Week 2 Pics Sept 3

Week 2! Last week flew by as I started implementing some of my new fitness ideals. Water? Check. Hitting my step goal? Check. Drinking less calories? Check. Getting veggies and fruits in was a challenge as I didn't have a ton on hand. Dan and I were taken to dinner by friends to celebrate our anniversary so I ate very carefully early in the day so that I could enjoy dinner guilt-free. I took home half of my dinner in a to go box and skipped dessert. Baby steps make all the difference in the long run. I'm quite pleased with my first week. 

Woot! I dropped two pounds. I know it's probably just water weight, but I'll take it!

Week 1: Starting Out August 27, 2023

 Here we go! These are my week 1 photos to establish a baseline from our starting point. These photos are difficult for me to look at even thought I am well aware of what I look like to other people. While I remind myself that how I look is the least important or interesting thing about me, I also balance that with wanting to live long enough to be covered in great-grandbabies before I go to meet Jesus face to face. And so, here we are. At the starting gate of a journey towards getting myself healthier so I can accomplish that goal. I can do this!

Starting Weight: 169.0

New Goals for Getting Fit for 50

    Friends, this blog has lain dormant too long, with my fitness goals along with it. Since I've last posted in here, I have become a grandmother 3 times over, there has been a global pandemic that lasted 2+ years, and I've retired from nannying and moved into being an office admin at a private school here in town. Oddly enough, while my weight has fluctuated a bit up and down over the years, it has largely remained within the 155-165 range. What has changed is my age, my pant size, and my activity level. Chasing toddlers and teens is much more physical activity than largely sitting at a desk all day. And so here I sit, staring 50 in the face and I knew that it was TIME to make a change..for good. 

I have lost muscle mass in the past 3 years, I get winded walking across a room, I am uncomfortably hot all the time because of all of my 'padding', and I am continually exhausted. My knees creak and my back aches, and over the past 6 months I have seen the chiro and massage therapist dozens of times each, trying to ease some major pain in my right hip. And well, 49.5 isn't THAT old that I should be having some of these issues. Here are my goals and some ways that I'm going to reach them. 

    
Current Stats on Day 1:
~Weight 169.0 lb
~Size 16 and XL/1X depending on cut and stretchiness of fabric

By my Birthday in late December, I want to:
~lose 30 pounds
~drop 3 pants sizes
~be able to run up a flight of stairs without needing 10 minutes to recover
~be able to have a small lap when I sit down/be more flexible as my ab flab shrinks
~have a smaller waist than my chest and hips (currently they are all 45 inches each)
~be able to have a dance party with my people without sitting down halfway through the first song
~deadlift 50 pounds 10 times
~bench press 30 pounds 10 times

Here's how I'm going to do it:
~Drink at least 72oz of water each day (that's 3 of my current favorite water bottles)
~Get my steps in (current goal of burning 70 calories, tracked in my phone)
~Do at least one 10 minute workout in GetHealthyUTV/YouTube/DVD
~Eat my fruits and veggies first at each meal, followed by protein, followed by carbs
~Cut down on desserts, late-night snacking, and calories in drinks 
~Cut way back on eating out, and when I do, only eat half of the meal.

My plan is to post pics each week in the same clothes with new stats each week to keep myself motivated. Wish me well on my journey! 

February Update and a workout challenge

Hey friends, it's been a while again, and with all the holiday activities, I'm sure no one has been checking my little old blog every day for an update. ;)

I'm happy to report that I survived all the holidays without regaining any weight and I'm pretty stoked about that. I recently also enjoyed a NSV (non-scale victory) by wearing some pants that haven't fit in about 2 years, as seen above. Woot!
I'm taking part in this squat challenge again this month.
 http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/30-Day-Squat-Challenge-30806625
I'm also working through some 30-20-10s as recommended by a friend, and have also added a quick 5 minute ab routine for the month. I've been struggling a bit with not going to PFit with Dan and Patrick out of town (leaving no one to watch Derek) but I think I can manage this month with some creativity.
Last thing: portion control remains an issue. Dang it. Was hoping to have mastered that by now. But I'm learning that I should NOT watch TV while I eat, because I want to stuff my mouth the whole time the show is on. But realizing the problem is a good step toward fixing it, so I know...no more eating in front of Netflix. I shall miss you, Gilmore Girls. But I miss my smaller waistline and energy more.
Best of luck to you this month in your health goals!
 ~K~

MONTH~ly Weigh In: October 26, 2015

 Let's just call a spade a spade, shall we? I don't have the time, energy or (apparently) the desire to post every week, or every other week. A monthly check in shall have to do. Hope that's ok with all 3 of my followers. LOL!
Without further ado, the good news.
I lost 4 more pounds this month! Woot! Down to 155.
More good news, I switched from only drinking water during work hours (2-6 most days) to drinking water 24/7 with an occasional glass of tea. As a gal that can easily drink 3/4 to a full gallon of tea a day, that is BIG news. And after a few pangs for the good old days, water tastes great and even the barely sweet tea I make is tasting really sweet these days. So, I'm totally on the right track with that bit of news. I also joined Planet Fitness (furthermore to be called PFit) as I previously mentioned and I'm enjoying it like crazy. I'm sure the newness will wear off at some point, but for now, I'm raving about it to anyone who will listen and dragging anyone who listens to me for more than 7 seconds along on my next workout.
The bad news, I'm still really struggling with portion control and I may have to break down and purchase a kitchen scale until I can get a good handle on how much a serving actually is again. :( More bad news, I gave up on the Uptown Funk Ab Challenge. I simply don't have enough ab strength YET to manage it. So I am working on dropping some pounds and then I will attempt it again. And, there's more. I LOVE to eat, y'all. I love to put food in my mouth, I love to taste food, enjoy the texture of food, the smell of food, the camaraderie around a table full of food and friends. I love to cook, I love to shop for food, I love to watch shows about cooking. I love everything about food...except the being fat part. So, I'm going to have to work on loving losing weight more than I love to put food in my mouth. And I'm going to need to quit equating socializing with eating, although with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years around the corner, this may prove to be more difficult than I hope.
Over all, I"m pleased with this month. I have an actual victory this month. 4 more pounds gone, and they are going to stay that way!
Thanks for taking this journey with me!
~K~

Look What I Did!

So, this happened. :)

Yep, I joined Planet Fitness this weekend. Dan is a member and totally loves it, so I figured I would give it a try. Pat will be my normal workout buddy, and we will go as often as we can when David is home. When D can't make it home at a reasonable hour, I'll have to go by myself or find another buddy to take, but it's a start. I'm too cheap to let my whole $20 go to waste, so that is just extra motivation, right?
 I've decided that I will never be good at working out at home. And that's not a character flaw, I'm just busy and often distracted, and always interrupted, so if I need to join a gym to get my workouts done, then let's do that.
We've been a few times already and I"m really enjoying it. I'm trying ALL. THE. THINGS.
Treadmills? Check
Ellipticals? Check
Stair Climbers? Heck NO
Weight lifting machines? Check
30 minute cardio circuit? Check
Hydro-massage? Check
Recumbent Bikes? Check
Total Body Enhancement thing a ma bobber? Check
I'll keep you posted on the long term results  :)
~K~

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Weekend Weigh In: Sept 27, 2015

...Or next month. *le sigh* Why is checking in every week or every OTHER week so difficult?
I can honestly say that September has completely kicked my behind, some in good ways, and other not so much.
I totally dropped the ball on any kind of fitness challenge as I scurried about visiting Dan in Iowa, starting school with P and DT, trying to figure out what in the Sam Hill D is doing with his life, my Mom moving back to IL :( and a host of other small changes that all culminated in Kristy not working out, not eating well and not losing any weight.
In totally honesty though, I think I can just say that I just wasn't feeling it this month and so I wasn't as diligent as I should be, which lead to me not been checking in here because I don't want to admit that I'm falling down on the "job" of losing weight. I like to win. I like to meet my own challenges. I like to be right. (oh dear, this is turning into a counseling session. LOL) And in that same vein, I don't like to admit defeat, especially when it comes at my own hands.
However, if I'm the one messing up, then I am the one that can fix it. Woohoo! SO, I am challenging myself to get my 3x weekly workouts DONE in October, no matter the challenges, the obstacles, or the lack of desire. I can do this!
For inspiration this month, I will be re-attempting the Uptown Funk Ab workout in addition to my cardio workouts. I'm also starting a book on my Kindle about workouts/devotions for women of faith called Perfect Fit. It can be found here. Sounds good to me!
And for updated stats and photos:
Starting Weight: 160
Current Weight: 159
Pounds Lost: 1
Certainly not impressive, but if you factor in an 8 day vacation, and then 2 weeks of what some would label depression (during which I normally eat like it's going out of style because I"m an emotional eater {working on that} I'm going to call this a small win. I haven't gained it all back, and I'm aware of what I'm eating, so that's all good.

Pounds lost? Only 1, but between vacation, depression and not working out, I'm still calling that a win. 

Weekend Weigh In: August 1, 2015

Just a quick update as I dash past the computer on my way to enjoy Derek's birthday.
Starting weight: 160
Current weight: 158.5
Weight Loss: 1.5 pounds
I will take it :) Every little bit counts.
     Blessings, Kristy

PS. Next week, pictures.

August Fitness Challenge: Uptown Funk Ab Routine

Now that we are finished with the 200 Squat challenge, I thought I would pick the next challenge myself and see if anyone wants to join me. It's AB month, people. I know. I KNOW! But, my abs are as close as you can get to dead and still be breathing, so I need to work on them. I really like the Uptown Funk Ab Routine on YouTube, but right now I can only get about 35 seconds into it before I am gasping for air and praying for a stroke to finish me off. So, I'm taking the month of August to see if I can get through the whole thing without a break. Who is with me?

***** CHALLENGE ACCEPTED*****

Here's the link:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2EGLIyDkXE

Workout Plans for July 20-26

The plan: cardio (15 minutes) 3x, plus the squat challenge previously posted.

The Reality:

• Monday: 15 minutes on the elliptical machine, 1 hour in the pool, squat challenge
• Tuesday: 45 minutes in the pool, squat challenge
• Wednesday: squat challenge
• Thursday: 1 hour in the pool, squat challenge
• Friday: squat challenge
• Saturday: rest
• Sunday: rest

Can I accomplish my goals: YES I CAN!

Weekend Weigh In: July 19, 2015

I've decided that the weekends are the best time for me to do updates on weight and occasionally pictures. So without further ado...the results of 2 whole weeks of work. I'll be honest enough to say the last 2 days have been hard for healthful eating, since I'm a stress-eater. However, between the beans and rice lunches, squat challenge, water drinking and swimming as often as I have time to get in the pool, I think I'll at least even out.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Starting Weight: 160 pounds
Current Weight: 159.5
Weight Change: -1/2 pound
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Not quite a huge change, but every little bit helps. I have new motivation (and more opportunity) to work out with Dan out of town. I'm hoping to surprise him with a #10 loss by our anniversary at the end of August. I'll keep ya posted. ;)
The squat challenge kicks into high gear this coming week, so by next weekend, I may not be able to walk. Which would at least mean it was working. And I neeeeed to be in the pool every work day this week. Here we go!
Oh, I almost forgot. I promised a picture. Enjoy!

This is one of my new fave outfits. Comfy but stylish brown and gold t-shirt, dark jeans, brown and gold flats.

July 2015 Fitness Challenge: 200 Squats

Apparently, I get bored easily and like to cut myself slack/grace far too often in the workout areas of my life, so in addition to my regular 3x a week cardio sessions, I decided to accept a challenge from some friends to be able to do 200 squats by the end of July. We start tomorrow.

*****Challenge Accepted*****

Here's a link to the workout, http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/30-Day-Squat-Challenge-30806625 and it has a printable so you can keep up with it whether you are home or out and about.
I'm looking forward to it. A higher, tighter, smaller booty is in my near future. Woot!

I am BACK!

...and fatter than ever. *le sigh* Time to fire this blog back up and see if I can motivate myself with the fear of public humiliation. LOL! 
I am currently weighing in at 160 pounds. *ouch* That is what I weighed when I was pregnant with DT and my heaviest weight ever. I can beat myself up about it, or I can do something. So here I am, doing something. I am still doing well on water intake and veggies, but I have quit exercising and lost all awareness of portion control. So, it is back to basics. 
For the month of July, I will be working out (cardio) 3x a week, and eating small portions. I am also doing black beans and rice for lunch every day M-F while at work starting on the 13th. With water, of course in keeping with my New Years Resolution to drink water during my work hours of 11am-6 pm. With Independence Day behind us as well as Birthday Game Night, I think I am in the clear for parties and such. That helps. :) 
I will start by filling my plate with fruits and veggies, with a small portion of lean protein, and skipping the carbs if/when I can.
Wish me luck. 
     ~K~

Good bye 2009

Well friends, as we prepare to bring in the new year, I have to pause and look back over the last year. Have I accomplished all my goals? Have I lost all the weight? Have I begged, borrowed, or stolen any will power? Well, no...to all of those. Do I feel discouraged or have I lost faith in the idea?? NO to that as well! I've learned some new habits, gained some muscle, some confidence and some friends in my pursuit of health. I will redouble my efforts as the new year starts, so stick with me this next year and I'll see if I can't wow some of you with my incredible shrinking body...LOL! have a great new year everyone!!
Blessings,
Kristy

Well, Fudge it all, Anyway!

Sorry, could NOT resist the title! Jodi and I made fudge yesterday and I just can't leave it alone. Good thing I've lost a few pounds this year....I'm about to gain them all back. Actually, I'm pretty please with how I've been doing the past 2 weeks. I've worked out almost everyday and until yesterday, was doing a great job of keeping up on my liquids, which always seems to be the first to go. So, I'm back on track with that today....now if I could just walk away from the fudge...*sigh* Christmas is going to be hard. Anyone have any tips to make it easier, besides just not making any treats, since that isn't an option? Well, I'll go weigh myself and report back...wish me luck!
Beginning weight: 155
Goal weight: 110
Present weight: 147
Oops, looks like I gained two pounds back...but I tend to do that when I quit getting enough liquid, so I'll blame that and not the fudge. I'll try to post a pic soon. Thanks for all the support!