In the last few weeks, I learned so much. I have taken a class about metabolism and how to boost it. The number way to boost your metabolism??? Eat breakfast. Simple, huh? Now, I know that eating breakfast can be the last thing on most of our minds, but it is really important. It doesn't have to be some fancy country breakfast with eggs, pancakes and bacon. Just something simple. Things I eat for breakfast: Kashi cereal. When I find it on sale, I buy it. I have also found that Kroger has an awesome brand of healthy cereals called Active or something like that. What to look for in a cereal? Read the labels!!! Check the fiber and sugar. These are key to a sustaining meal. Low sugar, and I mean less than 10 grams per serving, and high fiber 6 grams or more. Sometimes the cereal can taste kinda like cardboard, but it grows on you. And truly, you will be full after just one quick bowl! I was skeptical at first, because it usually took at least 2 bowls to fill me up. But it really does just take one bowl. I even feel full longer, so cuts down on the need to snack. Now, sometimes a bowl of cereal just isn't what you want. I change it up and make a breakfast burrito. I scramble 2 eggs with a variety of ingredients. It is amazing how different you can make your eggs just by adding a few simple things. For example, I will scramble 2 eggs with 3/4c cooked rice, add about 2 tbl shredded cheese and wrap it up in a multi-grain flour tortilla, fajita size. I usually can get 2 burritos outta this. Most times, I share with my husband. Another way of changing up your eggs is by adding onions, sweet peppers, tomatoes or just salsa. I have also scrambled asparagus into my eggs. So, you can change up your eggs everyday for a different mood. Try it, you might even like it! :-)

This is the picture that changed my life.

March 29, 2012

So, I am new to this whole blog thing. But I guess, I'll start at the beginning. Why do I have a blog? I thought this would be a good way to keep a journal of my new personal goal to become healthy and fit. No surprise, I have had trouble with my weight since I was a teenager. Although, looking back, I wonder what I was concerned about. So, I wasn't a size 2 like my other friends. I was a size 11. I would kill to be a size 11 nowadays! Besides, what is wrong with a size 11?? Nothing. But to a teenage girl with stick thin friends, it meant I was fat.

I got married at 21 to the love of my life. We have 4 crazy wonderful children together. My only complaint, is that my husband and I are the dreaded "baseball and baseball bat" couple. Yup, you got it. He is tall (5'9)and thin, and I am short(5'2) and round. Wasn't always like that. When we were first married, I was looking good. But after the kids starting coming around, I just grew in size. I was a size 13 when we got married. After 15 years, I have been as big as a size 24 and now am around a size 20.

Over the years, I told myself I wasn't that big. I really avoided looking in the mirror. In my head, I have this image of myself. Unfortunately, that fantastical image doesn't quite correlate with reality. I had a real wake up call in December 2011. I was doing a sleep study for my now diagnosed sleep apnea. I had all this crazy head gear and straps and wires all over the place. I had my sister take a picture of me. Yikes!! I really bypassed the get up and looked at how gross I looked! I couldn't believe it! I was huge!!!! That scared me and let's face it, depressed me. From that moment on, I decided that enough was enough! I would change that gross woman into the beautiful woman I see in my head everyday!

I started looking around for a personal trainer. In the past, I had tried Curves and looked into different diets. Watching TV, I was flooded with numerous weight loss miracle pills. But come on, those things don't really work. I figured what I needed was someone to work with me personally to help me out. I didn't want to start a class with other people who were already looking good. I didn't want to be the sad fat case everyone had to wait for, to move to the next step. And honestly, I was embarrassed to be seen in any type of work out clothes! Have you tried those things on?? They sit pretty close to your skin. Trust me, not such a pretty sight.

So back to the personal trainer idea. I wanted someone who could look at me and see potential. I wanted to know that the work outs I would be doing would be the right ones for my body and fitness level. And really, if you are gonna make a fool of yourself, wouldn't you rather do it alone?? I found a personal trainer and did my evaluation with her. Laurie was wonderful. She is tall and lean and didn't look at me like i was some kind of fat freak. Never once, did she say I was too fat or too weak to do anything. She boosted me up. I signed on with her for an 18 week course, twice a week an hour a session.

My first time training with Laurie was, in my eyes, laughable. I made it through everything she asked me to do, but I felt sheepish. I was really disappointed in my lack of muscle tone and strength. There were times I didn't want to go. But i went anyway. I knew this was my chance. I knew I was paying good money to see Laurie, and I wasn't about to waste it!! Huge motivating factor as the price. It is $40 a session. I figure if I am gonna pay that much, I will get my monies worth outta it.

Now, I have been working with Laurie and Stephanie for 8 weeks. I can not believe the improvements I am seeing myself! I started in January, weighing in at 235 lbs. Now, I weigh 223 lbs. Yes, i know, I lost 12 lbs. Some might think, "wow, awesome". Others might think, "that's it?" Here is the awesome part. It is not just weight I am loosing. The most important part, is the fat!!! I have lost over 10 inches since I started working with Laurie and Stephanie. I really haven't changed my diet drastically either. True, I am watching what I take in more than ever before. I am thinking about everything I eat and when.

Things I am doing differently. I am a huge Mt.Dew fan. Love the stuff. Used drink 3 or 4 bottles of it a day. I am talking the 16 to 32 oz size bottles. Man, did I pack on the weight with that! I have now switched to one Diet Mt. Dew a day, 16 oz size. I drink water all the time. I have smaller portions of all the food I love. I am reading labels and avoiding those things that have a crazy amount of carbs and sugars, and instead substituting with healthier options. I have fruit and nut bars in my pantry and protein bars for a quick snack. I cook with leaner meats. I use ground turkey and ground sirloin in my meals.

I joined a gym. Now I know how to use those crazy machines and what muscle groups I need to use to help combat fat. I walk. In fact, my trainer encouraged me to sign up for a 5K fun walk. Last year, the idea would be unthinkable to me. Now?? Well, I am almost ready for the event in April. I have a personal best of 55 mins for a 5K. My goal is now 45 mins. I have till April 28th to make it!

Yes, this has been rambling and what not. Perhaps someone will find it useful. There is so much I want to say, but I am not trying to write a book here! LOL