It's been a while . . . and excerpts from the General Women's Meeting

It's been a while since I posted.  After completing T25 I struggled to find a routine this summer.  I still lost weight and I even got all the way down to 189!  I was so excited.  Of course that was the day before leaving for a 2 week vacation to Disneyworld and Florida so needless to say a few of the pounds have come back.  I am recommitting again and starting tomorrow on the 21 day fix meal plan.  I am excited to get back into a routine again and let these last 50 lbs disappear for good!

Last night I had the opportunity of attending  the General Women's Meeting for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Oh my heart is so full from the feelings and teachings taught there.  In my religion, we believe that we have prophets on earth today that teach us and guide us. The General Women's meeting is a meeting of all women in the church ages 8 to 108!  To gather all those sisters together across the globe, AMAZING! To feel the Spirit of all those women gathered together, even more amazing!

I started yesterday off horrible.  Cris and I were super grouchy with each other all day.  There were words said and feelings hurt.  I was so close to not even going to the meeting but I am so glad that I did!

As I entered the doors of the stake center I was so close to tears.  I pleaded in my heart for answers and peace.  I found irony in the title of the opening song "On This Day of Joy and Gladness" because my day was anything but.  Shortly after there was a presentation of these sweet little girls from Korea singing I Love To See The Temple.

 

As I was sitting there I felt as if arms were surrounding me and a scripture came to my mind -

John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you

To say tears came is an understatement! I felt the joy start to build and the pride and stubborness in my heart start to fall. I also gained a stronger desire to attend the temple more often.
 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2014/10?lang=eng&vid=3810258133001&cid=6

There were many other promptings felt and I hope that I follow through with each of them.  One of the most profound thoughts I had as I was sitting there, all alone (or so I thought as I had no one sitting on either side of me) was this - Sometimes God lets us have bad days so that we are brought down, are more humble, or have a more open and pleading heart to feel of His love and guidance.  If I hadn't have had such a bad day today, would I have had the pleading heart to feel his love and receive his guidance with an open heart?

I hope that as I go through this week I can keep the feelings I felt in my heart and work on the things I felt prompted to work on.  I am grateful for a bad day so that I could have an open heart.  I am grateful for the Prophet and for the Apostles.  I am so grateful for the guidance we can receive this day.  I am grateful for the restored gospel.  I am grateful for our Savior and for his atonement.  I know that he felt my bad day, he felt my sorrow and frustrations.  He is with me always.  I know that at times I need to be less stubborn and let my heart be more open.  I am looking forward to General Conference this coming weekend to hear the words of the Prophet.  

I am human too!

Friends -

PiYo sweat is no joke!

I have been MIA for a few weeks.

Life get's busy.

You get complacent.

You fall back into some of your bad habits.

We are human.

I have struggled for a few weeks off and on since I ended T25.  I love that program but my knees were wanting a break.  I also love 21-day fix meal program which has nothing to do with my knees but I just got complacent!  I thought - oh, this can kind of work, or I stopped measuring and planning.  My biggest bad habit I fell back into is not eating.  I struggle a lot with making sure I get enough food in to fuel my body. When I didn't fuel my body, I didn't want to workout and it was a continuous horrible battle!

Thanks Karen for the new workout shirt!
It got me going today!

I am a mom.

I get busy.  

Although I get hungry, I get so wrapped up doing other things that soon the hunger disappears until it wont disappear and I am so hungry I go for whatever I can get!  With 21-day fix it is so important to plan ahead. Lucky for me I didn't gain any weight back, but I didn't lose as well as I could have either.

I have been getting back on track 90% of the time over the last few weeks but I have a goal in mind and I am bound and determined to reach it in the next 2 1/2 weeks.  I am determined to lose 5 lbs. It is a lofty goal. It could be unreachable, but I know that as I work hard and plan ahead, I have more than enough tools to get it done!

Last night, although it was 10:30 PM and I knew I was waking up at 5:30 (ended up 5 AM because of Caydee), I took the time to cut up some veggies and de-bone a rotisserie chicken.  If you fail to plan, You plan to fail!

I took a break from blogging because I wasn't trying my hardest.

You will know I am struggling when I am MIA.

There's nothing to show off with how proud I am of myself.

If my struggling helps others know it is ok and to not give up, I will start sharing!

If you notice I am MIA call me out!

There will be ups and downs on this weight loss roller coaster.

I have to remember I am human.

T25 Final Results

I did it!  I completed T25!  I did it in 12 weeks due to an injury and illness for a week each, but I completed it!  I am so excited to share my results!  I have not been this weight since getting pregnant with my first son, so, about 10 years!  I still have a long ways to go but I am off to a GREAT start!  I hope to be close to 180 in September when we head to Florida!  I will at that point weigh less than I ever since meeting my husband!

inches lost - 14.75
lbs lost - 22

I started out this journey at 219 - if I go to the beginning of right after having Caydee I started out at 234!  Today I weighed myself and I weight 197!!! I lost 22 lbs doing T25 and most importantly I lost 14.75 inches!  I lost 5 inches off my waist alone!  

I attribute my success to some amazing motivators and friends as well as the fact that I invested in myself.  I spend $115 each month for the past 3 months and so because of that I could not give up and let that money go to waist.  I also paid for the T25 program and 21 Day Fix program.  For me, money is definitely a big motivator.  I don't have a lot of it so what I do with it really matters.  Failing was not an option!

I will be starting a new program this week.  Have you heard of the new program that just came out PiYo?  It is a low impact workout which I am really needing after T25!  It is a mix of pilates and yoga.  I am super excited to get it and get started!

Results and Shakeology -

Well, I was .3 lbs away from being in the 199's!  Although I didn't hit it, I am ok with that!  I had an awesome week.  I am sure if a couple choices I made throughout the week eating wise would have been different I could have went down below 199 but it's life and although I strive to be perfect in my eating, I make mistakes or not even mistakes, choices, that my not be the most beneficial but still not horrible for me.

It reminds me of the talk by Dallin H. Oaks of good, better, best.  I made good choices, but I could have made better or best decisions that would have gotten me to that goal.  I will make it this week and I will blow that goal out of the water! I know this talk is more on the spiritual aspect of life but I will apply it to this part of my life as well!

Look at these 2 cute girls!  The skinny chick is my Caydee.  She is 4.5 months old.  The super happy chick is my Clarysa at 5.5 months old. I think they would look a lot alike if Caydee could get some weight on her!

Caydee was up all night with a bit of a fever.  At 5:30 AM I couldn't get back to sleep so I went down stairs and got some back to back workouts in!  I was up 3-4 times last night.  Up at 5:30 - got my workout in, shower in, make up on, and hair done!  Throw your excuses out the window!  You can do anything for 25 minutes and if you're really feeling up to it, double it up and get a killer burn!

I got a new do this last weekend too!  I love longer hair but mine always ends up looking stringy and gross!  I went to a bob and then an a-line.  I love it!  Makes me happy to have nice hair!

Now about shakeology - I decided to try shakeology a few months ago.  I have drank it every day since the beginning of April. A few of the the things I have noticed while using shakeology is a definite increase in energy.  I am amazed!  The other thing I have noticed is no longer having crazy cravings.  I use to think about chocolate chip cookies, brownies, etc. 90% of my day.  It was always on my mind what treat I could make, what crap I could eat real quick, etc.  I started thinking about it and it has been quite some time (so much so that I can't remember when) that I have even made a treat.  When I open the cupboard I go for my cashews or peanut butter and then put it on some bread with a banana.  I also drink my shakeology if I am really needing a treat.  I like the vanilla the best because I can add stuff to it, but I hear grand reviews of the chocolate too!

Consistency

UGH - Consistency is key and I am obviously not very consistent with this blog!  I want to figure out how to get my photos from my phone to my blog without having to do work arounds like emailing myself the pictures of plugging my phone into the computer.  I know that I can blog from my phone, but who wants to type on that small keyboard?  Once I figure it out (I've done it before), I have a lot to post, so stay tuned!

~ Hiding ~

Today I had a little bit of an ah ha moment!  

I have a little vulture in my home.  Well, really I have 3 but the biggest vulture is Carsyn.  He is turning 3 this weekend!  I love him to death!  (what does that mean?), I should say I love him to eternity because ah, he is the CUTEST little turd!  He could get away with murder!

Today, he tried to throw his cereal bowl in the sink.  It spilled out and down the counter.  Shredded mini wheats and left over milk all over the counter, cupboards, and floors.  When I found the mess, I said "ugh, who made this mess" and he replies emphatically, "me of course".  If only you could have heard it!  I just started laughing.  There is no getting mad at that boy with how honest and kind hearted he is!  He is always getting into things but his face after being caught just kills you!  

Anyway ~ back on topic!

Today as I was eating my 21-day fix breakfast -

4 pieces turkey bacon

2 eggs scrambled

1 yellow container oatmeal

1/2 purple frozen berries in oatmeal

1/2 purple frozen berries in smoothie

1/2 purple for a little banana in smoothie 

(smoothie made with water, wild orange Essential Oil, vanilla, and fruit)

I had this said little vulture at my side.  He was eating my bacon, my eggs, my smoothie and at first I was getting a little frustrated!  I had measured it all out for the plan.  I didn't want to be messed up!  I then realized it was ok.  What I was eating was healthy.  I didn't have to hide in my room as I was eating something I didn't want the kids to know about.   I wasn't scarfing down hidden oreos or m&m's I usually have hidden in the drawer below my computer.  I was eating good things for me and for him and if he has a little here and there that's fine and GREAT because he isn't eating crap and I am not hiding from him!  It is ok that my containers will be off a little here and there.  I can't measure how much he really ate but it doesn't matter!

I hope that this will instill better eating habits in them as well as me.  My kids are already pretty well rounded when it comes to food.  They eat veggies, fruits, anything really, without any real problem.  I lucked out in that department (unless I ask them to consume fish, then it's the end of the world)!

Week 4 Results -

WAHOO! Upping my calories and continuing my workouts really paid off!  I am down 2 lbs from last week!  I am super excited!  This road is long and slow but I know I am working on doing things the way I need to, to work for me!

I am also adding the program 21-day fix to my routine.  I love T-25 workouts so I am only doing the meal plan of 21-day fix but I know it will make a difference!  It took me 2 hours to plan out my menu for this week, but it is totally worth it.  I haven't wanted to snack on unknown things!  I go to my schedule, look at what's coming next, make it, and eat it!

I have only done this for 1 day and breakfast this morning and I am already learning a LOT about what I need to be eating!  I need to eat a lot more protien than I do and a LOT less carbs!  Not zero carbs, but less!  I also am getting in a LOT more veggies and fruits.  I hope I continue to love this program over the next 21 days!

I really need to work on my food photography skills if I am going to keep this up!  The top was what I had for breakfast and the salad was my lunch yesterday!  This is real food people!  I am so excited for the next 20 days to pass and see how this goes!  

I am also going dairy free for this little princess!  We are thinking her gaining weight issues might have something to do with a food allergy and not absorbing the nutrients from the foods!  I hope this works but at the same time, not eating dairy is VERY difficult!  Much more difficult than I thought!

My week 4 results -

Weight: 206.5 (down 1.5lbs)

Waist: 43 (no change)

Hips - 49 (down 1 inch)

Legs and Arm - (no change)