Exteme Makeover - Me Edition

It's Wednesday...and that means Amber is hosting Extreme Makeover - Me Edition...BUT she just found out she's pregnant and won't be participating full force. Congrats again Amber!

In the meantime she's asked that we share with her the ways we stayed healthy and 'fit' during our pregnancy(ies)...I had to laugh (literally) out loud when I read this...because those that know me IRL know that I gained about 65 pounds during my pregnancy with the boy. Granted, I started out underweight...at about 103 pounds (when I went to the doctor to confirm the pregnancy with a blood test and he called me with my results he immediately ordered me to start drinking Ensure or Boost...yuck!)...but yep by the end of it all I was nearing 170.

Imagine how frightening it is to realize that after gaining that much weight you only have about 7.5 pounds that is the actual baby!!! I battled eating disorders as a teenager but thankfully after having the boy I lost the weight in a healthy manner and it slowly but surely came off...well most of it...I still blame him for the extra 15 pounds I carry around to this day...8 years later.

Funnily enough (and yes I do believe funnily is a word...in my world anyway) I didn't gain all over and really only carried out front...like a HUGE basketball was under my shirt. I so wish I had pictures of me pregnant...but it was a tough time in my life (that's for an entirely different post) and I was uprooted and moved around at least 4 different times while I carried the boy. In the end my mom lost her camera that had all my pregnancy shots on it...and we never found it...so sad!

So I'm sorry Amber I have no advice...but hopefully some of the other women do. I imagine keeping active (walking, stretching, etc.) is still a good idea...and obviously not letting yourself fall into the mentality that you are in fact eating for two and therefore can eat what you want when you want and all in double sized portions...might not work out to be the best plan...though I have to admit it was one I adopted lol.

I don't have much to report in the way of what I've been doing this past week. We are still working on getting into a routine for school....and there's been good tv on...I know I know...excuses excuses...

Extreme Makeover - Me Edition - Successes

Amber over at aefilkins hosts this weekly meme...I haven't participated all summer...that could explain the massive tire I have forming around my midsection...why is it that I have no problem working towards the body I want all year long and then when summer comes I sabotage it all by eating bad and not exercising near enough???

I haven't stepped on a scale in a very long time but I bet if I had weighed myself before summer and then again now...it would tell me I had gained at least 10 pounds...all my clothes are too tight and I just feel down right disgusting.

Hence the reason I'm baaaaaaaaaaaack. If you'd like to join this group of gals who are working hard at trying to live a healthier lifestyle than be sure to head over to Amber's blog and check it out.

This week Amber has asked us to focus on our successes. Seeing as I am just now getting back into a routine and haven't yet had the opportunity to add in exercise...my only success (albeit a big one) is my thought process...instead of feeling like I just can't do it...I *know* that I can because I've done it before. It doesn't take much to plan meals a little better so that I'm eating healthier...and it also doesn't take much effort to get myself back into exercising....I just have to do it! And do it I will...starting now.

My intent is to ease back into it slowly...knowing myself the way I do...if I try to change things too much I decide it's too hard and just give up yet again...so this week I'm really going to focus on eating better and uping my water intake...after school starts next week and our family is more into a homework/evening routine after dinner I will decide when it's best for me to exercise.

Extreme Makeover - Me Edition

We are a group of people trying to lose weight, eat better and exercise...support in numbers works wonders! Head on over to Amber's blog to learn how to join us if you so desire.

This week Amber was asking us to post a picture of our fridges to see how much of the food we keep on hand is actually healthy. I won't be posting pictures because...well...my fridge is pretty bare today...grocery day is tomorrow.

But what I have been stocking up on lately is fruit and lots of it!!! The boy *loves* watermelon and I bought one on Sunday...only to have it be 3/4 of the way gone by the very next day...I did help him a little some though lol.

The weather has changed drastically here and it is HOT HOT HOT!!! Ever notice how your appetite drops dramatically in the heat....yet you are constantly feeling dehydrated??? Well that's been me lately...I hardly ate dinner last night because it was so hot and sticky all day and I just didn't feel hungry...but I did manage to down 4 bottles of water (and I didn't even doctor them with Crystal Light)! I'm trying to convince the boy to drink more water and figure the best way to do it is by setting a good example.

Workouts have been non-existent because although we do have air conditioning it's only a little window one and it's at the back of the house...my elliptical is in the basement...which you would think would be cool enough...but it's just not. I have been walking daily...but again it's been so hot and sticky that I'm sure my pace has slowed a little...it's alright...I'll swim lots of laps around the pool this weekend...and I'll be working my arm muscles as I put the beer to my lips and then back down again...haha.

Extreme Makeover - Me Edition - Update

Those of you that have been here awhile probably know what this post is all about...but for those of you that are new here you can hop on over to Amber's blog and find out what it's all about.

So I haven't posted an update in 2 weeks now because:

a) I haven't been working out;

b) I also haven't been watching what I'm eating; and

c) Well without doing those 2 things I feel like crap...

But I'm here again and going to get back on the train! I think what made me fall off was the bronchitis I suffered with for well over 3 weeks...and then immediately following that I hurt my back...I'm still not sure what the cause of the back pain was but it came and went for 2 weeks...initially I thought it was the shoes I wore to workout (the one time I actually worked out when I was starting to feel better)...but then it went away and came back with a vengence. I'm almost certain (since the boyfriend has the same pain) that it had alot to do with the coughing that comes along with bronchitis.

I have still been walking when weather permits but tonight I'm getting back on that elliptical and I will most definitely make sure I workout at least 3x this week.

So Amber is asking today:

What's your favorite thing to drink while you're losing weight? We all know how important it is to get that water intake up, especially with summer almost here. What's your favorite way to spice it up?

I have to agree with Amber...Crystal Light is da bomb!!! I love it...and I also really like the Nestea singles that you can pour into water bottles....you just shake and voila...yummy water instead of boring old plain water!!!

My all time favorite flavour in both is Raspberry! Which reminds me...I better pick some up.

Soooo, how are you doing???

Extreme Makeover - Me Edition - Week 9

So how did Wednesday come upon us so quickly???

Wednesday here at my blog (and quite a few others) means it's time to update our progress in the exercise/eating department...if you want to join us in this journey than go over to Amber's blog at aefilkins and find out how.

This past week was once again a big BUST in the exercise department...I'm still on antibiotics and still not feeling 100%. I really didn't think bronchitis would have me knocked out for well over 2 weeks....but it has...I guess it's partially my fault because I haven't exactly been 'resting' like I should be. Our weather has been cold, damp and rainy so I haven't been walking at lunch time as much as I'd like to...and I just didn't have the energy to do stairs last week either.

The good news is...all the walking we did on our road trip (power shopping) translated to approximately 32 miles covered by foot - yes that IS alot of shopping...I calculated about 16 hours of shopping in 2.5 days...can you say WOW??? lol. That's got to be good exercise, right???

In the eating department I didn't totally blow it...even though over the weekend I wasn't as health conscious as I should have been....I managed not to go too overboard in the 'junk' department. But it's that time of the month..and for the past 2 days I have been stuffing my face with chips...something I had given up for close to a month.

But I'm back on my diet starting NOW...and I hope to exercise tonight, after American Idol of course!!! We no longer have a tv in the basement and that is definitely taking away from my elliptical time...perhaps I should steal it back from the boy.

This week Amber is asking:

Name your guilty pleasure. Think of a healthier choice you could use as a substitute.

My guilty pleasure is most definitely chips! Or anything salty for that matter...crackers, peanuts...

When I'm in diet mode I cut out carbs as much as I can and snack alot on meat and cheese...it seems to do the trick for a few weeks...but then someone puts a bowl/bag of chips in front of me and I just can't stop till they are all gone.

I don't have a sweet tooth...though a chocolate bar every now and again is definitely yummy.

So how did you do this week??? I hope to do much better next week