Extreme Makeover: Weightloss Edition

Such an inspiring show!!! So inspiring in fact that I'm cutting this post short to go exercise at 11:30pm. For such a time as this, the 100 workout.
Grace and Peace. See ya in the morning.

-Char

Get it in!!!!!

Hello Blogger Friends,

Again I say, I am still alive. Check out my new running shoes!!! Ok, I've had them for about 5 weeks now. My Dad bought them for me during his visit for the little guys first birthday!!! Woo Hoo. I normally don't like reeboks...I'm sad to admit my vanity, but they just never looked pleasing enough. But these!!!! These shoes feel soooooooo comfortable! I was initially looking for cross-trainers, but I have decided to take up jogging/running. Therefore, I got running shoes. The little doohickeys on the bottoms of the shoe make it feel like a massage on the balls of my feet. *sigh* Although these shoes are marketed from running, they feel good doing cross-training exercises as well. They are so much better than my 10+ year old New Balance sneaks.

So enough with the avoidance...you may have noticed my absence the last month or so. There were a few things that got in the way, but the main one was that I felt I was becoming OBSESSED with food/exercise/weight loss. And not in a good way. I almost felt like I was going to go crazy or develop some sort of eating disorder or something. So, I took a break from the strictness of it all. I stopped counting calories. I stopped doing such a hardcore exercise regimen. I stopped abstaining from desserts. And guess what? I gained 7lbs.!!!! Go figure! But it's ok, I feel like I have my sanity back, and now I am back and ready to take on the task of fitness/health/weight loss again. Now I am trying to find a healthy balance between exercise/food for life. I have gone back to abstaining from dessert with a once/week moderate indulgence. I did P90X Legs & Back today, and I plan to continue on with P90X until it gets mundane. Then I'll switch it up with a nice run or outdoor training. We have been having beautiful weather here in the SF Bay Area. So that's where I've been, that's where I am. I currently weigh 169.0lbs. I'm still shooting to reach my fitness/weight goals for 2011. I'm kind of pooped from my late night workout, so I'm going to cut this post short. I'm glad to be back, and I hope this post finds you all well. Until next time. Grace and Peace.

~Char

P.S. I'm thinking of posting my daily exercise/food for the day just to keep it interesting. We shall see....

I'm still alive!!!

Hello Blogger,

I know I haven't been on for a couple of weeks. I dropped in to say hello; I am still alive. I don't get much free time, but when I do I use my time doing what I'm most feeling passionate about. Lately, crochet has trumped blogging! I will be posting what I've been working on soon! Hope all is well with you all! Keep on pushing! Grace and peace!

Whirling Thoughts...

Hello Blogger,

Did anyone else watch Biggest Loser Tuesday? It is amazing how those people lost soooo much weight, soooo fast. Not only that, but all they've overcome and gained in such a short time. I am inspired. There seems to be something really special about those competing this season. With that said, I know that they have basically given up their lives to dedicated hours upon hours to the show, but it makes me want to do so much more with my personal journey. I feel like I'm at a standstill. Since I've been counting calories, I'm usually under my calories everyday. But this past week, I have gone over calories everyday except one. The funny thing is, I'm not binging or eating desserts and such...unless cereal counts ;-) I just can't seem to keep it under wraps. Granted, I did have a few special occasions last week that including eating away from home...you know how that can go, especially when the main dish is pasta. I kept my portions under control, but that doesn't matter much when small portions have so many calories. I know I'm rambling...but I feel like a failure when I'm not strictly sticking to the plan I set before me. Ergo, my need to do MORE.
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The need to do more isn't necessarily a bad thing. I want to do more physical activity and outdoor exercise. But that's not always possible with the baby and the weather. hmmm...I'm going to stop talking about this. Instead I'm going to figure out a plan of action, and set a goal to accomplish accordingly. I'll get back to you on that one...
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On another note, I orchestrated a weight loss competition. It was for twelve weeks with a $25 entry fee for the prize pot to the biggest loser of their body percentage. The final weigh-in for that will be this Saturday. Ask me how I've done? For the competition I've lost 5lbs! lol. The unfortunate part for me is that I'm losing definite inches, but not many pounds...let me rephrase that. The unfortunate part for me "for the competition"...you get the point. Woo hoo for losing inches and consistently working out 5/6 times per week and staying away from dessert!!! I must celebrate the positive things!!!
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On a more serious/inspiration note, I've been reading a lot of blogs regarding the topic of binge eating for suppressing unwanted feelings/thoughts. Rather, eating for the pleasure or because of depression and stress. I think it's important to parrot the many thoughts regarding it. FOOD DOES NOT FULFILL/RESOLVE THE THINGS WRONG OR HURTFUL IN YOU LIFE.  I think it's important for those of you dealing with overeating, or unhealthy eating to ask yourself are you really hungry or what else you may be feeling? What are you trying to suppress or satisfy with [insert food(s) here]. Once you realize what the real issue is, deal with that and stop filling it with food. Because food will fail every time...

Grace and Peace,

Char

Another Mini Goal Reached!!!



(No, my hair isn't done yet)

 Hello Blogger Friends,

I was so excited this Saturday!! Why you ask? Well, a few years ago, my aunt was giving away some clothes that were too small. I eyed a pair of size 12 tan slacks that I always admired. So, I took them off of the pile. Sadly, I was never able to fit them. Did that stop me from keeping them and wishing? No! The funny thing is that I wasn't in the middle of losing weight or anything. I just didn't want to part with them! lol. Anywho, somehow they became my goal pants. I have been trying them on here and there for the past few months, wondering if/when I'd finally be able to button them up (They had been waaaayyyy too small by the way. I wasn't even close to being able to button them!) As my weight loss journey has progressed, I slowly began to notice that I was able to bring the pants closer and closer to buttoning. Then about one month ago, I was able to button them! But they still were too tight. I refused to wear them too tight. So, I patiently waited...until this past Friday, I tried them on and they fit! Yes, they fit! I reached my second mini-goal on this journey; the first being moving from obese to overweight on the bmi scale!!! Yaaayyyy!!! And what perfect timing. I was trying to figure out what I would where to the Mother's Day Luncheon my church ministry team was organizing. I tried on those pants and decided that they would be it! The Mother's Day Luncheon was awesome! We had great worship, fellowship, and word. And, my pants felt great! lol.

Well, I just wanted to come on and share that. I have more to say, but it's late, and I have to get some shut eye. I pray that you all had a great Mother's Day. I sure did. Grace and Peace.

~Char

P.S. If you have goal pants/skirt/whatever, something I wish I'd done is to take a picture of how they fit to begin with. That way you'll get a really gratifyinng look at where you came to where you've arrived!

Monthly Weight/Measurement update!!! + Pic!!!

Hello Blogger!!!!

Happy Monday! How was your Sunday? Mine was great! We had a wonderful time at church worshipping and praising the Lord! Also, four people accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior!! I'm going to try to post this week on the great sermon! It truly blessed me.

Anywho, It's update time!! Last week, I finished Phase I of P90X!!! That's four of the twelve week exercise program!! I'm feeling great! Phase II is a beast, but I'm ready to conquer that thang! BRING IT!!! Something great happened today! I weighed in at 164.2 lbs today! That is 20lbs. down for this year!!!! One more pound lost and I will fall from "obese" to "overweight" on the bmi scale. Still counting calories too. Whoo hoo!

Well here goes...

2011 Start Weight: 184lbs
P90X Start Weight: 172lbs (April 4, 2011)
Current weight: 164.2lbs (May 2, 2011)

Inches Lost:

Waist: 1  ⁷/_{8  in.}

Hips: ⁵/₈ in.
Arms:  0 in.  (muscles gained baby!!!)
Thighs: ¹/₄  in.

April 4, 2011 (172lbs)  v.s. May 2, 2011 (164.2lbs.)

 They may not be the most drastic changes, but I am steadily and healthily shedding the weight. No complaints here :-) Now, I am a day late posting this update because the little one is sick. And of course, he trumps everything! lol. It's late, and I'm sleepy. So I must bid you all adieu. Until next time. Grace and Peace.

~Char

Why Do I Do That?

Hello Blogger! It seems like I've been away for awhile. I took a break from social networking while my church took a time of consecration/fasting during Passion week. Speaking of Passion week, how was your Easter holiday? Mine was great, spent time remembering my savior Jesus Christ and the events leading up to his death, burial, and Resurrection. Great Word, Great food, Great fellowship included! I hope you all enjoyed it.

Anywho, I was thinking the other day about this need I have for getting "my fair share" of shared food...not making sense? OK, so since I was little my older sister and I always had our fair share of whatever my mom bought. Like if she bought us pop-tarts, half the box was mine, the other half my sisters. When my mom had our little brother,I was eight and my sister was nine, that introduced a whole 'nother mouth into the equation....well, once he was able to eat the same foods as us. It didn't matter that he was younger than us, or smaller. He still got his share equal to ours. We never questioned it. That's just the way it was. Our fair share. So, here I am 23 years old, I'd sit down to eat with my husband who is almost 1ft. taller than me with an appetite to match the gap. And I'd find myself trying to eat more or faster because I want to get my "fair share."(Get the picture above now? lol.)  I remember I asked him once did he ever feel like he was eating too fast, trying to keep up with the person you're sharing food with? He kind of shook his head and said uh, no. lol at me. I started to say, "I don't know why I do that", but I do know. My mindset when sharing food is one that was ingrained into my head since I was a little girl. There are x amount of people and x amount of food. Divide food by people...well you get the idea. But, since I've been counting calories, I'm really realizing how that can contribute to overeating. I don't eat very much in one sitting. I would classify myself as a snacker rather than an over eater. So, I'm usually full pretty fast. That's not the case with my husband, He has a much bigger appetite than me, but I'd find myself trying to divide the food up evenly. Why? Because that was the right thing to do...WRONG!!! I'm discovering that it's OK if I don't get what I perceive to be my fair share. I simply don't eat as much as my husband, and I don't need to. Counting calories has helped in that I don't feel the need to hoard food. It's OK if he eats more because he needs more. It's OK that I get less because I need less. There's no need in trying to take more...well, unless I'm trying to save some for my lunch the next day ;-) I do agree that dividing food up evenly works great, especially when you have a house full of growing kids, but at some point you have to realize that it may be a behavior that needs to be reevaluated, especially if it's causing you to overeat. That's as deep as I get for today. lol. Is there a behavior you have regarding food that you realize isn't OK. Can you pinpoint where it may have come from?

On to my day today. The weather outside was pretty nice today. San Francisco weather can be so fickle that I always tease it's best to dress in layers, so you'll be prepared for whatever is thrown your way. It had been raining for the past few days (Thank you Lord for providing water we need for things to grow, etc.) Today it was only partly cloudy, so there was a nice amount of sunshine that sprung forth. The little man and I took the jogging stroller out and went to the grocery store for a few items. It's always nice to get out of the house to get a nice walk in. Shoot, it's just nice to get physical activity in each day. Speaking of the jogging stroller and physical activity, I'm considering doing training to run a 5K. Nothing formal, but using one of those couch potato to 5K apps that set up a run/walk interval cycle for you to build up your stamina and endurance. I'm looking into finding a good route with little to no hills. I will keep you all posted on how that endeavor goes.

I'm on my fourth week of phase I in P90X. There are III phases, with each lasting four weeks. The fourth week is called recovery week because you take a break from the strength training exercises to give your muscles a break. Instead all the workouts are cardio centered. However, last week I missed three workouts because I got a pretty nasty cold, and I couldn't breathe well enough to do such intense exercise routines. So, instead of doing just recovery week, I'm doing those exercises that I missed!! I'm so excited, phase I is almost done, then I move into phase II which is a whole new set of intense workouts to encourage muscle confusion!

With the end of this month comes update pictures and body stats!!! I'm excited, I can tell that I've lost weight, but I hope that my pictures can reflect it well. I said I'd be posting every thirty days, but to make it a bit more systematic, I will be posting pictures and stats on the 1st of each month. Stay tuned!!!

Grace and Peace,

Char

Tested out the Jogging Stroller Yesterday!!!

Hello Blogger,

Me and the little guy went out yesterday to the bike shop to get air pumped into the jogger stroller my Dad bought me. They ship them out partially inflated, so I was able to stroll it on over without riding rims! lol. Anywho, there are so many bike shops in San Francisco, not surprised! I found one .5 miles from my house. Much better than having to purchase a bike pump. The guy pumped the tires for free! I walked there, but I jogged the half mile back to test it. It was smooth strolling. Plus, the motion put the little guy right to sleep. I think this is the start of a good relationship ;-)

Anywho, remember my post a couple of days ago? I shared how the scale went up 2lbs, so I was back up to 170. Well, here we are two days later and I'm 167. 6! lol. 2.4 pounds lost baby! Goes to show you that the scale really shouldn't be your only means of recording your progress. The scale cannot take into account retained water because of too much salt intake. It can't account for that "time of the month" issue. It cannot account for constipation...going too far? Hahaha, hey "It Happens"! I'm not sure what caused my weight fluctuation, but all I'm trying to say is, don't be a slave to the scale! It can cause you to give up all hope or motivation! Don't get me wrong either, I'm not saying don't use the scale. The scale is a great indicator of if you're on the right track to reaching your goals. But it isn't the end all be all to your progress.... Just food for thought. I must admit that seeing the numbers go down does feel good. But realizing you can fit into an old pair of too tight pants, or your clothes are fitting too loosely, now that's even better!

Well, today is Plyometrics in P90X. "The mother of all P90X workouts" as Tony would say. I'm looking forward to burning all those calories, because guess what!? It means I get to eat more!!! Talk about positive reinforcement! The more I exercise, the more I get to eat! Hecks yeah! Ready to bring it!

The sun is shining out here in San Francisco and if the same is true for where you live, go out and get physical today with a nice walk, jog, or something!! And instead of the high fat, high sugar, high junk snack or whatever, go for something clean! Little changes can make BIG differences! Until next time.

Grace and Peace,

Char

Fighting Food Temptations and Discouragement

Hello Blogger,

Today is Monday. The day many people dread because it's the start of the work/school week for many. For me, it's a new week to see if I've lost any weight. The scale has gone up two pounds :-( I try not to let the numbers on the scale rule my life because they are not always the best indicator of fat lost or gained. I've been eating right, staying under my alloted calories. I've even been working out everyday and taking walks as well. (this is P90X week 2 by the way! My joints have been acting right!) But the scale is going up instead of down. I feel stronger, and I'm totally Bringing It in my workouts. Darn you scale!! How do I fight the discouragement that tries to settle in because of the fluctuating scale? I pay attention to the way my clothes fit, and I take measurements of inches lost or gained on my body! It's way more reliable than the scale alone. And when you know you've been giving your all, but the scale doesn't agree, the tape measure won't lie! So, I'm not giving up because I'm gaining muscle and trimming the fat. That's what matters. I tell you what though, seeing the two pound increase just makes me want to workout harder!!

Anywho, I'm still striving to make healthier eating choices...still counting calories. I've given up desserts/candy until I reach my weight loss goals, which is either 125-135lbs or size 6 jeans. Man oh man I have been facing temptation. It seems like everywhere I turn someone is offering a cupcake or candy...ahhhhhhh!!!! I had some graham crackers in the cabinet that I broke out for a youth fellowship my husband and I had at the house. And I was so tempted to take one, even a quarter of one...lol. Since when did graham crackers become so appealing!? While I've been facing these temptations, the victory is mine because I did not cave! But when will the day come when such things don't even phase me anymore? I guess my body is still addicted to sugar, and I'm just going through withdrawls. That's the life of a wanna be ex-sugar addict.

So when things come along to discourage you, how do you keep the motivation. Do you give in and quit? Or, do you take it for what it is and keep on moving? Also, what are your temptations or struggles?

Grace and Peace,

Char

P.S. My Jogging stroller came Saturday!!! I need to pump the tires, so tomorrow the little guy and I are taking a trip to the bike shop to fill those suckers up! I think I'm ready for a jog!!! 

Feeling good, feeling great

The App I use to track calories and exercise (loseit.com)

Ok, so it's been three days of counting calories. I'm down 2.6lbs! yay! Even when I get a craving for something, coca-cola and chocolate ;-) I remember my motivation situation and it's easy to overcome. Praise God! In my post yesterday, I stated that counting calories can feel restrictive because you have to really be mindful of what/how much you're eating. But there is a definate upside to it too! Usually, when I don't exercise, I stress out that I'm not going to lose weight, or that I'm going to gain weight. With counting calories you just don't add the extra calories per day you normally would to offset calories burned during a workout. Am I making sense? For those of you confused....Here is a little calorie/fat lesson.

"A pound of body fat equates to approximately 3500 calories. So if you have a calorie deficit of 500 calories (meaning that you burn 500 calories more than you eat each day) you would lose approximately one pound per week:

500 x 7 = 3,500

It's easy to see that a calorie deficit of 1000 calories would mean that you'd lose approximately two pounds per week. And that's a good number to remember, because two pounds a week is commonly accepted as the maximum rate of weight loss that is healthy." (http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_pound.php)

When you count calories, you calculate the number of calories you need each day, just for the basics, including calories burned while sleeping. Then you can take that number and subtract the number of calorie deficit you need to create in order to  reach your 1-2lbs. per week weight loss goal. So, the number of pounds you need to lose each week is already calculated aside from exercise you do. When you do exercise, you then determine the number of calories you burned (I use a Timex heart rate monitor that does it for me) then you get to add those calories to your diet for the day!! That's too great for me! I suppose it can work the other way too. If you don't want to restrict what you eat, as long as your diet is a reasonable number of calories, you could exercise enough to burn 1,000 calories for the week giving you the same 1-2lbs. weight loss!!!

Now, I'm sure that counting calories isn't for everybody. For me, it takes away the guessing. If I stick to the plan, the weight is going to come off! Yes!!! One questionable thing is, I haven't had to count calories while out yet. I've been making and eating my meals at home, so I know what/how much is going into my food. The up side is that many restaurants and eateries have the calorie counts listed next to each food item. If that doesn't prove to be practical, I may have to brown bag it wherever I go ;-) We shall see! For those of you that count calories, what do you do when you go out?

Alrighty then, I'm signing off for now. Until next time.

Grace and Peace,

Char

P.S. Praise report of today, My husband got a promotion today!!! I'm truly grateful and proud of him. Praising the Lord from who all blessings flow!!!

Hairstyle from last week!

Here is another one of my Napptural styles!!! I call it the African Tuck and Pin! lol. Hope you like it!

Grace and Peace,

Char

No knee pain today + My Stats!!

Hello Blogger!!! For those of you who are my friends on Facebook, you may know that I've been dealing with a lot of back, knee/joint pain. My self-diagnosis is osteoarthritis due to being overweight. Don't worry though, I figure as I lose the excess weight, I'll also lose the pain and discomfort. But the problem this has posed is I could no longer do P90X because it was exacerbating the pain. *tears* Like I stated in a previous post, P90X is a booty kicking intensive exercise routine. I love it!!! It had been a out three weeks since I completed a 6day/week P90X schedule. During that time I was feeling really defeated, depressed, and fat! Hate it! I found myself not caring as much about what I was eating. I did still eat pretty healthy, but I snuck in a few candy bars, which made me feel more depressed. I started noticing that I was beginning to get a little winded coming up my house stairs again (about 46!) That and a day out at Walmart, where I just felt totally fat because of the outfit I chose to wear, jerked me back into motion. I WILL NOT REGRESS BACK TO MY OLD WAYS!!! For those of you on any type of fitness or health journey, please know that if you have an off day, week, or even month, DO NOT GIVE UP!!! Take it in stride, and pick it back up again.

Where do I stand today? Well, the past two days, I woke up with no knee or back pain...so what did I do? P90X baby!! Why? Because I'm no punk! I have goals to reach! I'm determined to be confidant, everyday! My most recent boost of motivation came from that day out at Walmart, when I felt really fat. I told myself I don't ever want to feel that way again, and whenever I want to eat something not on my new eat-right plan, I would remember the way I felt April 1, 2011. The funny thing is, I have stayed constant in my weight, which was 171 (today 168.8!!!) But since I hadn't done any cardio or weight training, I was starting to lose the muscle tone I worked so hard to gain. So my new size 12 clothes I'd recently purchased, because I'd lost weight, weren't looking so good. I was starting to feel uncomfortable in clothes that a few weeks prior fit great! That was the push I needed to revise my action plan! Just because the plan you want to do becomes no longer practical, doesn't mean quit and throw a pity party! Regroup and re-plan!

My new plan: I've never been one to count calories. Never thought I'd be that girl, but that's exactly why they say Never, say never. I needed to do something drastic to get out of the funk I was in. I downloaded this free app on my iPod Touch called Lose It! I love it! You set your goal, whether it is to lose weight or to maintain a healthy weight. Then you enter your body specifics, plus your goal timeline. The app calculates your daily caloric needs to lose the weight you want per week! It also allows you to put in what you ate, and how many calories you've used from your store, and how many you have left for the day. Plus, the more calories you burn from exercise, the more calories you're allowed to consume because you need extra to fuel those workouts!!! I must admit that it can feel a little restrictive to count calories, and even after the first day (yesterday) I thought I'd quit. But when I woke up this morning and saw the 1.2lb weight loss I felt it was worth it! I know initially, you're just losing water weight, but hey I was staying at the same place on the scale give or take a pound.

Now, I know that some of you may be thinking, you're setting yourself up for failure by giving up sweets to such a degree. That could be true, but I don't want to give up before I even try. I really don't like feeling fat and uncomfortable in my own skin, I think that it may be motivation enough, besides the health benefits, to reaching my health and fitness goals.

If you want different results, you have to do different things right? To quote Albert Einstein, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." I don't want to be insane, so here is my "different"! Woo Whoo!!

So instead of moping around feeling defeated because my preferred method of exercise isn't always possible, I'm going to make sure my eating stays on point. My resolution is to eat no desserts until I reach my goal weight. I've also limited the amount of refined carbohydrates I eat per day. I'm sticking to whole grains. I try to eat only the healthy fats, unless I'm somewhere where there isn't a more healthy option. And instead of giving up P90X completely, I do it on the days my joints and such aren't hurting. I pray that those days are few and far between, but when they come, I'll walk outdoors and do some modified strength training exercises.

On that note, I'm excited because my Dad just bought me a jogging stroller! And get this, it was his birthday! lol. Gotta love him! This is even more motivation to get out more with the baby. The weather in San Francisco has been so lovely, and we have so many great places to walk where I live. Why not!? So, look out for updates on baby and me outings!

Whew, I had so much to say today. Sorry for such a long post. I hope that you all are doing great. Please comment me and let me know how you're doing with any journey you're on. I hope that my journey is a help to you!!

Grace and Peace,

Char

My current stats:

Height: 5' 2"

Arms- L. 12 1/2in., R. 12 1/2in.

Thighs- L. 25 1/2in., R. 25 1/2in.

Waist- 39 3/8in. (about 2 finger widths above belly button)

Hips- 40 3/8in.

Start Weight- 184lbs.
Current Weight- 168.8lbs.
Goal Weight- 125-135lbs.

Weight to Lose: 33.8-43.8lbs.

Pictures taken March 29, 2011 at 172lbs.



Pics will be posted every 30 days!!!

Natural Hair Tutorial: Twist-out + updos

Here is a tutorial of how I do my signature twist-out. Last tutorial was of my braid-out. Also showcased, updos on my twist-out. Yet another versatile style.

Hope you enjoy,

Char

Natural Hair Tutorial

Hello Blogger Friends. Here is one of the many aspects of who I am. A natural hair enthusiast, that loves to try different styles on my hair! I did these three tutorials for other nappturals looking for a new look. They show the versatility of a braid-out. Hope you enjoy.

Grace and Peace,

Char





First Post!!!

Wow, my first blog post. Where do I start? In your journey to lose weight, did you ever have a really great workout and think to yourself, "I want to be an athlete!?" I have...well after the first few weeks of consistent workouts. For years I've been winded going up a long flight of stairs, or anything with a slight incline for that matter. I don't want to huff and puff my way through life anymore. I want to be able to perform with the best of them with great stamina, endurance, and strength! I want to be that really fit chick that goes on hikes and mountain bikes; the one that enters into marathons, triathlons even. The beauty of it is...I can have that. I plan to have that. All I have to do is stick to the plan, and keep the motivation.
    

So what is the plan you ask? Simple, exercise at least five days per week and eat "mostly" clean. Around January 18th 2011, after having a long talk with my mother about the diseases that run in our family, I decided that I was going to change my lifestyle. I don't want to be next in line for that inheritance. It began with my eating habits. I have the hugest sweet tooth ever, and I bake pretty darn well (a lethal combination)! But gone are the days of baking cookies to sell or give away, where I would eat about 4 cookies per dozen ordered. Gone are the days of eating half a gallon of rocky road within a few hours. I had to limit my sweet tooth; it no longer has a hold over me...most days anyway ;-) I've adopted healthier eating habits. Not only for the duration of my 2011 weight loss goal, but for life. That means more lean protein, more fruits and veggies, more whole grains, and less sugar, processed foods, and bad fats. I do still indulge in sweets here and there, but I exercise much self-control, and limit how often. (More about my daily diet to come.) Since I've been eating more clean, I feel so much better! Before, I was nauseous and lethargic all of the time. I would just sit around the house, with barely enough energy to entertain my, now, nine month old son. That has definitely changed. I can definitely FEEL the advantages to putting nutritious foods into my body.

Even beyond the diet change, approximately two weeks after I changed my eating habits, I started doing Billy Blanks Amped Tae-Bo workouts.  

I'd done that workout before, but man, o man was it tough to get back into the swing of things after living such a sedentary lifestyle. While tough, I gave it my all. So much so that I decided after two weeks of Tae-Bo, that it wasn't enough! How do ya like that? lol. So what did I do? I got bold and committed to doing P90X!

Yes, the killer workouts that most of us have seen the infomercials for! It's an intense workout program that is completed in 90 days. There is a different workout six days per week, with the seventh day reserved either for rest or stretching. It has a great balance between cardio and resistance/strength training to build muscle and kick up the metabolism. There are three different schedules to choose from; classic, lean or doubles. I'm not going to take time to describe each one, unless you're interested and request more info. Just know that I chose the Classic routine. And guess what? I love it! Yes it kicked my butt. Yes there were work-outs I barely huffed my way through. But six weeks later, here I am, still going at it, and noting remarkable results! I can do more reps of each exercise, and I have more stamina and strength for the workouts and my day. Not to mention all the muscle I've gained! I have been documenting my results with pictures, but unfortunately I never intended to share them with anyone besides my husband and a few close family members. So, for my level of modesty, I deem them inappropriate for Internet share. However, due to recent back and joint strains (I still have more weight to lose) I switched to the Lean schedule which has more cardio to maximize fat burning to shed weight quicker. That means all new pictures and stats for a new 90 day journey! This time I'll document it to share! I am so excited to begin this journey with you.

Now I know I've rambled on about P90X (can you tell that I'm a huge fan?), but I've said all that to say that these are the steps that I am taking to become a better, and fitter me in 2011 and on. I'm going to get the most out of these workouts (I plan on doing more than one round) by fueling my body with wholesome and nutritious food, and telling myself that I CAN do it! I won't give up, because I have a health goal to reach. To lose 45lbs moving from obese, to overweight, to normal on the BMI chart. To lower my risk for diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, stroke, and arthritis. To treat my body as a temple of the Holy Spirit. To be "That Really Fit Chick."

Until next time.

Grace and Peace,

Char