Lifestyle Update | Week 14 Update

Happy Fall!!  I am so excited that it is officially fall... last week was warmer than I liked but over the weekend, it cooled off and now, I am thrilled!  Candles burning, thriller books out and YES, I am ready!

Today was weigh-in day and I can't believe that I lost another 2lbs... usually the week of my period ends up with a lower than normal weight loss (I am backwards and lose more weight before I get my period and then less after it... not sure why!).  So that means that I have now lost a total of 35.5lbs!  WHAT?!?!  How friggin exciting is that?  I am less than 15lbs away from my next goal and totally on track for hitting it by Christmas (not that I am setting any official goal dates but hey, one can hope).

StepBet Update for the week:

Not much to report but did just want to check in and let y'all know that I made it through another week.  Got my two stretch days done on Monday and Tuesday and then legged out the active days on Wednesday thru Saturday.  Literally did NOTHING yesterday and loved it.  I actually decided that I wouldn't wear my Fitbit so that I wasn't thinking about how low my step count was and that seemed to make me feel better about taking a rest day!

WINS for the week:

1. Smaller sizes - WOOOOOOO!!  I cleaned out my closet and have a GIANT bag to donate full of plus sized clothes.  FULL!  I will have a separate blog post about this so stay tuned!
2. Fall TV - totally not weight loss related BUT, you guys... FALL TV is back!  I loooove watching TV (is that something to be proud of?) and most of my fall shows are once again back and I am loving it!  I don't generally watch them live because I am always watching baseball BUT, having something to toss on the boob-tube is always appreciated!

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. None!

I feel like this wasn't the best post but I really enjoy the weekly update, even as something to look back on so, for now anyways, I will keep em coming!  

Lifestyle Update | Week 13 Update

Happy Monday... no?  Too early?  I don't know about everyone else but I have started to look forward to Monday mornings because it's the start of a new week.  I get to see the progress that I have made and start the new week ready to conquer more goals!  Today was the weigh-in for week 13 (insane) and I am beyond excited to share that I lost another THREE POUNDS.  How does that even happen??  So my new weight loss total is 33.5lbs and I can honestly say that I feel the weight loss now... clothes feel better, my legs look thinner(ish) and I just feel more alive.

Yesterday (or today depending on how you look at it) also marked the end of the first official week of StepBet.  Yep, if you missed goals this lasts week you were eliminated from the challenge.  Happy to report that, not only did I kill my goals, but I did so with style and was able to sit on my behind ALL DAY yesterday and take a proper rest day.  Kinda loving the new Sunday rest day thing... I'm debating taking off the FitBit so I don't actually see how lazy I have been but one step at a time.

I've also found myself really enjoying reading again.  Not that I ever stopped reading but I was pretty much only reading at bedtime and was so tired that I would get through 3-4 pages and literally fall asleep while holding up my book.  I spent a good part of yesterday with my nose in my book (okay, iPad) and loved it.  It's so relaxing... maybe a couple of book reviews will pop up here and there because, hey, this blog is about what makes ME happy!

WINS for the week:

1. Family Dinner - we had a family dinner this weekend (roast beef, mashed potatoes, veggies, gravy... the whole nine yards) and WOAH, so good!  It was the first meal in 13 weeks that I didn't count my calories for because it would have been too hard to figure everything out.  So, I just ate a healthy portion of each dish and stopped eating when I was satisfied.  I think I nailed it!!!
2. StepBet - Already touched on it but I nailed my StepBet goals and am ready to kick butt again this week.  Also happy to see that 90 people have already dropped out so we are getting close to making MONEY!!  Whoop!

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. PMS - I have come to realize, three months into this journey, that the Thursday before my cycle begins is the worst day of the month for me.  I can't say there are any definite cravings but more the feeling of being 'unsatisfied'... wanting more of whatever.  Thankfully I haven't given into the feelings yet but I have definitely noticed the pattern... now that I am aware of it, I think it will be something I have to plan for.

Well, that marks the end of week 13 and now we move on to this week... back to baseball try-outs so the meals are a little tricky for the week but we will make it work.  Thankfully, this should mark the end of ball, for this year anyways, so we can officially be back to normal (for us!).

Step Bet | Step Thru September

You guys... I joined a StepBet challenge!

Okay, now you are all probably asking yourselves, "what is a stepbet?" and looking at your screen with those crinkles across your forehead.

Well, because they are better at words than I am, here is how the app describes StepBet:

StepBet is a fitness game that motivates you to be more active.  In each StepBet game, players pay an initial "bet" and commit to meeting certain step goals during every week of the challenge.  If you meet your goals each week, you split the pot with the other winners. 

The cost (or 'bet') is $40USD per challenge and each of the challenges lasts 6 weeks (5 weeks of elimination and 1 week of warm-up).

When I signed up, the app linked with my FitBit and gave me a predetermined number of steps that I needed to reach based on my step history.  Four days a week, I need to walk 13,151 steps which is only a little over my normal average amount now and two days a week, I need to walk 16,840 steps.  Other than having one free day a week, if you miss your steps, you get eliminated from the challenge.

I am so excited to see how many steps I can do every day and while I know that those two days a week are going to be tough, I plan to knock them out first so I don't find myself walking my ass off at the end of each week.  Keep you fingers crossed and send me all your steppin' vibes!  I will post how my week went in my weekly updates.

Diet Challenge | Week Five Update

Happy Monday... no really, it's a HAPPY Monday!!  But before we get started... need to do a big Happy Birthday shout out to my amazing hubby, Murray!

Okay, enough talking about other people, let's bring the focus back to me ;)  I am SUPER pumped to report that this morning's weigh-in was successful and I lost another 4-lbs for a new weight loss total of 17.5-lbs.  I can't even express how happy it makes me to be down FOUR pounds in one week.  As I have said before, I am not expecting major drops and am happy with not gaining but seeing all the hard work that I am putting in, paying off, brings a GIANT smile to my face and makes me want to keep going!

My newest Fitbit badge!

WINS for the week:

1. First 'Eat Out' Meal - Yep, it was bound to happen, the dreaded restaurant meal.  However, if you read my blog post from last week, you will know that I did it with flying colours!  I planned it all before leaving the house and stayed totally on plan for the meal and didn't feel the least bit guilty with my choices!
2. Steppin' Up - Killed it with the steps this past week.  I did close to, or over, 12,000 a day and made sure to get two walks in each day.  Not sure if I will ever increase my step goal beyond the 10,000 but am more than happy to knock it out of the park every chance I get.  

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. Making Cupcakes - I happen to be the cupcake queen of my family so for most occasions, I am asked to make some version of cupcakes.  Saturday was my niece's 5th birthday and, of course, I made cupcakes.  Usually my routine is to fill the cupcake wrappers and leave enough batter in the bowl for me to enjoy a super yummy, and horribly fattening, batter snack.  Add on top of that, the licks and tastes of icing and sprinkles and whatever else goes into making them look pretty and it's basically an all-out schmorgishboard (no idea how to spell that).  Not only did I not eat any batter, but I didn't even have a lick of the icing!  WOOHOO!
2. Birthday Party - Same day, different challenge!  My niece's birthday party was on Saturday and it ran right into when I would be having lunch (late, as usual) so instead of being tempted by snacks, I just brought along my salad and ate it instead.  WIN!!

This upcoming week is loaded with challenges so I am going to have to do some MAJOR planning to stay on plan, as much as humanly possible.  We have a baseball tournament this coming weekend, out of town, so that means staying in a hotel ALL WEEKEND long.  I plan to bring snacks (fruit and whatnot) to fill in the gaps and eat at Subway as much as possible.  There is also a gym at the hotel (I know, I actually checked... who am I?!) and I will be bringing gym clothes to work out each day in hopes that any extra calories I do eat are burned off!  Fingers crossed that next week's weigh-in, is at worst, a stand still!  My goal is for NO GAINS!

Diet Challenge | Week Four Results

First off, this post must start with a GIANT HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my little man who is 9 years old today!  He brings me joy every single day and is inspiring me to become a healthy mom!!

Okay, onto week four's results... I weighed in this morning and was down 1lb for a new total weight loss of 13.5lbs!!  To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect on the scales this morning because yesterday was Steven's birthday party and while I know that I made really good food choices and got in all my steps, I still think my calories were higher than normal.  However, I cheered for myself when I saw the drop on the scale... at this point in my life, I have yo-yo'd enough to know that a loss is a loss, whether it's 5lbs or 0.5lbs, you celebrate the loss regardless.

Before I get into the WINS and CHALLENGES of the week, I wanted to talk about how I am feeling after a month of 'dieting' or a month into the new 'lifestyle'.

I am overwhelmed by my motivation and extremely proud of my success.  Having been on this journey before, I have never had the ability to stick with it for longer than a week or two.  The only two major successes I have had have been my two stints with Jenny Craig (losing 38lbs the first time and 90lbs the second... and then gaining it all back).  Knowing that I am doing this ON MY OWN this time... prepping the food, doing the exercise, being my own coach, is making me understand what it will take to be a healthy, happy person for the long run.  I am not even close to being where I want to be but I know that this time, it will stick and I will reach my goals.

WINS for the week:

1. Motivation - It has to be said that one of the major keys to my success the last month has been my motivation!  It's still at an all-time high and it's helping me get through each challenge as it presents itself!
2. Floors - Kicked it up a notch this weekend and nailed enough floors to get my next badge from Fitbit.  Yep, I did 25-floors in one day and for someone who lives in a townhouse and works in a one-level building, that's pretty impressive!

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. Baseball - I know, it's starting to sound like a broken record but seriously, it's every weekend!!  We had another double header this weekend and I was 'forced' to plan for 6-hours on the field.  I ended up grabbing another 6" from Subway because we didn't have good 'portable' meals but overall, I think I did well.  My water intake was a little low because there weren't any bathrooms nearby so I didn't want to be in an emergency situation.
2. Birthday Party Number One - Yep... we are in the middle of the birthday bonanza so the first party was yesterday.  I did the best I could for planning and prep and made sure I got all my steps in but there were some foods that I had to guesstimate the calorie count on... I only had a small amount of those to be safe but still, posed a big challenge.  Not to mention the dairy queen cupcakes... those were definitely a challenge - but I resisted!  Not worth the guilt!

Plans for the upcoming week include another birthday party, a birthday dinner and perhaps more baseball.  

Today marks the beginning of the second 28-days so I will be adding in some more exercise and also planning to decrease my calorie intake by 100 calories a day (from 1700 to 1600)... time to step it up a notch!

Diet Challenge | Week Three Results

They say that it takes 21-days to form a habit that will last... don't ask me who 'they' are but that's what I have always read and yesterday was day 21 of the Diet Challenge!  I can tell that new habits have already taken root just by the simple fact that I spent 6+ hours on the ball field yesterday and didn't cheat on the diet... even when the fellow parents I was sitting with decided a trip to the Chip Truck was necessary...  THREE TIMES!  Legit almost died!

Picture Source

Week three is now in the books, a thing of the past, and I am happy to say that I have lost another 1.5 lbs for a new weight loss total of 12.5 lbs.  As I have said for the last two weeks, the losses will slow down and settle at a more 'normal' range and I am thinking we are there... losing between 1-2 lbs per week is what I am hoping for!!

WINS for the week:

1. Baseball - I already mentioned my big win on the field yesterday (both the team won and I did!) but I think that was a HUGE sign of how far I have come.  Not going to say that I didn't spend some time researching which fast food restaurant had the lowest calorie foods, but I didn't cave and that is the most important thing.  We went home, had what was on the menu and went to bed completely satisfied with another awesome day under our belts.
2. Steps - Another amazing week when it comes to my fitness goals.  I increased my step count to 10,000 (the most I have ever tried for) and beat that by a mile most days.  It helped that Murray was also wearing a Fitbit so we did a Workweek Hustle Challenge (kicked his butt)... we are too competitive for our own good!

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. Baseball - Do I sound like a broken record yet?  My biggest challenge for the week was by far Sunday on the field.  Just the smell of those Chip Truck fries was enough to make me want to dive off the edge and into a bucket of greasy goodness.  However, I planned ahead and brought a sandwich, fruit and other snacks so was able to fight off the desire.
2. Mental Cravings - There were a couple of nights this week that I felt as though I needed to eat out... I craved junk food like McDonalds or my standard Malteasers.  I don't even think I was hungry when I was having these cravings so honestly think they were more mental than anything... like my mind was in sugar overload withdrawal.  Again, I didn't cave but it did take some serious self-reasoning to keep myself on track.

Overall, a great week!  I did end up eating at Subway on Friday night while the boys were at the WWE event but again, like last time, I only had a 6" sub and water so don't really consider that 'eating out'.  Still haven't had any pop or candy or junk food of any kind so I do really feel like I have made some positive steps towards healthy habits.

The next two weeks are going to be a bit more of a challenge and take a lot of planning on my part because it is basically a BIRTHDAY BONANZA up in our house.  Steven's 9th birthday is on the 18th and Murray's birthday is on the 25th... sandwich my niece Emma's in on the 23rd and you have the birthday trifecta!  Here's hoping that some good pre-planning and smart choices leads to another positive win on the scale next week!!

Diet Challenge | Week Two Results

Another week has come and gone and the results are in... I am happy to say that I am down another 3.5 lbs for a two-week total of 11 lbs lost!  WAHOO!   I wasn't expecting such a big loss this week because of how much I lost last week but I will not complain.  It has now been two weeks since I have eaten out (other than a trip to Subway which I only had a 6" sub) or had any pop... which was a slight addiction that snuck up on me.

WINS for the week:

1. Planning - Still making a menu for family dinners and ensuring that I have all of my fruit and veggies for the week prepped and ready for easy to grab lunches.  Honestly, this takes about 30 - 45 mins on the weekends and saves so much time in the morning... also makes it easy to have healthy options for lunch.
2. Steps - I participated in a 'Workweek Hustle' this week and there were 8 of us working to have the most steps from Monday - Friday and I came 4th.   I hoped to win but the leader killed it and was a ton of steps ahead of me.  However, I was so motivated to put in a good showing that I did over 10,000 steps a day (my goal was 8,500).

CHALLENGES for the week:

1. Period - Oh the joys of being a woman... not only do we lose weight slower than men but we get that one week a month of bloating, water retention and cravings.  
2. Canada Day BBQ - Yep, week two and we hit a long weekend which means a family BBQ and no option of planning my meal.  However, I knew ahead of time what the menu was so was able to plan for some additional calories and do some extra steps during the day to compensate. 

All-in-all, a great week.  I felt like I kicked butt on my goals and am still feeling very VERY motivated.  Being over 1/5 of the way to my '50 by Christmas' goal is so thrilling... yes, I know that the losses will slow but for now, I am taking it as I can get it!!

Diet Challenge | Week One Results

The results are in from the first week of the 50 pounds by Christmas challenge and... I lost 7.5 lbs!!  I am so thrilled to have such a great kick-off week loss.  Yes, I know that the majority of that is water weight and that I will not have losses like this moving forward, but to start off the challenge with such impressive results has really upped my motivation and made me ready to tackle week two!

WINS for the Week:

1. Planning - Not only did I have a menu and follow it, but I prepped all of my food and snacks for the work week.  Honestly, the mornings are very hard for me so having my fruit cut, my veggies back and my cereal portioned really made a huge difference.
2. Goals - Setting attainable goal on my Fitbit helped me get those steps in every day.  Whether it was walking outside or on-the-spot inside, I was moving as much as possible.  I also really like the 250 steps every hour goal so that it made me get up and move while I was at work.  Desk jobs can be challenging!
3. Accountability - I started an Instagram account for tracking my fitness and diet progress because I didn't want to bombard my nail polish account with Fitbit pictures and motivational quotes.  Posting my results each day has kept me accountable to anyone who is now following me.

Week two is all prepped and ready to go!

CHALLENGES for the Week:

1. Schedule - We have an insanely busy schedule which generally ends up in at least one, if not all, of us out of the house during the dinner hour.  However, planning a menu and knowing ahead of time that there is a commitment that evening, I was able to get in my steps when I needed to and plan for my dinners accordingly.
2. Weather - I don't do extreme weather of any kind and this past weekend was HOT!  Not only was it hot and humid, but we were on the ball field for a good majority of it so I was not looking forward to getting my steps in BUT, I got the suntan lotion out, walked earlier in the morning and then did a lot of it while grocery shopping in the air conditioned store.  

All in, I think my week was an enormous success and I couldn't really ask for more.  Moving into week two, I have increased my daily step goal by 1,000 so we are now at 8,500 per day... not too hard and I actually hit that most days last week anyways!

So, here we go.. onwards and upwards!  Only 42.5 lbs to go before Christmas!

Next Up: The Diet Challenge

While I still work on decluttering all of the collections in my life, I figure it's also time to get the next aspect of "The Quest for Happy" underway and that is to tackle my health.

Generally speaking, I am a healthy person.  I don't have any communicable diseases, any major illnesses that I worry about (although a slight hypochondriac so there's that) and I don't live a very stressful life, I do need to start living a healthier lifestyle.

For the majority of my adult life I have been overweight... okay, I have been 'obese' but I hate that word so we will just stick with saying overweight.  Do I enjoy this fact?  No.  However, it's just something I have learned to deal with and I am ready to not make that part of my life anymore.

Last Friday, my good friend Tracy, who lives in Newfoundland (a half a country away) and I decided that we are going to lose 50 lbs by the end of the year.  Here's my plan for how I hope to do that:

1. Menu Plan - I always find that if I can sit down and plan an healthy menu for the week and use that to create a grocery list, it makes eating much easier.  We have a heavy baseball life so most weeknights we are on the diamond through the dinner hour.  Making easy meals, like salad or chicken, that you can pre-make is key!
2. Food Tracking - It's proven that if you write down every morsel of food that you put in your mouth, that you will be better about what you eat.  Who wants to look back at a food journal and see that they had crap for all three meals and crammed snacks in whenever possible?  Definitely not me!  So I am going to use the FitBit app to track all of my food.
3. Use My Fitbit - I mentioned it above but I have a Fitbit HR+ that I need to make sure I am wearing so I can track my activity.  I am not an exerciser nor do I want to be but even just making sure I log in some steps (and my food) everyday is more than I am going now.
4. Support - Tracy and I will be a great support for each other and being accountable to someone else is key.  Knowing you have to check in and report a weekly loss makes you try just a little bit harder to stay on track.

Whoa... look at the awesome prep-work!

So, here we go!  I will be starting today with the new healthy menu that is planned and will report in each Monday to see how I did!  Here's to being a new, healthier me at Christmas!