YAY MUSCLE!

Boy have I been all over the place in the last week since I last posted. Not physically just mentally. When I am down, I am down and when I am up I am up! Last week was pretty rough for me. Lots of junk food. Lots of late night eating. Even a few drinks, which is not typical for me. I am usually just a social drinker and I do believe there was one night I had 7up and grape pucker for supper!!!! Opps :)

Two weeks ago on my Facebook page I started a weekly challenge. Week one was to drink water. Not pop, soda, crystal light or mio, just plain old water. This really worked for me! I have not had crystal light since Sunday June 2! This is magnificent since I usually drink anywhere from 5-15 packets per day! I always thought I was better off to have the low calorie drink and deal with the consequences of the artificial sweeteners. Deep down, not sure if I believed all the hype about artificial sweeteners. However; I do what to share this. It is said that artificial sweeteners increase cravings and still cause an insulin spike even though they are no/low calorie and not real sugar. What can I tell you has happened the last 10 days? I have not had severely intense cravings like I normally do. I actually feel like I am in control of my food! Wow is it really that easy? No it is not easy. This journey is never easy but some days are better than others and eliminating the drink mixes has helped make it less of a struggle! Why did I not try that a LONG time ago!!

When ever I am feeling in control I tend to revisit my goals and set some crazy new goal that I never reach because I lose the control after one or two days. But I did this again yesterday. I talked with someone I used to weigh in with once a week (sending a text of a picture of my feet on the scale) and I asked if I could start weighing again. I have not done this for a few months now. I got very frustrated seeing everyone else's success but not my own. Yes, I was jealous. But I am over that now and am moving on with myself. I gained back a few and am losing them again. I had been down to 205 but then right back up as high as 218. This is what I saw yesterday. My weigh in day is now Wednesday. I am not sure why but I think I will like that better than Mondays.


210.0 Very poor picture



And this is the chart I made. It has every Wednesday on it from now through August with a column for weight, # lost and next weeks goal.

 

I decided to start tracking it this way again because when I step on every morning, no I don't practice what I preach, and see a .5 loss or 1.0 gain it seems like I am going nowhere but to see a cumulative one week will help. I also set a goal for the next week. I cought myself looking months out and setting huge goals! I always do this too and it's not feasible let alone an awful mind game to play with yourself. So I have weekly goals to reach my next mile stone goal. I realized last week that my birthday is coming. I AM GOING TO BE 30 in only 2 months! My goal between now and then is 21 pounds. I want to see 189 by August 11. I think I have got this. So I will report back on next Wednesday to see where I am at.

On another note, why you should exercise. What you eat determines the number on the scale, how you exercise determines your body type.
All the women in this photo are 150 pounds. Which body would you rather have?? The one that exercises?

That's my choice, the far right!! That is an awesome goal and it takes time to get there, lots of time to build muscle. This does not happen over night and takes consistency day in and day out. So anyway where I was going with this is yesterday I was in my bosses office and she says, "have you lots more weight?" I said "Well, no, lol." She then replies with "I think you look like you have, I think you look better now then when you first lost all your weight."

This was not meant to be offensive, you just have to know my boss. Point being that I may still weigh the nearly the same as I did 6 months ago but I have worked out differently and I am building muscle. Muscle is smaller than fat and looks better, even though it weighs more!

Yay muscle!!!

I'll end with this!

 

 

You got this!

Happy Monday! I am glad to see it come! I always stay on track so much better during the week. I have big plans for June!

  Ok I started that last night on my phone but it was dumb and I couldn't type. So here's to finish the rest. I love Mondays. Most people hate Monday's but it means I am getting back to routine. I am feeling very confident the last two days. The weekend started off great! I ran the Dam to Dam 5k Saturday morning, taking 4:30 off my last 5k time. Success! But the best part was that my sister came along. She has been on the weight loss wagon for a while now also and this was her first race ever! Last week her running partner backed out and she almost did too. But I told her if she died I knew CPR and if she passed out I would carry her across the finish line. No matter what she would make it!! And she did!!! After I finished my running partner and I went back to find her and ran with her to the finish line. I promised she would make and I was going to make sure. I think the best thing I heard that day was "That was so much more fun than I thought it would be!"


Allie and I before the race.



The three of us after the race and no body died or had to be carried!!!

After the race I was wiped out. I did some things around the house and it really wasn't an eventful day. Sunday I was still tired. I was up at 6:30ish and was napping by 8:30. I never nap let alone early in the morning. It was a housekeeping day. I took another nap in the afternoon and when I woke up I was having to urge to bake. I NEVER BAKE!! Why?? Because I eat it all!!! So yes my Sunday ended with a belly that felt pregnant, I was miserable! But I woke up Monday with a new outlook. I am ready to beat the 200's. June is the month! I am still doing kickboxing every morning, might I add I had to flex in the mirror this morning and these guns are getting bigger!!! But I have decided to add a little more. I had been seeking out a trainer and hadn't had much luck. Either it was insane money or not enough contact to make it worth the time, ect. So I decided, I am a Personal Trainer, I know how to exercise. I wrote my own program. It mainly focus's on lower body and cardio. I have plenty of upper body at Fitboxing and the lower is where I feel I lack. Today is day one!!! I am actually supper excited to get out of bed in the morning and grunt and groan when I try to walk!!! Sick, I know, but I am excited! Now I am really praying this rain stays away long enough to get 4 miles in at the lake before I head to the gym. I haven't been excited to run for a long time! It felt like a chore! But now I see that I have until October to be ready for the half marathon and I have some time goals in my head that will not happen unless I get out there and start running! I bought a sticker for the car on Friday night and it says "13.1 Because I am only half crazy!" I can officially say today I am beginning training for my fourth half marathon!!! Wheww! In high school my peers would have laughed if they heard me say I would ever do one, let alone 4!!!

One of the sayings I have said over and over and over to myself and many others is "You've got this!" I actually am considering having it tattooed on my wrist so I can see it when I am feeling doubtfull.  This morning I saw this on Pfitblog and it couldn't have hit home at a better time.

 

YOU GOT THIS!! Don't let the rainy day hold you back! Get out there and enjoy it for what it is!!

HAPPY TUESDAY!

 

I am tired...

I am tired. I am tired of working on our house. I am tired of being stressed all the time about having to get this done and having to get that done. I am tired of not having enough time in the day to do all I need to do. I am tired of having a relationship with my family that consists of "hi honey, how was your day? Oh that's great now lets get this room painted, we have to put this tile here, we have to clean this spot so we can move these things there so we can put this up, go sand this, need to stain that oh did I mention I am out of clean clothes when are you going to do laundry?: And it goes on and on!I am tired. Maybe because I don't have enough time in the day to get everything done and I spend later in the evening trying to get it done when I should be going to bed. I am a creature of habit. and this creature needs sleep!!! 7 hours is ideal! 4-6 hours is kicking my ass! I have felt like poo all week! You would think one would have caught up over the holiday weekend but all we did was work! We did go order our new furniture but aside from that couple hours it was work, work, work!

Among all the time I was working on things this weekend I did a lot of thinking. I do that a lot any more. Thinking about my goals and where I am at in relation to them. Before I start, Yes I feel the scale is important. With that being said. I do want the number to go down but does it matter what that number says if you look good??? Really? If you like how you look and your healthy and happy then what does that number have to do with anything?? So I am changing focus. Yes I will still weigh daily because I am an addict. I have a scale addiction. I am however turning my focus to performing the actions it takes to get the look I am trying to achieve. What does this mean??? Well I have a 5k Saturday morning and I will begin this new routine on Sunday. I have arranged for Grandma time for Trenton a couple times a week so I can get in a short run. By short I mean 2-4 miles and then a strength training routine. I have spent time learning and following some trainers, fitness models and body builders. I have learned from them and put together my own strength routine. Ideally I will follow this routine at least through the summer and see what happens. How will I judge my success?? Through pictures. If the picture is changing then I am changing which means it is working! So we shall see, however; I do have some positive vibes about this!!

I have looked a lot at my food choices for the last couple of years. Binges aside I eat a very low carb diet. These are my trigger foods so I tend to stay away. However; I am a raging, hormonal, unhappy, snappy, crabby bitch! This is like a body builder on steroids attitude. IT MUST GO! This does not mean it is a free for all. I am learning how to introduce healthy carbs again in moderation. I love things like sweet potatoes and squash that are good for you foods and will get my carbs that way and not in white potatoes and pasta. I do have a more detailed plan than this but I am not going to type it all out. If your interested you will ask.

Any way I better get moving. I have a lot of work to accomplish today before I run out of day! Have a magnificent day and remember "You've got this"

Cassie

5 miles to clarity

Wow LONG TIME NO BLOG!!! I have been suppppper swamped at work and have found no time to spit out a blog. It's funny how life happens sometimes but that is where we just have to learn to make the lifestyle we want fit in the life we have. It can be done! There are always things in the way we just have to find a way to work around them.

You have to do it yourself!

 I have started running more again. I forgot how hard running can be. When you become a regular runner and are conditioned you forget how hard it really is and when you add distance it is just another mile. I did not run much all winter and am TRYING to get back into a routine. I have been out for a couple 2-3 milers the last few weeks and then Monday one of my former training clients wanted to get to her furthest run. The longest before was 4.7 and she wanted to make it to 5 miles. Oh I just knew I was going to die but I was up to give it a shot. Already having sore glutes and hamstrings from kickboxing that morning I was in for a beating. My comment to her after we finished was..."I hated you at mile 2 and 3 and 4 and 4.5 and 4.7 but we made it to 5. I will hate you even more in the morning but don't take it personally, the feelings will pass, lol. Thanks for the push." I really was ready to walk at mile 2, but I couldn't quit yet. Mile 3 really struggling but knew my second wind would be coming, keep pushing. Mile 3.2 I get a text that my grandma was admitted to the hospital with chest pain. Heart sunk, I wanted to quit NOW. I needed to find out what was going on!!! Maybe it was selfish of me but what came out of my mouth when it opened was "We have to finish this!" With several pauses to catch a breath in between words I explained to Taycey what I just read on my phone. With tears of fear, tears of courage, tears of confidence, tears of worry, tears of the unknown I finished that 5 miles. It was not easy. It was down right torture. But why do I do this? Yes, it's to lose weight and become a more fit person but what does that do???? What that does is ensure I am here just a little bit longer with my family. It increases the chances that I will not suffer from high blood pressure. It increases the chances that I will not suffer from high cholesterol. It increases the chances I won't have a stroke, I won't have a heart attack, I won't be diabetic, I won't have apnea, I won't lose the feeling in my legs, better yet I won't lose a leg. I am not saying that any of this can not happen anyway but I am going to do my damndest to ensure that I have done everything in my power to not contribute to these things. So that I can spend my life the highest quality and with those that I love and care about for as long as I have.  Yes a person is predisposed to certain things because of genetics, however all those genetics that have been passed down are often the lifestyle that caused them. I refuse to be able to let a Dr tell me that something is wrong with me and it is my fault!



What I looked like when she said 5 miles!!! LMAO!!

Next week I have to weigh in for the diet bet that I joined on line. I honestly have no idea where I am at. The batterey in my scale is on the fritz and it gave me several different readings ranging within 7 pounds. I'll just have to stay off until I get a new battery. I am really focusing on not eating a late supper. That always kills my results. I love when I can go to bed and my stomach is starting to get a little hungry. I get a big drink of water and to bed I go, knowing my body is doing it's thing and I am not inhibiting its process with food.

JUST A YUMMY!!

A look back at blog #1

So I was revisiting some old blogs today and I want to share them with you again. It was a good reminder for me. Well Hello! You must be just as bored as I was when I wrote this blog if you are now reading it,lol. Ok just kidding,but not really because that is how this blog idea was started, I...get...bored. So with a little encouragement I have decided to blog. About what?? Well health,fitness,my weight loss,the dumb cotton wood tree in the back yard that covers my yard in white fuzz every spring,exercise,my family,what EVER it is that I feel I need to talk about on a given day. On a more serious note I am also using this as an accountability tool to finish a journey I started in January of 2009. At that time I was 346 pounnds and very unhealth. I decided I needed to make a change,not like I hadn't ever made this attempt before but for some reason I was actually going somewhere with it this time. With strictly diet,exercise and learning about food and my body I began to lose weight. I was down a total of 140 pounds (206) in October of 2011,I maintained this for some time and then for the 3rd time I quit smoking and gained back 20 pounds. Currently yes I am at 226 with the desire to be at 170 before Christmas. So it is time to finish what I started and help others along the way. Yes sometimes I can be a little blunt,a little offensive,a little too loud and even a little quiet but I will promise you this...I will be honest,I will give 100% and I will do my best to help ANYONE that has the courage to reach out and ask. So wiggle yourself into the sports bra (the tighter it is the tighter it holds them puppies),no I'm not really southeren and I know that was bad grammer but it sounded like the right thing to say,pull up the spandex(again the tighter it is the better job it does at keeping the thighs from clapping and the obscene farting noises that sneak out from your flopping belly,no your not the only one that this happens to and yes I know from experience,if you see me working out it is in my tight pants and I sure as heck don't look like J-lo from the back side...yet;) and lace up those sneakers! Tomorrow is a new day and I have nailed diet and exercise this week,My goal for tomorrow is to maintain that,one day at a time 1500-1700 calories and 60 minutes of sweat!

What if not???

Yesterday was still a down in the dumps kind of day. I did not turn to food to fix it. That in itself is a success! But I did do a lot of evaluation and looking at my patterns, what I do, why I do it, why I keep doing what I am doing kind of things. I had a good texting conversation with someone who has been a support to me since shortly after my journey started. I was first reminded that the scale does not determine everything and to not only look at where I am at but where I have come from and what has been accomplished. I often forget where I've come from, what I've been through and how it's changed and is turning out. This journey is not over. Nor will it ever be. Goals are ever changing and will continue to change. I want to share this video. What really caught my attention was the way his body changed towards the end and the number on the scale that went with the pictures. His body went through tremendous changes and yet only a few pound difference.

http://youtu.be/ZrasQOojFyo  Please go watch this video! The man who never gave up. I don't have will power, I am will power!!

You can not doubt yourself, you must believe. Believe when it is beyond reason to believe!

In my evaluation of myself, amongst all the tears, I realized something. I am not pushing myself like I could be. Yesterday morning I was doing kettle bell swings with a 15 pound kettle bell. 15 POUNDS!!!???? Cassie, WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? WAISTING TIME???? I should be doing these with 40 or even 50 pounds!! Why are you not challenging yourself? Why are you not doing what you are capable of?? The answer I came up with. I don't want people to see me struggle. I don't want people to see me not able to complete something. So I use a lesser weight to be able to make it through the time. What am I afraid of? What would happen if I did use the heavier weight? What would happen if I didn't have the 2 Casey's cookies at night? What would happen if I did get enough veggies daily? What would happen if I continue to challenge myself day in and day out? What would happen if our outings and get togethers didn't revolve around food? What would happen if????

Well what would happen is I would see myself as a success. What's wrong with that? Why would you stop that? Why would you interfere with your own success? Why would you self sabotage? Fear? Well maybe. The fear of being successful...if brings about all these what if's. What if it's not enough? WHat if I look worse than I do now(because I already have skin issues). What if people expect more out of me than I can give? What if I can't maintain it and become another statistic? What if? What if? What if? This is when I was asked, What if not?????


What if not??? What if I continue to spend more time worried about all the what if's that I never even get the chance to see if I had anything to worry about to begin with? Why waste all this time worrying and not just doing? I know that there will be some days easier than others but today and from this day forward I will do my best to continue putting one foot in front of the other. I will challenge myself in my workouts. I will feed my body the food that it needs, not what it wants. I will continue to work towards my goals and when one is met I will set another and then another and yet again another. That is the way this works. No more what if's. From now on, what if not??









As long as your willing to fight the struggle you can have what ever it is you want! This journey is not about food, it's the emotion that causes your behaviors and how you deal with emotion. All this time I thought I had dealt with all the deep down demons inside. Woooohaa was I wrong! There is ever surfacing new emotions. New struggles, new tasks and new stressors. It is all a matter of how you handle them.


This is my notebook of goals for the day. I accomplished them all except the water. Lordy that is a lot of water!! But I was close!!

Weekend travels and feeling of a failure

So I am feeling a little of a failure today. There is so much I could have done in the last month and well, quite frankly I just haven't. I could try to pull out all these excuses but they are just excuses. I could have lost more weight, I could have run more, I could have used a little heavier weight, and I definitely could have eaten much better. I am feeling a little overwhelmed because of all of this. And that is just what I do, I act and then regret it later. So I am not going to fret about the scale for a couple weeks. I am just going to get myself back on track in all aspects. I'll post goals at the end of the blog.

This just made me laugh!!!!

 So this weekend was a good one! I drove out to Michigan to my mom's and it was a much needed visit. However I quickly remembered why I usually drive out at night. My 5 year old did not sleep a wink of the 8 hour drive out or back! He started asking "how many towns left mom?" when we were only on the road for 15 minutes! Thank goodness for the dvd player in the back seat! However because he was watching movies I didn't have a radio!!! That was the longest drive with just Disney in the background and no other adult to visit with!! I think my husband was a little irritated that I kept calling him because he was trying to get work done and I was just bored!!

Here is a picture of Trent on the ice after Grandpa Shawn's hockey game! They one the championship game and Trenton really enjoyed watching!

Me, Trent and my youngest sister Kelsey out to supper Saturday night!

So now that the week is starting over and it is back to the grind. I was up this morning and went to kickboxing, skipping the scale today and will catch up with it next week. What it says doesn't matter, what matters is what I do.  I saw on a page I follow this morning, Monika Mazur-Trainer & Competitor... "You don't need an audience, magical fairy dust, nor support of the entire world. If you truly want to change your life, you'll do it. All alone. When nobody's watching. Remember, champions aren't made on stage."
This is what I needed to hear today. It doesn't matter what is going on in the outside world. I have to do this, only me, no one else. Yes this will be a tough week. My husband is going to be at classes for work so I will have to try to get to the evening Fitboxing class, Trent has t-ball tues/thurs and church on wed. I'll figure it out!

But I have decided there are no scale goals this week. My goals are the basics that make me successful.

1. 160 ounces of water per day and I will be tallying. I don't usually track this but this week I will. That is 10 of my 16 ounce cup that I carry around with me.

2. Fruit with breakfast and a veggie with lunch and supper(My servings of veggies are usually 2-3 servings)

3. No eating after 7:00 at night.

4. Make it to 4 classes and one run this week, ideally 5 classes and 2 runs

5. I WILL NOT FEEL LIKE A FAILURE ON MONDAY!