It funny because I actually think my clothes fill snug around the waist, who knows.
As for excercising, yeah, it's just not happening.
I mean, I do stay on my feet a lot at work, about 5 hours out of the 6 hours per day every day during the week and I do intense cleaning work every Saturday.
But it goes to show that if you don't target the specific areas, even if you're loosing weight, it's doesn't mean that your muscles are toning up.
Likewise, when you're toning up and looking better, sometimes you don't see the weight loss you expect.
I can't say that I'm proud of it as the reason I've lost way is that I was sick for over 2 weeks and eating wasn't exactly a priority.
Not a good way to loose weight at all. I so not recommend it.
That said, now that I'm better, I have few tricks up my sleeves that I'd like to try.
First, I'd like to share this videos to works abs without crunches. I hate crunches and if you are like me, you do too. But this seems doable....hmmm! I will tell you more after I'm done!
And I was also looking for weight loss drinks and I came across this one:
The thing about this drink is that it's a diuretic so I need to find a week in which I don't have to leave the house because public restrooms are just NASTY!!
I haven't done a weight update in a while, since after Thanksgiving to be exact, so it's about time.
So it' seems that I've gained about 1 pound during the Christmas holidays, which honestly I'm not worried about, it's a nothing in my radar!
It's almost time to take my measurement, since I haven't checked those since October, so here they are:
Chest: 38" (1 inch up)
Waist: 32" (the same)
Hips: 41" (the same)
Thigh: 23" (the same)
Arm: 12" (1 inch up.....could it be muscles from weight lifting????)
As for right now I'm alternating between 4 lb and 10 lb dumb bells to build muscles and resistance.
I haven't been really good at my walking honestly, I didn't want to be one of those New Year resolutions when I start off super good the first week and then forget about it. I'd rather slowly work it again in my routine once we're settle down from the holiday break.
I did reward myself with a couple of new things tho. The first one, is a nice slimmer belt to use during exercising.
It says that it help burn 65 calories in 15 minutes....I'm thinking to start using it while at work, while I walk for 3 hours straight...I think it can really help and see some inches off my waist!
The only complaint tho is a strong smell of plastic one I opened the box, it's been sitting outside for few days and it still smells....any ideas??
And My friend Jodi just gifted me a nice pair of capri athletic pants.....can't wait to try them on to exercise!!
This time it's not something I got in the mail, but I bought it from a friend and neighbor for real cheap and I wanted one for so long: my very first treadmill.
YEAH baby!!! I'm so thrilled I got it as days are getting really shorter and it's not always easy to fit my wort out during the day. Now, I can do it whenever I want, it doesn't matter if it's rains, it's 80F or below 20F, I will be able to get my daily miles done no matter what.
For now is sitting in the garage, which is fine with me. I sometimes sneak out there after putting the kids in bed and have at it!
How cool is that??? A drink holder so I can have all I need handy.
I'm pretty confident I will be able to manage my weight easily now. I've been using it almost every night since I got it and I must admit that I find a little bit more difficult running on a treadmill rather than the road, but I figure that if I keep at it, it will get easier once I get used to it.
I was weighting my self again and noticed that I'm still under 145 lb so, I'm happy about that.
I still get the munchies from time to time and I found my self hooked some Chex trail mix and wanted to share.
The chocolate turtle mix is definitely a favorite now:
I recently found a limited edition mix called "Cocoa" with marshmallows.....YUM
Can't find a picture on line, so I had to take a photo of the {almost empty} package I have home.
It's a limited edition that will around only for the holidays, so they will be gone soon and I will be sad soon.......oh well! Such is life!
I was drawn by Chex in the first place because is one of the few company that has gluten-free cereal that you can easily find at the grocery store and won't cost an arm and a leg.
Even tho the mixes I'm currently eating are not gluten free, I noticed that as long as I eat the recommended serving size, it doesn't bother my tummy.
They keep my need of chocolate satisfied without breaking my weight loss plans: win-win.
Do you remember when I posted about The One race almost a month ago?
As it was to be expected, I had lots of muscle pain in the days following the race.
Anticipating this, I bought my self a lots of bananas as I've read that it benefit muscles especially when they hurt from exercise.
What I didn't know is that hubby had exactly the same thought and the day after the race he came home with even more bananas for me.
That meant that I had more bananas that I ever thought possible!
And I also have a secret to share with all of you: I hate bananas!
I don't really care for the taste, I can't stand the soggy texture and I really don't like the smell either.
Don't give me wrong, I know they are healthy (even tho among all the fruits they are the ones with more sugar in it) and I do occasionally even crave them, they come in handy as you don't need a knife to peel them, but there were way too many bananas around me now and I couldn't possibly eat them all.
But I wasn't going to waste them, so I had to come up with a way to use them up and that's when I found a couple of recipe that helped me achieve this goal and I thought to share those recipes on here for future references.
I love this recipe as she used whole wheat flour instead of white flour and applesauce instead of butter and 3 whole bananas for a dozen of muffins.
The muffin are very well sized and only 100 calories each! Perfect for breakfast or for a snack that doesn't add to my waist line.
The other recipe I love is a drink that used peanut butter too, another thing that I don't really eat often unless I have an hormonal surge.
I don't have a picture of the drinks I gorged down, but I found the recipe on the Chichita website: just click on the picture and make one for yourself!
Very handy to use up those jars of peanut butter and have a breakfast on the go for those busy morning.
Thanks to these 2 recipes, I was able to accomplish my mission to use up all the bananas before they turned bad and eat a healthy amount of them.
I thought was about time for another weight update, this time with measurement and all, since it's been a while since I measured myself (August to be exact!)
So, here my measurements for this month:
Chest: 37"
Waist: 32"
Hips: 41"
Thigh: 23"
Arm: 11"
It seems that since last time I shaved 1 inch off my chest (seriously, can they get any smaller?????), 2 inches off my waist and hips (which feels awesome!), 1 inch off my arms (I've been slacking on my weights) and no changes on my thighs (GRRRRRR).
All considering, not bad at all.
Even my weight, is only half of a pound up.
Considering that weight fluctuates 2 pounds up or down, I'm not too upset about it.
I'm now able to run 0.5 mile with jogging speed without stopping, after 1 mile of power walking to warm up, not bad!
It's been a while since I checked my weight, being busy and sick and having the procedure, I really didn't watch what I ate or bothered with walking anywhere.
I was really dreading the idea of weighting my self and I avoided the scale like a scary disease LOL
But the other day I got all my courage together and went for it, so here it goes.
And this wasn't a measure that I took in the early morning after starving the whole night like usual, but I went for it in the middle of the day and still, 1 pound less from my latest update.
I'm honestly proud.
I think my job plays a good part on it, as I walk up and down the cafeteria for 3 hours straight every day, 5 days per week.
So, I'm doing something I like and gain a nice figure in the meanwhile....what else I could ask?
Although is ONLY one pound and sometime I wish I was doing better, I have this picture to remind me that I'm on the right path!
This is 1 pound of FAT! When you think that you ONLY lost 1 POUND, remind yourself of this picture because it's a great accomplishment!
WOW! First week back to school and for my new job it's already gone! Passed in a jiff!
And I'm happy to say that things are going pretty well!
But here let me show you!!
Here is how I left Gabriel the first day at school, already busy at work!
And here is Michelle, posing for me during her favorite activity: drawing and coloring.
Even tho my feet would disagree, job is going great! I'm sure I will get used to it eventually.
And for my weight update......wait for it, wait for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2.5 lb down since last update, I'm pretty stocked!
Share you good news with me!
Just for the sake of it, I weighted myself this morning and I was greeted by this:
Oh yes, baby! This is what I'm talking about! I'm definitely heading to the right direction!!
I was a little bit worried as we have been busy with family activities and the weather wasn't collaborating, I wasn't able to get it all the cardio and exercising that I planned to do, but still!
We went to the water park in Panama City Beach, Ship Wreck Island, and had the day of our lives! Plus we went to the pool any day the weather allowed, so I think all that swimming helped.
I also pigged out on lasagna, this crock pot recipe really make it easy! Still I was able to eat clean the rest of the day to be able to enjoy a portion of this bad boy!
I finally decided to try something for my shin problems and went ahead and ordered these medical heels cups
I took those baby out for a ride last Monday and I was able to run a whole mile, completely pain free!!! I was so overjoyed!
Unfortunately after that mile, I had to stop and take them out of my shoes because they started rubbing against my skin giving me blisters :( I do think it was my shoes fault that were too narrow on the heel part and my foot felt very crammed in it, but as soon as the blisters go away I plan to try them again with another pair of shoes I own that are a bit larger on the heels.
Today I'm gonna try and do my weight lifting (try is the key work as I developed a skin rush all over my arms that it's itching so badly and driving me crazy!) and I thought about this routine instead of the others one I posted a while ago, because I like to spice things up every once in a while so I don't get bored. Hope you enjoy it too!
Right know I'm using 4 lb dumbbells for these kind of exercises. I have another set of 10 lb that I hope to be able to switch to soon.
I know some of you were waiting for, so here you go.
I lost 1.5 lb BUT I think most of it has to do with the fact that I was sick with a stomach bug and unable to eat for 2 days straight. That's not the way I intend to loose weight!
Still, any loss is good, now I have to be strong and don't fall into the trap or rewarding myself with food so to regain it and some.
Speaking of food, I thought I'd share some recipes that I found on Pinterest that I tried and love. I hope you will too.
I know it's time for a weight update, but truth to be told, I don't wanna stress myself checking my weight every week and such like a chore, but I promise to keep an eye on it and to share.
Another area of my body that it's really bothering me is my thighs.....the fat and cellulite on it it's a massive quantity and I think it's also of my pear-shaped body type. I say this, because even when I was thinner, my legs are always been HUGE and I'm always been very self-conscious about them. After kids, even more so.
So, from all this, off I went in my quest for the best exercises for this part of my body when I stumbled upon this
I'm embarrassed to say that I've never hear of a inner thigh gap before and after a little bit of digging for info I realized with great mortification that it's because I NEVER had one.
I should have known! My legs weren't only huge and fat, but they were different from all the other women's out there! Seriously, I wasn't never able to enjoy a skirt or a nice pair of shorts because the skin between my thighs would create friction and HURT.LIKE.HELL!
I know, I know. TMI. But if you're out there and have been plagued with my same problem, trust me my dear, you're not alone!
Let's conquer that inner thighs gap together, shall we??
I know I have a looooooooooooong way to go, so only one set of exercises won't do it. So yesterday I entertained my thighs with the circuit above plus these:
And these
and these
And when I was all done I tried this
Of course I couldn't finish it all and now I cry every time I have to go to the bathroom.
But you get my point....I will conquer my inner thighs gap!!!! I WILL!!!!!!!!!
A couple of days ago I posted about my weight and my resolution in shredding some extra pounds and I was very pleased with the response I got from my post.
Among the encouragements and the pats on my shoulders, I also got some very good ideas and few questions.
My friend Krystal intelligently pointed out to take measurements of my body rather than focus only on my weight and I think that is a very smart idea.
Last time I took measurements was a year and a half ago, so I guess it was about time!
So here you go, brace yourself!
Bust: 38"
Waist: 33"
Hips: 43"
Thigh: 24"
Arm: 12"
I basically gained 2 full inches in my middle section from last time and it was enough to bump me a size up!
Grrrrrr.
Also, I got requests about what kind of exercise I do or plan to do, so I thought I'd share some here.
What I do every day is walking 10,000 step. I usually takes me about 45-60 minutes to do about 3 miles but I'm hoping to work my way up to 5 miles. For now I had to put a pin on running as I need very good running shoes that I can't afford and my shin splints are very painful. So, walking, power walking, is the best next thing. Now, the weather her it's been crazy raining and I do have 2 children to take care of, so I really have to cut my time out for it when hubby is home and it's not raining buckets. For the last week, I wasn't able to do it every day. Those are the times I wish I had a tread mill or an elliptical machine, so I can still get my cardio in, but it is what it is.
I also realized that even when I was fit and thin, I always had very weak arms, so weak that I was never good at doing push ups. I think in my best form, I was able to do 5 push ups. Pretty pathetic. Since I've been so lazy for so long, now it's even more pathetic.
But I started working my arms with weights (that's why I took my arm measurement too) and little bit at the time I introduced my self to this routine.
My idea here is not to get bulky, so I use 4 lb dumb bells. I'm able know to follow all the exercises except for the final push ups and I must confess that the leaning triceps extension make me cry all the time. But I bet if I do this routine once a week I will get there!
Also, there is this move that I do EVERY.SINGLE.DAY as soon as I wake up! It only take 30 seconds, it stretch my entire body and takes care of the "belly pouch". I've been seeing a big difference in my posture!
I also tried to join an abs challenge that consisted in 300 abs in 30 days.....I wasn't able to do even half of it that I felt too much pain, not to my abs as I was expecting, but to my back. Definitely not for me!!
I'm not trying to say that the exercises where some how faulty, I'm just trying to make a point that there are a lot of routine and work outs out there but there is no-size-fits-all. The right exercises for you depend a lot on your shape and what you body can stand and I realize that for my abs I need to start from the very basic before getting in some fancy routine. Baby steps.....
Next time, I will have more exercises to other body parts, those above are so far the things that I do and I've tried successfully!
Some of my followers might remember that I while ago I started a journey about losing some of my weight as a New year resolution.
For those that don't remember, here is that very first post, where I was complaining about being 140 lb.
After seven week, I was able to report a slow process that helped me loose 2 lb, read it HERE.
Then it happened that I had to move to another house, I started working and lots of other changes and suddenly my weight wasn't a priority anymore. I figured that I was being active and that I would get healthier and I stopped keeping track of my intake.
So, 1 year and half later, I'm 148 lb.
Nope, I'm no kidding.
See for yourself.
I feel very ashamed and also angry about it. I walked my kids to school every day and added another hour of walking, taken tap dance classes, introduced my self to running, swimming and weight lifting and drank all the water I could during the day.
But nonetheless, something went wrong somewhere.
I think the emotional roller coaster of Gabriel school situation played a role in my emotional eating, but I'm no kidding my self, this is not excuse.
Yes, I did put on some muscles on arms and legs, but the middle part of my body it's another story and it comes only and purely from eating.
Here you go, I present you my belly rolls and my fat ass
I took and posted these pictures just as a motivation for an "after" better looking ones
(But I also wanted to show off my totally cool purple sport bra lol)
It's time for some crunches and I'd love to post daily a list of exercise that I'm taking in the hope that someone out there is willing to share the burdens and joy of this journey with me while I reach my goal of 130 lb (BMI=24.6)
