It's been a good month in general! I'm down 15 lbs, which is great! I think I could have lost more if I had been able to stick to my normal strength training/spinning workout routine. I really got sidelined with my foot issue, and have barely been able to get to the gym. We're going tonight and I plan on swimming a mile and doing some upper body strength. Regardless, I've lost 15 lbs and I'll TAKE THAT!!

As far as my foot, it looks like they are going to do an ankle arthroscopy to remove a cyst in my ankle joint and also clean up some tendon/ligament problems and clear out some fluid. I'm hoping I will only be down a short time, and will at least be able to hop back in the pool ASAP. I'll have PT before and after surgery. It is SO hard to schedule all of this around work and child schedules, but I know that it's important and will help get me to where I want to be. Regarding the 5k, I'm nervous. I have no idea how that will play out, but for now I am staying optimistic!

I'm so proud of my husband, who has lost nearly 20 lbs. I can really notice a difference and am so happy that he has really stuck with it and is getting used to the new routine. It's fun to have the kids know what's going on, because Gracie ratted Dad out the other night when he was eating a couple M&M's, and I snuck a couple of fries from Cole last night at a hockey game and he totally called me out on it. HA!

I'm going to post a few (YIKES) before pictures of me tonight. This won't be pretty, but necessary to see my changes :)

I'm still around...and still losing...just BUSY!! I'll be updating on Sunday, but for now just reporting that all is going well :)

Things have been going great!! I was down another 2 lbs this week (although it's hard to say for sure, since we got a new scale...next week may be a better indicator). I've been eating clean and working out like a fiend. Yesterday I swam a mile, which is 84 lengths of the Y pool. It felt amazing, and the only reason I stopped was because my family was waiting for me. I did take off my boot and try some light spinning, just to see how it felt, and it went good. Most of the pain comes from bearing weight, so I didn't stand up while on the spin bike.

I feel SO good! I can really start to see the changes in my body, and feel so energized from the nutritious food, loads of water, and excercise. It can be so addicting once you've really settled in to a gym routine. Last night we went to dinner and I was able to use my phone app to research the restaurants' menu and make the smartest choice for me. I found a great dinner for only 9 points! However, once you add in the bread and the 20 fries I snuck off my daughter's plate, I wound up using some flexpoints :) This morning the scale showed me down another pound from yesterday so I'm good with that.

On to today's menu:

BREAKFAST:

• oatfit oatmeal, 1 tbsp peanut butter, flaxseed
• greek yogurt
• v8 juice, coffee with creamer

LUNCH:

• veggie pita sandwich (tomatoes, red onion, peppercini, laughing cow cheese, spinach
• half of a smoothie (strawberries, blueberries, light OJ, vanilla yogurt, flaxseed, spinach, carrots and Greene's berry burst powder)
• light string cheese
• kashi cookie (oh. yum)

DINNER:

• the other half of my smoothie 
• snacked on carrots and celery
• 1/4 grilled cheese sandwich

POST WORKOUT SNACK:

• fage greek yogurt with honey
• fiber one bar (my fav one is caramel coconut fudge)
  

I've decided on a long term weight loss/fitness goal to work towards...a TRIATHALON!! I am so excited about this. Hopefully I will get good news from the Doctor next week regarding my foot. There is one coming up this April, and another in August, but I am really worried about carrying the extra weight and the foot issues. For now I'm planning on 2013. This should give me plenty of time to drop the weight, heal up, and train, train, train! We will see how things progress. What I DO know is that completing a triathalon will be an amazing accomplishment and I can't wait to check it off my bucket list.

In fact, I'm going to print out this picture to remind myself of what I am capable of:

 SO, SO excited for the adventures that lie ahead.

Remember my last post, when I was going on (and on) about french fries and how many WW points can be wasted away on them?

Well, guess who just used up half of her weekly flex-points on cheetos? Um, yeah. Now, the good news is, I had the flexpoints to use. I just usually try not to use them so I will lose faster. However, today I had a moment of weakness and allowed myself a handful. Which turned into half a bag. (Note to self: Gotta get those impulsive tendencies under control)!  You know what though? I don't regret it. I've been eating clean for two weeks and they were totally worth the splurge. So, for the week I am still right on track with flexpoints and loads of activity points never used.

Speaking of activity points...it appears I'll be earning less of those for awhile. I'm stuck with an aircast on my left foot until the 25th when I see a specialist. Turns out I don't have a stress fracture, but instead numerous bone spurrs and some damaged tendons and ligiments. Dang. Hopefully this won't require surgery, and I will continue onto my path to my 5k!! I'm so determined! Meanwhile, I will be doing loads of swimming and upper body strength training.I will miss my spinning though :(

On another interesting note, our scale has developed a mind of its own. Last Sunday when I weighed in, it gave me three different numbers each time I stepped on it. My first and last weight were 5lbs apart. Hmmm. Time for a new scale perhaps? This morning the same thing happened. Gonna try fresh batteries tomorrow and if that doesn't work it will be off to the store for me.

Here's today's menu:

BREAKFAST:

• vanilla greek yogurt
• peanut butter, banana and flaxseed pita sandwich
• coffee with creamer

LUNCH:

• black bean, corn and "chicken" burrito
• blueberry greek yogurt
• parfait cup

SNACK:

• cheetos, cheetos, and ummm, more cheetos
• sugar free jello w/fat free cool whip (yum-o!)

DINNER:

• garden vegetable soup
• orange

I've noticed what getting back to a healthy lifestyle has done for my mood overall. I feel  more optimistic about so many things, and not quite so overwhelmed by the things that usually just drive me crazy. Weight loss really is as much about changing your mentality along with your habits. Let's face it: junk food (cheetos, anyone?), may make you "happy" for a few moments, but then it just brings you down (and leaves some extra fat on your belly). Fruits and veggies are so much kinder :)

Thank goodness for flexpoints

The one in which I want fries. Lots of fries.

Took a day off from the gym this morning. Frankly, I was up too late, didn't sleep well, and had a few choices words for the alarm when it went off at 4:20 am. I found that I really noticed the difference in not going. I missed that surge of energy and buzz you have all day from working out first thing in the morning. Oh, I noticed something else too...

I'm hungry. Been hungry all darn day. Plenty o' hunger. I had a pb&b (peanut butter and banana) smoothie for breakfast, along with a hard boiled egg. By the time 11:45am rolled around, I was starving. Lunch was garden veggie soup, spinach salad, cottage cheese and 2 delight yogurt cups. I had a snack of V8 juice and a fiber one bar. Dinner will be black bean and corn veggie wraps. All tasty meals, but this is the first day in a week and a half that I've actually really been HUNGRY and had a craving.

Enter the french fries. No, I didn't have any. But I WANTED them. I fantasized about them and considered walking into a fast food joint just so I could smell them and maybe find one that was cast aside by a 3 year old (pathetic!) Fries are my all time favorite food. I've always loved them. Yes I know they're amazingly unhealthy, and expensive, "points wise". 10 points for a medium fry. WHOA! That's over 1/3 of my daily points allowed. Crazy! This brings me to why I like Weight Watchers: you can have those foods, but you have to account for it. So, yes, I can have my fries, but have to skimp on the rest of my day. Is it worth it? Nah. I would rather make better choices and eat more! Granted, there are those weekly 35 flexpoints I could draw from, but I prefer not to use those. You know, since my husband and I have this contest going and I plan on whoopin' him.

By the way, if you were to go to the average fast food joint and have a quarter pounder (12pts), large fries (11.5), and a large coke (6.5), that would be a grand total of 30 points. For ONE meal. Under the weight watcher plan, I am allowed 30 points for an entire day. WOW. That puts things into perspective.

Suddenly, french fries don't sound so appealing :)

 Missed posting yesterday, but had the BEST workout ever I think. I did 50 minutes and 15.5 miles on the spinner bike, and I felt like I could have went forever. I love those days when I really get into my workout and it just flies by. Today was great too...hit the gym at 5:30 am and got in a great workout before work. It was such a positive start to my day and really made me want to stay on track. Here's how I did:

BREAKFAST:

• coffee with creamer
• laughing cow cheese wedge
• hard boiled egg
• peanut butter banana smoothie (my FAV recovery drink after a workout)

LUNCH:

• "chicken sandwich" (sandwich thin, laughing cow cheese, spinach, onion, pepper and morningstar "chicken" patty)
• satsuma orange
• chocolate raspberry parfait cup

SNACK:

•  V8 juice

DINNER:

• garden vegetable soup
• rising moon ravioli with marinara sauce

I'm trying to figure out how to add tabs to the top of my main blog page to track my weight loss, progression photos, etc. I know there's a way I just haven't had time to figure it out yet :) So for tonight I'll sign off with this little bit of inspiration I found from Simply Positive:

Wow. I love this. :)

Week 1 weigh in

Great weigh in..I lost 7.87 lbs (8) Success!!

The family made a late trip to the Y last night. I did some strength training and then did 20 minutes of intervals on the spinner bike. (levels 15/21) Worked up a great sweat and my knee felt fine. Afterwards, I did 35 minutes of laps in the pool. I felt great and had such a great rythym going. Heading back to the gym today.

I forgot to list my menu yesterday, and my phone app doesn't save past days (which is why I list it all here). I was well behaved though. BTW, the cabbage casserole was FANTASTIC!

Bucket List (as pertaining to weight loss)

I present to you my "bucket list" of things I want to do after I lose the weight and get fit!

*Run a 5k (or longer?)
I already have two friends who have committed to doing this with me this coming fall. I figure I should be at least 50lbs lighter by then.

*Complete a mini triathalon
There is one coming up this August in my area...my friend Jenni is doing it and is trying to convince me...not sure I'll be ready by then?

*Bungee jump
because, darn it, that looks FUN!

*Parasailing with Gracie (because neither of my boys ever would)
yes, I'm sure I could do this now, but i don't even want to THINK that my weight would be an issue when we go.

*Jump out of a plane
If I'm gonna be strapped to a (hopefully) hot guy, I don't want any extra jiggle on me.

*Ziplining
*Now, I've done this twice before (on a small scale), but I'd like to do it when I don't look like THIS after being cinched up in the harness:

*Go on a celebration trip with my husband

You know, cause he'll be fit too, and we'll look hot together.

*Wear my hot dress

Duh. on my hot trip. with my hot husband.

Skinnytaste.com and fashion

Having a tough time getting-going this morning. That's unusual for me because ordinarily I hit the ground running. Any-hoo, I've been poking around the web looking for some new healthy recipes, and I discovered Skinnytaste.  LOVE IT! I've found my biggest weight loss challenge of all is just being prepared. Having the healthy foods available when the hunger pangs strike.Today I'm hoping to do a little freezer cooking so we have some meals for later in the week. Tonight's pick?

Stuffed cabbage casserole. Wow, this looks SO good! I plan on using ground turkey instead of beef, and I'm going to *try* to make this half with turkey (for the fam), and the other half without (for me). This has received good reviews, so I'm feeling optimistic.

I'm also making a huge batch of Garden vegetable soup. If you've ever done WW, you know about this soup. It's zero points and makes a great filler when you've used all your points on potato chips, errrr, bad choices.

On another note: I cannot wait until I can wear something like:

THIS (without all my fat popping out)

and THIS: you know, when I'm RUNNING.

and, ultimately, something along these lines: underneath this fat girl is a girl dying to wear dresses and look GOOD!

and then there are my Lulemon  yoga pants that my sweet sister generously bought me when I was in Virginia a year ago. At that point, when I tried them on (size 12!), they were tight, but they were ON! (not enough to be seen in public yet..hehe). Now, they serve as my inspiration to get my butt in gear!

I want to lose this weight for the health benefits, of course. But fashion is a  *very* close second :)