Let's Get It Started

So I am starting this blog to help me keep up with my weight loss journey. First, a little bit about me. I just turned 30 on April 1, I am married to a wonderful man, Ryan and we have two beautiful children: Noah (5) and Emma (1). I have never been a really skinny gal, in high school I wore a size 8 jeans but I was a cheerleader and in the marching band. I also danced 3 nights a week all year long. But now, it's been 12 years since high school and my cheering, dancing and marching days are long over. Now I am cooking, cleaning, chauffering, coaching from the sidelines, chasing kiddos, working full time and on May 2nd I will be starting my Bachelor's in Psychology program.

I work for Dow Chemical as a Senior Administrative Specialist (glorified secretary) and have been in my current role for 6 months, before that I was a contractor through Kelly Services, so I have been doing the same basic job for the last 4 years, just different pay scales and benefits. I pretty much sit at a computer all day, and I snack ALOT. My department likes to EAT at all events and it is very hard to pack a separate meal for myself when everyone else has such yummy foods like pizza, steak, BBQ, burgers, etc.

I decided that I need a change. My motivators right now are: high blood pressure - I want to get off my medication; Summer Time - A trip to Gulf Shores and another to Illinois and Michigan in June and July are screaming for me to wear swim suits, short shorts and tank tops .... not possible at this weight; I TURNED 30! - I have read that it is harder to lose weight you've gained over the years once you pass the 30 mark, so I need to jump on it before it jumps on me!

I ordered the Food Lover's Fat Loss System. So far, it looks pretty manageable. I can each anything I want, but I have to cut fried and fast food (common) and SALT my number one best friend. This program is all about learning Fast Carbs and Slow Carbs and how to plate each meal so that you get the maximum fat burning potential.

I also discovered another way to help me start getting healthy. It Works Ultimate Body Wraps. These wraps have an all natural "potion" in them that seeps into your pores and draws out all the bad toxins in your body. I had a wrap party on Saturday night and wore the wrap for 1 hour, 15 minutes. My measurements when we started were: Waist - 40", Hips 41" and Tummy 41". After the wrap my measurements were: Waist - 38 1/4", Hips 40 1/2" and Tummy 40 1/2". The wraps effects are supposed to continue for 72 hours. I will measure again tonight, and will be doing another wrap as well. They can be done as few as 72 hours apart, and most people do them about once a week. I am going to do 1 every 72 hours this week and when my order arrives I will change to once per week with the defining gel applications each day in between. Check out http://www.myitworks.com/ to see what I mean. It's pretty cool and the instant results are awesome!

Other plans for my weight loss journey include: getting bikes for my entire family, and a seat on mine for Emma so we can have family bike rides; going to Zumba at least 1 night each week - maybe I'll get Ryan to the gym too; walking during Tball practice on the track that circles the practice field.

I'm not looking to become a "trophy wife", I just want to be comfortable in my own skin...and clothes! I want to look good for my husband but more than that, I want to be healthy for my kids. I want to set a good example for them and make sure they are on the path to a healthy lifestyle! It is so easy these days to reach for a box or bag and set them in front of the television! WELL NO MORE! My kids will play outside and use their imaginations, and I will be right there with them!

Here are my starting points:
As of Saturday, April 21
Weight: 194
Height: 5' 1"
Body Fat: 25%
BMI: 36.7 - Obese
Neck: 15"
Chest: 44"
Biceps: 13"
Forearms: 11"
Wrist: 6.5"
Waist: 40"
Hips: 41.5"
Thigh: 25"
Calf: 15"

Since I am just not sitting down to type this blog, I am already on Day 3 of my Weight Loss Plan, so here's the "review" of my first 3 days:

Day 1, Sunday April 22nd:
Woke up with a migraine left over from Friday and Saturday, ate breakfast - 3 egg whites, salsa, green peppers and a banana at 8:25am. Snack on the way to church - 1/2 of a South Beach Diet Meal Bar at 10:25am. Snack after church on the way  home - 1/2 of a South Beach Diet Meal Bar at 12:25pm. Lunch - Firehouse Chili and a Slimdown Salad --- mixed greens, vegetables, chicken and home made Basalmic Vinegarette dressing, banana at 1:30pm. Nap from 2:30 - 4pm, snack of a banana at 4:15pm. Dinner of 1 piece of Meatloaf (equal parts Turkey and lean ground beef), 1.5 cups steamed vegetables and 1/2 cup mashed potatoes at 7:00pm. Banana snack at 8:30pm. Went to bed at 10pm.

Day 2, Monday April 23rd:
Still had a migraine, stayed home from work. Weighed at 6am --- 192.6!!!
Ate breakfast of egg, bacon and cheese sandwich and drank a diet coke in hopes of relieving the migraine at 6:45am. Snack of Celery with peanut butter at 8:45am, lunch of stew and 1/2 cup brown rice at 11:30am, snack of a banana at 1:30pm. Nap from 1:45 - 3:30pm, snack of 100 calorie pack microwave popcorn at 4:00pm. Dinner of Coq Au Vin (chicken with tomatoes), 1/2 cup brown rice and roasted peppers/green beans at 7:00pm. 1 Medium Jonagold apple for bedtime snack at 8:30pm, bed at 9:30pm.

Day 3, Tuesday April 24th:
No more migrane when I woke up this morning! Weighed at 5:30am --- 192.8.
Breakfast of 1 cup HEB Healthy Fit Flakes with dark chocolate pieces and 1/2 cup 2% milk at 5:15am. Got the kids and myself ready and off to school and work. Morning snack of celery and peanut butter at 8:30am. Lots of work to get done since I was gone yesterday. Lunch was supposed to be meatloaf and mashed potatoes, but when I heated it up and started to eat it, I just didn't like it today, So I had a Slim Fast protein shake instead at 11:45am and kept working. I stopped for an 80 calorie HEB cereal bar at 2:50pm. I will throw another one in my purse to have a snack on my way home from work. Noah has Tball practice from 5:30 - 6:30pm so we will be eating dinner late tonight. The plan for this evening's dinner is Slimdown Stew over 1/2 cup brown rice and a banana. I bought lots of bananas for some reason and now have to eat them before they turn brown!

Thanks for reading, I hope you are inspired to get healthy!