30 Pound Goal Shopping

I hit my 30 pound goal a few weeks ago. And last Friday, I went to get my rewards for reaching that milestone. I did change it up slightly. I decided I didn't need a whole cookware set. So I got the cast iron skillet, the colander, dutch oven, and I completed my table set.

There are two more cups also! I just love this set. It's called Happiness!

I am a huge Pioneer Woman lover! I have been following her blog for about 8 years now. I have made many of her recipes, and watch her show religiously!

In other news, this week has been going great! I have been on track with my eating, and I have exercised every day this week so far. I am making sure to get 250+ steps from 8 a.m-10 p.m. I am shocked that I haven't been doing this before. Looking at my Dashboard and seeing hours that I am not getting those steps in was a wake up call.

This is also looking to be a record breaking week with my Fitbit. I have gotten in 10,000+ steps the last 3 days, including a record high 18,414 on Wednesday (with 8.09 miles, also a record).

The calorie burn is also a record. Almost 3,000!

My highest weekly step record right now is 56,228. Pretty sure I'll break that today, and then there's still 2 more days in the week. My highest active minutes record is 345 from 2 weeks ago. We'll see if I break that one or not. 

This morning on the scale I saw a new low, so the gain from Monday is already gone, plus a little more. We'll see what the scale says Monday. This weekend will be active though. My oldest son's birthday is today, and there will be bowling tomorrow, and there is a fair in town he wants to go to. Tomorrow is the last night, so we'll be going then. 

Weigh In 4/18

Well, I had my first gain this week.

 I did nothing I said I would do in my last post. "Otherwise I'll try to keep my eating in check in this birthday week." Famous (or infamous) last words. 

First off, the field trip was cancelled because of weather. It's been rescheduled for next Tuesday. So, I didn't go out with my husband on Thursday, and just decided to go on Friday. I had an Olive Garden gift card so we went there. I ordered the shrimp fritta appetizer, but I only ate 1/3 of it (my husband ate the rest of it later).  I ate salad, and yes, 2 breadsticks. My first bread, I believe, in months. 

Then we went shopping at Walmart for some stuff. There is a Starbucks right in front of the Walmart we went to. I knew I had a free birthday drink, so I went and got that. I got a Venti White Chocolate Mocha. It was delicious. I have no regrets about it. I struggled a bit at first with "cheating on my diet" guilt, but I reminded myself that not everyday will be a perfect D.A.S.H. day. So I drank it and moved on! 

I also worked out exactly 0 times last week. Nope, I wasn't sick; I just didn't. I have no excuse other than I was being lazy. My cycle was on from Tuesday-Sunday as well. Combine all of these things, and it's no wonder I gained 2.4 pounds for the week.

Anyway, I'm moving on and putting it behind me. It's a new week, and it has already started out well. I did an 11 mile bike ride last night. And I've done a 5k this morning. My eating was on point yesterday, too. I was fun to have my splurges on my birthday, but it feels good to be back on track to. I can seriously already tell that the bloat in my belly has gone away.

Onward and downward!

Weigh In 4/11

I wanted to get this up really quick. I lost .6 pounds this week.

I got 5 workouts in- a 5 mile walk, a 4-ish mile hike, twice on the bike (Tuesday/Thursday), and a Just Dance workout Friday. I had rest days on Monday and Sunday. 

My baby woke up Tuesday night not ten minutes in, so I stopped once I realized he wasn't going back to sleep.

Yesterday also marked 3 months of Dash-ing. My total weight loss for the three months is 33.6 pounds. I also took measurements and lost everywhere but my neck, which stayed the exact same. My best loss was in my thighs(-1.5). 

The main 3:

Bust: -.5

Waist: -.5

Hips: -1 

Doesn't seem like a lot, but it is progress (and maybe I was a little bloated, too. AF showed up last night/today!). 

My birthday is Friday, and I'll do something with my husband on Thursday. My middle son has a field trip to the zoo on my birthday and I signed up to chaperone. That should be fun, lol. So lots of walking. Otherwise I'll try to keep my eating in check in this birthday week. 

Cub Scout Hike

This morning I went with my oldest son on a hike with his Cub Scout group. We went to a hiking trail about 20 minutes from where we live.

This was a requirement for his wolf badge. Let me just say I'm so glad it's over! It was a really good hike, and there was really only one difficult part.

There were four different paths to choose. We originally choose the bottom path and went downhill first. Then the leader realized we were not on the right path, so we ended up doing the top trail backwards.

 All was fine and dandy until we had to go up the steep incline back to the top at the end. Now, mind you, we had already been out over 2.5 hours, had eaten lunch, and I was just about to start crawling! My 5 miler on Wednesday had nothing on this. And even after we walked the .6 mile incline straight up, we still had more trail to go. I was so happy to see the end! The boys had fun though, and honestly, I'd love to go out again, but I'd make sure to stay on the bottom trail. Or just go the right way on the top trail.

He was over my picture taking!

The pleasant surprise came when I looked at my fitbit app for stats.

149 active minutes is a record for one day. 2.5 hours. And I reached 10,000 steps before 1 p.m. I'm super proud of myself that I made it. I was hating that hike while doing it, but it is the best feeling to know I did it. And I could just imagine how much harder it would have been a few months ago before losing 33 pounds. Now, I just hope I'm not too sore in the morning.

Lab Work Update + 5 Mile Walk

So I heard my from the nurse regarding my lab draws, and she told me my cholesterol has improved This means I do not have to be put on medicine for it. She said the doctor wants me to continue with the diet and exercise, and we'll follow up at my appointment in 6 months. Great news to start my day!

Yesterday, I never did get to get my walk in with my mom. It was hot yesterday, and the sun was shining directly overhead until it set. Well, today has been overcast and 71*. I knew I wanted to take advantage of it. So I headed off to do some bill paying and then headed to the river walk.

When I first started walking, I was thinking, "Oh, gosh, I am so not feeling this walk." I told myself I would do 2 miles and that would be it. I left my phone in my pocket, and barely checked it. After the first 20 minutes or so, it started to get better. I got into a groove, and I wasn't feeling tired or anything. So I said I'd do a 5k. That came and went and I decided to beat my previous longest distance of 4.26. I went up into the trail one more time and ended up at 4.65. What the heck, why not go for 5 miles? I had time before I had to pick up my son. And I did it! Over 5 miles in fact.

Now I'm sore. But it's good. It hit 10,000 steps sometime in the 4th mile. It's been since last Monday that I got 10,000 steps in. I don't really care to hit it every day, but it is nice when I do!

 

Perfect negative splits!

Weigh In 4/4 + Dr. Appointment

First off, I was so nervous for my Dr. visit yesterday. I woke up and took my b/p (124/74) and got on the scale.

A loss of 1.6 this week. Then I took my pill, got the kids off to school, the baby off to my mom's, and headed to my appointment that was at 8:15. When I got to the back, I even told the nurse that I was nervous. So she got my weight (193.0 on their scale- fully clothed with shoes, plus I'd had some water). Got in the room for the vitals, and sure enough, my blood pressure was 140/88. Not bad, but I know it was a little of the white coat syndrome going on. Considering what it had been in January though, my doctor was pleased. She told me to just stay on my medicine, and come back in 6 months. Oh, and she was pleased with the 25 pounds (according to their scale) I've lost! They did recheck my cholesterol too, but I don't know the results of that yet. 

Last week was great on the exercise front too. I worked out 5 times- 3 on the bike, and two 2 mile walks. 

Walk with my mom on Monday

Solo walk on Thursday

On Wednesday, I did my longest bike ride so far. 16 miles! With a 15.7 pace. When I started out riding, I was going at a 11.8 pace. The bike I have has 8 levels of resistance. I've been going at a 4 this whole time. After I realized that I had improved my pace almost four miles an hour over the last few months, I've put the resistance on 5. Indeed that's what it was on for my Sunday night ride. And those calorie counts from Monday and Sunday are NOT the same picture. Apparently, the algorithm set up in the bike spits out 181.1 calories for 7.5 miles regardless of time or resistance. I had a higher resistance on Sunday and went 2 minutes 12 seconds more and still got the same calorie count. Another reason not to eat back my exercise calories. I never know if they're right!

I didn't get in any exercise yesterday, but today I'm walking with my mom, and I may do a 30 minute bike ride tonight. 

Goals: Review and New

As predicted, this week has been crazy with my kids out on spring break. We've been out and about, and when we're not, it's still crazy around here. My 6 year old says "he's bored" if he's not doing something practically every minute. Not looking forward to this summer with them now that they ALWAYS want to be on the go or entertained. Funnily enough, the are not content to just sit and watch T.V. I suppose it's a good thing though.

Anyhoo, I set four goals for the month of March, and did pretty well with them.

On the weight loss front, I'd like to lose at least 6 pounds.  This is a very attainable goal. And it fits with the experts recommendations of losing 1-2 pounds per week.
On February 29th I was 194.8, and on March 28th I was 189.4- for a total loss of 5.4 pounds for the month. Didn't hit it, but close enough!

With working out, I'd like to get in at least 4 workouts per week. Any combo of walking or biking or dancing. I haven't done the Just Dance in a while now that I think about it.
I worked out 4 times in 3 out of 4 weeks, and the 4th week, I worked out 3 times. 

In order to get better sleep, I would like to get 7.5 hours average sleep for the week. My fitbit gives me averages for the week. The past two weeks, I've gotten 7 hr, 27 mins and 7 hr, 46 mins respectively. Plus, the science is clear that you feel better and lose weight when you get enough sleep.
This actually didn't go as well as it should have. I have got to start getting more sleep.

To keep up with my new year's resolution, I need to read two books this month. I just finished The Racketeer  by John Grisham, and I'm now reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.
I finished up Gone Girl and read Gray Mountain by John Grisham. 

I have now gone back to the Mitch Rapp books by Vince Flynn. I read the first six books then had to pause while I ordered the seventh. Well, while waiting, I started reading other books, and am just now getting back to them. There are 14 in all, so they'll probably occupy me through the fall. Currently:

For April, my goals will be the same, plus I will like to add in a few house projects. I'll be redecorating my living room, and I want to do some things in the kitchen as well. Spring is here, and I want some fresh beginnings in this house. So while I'm "spring cleaning" and swapping out clothes and organizing, I may as well do some things I've been wanting to do. 

My 3 month doctor's visit is tomorrow. It was the last visit on January 4th that I was hit with the health problems that spurred me to do the diet changes. I hope I don't get hit with white coat syndrome and my blood pressure is good. I'll also be getting new blood work done to check on my cholesterol. I hope that's good also and I don't have to start meds for it. *Fingers crossed.* Regardless though, I'm sure my doctor should be impressed with the fact that I took her advice and am getting healthier.