Motivational Friday!

So this week was a bust.... 

Next week I am probably going to do week 2 of C25K over, since I haven't had time to run this week.  There's been a lot going on at home and work.

We had to get certified as representatives again.  Our new presentation is 45 minutes of continuous talking and we had to know the script word for word.  Memorizing things is not something I am good at!!!!  I have a very difficult time concentrating long enough to memorize things.  Its part of my squirrel syndrome.

Regardless, I was the first person to pass the certification and I got the highest score that I know of on it.  :)  I was very proud of myself.  I got a 96% and we needed at least an 80% to pass.  According to our corporate office, if we didn't pass it by Saturday this week, we wouldn't have a job anymore....  Talk about pressure!!! 

It did stress me out for about 2 weeks.  I am SO glad it's over and now I can focus on my personal life instead of constantly thinking about work.

Brynn started walking the past couple of days and it's a whole new ball game now!!  She is wearing me out, not really in a bad way, but she's keeping me busy.  It may be a god send in the end, because I have still managed to lose weight through all this business.

I'm down to 197lbs.  It's going really slow lately, but my focus has been off as well.  I plan to be really serious again soon.  So, I calculated the weight loss I have achieved since the beginning of the year.  I have lost 71lbs since having my daughter last year and 37 of it since Feb. this year when I decided to start working out.  I am officially over the hill of my half way point.  I still have 67lbs to lose to get to 130lbs.  I need to do this before my brother's wedding next September.  It shouldn't be too difficult, but we'll see how it all pans out. 

On a completely different subject, I found a new tattoo that I REALLY want.  I want to change the saying, but I really like the wavy look and the way it looks like under the collar bone.  Here it is: 
 

I don't know if I have the balls to get it, but I love it!  I have one visible tattoo, and it's on my foot.  The tattoo artist that I had do it, pretty much did a horrible job with it and my flower kind of looks like a turkey.  It's supposed to be a lotus flower.  It's something I need to get fixed before I get this one. 

So, a little motivation for the weekend:

 This lady has a cute little shape that I would love to have.... 

And lastly, 5 lbs if fat vs. 5 lbs of muscle.  A good reminder as to why building muscle is important.  You look thinner and it weighs more. 

Have a GREAT weekend.

The Weekend is Over... Bummer.

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend.  I had a decent time trying to forget about this past work week and I did some damage control while doing so.  I have been on edge for about a month now and typically I bottle all my emotions up until I just explode.  Well, that happened.  I typically do not cry, and if so it's usually caused by stress.  I'd say I cry maybe twice a year, because usually it takes about 6 months for my emotions to pour out and then it just floods for like a days time.  So, why have I been so upset??? 

An opportunity came up at work and I applied for it.  It's something I have always seen myself doing and I wouldn't have to do sales anymore.  Unfortunately, everyone has told me that I am not going to get it, since there is a more qualified candidate that applied for it.

I feel like someone has shot my dog or something.  It was an opportunity for me to finally over come what has stressed me out for so long.  It would have been better security for my family, about an 8-10K raise (which is what I need more than anything), and better hours with having my small children.

I wouldn't have to live pay check to pay check anymore, I wouldn't have to worry about getting laid off every day, and I wouldn't have to work every Saturday and not as many late hours.

So, over all the time I had to just soak in these emotions over the weekend, I feel like I am going to come out ahead.  Regardless, if I get the position or not, it's an opportunity for me to work on myself.  To overcome people's opinions....  I am going to kick ass, take names, and basically say "Fuck You" to the non-believers.

My stand in boss told me that I want the position so bad, that that's probably why I won't get it.  She said she was in the exact same situation and when they slammed the door in her face, it just made her work harder to get where she's at today.  This is how management treats you at where I work...  :)  Isn't it fabulous?!?  It's one negative comment after the next.   

I think she expects that it will make me work harder at work, but actually, it's going to help me work harder to find another job.  I can't continue working in a position to where I am so incredibly unhappy.  I've always had a happy demeanor and I need to find that person again.

So, on the weight loss front, I was doing good until Thursday.  I was down to 197lbs, and then I started heavily drinking and eating and it was all down hill from there.  I've gained 4 lbs since Thursday.  This puts me back above 200.  So, today I officially get back to my hard core dieting and exercise routine.  Maybe I needed that little spurt of badness to overcome this goal.....

Today starts week 2 of C25K.  I ran 4 days last week and other than my thighs rubbing and causing a friction rash, I seem to be doing well with it.  Any suggestions for the runners out there as to what I can do to reduce this?

                

    

Make Up!

I thought the make up was bangin' yesterday, so I thought I would take a photo of it to show off.

My make up varies as to where I buy it and what I use.  I don't know of any make up artist that uses the same brand for everything. 

I always start with Shadow insurance as my eye primer.

All eye shadows are from MAC. I have a white shadow in the inside corner, a green in the middle and a midnight blue for the outer corner.

Eye liners are Almay, I've used it for years and refuse to change it.

Mascara varies.  I usually just pick any brand up.  Sephora brand is a nice brand.

I use Clinique powder and bronzer on my face.

I feel like I do my eyes really well when I am in the mood to go all out.  What would everyone think of me doing a tutorial? 

C25K: Week 1 Day 3

I woke up this morning bright and early at 6 am and I was scared my knee was going to bother me, but it didn't.  It felt much better.  On the other hand I stepped out of my bed and couldn't walk, because my calve muscle was as hard as a rock.  It literally felt like an anchor that was weighing me down.  I debated if I was even going to run today.  I hopped back into bed thinking I would just do a Turbo workout this morning and fell back to sleep until 8:30 when Brynnie woke. 

I got up and still the calve muscle was bothering me.  What I found weird was it's just in my left leg-opposite of the knee that was bothering me.  I must have put more pressure into the run with my left legs since my right knee was killing me. 

I did my usual routine, fed Brynn, and all that jazz.  I got ready to do some kind of work out and as I was stretching my legs I decided I could run.  I broke out the good ol' treadmill and did it.  I HATE treadmills!  I enjoy running so much more, because I don't focus on my time I have left while running.  It wasn't dreadful, because it was only 30 mins, but I did stare at my time the entire time and I couldn't wait for it to end.  I did have a better time with my knee since the treadmill has the shock resistance to it.

So, I did it!  I completed day 3 with a smile on my face!  :)  WHOO-RAH!

C25K Week 1 Day 2

In my akwardness, I decided to do a video this morning while I was making my drive to work, and yes, both my hands were on the wheel while I was driving! 

Skinny Gal.... Somewhere.

Week 1, Day1 of C25K

Jiggle, jiggle, jiggle..... 

That is the first thing that I noticed as I started running.  I was jiggling everywhere. 

I have came a LONG way so far this year.  I have lost a total of 36lbs and 42".  THAT'S A LOT!  Not as much as I could have done without having the responsibilities that I currently have. 

A little history about Mrs. SGS.  In High School I was heavy.  My first boyfriend of 2 years broke up with me over a girl that had just moved into town and was tall, pretty, and thin.  It was heart breaking.  I decided I needed to make a change.  I lost 60 lbs in a very short amount of time.  I played soccer for my H.S. soccer team and I would come home from practice and continue to work out.  I loved how fast the results showed.  I remained real thin until I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease in 2006 and had to have my thyroid eliminated.  In the year and a half that it took to get my thyroid regulated by Synthyroid, I gained 100 lbs.  I let my weight set until I got pregnant with my daughter last year 2011.  I realized that I would never be able to run around with her in the back yard.  So, after I had her, I decided I had to make serious changes again AND for good!

My daughter is the reason I breath healthier now.  She is my WORLD completely.  I still have a long way to go, but it's always a work in progress. 

So, anyways, Week 1 Day 1 of C25K wasn't too bad.  Getting past the JIGGLE was the hardest part.  I felt my saddle bags around my hips and rear really jiggling more than anything, but that's ok, because one of these days, I won't have to battle this bulge anymore.

The first week I believe starts you out on a 5 min. warm up, and 8 intervals of running for 60 seconds and walking 90 seconds and a 5 min. cool down. 

Random change of subject:
I found out on Saturday that I will be in my brother's wedding in Sept. 2013 as a bridesmaid, so that means I still have 70 lbs to lose before that date.  Should be cake, right???   

My BEAUTIFUL 10 Mth Old!

My sweet faced child.  Don't ask me how I produced such a gorgeous baby, because I have no idea!!  She's giving me the "doe eyes" in this one, probably because she wants something. 

So, what's new with Brynners?

We're trying to transition to mainly baby food and 2-3 bottles of 7 oz. of formula a day.

She typically will eat most foods that you put in her mouth, but she doesn't eat her veggies like she should.

She is standing for minutes at a time.
She goes from a sitting position to standing up without any help or props.
She's wearing a size 6-9 months still.  This is the first time she is wearing clothes that are not the next size up for her.  She has really thinned out with all the constant moving/crawling.

She crawls EVERYWHERE and gets into EVERYTHING.

She does a better job vacuuming the floor than my actual vacuum.

She has 3 teeth (2 bottom and 1 on top)

She is starting to take steps and will take 2-3 before falling down.  I am going to have a walker by next month!
Oh, her hair is so long, that it now fits in a pony tail with a little bobby pin help in the back.  She actually has a ton of thick new growth coming in too that is about an inch long now.  My mom thinks I should cut all her hair to where her new growth is, but HELLS NO!  Her hair isn't getting cut. 

And that's really all that's new.  :) 

Skinny Gal..... Somewhere.

Helloooo Bloggies

I promise I didn't die or quit blogging.  We have had some changes at work, so I have been super busy with that this week as well as home stuff.  There hasn't even been a moment for me to blog or even workout for that matter.  I will return Monday with a recipe for FRESH GARDEN VEGGIE SALSA.  I can not wait to try it!!  Have a great weekend and I will see you soon. 

Skinny Gal.... Somewhere.

Measurements

The last time I did my measurements was on May 14th, since then I have had slower results, because I haven't been as focused on my diet.  Even at a slow pace, I still have had results! 

May 14, 2012
Waist: 38" -1 1/2"
Calves: 17"
Neck: 12 1/2" 
Thigh: 24"  + 1/2"
Arm: 12 1/2"
Chest: 39"   -1"
Hips: 43 1/2"
Weight: 205lbs  -5.4
___________________
TOTALS (Week 5): -5.4lbs and -2 1/2"

July 8, 2012
Waist: 37" -1"
Calves: 17"
Neck: 12"  -1/2"
Thigh: 24"
Arm: 12" -1/2
Chest: 38"   -1"
Hips: 42" -1 1/2"
Weight: 198.4lbs  -6.6lbs
___________________
TOTALS (Week 13): -5.4lbs and -2 1/2"==TOTAL since starting TF:  16.2 lbs and 25"

Progress is what keeps me going!!  Thanks goodness I am starting to see it again. 

Skinny Gal....  Somewhere.

Whole Wheat/Organic Orzo with Parmesan and Basil

Whole Wheat/Organic Orzo with Parmesan and Basil

Another first timer for me.  I have never tried Orzo, but I LOVED it as well.  It was so good and will continue to be apart of my healthy eating from here on out. 

Ingredients
1 cup of orzo (I used whole wheat/organic)
1 can of FF chicken broth
1/2 cup of skim milk
1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1/4  cup of fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbls of light butter (I use I can't believe it's not butter-light)

Directions: Melt butter in a skillet and add orzo to saute it until it is lightly browned, throw in chicken broth and heat until boiling, once it's boiling, reduce heat and cover for 15 mins or until cooked.  Add in your Parmesan, basil, salt, pepper, and milk.  Stir together on low heat until cheese is melted and creamy.  ENJOY!

Skinny Gal..... Somewhere. 

Grilled Bok Choy

Grilled Bok Choy

This was the first time I have ever tried Bok Choy and I actually LOVED it!  It reminds me of a mix between spinach, which is my favorite veggie, and celery without all the strings.  Try it out and let me know what you think.

Ingredients

Either 2 Stalks of Baby Bok Choy or 1 stalk regular Bok Choy

2 tbls of light butter

1/8 tsp of pepper

1/8 tsp of garlic powder

1/8 tsp of sea salt or seasoned salt

1/8 tsp of paprika

Directions:  Cut the ends of the Bok Choy stalks and pull apart and clean, mix together butter and seasonings, dip your bok choy on both side into the marinade and grill for 3-4 minutes on medium heat or until the tops of the bok choy look crispy.  ENJOY! 

Skinny Gal....  Somewhere.



A Change??

It's a secret, but I'm changing my diet completely.  I am still going to focus on doing Weight Watcher points still, but I am going at it from a different aspect.  I want to see how well I do with it before I praise it.  :) 

It's going to be tough though.  No sugars, no caffeine, a GALLON of water a day, etc.  It's worth a try right? 

I slightly feel sorry for my husband, because I get super cranky without caffeine, but I did it for 14+ months when I was pregnant with Brynn and breastfeeding, so I know that I can do it now.  I actually don't know why I even started back.  I guess adding in work with a 3 month old was so tiring that I felt I needed coffee. 

I am currently drinking 3 cups of coffee a day, so it'll be hard to eliminate it!! 

There's more to the concept than I am actually revealing.  An acquaintance of mine is super thin, fit and absolutely gorgeous, so I asked her for tips with my diet.  I had told her that her shape is what I am striving for, so I really wanted to know what her secret was. 

Here's Lacey and her cute little body shape, she's being silly in this one:

Ugh, the girl is gorgeous!  I can't hate though, she's in the gym every day and has worked hard for her shape.

So, on to Saturday Motivation since I missed it for Friday.  I can't wait to go to the Fresh Market after work to get all the food I need for my new concepts. 

Here's a midsection I would love to have: 

I'm definitely putting MORE focus on my eating than working out the next couple of weeks to see how things change. 

  Wish me luck!

       

Wardrobe Malfunction

I might seriously be naked before I leave work today!

My co-worker tells me that that wouldn't be a bad thing.  lol  It could  be harassment, but I love the guy and we joke around quite a bit back and forth with NO seriousness to it.   

First, this morning my favorite wedges started falling apart piece by piece.  One strap went, and well, it was all down hill from there.  I spent my entire lunch break looking for a new pair of shoes to get me through the rest of the day.  I did find two pair for $45 at Shoe Carnival.  These are what I found:

This top pair I bought in black and it's what I bought to replace my pair that fell apart.

This pair I bought in white.  I ABSOLUTELY love them! 

I then came back from lunch and noticed that my BRAND NEW-NEVER WORN dress that is not tight what-so-ever was starting to tear at the bottom seams.  This WAS my dress:  

I'm really bummed, because it's really flattering on and I have had several compliments on it today.  The color is SO pretty, but the material must not be the best for stitching together.  I am hoping they will take it back after being worn for 9 hours so I can find something else or get my money back.  I would hate to be out $25 for something I wore once.

Momma doesn't grow money from trees!

Oh, Velociraptor, you bring up so many good points!

I've also had a trying day at work with our management team. 

Hey, here's a great idea, let's push our representatives until they all quit.....  We've had our team together for YEARS with no turn over and suddenly we've had 2 representatives quit that have found better opportunities for themselves in the last month.  If only I was that lucky... 

I'm ready for this work day to be over.

On the positive side, I did have a co-worker rave about how much weight I have lost and that they can really tell.  It was quickly forgotten when another co-worker (who I do not get along with) told me that my dress looked like I was going to a wedding reception and was inappropriate. 

I hope everyone else is having a better day than I am.  I CAN NOT wait to get home and punch this frustrating day out to some Turbo Fire. 

XOXO



Turkey Burger with Avocado and Salsa Mayo

Turkey Burger with Avocado and Salsa Mayo

Ingredients

Ground Turkey already padded out

Buns of your choice (I usually use whole wheat sandwich thins, but I was out)

Seasoning for Turkey:

Steak seasoning

pepper

salt

garlic

Cajun seasoning

Top with: 

 fresh slices of avocado

1 tbsl of salsa of your choice

1 tbsl of light mayo

Directions:  Grill your padded out ground turkey on the grill with all the seasonings.  I dash the seasonings on both sides.  Slice up some avocados and add to your finished cooked burgers.  Mix together light mayo and salsa and spread over your bun.  Eat up and enjoy, it's really tasty and low fat!

Skinny Gal.....  Somewhere.

Cradle Robber?

OMFG!  Can I have 2 husbands????  This kid is adorable and I am in love with his song!  I am making the hubs learn this one, so he can sing it to me.  :)  Shawn definitely has the range for it. 

This is the great thing about karaoke.  I occasionally hear a person sing a song that I haven't heard before.  I really don't get out much... lol  I heard a kid try to sing this one the other night and I knew I loved the lyrics, so I googled it until I found it!  Stalker?  Maybe.  :)

His name is Hunter Hayes.  GUSH!  His song is called "Wanted".  Learn it and love it!  I sure do.  This is my new favorite song and he can make me feel wanted any day of the week. 

A gal can dream, right?  I think he finally broke my Justin Timerlake crush.  Congrats little dude! 

Skinny Gal... Somewhere....  AKA Cradle Robber... 

GOALS REVIEWED!

I have absolutely GREAT news!  I FINALLY BROKE 200 LBS!  I weighed in at 199.5 lbs this morning!!

I didn't take a picture of it, because my husband was taking a shower while I weighed myself and I didn't want him thinking I was a weirdo.  :)  I will take a picture sometime this week as proof. 

See, there is a method to my madness!!!! That is why I chose to take a week's vacation from losing weight.  :)

So, since I finally reached my goal of breaking 200 lbs, I wanted to review all my goals again to see where I am at and what I have left to accomplish.

·         Lose my first 10 lbs.  – COMPLETED!

·         Get under pre-baby wt. - COMPLETED! 

·         Weigh in under 200 lbs - COMPLETED!

·        Weigh in at 175 lbs

·         Weigh in at 150lbs

·         Reach the BMI for my height and weight

·         Run a 5K

·         Run a half marathon.

So, I have officially lost 35 lbs.  I haven't measured in weeks because every time I measured the past month it was always the same--37 1/2".  I may have lost a 1/2 in the waist. 

Regardless of the inches lost, I am still showing progress.  I am now down to a size 14, which is the AVERAGE size for a female in America.  I'm finally average again!!  I can't wait to be less than average!!

I have now gone from a size 22 to a 14.  Do you count that as 8 pant sizes or 4?  I say 4, but 8 sounds phenomenal! 

It's a great day, I hope everyone else is having a good week!



Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps

Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

2 hard boiled eggs

2 tbls of light mayo

1 light Laughing Cow-tomato and basil

1 tsp of mustard

1/4 cup of match stick carrots

1/4 cup diced cucumber

1/4 cup diced celery

dash of pepper

Romaine lettuce

Directions: Once your eggs have boiled, fill your pot with ice and a little bit of water to cool them before mixing them with everything else.  Mix together all ingredients and throw into lettuce.

Nutritional Info: This came out to be 7 WW plus points for two big wraps that are very filling.  The two wraps make 1 serving.

Random Sunday Post

I usually never post on Sundays, if I do, it's because I have nothing better to do.  Though today, that is not true.  I have plenty of chores I could be doing, but I'm choosing to ignore them.  I guess that is one in the same though. 

This week I have been on vacation with my family.  It's been such a sweet little break from work!  I needed a break from all the "pushing" that they do to us reps.  Not only that, I needed a break from dialing 60 phone calls a day AND APPEARING TO BE BUSY FOR 8 HOURS.  Did I mention that I hate my job?

Yes, I know that it could be worse, so I am trying to make the best of it.  For the most part the break has been incredible for my daughter and I.  We've had so much fun playing, swimming, going for stroller walks.  I've loved every minute of it and so has she.  It's going to be hard to go back to work tomorrow.

Not only did I take a break from work, I decided to take a break from working out and dieting.  Luckily, I have only gained 1 lb back from Tuesday night's drink fest.  Other than that, it's been nice to actually feel like a normal human being that eats meals with no regard as to how it will affect my body. 

So why did I decide to take the week off?  The first reason is that I have been going at this weight loss ordeal since Feb.  I have had great results from Feb-May, but the past 2 months I have been stuck and teeter tottering back and forth a couple pounds. 

Is it a plateau?  Maybe.  Really though, who plateaus for 2 months?  Personally, I think I was just going through the motions.  I did lose a pant size, so I know that I still lost something the past 2 months, but I haven't lost any inches and my weight has fluctuated 1-2 lbs. 

Taking a break is actually something I did with my previous weight loss journeys and I always turned things around when I return.  It might be that I feel refreshed and ready to hit it hard again, but I think in general, it gives my body time to adjust to the weight loss.  It evens things out.

So, on Monday I will be back at it in full force.  Counting points and working it to some Turbo Fire full force.  I am going to try to push through another month of Turbo Fire and then I need to change to something else.  I have Chalean Extreme already, but I was thinking about doing Brazilian Butt Lift first and possibly running too, since I still haven't bought weights to do the Chalean Extreme workouts.

So, there ya have it.  I deserved a much needed break and I took one.  I did work out two of the days while on vacation.  I did one 45 min cardio class with TF and I took a 6 mile walk downtown.  The 6 mile walk alone made me sore for like 3 days. 

Skinny Gal....  Somewhere.