Accio

Do these genes make my butt look big?

For a very long time I was convinced that I had no chance at being thin and fit. I told myself that it wasn't my fault. It was just "in my genes". I was built like my dads side. We have small waists and huge lower halves. Of course, I knew all the bad food I ate and the little exercise I did didn't help. I always thought that I'd have time to work on it later though. I'm not sure where the time goes. One second I'm graduating high school and the next I'm married with two kids and 50 extra pounds. Not cool.
I was watching a clip the other day that was on obesity. One thing hit me so hard that I cried. This next generation of children, my children, for the first time in two centuries has lower life expectancy then their parents. The gravity of that is huge. The reason is completely preventable. It is the cancer of our society, that is obesity. I realized that my children's health is completely in my hands. Children learn by example. How can I expect to keep them healthy, when I can't keep myself healthy?! I knew then that this wasn't just a phase for me. I might never have been able to keep it up for myself, but I can do it for my family. They need me to be a good example. I need to  teach them to love themselves by loving and taking care of myself. I plan on doing everything in my power to do so. Because these sweet babies are worth all the healthy eating and every drop of sweat. What do you sweat for?

Here is a good article on the effects of childhood obesity by The New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/17/health/17obese.html?_r=0

Healthy chicken pot pie

I thought I'd share a new family favorite recipe today. Homemade chicken pot pie with whole wheat biscuits. My Husband asks for this about once a week. Its so good. I grew up hating chicken pot pie, so that's saying something. In my defense my only knowledge of them came from the frozen dinner section. Let me know how you like it!!!

 

Ingredients:
1lb cooked and shredded chicken
1onion diced
2 cups broth
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup peas
1 cup corn
1 cup green beans
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1½ cup milk
Biscuits (see below)

 

Saute onions. Then add in veggies and broth. Bring to boil, then reduce and simmer until tender (about 5 min). Slowly sprinkle flour while stirring constantly. Then slowly add in milk stirring constantly. Add the chicken and continues simmering until thickened (about 3 minutes). Coat a baking dish with oil. Pour in mixture, and top with unbaked biscuits. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

 

Biscuit Recipe:
3 cups whole wheat flour
1½ Tbsp baking soda
1Tbsp sugar or honey
1tsp salt
¼ cup butter or oil
1 cup milk

Mix dry ingredients
Add in butter or oil
Mix until crumbly
Stir in milk slowly
Mix well
Roll out on floured surface
Cut out (I use a mason jar mouth)
Bake at 450 for 8-10 min ( or put on top of chicken pot pie and bake).

Too much or Too little

This week started with my baby starting preschool. She's barely 3!! She has the great opportunity to go to a blind school. It's run by such amazing and qualified people. Its hard having her away from me the majority of the day, but she is going to learn and grow so much. She loved her first day, so that helps to ease my guilt.

I have felt so stressed this past week. I've been worrying about my daughter starting preschool, and having a very sick family member. I've been a bit of a wreck. I still managed to get to the gym for 1 1/2 to 2 hours a day for 5 days. I am aiming for 6 days a week.  I missed Saturday though, because me and my little family woke up at 4 to go on a drive in the dessert. It was gorgeous! The temperature was great at that time and the desert was alive from the recent rains. I am not a morning person though. Who is?! (My dang Husband that's who! Sigh... ha ha.) Needless to say, I was pretty dead the rest of the day.

I feel like I am working so hard. I am trying to eat right and exercise. Yet, the scale does not want to budge much. I am almost down to 162. I don't count it, until it's consistent for a week. I wonder if I'm eating too much or too little. I use my fitness pal and try to go by what it tells me. Its only an app though. I wish I could talk to a nutritionist.  Does anyone have any advice?! I'm sticking with it, but it is discouraging. I hope you all start your week out right. Its never too late. A little workout is better than no workout.

Sorry for the crappy mirror pic. Cant wait to get muscle in my arms!!!

Breakfast Smoothie

This is my favorite Breakfast. I have it at least 6 days a week. It is quick, easy, and filling.




Breakfast Smoothie:
5-6 frozen strawberries
1/2 frozen banana
Canned pineapple/peaches/pears (whatever you prefer)
1/3 cup water or milk (preferably skim or almond)
A big handful of spinach ( I get a bag of pre-cut and washed spinach at Walmart for less than 3 dollars. It lasts me for week.)
Blend & Enjoy
( If you use a single serve blender like I do, blend everything but spinach first. Then add spinach and blend well.)

My Routine

I have had a lot of people ask me about my gym routine. So, I thought I'd share. The personal trainer at my gym set this routine up for me. I told him my goals were to lose weight but to also become toned and strong. I want to be able to run and lift heavy. The routine he set up takes around an hour. I usually go for around two because I add in free weights, lifting, and stretching. On a side note, this routine is great for all different fitness levels as you can pick your speeds and weights to fit your needs. My Mom does the same routine when she comes. She just goes slower on cardio and lighter on the weights. Also, I am not a fitness expert or a Doctor. So please consult yours before starting.

Day 1: Arms

Arc trainer: As hard as you can go for 15-20 min

Chest Press: 12-15 reps 3x

Fly: 12-15 reps 3x

Rope Pull Down: 12-15 reps 3x

Treadmill: As hard as you can go 10-15 min + 5 min cool down

Day 2: Back

Treadmill: As hard as you can go for 15-20 min

Pull Down Machine: 12-15 reps 3x

Row:12-15 reps 3x

Shoulder Press: 12-15 reps 3x

Bicep Curl: 12-15 reps 3x

Arc Trainer: As hard as you can go 10-15 min + 5 min cool down

Day 3: Legs

Arc Trainer:  As hard as you can go 15-20 min

Leg Press: 12-15 reps 3x

Leg Extension: 12-15 reps 3x

Leg Curl:12-15 reps 3x

Hip adductor: 12-15 reps 3x

Hip abductor: 12-15 reps 3x

Treadmill: As hard as you can go 10-15 min + 5 min cool down

*REPEAT*

The whole story.

I have decided to start a new blog dedicated to my weight loss journey!! I am a very private person, especially when it comes to anything involving my weight. Up until a few short months ago, my husband of 4 years did not have a clue of what I weighed. I was so ashamed. I figured if he knew how much I weighed then he would know just how big I was. I had convinced myself that I didn't look as heavy as I weighed. I carry it well. I'm just "big boned". Granted, I come from a family of big hipped and bummed ladies, but still. I needed to own up. I have always been bigger. I wasn't fat growing up, but I wasn't one of the perfect skinny girls. I have been trying to lose weight for as long as I can remember. I am a classic yo-yo dieter to a T. I was never able to stick with it for more than a couple months. Even so, I wasn't concerned with my weight enough to really want to change. Around the time I met my future Husband I got diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome. I gained 30 pounds in just a couple months. They put me on birth control pills which made me gain another 10. It also made me a crazy hormonal wreck. So, I got off of it after a couple months. After my Husband and I got married we knew we wanted to start a family right away. We got pregnant when we had been married for three months. We were ecstatic! Unfortunately, I was soon very sick with "morning sickness" I was in and out of the hospital for IV's and was diagnosed with Hyperemesis gravidarum. It was rough. I lost 20 pounds the first trimester. Luckily, I was better around 5 months. I had quit my job when I was sick. So now I was home all day. We didn't have a second car, so I was stuck. I have always been a binge eater, but it was bad. I joke that I ate as much as a linebacker. It wasn't far from the truth. The pounds packed on fast. By the time I had my daughter I was over 200 lbs. Until now,I had never told anyone besides my Mom and recently my husband. I am only 5'4. I was so big. I hate looking at my birth pictures. I couldn't even recognize myself. Over the next year I lost a bit of weight Yo-Yo dieting and was down to around a 170 when I got pregnant with my second. This time around I ate healthier and did yoga throughout. It wasn't much, but it helped so much. I was much happier. Plus, I didn't have severe morning sickness that time around. Even so, I ended back at 210 pounds. We delivered another beautiful daughter. I soon realized that my normal baby blues weren't going away though. I went to my doctor and he diagnosed me with post partum depression. Coming from a family with mental illness, I always swore it wouldn't happen to me. Mind over matter right? I couldn't take medicine because I was breast feeding. I knew I needed to do something about it though. I decided to start exercising a bit. I always felt better when I did. I then did a 90 day challenge with my friends (The Bikini Body Mommy challenge) and lost 20 pounds. Right after it ended, we moved to be closer to my parents. I joined Planet Fitness. They are affordable and nice. I went off and on but was confused and intimidated. They offer unlimited group fitness training. I decided to sign up for one where he makes you a personalized plan. It has changed my workouts completely!!! I told him my goal was to be able to run and to lift heavy. He showed me how to use all the machines and gave me a workout schedule. I have been working out 5 or 6 days a week for over a month now. I am starting to see results. It is taking a lot longer then I'd like, but I am still doing it every day. It has now become something I crave. It's my free time. I am also using the My Fitness Pal app to keep track of everything. I have been doing my best to eat clean 80% of the time. It's hard but I always feel better when I do. I am so excited to finally be on this journey to becoming fit and healthy the good ol' fashioned way. I hope you join me. Support is so crucial. I love being able to talk to and hopefully inspire other women. I gather so much motivation and hope from other mom's weight loss blogs. I hope I can help someone. That will make all of this embarrassment worth it. Just remember it's not always easy but it is worth it.




At my heaviest



In the middle of my 90 day challenge

Now. I am at 163.