Body Fat % is finally healthy!!!!

     Let me just say my body fat % when I started this journey was very high and unhealthy, actually it was in the high 30′s as of today it is at a healthy 23.4% and I couldn’t be happier.  My goal for my body fat was 21% which is at the low end of healthy for women my age, what?????? Me at the low end of anything??? SWEET!!!!! Everything is working in the right direction on my body and I attribute it to “pressing play”.  Having a workout program that speaks motivation to you as your working out through your TV is priceless, it is definitely what changed my life completely.  Repeatedly being told you can do this, you have more energy, you have the strength build self confidence to do it and keep doing it.  We all need a “push” a little voice inside our heads letting us know it’s possible.  When you start your weight loss/fitness/health journey it can seem overwhelming, almost impossible to imagine your body shaped to the way you want it, it IS possible but you just have to commit.  If you take 60 or 90 days out of your life and commit to a structured workout program with an instructor who knows how to motivate at the same time, in the comfort of your home then it WILL happen, the change is inevitable.  The nicest thing about working out at home is being able to wear what you want and not worry about what anyone else sees, I’m not a “gym” kind of girl at least not right now.  Maybe someday that will change but for me I like the structure that my workout program provides for me, it lays out the workouts week by week so I always know what I should be doing and it changes throughout the 90 days to keep things mixed up and not get stuck in a rut, like walking on a treadmill might.  I just took my week 11 photo, here is what’s happened to my body in a short amount of time of commitment, obviously I’m not done yet, but well on my way

     On to a different subject, my parents are leaving in the morning and I’m really bummed about that.  It truly has helped having my mom here the last two months since I just started this program that’s been life changing because my mom went through this about 25 years ago.  She was unhealthy like me, she was overweight & smoked, ate wrong and just generally felt like crap and lethargic.  It’s nice having someone around with that many years of healthy living experience, it makes cooking so much easier because she knows so many good recipes and alternatives to eating tasty & healthy.  We make a good team her and I, if I had the $ I would just buy her a place here so she didn’t have to go home.  So to any of you out there arguing or fighting with your momma, appreciate them cause they could be half a country away from you.

Have a terrific Tuesday & EXERCISE  ( :

I start every day this way and I love it!

        All organic veggies & fruit go into my juicer twice a day, working on three times a day, but wow does it get expensive.  This has to be one of the best investments I’ve made in while, I even take it apart and clean after every use and also empty the bag because fyi: broccoli stinks up your house after it’s been juiced.  My little chihuahua loves the remains of the veggies, I just put some in her bowl and she inhales it immediately.  Actually when she hears the juicer start up she will come running from anywhere in the house just to get her carrots, I’ll try and snap a picture of that next.  Here is what my juice looks like after it goes through my Breville juicer:

     Looks yummy huh?  It’s absolutely delicious!  I was thinking about doing a juice fast for a few days in between workout programs around Valentine’s Day, but we shall see, I’ve never been one to fast.  If anyone hasn’t seen the Gerson Therapy movie, it’s available on Netflix and is a very good movie/documentary to watch, it’s what got me started juicing.  The human body is more amazing then we are led to believe and can heal a lot of our disease/booboo  itself if given the right fuel, never underestimate the power of your own body.

     The idea is to spend the rest of my life in a healthy and active body, not the unhealthy sedentary body I’ve been hiding in the last 44 years, time to fly.  So far this new lifestyle has brought nothing but positive changes to myself and lots of people around me, my hubby and daughter are both dropping weight like flies just from changing the food we keep in the house and of course me cooking instead of grabbing on the go has helped tremendously.  Too bad for me I’m the only one in the house NOT losing weight, lol and I’m the one trying.  However my body just keeps shrinking and shrinking the more I workout, so praying that there is some major muscle replacing the fluffy fat pockets that were present on this body when it all started.

     Today is the only day off my hubby has every week and we usually spend it running around, today is no different.  My Equinox has to be dropped off for an oil change/tire rotation this morning, then maybe I’ll come home and exercise while he goes and gets a little of his paperwork done (it’s the only thing he has to do on his day off) then maybe we can go walk outside because it’s supposed to be 65 for the high today!  We really haven’t had much of a winter and everyone says that makes for more bugs in the summer, yuck I would rather have a good freeze now and less bugs then, but I can not control mother nature.

Have a great Monday & EXERCISE  ( :

“AHA”

     Why do we go through so much of our lives before we “get it”?  The light bulb has always been there, the switch was just never turned on.  They say everyone has an “aha” moment right?  I’m just not sure what mine was, and that makes me scared of the commitment I’ve made to a new and healthy lifestyle, because I’m just not sure what my “aha” moment was.  Actually my wedding pictures from November 2010 are what set me on this journey.  I decided to do the HCG diet in Dec 2010 and lost a bit of weight, of course most of it came back on, then I tried lo-carb and a few others before making the commitment on Aug 28, 2011 to try Weight Watchers with a friend.  That’s when it all started changing for the better, and I made a commitment not only to diet but to exercise, now I’m no longer on  a diet.  I’ve found a new way of living that I enjoy much better than the old one, which left me fat, depressed and tired all the time.  Everything about my life has changed for the better just from pressing play.  The motivation that comes through my t.v. when I’m working out keeps me going for the day, gives me hope that it can and will change.  I’m not where I want to be just yet, I have another 20 lbs and a few layers of extra insulation to get off this body, and sometimes I just want to throw the scale, but giving up is NOT an option because I AM WORTH IT!  That’s my new mantra I keep repeating to myself over and over.  Reading and listening to motivational material helps clear your mind of the clutter, getting rid of the negative and keeping the positive, try it you will be surprised.

Today is the start of week 11, only 2 weeks left and I did it!  I’ll have completed a workout program from start to finish with no interruptions, no excuses and it’s feeling great mentally & physically.  Normally I have a hard time staying committed to an exercise program but  I think I figured out what’s different about my BB programs: they have a beginning AND an end.  I know when starting that it’s a 30/60/90 day program so I know how long of a commitment I’m getting myself into and I like that, maybe it’s what I needed to “complete” a program.  When I went to the gym or just “worked out” at home there was no structure, but with my BB workouts they are all structured so you can just follow along.  Heck they even have meal plans you can print out and shopping lists to print also, how easy is that?  Ok I’m not gonna lie I haven’t used the meal plan yet, I’ve messed with it but haven’t actually printed it or followed it, maybe I should give it a try.

Pretty boring day planned, workout and tan then back to the house to get it baby proofed for my grand daugther.  I can’t believe how fast she is growing up, her 1st birthday is less than 2 months away.  Then maybe out to dinner with my folks cause they are leaving to go back to Texas on Wednesday morning I will miss them very very much.

Have a Relaxing Sunday & EXERCISE  ( :

Every Saturday I’m behind a chair

     Being a hair stylist runs through my blood, I’ve been in this profession over 25 years and still enjoy every minute of it.  What I don’t always enjoy is working every Saturday when most people are off.  This normally isn’t a problem, but Mardi Gras is coming up in a few weeks and I want to go.  Now most of my friends are stylist so they can’t get off to go anywhere on Saturdays also, kinda sucks when big things like Mardi Gras are in town.  But I’m trying to make plans to go now, so hopefully I’ll be able to sneak away from work that day, it’s a slow time of year for us anyways so shouldn’t be too much of a problem.  I’m trying to get my daughters to come along cause they’ve never been to a big outside party like that and they are both “adults” now, and I love hanging out with my girls!

     This is my adorable granddaughter, she’s 10 months old and the light of my life.  I love having girls, at one point I wanted boys, but we sure have a lot of fun together my girls and I.  Having a grandbaby is like nothing else, it seemed like it would be hard to love a child as much as my own, but WOW, loving a grandchild????? EASY as pie!!!  As she grows I want her to think of her GG as healthy & fit, non smoker, eat right, etc.  She will never have any memories of me as a smoker, where my girls have no other memories, but I’ve changed and am glad to say for the better.

Have a great Saturday & EXERCISE  ( :

Wondering why….

     I’m having a hard time understanding why I haven’t lost a pound this month, actually I’ve gained 2 1/2.  I’m stumped and pretty darn upset.  I take measurements as well and they aren’t moving either, was really looking forward to this being the “magic” month and nothing is moving in the direction I want it to and I’m 150% confused.  I workout everyday, rest on Sat, and alternate cardio/weights on the other 6 days.  I eat extremely lean and healthy now, even replaced two of my snacks with fresh carrot/broccoli/apple juice and I’m still not losing weight? Is my body broken?  That’s it, I think my body is broken and stopped working    There’s really not much more I can do except keep plugging along doing what I’m doing and hope it all catches up to me.  What are my other options? Go back to my old way of life??? HELL NO that is not an option.  Maybe I’m not tragically upset for a couple reasons   1. I’m pretty happy where I’m at, still want to lose 20 and firm, but I’m not freaking out anymore about the way I look and   2.  I’m in this for a healthier life, not just to be thin.  I feel 100% better since I stopped smoking, started exercising and eating healthy, why oh why would I ever go back to a different way of life? When this one makes me feel so much better?  But I’m a numbers girl and none of mine are moving this month, not even the measurements, but my clothes seem to be getting loser and everyone’s noticing.  Is it really possible to still be building muscle under the fat?  LOL, I’m reaching for straws here cause I’m just flabbergasted!

     Kinda hoping someone can help me with this because I can’t imagine eating less or exercising more, I’ve never given so much of myself to a lifestyle change for so long to not be yielding results with the scale, normally I would have given up by now.  But this isn’t just about the scale, this is life and I want to be healthy and I have to be healthier than ever before and trust everything will all come together soon.

Happy Friday & EXERCISE  ( :

Got a new scale that does everything.

     So we all kept getting off the wall reading with my other scale that was fairly new so this one came into our house yesterday and it does everything but cook, lol.  You’re supposed to have your feet a little damp for it to register and it spits out: weight, body fat %, water percent, muscle mass & bone mass, my reading weren’t as bad as I thought but of course there’s plenty room for improvement.  I’m sure these scales aren’t extremely accurate but they give you an idea where your at, and that’s close enough for me.  Busy busy day today, so I already started dinner, we are having beef stew with onion, carrots, celery and potato’s, yummy huh?  Already have that on the slow cooker for 6 hours and then turn it down for a few hours so everything will be cooked & yummy for dinner without minimal work, how easy is that?

While I was out shopping I bought the Breville juicer because that’s the one I had originally wanted and wow I should get what I want next time and not listen to others.  I’ve been juicing 8 carrots, 1 apple and a bit of broccoli and it’s barely been giving me 8 oz, I used a little less in the new Breville and I got TEN MORE ounces than the Cuisinart, so I used less food and got double the juice, sweet!  I can’t find any kale and I would like to start juicing that with my carrot/apple juice instead of broccoli but as long as I have something green we are good for now.  I can’t wait for the Soulard Farmers Market to start opening again, everyone says it’s fantastic and I’ve never been but I will be a weekend warrior there after it opens as it’s all local farmers and organic goodies.

Today is the close of Lean Circuit week 10, only two more weeks to go and I’m thrilled with the results I’ve gotten from ChaLEAN Extreme so far.  I’m ready to purchase Les Mills Pump and pair that with Brazil Butt Lift and get the party started, let’s do this.

Have a Terrific Thursday & EXERCISE  ( :

Weekly Fitbit stats

My avg. daily fitbit #fitstats for last week: 10,480 steps and 4.6 miles traveled. http://www.fitbit.com/user/22PBQ9

Just got a new phone.

     Isn’t it cool looking? I love the white and I love the phone, it’s bigger than my other one which is one of the reasons I picked this phone over the iPhone my hubby was trying to shove down my throat, lol.  There really wasn’t any adjustment time as this phone is set up a lot like my HTC Evo Shift was and I love the apps and customizable screens to include widgets, makes the phone much more fun and who doesn’t like a little fun in their days?

     My body isn’t happy with the shots it received in the knee a couple days ago, my ankle’s fine but my knee is still tight.  I’m convinced that I can feed my body enough good nutrients through organic veggies and fruits to get myself off medication and shots for arthritis, swelling and pain.  We shall see how it goes, but from what I’ve gathered there haven’t been negative side effects from adding fruits and veggies to your diet, and juicing them makes it so much easier and quicker.  I’ve been juicing for a few days and really enjoy it, thinking about doing a 7-10 day juice fast but will wait till I’m done with ChaLEAN Extreme as that is too hard of an exercise program to start juicing on.  So in 2 1/2 weeks when I’m finished I’ll wait a week to start my next program and juice fast then.  Gonna be a short blog today as it’s late and I’m just getting my exercise in, shame on me, as long as I press play everyday we are ok though.  I made a commitment to see this through from start to finish and am happy to say I haven’t skipped even one day, I’m very proud of myself and my body thanks me.  The changed are unreal and I feel 10 years younger and 100% happier, I’m thinking having cigarettes out of my life for almost 2 months might have something to do with the positive changes I’m feeling, call me crazy!

Have a Happy Hump Day & EXERCISE  ( :

Strong is the new skinny.

     I had searched Google images for female and weight and got some cool pics back and this was one of them, I love it and it makes superb sense!  Being skinny has been replaced with being fit, strong and healthy.  You can be skinny and smoke, be weak, be sick, etc… but when your strong and fit the rest of your life is usually a reflection of that.  I LOVE becoming fit, healthy and strong.  It’s been an incredible journey and I’m in the very beginning of it, there’s sooooooooo much more to experience and hopefully I will spend the rest of my life enjoying the benefits and opportunities I’ve created for myself just by making some changes, WOW!  I finally feel strong enough to zipline this summer along with water ski, hike, camp, horseback ride, etc.  It’s gonna be a fantastic summer with my family and I’m excited just thinking about it.  Finding this lifestyle has been phenominal and I never want to go back to living like I was, I finally feel alive!

     Been enjoying my juicer, twice a day I juice 8 carrots and a small apple then drink it up, very very tasty.  I need to find a little kale (which I’m not exactly sure what that is so don’t laugh) to throw in there cause they say you need some dark green also but I bought broccoli to use for now I just keep forgetting it.  Have a slow day today just a little cleaning, run and tan, then to work for a couple clients.  Got my workout done today, it was Lean Circuit 2 of CLX and it made my day so much better, exercise frees my mind of all the stress around me and that’s a huge bonus.

Have an  Extraordinary Tuesday & EXERCISE  ( :

Taking a trip to Whole Foods today.

     Well I purchased a Cuisinart Juicer yesterday and took a trip to our local “farmers market” what a joke, it was a run down grocery store that had a couple organic items and a little local meat so I won’t be going back there needless to say.  Instead a trip with my momma to the Whole Foods is in order cause I need some organic veggies for my new juicer that I’m exchanging Wednesday, ugh.  Seems when it comes to juicers Breville is a bit better than Cuisinart so I’m just gonna swap them out at Macys.  We made some carrot/apple juice last night and it was really good, I’m impressed.  I wish more of the local grocery stores offered a wider selection on organic food maybe in time it will happen, I hope so because pretty soon our fruits and veggies and meat are not going to have any nutritional value left if we don’t change that now.  Yea I spent some time watching Netflix documentaries like Food Matters & Food Inc. wow is all I can say, they changed how I view food now.

Today is cardio for me, Fat Burn Challenge actually and I’m ready to sweat my ass off and work off some fat! Sounds fun huh? I have a little less than 3 weeks left with CLX and then I’m ready to change it up a little bit with a hybrid of Les Mills Pump & Brazil Butt Lift (gotta have the booty ready for summer sheesh) either way I’m ready to “bring it” and watch my body continue to change.  Exercise has become a part of my daily life and so has not smoking, both are getting easier to day as the days go by, they say it only takes 30 days to form a habit and mine are well on the way to being formed.  I wait a couple hours after waking before I work out, just easier for me as my muscles don’t want to cooperate upon wakening and I feel like I get more out of my workouts if I wait a couple hours and am fortunate enough to have the time to do that.

Going to my pain management doctor today, he gives me shots in my back and ankle as well as burn off my nerve endings in my back.  I’m thinking it’s time to give up all this poking with foreign objects in my body pretty soon and focus more on internal holistic healing instead.  My body is getting stronger everyday which makes the pain less and less and I love that.  So many good things happening to my body from eating better and exercising it’s amazing I didn’t figure this out a LONG time ago, but there’s no time like the present.

Have a Magnificent Monday & EXERCISE  ( :