When I first started at the gym, I could only do 5 leg presses at 80lbs.  Recently, I was able to do a pyramid set of 230lbs (about 35 total reps).  Wow, what a difference right?  I also did 100 squats during a 30minute circuit training workout.  I never thought I’d be able to do that.  Never!   Also, when I first started, my trainer would have to give me 30 second breaks to catch my breathe in between sets.  Today, I rarely need to do that.  I’m seeing firmness in my butt and thigh area and muscles in my calves and arms.  I see my stamina building but what I’ve noticed the most is how my energy level has increased a great deal.  Even my son stated how he’s noticed that I wake up in a better mood and ready to go.  That makes me feel great that he’s noticing….and proud.

Meet my trainer Sarah – (I took a photo of the photo on the wall at Anytime Fitness) Ummm, yeah, I have to train with that! That should be motivation enough right? lol

This is our inspiration wall.  It’s where we can write what’s on our minds, what inspires us, encourage others.  I love it.  We just started it and today when I walked in, it had quite a few quotes on it.  Very motivating.

Today I teared up throughout the workout. I felt weak both physically and emotionally but I pushed threw.   I kept thinking about how I could not fail this time and how I couldn’t let my family down, who have been so encouraging.  Sarah said I’d have bad days and today was one but I know that as long as I give my all, I’ll make it through.

FOOD and SOMETHING NEW

I have made some incredible food (and beverage) changes since I started.  Sarah has been AWESOME at teaching me nutrition and while I don’t cut out all the “good stuff”, I have incorporated more of the great stuff.  I’ve even noticed that when I eat fatty foods, I can taste the “greasiness” in whatever it is.  And you know what else?  I rarely drink soda anymore.  I know right? I can see your mouth dropped.  I still will sometimes grab a fountain Dr. Pepper but I only get the small vs the 44oz like I once did.  I have also switched to Diet sodas but even still, I don’t drink them that much.  Only when I’m desperate for the carbonation.  I now drink TONS of PROPEL ZERO.  Remember how I drank Propel?  Well now they have ZERO which is NO calories.  I have a calorie budget of 1300-1500 and can now drink all that I want.  WOOOHOOO!

NUTRISYSTEM

Like I said, I have made some healthy and awesome food eating changes but I feel like, at 200lbs still, I need a little more help.  Being on the ranch with the boys, makes it awful hard to eat healthier things because they don’t really want that all the time, so I decided to apply for Nutrisystem’s Blogger program.  I rarely do things like this but I feel that this will really help me reach my goal faster and give me the boost that I need, all while still exercising and getting more sleep.

So I’m proud & excited to announce that Nutrisystem has chosen me and will be sending me food to get this weight loss party rockin’!!!    I’ll be honest, with the fees I’m paying for the gym (and personal trainer), this will really help my pocketbook so I’m extremely appreciative of the opportunity.

If you’ve tried Nutrisystem, I’d love to know your favorites.  I know what mine were from way back then but don’t know if it has changed since so I’ll have to start over at finding my favorites.

And that’s my update for this week.  I’m really really proud of myself.  I must tell you though, all of you who encourage me are what drive me to push threw. I think about all your comments and realize how lucky I am to have that support and it just makes me rock on through!  So thank you very much for that.

I noticed that when people were rooting each other (me) on, I was doing great!  I felt not so much obligated anymore but motivated.  And then the encouragement dwindled down….and then so did I which means that I NEED to have people surrounding me, telling me I’m doing great, forcing me to exercise, and pointing a finger saying “Don’t eat that!”. I NEED it.  Seeing my picture with the apron on made me realize that I’ve gained weight and it sickens me.  I don’t know how it can be so hard for me to lose weight when I want to lose it so bad.  Frustrating.

Biggest Loser starts tonight and I know that they inspire me and I’ll get back on that horse and start again.  Even so, I also know that I need more than that.  I need help from a program and I need you. I hate to ask you to be there for me when I’m not always there for you all but I need you.

I am looking at weight programs to see what might work best for me. Every one of them has had success and failures but I want to know what you have tried and why it did or didn’t work for you.

I’ll continue my workout routine but I need you to make sure I do it–to remind me to do it every chance you get.

I’ll be using Tony Horton’s 10 Minute Trainer, taking diet pills, and drinking my trusty Propel.  I think I can manage the 10 minutes for sure and depending on how well my body takes it, I can also do more.

http://www.youtube.com/v/SDOGalg1euo

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