I'm Baaaa-aaack! :)

So now that all my preggo friends are having their babies, I can try to start losing my baby weight, too. I put on a little sympathy weight for them...no really, I did. Ha! I think like 6 or 7 lbs. But it's all good. I have to say, I kind of knew it was happening/going to happen. I got too far on the other side...like cared too much about it. Made myself feel like a failure if I had one...or ten bad day(s).

Well, now that I'm over trying to be perfect and am walking closer to the Lord, I have the OK from him to start getting back in shape again. On a serious note, I really did suffer from deep feelings of failure and hopelessness about getting into shape. It sounds petty, but Satan is a liar and used something near and dear to me and most girls (my appearance) and attacked me. So, We (me and the Lord) have defeated him. I have learned that I am NOTHING without Him and want to be more beautiful on the inside than the outside. No matter what size jeans I wear, I am precious in His sight. There is such comfort in that for me.

As I was sitting in Bible Study last night, I heard a word from the Lord. It was before the praise and worship started, and I was trying to decide a plan of action for getting in shape for the summer. I have a bridesmaid dress to wear in two months! (My brother is getting married, yay!) The Lord told me...you can come up with a plan of action, but it must include ME. No going off the deep end again, and no shifting the focus away from Me.

For me, obsessing over weight loss and physical fitness has always been a stronghold...until now. Praise the Lord that the God who spoke this world into existence is rooting for me and has my back. There is nothing too big for him. Nothing. I can't even fathom how BIG He is!

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. In 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Powerful stuff, right? I meditate on the truth of that scripture almost daily. Once I started truly BELIEVING how BIG God is, I realized that included being able (and willing!) to help me demolish this stronghold. Though powerful, it wasn't too powerful for Him.

I enjoyed the accountability of writing out my calories on this Blog the last time I was trying to lose a few pounds, but I think I'll pass on that this time. I just can't devote that kind of time to it, and I can't allow it that much space in my day. I do have a plan that involves keeping a food journal (at least in the beginning), although I'm not sticking to a particular number of calories. I think keeping track of them will be enough to motivate me. My guess is it will fall somewhere between 1200 and 1500, sometimes more...sometimes less. I'm going to try to eat 5-6 small meals again to rev up my metabolism. I'm going to start cooking more healthy proteins for dinner (chicken, salmon, tilapia, shrimp & occasionally lean ground beef and pork tenderloin) and make smarter choices at restaurants. I'm kicking the dessert eating habit I've gotten into and eliminating sugary drinks. Jumping back into a 6 day work out routine that involves 3 days of cardio and 3 days of strength training. This is basically the Body for Life plan. It doesn't work for everyone, but I enjoy it.

Anyway, that's it for now. I'll try to update you on my progress!

You are precious in His Sight!!! :)

Random Post After Many Months

...haha!

So I was about to write a post for my other Blog, and I saw this one. I completely forgot about it evidenced by the fact that I haven't posted in months. Doesn't mean I've fallen off the bandwagon. Once I reached my pre preggo weight, I did stop counting calories and just continued working out (mostly consistently.)

I have to say the past few months I haven't done quite as well...this is a busy season! I am in Baton Rouge now, which makes it hard to be good, but I'm trying my best. I'm not into tons of Holiday indulging...it always feels so gross later.

With that said, I'm planning on being sort of good as much as possible for the rest of this month and then going all out in January. Now I have a different goal: toning.

I don't really have a plan yet. We shall see. Maybe I'll think about it as I'm eating this Christmas week. ;)

Bad Girl!

Sorry all you two who read this. Haha. I totally forgot about this Blog after not doing it for just one weekend when my family was here. I guess I'm also kind of at a standstill...or plateau in my progress. I'm at my PPW, but I don't at all look the same. I've said that a thousand times, but it's true. I know I need to step things up a bit, and getting back into my work out routine will help. Last week was a busy week, and I was just trying to get by! So, I'm going to concentrate my efforts on continuing to tone. I thought I might give this up, but I feel like it does provide accountability for me that's good. I'm so weird. But you love me anyway. :)

Today: 1165 total cals.

B: whole wheat toast, all fruit jelly (amazing--Polaner brand), 1/4 c. egg whites, coffee--160
S: 3 whole wheat PB crackers, Diet Green Tea--100
L: 1 tortilla, 1/2 c. black beans, salsa, 100 cal. pack, yogurt--420
S: 1 c. fruit, water--80
D: tilapia, veggies, brown rice--255
S: skim milk, apple--150

I seriously eat the same things everyday, but it doesn't seem to bother me. I do need some variety. I found some amazing recipes on Fitness.com. When we get back from Dallas this weekend, I'm going to incorporate some new meals into my daily routine. Just so I don't burn out.

Y'all have a great day!

Day 36

Sorry I didn't post yesterday. After Bible Study, I hung out with Kyle and then forgot!

B: Luna Bar--170, coffee--10
S: none
L: tortilla, stir-fry veggies, shrimp, salsa, yogurt, diet green tea--275
S: special K bar, 6 slices turkey, water--150
D: Lean Cuisine, 1/4 of J's PB & J sandwich--500

Exercise: back & biceps, 10 min. cardio warm-up, P90X abs with Kyle

Day 35

Sometimes I feel like this is SO silly that I post this for the world to see, but for some strange reason it keeps me doing well. Whatever works! Haha.

B: Luna Bar, Diet Green Tea--180
S: 1/2 banana (split with my baby, :) , US tea--50
L: Multi grain wrap, 6 slices turkey, 1 tsp. mozz. cheese, salsa, yogurt--295
S: Special K bar--90
D: "tasted" the lasagna I made for the boys, slim fast shake with 1 c. 1% milk and 1 c. berries, 1/4 c. green beans--330

Total cals: 945 (On the low end, but for some reason I'm really full today. That shake was VERY filling.

Exercise: 10 mins. elliptical (warm-up), chest, shoulders, triceps, abs

Day 34

Yes, Sundays are normally my free day. I actually didn't deserve one this week, so I'm not taking one. But I was still able to eat at Berryhill's today and boy was it yummy! :)

B: whole wheat toast (plain) & coffee w/ 1% milk & then coffee w/ a little powder cream at chruch--100
S: none--church (great sermon today & wonderful challenge from Pastor Trammel!)
L: (Berryhill's) 1 grilled fish taco wrapped in 2 small corn tortillas with no Dijon sauce (so lettuce, pico, and the grilled fish), salsa, and 3/4 c. black beans, water--335 (didn't have chips & salsa)
S: 1 serving animal crackers--120
D: So, I wasn't very hungry because we had Berryhill's for lunch, but I ate 1/4 of Jackson's grilled cheese sandwich and a 90 cal. bar. I caved and made coffee (It was a long day with Jackson...he wasn't quite himself) and drank it. I went to the grocery store, and when I got home, I think I grabbed a few honey roasted peanuts. Haha. I can't remember.--so around...hmmm let's say...350?

Total cals: 905

Exercise: None

Day 33

**Edit--Today is weigh day, and I am officially down 10 lbs.!** Weight loss is very slooooooooooow now, but I'm working hard on toning. I just ordered the P90X Ab Ripper DVD. Any of my Houston friends who wanna do it with me, let me know! :) I didn't get the whole system since I can't justify it considering we already have 2 gym memberships. I figure I'll keep doing what I'm doing for everything else and do that for Abs. Woo-hoo!

Sorry guys...I have been bad about posting at night! Mainly because I have gotten SO close to my PPW that I have gotten a little too comfortable and have been eating some things I shouldn't...haha! And I have been embarrassed to tell you. I really shouldn't be moving into "maintaining mode" quite yet, because I still have toning to do! Tomorrow is weigh day, so we will see if my bad behavior has hurt me! I'm starting today kicking it up a notch so that I can get this process over with. No use in dragging it out any longer...right? So, this is me committing to be good. Even though it feels so good to be bad...;). I will say that I didn't go over the calories yesterday, but my choices weren't exactly nutritionally sound...a few too many animal crackers. Yes, they are low in fat, but they will not help you see your ab muscles, that's for sure. OK done with my rant.

B: NV granola bars (I seriously need more variety, lol), McDonald's coffee--200
S: None
L: multi-grain tortilla, veggies, string cheese, 5 shrimp, spray butter & Tony's--240
S: 1/4 c. honey roasted peanuts, low sugar oatmeal--300 (I did this b/c I thought I wouldn't be eating dinner, but we ended up going somewhere with healthy options...Sweet Tomatoes...AMAZING salad bar!
D: Yummy salad w/ all sorts of veggies, small sweet potato, water--350
S: Frozen yogurt with strawberries at Berripop--200

Total Cals: 1290

Exercise: Had a GREAT workout at the gym, complete with an 81 yr. old man telling me the following: "You look great, baby doll. But I won't keep harping on it. You are your own best judge...you know, when you zip up your jeans...especially those tight ones." HAHAHAHA. Seriously?! And he watched me do my ENTIRE ab routine. It was a little awkward, but I kept going. Geez Um Peets. Anyway--I did all upper body today: shoulders, chest, triceps, back, biceps and abs. Also did 25 mins. elliptical at home. This makes up for yesterday, when I didn't work out at all...besides chasing J around the playground at the Woodland's Mall...sheesh.