March Challenge - Week 1 Update

Hello and happy Monday!!





So here's an update on how I did for week 1.

This was my plan:

Monday: 1.5 mile walk
Tuesday: Shred with Weights (Level 2)
Wednesday: Six Week to a Six Pack (Level 2)
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: Shred with Weights (Level 1)
Saturday: Killer Buns & Thighs (Level 2)
Sunday: Rest Day

And here's what I actually did:

Monday: 1.5 mile walk
Tuesday: Shred with Weights (Level 2)
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday: Ripped in 30
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday: Cleaned my house, so half a rest day
Sunday: Ripped in 30

So I didn't follow my plan exactly, and I wish I'd gotten one more workout in there, but as long as I did something, I never beat myself up too much. I just had things come up, and had to switch my schedule around. It happens, and that's the biggest thing I have learned is that I have to be flexible and find the time where I can.

In regards to food, I did okay last week. I broke down, and I had a single hard taco from Taco Bell on Saturday. I haven't had Taco Bell in MONTHS, and I could not get it out of my head last week. So I finally gave in, and I had one. Just one single taco supreme, and that is all. Lol - food is such a nemesis, and occasionally it wins. But it's getting easier to fight those random cravings, and so I don't feel bad on the rare occasion that I give in.

So this week, here's my plan.

Monday: Killer Buns & Thighs (Level 1) - DONE
Tuesday: Rest day - I have a dentist appt and there is NO way I am going to feel like working out after
Wednesday: Killer Buns & Thighs (Level 2) (Oh yes Jenn - we are stepping it up to level 2!! ;))
Thursday: Shred with Weights (Level 1)
Friday: Ripped in 30 (Level 3)
Saturday: Rest Day - aka Denim and Diamonds Girl's Night Out!!!!
Sunday: Rest Day - I plan to be severely hungover on this day, and don't plan to leave the couch....and maybe not even my bed....all day!! Or at least until Colton gets home ;)

For food, I have my lunches set for the week, and I am closely monitoring my calories each day. Today, WITH exercise, I came in 122 calories under my goal. Otherwise I would been a little over. Food is an area where I can always make improvements!!

I am to going to retake my measurements until the end of next week. I know there won't be much of a difference yet this week. So I would rather wait until I know I will be able to see a difference. It is muchmore motivating for me that way.

So where are you this week? How did you do last week? What kind of workouts do you do?

Have a great week!!!

Are you up for a little challenge?

I am! I have been looking for a little motivation to get me going full speed again, as I definitely slacked a bit lot in February.

But I have some things coming up that I want to be in awesome shape for, and so I am refocusing my energies this week and picturing how I want to look and feel.

Asking my friends and family for a little competition sounds like something that will help motivate all of us.



The writer of a a blog that I follow called Mama Laughlin (who is AWESOME, and you should be reading her posts too) has been focusing on getting her arms to look like Jillian Michaels' arms by summer. And that is something I would LOVE to accomplish as well. The Jillian Arms by Summer Challenge :)

So here's the challenge:

For the next month, commit to working out for at least 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week.

I am going to post my starting measurements below. I don't really like measuring my progress in pounds, because my weight can fluctuate, but the way my clothes fit tells the real story. So I measure inches, and that is how I celebrate my losses.

My Workouts:

I rotate through various Jillian Michaels DVD's. Each workout is between 28 - 40 minutes, and for almost all of them all you need is a set of hand weights. Today I did Shred With Weights, which does use a kettlebell, but you can also use hand weights.

The other ones I use are:

Ripped in 30
Six Weeks to a Six Pack
Killer Buns & Thighs

I just got No More Trouble Zones, but this one is almost an hour so I don't know how often I will rotate it in. I like that I only have to do this for 40 minutes or less, and I see AMAZING results. You just have to commit to trying to do the whole thing. There is always a beginner move for each circuit, and even if that's what you need to do, don't stop moving.

What Can You Do?
ANYTHING!! You can get where you want to go, you just have to start.

I suggest starting with Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. All three levels are on YouTube, and you don't have to buy anything. You WILL see results if you do this workout 5 days a week for 30 Days. Do each level for a week, and take your measurements after two weeks.

Also - Pinterest is amazing when it comes to ideas on workouts, and especially at home workouts. Find things you can commit to for 30 minutes a day. I will be sweating right along side you in spirit and support!!

In regards to my diet:
I don't eat fast food.
I don't drink regular pop.
I try to eat as well as I can, and I definitely watch portion control.
I use My Fitness Pal to track my calories every day, and I try to stay under 1400. My user name is lmpringle if you want to friend me on there.

I also have meals where I eat whatever I want. This is important. Do not psyche yourself into thinking you want everything because you've told yourself you can't have anything. If I want something that I shouldn't eat, I wait two days. If I still want it, I eat it.

Oh, and also - you do HAVE to eat. Your body will not lose weight if you deprive it of energy and fuel. Find things you like, and eat them!!

So here are my current measurements (in inches):

Waist: 31
Hips: 38.5
Right thigh: 21
Left thigh: 21
Right arm: 11
Left arm: 11
And just for fun, and because I can...haha ;)
Bust: 39

My weight today was 162.2. So not happy with that, but.....I know what I've been eating the last few days, and I'm not surprised by it.

So this week:

Monday: 1.5 mile walk
Tuesday: Shred with Weights (Level 2)
Wednesday: Six Week to a Six Pack (Level 2)
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: Shred with Weights (Level 1)
Saturday: Killer Buns & Thighs (Level 2)
Sunday: Rest Day

I also walk with my coworkers at lunch time. Not sure how far we walk in distance each day, but I will track that starting tomorrow.

I am also going to try and drink a gallon of water a day. I doubt I will get there each day, but I'm going to try. It's getting warmer and I need to hydrate to keep up with all the cardio I'll be doing :)

That's my plan for the week.

Now, who's with me?! You don't have to post your measurements or weight, but I do encourage you to at least write them down for yourself. For me, that has been the fastest way to see real results, and that's why I do it.

What I Want in the Next 30 Days:

I want to lose at least 10lbs.
I want to lose at least 1 inch from my waist.
I want to lose at least a half inch from each of my thighs, and each of my arms.

I will commit to blogging at least three times a week and keep you updated on my progress, and I REALLY want to hear about yours.

So - are you in?!

New Year, New Life

So we are seven days into 2013. This year a lot of things are going to change for me, and I am going to share some of them with you today.

- I am going to lose the rest of the weight and reach my goal weight of 135 lbs. As of today I am halfway to that goal - I have lost 35lbs, and I currently weigh 165lbs. It hasn't been easy getting here, but I have seen serious results and I am wearing clothes I haven't worn in years, so that is giving me more motivation to continue pushing myself. My mini goals are to be a size 8 by February, and a size 4 by my birthday in June. I can do it, and I am very proud of myself for getting as far as I have already.

- I am going to finish my Master's degree. I have one more class. Just one. But it's the hardest one of all, and I have to do a huge research project that is going to take up a lot of my time. I will probably start the class sometime in March. There are two graduation ceremonies in Phoenix this year, and I plan to walk across the stage at one of them. The second ceremony is on my birthday, and would be a perfect occasion to buy myself a brand new size 4 dress ;)

- Mike and I are getting a divorce.

So there it is. Typed out, in words that are real. At first I typed up a whole different blog about this. It was angry, mad, mean, bitter, sad, and all the things that led up to this decision in the first place. So I wrote it all out in all its angry glory.....and then I waited several days, deleted it, and started over with this post.

This isn't the kind of thing you announce in a Facebook status update. And I honestly don't know if this is the right way to tell people either. But it's going to get out, more people know now, and I want my friends and family to know that I am ok.

Divorce is not an easy decision for anyone. It certainly wasn't the decision I wanted us to have to make. We just had a baby, and I always wanted my children to grow up with both parents. The good news is that Colton will have both of his parents in his life. The bad news is that we just won't be married.

There are a lot of reasons that this is what is happening. Reasons that I don't fully understand, and can't explain to you today. I can't tell you how we became broken, but we are. Neither one of us is happy, and we can't continue on the way we've been. I am thankful that if this is what we have to do, Colton is young enough that hopefully this will have a minimal effect on his life, and he will always know that both of his parents love him more than anything.

I am going to be okay. I have done a lot of soul searching in the last two weeks, and the one thing I know for sure is that I am going to be okay. I have an amazing little boy who makes me smile, and who is my entire world. I have a million things in my life that are positive, and that are happy, and that will get me through whatever path is in front of me.

I am scared, I am nervous. I know that it's going to be hard. I'm going to have good days and bad days. But I have to believe that things happen for a reason. I know that I will make it through this. And someday I will find the person I am meant to be with, and all of this will make sense.

So how can you help me?? Cause that's what people ask in this situation: What do you need? How can I help? Are you okay?

What I need is support. There's plenty of blame to go around on both sides of every story, and this one is no exception. We’ve been going through this for a while, and there’s a reason you haven’t read about it on Facebook – because that’s not who we are, and that’s not who I am. I’m not looking for drama, and for Colton’s sake, I want this to go as smoothly as possible. There is no reason to take sides, or have to choose between us. I’m not giving up ANY of you as my friends or family, no matter what. The only reason I’m writing about it publicly now is that I need to get past the ‘telling’ of the story so that I can start to heal and move on.

How can you help me? Keep me busy! Text me, call me, come visit me, send me a message on Facebook. It’s going to be a tough transition for to not have Colton with me all the time, so on my off weekends, I need stuff to do! The one thing I know about myself, and that has gotten a little lost in the last few years – I am a people person. I love being with people. And I am going to spend the next few months focusing on reconnecting with everyone I love.

Am I okay? I am. I wasn’t. But I am now. I know my flaws, and I know my strengths. And I know that I am a good person who deserves more than what we’ve both been settling for. And one day, I will find it. This is my opportunity to make positive changes in my life so that I can create my own happiness, and I am not going to waste it.

So….that’s it. That’s where I’m at, and now you know. I have a big year ahead of me, and I have a lot to be thankful for and a lot to look forward to. And that's what I am doing from this moment on: Looking Forward.

You know what I'm looking forward to?

I'm looking forward to the day when I can fit into the little blue dress that's been hanging in my closet for as long as I can remember. The one I bought when I was 19.

I'm looking forward to the morning my alarm goes off for work and I'm excited to get up and get ready and do my hair and put on makeup. Because I feel good about the way I'm going to look that day.

I'm looking forward to the day that I can go shopping in any store and see the cute little dress hanging on a rack and know that when I try it on, in whatever size that may be, it's going to fit.

I'm looking forward to the day when I can wear a pair of single-digit-sized jeans. (Maybe January?! I'm trying!!)

I'm looking forward to the day that I run into someone from high school that I haven't seen in a while, and they say 'wow you haven't changed at all'

I'm looking forward to the day when I want to wear a bathing suit

I'm looking forward to the day that I see my collarbone again. Hey there friend!

I'm looking forward to asking someone if they've bought their tickets to the gun show

I am looking forward to beating Just Dance Country on the Wii

I'm looking forward to the days when I can buy cute bras at Victoria's Secret again. And let's be honest - not just bras. ;)

I'm looking forward to the first time I climb Camelback Mountain. Literally the first time - I have never climbed that mountain in all the years I've lived here

I'm looking forward to NO muffin tops.

I'm looking forward to wearing shorts.

I'm looking forward to wearing all of the cute necklaces I have.

I'm looking forward to being a MILF. ;)

I'm looking forward to smiling with my eyes.

I'm looking forward to insisting on more.

I'm looking forward to believing that I'm worthy of the things I want.

Most of all I'm looking forward to hope.

I'm looking forward to feeling hopeful, instead of hopeless.

What day is it again?

So technically it's day 23. But due to me being sick, and then Colton being sick, and then Thanksgiving.... Today was workout 12 ;)

I have switched to the Level Two workout. I love it!! It is a lot of core work, doing different plank moves, and a lot of lunges. Usually I hate lunges, and I am certainly not loving these. However, I took my measurements again today, and suddenly I'm feeling a lot more affection for them.

Here is where I am after 12 workouts over 23 days:

Waist - 34.75 (-1.75 inch loss)
Hips - 40.75 (-1 inch loss)
Left Arm - 12 (-.5 inch loss)
Right Arm - 12 (-.5 inch loss)
Left thigh - 23.5 (-1 inch loss)
Right thigh - 23.5 (-1 inch loss)

That's a total of 5.75 inches lost. Which may not seem like all that much, but the 'where' is what is important. I have lost almost 2 inches off my waist!!! That is amazing!!!

I really needed that kind of motivation today.

I saw this picture yesterday, and I loved it. I have it as the background for my phone now, just to give a reminder of what I'm doing.

I have had some rough days in the last two weeks. I have had to remind myself that I am doing this for ME, and that no matter what else happens in my day or week...or life - my weight loss goals are about how I feel about me. No one else can lose the weight. No one else can do the work for me. No one else can make this happen except me.

And at the end of every day, I'm the one who has to look in the mirror and know whether I did my best or not. Things are going to happen that I have no control over. But did I commit 100% to everything I do have control over?

If I did, then to hell with everything else. Cause when it's all said and done, I'll be wherever it is I am meant to be. And at least I'll feel good about me.

How I Got Here - Part Two

So we've talked about the food, and how that factored into my weight gain. Getting a handle on that area of my life was my first step.

Then, I had to look at the other reasons I had gained so much weight.

I got lazy. It was easy to come home every day, snack on candy, and watch tv all night long. Who wants to work out when they get home from work?

But then.....my pants wouldn't fit. My shirts didn't quite cover what they used to. I had to go buy new clothes. And the sizes I thought I should be trying on....didn't even fit up over my thighs. Want to talk about the definition of heartbreak?

And so I wore what did fit. We all know what that is. Sweatpants. Pajamas. Tshirts. Nothing tight, nothing cute. Nothing worth getting dressed up and going out about.

So when you're wearing those types of clothes, other things start to go too. It's easy to wear your hair in a bun every day. Makeup? Who needs that - you're wearing blah clothes, and a bun. You don't want anyone REALLY looking at you anyways.

Manicures, pedicures....no reason for that when there's nothing else going on.

I have a stand up jewelry box with tons of earrings and necklaces that are super cute. But who wants to wear a necklace and draw attention to the fat around your face and neck?

I lost myself along the way. Because when you don't want anyone looking at you....you stop looking at yourself too. The depression you feel from being overweight makes it easier to justify sleeping instead of getting up twenty minutes earlier to blow dry and curl my hair. Cause remember - you have to look in a mirror to blow dry and curl hair, and put on makeup.

And for the past couple years, I have avoided mirrors like it was my job. If I didn't see it...the weight didn't exist, right??? Wrong.

Being at this weight has changed who I am. It's changed my personality, my attitude, my overall outlook on life. I USED TO BE A SUPER FUN GIRL. I could find something fun in any situation. Being overweight changed that about me. It has made me angry. Angry at myself for getting to this point, angry at myself for not being stronger sooner.

And that anger changes my reactions and reasoning to other areas of my life. It changes my interactions with my family and friends. It changes my general everyday outlook on life. When you dont want anyone looking at you, you stop looking at the people in your life too. I HATE that the weight has changed me. I don't like this girl. I don't like feeling the way I have been feeling for far too long.

I know that the girl I was still exists. I know that she is just waiting for me to find her again. I miss that girl. And so I am on a mission to find her. It took me a while to get on the right path, but I am on it now, and nothing is going to keep me from getting back to where I need to be.

How Did I Get Here? And how the heck do I get back?

This is going to be a long post. Sorry for that upfront, but this is a question that isn't a quick answer.

How did I get here? That is a question I ask myself a lot. And I know the the answer is more than a simple sentence that can solve everything quickly.

And I know what some of my family and friends will say - You had a baby.

Yeah, I did. But if I'm being honest....and honestly, what's the point of writing all of this if I'm not?!....honestly - I was WAY overweight before I ever got pregnant. When I got pregnant, my doctor said - "I don't want you to gain more than 20lbs".

You know it's bad when a doctor tells a pregnant woman not to gain weight.

And those same friends and family will say very sweet, very well-intentioned things like, "You didn't look like you weighed 200 lbs". And I love all of you for trying so hard to make me feel better, and for reminding me to focus on the positives.

But....I did. I did weigh that. I did look like I weighed that. I'm 5 foot tall. The only positive thing about being 200 lbs and 5 ft tall is that I was positive I was going to feel like crap about myself every day.

I want to kick my own ass for getting to this weight, and not doing anything about it before this. Which, technically, I guess I am kicking my own ass now that I'm working out on a regular basis.

So how did it happen? It's vital that I understand the reasons why so that I can recognize and avoid them in the future. I've been thinking about this for a long time, and I can recognize several steps that led me to those 200lbs.

The first thing that comes to mind is that my husband is an AMAZING cook. He is. If you've ever eaten his food, then you know it's true. But - the real problem is NOT that he's an amazing cook - that's a good thing.

The problem is that I didn't have a shred of willpower when it came to portion control. So he would cook this amazing food, and then I'd eat enough for three people. It was just so good. That was the first big hurdle I had to overcome - portion control. And Mike was awesome about changing the food we were eating to make it more healthy. When I finally started being serious about it, he started finding new vegetables to cook, and new recipes to try that were healthy and different. And we started cooking less food at each meal. If there was only enough for each of us, there was no need to keep eating. I can't eat what isn't there.

Which brings me to the next issue. We ALWAYS had candy and sweets in the house. And pop. Mt Dew, Coke, whatever, I'd drink it. So we stopped buying those types of things. One day I went through our pantry and I literally threw away anything and everything that was bad snacks. No more Reese's cups in the fridge. No more Starburst in bags. Again, I can't eat what isn't there.

After a while, the cravings for those sweets went away. I'm not saying I don't occasionally want chocolate, and there are definitely days that I HAVE to have a Mt Dew. The difference is that I have ONE. On one day. And then I drink water. I don't drink a twelve pack in two days. And we have found that there are snacks out there that are actually very sweet, and they fix the craving for under 100 calories. Special K pastry crisps are one of my FAVORITE things now. They have Strawberry, Blueberry, Brown Sugar...and....CHOCOLATE. Which might be my favorite snack ever.

We used to eat McDonald's about once a week. And throw in at least one night of Venezia's pizza, and then usually one other night where we'd get Burger King/Taco Bell/Filiberto's/Jack in the Box or some other version of one of those. I never gave any thought to how many calories I was eating in one meal at one of those places.

At McDonald's my order was always the same:
Big Mac Value Meal with Large Fries and Large Coke, and also a 10 piece chicken nugget. And I would eat it ALL. Do you know how many calories that is?

1670 calories.

That is more calories in one meal than I eat in an entire day now. Ugh. That seriously grosses me out just typing that.

What makes me feel better is that I honestly don't remember the last time I had McDonald's. Or Burger King. Or really, any fast food of any kind. I know that it's been at least since August, when I remember having the Doritos Taco from Taco Bell one night because I had seen the commercial so many times, and I REALLY wanted to try that. So I did. And then the next meal I was back on track.

I eat a LOT of fish now. I have tuna for lunch at least twice a week. I eat a lot of Smart Ones, and Lean Cuisine, and when I eat at restaurants, I focus more on the protein of the meal I choose, instead of eating the sides first. Mmmmm....mashed potatoes. I am a sucker for potatoes. And so I don't allow myself to order them unless I also order the veggie, and I will only eat the mashed potatoes if my meat and veggies are gone first.

It also helps that my husband is an amazing cook. And he cooks a LOT. I am very lucky that he does, and I know that. Because of him, I've discovered I like asparagus, grilled green beans, some forms of zucchini, squash and grilled corn on the cob. And we try and limit the carbs that we make, so that I'm not tempted by the evil machinations of the Po-tay-toe.

Oh Yukon and Red, how I love thee!! But alas, our love was not meant to be, and so we're gonna have to settle for the occasional conversation on some random Tuesday night. You bring the butter, I'll bring the fork.

There are more steps and realizations about how I got here, but that is all for tonight. Next time I'm going to talk about how weighing 200lbs affected EVERY area of my life, and the things I've learned about myself because of that.