Thursday, September 30, 2010

8 Week Challenge - Final Results

So today was the end of my 8 Week Challenge at Julie's Boot Camp! It's been amazing and while I'm no where near my ultimate goal, I'm a lot closer than I was. I have learned so much about eating healthier and I feel so much better physically and mentally. Here's my progress:

Weight: -11.6 lbs
Bicep: - 0.5 in
Waist: -6 in
Hips: -2.5 in
Thigh: -1 in
Body Fat %: -1.5% (that's over 7 lbs of pure fat lost!!)
BMI: -1.7 (I'm no longer in the "Obese" range...not that I put much stock in BMIs. I think they are crap, but it's nice that my Wii Fit will no longer call me obese.)

When I began the challenge, Julie (my trainer...I'm not referring to myself in the 3rd person!) had me set a goal that I wanted to reach in 8 weeks. I thought about this a lot and set my goal as this: I wanted to be able to take a picture with Joseph that I didn't hate the way I looked. I didn't like that I couldn't take a picture with my son that I didn't hate. Here's an example of one taken not too long before I started the challenge:It's an ok enough picture, but I just didn't look like what I thought I looked like. I still view myself as pre-pregnancy Julie and am shocked when I see what I actually look like.

This one was taken a few weeks ago. This was the first one that I didn't dislike how I look:
I'm not going to take part in another challenge. I'm just going to continue going to boot camp 4+ times a week and continue on my eating plan. I will continue to update ya'll on my progress every few weeks. 10 more lbs to go until I'm at my pre-pregnancy weight and I hope to lose another 20 on top of that. For the first time in a long time, that doesn't seem unattainable.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

What I'm Working On Wednesday

Here's my latest cross stitch:I've been working on it a little over a week now. The colors are pretty drab...much more drab than I thought they would be by looking at the pattern, but I'll wait and see what the final product looks like before I judge too much.

Here's my bargain shopping this week:
Total: a shade over $5. I haven't been real serious about my bargain shopping the past couple weeks. I'm trying to limit myself to one store a week now...so I pick which ever one has the best deals or the one that I have rewards that are expiring. This week I went with Rite Aid.

I FINALLY finished John Grisham's The Innocent Man. Oh my goodness....I was struggling to finish that one. I hate to leave a book unfinished. I have to say it was my least favorite Grisham ever. I hope he sticks with fiction from here on. This was his first nonfiction. It was written well enough, but I just didn't like the main character. While it was awful for him to be put on death row for a crime he didn't commit, I just didn't like him and didn't like reading about him. But, it's done now and I'm moving on to the next book:
I hope this one doesn't take as long for me to read, but I don't take as much time to read anymore. I used to read a lot while rocking Joseph, but now if I'm rocking him and he's awake, he tries to grab my book and put it in his mouth. If he's asleep and I'm rocking him, the turning of the pages will usually wake him up. And if I'm not rocking him, I usually have things going on that are a bit higher up on the ol' to do list than reading. :)

We have really been enjoying this cooler weather! Joseph has been able to spend so much more time outside! He has discovered that he loves grass now...so good luck keeping him on the blanket!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

We survived!

I apologize for the lack of posts this past couple weeks! Wow has it been crazy! First of all, Joseph had his 6 month growth spurt and it was his worst yet! I thought it was going to kill me! Then the little man got Hand Foot and Mouth Virus. Luckily he didn't run much of a fever and aside from the spots, it didn't really seem to affect him at all. But then I got it. Let's just say I wasn't so lucky. It was the sickest I've been in a LONG time! Nothing would get my fever down and my throat was so sore that I could barely eat or drink. I have to say it is much harder being sick when you are a mom! Luckily the worst was over a weekend so Michael was able to help me. Then this past weekend was my 10 year high school reunion. Not only did we have the usual "reunion" Saturday nightbut we also got together at the football game on Friday (that's what the pic above is from) and had a picnic on Saturday afternoon. It was fun, but so exhausting. Michael was in a wedding and couldn't go with me, so that was disappointing. However, I enjoyed seeing everyone. I hadn't seen most of my classmates since graduation. I kinda got the heck out of dodge, and while I come home every 3 to 4 weeks, I pretty much limit my visiting to my family and a couple of close friends (whom I didn't go to school with). Anyway, the little man and I got back home yesterday afternoon and are still recuperating. I was planning on going to the lunch time class at the gym, but Joseph decided he needed a nap more. My number one rule is not to wake the baby! I am planning on going out and riding Spice this afternoon and MAYBE working in a short run. We'll see. I have a 5K this weekend and also one at the end of the month. I don't know that I'll run in any more until Spring...I'm not much for cold weather running...

Friday, September 17, 2010

My Most Used Cookbook (Momma shield your eyes!)


I'm an EXTREMELY messy cook. If there is flour involved, you'd better believe it is all over me and all over the kitchen. It drives Michael crazy, but that's just the way I am. I'm the one who has to clean up after it, so if it's ok with me, it's just ok.

Friday night is pizza night at our house and I only use one pizza crust recipe and that is my mom's. (I modify it by subbing in whole wheat flour for some of the regular flour to keep it legal for my diet.) It is in our family cookbook which I love and treasure. I don't even have to search for the pizza crust recipe...my book just falls open there every time. Now, the following picture is not for the faint of heart....especially if you are on my mom's side of the family and know and love this cookbook:






I told you I'm a messy cook! I think mom's pancake recipe in this book is about in the same shape! I'm strongly thinking about cooking and blogging my way through this cookbook next year, but I haven't decided fully on that yet. Of course that will depend of if I can even read the recipes anymore...I kid I kid! :) They are all perfectly readable.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Weight Loss Challenge Week 6 Update

6 weeks down...2 to go for this 8 week challenge. I probably won't end the challenge there. I have quite a bit more weight to lose and I've been getting good results using this program. The weight is not coming off as fast as previous methods I've used, but it's coming off steadily and I'm losing at a rate that is safe since I'm still nursing. Here's how I measured up today (these are cumulative totals):
Weight: -5.6 lbs
Waist: -3 1/2 in
Hips: -2 1/4 in
Bicep: -1/4 in
Thigh: -1/2 in
Body Fat: -0.9%

It's been a great experience so far. I love having some adult interaction since I spend so much time with the Munchkin and it's really made me feel worlds better physically as well as mentally and emotionally (that's something you can't measure with a scale or measuring tape). :)

Monday, September 13, 2010

Patriotic 5K Fun Run!


The whole family (minus the cats...they aren't much for running as you can imagine..) ran in the Patriotic 5K Fun Run in Frankfort. How fun was it? Well, it was pretty fun...for a run. It was nice since a few people from the gym I go to were there and so there was more than just my usual cheering crew of one (Michael). I didn't run a whole lot...the road that most of the race was run on had been torn up for repaving and was rougher than a cob! Even in the very nice Baby Jogger that my friend had loaned me, Joseph was bouncing around a whole lot and was not digging it. Not to say that I could have run that much more anyway. I'm usually pretty draggy for evening 5Ks...I'm a morning person.

Joseph and Shelby are ready to go...Joseph is having a pre-race snack:
"This Baby Jogger is tasty..."

Me and the munchkin post race:
Joseph actually finished ahead of me...imagine that!! I was going to run across the line backwards, but the last stretch was up a hill and I didn't feel like getting that fancy. Everyone else (Michael and Shelby) can beat me so why not Joseph! :)

Family portrait....sweaty, red faced family portrait!
You can see the race results here! I think Michael (& Shelby) finished 82nd and Joseph and I finished 130th. I think there were around 170 runners/walkers. I think my next one is going to be the Secretariat Big Red 5K on October 2nd. It should have a pretty cool t-shirt!! :)

Friday, September 10, 2010

It Is FINISHED!!!!

I began working on my latest cross stitch project on June 28th and I finished it yesterday morning. Here it is:I was originally going to give it away as I do most all my projects, but I'm seeing a place for this one front and center in my Christmas display in my living room this year! I love it....and that is AFTER I did 31 french knots....I hate french knots....have I told you that yet?

My next project is a gift for someone who reads this blog, so I won't be showing it. However, it's not long until Christmas so I will be hitting my projects hot and heavy from here on out. I should have a few that I can share. :) I also want to do a Halloween cross stitch. I think it may be next after I finish the one I started today. The next few I am wanting to do are not nearly as extensive as this last one.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Chewy Cereal?

The cross stitch is ALMOST done. I made the executive decision to postpone showing my progress on it until it is finished. I only have a few french knots (which might take a while and I might set the dang thing on fire in the process....can't you tell I just love french knots?) and a tiny bit of back stitching left. Other than that, I am also ALMOST finished with my book and Joseph hasn't really had a first this week...he's just getting better at what he can do!

In lieu of the usual "What Am I Working On" post, here's a cute video of Joseph eating:

He sure is chewing that cereal!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

8 Week Challenge - Half Way Point

So my week 4 weigh in was this morning. I'm still coming down slowly, but it was kinda frustrating that I didn't lose any inches except for my hips in the past 2 weeks. :( But, My body weight and body fat are coming down, so that's good. The biggest change I've seen is in how I feel and how I manage stressful days. I find even when I've got five million things going on and Joseph is being fussy and/or not napping that I don't get as frazzled. I've got tons more energy and it's so nice to have something to do outside of the house most every day. Maybe it's just because I know I'm doing something about my weight, but I don't see a fat blob every time I look in the mirror anymore. I'm starting to see my old self...it's slowly becoming unburied!

So here's how I've measured up in the past 4 weeks:
Weight: -4 lbs
Waist: -2 in
Hips: -2 1/4 in
Thigh: -1/2 in
Bicep: -1/4 in
Body fat: -0.6% (which using my mad math skills means I've lost 2.6 lbs of fat!)

I have a 5K next Friday. I'm trying to find a jogging stroller that I can borrow so that I can run at least some of it. Michael is wanting to run it too so I'll be on baby duty!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

What I'm Workin On - September 1st, 2010

Can you believe that it is September already!? I can't! Where does the time go? Well, here's the cross stitch this week:
If I can find enough time, I should have it finished this week. I don't want to speak too soon though....

Here's my bargain shopping this week:
Total: $1.11 tax and all! I was actually slightly ahead but then I saw the Watermelon Kleenex on the clearance isle and HAD TO HAVE IT! If you really know me, you know I have a thing for watermelon stuff (not eating it...it's ok, but I don't LOVE it)! My kitchen used to be all watermelon...now it is just the essence of watermelon (reds and greens) with a few watermelon accents like a piggy bank, salt shakers, etc. I got all this stuff at Rite Aid....they had some crazy deals this week!

Joseph didn't START rolling and scooting this week...he could do that for a little bit, but he's now able to really get a move on using those 2 skills. I put him down in one place and turn around and he's halfway across the room! This time I had put him on the living room floor with some toys and I went to fix supper. I turned around.....
and there he was! It won't be long until he's all over the place!