The Lean and Mean.....

So this week Aaron put me on the lean diet.... around 500 calories a day and I know I've already gotten the OH MY GOSH that's not healthy comments from everyone... After about the 5th one it was enough... not to offend anybody.. but this guy is my trainer and I'm paying him to help me loose weight, and I'm gonna do what he says...it's only for 5 days and damnit I'm doing it--
Train Insane or Stay the Same!

Anyways, it's actually going very well- and I'm still pretty surprised at how much I'm not that hungry and I'm not compeltely feeling like death.  Granted I'm a little hungry and totally miss my eggs, turkey sausage and cheese and even the salad....  who would have thought it?!?!  Not me!

I will say this-- I've felt pretty good this week and am still doing the Advocare 10 day cleanse...so I'm adding the Spark first thing in the morning and sometimes before or after lunch.  The grilled chicken at lunch is pretty freaking tasty too!

Anyways, I have successfully done some great walking this week- on and off the treadmill and done my weights... even added sit ups for arms day today!  I'm gonna do this!  I want 50 so bad I can't taste it.. when I lose 50 pounds the world will know! haha I will celebrate with the painting class I've been wanting to do with some of my girls and hopefully a new dress that I keep eyeing from KiKi LaRue!

On another note----- I've got 3 more days of this weeks lean diet and I plan to make the best of it! 
Thanks for the support you all give me... and to my GRIT team-- I miss you this week ;)

Sunday.... not so fun day

So today was my last Sunday to see Aaron for a while, for many reasons.. one of them being it seriously upsets my mom because Sundays are usually our big family days, especially family meals-- not that I ever eat any of it.. at least not much. Anyways- point is I'll be seeing him on Fridays at 5 now and I think that will work out better for me.

Today I was feeling overly huge and knew it wasn't going to be a great weigh in day-- I had only lost one pound so I was a little bummed.  Needless to say, the victory here is that my weight changed, and it decreased!  We had a little pump me up chat about various things and then got to work- today's workout consisted of 100 burpees.  25 at a time, with a one minute break between-- that sh*& was tough, but I could tell I had been doing them in GRIT and that hard work was paying off.  Aaron even complimented me on how well I did them! yay! WINNING!

Aaron added a new ab exercise for me to do.. sit ups and I know they will be tough, but hope they will help! One pound is not acceptable for a week's loss... not for me!  I am working too hard to lose only 1 lb.

We changed my cardio to an hour to an hour and 15 mins of fast walking every day.  Right as I was about to leave, he said he wanted to try an experiment with me...... this experiment = the lean diet.... I knew it was coming one day and today was that dreaded day.  This is going to decrease my eating by a lot... only having about 500 calories a day and I'm pretty freaking scared about it.

So I will go ahead and apologize for anything I say this week that might be snippy... please excuse my hunger haha

On another note, here are a few non-scale victories: 
I got to see my best friend Blake and his amazing girl friend Sarah last night and we spent some time together-- PS they are pretty much freaking amazing and I can't wait for them to be married one day ;)
I am completely accomplished and ready for Monday morning-- which BTW rarely happens. 
I finished my lesson plans, typed SC History notes, church, lunch, workout, wedding shower, wrote a newsletter-- and all before 5pm! Heck yeah!
I also cleaned out my closet this weekend--- and I have a major abundance of clothes to send packing so I will NEVER wear them again!

This weeks moto:  "JUST DO IT!"

PPS- this rain can GO AWAY... it's completely too moist outside for me!

Randomness on a rainy day!

Well, I got the sudden urge to blog after reading some other awesome blogs today! 

This morning I got up and drug myself to the last GRIT class for a while and then stayed for body pump after.  I was pretty pumped to get home and shower after-- little did I know that I was supposed to teach zumba- so my sincere apologizes for not making it and leaving peeps!  I will make it up to you next week with an awesome class!

Mom and I went to the gourd festival before the rains came and I was pretty pumped to see Dave since I haven't seen him in what seems like forever... to say I'm not a little disapointed that he's getting married soon would be a lie- but life goes on!

Today I've just been thinking about the awesome people who have supported me along this journey and how unfortunately there are going to be those "haters" along the way too!  I am so fortunate to have some great people by my side!
Just to name a few: Samantha, Jessica, Leann, Aaron, Marie, Libba, Andrea, Heather, Curry, Austin, Christy and my awesome parents!

The other day someone asked me how I stay motivated and how I decided to do this, and it was something I seriously had to think about because I'm not real sure how I decided to "JUST DO IT."  I told her I was feeling yucky about life and my life sucked.  My life didn't really suck, but I do know that I wasn't truly happy.  I could find things that made me happy, but just being happy wasn't something I felt often.  Around Christmas/New Years time I realized I sure wasn't getting any smaller and that I was larger than I had been in a while and that my clothes less than fit well and that was surely saddening to me.
I guess I just realized that I had to make a change and I also knew that I couldn't do it by myself and that Leann was seeing a trainer- Aaron.

I could keep going, but I think I'll save that for another rainy day-- since it is literally raining today.

I will say this- choosing to take control of my life and take care of myself has been the best decision I have EVER made in my life.  Some days are worse than others and some weeks are just plain crap, but RARELY do I miss a work out of some time every single day and I feel good about the progress I'm making. It might be slow progress sometimes but it's still progress and that's what I want.

Happy Weekend peeps!  Maybe you'll get lucky and get another post tomorrow!

New and recent Pics

 

This is Samantha- We teach together and have since I started teaching.  She decided to join the weight loss band wagon with me-- This was a few weeks ago, she had lost about 20 lbs. and I had lost about 40 ish.  She has now lost 25 and she's pretty freaking gorgeous!

I know this shirt doesn't match- but I got SUPER excited in the dressing room because these size 14 shorts fit me!  One upon a time I used to wear a 24 so this is my I'm freaking happy face@

Blake's amazing mom took me and this sweet girl to see Carrie Underwood! PS I just love Miss Sarah!

This makes me sick-ish, but also makes me feel amazeballs about the progress! I need this blown up my house.  The picture on the left is me with on Christmas Day 2012, obviously with clothes that didn't fit.  The picture on the right is some of my new clothes- in April of 2013.  I got freaking tons of compliments this day- note to self: wear this shirt more often!

 

It's poetry month- and my super, freaking awesome kiddos wrote this about me!  I do love them with all my heart!!

 

Enjoy!

This girl is so TIRED....

So yesterday while walking back to my car after my attempted run I text the headline of this post to my friend J Biggy- telling her that I'd made up new words to the "Girl on Fire" song... haha

To say that I'm tired today is like some major freakin' understatement.  At least three times this week I've thought about updating this thing, and haven't had the energy to do it.  I know it's been almost 2 weeks since I posted... please don't hate me!

I saw Aaron last on Sunday the 21st- When I saw him I was down 3 lbs... in 2 weeks time I thought I could achieve more, but I knew my effort was a little low so I was pleased.  Being down is always a happy place!  So officially down 41 as of Sunday.

Saturday, the 20th I graduated with my Masters degree from Lander! It was actually pretty exciting! My sister and best friend- Heather came too!

The whole fam!

 

 

Saturday night me and Allison met Sarah and Blake for dinner to celebrate a little and Sunday Funday was instated for some celebrations on Sunday! I definitley had a little too much fun! But I overly enjoyed myself and I rarely drink like that any more so it was pretty much awesomeness!

 

 

This week has been pretty much freaking difficult--- Nobody likes a complainer, but I felt like I have done a lot of that this week, so those of you who are amazing and have had to listen to me do that.. Thanks for being there!  I don't really feel like I gave it my all this week- I have random cheats, which end up pissing me off later-- but I'm getting bored with the same freaking foods every day.... it surely makes life easier cause I rarely have to think about what I'm going to eat, but if you know me then you know I love a potato like WHOA!

 

I tried my hardest to really get in the weights this week because I've slacked there lately- and was able to fit in GRIT twice this week, both of them being SUPER DUPER hard BTW and plan on going again tomorrow.  Something about this crazy class is addicting.  Tomorrow is the last one until the 12 week challenge starts in May and I'm pretty excited about it.

 

In other news I started the Advocare 24 day challenge this morning with the 10-day cleanse being the first part.... so far so good!

 

Gonna go ahead and post some new awesome pics for updates :)

 

Love you guys!



 



Making it happen

This post is about to be pretty random... just warning you...

First of all, I've worn a lot of new clothes this week that were bought on the shopping extravaganza over spring break.  It really is amazing how much people notice weight loss after a significant amount and when your clothes fit!

When I started this journey in January I really never thought I would have made it this far, much less being so pumped up about running every day.  Seriously--- Tuesday was one heck of a rough day and that was what was missing....

Wednesday Brayden and I went to GL's baseball game and after all that I decided I was gonna go run and that I wanted to bust out 1.5 miles non stop.  And dang it- I made it!!
I was pretty freaking stoked with myself...  

I've been slacking a little bit on the weights work outs at home, but GRIT this week has been a Plyo one.. talk about tough... seriously the hardest I've ever done...

I hit my 40 lb. weight loss goal this week.....  :) I can't wait to get to 50.... we shall celebrate!


I'm gonna try to upload some new pics for ya'll later! Much love to ya!

Bustin' Mine....

Sorry it's been so long ladies and gentleman, but I've been busy bustin' my ass! Ha

I had an amazing Spring Break and enjoyed the two and three a days at the gym.  The hard work did pay off.  I saw Aaron Friday morning and had lost 3 pounds since I last saw him.
Friday night I attempted to have some peeps over and had to majorly battle the cookies and chips.. what an idiot I am for buying them....
Saturday morning I got up and went to GRIT ... it was a plyo one and hard as crap, but I surely made it through.  Saturday night was FULL of temptations that the old me would have NEVER survived.

My 2nd family- the Brackens have recently moved to Columbia (much closer to me)! They were have a house warming party and if you even remotely know these people you know there will be food and booze till the sun comes up.  I knew there was no way I could cheat, or at least in any large way because I was set to see Aaron again on Sunday afternoon.. talk about pressure and stress!
It was awesome to see some people who I hadn't seen in many months and some it had been only about 2 months.. You really don't know how much your words encourage and inspire me.
One of my favorite moments of the night was being able to resist the shots and booze and have Lisa tell me how proud she was of me.  It made me feel awesome!

Anyways, I made it through, and got home Sunday tired as crap... it's been a few years since I had slept on an air matress.  But Sunday when I got to Aaron I had lost a pound and overjoyed is an understatement!

This week has been kinda rough to the start... Monday I went to the Masters and I'm not sure if you know this or not.. but there is very little food there I can eat.. so I had a few bananas and yes an egg salad sandwich.. but it didn't kill me.   I am learning that I can have these things like (once a year) jk but true for the Masters egg salad!

Tuesday was a major struggle for me in many ways that I don't wish to re-hash! But Wednesday was amazing... today!

The weather has been beautiful and I've had amazing compliments today.. people are actually using the word skinny when they talk to me.. I feel like WHAT?!?! you're talking to ME when you use that word...  I even had a lady in my district talk to me about being a part of a healthy life grant because she wanted people who were passionate about being healthy and that know how making changes can effect your life... I almost cried..

Besides enjoying the beautiful weather at GL's baseball game with my sweet Brayden... I went for a run... 1.5 miles non stop... I made it and I felt like a million bucks after!

You all make me smile beyond belief!! I love you more than words!

Pictures coming soon peeps......

AHHHHHH Spring Break is Finally here!

Feel like I haven't updated in a while.... Since Spring Break is here I am catching up on all sorts of crazy things... even cleaning the house!

I haven't seen Aaron in a few weeks.. Last week... which was the week before Easter was a struggle to say the least.. the Charleston field trip was a succuess.. but I think I finally figured out what Aaron says is true about stress.. it will make you gain weight....

Aaron had to cancel our Easter meeting so needless to say I had a little bit of celebration Saturday night.. but spending some time with some of my favorite people was worth every minute!

Sunday was Easter and I ate a few things I shouldn't.... including WAY too many Jelly Beans.  Needless to say that by Sunday night I felt completely miserable and guilty.  I did eat my salad and chicken and stuck to the rules most of the day....

If my scale was right when I weighed Sunday night I had gained 3 lbs from what I weighed last time I saw Aaron.. and this is UNACCEPTABLE... right then I made my work out plan for the week.. since it's spring break.. that's my unofficial boot camp for myself..

Monday's work outs:
Body Pump
Ran/Walk for 40 Mins.
leg weight work
taught Zumba

Tuesday:
ran/walk for an hour.. with some extended time running
GRIT
arms weight work

The rest of the week consists of more running, weights, GRIT and maybe body pump again..
I see Aaron Friday morning and I WILL NOT dissapoint him! 

I went shopping today with Curry...and spent way too much money of course but I felt awesome trying on new clothes that fit and made me look good in the mirror!  It was an amazing day!

PS GRIT tonight was amazing!  I absolutely love EVERY SINGLE one of those ladies and man-- that's a part of our team.. especially our leader Brie... every time I go I find myself feeling more and more empowered to do things I never thought possible!  Thanks ya'll!