Update!

I decided to give the blog a bit of a facelift. As much as I love pink, the pink background was a bit too distracting. So, until I get all technical & fancy, this is a nice change. :) I went to weigh in tonight at Weight Watchers and lost 1.6 lbs! Total for the past 2 weeks is 3 lbs. that certainly made my night! I have been tracking food, doing cardio at the gym 5 days a week and am feeling great. Ok-now I'm off to watch last night's Bachelorette! Have a great night!

What a Great Day!

So...this morning was, um, interesting? I woke up and got ready for the gym, got the girls ready, and poured my coffee. Maya opened the garage door and said "Mama-Gigi's lights are blinking". "Gigi" is our car. Oh no. Sure enough- the hazard lights were on. So, I tried starting it and nothing. Into the house we went and I called AAA aka my lifesaver :) They told me someone would be there within 45 minutes. I changed into my work clothes since going to the gym was out of the question at that point and gave the girls some cereal and milk. Then, we waited for about half an hour and AAA arrived. They got the car going and we were on our way. On the drive to daycare, I got thinking. Had this scenario played out a couple of weeks ago, I would have gone into panic mode. I would have been angry and my day would have been ruined. Today, for some reason, I felt at peace...I felt calm. It definitely did not ruin my day at all. It was simply a minor blip in the morning. Did I get to the gym at my usual time? No, but it did not matter. Life happened, I dealt with it and moved on. It seems minor, but felt (and still feels) big to me. For the rest of the morning, I kept thinking about how calm I felt.

I did bring my gym bag and planned on going to work out at lunchtime, but didn't end up getting there. Guess what? It's ok-I have my bag packed and will go in the morning. Life happens...it happened and it still goes on. No sense in beating myself up over it. Tomorrow is a new day and full of possibilities.

After work, I picked up the girls and we headed to the dance studio to register them for dance camp next month. Then, it was time to go to Weight Watchers. I was a bit nervous about it because I had a big lunch. (NOTE: definite pattern here. When I work out, my eating is so much healthier. One day away from the gym and I ordered out at work!). I have been tracking my food and working out consistently for the past week, but still was "nervous" about that scale. I lost 1.4 lbs! This just reiterated how I'm doing-feeling great and the scale is heading in the right direction. I'll take it!

It was a great day!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Day 3!

I went to the gym again this morning! Today, I did 30 minutes on the treadmill. I'm feeling really good. Last night, I went to Weight Watchers for the first time in months. I went back to the one I went to originally when I first joined ME First as that was really the one I enjoyed the most. Stepping on the scale was not a pretty sight, but it is what it is. I am doing what makes me feel good, so I call that a non-scale victory! It's all part of the journey...

I'm BACK...

to being ME finally! It's been a fantastic week so far! I feel good and have been eating well, working out, and tracking my food! I'm not counting WW points as realistically, it's not for me-I just can't see doing that for life. I do, however, like to track at times just to see how I'm doing nutritionally. So far, so good! I definitely find that when I track everything I eat, I think more about if I really want something or not. It's all good!

Yesterday morning I went to the gym and did the elliptical for 30 minutes at a moderate pace. Then, I had an appointment to work out with my trainer. I started out on the treadmill and then we did some strength training. My shoulders & arms felt SO good last night! This morning, I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and I'm feeling great!

On the nutrition front, I am doing well. I am sticking to my meal plan and am preparing my food for the day. I made "egg muffins" again this week. Super simple-1/4 cup eggbeaters in each slot of a muffin tin, then add whatever veggies you like (I sauteed a pan of spinach, broccoli, onion, red & yellow pepper, and  mushrooms)-then sprinkle feta cheese on top and bake until set). I have 2 of them for breakfast-it's a great way to get some veggies & protein in to start the day. I baked salmon, cod, and chicken breasts for the week (LOVE that I have protein all ready to grab for meals), so I've been having one or the other along with either the quinoa & edamame supermix that I made. Delicious! Last night, I had a few hours to myself, so a friend & I went out to dinner. I normally would have had a margarita, but thought about it and decided I didn't really want to drink all of those calories since I've been feeling so great! :)

THIS is how I like to feel...working out, proper nutrition=happy ME!

Another sign...

that I'm definitely feeling better! I went to Target last night to pick up a few things. What is it about Target anyway? I go in to pick up a "few things" and come out with much more. That store is my kryptonite!

Last night's finds:



LOVE!!!! I am actually wearing them today. I love them so much! They had them in black too, but I love the burgundy color and since I don't have any burgundy shoes I figured they were meant to be! I am wearing them today with black skinny pants, a super soft top that is the same color as the shoes (found that at Target on clearance for $5!) and a black cardigan.
Here is the top:



I also got a new workout outfit! It's C9 by Champion-pants, tank, & jacket. The pants are black with a burgundy (looks like burgundy was the color of the night!) stripe around the hips, burgundy tank, and matching jacket (can't find them online). Love them!

And in other exciting news, I went back to Weight Watchers yesterday after 3 weeks. After feeling like crap for 3 weeks, not working out, and eating basically everything in sight, I was surprised with a small loss! Talk about a pleasant surprise! Looks like I am listening to my body more than I'm giving myself credit for!

FRIDAY!

TGIF! And a long weekend to boot-life is good!

Accomplishments this week:

I turned in my August fitness log with 700 minutes of working out-that is a 350 % increase from July-go ME!

I worked out 5 times this week (personal training sessions Wednesday & Friday, strength class on Tuesday, Zumba on Tuesday & Thursday)! I had been consistently working out 3 times/week for about 5 weeks and felt that it was time to add something else in so I added my old favorite, Zumba! LOVE it! AWESOME workout but fun at the same time!

I finally bit the bullet and went back to Weight Watchers.


I hadn't been since May 6. I figured it was time! And of course, it didn't hurt that I've been working my butt off and was down 3 pounds. My new facilitation group starts Wednesday and I am SO excited!

In other news,
I have yet another new trainer. This makes the FOURTH since I started ME First. Here is the rundown: Number one was Becky. I LOVE Becky! She got me excited to work out and for the first time in my life, I looked forward to it and enjoyed it. Then, she was promoted to the Healthy Directions classes, so was no longer my trainer. Then, I was told I would have a new trainer. A male trainer-Aaron. He would be coming in new so I hadn't met him and was so nervous (SCARED!) about having a male trainer. My trainer takes my measurements and works out with me so it's a pretty "intimate" relationship. I mean, seriously, my husband doesn't even know my measurements.


Then, the minute I met Aaron I felt at ease. He is extremely compassionate and not intimidating at all. We developed a friendship. Aaron introduced me to kettlebells, which I loved! We worked out together twice a week, met each other's families (our spouses & daughters all get along fabulously!), and hung out together. I even created a tag on my blog for Aaron after his wife told me it would make it easier to read the stuff I write about him. :) Then, the bomb dropped. Aaron was leaving. I was seriously upset over that news. I was positive that nobody would ever fill Aaron's shoes. I miss Aaron. Thankfully, we're still in touch :)
Then, there was Jameson. I was very skeptical just because he wasn't Aaron! Totally not fair, but it was how I felt. I met with Jameson and decided to utilize my twice weekly sessions with him. We totally hit it off! Jameson is great because he has a way to make me work myself harder than I think I'm able to. While still being compassionate, he pushes me. He is also a great listener-he is a behavioral health specialist as well-exactly what I need :) I had a day where I just needed to talk. We did some stretching, and then he listened to me. At the end of our "session", I apologized and he told me not to worry and that "mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness". So, then, when I got in to the pilot program, ME 4 Life, the bomb dropped again. Now I would have Tony as my trainer. This is where I totally came unglued. Well, that is a bit dramatic, but I was quite upset. I immediately emailed my wellness coach, Nancy (oh yeah, she is new to me as well but I love her!) and told her I needed to talk. I've been through all of these changes and I want to be positive about it, but I really enjoy my workouts with Jameson and (said while stomping my feet!) I DO NOT WANT ANOTHER NEW TRAINER!


I'll just put it out there-Tony intimidates me. Bigtime. I'm not really sure why other than I have seen him teaching classes and working out and he "seems" really tough. From what I've heard from other participants, he is totally the opposite of my perception of him. I know it's just a "perception" so I'm trying to focus on being open-minded and just give him a chance. He will never be Becky. He will never be Aaron. He will never be Jameson. And that is ok. I need to get to know Tony for who he is and learn what I can from him. Just as I wouldn't want to be compared to anyone else, it's not fair of me to compare him to anyone else. Maybe Tony will give me a little "tough love"-maybe that is what I need. Who knows? But, I do know one thing-I will work with him and see what it is that he can offer me and take full advantage of it!

I asked Jameson if I could still have my next assessment with him and he said yes. He will still be at the gym, so I can still contact him, work out with him, etc. Yesterday Tony sent a really nice introductory email with a survey to complete. I completed the survey and scheduled a meeting with him (first assessment). I scheduled that for Thursday so that I can "close the loop" on my assessment with Jameson on Wednesday (my 6 week assessment) and start fresh with Tony. Wish me luck!

Very Successful Week!

WW Update!

D...D...D...

Another pound bites the dust!   (totally lame Queen reference!)

YES!

WW Update!

I lost 2.2 lbs. YAY! I feel like I'm finally back on track now!

Embarrassed...but ready to move forward!

The last time I went to Weight Watchers was September 7, 2010. That was in the midst of my "lymphoma scare". I hibernated, ate a lot of carbs, sugar, and fried food. I "checked out" of life to maintain my sanity in a very trying time. I had all I could do to get through the day, let alone plan & eat healthy meals and work out. So, this week I went back to facilitation and went back to Weight Watchers. Wednesday was facilitation and I can't even begin to tell you how good it felt to be back! It was so nice seeing everyone, talking about our struggles & successes and to have everyone cheer when I told them about my scare. I felt like I was back where I needed to be. And that day, I made a commitment to myself that I would get back to my healthiness journey. Step number one was going to Weight Watchers. A lot has changed since I had been-they are now doing a "Points Plus" system, which from what I have read so far is MUCH better than the old program! This programs encourages healthy nutrition...not just filling yourself with processed foods. I got all of the handouts and the leader gave me an overview of the new program. Then, it was time to face the scale. Now, I know that it's just a number and that I went through a tough time, etc., but it was hard. And I found out that I am 2 pounds less than where I started. That did not sit well. Of course, I knew it wouldn't be good, but it made me very angry with myself. I knew that all of my clothes feel tight and that I'm not feeling like "myself". How could I do this? I worry about what the future will bring...what if I face another crisis? How will I handle it.  

BUT...I have decided that it really doesn't matter. The only thing I have is right now-wasting time looking back and looking forward will do no good. I can make choices and move forward. And I will. Today is the first day of the next phase of my journey.


UPDATE: I just saw this and thought it could not have come at a better time!

Stuff!

I had my Nurse Assessment today-it went very well. She compared the results from the health risk assessments I had taken in September & in April-it was amazing! It gave me a real boost of motivation to see it in front of me!
I went to Dick's Sporting Goods to pick up a 25 lb. kettlebell...Aaron had told me I could do some swings, throw it as far as I could (obviously outside!) and sprint to get it. What a great idea! I looked on Amazon and found this one:

for $49.99-free shipping, no tax. Well, Dick's had it for $59.99 and I googled and found a printable coupon for $10 off so I went to pick one up. I got to the register and she said she could not accept the coupon. Well, for $10 off and no sales tax I'll order from Amazon thank you very much! So...I may have to wait for a week or so, but it will be here soon enough!

I went to check out Bath & Body Works big sale. I had a coupon for 20% off so figured it would be a nice little gift to myself. I planned on picking something fruity & summery. I liked the orange sapphire scent:

It was really fruity & summery. BUT...then I found the "Shea Cashmere" True Blue Spa collection and was sold. SO YUMMY! The description says "Spritz all all over your body and wrap yourself in a warm blend of frothed milk, golden butterscotch, and Tahitian vanilla musk. "


I got the Shower Cream:

The Body Lotion:

The Fragrance Mist:

And the Hand Cream:

YUM! I can't wait to try it tomorrow!

I also picked up some mini hand sanitizers that were a dollar each and some of this that I've read about forever-it's a celeb favorite and I've always wanted to give it a try. I tried it on my lips and it feels like silk! You can use it on your lips, cuticles, elbows, basically anywhere you need some conditioning.

Then it was time to face the scale! DOWN .6 pound...WOO HOO! Not a lot, but it's a loss and I'll take it! I've gained the last few weeks I've gone so I feel like I'm now back on track! Monika & I made a pact tonight-we're both going to track our food for the next week. We're also going to hit the gym after work tomorrow for some cardio! I found a 30 minute "calorie-busting" routine for the treadmill in Shape magazine I want to try.

WW Update!

So, I hadn't been to WW the past 2 weeks and hadn't worked out in 3 thanks to that surgery I had (oh yeah, and my own lack of motivation-can't work out, might as well eat!). I was positive that I had gained 4-5 pounds. I stepped on the scale and told the lady "Ok, what's the damage"? She said I gained ONE POUND! I was super excited and felt as though I had lost TEN. Great news! Then I told her it will be gone next week! Of course, I'm sure I have lost some muscle, so I can't wait to get in some good kettlebell workouts!Oh, kettlebells-how I've missed you.

Tomorrow is the 5K! I am SO excited for that...I've been looking forward to it for months! A year ago, had anyone asked me to do a 5K I would have laughed in their face. I could not understand why anyone would "put themselves through that" and here I am ...signing up for it! Funny how things change.

25 Down!

I hit my 25 pound loss at Weight Watchers tonight! Actually, I hit 25.4 pounds!

Here is what I got:

Kinda blurry, but you get the point! My 25 pound charm! I'm SO excited...and having so much fun at the same time. Who woulda thought?!

WW Update!

Ugh. I was dreading the weigh-in. I was sick last week so wasn't able to work-out like I normally would have. I felt puffy and bloated all day so I knew it wouldn't be a pretty sight! I even thought about not going (for a minute!), but honestly-that is not an option-I am on the way to change and will continue no matter what the scale says. UP 2.8 lbs. Eek. I felt a little bad, but also felt like it might be water retention.  I got on the scale today and sure enough-down 2 lbs. So, I may have had a small gain, but definitely not 2.8. I am tracking this week and back to working out!

WW Update!

I lost 1.8 bringing my total loss so far to 23.8 lbs! YAY! Tracking was definitely a good thing, so I plan to continue.

Tracking Food

When I met with Aaron for my 18 week assessment, we talked about some things I could do to "push it to the next level". One was to up my cardio and another recommendation Aaron had was to track my food. Yes, I'm doing WW but I haven't actually counted points since November or so. I have been eating a mostly clean diet and working out consistently. Everything has been going along good, but I want to bump it up a bit-I'm also curious to see if I've pushed myself into more of a maintenance mode. So, I decided to track for a week and see how it goes. Of all weeks, this may not have been the ideal  (only women will understand that one!)...ha ha! Well, here goes! I think I'll edit this post every day with my tracking rather than putting up a bunch of tracking posts-it will be easier to review that way.

I get 20 points a day. I am not planning on eating all of my activity points.

Day One (Wednesday, Feb. 3)

Breakfast: 3 points
1/2 C fat free Greek Yogurt, plain with 1 packet of Splenda
1/4 C mixture-Kashi Go Lean & All Bran Bran Buds
1/4 C Blueberries
Flaxseed
Coffee with splenda & 1% milk

Snack: 1 point
2 Clementines

Lunch: 11 points (Yikes. I was having a carb aka mac & cheese craving!)
Whole Grain, Organic Mac & Cheese-1.5 C
Peas, 1/2 C
Tuna, 1/4 C

Snack: 1 point
Apple, small

Dinner: 6 points
WW Recipe-Sesame Noodles, 1/3 C (what kind of serving is that?!)
Sesame/Maple/Ginger Roasted Tofu cubes, 1/2 C
Roasted Mushrooms (drizzled with olive oil & thyme before roasted)

Total points for day: 22

Work-out: Bollywood Workout DVD (45 Minutes)-2 Activity Points

So, I used my activity points today!


Day 2 (Thursday, Feb. 4)

Breakfast: 3 points

1/2 C fat free Greek Yogurt, plain with 1 packet of Splenda
1/4 C mixture-Kashi Go Lean & All Bran Bran Buds
1/4 C Blueberries
Flaxseed
Coffee with splenda & 1% milk


Snack: 1 point

2 Clementines

Lunch: 8 points
Sesame Noodles, 2/3 C

Snack: 1 point
Apple, small

Dinner: 6 points
1 Cod Loin, baked with sundried tomatoes
1/2 C Brown Rice
Snack: 1 point
Popcorn, air-popped with cooking spray (Pam), nutritional yeast & dill

Total Points for day: 20

Work-outs: Strength Training (30 Minutes)-2
                    Doomba (45 Minutes)-6

Day 3 (Friday, Feb. 5)

Breakfast: 3 points

1/2 C fat free Greek Yogurt, plain with 1 packet of Splenda
1/4 C mixture-Kashi Go Lean & All Bran Bran Buds
1/4 C Blueberries
Flaxseed
Coffee with splenda & 1% milk

Lunch: (Beware: this is my one chosen "splurge" meal) 20 points

1/2 C Sesame Chicken
1/2 C Fried Rice
1 Crab Rangoon
1 Chicken Finger

Dinner: 8 points
Amy's Organic frozen Tamale Verde meal YUM. Was it ever good! I very rarely eat the frozen meals, but it was Friday night, I was feeling lazy and there it was! Kind of high in sodium, but delish!
Snack: 1 point
Popcorn (air-popped) with Pam cooking spray, nutritional yeast & dill

Work-out: Morning Express class (Strength/Cardio): 2 Activity Points

Total Points For Day: 32 (yikes!) Good thing I have 35 weekly points!

Day 4 (Saturday, Feb. 6)

Breakfast: 4 points
1 cup Kashi U Cereal
1/4 cup 1% milk
1/2 Banana
1 tsp. Peanut Butter

Lunch: 7 points
Grilled Vegetable Salad (romaine, grilled asparagus, summer squash, zucchini, red onion, feta and chicken breast)

Dinner: 4 points
1 cup whole grain pasta
1/4 cup tuna
Peas

Snack: 1 point
Popcorn (air-popped with Pam cooking spray, nutritional yeast & dill)

Total Points for Day: 16  (oops)

Day 5 (Sunday, Feb. 7)

Breakfast: 3 points
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup blueberries
flaxseed
1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch/All Bran cereal

Snack: 1 point
Apple, small

Lunch: 6 points
1 cup Bisebele bhath (Indian lentil/vegetable stew)

Snack: 1 point
2 Clementines

Dinner: 11 points SUPERBOWL SUNDAY!
Nachos (all natural blue corn chips, shredded chicken breast, lowfat cheese)
1 wing

Total Points for Day: 22

Day 6 (Monday, Feb. 8)

Breakfast: 3 points
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup blueberries
flaxseed
1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch/All Bran cereal

Snack: 1 point
Apple, small

Lunch: 6 points
Grilled Salmon (3 oz)
1/2 cup brown rice
Asparagus

Snack:  7 points Valentine's Day Party at work!
Red Velvet Cupcake! YUM!

Dinner:3 points
1/2 cup whole wheat pasta
Swiss Chard
3 small pieces chicken apple sausage

Snack: 1 point
Popcorn (air-popped, sprayed with Pam cooking spray, nutritional yeast & dill)
Total Points for Day: 21
Work-out: Morning Express class (strengthening/cardio): 2 activity points


Day 7 (Tuesday, Feb. 9)

Breakfast: 3 points
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt

1/4 cup blueberries
flaxseed
1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch/All Bran cereal

Lunch: 6 points
Grilled Salmon, 3 oz.
1/2 cup brown rice
asparagus

Dinner:

Work-outs:
Strength Training (30 Minutes)-2

Doomba (45 Minutes)-6

WW Update!

Up point 4. YIPPEE!! I was actually thrilled. I knew I would have a gain considering the imbibing on Saturday night so I can deal with that. It will be gone (plus more!) next week!

Today was my facilitation meeting. It was a really good meeting! We talked about successes, struggles, plateaus, mindfulness and breathing. All in all-great meeting!

Now, I'm home with a sick child. Suri has been coughing for a few days so I knew it was inevitable. Anand stayed home this morning so I could go to my meeting. Then, I came home so he could go into work for some meetings.

Now I have $15 in incentives money burning a hole in my pocket. I'm trying to decide what I want...decisions, decisions :)

Aaron-You Were RIGHT!

This morning when I went to the gym for my workout with Aaron, he said "you look like you've lost weight". I was pretty happy to hear those 6 little words, but was still a little nervous about stepping on the scale. Well, imagine my excitement to discover I had lost TWO pounds! YAY! Total loss so far is 22.4 pounds!

On another note, I have another little "recipe". When I got home from WW, I put 2 egg whites into a microwaveable bowl (sprayed with Pam) and microwaved for a minute and a half. I put it on a toasted whole wheat sandwich thin with some baby spinach, a little lowfat shredded cheddar, and a tsp or so of Annie's organic dressing. YUM! So good and filling! Sorry no picture-I was starving and devoured it!

WW Update!

I GAINED .4 lbs. Yes, it's less than a pound, but I was feeling a bit discouraged. I worked out hard last week and ate a pretty clean diet. So, I was a bit confused at the gain. This morning, I sent Aaron an e-mail looking for a pep talk. This is what I wrote:

"Good morning Aaron! So…I went to WW last night and discovered that I have GAINED .4 lb. I know, it’s less than a pound but I was really hoping for a loss since I worked out hard last week and did well on the food front. Last week I lost 2 lbs and did not so good on the food front, so I’m not sure what is going on. I do feel a difference in clothing-so I know something is happening, but the damn scale irritated me. Just looking for some words of wisdom please!

Thanks…

Nicole"

This is his reply:

"Nicole,

Your at the point where looking at the scale every week is going to be difficult. In other words you are getting in shape! Also you have started strength training so you might be building some muscle. Give it another week and if you don't see a loss we will up your cardio. You are doing great so don't get down on yourself! Believe me everything is as it should be. Like you said you can feel a difference and that is all that matters.

Believe in yourself girl!
Aaron"

YAY! I feel much better now! And I'm sore today-chest, back, legs-yikes! So, I know yesterday was a great workout!

Workout # 3 with Aaron!

I survived workouts 1 & 2, so today was time for lucky number 3! After Thurday's session, my quads were so sore for 3 days. But, they were better today, so I'm just imagining all of that muscle building-and fat burning :)

We did upper & lower body today-more kettle bells! MAN-that is one heck of a workout. After doing swings, I am so out of breath it's unbelievable! But I feel SO good after-like I really got in an excellent workout!

Tonight is Weight Watchers. I'll post an update tomorrow (or maybe tonight if I'm feeling ambitious!).

WW Update!

I lost 2 pounds! Total loss so far is 20.8.

A couple of comments that made my day today:

"You don't look like you weigh that much" (from a coworker)

"You're looking great!" (from Dawn, my Doomba instructor)

"Hey Skinny Minny. You're losing weight like every minute!" (from my husband)