Fit Friday

***Warning....long, long, long post***

In search for a witty title I figured Friday would be a great place to start documenting my fitness journey.  I don't want to say weight loss, because as that is a definite bonus, my real goal here is to get fit and healthy.

Before I start, I must put in a disclaimer.  I am NOT a nutritionist or a personal trainer.  This post is meant as a personal record for myself, however, if I can help out one person in their journey as well, then great.  This is my plan, what I am trying, be it right or wrong.  If you are here to judge, please keep moving; however, if you have suggestions for exercises I can try or recipes I might like, then by all means I would love to hear them.

The Beginning:
A little background.  I am 41 years young, 5'7" and have always carried around extra weight. I was athletic growing up so I was able to keep my weight in check, but that changed during college and my early 20s.  I joined Weight Watchers in the late 90s and lost quite a bit of my college weight.  I was also in the Air National Guard so I needed to maintain my weight but I was always pushing the max limit.  My exercise was pretty limited to my yearly run.

In 1998 I was at my thinnest of my adult life when I got married.  I was able to maintain that weight and then became pregnant with my first child.  I gained 86 pounds with her (yes, 86) because well, I was eating for 2.  I think I lost about 20 pounds between my first and second child.  I only gained 13 with my son, but still....I was severely overweight. I tried fad diets and rejoined Weight Watchers.  I exercised occasionally.  I was on WW for about 4 years and lost and gained the same 10 pounds....not their fault, mine, I had no will power, no control over what I put in my mouth.  Every time I cheated I would eat out of control for the rest of the day and try again the next...it was a viscous cycle.  At my heaviest I weighed somewhere around 225 pounds, that was in 2011.  I was miserable and needed to take control. 

On April , 2011 I walked into the Key Hypnosis for my first session.  That decision changed my life.  I haven't stepped on the scale since but what I can tell you is that I went from a tight 18 to a 10 by just changing the way I ate.  I started exercising more and the changes in my body (not only the weight loss but the way it looked and felt) became noticeable.

Fast Forward to November 2013:
I was still in a size 10 and felt great.  I was working out, ran my first 5K in March of 2013 and was loving being 40.  I hadn't been off the Key program and got a bit too confident and started taking liberties in the way I ate.  Which is fine, the Key program is designed for you to be able to eat on maintenance, it isn't a diet but a lifestyle change.  (In short weight loss is meat and veggies, you start to add foods in during maintenance); however, I took too many liberties and started going back to the way I was eating pre Key....bad idea.  I was able to quickly squash that but since I started working full time I had a hard time managing everything at home and exercising, so while I was still a 10...I started to become a tight 10 and frankly felt like a stuffed sausage. 

When summer rolled around I no longer fit in my shorts from last summer....ok, back on the exercise train...I had come this far, there was no going back.  I had pretty much lost my endurance for running and needed to start building that back up.  I started running each morning and going back to the gym 3-4 times a week.  I also started eating right again.  (I won't go into the Key program in too much detail because there is a lot of reasoning and background to it.  It is very close to Paleo though.  I will share recipes and plan on posting my menu on Mondays).

Where I am Today & Fit Friday:
Things have started getting busy around here prepping for back to school and with football, fall ball and field hockey starting up.  My morning runs are continuing but I had to get creative in my workout schedule, which is what brought me to Fit Friday in the first place.  I made a 30 day calendar of daily workouts (with Sundays off).  I plan on incorporating challenges found on Pinterest, my runs and other things.  I need this to be doable for my time constraints and the fact that I probably won't be able to get to the gym all that often so I need to be able to work out in my home with minimal equipment.  I also need this to be something that I will do and that I can increase each month.

My plan is to post a recap of the week on Fridays with the workout for the following week.  My weekly workouts will consist of a run (that I try to do Mon-Sat), a few challenges (following the challenge schedule) and a HIIT workout 3x/week (I will post the ones that I did that week on Friday).  Please remember, this is just what I am doing (and hope will work).  Sunday will be a rest day.  Obviously weight loss is an added benefit but I don't weigh myself.  I go by how my clothes feel and how I look.  I am taking measurements and will post those once a month as well. If you are on your own journey, I would love for you to join in on Fridays and let me know how your week went as well.

This month I am doing a squat and plank challenge and throwing in some push ups and dips to help build my upper body strength.

Week 1 - Walk/Run (1/4w, 1/4r, 1/4w, 1/2r, 1/4w, 1/4r, 1/4w)

Monday - 15 squats, 20 second plank
Tuesday - 25 squats, 20 second plank
Wednesday - 40 squats, 30 second plank
Thursday - 30 squats, 30 second plank, 10 push ups, 5 dips
Friday - 40 second plank
Saturday - 30 squats, 45 second plank, 12 push ups, 7 dips

This is the week I am in and I feel great.  I have accomplished everything so far with the exception of the run on Thursday as I went to a Red Sox game Wed night and getting home at 2 am does not make a productive morning.

Here is the plan for next week:

Week 2 - Walk/Run ((1/4w, 1/4r, 1/4w, 3/4r, 1/4w, 1/4r, 1/4w)

Monday - 45 squats, 45 second plank, 14 pushups x2, 9 dips x2
Tuesday - 25 squats, 1 minute plank, 10 pushups x2, 5 dips x2
Wednesday - 25 squats, 1 minute plank, 16 pushups x2, 11 dips x2
Thursday - 1 minute plank
Friday - 60 squats, 1 1/2 minute plank, 18 push upsx2, 13 dips x2
Saturday - 20 squats, 1 1/2 minute plank, 10 push ups x2, 5 dips x2

HIIT 3x/week

I used the 30 day plank challenge from www.shrinkingjeans.net (the one from 12/2013 but sadly can't find the original post) and cut the number of squats in 1/2 (I know my own body....I'm on Friday of week 1 and sore). 

I apparently deleted the plank challenge from my photo stream so I apologize that I can't give credit where it is due.

For accountability my measurements at the beginning: 

Waist 40"
Hips 43 1/2"
Bust 41 1/2"
Arm 11 1/2"
Thigh 21 1/2"

Would love to hear your thoughts and any links to great challenges or at home workouts I can try.

Tracy





 

   

hello, hello...

hello, hello...is this thing on?  is there anybody there? 

I won't apologize for being a bad blogger because, well I never was a good one in the first place.  I haven't been around my little home on the web in 9 months (wow!), because well, life has been super busy. Super, duper busy...

I haven't been scrapbooking : (  I haven't been keeping up with Project Life : ( and well, I haven't tackled any of the 50,000 items on my To Do list.  : ( : (

I have however taken my state licensing exam and became a certified teacher.  I  was lucky enough to have my own classroom as a long term sub from January - June, and will be starting as an 8th grade ELA teacher in just a few short weeks.  Honestly this is my dream job.  Between studying, working and spending time with my family there really wasn't room for much else.

I do miss blogging (and don't worry I have carved out enough time during the week to read my fav blogs!)  It gave me a chance to write and to share, if only for my personal record (and my family members who check in from time to time). 

I have some grand plans (don't I always) and one of them is to start blogging again, if only once a month instead of once a year!  I want this to be a record of my journey as a first year teacher, and I still plan to share other things as well...part of my grand plan is also to restart Project Life and get a few projects done around the house (the master bedroom has had the paint samples narrowed down from 20 to 2!) I also want to start documenting my journey to getting fit (to hold me accountable).  So stay tuned....there are great things to come...promise.

If you are still following along...I would love to hear from you in the comments below.

Tracy

Menu Plan Monday

Am I the only one or do you ever get burnt out to the point where you detest the whole menu planning, grocery shopping, cooking routine?  I think I am at that point, which is sad because I really do love to cook.  I think it is mostly because I have SO many recipes (and am indecisive by nature) and they are not organized so when it comes to figuring out what to make for the week, I stare at a blank page for hours (seriously) completely overwhelmed.  I have to take in dietary issues, picky eaters, busy schedules and different tastes...makes for a not so loved chore.

I am in the process of organizing and purging my cookbooks, magazines and ripped out recipes and in the meantime I am going to try out "theme nights" to help narrow down my decisions (and to help organize the thousands of recipes I have).  I have tried these before but I think they were just too specific and I couldn't stick with it so I did a google search to see what other people do and came up with the ones listed below. 

Fall sports are ending and although basketball starts up on Monday, I can see a light at the end of the tunnel as far as getting back to some sort of normalcy in our dinnertime routine is concerned.

Here is what is on our menu this week:

Sunday|Family Dinner:  Rotisserie Chicken, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese

Monday|Soup &/or Sandwich Night:  Paleo Chicken Tortilla(less) Soup served w/ Tortilla Chips

Tuesday|International Night: Chicken Marsala with roasted red potatoes and smoky haricot vertes with mushrooms and bacon

Wednesday|Pasta Night:  Spaghetti with homemade sauce and meatballs

Thursday|Mix it up or try something new:  Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, kabocha squash

Friday - Pizza

Saturday - YOYO (your own your own) or leftovers

linking up to orgjunkie.com

Purging the Stash - Embellishments, Albums & Everything Else

I have spent the better part of a week purging my craft room.  I am not done, but things are beginning to be manageable (I can see the floor...lol!)  Items will most likely be added to this list but I will use this page to list the embellishments, albums and everything else that isn't a stamp. 

If you are interested in stamps:
 CTMH Stamps can be found here & Studio Calico Stamps can be found here.

The details - All prices include shipping to continental US.  I will ship internationally for an additional charge.  I will combine shipping if purchasing multiple items.  All items come from a smoke free/ 1 dog home.  Items are posted on mulitiple sites.  I will update this post as items are added/sold.  If you are interested in anything, please leave a comment below.  (Comments are sent to my email so I will respond to your email).

Thank you for looking -

KaiserCraft Resin Flower Blossoms - $6

My Mind's Eye Pins & Buttons from Miss Caroline Collection - $6

Pebbles Crystal Candy Dots - $6

My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline Collection Twine - $5

(includes 20 yards)

Amy Tangerine Mini marks Dream Rub ons - $5 

(from SC Neverland Kit)  SOLD

simple Stories Urban Traveler Chipboard Stickers - $6

Studio Calico Die Cut Shapes - $6

hambly Screen Prints Mini Overlays - $4

Canvas Butterflies - $5 7/23 Sold pending payment

17 pieces; from SC So Cal Newport add on kit

CTMH Dark Blue My Legacy 6x6 Album  - $18

post bound; includes 10 page protectors

CTMH Metal Frames - $3 7/23 Sold pending payment

Paintable Metal Frames.  New, but have a few scratches from storage.

CTMH White 6x6 My Legacy Album - $18

includes 12 page protectors; post bound

Cosmo Cricket Ready Set Chipboard Tick Tock Alphas - $4

Purging the Stash - Studio Calico Stamps

I adore my Studio Calico Stamps, but there are some that I know I just will never use.  They are listed below. 

Prices include shipping to continental US.  I will ship internationally for an additional charge.  Stamps come from a smoke free / 1 dog home.  If you are interested please leave a comment below.

I will update this post as items are added / sold.

Thanks for looking -

Banner Mini Stamp from SC Neverland Kit (March 2103 Main) - $5 
SOLD

SC/Hero Arts Smile Stamp - $8

SC/Hero Arts Your are Fabulous -$8 

From SC So Cal kit Newport add on
SOLD



SC/Hero Arts Frame stamp - $5 shipped

To view all of my items for sale, click on the Items for Sale Tab at the top of my page or click here.

Menu Plan Monday

Hello,

Thought I would jump on board this week for Menu Plan Monday over at orgjunkie.  I have been meal planning for quite some time now as it takes the guess out of whats for dinner and with a hectic life and picky eaters it is a blessing.  I must confess though...it can take me quite some time as I have way too many recipes and always want to try something new...some weeks, I would just like to serve cereal for dinner every night (is that a bad thing?)

So here it goes...we are trying out some new pinterest recipes this week:

Family Dinners

Sunday:  Chicken Bruschetta Paninis with waffle fries / bruschetta salad (this is a regular on our menu...yummy!)

Monday:  Burgers & Chips / carrot sticks

Tuesday:  Grilled Chicken with lemon, capers & oregano with baked potatoes / cucumber and olive salad (new to us)

Wednesday:  Homemade pizza / stuffed portabellas

Thursday:  Bacon Wrapped Smoke Gouda Stuffed Chicken with rice pilaf and Smoky Haricot Verts (green beans) and mushrooms (the chicken is new to us...the green beans are delicious)

Friday:  Free for all / leftovers....mom's night off

Saturday:  Fireworks picnic at the lake...not too sure what I am bringing yet.

Side Note:  For the most part, my family (with the exception of my daughter) claims they are allergic to vegetables, and I don't eat carbs or sugar...just meat and veggies, so I get a bit creative with dinners sometimes.  I won't cook 2 meals at dinner EVER...I cook it, you eat it...but I do tend to cook meals that everyone will/can eat (they are getting better about a little bit of veggies) and I just make a veggie for myself (and little tweaks like leaving out sugar and flour).  If you see anything with bread, I tweak the recipe for me.  On Pizza night, I either make mine on a chicken crust or usually stuff a portabella with my toppings.  I also plan my breakfasts and lunches which makes it easier for me to eat right and frankly remember to eat at all sometimes.  I like to mix up my food so I plan 3 lunches and 3 breakfasts and just repeat on or two that week.  My husband takes a lunch to work (sandwich or leftovers) and the kids are old enough to make their own breakfast/lunch during the summer.

Breakfast:

Baked Tomato & Egg with bacon
Paleo Breakfast Burrito
Breakfast Salad (with Spinach)

Lunch:

Egg Salad with green olives, onions & dijon (no pita) with ham rolls
Lettuce Wraps and carrot sticks
Chopped Chicken Salad

I am working on a post about my weight loss / getting healthy journey if you are interested in learning more about how and why I eat the way I do.

Enjoy - Tracy