Now What??

So- I have finally reached my first major goal on this journey- I've lost 100+ pounds. Honestly, I really hadn't ever spent much time thinking about or setting goals for anything beyond losing 100lbs- I have been focused like a missle on this goal and now I've had a week to start thinking about the future- answering the question: "Now What?"

 I still don't know what my goal weight is exactly and I don't intend on setting it until I get closer- for me I could care less about the # on the scale, it's about how healthy I am and the way I look- I'm guessing my goal weight will be somewhere between 165-185. I know that # might horrify some as a goal weight, but I'm 5'10'', don't have a small frame as it is, and am pretty muscular. SO- right now my long term goal is to get out of the 200's (which is something still pretty unfathomeable for me); meaning I am gonna be KILLING it on my way to losing the 52lbs needed to hit 199lbs.

Well, now this is where the fun begins. Why? Because reaching this new goal will be nothing like trying to reach my first. Sure, the principles are the same, the sacrifice is the same, much of my routine will be the same but now I get to do it all being able to exercise, knowing how to eat healthily, and most importantly, KNOWING that I can do it. Plus, it's just the truth that now when I lose weight, it is much more noticeable than it was when I was much heavier and it's encouraging to notice the differences. I am more focused now than ever on becoming the healthiest, most fit, hottest (channeling my inner Hannah & Olivia!) me I can be.

I'm looking forward to setting some great June goals and to soon make it into the 240's! That's about it for today folks, I would like to say a huge THANK YOU to all of you who offered your congratulations on my last post- it really is great to know that many of you have been reading my blog since I weighed over 300lbs and that some of you are just coming to discover my blog now and it's serving as proof that YOU can do it to! It's a blessing to be able to inspire anyone.

Alright folks, I'm signing off with a pic of my lunch meal for this week (yes I eat the same thing for lunch every day Mon-Fri): Italian Grilled Chicken Breast & Mixed Veggies (Red onion, zucchini, squash, and mushrooms):

Peace & Love Ya'll!

101 Pounds Ago...

101 Pounds Ago...

• Tying my shoes was difficult.
• The # of restaurant chairs I couldn't fit in was increasing.
• I couldn't fly in an airplane without a seat belt extender and having the arm rest up.
• In search of control, I was being completely controlled by food.
• I wore size 28 jeans.
• I couldn't walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded (and I was 23 years old!)
• I honestly doubted I would ever weigh under 300 pounds.
• I was a slave to circumstances, peer pressure, and emotional eating.
• I dreaded going to amusement parks because I couldn't fit on most of the roller coasters.
• I couldn't drive past a Starbucks without ordering a 500 calorie drink.
• I could workout on the elliptical for longer than 10 minutes without feeling like my heart would beat out of my chest.
• I had never cooked a single vegetable in my life.
• I was intensely afraid of working out at the gym.
• I was in denial of how I became obese & even that my weight was a problem.
• My weight was prohibiting me from fulfilling God's calling on my life.

Today, after losing 101 Pounds...

• I can tie my shoes with no issue.
• I can RUN up stairs without getting winded.
• I know how I became overweight and why/how I will NEVER go back.
• I have shown myself that I am not destined for diabetes and obesity, but greatness.
• I have no fear of working out at the gym and have had multiple people there mention my weight loss.
• I can fly on an airplan without using a seat belt extender.
• I am in control of food & it no longer has any hold on my life!
• I can workout on the elliptical for a limitless amount of time & have become an avid spinner.
• I now wear a size 20 jeans.
• I can go to a restaurant and fit in any chair.
• I have NO doubt that I will be in ONEderland one day soon.
• Starbucks no longer is an addiction of mine & it holds very little appeal.
• I am FREE from circumstancial or peer pressure in regards to food.
• I am one of the strongest, most resilient people I know.
• I regularly eat vegetables & have learned to cook many healthy meals.
• I KNOW that I am worth it!

This past week I lost another 2 pounds which obviously brought me straight to a 101 pound loss. I have been waiting for a LONG time to reach this goal. As I look back on my journals for the past 6 years or so, every friggin year I would set a goal to lose 100lbs and guess what? I FINALLY DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

And guess what? I am SO proud of myself.

Living Healthily in an Unhealthy Office!

Sacrifice.

For real, who likes to do that? Who even likes that word?

However, for most of the people in the world trying to lose weight- it is the one thing they are not willing to do on a consistant basis and causes them to live in a viscious cycle of "I'm gonna do better, I suck, I lost half a pound, I gained two pounds back" etc. Now that I'm only 1 pound away from losing 100lbs, I've found myself pondering how it is that I got here, what was it I did that actually caused me to lose 99lbs. I'm convinced that there is not just one way to lose weight- almost all the diets in the world will work if they are based off of the only principle that works: eat healthier, know what you're eating, move your body. So when people ask me how I've done it I'm always a little hesitant to say because I in no way believe that I've discovered the holy grail of diets or anything, my plan has changed as I've lost weight- but the ONE thing that has stayed consistent throughout the last year and a half that I've been on this journey is this: I've had to sacrifice.

Has it gotten easier? Um...maybe.

Sometimes I feel like work in an office of the most unhealthy eaters in Pittsburgh- no joke. Almost bi-weekly everyone our office will pitch in and have a "food day" where for the entire day everyone eats all day long and the entire office is filled with the smell of greasy-ness. Yesterday was no exception. One of my co-workers fried up about 50 pieces of fried chicken (fyi- there are only like 12 people on my floor) and everyone in our entire 6 story building could smell it and were like ravenous dogs trying to get a piece. All day long my co-workers looked at me like I was crazy for not even trying it & when I told them why they would respond with things like, "Tiffany, you've lost so much weight- one piece of chicken isn't going to hurt!" And you know what, they're probably right. But at the end of the day, they won't be the one standing on the scale feeling bad about myself when I've just maintained and on the flip side, they weren't on the scale with me yesterday morning when I lost another 3lbs. I stood alone in saying no to the chicken and I'm standing alone seeing my waistline SHRINK- not expand.

There are few feelings like the one you get when you realize you aren't controlled by food or the peer pressure surrounding food anymore. It's both liberating and empowering. Did part of me feel bad for not eating the chicken because it made me look a tad snotty and like a party pooper? Yea- a little. Was it worth me feeling bad about myself and feeding into a mindset of defeat? Nope- not even a bit. And listen to this, when I was eating my wheat crackers & hummus for a snack and everyone else was going for their second plate of pasta and fried chicken, a co-worker said, "Tiff, you are hardcore! You are my inspiration to get all of this (points to her stomach) under control." And I can promise you that THAT was more satisfying than any piece of fried meat could ever be.

Bottom line: If you want to lose weight and become the best you possible- get used to sacrificing. A lot. It will suck sometimes, but it will be worth it ALL the time.

Other Updates:

• Yesterday was weigh in day... Last Thursday: 256lbs This Thursday: 253lbs (-3lbs) Total Loss: 99lbs!!!!
• I just bought a pair of size 20 jeans. THAT is crazy. I started out in size 28's.
• I'm thinking about a cool way to celebrate my impending 100lb loss that will hopefully happen next Thursday... hmm...maybe a pedicure!

That's all friends! Do any of you have tips on how to avoid office snacking/unhealthy eating?

FIGHT MODE.

One of the things that has helped me be the most successful in this journey is my mental strength. In fact, I had never realized just how mentally strong I was until I began this journey. However, I feel like it’s important to note that mental strength isn’t something that someone is born with- it’s something that is developed through deliberate choices a person makes that either further reinforce their mental strength into a state of victory or demolishes it, causing them to live in a mental state of defeat. I believe that the battle with weight loss is fought not on the scale, treadmill, kitchen, or gym- but in the mind.



While I believe mental strength is something that comes from a series of deliberate choices, there has to be some help in being able to make those choices in the first place, for me- they are my mantras. Mantras are phrases or words that I repeat in times when I need some extra strength, focus, and motivation to make a right decision. An example of one of my most common ones is: “When I say NO to this food (or choice), I am saying YES to myself and my goals- and if I say YES to this food (or choice), I am saying NO to myself and my dreams.” For me, when I make a decision to eat something I shouldn’t, 99% of the time it is because I have allowed myself to believe that it really isn’t that big of a deal to have that cookie, chips, or bread- but these mantras cause me to remember that while the one cookie may not cause me to gain 5lbs, it is leading me down a path of mental defeat. And it is when decisions like that pile up that you find yourself a few weeks down the road 10lbs heavier (or stuck at the same weight) and feeling like a complete failure. On the flip side, when you decide that you aren’t going to say NO to yourself, your goals, and your dreams anymore because of the temporary satisfaction a chip or cookie brings, you feel proud, strong, and invincible. Nothing is worth that- and you are building that mindset of victory with every decision.

 The other day I looked back at some of the notes I had made for myself at the very beginning of this journey (96lbs ago) and I found it SO interesting how much my mantras have changed between then and now- which I believe shows growth just as much as the scale has.


My Mantras 96lbs Ago:

- I REFUSE to let FEAR cripple me and kept me fat ANY LONGER!
- I am just at the STARTING POINT.
- If I am not embarrassed for people to see me chowing down at a restaurant I shouldn’t be embarrassed for them to see me changing my health and life at the gym!
- People aren’t there waiting to judge overweight people for coming to the gym, they are there for their own workout!
- I am the ONLY ONE who is going to push me to do this!
- I will PUSH MYSELF TO THE LIMITS if I want to accomplish things I never thought possible- I will prove myself and everyone else wrong!
- If I don’t want to have to do this for the rest of my life, I’ve got to give it MY ALL!
- When I only can do a few minutes on a machine…it’s more than I did yesterday!


Reading those reminded me of just how much fear I dealt with at the beginning of this journey- I was so afraid to be judged by people at the gym, so afraid to face the facts of just how out of shape I really was, afraid that becoming this fit, thin person I desired to be wasn’t really possible. What’s amazing is that for the most part, those thoughts never even enter my mind anymore- that’s what victory will do for you.


My Mantras these days are a bit different:

- You are the only one that is going to push you to your limits- you can’t wait for someone else to, because they never will- it’s YOU. Also, no one is going to say no to this food for you.
- This food (insert temptation) doesn’t love you- YOU’VE got to love you.
- You are a living success story- you aren’t still trying to become successful or prove to yourself you can do it, you have already become successful and now you are just living out that successful life.
- If you were on the Biggest Loser, would you be doing this/eating this?
- There is nothing you can’t do- no one can put limits on your but yourself and if you CHOOSE not to, the sky is the limit.
- You are no longer controlled by food or the desire of it. Food is fuel and that is it. YOU are truly in control now, not food.
- The fat on your body is just as serious as if there were cancer in your body- it will kill you, so take it that seriously.
- You are worth more than the temporary satisfaction that comes from something that will later make you question yourself.

I’m not quite sure I can see as clearly the common thread in these new mantras like I was able to with the old ones but I think now, I my mental struggle is more with realizing my own strength & resolve and not allowing the fear or even the question of going back to the way I was enter my mind.

 The truth, I’ve been struggling mentally. I think part of it is partially induced by hormones (aka- it’s that time of the month) but I’m craving things I never usually care for and am having a harder time saying no to things when I used to not even flinch. I’m not doing horribly by any means- shoot- I lost 4lbs last week- BUT I’m definitely in fight mode right now. And I have to let myself know that THAT’S OKAY. It’s OKAY that I’m encountering temptations, it’s okay that I’m having some unhealthy cravings, IT IS OKAY. The only thing that’s not okay is eating out of control or giving into the temptation. I need to remember that all this temptation and craving means is that I am being given another opportunity to reinforce the commitment to myself that I’ve made & the person that I’ve become.


I choose to live FREE. Free from being driven by any craving or temptation, Free from the control of food, Free from the control of negative thoughts. I am living in the FREEDOM that comes from knowing I am worth saying NO to temptations and cravings & I am WORTHY of living the healthy, fulfilled, and fit lifestyle I am enjoying at this very moment.


**Proof that I’m victorious**:


PW Weigh In: 260lbs
CW Weight In: 256lbs
Progress: -4lbs (Meaning: I am only 4 pounds away from losing 100lbs!) It's SO close I can TASTE it!

I hope all this has helped someone realize their strength lies not in fate, personality, or genetics but in the power that comes from their choices.

Have a great weekend everyone & would LOVE to hear some of the mantras you use on your raod to VICTORY!

Easter Update & More!

Mornin'!

Weekend Update:
What a week it has been! As I mentioned in last week's post, last weekend we had our 2nd Annual Community Easter Egg Hunt and seriously, God did a miracle in that it was forecasted to thunderstorm all day and had been raining all week long and that day the hunt went off with sunny skies and a dry field. Simply Amazing. Anyways, I decided to post a pic of me from last year's hunt (see left) and one from this year (see right)- there are definitely better pics that are full body from last year but I just don't have access to them right now so that one will do. Happily, I see a difference :)

It was a great time and it was really cool to look back and see where I was a year ago. One fun change, last year I was wearing a TIGHT size XL t-shirt and this year,a comfortable size L! I've never been a size L in t-shirts. I also recently bought a size MEDIUM shirt from H&M :)

This weekend I also attended a super fun 30th Birthday prom that my good friend put on for his wife- it was a blast! AND- who says you never can reuse a bridesmaid dress??? Cuz I most definitely did! :)

Looking Forward:

I went into the past week (and today's weigh in), knowing that it was going to not be the most glamorous week for weight loss- because of the hunt I would hardly have any time to exercise and I also knew temptations would be abounding. Overall, I did pretty dang well in the nutrition department but the lack of exercise kind of put me in a funk.

Many parts of this journey (healthy eating, food prep, etc.) have almost become second-nature to me; which I am definitely THANKFUL for but I've also noticed that "new feeling" of making drastic life changes and the confidence that gives has worn off. It has been a long time since I've really focused on a goal or a picture of what I'm working for and I can feel that I need that back. I'm gonna take this weekend and really think about what it is that I want and what I'm working for. I guess I'm just trying to say I feel like I've lost a bit of my "vision" & thank goodness my healthy habits have kept me going through this little spurt.

Weigh In:

Last Week's Weigh In: 260lbs

This Week's Weight In: 260lbs

Result: 0 +/-

I guess I really can't be too upset due to the major lack of exercise caused by the hunt. This week though, I have every intention (starting today) of being HARDCORE & giving my VERY best and hope to come back to you next Thursday reporting I'm officially in the 250's and within a few pounds reach of joingin the 100lb lost club!

Eats:

Being that I'm trying to use up most of the food I currently have before buying more, (read: I'm a bit poor right now!) I've been coming up with some new concauctions! Omelets have been a dinner staple lately and this one was made with: liquid egg whites, mushrooms, low fat part skimm mozzarella, and red onion w/ a size of turkey bacod. DELISH! However, it has been turning into more of a scramble than an omelet- dang pans keep burning my omelets! lol

Well, that's all folks! This weekend I am looking forward to trying some new recipes that will be a little lower in carbs and adding some more fruits and veggies in my diet.

Looking forward to giving my BEST- who's with me???



Newness: Pants, Phone, Exercises, Eats & More!

Good Mornin'!

Well, it appears as though I have settled into Thursdays not only being the day that I weigh in but also the day for my weekly blog post- yay for consistency! It's been a BUSY 7 days and I'm excited to share some of the coolness with you (in organized bullet points of course!):

• First up, today's weigh in: 260lbs (-1lb from last week). I was hoping to lose 2lbs, but I'll take 1lb- I know I did everything right this past week so it's only a matter of time before I lose every single pound that I want to. I'm gonna keep on keepin' on baby! I'm officially 8lbs away from losing 100lbs so hopefully no more than another month to go!
• I got an iphone 4! For the last 8 years I swear I've either had an LG Chocolate or Envy and it was high time I finally join the smart phone revolution. When I was at the store getting ready to make the purchase I was a bit apprehensive because I seriously didn't know if I would be able to figure out how to work it! Luckily for me, it is extremely steamlined and user friendly and I REALLY like it. Bonus? Better blog pics because of the sweet camera!
• I also wanted to share a meal that I probably eat for dinner at least 3 or 4 times a week: Chicken gyoza potstickers that I get from Trader Joe's (7 for 210 calories) & asparagus. I tried asparagus for the first time in my whole life about 3 months ago and although I've never been a huge veggie fan I LURVE asparagus. Add just a little low sodium soy sauce and you've got a dinner ranging about a 250 calories!

• I briefly mentioned in my last post that I finally got the courage up to try spinning. I have always been pretty intimidated by spin classes because I've heard how difficult they are. Well, I've gone 3 times now and although it felt like I had gotten kicked in the crotch after my first class, after I bought a gel seat at Target, everything was smooth sailing! I can't even describe how much I enjoy spinning. Our spin room is very small (there are maybe 8 bikes) and it's just a time to turn out the lights, blast good music, and get a kick bum workout that is pretty mindless for you (thx to the instructor) but is legitimately fun & burns an average of 800 calories per class! I seriously think I had a smile on my face the entire class yesterday lol- partly because out of everyone in the class yesterday I was probably the one who kept up with the instructor the most and that I no longer am bound by fear or intimidation but can actually DO something I never thought I'd be fit enough to do! Man, there's only a few things that can beat that feeling. This is a pic of me after last Saturdays 7AM (yes, I am nuts) spin class!

• ( P.S. Don't ask me why I can't get the pictures to rotate when I actually upload them- I'll figure it out later! :)
• Due to the fact that I've been having co-workers TELL me it's time to get new pants (hahaha) I figured it was probably time to get new pants! lol Well, I probably spent about 3 hours in Lane Bryant on Saturday trying to find a pair of dress pants that fit- seriously- 3 hours! Needless to say, at the beginning of the shopping trip I had picked up a bunch of pants in a size 22, which is what I thought was my size. Well, by the end I was actually more between a slack size 18/20!!!!! I seriously couldn't even believe it. I truthfully think it has been 7+ years since I've been in an 18/20! However, in jeans (which I think is a more realistic size gage) I'm still a solid 22 (which coming from a size 28 still makes me happy!) Check me out cheezin!

• My lunch creation for the week is based off of what may just be my favorite meal of all time (like I seriously eat it probably 5-6 times a month), which is a Chicken Burrito Bowl from Chipotle. I could eat it probably every day- no joke. Anyways, I decided to get a little creative and try to recreate my very own version of this meal at home, so I combined: brown rice, blended black beans, corn, chicken, guacamole, and HOMEMADE salsa! Yep, I actually made salsa! It's obviously not hard, but I'm a big salsa fan & critic and I can't even believe how delicious it is- I've probably poured it on just about everything this week haha. Here's a pic of my lunch all put together:

So there you have it folks, my week!

This weekend we have our HUGE Easter Egg Hunt that I've been coordinating and planning for for months. Last year was our very first one and we had over 600 people from the community come out and this year we are expecting even more! All of the busyness will mean that I won't be working out again until Tuesday but I'm going to watch my nutrition and just do what I can! I can't wait to share pics with you all from this weekend- especially to compare them with pics of me at last year's hunt.

I hope everyone has a blessed Easter & remembers to take time out for who this Holiday is really all about :)

How I'm Losing Weight: Now Edition!

Morning world!

Ya know, maybe it's just me (and it's probably not), but one thing that I wished more bloggers (particularly those uber 100+lb loss bloggers) would post more about what exactly they are doing/did to lose the weight. I've noticed that the typical pattern is that bloggers talk about their plans at the beginning and then just fail to mention it again; however, there are new readers joining every day AND if you are anything like me, your weight loss "plan" changes as you go along your journey (in fact, it almost has to!)

Recently I made some pretty significant changes to my weight loss routine, while others I just solidified and today, I'd like to share what I'm doing to lose weight. I BY NO MEANS am a weight loss expert or can say that what I'm doing is the most effective way for everyone (or even for me!) but it's what I've discovered so far at this point in my journey and I'm excited to share it with you all today! BUT FIRST... it's weekly weigh in time!

Previous Weigh In: 264lbs

Today's Weigh In: 261lbs (-3lbs)

Total Loss: 91 pounds!!!

For the last two months I have been consistantly losing weight, 8lbs in just the last 2 weeks actually, and I believe that the new changes I've made to my plan have not only helped me break past the plateu I was on, but have also been significant in the changes that I've been seeing in my body. So let's cut to the chase- here's what I am *currently* (as in the past 2 months) been doing to lose weight:

Nutrition:

• I adopt the general principles of weight watchers, however I count calories rather than points (I just find it easier and I'm more thorough with it). By "general principles" I mean that no food is completely off-limits. For example, I almost never eat fried chicken (although I love it) because it is not healthy for me, but it's not necessarily off-limits. As soon as I decide that I can no longer have something, I will automatically start to crave it and my rebellious side will lead me into eating it even if I don't even really want it. With WW, no food is off limits, it's about choices & balance- so if you eat something higher in fat/calories for breakfast, have a lighter lunch. This journey is one that I will be on for the rest of my life and I cannot realistically sustain a lifestyle that I don't like- and telling myself that I can never again have a cookie, a slice of pizza, or even fried chicken isn't realistic. HOWEVER (see next bullet point!)
• I eat between 1200-1500 calories a day- there is no way around this. I write down everything I eat in a food journal, which is where I keep my calorie count. I do not necessarily restrict or count any other nutritional value (fat, sodium, etc.) although I'm sure as I continue to get smaller and it becomes harder for me to lose weight, that I'll need to pay more attention to those things. HOWEVER (again, see next bullet point! ;)
• A month or so ago I had to have a heart to heart w/myself- my weight loss wasn't happening very quickly and while I was tempted to blame it on a plateu, when I looked back over my food journal, I realized I really wasn't giving my BEST in regards to what I was eating. Now, this might tick some people off (and please keep in mind my first bullet point), but the truth is- I (nor anyone else) will not consistantly lose weight by eating pizza, drinking fatty coffee drinks, indulging in fried food appetizers, or having 3 cookies for dessert. It's just a cold hard fact. Sometimes just because I no longer sit down for McDonald's or Taco Bell lunches I can trick myself into thinking that these little "extras" that I indulge in don't count- WRONG.
• I am beginning to pay more attention to carbs but am not entirely sure where this will go (I know it won't go to an Atkins lifestyle!) but I'll keep you posted :)
• In short: No food is completely off limits, count my calories, stay between 1200-1500, write it down, re-evaluate often. If you notice, these guidelines are really checks and balances of eachother (ahhh balance!)

Fitness: This has been the most signifcant area of change that has take place in the last 2 months. Previously, I my fitness routine looked like this: I went to the gym 3-4 times a week and did the elliptical for 45 minutes each time, I would also try to do a circuit on the machines once a week and toward the end, I started going to Zumba. And, if it it were not for my great friend turned trainer JZ, I would probably still be doing the same thing, dreading every second of it, and not progressing in weight loss or in my phyiscal strength and ability. Now my fitness routine looks something like this:

• I now workout 5 times a week. The truth: anything less shows that this is not a top priority of mine. Sure, there are weeks that it may be less, but it will be less because of a weekend trip, funeral, or I'm literally on my death bed- NOT because I'm super tired, a friend asked to go to dinner, or I need to go to the store. Savy?
• I now focus ALL of my workouts around HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). This is where I may really rustle some feathers (and believe me, JZ ruffled mine big time when he was trying to get me to understand this), but our bodies adapt SO quickly to what we do that me doing 45 minutes of straight cardio repeatedly was not doing me very much good concerning weight loss (while it is always good for my heart!). From doing research, I now understand that the fastest and most effective way to lose fat is through high intensity interval training. This has been a DRASTIC change in my mindset and workouts. I'll have to get into all that this means in another post, but essentially, I now do HARD short periods of strenght training AND cardio, followed by short periods of rest instead of long periods of cardio at a maintainable pace. Truth is: while you may burn more calories in a 45 minute cardio session than in a 20 minute HIIT session, you will continue to burn calories for up to 72 hours after you end your HIIT session because of the muscles you have torn down and consequently end up burning more calories in the end. I know there may be some skeptics, but check out this article.
• Variety is key for me- I refuse to hate exercising which is why I need to not feel like I'm doing the same thing every day so this is what a week of exercise looks like for me: Monday: Rest, Tuesday: 30 minutes of jogging intervals (Jog 1 minute, Rest 2 minutes) which as the weeks go on change (for example: next week I will begin Jogging 1:30 seconds, resting 2 minutes) followed by 15 minutes of HIIT strength training, Wednesday: 1hr Spin Class followed by 15 minutes HIIT strength training, Thursday: 45 minute cardio class followed by 15 minutes HIIT strength training, Friday: 1hr spin or 30 minutes elliptical followed by 15 minutes HIIT, Saturday: Rest, Sunday: 30 minutes HIIT strenght training.
• Update: Yesterday I went to my first spin class!!! Thoughts: It was definitely a good workout, challenging, doable, and my crotch is killing me today (aka- I'll be purcahsing a gel seat asap!)
• In short: I exercise 5 days a week, place equal value on cardio & strenth training, I do everything in intervals, make sure I don't get bored or complacent by doing switching things us, and NEVER think that I'll be keeping this fitness routine forever because it has to change and get harder as I become more and more fit!

Alright folks, so that's what I'm doing. I will say that everything I've shared is important but I wouldn't be able to do ANY of it if I wasn't mentally strong and have the right set of beliefs about myself, my abilities, what I want out of life.

SOOOooOOO let me encourage you bloggers to begin sharing what YOU are doing to lose weight on your blogs so that other bloggers (like myself) can learn from you!

Peace out girl (and boy) scouts!