Slowing Down

OK well as many of you know I have not posted in over a month. Well I have not been lazy I have however been adjusting to being Pregnant! Thats Right Ryan and I are expecting our 2nd Child Due Jan 4, 2013.  Dont think this means this blog is going away, or that I am getting lazy, NO SIR! I am still Working out. I was told not to Run which trust me is killing me but I am speed walking, doing Zumba Rush on the xbox kinnect and after my dr. apt today I will see what else I can add in. I plan on putting together a list of calorie counts at fast food restraunts for the next blog! I will list the top 10 low cal choices from some of my favorite take out places. Hope you enjoy! Until next time, remember................ NO EXCUSES, DONT DRINK YOUR CALORIES, & KEEP MOVING! IF YOU'RE SWEATING YOUR LOSING!

Breaking habits

Bad habits are not unbreakable! I cant tell you the times I have heard and I have even said myself " I just cant give up ......" The truth is that it takes only 21 days to kick a bad habit. If your bad habit has to do with eating or drinking something unhealthy I have some even better news. Our taste buds are malleable. This simply means that they are easy to influence. It is proven that if you deprive your taste buds of the foods you crave and replace them with healthy choices your taste buds will within 1 month change and start to crave the healthy food. I challenge each of you to give up one of your biggest vices and replace it with something good for 1 month, then way in and let me know if Dr.'s, scientists and my blog are right about this. Another way to kick a bad habit is to add water to your diet. water flushes our system, refreshes us and can help curb your appetite, by filling your stomach.

30 Day shed takes a hault!

Well I am sad to say that my 30 day shed had to take a slight halt! for the last week I have had double ear infections and a chest cold and it made doing all the strenuous exercises very difficult so my workout plan got derailed a bit. However that's life! I have been working out but just on a much smaller scale! So as of today I am back on track and back to my workouts. I will pick up the 30 day shed workout again but the results will be off a bit since i will not have been on it for a full 30 days by the date of my vacation. I have 18 days until then so for now I am hitting it hard. Today's workout consists of 10 min walk, 40 min run, 10 min cool down walk. 1 zumba class(via xbox kinect), 800 crunches, 200 squats, 100 plies, 200 side bends, 200 leg raises and 100 reverse leg raises, 100 fire hydrants, & 50 burpies.  I have been eating 1200 cal per day and whatever I burn off working out gets added back in for additional calories to consume in order to keep my metabolism up. I am sorry I haven't got more to add at this time but things have been crazy here. Until next time keep sweating!

30 day Shed Day 5

OK so I have been killing it this week. I have new pics for you and here are my new weight & measurments
Weight:
154lbs

Measurments:
Neck - 12.25" (-.5")
Chest - 35.5" (-.5")
Biceps's - 11.25" (-.25)
Waist - 31.75" (-.25")
Hips - 39.5" (-.5")
Thigh's - 23"(no change yet)
Calf's - 15.25" (-.25")

I gave you a sample of my diet and exercise plan in my last blog. Well here is what I have been doing for the last 5 days. I have really been using the Myfitnesspal.com app and wevsite to track my food intake(sticking to my 1200 cal per day) and logging my workouts as well. I have been making sure that I eat the additional calories that I burn off in workouts so as not to throw my body into starvation mode, totally wrecking my metabolism.
As for workouts on the 30day shed I have been unable to run due to allergies & double ear infections so I am staying in but that hasnt stopped me. I have done 45-1 hr of eliptical every day similar routine as I blogged before. I am doing anywhere for 300 -800 crunches per day, 100-200 sidebands with 5 lb weights. Leg raises, squats, plies, & reverse leg raises 100-200 per day. I am also adding in pushups, hip thrusts and planks.  This weekend I hope to get pictures posted of these exercises in motion and a detailed sample of yet another days diet and work out. Until then Take care and keep sweating!

30 Day Shed part 2

OK she here are the pics I promised. I must be crazy for telling all you guys my actual measurements and weight but in order to do this right I am going to share the details in order to provide you with the best possible solution to getting the weight off.
As of 3/30/2012 my weight and Measurements were.......
Weight:
155lbs
Measurements:
Neck - 12.5"
Chest - 36"
Biceps's - 11.5" 
Waist - 32" 
Hips - 40"
Thigh's - 23"
Calf's - 15.5"

If you aren't sweating you are NOT Losing!!!! This picture was taken post workout 1 on the 30 day shed

Food Day 1:

Here is what I did day one on the 30 day shed. I ate 1200 calories.

Breakfast was 1 pkg apple cin oatmeal (sugar free), a snack of emerald cocoa almonds (100cal), lunch was a can of progresso light soup, with 1 slice Kraft American fat free cheese 25 cal. 3 oz of baby carrots, 2 tbsp hummus, for a snack later I had 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tbsp honey, on 2 slices 35 cal wheat bread. for dinner we had a client in town so we went to a restaurant and I ordered grilled chicken breast( skinless, no marinade, no seasoning) a side salad with fat free honey mustard on the side, corn( I opted for corn over the green beans because I asked how they were prepared and they had both bacon and butter in them, the corn did not, I got it with NO BUTTER) then I ate 1 dinner roll since i had an additional 850cal to consume over my 1200 because after my work that was how much I burned.  I also made sure to drink a min of 10 glasses of H20 not including 2 glasses of UN sweet tea. Remember each bottle of H20 you drink counts as 2 glasses of h20. 

WORKOUT DAY 1:

45 min on the elliptical(Start -5 min resistance level 1; min 5-10 resistance level 6; min 10-15 resistance level 10; min 15-25 resistance level 16 (the max); min 25-30 resistance level 10;min 30-35 resistance level 6; min 35-45 resistance level 1)  If you do not have access to an elliptical you can run for 45 min on the road( that was what I use to do when I was losing my weight because it wasn't until a few months ago my husband purchased out elliptical) 

I followed my elliptical training with 5 min of planks, ( I did all 5 min at once but you can build to that if need be do 1 min take 30 sec to 1 min off then do another min until you reach 5 min) Next was 600 crunches( I alternated every set of 100 with knees, so the 1st set were normal crunches, the next set of 100 was to each side alternating knees, back to normal, then knees etc...) Followed by 100 Plies( this exercise is tough to explain but stick with me you spread you legs into the wide leg squat position, then lift up your body onto your toes, then do squats on your toes, never letting your heels touch the ground) I will try to get someone to take pics of me doing each exercise to post at a later date. I followed those with 200 squats, then 100 side bends(which work your obliques) I will post more tonight or tomorrow about the exercises I did today. Hope this gets you started right.

Until next time take care and keep sweating!!!

Kristen's 30 day Shed!

OK so today I am starting my version of Jillian Michaels 30 day shed. I have designed a workout and diet that when combined together will produce amazing results. I plan on posting new pics, measurments and weight every 5 days on this site to show the results. I will be doing this using only my own body weight, for strength training, 2,  5lb hand weights, 2 dvd's, the road for running & my eliptical to show that you can do this without expensive diets, no fancy exercise equipment etc...
 Please check back because tonight I will post pics, weights and my diet and workout for day 1!

Hydrate, Hydrate, & Hydrate some more!

OK I know my posts have kinda been all over the place and for that I am sorry. However I post what I feel, the issues I am facing. Today I want to talk about hydration and over doing it.  I am working on some great meal plans, take out and fast food tips and hints so keep watching weekly for that, however today we have to address this issue!
If you are my facebook follower you know that I had a bit of a scare this week. Wednesday I went for my daily run. I ran 8 miles as I have many many many times before, but this time was different. I am going to be real with you my readers I made a mistake. I know better, I am careful and very very set on hydration usually. This week however I got sloppy and let my guard down, I ate some carbs prior to running, I had my morning coffee like always(yes coffee) I will explain that more in a bit, I downed a bottle of h20 and away I went. During the heat of the summer I always take a hydration belt equipped with 2 - 4 oz bottles of water, my keys and phone, but in the winter months I tend to neglect it since I don't usually over heat while running. MISTAKE.  I had planned on running 10 miles but at mile 8 I couldn't go any more, my side hurt and I was cramping. I walked 1 mile home and once I got home downed 2 bottles of water & ate some protein and carbs. Too little too late I am afraid! I couldn't stop shaking, I was nauseous, and dizzy and my pulse wouldn't come down for hours it stayed in the 90's. It was a very scary feeling. This event made me realize that I am not unstoppable! I have limits, and despite my new found fitness, health and athlete, I can not neglect my bodies needs anymore.  It made me realize that while I am healthy now how many years did I waste poisoning my body with toxic junk food, drinks, and negative thoughts.  Truth is we will never know the affects all that junk has on our bodies long term even after we quit it.  It made me realize I have to fight even harder to help those that are still in that place I was and mostly I realized I have to stop and listen to my body.
That said let me help you with some tips on keeping hydrated.
Tip (1) Do not drink more then 1 cup coffee, energy drink or one 5 hr energy prior to working out.  While a small amount of caffeine is good for working out(it actually helps you to feel less pain, & helps your body to perform) ( info found in runners world.com) But too much dehydrates you and makes your heart race.
(2) Despite what some say make sure to drink at least 16 oz of h20 prior to running or working out. This water hydrates your body and gives it fuel to run properly.
(3) Make sure you work out with something in your stomach. Food is also critical in preventing fatigue and dehydration. The food in combination with H20 fuels you and helps you perform at peak.  Too little and you wont have enough energy to complete a work out, you will get dehydrates and your body wont burn calories properly.
(4) Take water or a sports drink with you to refuel during your workout. the key is to drink 1 oz per 10 min of workout. This is ideal, not always obtainable but it is recommended. I try to spread 8 oz out over 1 hr most of the time. If I work out more then that I stop and refill my containers to not run into problems.
(5) Make sure you intake a min of 16 oz of water and 150-200 cal within 15 min of ending a hard run. This is something I learned for professional runners and it was in the fall issue of runners world. This helps to prevent cramps, runners (muscle lock) and dehydration. If your refuse to eat at least drink the water. You need it to replace the water lost during exercise.

I do not want to pretend I am an expert at hydration or exercise yet however I know that it is easy to make a mistake and if I can help you to remember or learn something you didn't know that will help you prevent a mistake, that's my goal. 
Something else that I have heard someone say before is I will not eat that many calories after a workout cause if so what was the point of working out. Let me assure you it is worth it, the point is to help your body burn more calories, exercise helps improve metabolism and it helps you to get stronger and healthier. eating is necessary to fuel your body and run properly. Your not killing your diet if you eat the right 150-200 cal after working out. and Hydration is key too, Remember water doesn't have calories do Drink up!!!

It's the small things!

OK so in this blog I am going to talk about all the small things that make such a huge difference in weight loss.
1:) DON'T DRINK YOUR CALORIES!!!!  I cant tell you how huge this one difference is. The average soda has 150-250 calories, if you cut that alone and replace it with H20, diet soda or crystal light you can drop 10-15 lbs in a year easy.  Something else to note is that if you are a coffee drinker and you cut out your 2 spoon fulls of sugar and cream every cup you can also lose 10 lbs in a yr. if you can go with black coffee like me replace real sugar with splenda. (I know its not healthy but you can cut it out later when  your body is at a healthy weight and you aren't at risk of heart probs or diabetes or other health problem's)
2.) This is a multi part thing, If you order a salad get your dressing on the side, also try to go with low cal dressing or use Mustard, or (mustard with splenda in it which gives a honey mustard taste) instead of dressing. If you order your dressing on the side and dip your fork in it with each bite you typically use about 1/2 as much. Also This is Texas and I know we are huge Ranch people here ( I use to put it on everything from salad, to pizza to fries) but sadly 2 TBSP of most ranch dressings have the same amount of fat and cal as 1 piece of fried chicken, and I know I use to use way more then 2 tbsp per meal/salad.
3.) Set goals and have then in writing, posted where you are forced to look at them each day. By setting a written goal rather then just having one in your head you are more likely to achieve it. If you are looking at it especially daily then when you are facing a tough choice you are more likely to choose the healthy option because you will remember your goal and will be holding yourself accountable.
4.) Speaking of accountability, find a friend, family member, coworker etc... that you can share your goal with who wants you to succeed that will hold you accountable. Often sharing your goal with someone who isn't struggling with the same issue if helpful. Don't get me wrong it's great to have a workout partner, and someone you are dieting with. This does make the process a little easier, however if you are both having a week moment or day you may be more likely to cheat on your healthy lifestyle, or skip the workout. If your accountability partner can help you threw those moments it makes a huge difference.
5.) Do not completely deprive yourself of the tasty fun stuff, it is OK to splurge once a month, or to have 1 bite of a candy bar or 1 slice of pizza every now and then. What is not OK is making a day of it, or week of it. Have one day a week or a month where you choose one meal to eat whatever(keep portions reasonable) but when that meal is over the rest of the day you eat like you would on any other day of the diet. If your really craving candy try dome skinny cow candy(lower cal) or opt for 1 square of chocolate or 1 or 2 bites of a candy bar rather then the entire thing. If you completely deprive yourself of the things you love you WILL FAIL!!!! you will eventually fall and you will fall hard. I am not saying any of this to be mean I am saying it because I have been there and done that time and time again.
6.) Take on one major change at a time!  Let me explain don't set your goals too high, don't plan to lose 25-50- or 100lbs this year, get your body toned, quit smoking, quit drinking and give up caffeine, and get that promotion at work all in one year. (these are just some extreme examples) Rather sit down put them in order of importance to you. Once you have them ranked choose the 1st one, the most important one. If the above list were mine I would say OK I'm going to tackle my weight 1st. Then I would set a small weight loss goal. Say I have 100 lbs to lose I am going to focus on getting 10% of my 100lbs off in 2 months, once I hit that goal I would go on to the next and so on and so forth until I completed that goal. Then I would set out to tackle my 2nd goal. Taking on to many projects or goals at once tends to put too much stress on us and we usually fail and just make matters worse for ourselves.


In conclusion I want to remind you that you didn't gain all your weight over night and you should not expect to lose it quickly. Do not listen to people who are cheating themselves and their bodies by using harmful diet pills, shots, and starvation plans to lose the weight. They are only harming their body, diet pills are just legalized speed, the shots are basically the same, or worse and starvation wrecks your metabolism, for life in some cases. Losing weight and getting healthy is NOT EASY, FUN OR QUICK!!!! It is however, Hard work, it takes commitment, dedication, exercise and determination. There are no quick fixes and you cant cheat your body or the consequences will be severe, in alot of "quick fix cases" the person gains it all back and in most cases plus some. I urge you don't fall victim to this Garbage and people who push it. I lost 92 lbs over 3 years using good old fashion portion control, watching calories, and adding in exercise. That is how to make it a lifestyle change and that is how to make your weight loss permanent!
Side note: if you cant exercise at 1st then just watch portions, calories, and the types of food you are putting in your body. After a few weeks of that when  your finally getting the hang of it add in walking 30 min, take the stairs rather then the elevator,light weights, or something else. Eventually you can make it harder or add in more. Small changes, small goals and baby steps are KEY to changing your life!

Healthy Eating Facts and Myths!

Healthy lifestyle Facts and Myths:
I am only going to address a few facts and myths in this blog I will probably do several series of these blogs to keep things fun.
Where to begin.........Well.....
1st 2 Myths go hand in hand so I will address them together. They are also issues I am facing now that I am thinner, & let me state for the record. I may be thinner then I was 90 lbs ago, (I officially hit the 90lb mark this past Monday), but I am still considered over weight by the Dr.'s charts for my height to weight ratio. I also still have 20 lbs to lose to be in the upper/middle section of my healthy weight range. With that said....
MYTH:  When people say "Thin people can eat whatever they want & they don't have to watch what they eat, they are so lucky"  Or "If you eat XYZ.....(fill in w/ Cake, fast food, choose your poison) only once in a while it's OK it wont make you gain weight."
TRUTH:  Skinny, thin, healthy, in shape people MOST OF THE TIME, have to work very hard to stay that way. Sure we all know that one person that is 6' tall & thin as a rail who eats like a pig, workout very little & still remains thin but that is not the norm. Most thin people are very conscience of their weight, their diet & how much they exercise. I am finding out that losing the weight was easy, keeping it off is very difficult. Maintenance is much harder than losing weight. With weight loss you know how many calories to eat, how much you have to workout etc... to burn off fat, but keeping the weight off is a whole different ballgame(to be addressed in another blog.) 2nd Please don't take this wrong but with anyone who is making positive changes in health & fitness you cant say to them eating XYZ every now & then is OK,  Here is why. If that person is in the 1st 24 months of weight loss or trying to overcome a food addiction, They Truly CAN NOT Cheat every now & then.  To that person having those sugar's, fats, junk food's etc... triggers a physical response in their body (much like an alcoholic or drug addict) where if they get that food they cant stop with just one, they physically are dependant on that food, for the surge of dopamine the brain produces when they eat that food(drug of choice). I know that is hard to understand but it is a scientific fact.( for more info please visit (foodaddictions.org, the New England journal of Med. or any other medical publication)

Myth #2: If the package says fat free or Low fat it's healthy.
Fact:  While in some cases low fat or fat free foods can be better for you the truth is that in order for the food manufacturer to make the food taste good they have to add something. Fat makes the food taste good so in taking it out most add SUGAR, to the food in order to enhance flavor. You may ask whats wrong with that? Well our body can process & break down Fats naturally but Sugar is converted to fat in our body it is almost instantly absorbed into the blood stream, & our bodies were not designed to process sugars as easily.
So you may ask whats worse a sugary snack or a fatty one. The sugary snack is worse.

Myth#3 Natural snacks like nuts, avocados, peanut butter, milk, etc... are so fattening & bad for me.
Fact: While these foods are higher in Fat it is healthy fat, EVERY ONE NEEDS SOME FAT IN THEIR DIET! Let me clarify you don't need fast food burger & fries kind of  fat, the trans, & saturated kinds. You need natural fats that are found in foods high in protein, & nutrients. Avocados are a great source of potassium, vitamin C & other key nutrients our bodies crave. Nuts are high in Protein, fiber & minerals the body needs to function. By eating healthy fats you are actually doing your body a favor & fueling it right.

Finally The Dreaded E word:
Myth: Exercise Makes me tired, I don't have time for it & I don't have the energy to do it. But I cant Lose weight if I don't exercise alot or at a high intensity.
Fact: 1st You can lose weight without adding exercise at 1st, just by changing a few bad habits in your daily life, & in your daily diet you can begin to lose some weight. However eventually you do need to add exercise in to your daily lifestyle to maintain & gain muscle mass, to help improve your heart health & to feel better in general.
YES exercise will make you tired @ 1ST.  However I guarantee you if you have been cleared by your Dr. & told to go ahead with exercising, then if you give it 2 weeks of daily exercise, be it walking, jogging, weight lifting, dance, taking the stairs rather then the elevator, etc... You will actually have more energy. Like with anything it takes time but if you stick with any Diet or exercise plan for more then a month you WILL SEE Results.

In my next blog I will talk about the small things that make all the difference.

When you feel like you are at your lowest, weakest, and most venerable, when you just don't care, Then you are the most likely to Succeed, or fail depending on the path you choose. CHOOSE SUCCESS!!!

Remember You can make a change! You are worth it! You are Beautiful, Special &  Important!
YOU MATTER! Make your change starting today!!!!

"NO GYM, NO FANCY EQUIPMENT, NO PROBLEM!"

How I lost the weight? This is probably the biggest question I get asked.  I told you in my last blog about how I gained that weight, well today I will share how I got it off. I was frustrated with myself, with how I looked & felt. Here I was at a heavy 250lbs and I was miserable. The 1st 40 lbs came off pretty quickly, I was going to the gym, doing Zumba, turbo kick & walking our neighborhood with my newborn baby. I kinda plateaued at 210. I was comfortable I looked in the mirror and no longer saw a super fat girl, but I was still very over weight and very physically uncomfortable. The next Year I spent in denial, not wanting to admit I needed to lose more weight. Finally in early 2011 my husband was hospitalized for a heart condition at the age of 32. I was rocked to my core! This was not the 1st time we had visited the ER with his condition but it was the 1st time I felt 100% vulnerable, exposed & partly to blame. As I stated before I am a food addict always have been and always will be. My husband is too, and while his condition is genetic it is made worse by his weight issue. I knew I wasn't doing my all to help either of us lose weight & get healthy.  In that moment I realized if we didn't take our lives back then our precious 2 year old boy would lose his parents.  I dedicated the rest of my year to health and wellness. More importantly I sat down and wrote out my goals, & I decided what was most & least important to me. I wanted to Quit making EXCUSES, I wanted to disprove all the haters that said it couldn't be done. Mostly I wanted to do it all on my own. So I went and canceled my Gym membership & took up running again.  I was dead set on proving you could lose weight with No Gym, No fancy/expensive equipment, No drugs and absolutely NO Starvation.  I began eating a diet that I created based on the food pyramid. I began running again, something I started before I got pregnant with my son. Now let me state that when I say running that is a very loose term at the beginning. I started walking 5 minutes, jogging 60 seconds, then walking 5 more minutes. Slowly but surely each week I added in more time or running faster & harder in the time I did run. I built up my strength by doing crunches & push ups, and every now and then I threw in a biggest loser, Pilate's, or Turbo Jam DVD. When I say that I did push ups I started out only being able to do 1 but slowly added in 1 more, then another, & another. It was the same with crunched & the DVDs I couldn't do the entire thing at 1st but I kept trying. Over time with the right diet and exercise I started dropping lbs. I was averaging 1 to 2 lbs per week. Now I know when you are extremely over weight you get upset with a loss that small. I was no exception to that, but what you need to remember is you didn't gain 5, 10 or 15 lbs in a week you should not expect to lose it that quickly either. My Dr. also told me that any more that 2 lbs a week and you are probably going to eventually gain it all back.  Then in the summer I tried Low Carb, High Fiber, with lots of Dark Green Leafy Veggies, lean protein, (fish 3 days a week, chicken 3, and beef 1). Its not something I recommend but it was great for us for summer since we BBQ alot. Then in October I was down to 165lbs, & I was ecstatic.  From Oct to Jan 1 we went off of any kind of DIET and just tried to maintain the loss we had all year. You may ask why I say we, well my husband was doing this with me & I am proud to say he has lost 38lbs so far, & that's with a full time Job working 40+ hours a week and entertaining people for business.  The next question I am sure You may be asking is, why we did this? Well its simple really we wanted to see if we could. We needed to make sure when we do lose the rest of the weight, that are we going to be able to maintain and not gain it back. I am happy to say that even with all the holidays, the temptations and treats we did manage to keep it off.

To the present.....

Since Jan of 2012 we have changed a few more things. We are back on the food pyramid kind of eating I described earlier & we are cutting calories to finish losing weight, but more importantly we are making it a lifestyle change we aren't crash dieting, we aren't starving ourselves & we are working out 5 days a week minimum. I am now in the process of studying to become a certified personal trainer, & I am about to run another half marathon & am training for a full. 

Let me address another issue really quickly that I will go into more in the next blog.

When you Eat the Right foods, I.E. Fruits & veggies, lean protein and the proper amount of healthy fat and dairy you can still cut calories and be extremely full.

I hope I have helped you understand me and my journey a little better in this blog.  In the next blog I will address healthy eating facts & myths and touch on the issues I have now that I am thinner.

In the Beginning!

This is the 1st blog in a set of many dedicated to weightloss and fitness.My name is Kristen Landon, I am a wife, mother, sister, daughter, & friend, but moer then that I am a former Fat person.  This blog will tell my story, my struggles with weight, & how I fought back against my inner demons.  I am also going to share my success in weight loss, fitness & health, as well as share tips and advice.  My Goal is to inspire, motivate, & encourage others the way I was encouraged.  By writing this free blog I hope to inspire others take their lives back by paying it forward to you my readers.  I will preface that I am not a professional writer, doctor, nurse or fitness professional, so please go easy on me.

With that said let me share my story with you.....

All my life I have struggled with weight.  As far back as I can remember I was teased for being over weight.  Looking back at photos I know now that I was not a fat kid, but I was bigger then the skinny mini's in my class so I was the butt of many jokes.  I attribute all the teasing and jokes to where my selfesteem was crushed, Because my parents were the most supportive, loving and encouraging parents a kid could have.  To them I was beautiful, talented, & special no matter how big or little I was, & they told me that very often.  Unfortunatly my parents praise's fell on deaf ears because the only opinion that mattered to this teen girl was that of my peers.  There for I struggled with "Diets" on and off durring High School & College, with my weight having major fluctuations durring that time. Funny part about that is that durring college I was doing some local modeling, so I couldnt have been as big as I thought I was.  After college I moved about 2 hours from home, I had no family or friends there so I turned to food. I gained alot of weight and was not happy or confident in myself.  Unfortunatly all my weight issues & low selfesteem contributed to me making bad choices one of which was to marry a man who never really loved me. So after our divorce I moved back home. Once I moved back home I dropped 80lbs., but sadly it didnt last.  I got into a relationship with my husband, and best friend since we were kids, Ryan and I was happy, and once again found my love affair with food.  Ryan & I got pregnant & unfortunatly lost 3 children before having our son.  With each pregnancy I gained 10 lbs., but never got it all off before getting pregnant with the next child.  Then when we got pregnant with our son I gained 80 lbs.  This happened for a number of reasons I"ate for 2", I gave up all artificial sweeteners(that means all food had Real sugar in it), I couldnt workout except to walk(high risk) which hurt more then you know, I suffered for severe swelling, etc... After teh birth of our son I was tipping the scales at 250lbs I was mortified.  Finally I decided to take my life back.  While watching the Biggest Loser I was inspired by something someone said, they said "Everyone has excuses & everyone has a reason they Can't, QUIT Making Excuses and Just do it! Just get your lazy fat butt off the couch and do Something."  So I did & let me tell you I was the Queen of Excuses. 
I wasnt going to share this but lately every time someone asks for my advice & I give it to them, they then come up with yet another excuse for why it wont work for them. So here goes just some of my excuses (& maybe you can relate) were, I weight 250 lbs it hurts to exercise, I have depression, I am on med's that make me gain weight, I have no support, I got divorced, I got remarried & need to focuse on that, I lost 3 children,I have several close family members that are sick, and 3 died in 3 years, I have low bloodsugar and other health problems, Ive tried every diet and nothing works for me, a Gym costs too much money, I have no energy, my Job takes to much out of me, I have no time, & ON & ON & ON.
I QUIT MAKING EXCUSES!  I picked up Running(to start w/ not really running) More on that in the next blog. I adopted a healthy lifestyle of eating that worked with me and my body, & lost 90 lbs. I still lack 20lbs., to be at my Goal weight, & I'm in the process of getting my certification to be a personal trainer, but I have to save something to share in my next blog.  In the next blog I will share how I lost the weight and am keeping it off. Until then Quit making excuses, Quit letting your family & yourself down & take the 1st step to your new life.

YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!!!!!

Before                                             Now