... I said "ish". I've never desired to be model thin as that would just look icky on me! I"m 6ft tall with a large frame for cryin out loud! I just want to feel and look healthy.