My Sexy by Summer Make Over Day

In January several moms joined the Sexy by Summer weight loss contest on a site for moms. We all jumped in not even knowing what the grand prize was....we just knew we wanted to lose weight. After 6 months I'd lost 24 lbs and 17% body fat making me the winner. Here's how my day of pampering went:

This morning I set my GPS then took off to Largo to have my hair cut and colored at Sharp Image. Mary Knaus was very friendly but completely ignored the fact that I wanted to keep my hair long. I've tried very hard to get used to it but I still miss my long hair. She gave me a great cut, it's just not what I wanted. Mary added 2 shades of red highlights on the top and a little bit of blond above my ears- I love the color! The owner, Susan, was there also and I was very appreciative of their time and use of the salon. Along for the entire ride was Kelly Machbitz who can be seen on Channel 10 at 5 PM- for you Tampa Bay peeps. She was there to try to keep Mary on the time schedule (didn't work too well ), give her expert opinion and help me shop. After getting my hair chopped off it was off to Merle Norman Cosmetics in Belleair Bluffs to have my eyebrows waxed and make up applied. Kelly was great at taking before and after pics...even the wonderful pre-waxing pics (blech). Her team at her Merle Norman store was fabulous! I'm very thankful for the lovely ladies who waxed, plucked, moisturized, and purtied me up! They were all fantastic!

Next it was off to Dillard's to meet Mike the camera man. Poor guy had to lug his heavy camera all over the top floor following Kelly and I as we looked for dresses to try on. I tried on dress after dress after dress after dress while Kelly shared her opinion of what she liked and disliked for each one. Sorry to all the ladies who were trying to get in and out of the dressing room and trying to avoid being on camera! It was great seeing people's wide eyes and curious stares wondering why I was being followed by a camera. We also went on a scavenger hunt for jeans and tops since it's not really practical for me to wear dresses while crawling all over the floor chasing kids and cleaning toilets- oh the life of a stay-at-home-mom. Kelly got me to try on jeans I wouldn't normally wear and tops usually out of my price range. She was a great sport listening to me say, "Nope, don't like it. Nope, won't wear it." I think I was a bit of a challenge for her since she's used to 'casual' being a nice pair of dress slacks instead of a pair of pajama pants. I had to explain to her that my wardrobe was EXTREME casual.

So, what did I buy? Well, I really wanted the purple dress they showed on the TV clip but it was $155. EEK! I LOVED it but it just wasn't practical for a SAHM like me (I'm keeping my eye on it to see if it goes on sale). I did get a purple dress perfect for my BFF's graduation party this Saturday. The dress was originally $118 but with it being on sale PLUS Dillard's 40% sale going on right now I only paid $42. I also got a really cute top ($98- paid $35) that I can wear to a football game with sneakers then slip on a pair of heels and hit the town (after the sock marks go away)! My best find that day was a pair of dark jeans (that have to be hemmed for my short lil legs) that were originally $99- I got them for $17.82. Got a big High Five from Kelly for that one! I went back the next day and bought a pair of $80 jeans for $5!

I had a great day and had so much fun with Kelly. We got in some good giggles at me eating Subway while Bobbi was doing my make up. Thanks for lunch, Kelly.

NEW HAIR courtesy: Mary Knaus, Sharp Image (1886 West Bay Drive, Largo)

EYEBROWS & MAKEUP: Bobbi Barry, makeup artist & Nanette Barrows, Aesthetician

Merle Norman Cosmetics, 100 N. Indian Rocks Road, Belleair Bluffs

CLOTHES & NEW STYLE: Kelly Machbitz, Certified Image Consultant http://www.totalfashionmakeover.com/

I was also in another contest called Waist Watchers which was a three month long contest. I came in 3rd for that one. Both of these contests are the reason I started blogging. Below are some of my favorite posts from my journey to lose weight. I recently added a search box and am in the process of tagging my posts so you can easily locate subjects you're looking for. Feel free to read the ones I've chosen and to poke around RMS Snowdrop- you may learn some things you didn't know before!

Thank you to everyone who had encouraged me during these last several months. We're not finished yet though! We're now on our way to be Sexier by Halloween.

Related posts:

Official Weigh-In and Weight Loss Party- this was my last hoorah for junk food

The Dreaded Meal Plan- this helped me jump start my weight loss even though I hated it. Big thanks to Douglas for developing this plan for me.

Thing 1 & Thing 2- Ugh, these are my before bathing suit pictures

It's Working! It's Working!- my hard work was finally starting to pay off

Glass half full or half empty- typical ups and downs of losing weight, updated bathing suit pictures

Slacker Fattie vs Skinny Bitch- humorous struggle between who I was and who I wanted to be

What I've learned- taking time to reflect on what I've learned from losing weight

How I discovered I'd gotten too fat...for me- my wake up call that something in my life needed to change drastically

Second Weight Loss Contest Results- this ones kind of self explanatory!

My Weight Loss Journey- looking back on my weight and measurements along with my desire to keep going to meet my goal of 110 pounds...which I still haven't done.

The Last 10 Pounds

Why are these always the hardest? Since winning the Sexy by Summer contest I gained back four pounds. Now instead of six pounds I have to lose, it’s ten... by next Thursday. And there's my updated bikini picture. I had to take it myself since my kids wouldn't take it for me. The backside one was horrible so you'll have to wait for that one next Thursday.

July 30th I'm going on my $250 shopping spree at Dillard's and getting my make-over. I want to be down to my final size by then. These next several days are going to be difficult just like the first few weeks when I started this journey.

I'm back to writing down everything I eat, trying to do more cardio every day, and doing some heavy strength training. We'll see how well I do! I've got a countdown on the wall again, too.

I plan on once again being accountable to you by sharing what I've eaten and what exercises I've done each day. This way you all can feel free to either praise me or yell at me depending on the choices I make.

So, here's what happened yesterday:

I ate Apple Jacks with whole milk for breakfast, French Onion soup for lunch, a handful of peanut M&M's for a snack, French Onion soup for dinner with a little bit of steak, mashed potatoes (with sour cream and cream cheese, yummy!), Zataran's rice and steamed squash seasoned with Mrs. Dash.

Ok, I know the only good thing was the squash. I'll do better tomorrow!

For exercise, I boogied for 40 minutes while doing the dishes and a total of 2 hours of boogieing doing laundry (6 people go through a LOT of laundry!). I finished up with the 5 minute Brazilian Butt Lift.

I know it's going to take a lot more than that to lose those 10 pounds in 10 days but I'm up for the challenge. Are you?

I want to quit.......I refuse to give up

This was me this morning:

I want to quit. I really do. I'm so tired of counting calories, measuring portions, and eating healthy. I'm tired of trying to do three cardios in one day and never getting them all done. I'm tired of exercising, thinking of exercising, wishing I'd exercised more. I want to go back to eating what I want and sitting on my butt. I don't want to clean my house or do the endless piles of laundry. I hate this. I hate the struggle. Why does getting older have to suck so much? Where did the days go when I could sit by the pool in my size small bikini, drink a coke, and eat hot dogs and chips? When did my things double in size? Where did my bubble butt come from? Oh, wait, that's been there since I was a baby. Ok, then when did it get even bubblier? How did that muffin top get there?

This was my attitude this morning. This may seem similar to Slacker Fattie vs Skinny Bitch, but this is the struggle that I face every day. This is the struggle that everyone who is trying to lose weight deals with, everyday. Most people give up because it's hard. If it were easy, workouts would be called rest-ins. But it is work. It's hard work. Extremely hard. You have to want it bad enough to make the changes in your food choices and activities. Do I want it bad enough? Some days I do and some days I don't. This morning I wasn't just leaning on the "don't" side, I had jumped in head first. But that was an hour ago. As soon as I was finished telling myself that it was ok to quit, to give up, and to throw in the towel – I felt better.

So this is where I'm at now:

I refuse to give up. I'm tired of being fat (for me). I'm tired of not completing my 3 cardios a day. I'm tired of being lazy, of seeing the piles of laundry and dishes. I'm tired of feeling like a failure. I'm tired of cheating then feeling guilty. Getting older means I have to work harder to stay in shape. When I'm sitting by the pool in my bikini, I have to eat fruits and veggies with a glass of water. I can't let my thighs increase anymore, or my bubble butt. And that oh-so-attractive muffin top? It's gone. Yup, gone!

I took my kids to a theme park yesterday and it was chilly so I wore jeans. I noticed that they were looser in the legs and butt. Before putting my shirt on I looked in the mirror, no muffin top! Two months ago, I hated getting dressed to leave the house because none of my clothes fit right. My jeans were all too tight and looked horrible. I couldn't get my blouses buttoned and my t-shirts were all too snug. Most people would go buy bigger clothes. I refused to. I liked the clothes that I had and wanted them to fit again.

That is when I joined the weight loss competitions. I don't know if I'll win first prize for either Waist Watchers or Sexy by Summer, but I WILL win my body back. I WILL win back my self-esteem and self-confidence. I know I've said this before, but I need to say it whenever I fall off the horse – I want to do this. I need to do this. I can do this!

I don't know if I'll get in my 3 cardios today, but tomorrow is a new day and a new beginning. Today, I'm concentrating on getting my house back in order. So I'm off to plug my iPod into my head and boogie down while cleaning up.

Slacker Fattie Tip – Sometimes you need to take a step back and reevaluate your life, your dreams, and/or your goals. It's ok to change them, just make sure you're making positive changes.

Sexy Meal Plan – The same goes for what you eat. Step back and look at what/how much you are eating. If you've stopped keeping a food journal you may need to start again. It's ok to change what you're eating as long as it's healthy.

Slacker Fattie vs Skinny Bitch

I'm at a darn plateau again. Or maybe it's that I sat around and ate junk two weekends ago. I did manage to work off the three pounds I gained. Seeing the scale at 121 was great but ticked me off at the same time. Had I NOT cheated, I'd finally be under 120 for the first time in six years. Rrrrrrr!!!!

I went into these two weight loss competitions ready to blow everyone out of the water. I told my trainer, Douglas, that whatever I needed to do, I'd do it. That was a very stupid statement. I thought doing three cardios a day would be a piece of cake. That was a very stupid thought. I think, in the last two months, I've completed three in one day once, maybe twice. I try to do at least one but sometimes even that doesn't happen. Why? Life gets in the way. I have four kids to take care of, laundry to do, food to cook, and dishes to wash. Bullshit. I'm lazy. I have plenty of time to exercise, I just choose not to.

I realized this one day then stopped to scold myself. No, I don't often talk to myself like some certain members of my family, but on this day, I did. Slacker Fattie was whining about not wanting to exercise. Skinny Bitch yelled back, "You must not want to win the competitions and have a great body as bad as you thought you did, huh?" I really don't like Slacker Fattie. She's a bore. She's lazy, likes to eat junk food, and really not much fun to be around. I like Skinny Bitch. She follows the Sexy Meal Plan, works out, and likes to have fun. She wants to go to South Beach for her birthday and look smokin' hot. There's a constant battle between those two. And yes, I'm perfectly aware that I sound like I have a multiple personality disorder. Being a Gemini, however, I actually do. So ha!

So what to do? Today, with a splitting sinus headache, Slacker Fattie wanted to go back to bed after she ate her Fruit Loops (bad Fattie!). Skinny Bitch took a Sudafed, some Goody's, then did the looooong version of Core Rhythms which is 50 minutes. Oh, and she ate an apple, yay! Even better, she had grilled broccoli and brussel sprouts for lunch.

I'm hoping Skinny Bitch will continue to prevail today despite this headache. May 6th is going to be here entirely too fast. I don't want it to come down to having a week left and saying, "Oh, shit!" I know I should be further along than I am, but I have to be proud of how far I've come. Losing 19 pounds in eight weeks isn't bad. You know what? It's pretty damn good!

Losing weight isn't easy. It's a damn hard job which is why so many people struggle. We don't want to do what it takes to lose the weight and then keep it off. It's so much easier to eat junk food and sit around on our butts. Those of us who choose to get off our asses and make healthy food choices, lose the weight and become healthier. We are the winners. Those of us who choose to be lazy and stuff our faces with food become fat and develop all different kinds of medical problems. We are the losers.

Which one do you want to be?

Slacker Fattie Tip – Stop creating excuses to not exercise. In the past eight weeks, I've exercised when I had a horrible cold, had excruciating menstrual cramps (sorry guys, but it's a fact of life), had a severe sinus headache, when I was depressed, when I was tired, and when I really, really, really just didn't want to. Skinny Bitch is winning and soon, Slacker Fattie will be gone forever.

Sexy Meal Plan Tip – Eating breakfast is so important in losing weight. You need a healthy breakfast to jump start your metabolism and keep you energized for the rest of the day. Here's another great recipe from fitnessmagazine.com:

Vanilla Spice French Toast with Apple
Ingredients:
* 1 egg plus 2 egg whites
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* Dash each of cinnamon and nutmeg
* 2 pieces whole-grain bread
* 1/2 medium apple, sliced

Make it: Whisk eggs, vanilla, and spices together. Dip bread into egg mixture. Spray skillet with cooking spray and saute bread on each side until brown (about 3 minutes). Top with apple slices.

What I've learned...

The Sexy By Summer contestants had to post three things that we've learned so far in our weight loss journey.

**Update! Update! Update!**
Sorry, I was just starting this post when I got a phone call from my sister-in-law. She's been following my blog and started using her elliptical at home after being inspired by me to get off her butt. What's so important I had to stop writing and share? She joined Planet Fitness today! She used to go to a gym but injured her knee and stopped going. Now she's on her way to getting healthier and I am so proud of her. Woot! Woot!

This is what I posted:

1. I learned that if I can stick to my extremely strict meal plan and vigorous exercise schedule, I can do anything.

2. I learned to take something I loved and dearly missed, dancing, and use it to melt away pounds and inches. I sweat like a pig but love my Core Rhythm and Go Go Dancing DVD's and my iPod is always clipped to me as I boogie while doing housework.

3. I learned that I can no longer eat whatever I want and sit on my ass. Even after having five kids, I'd never had to lose the weight (go ahead, give me a dirty look). I learned that as I'm getting older, it's possible to gain 20 pounds in three months if I'm lazy.

4. I know this is more than three, but this is the most important lesson for me to have learned. I learned to stand up for myself. I've always weighed 120 lbs or less (mostly less). When I told my friends and family that I'd joined a weight loss competition I had to hear "You don't need to lose weight, you're so skinny already." But I was uncomfortable. At 140 lbs, I was fat for ME. I don't want to be "You look great for having five kids." I want to be "There's no way you've had five kids!" I have no problem repeating this to those who think I'm already skinny.

After I submitted my post, I began thinking of many other things I've learned. I thought it might make a decent post so here you go:

I've learned that I can live without Cap'n Crunch (most of the time anyway).

I've learned that I can turn to exercise instead of food when I'm having a bad day.

I've learned that working out can be fun and it's ok to sweat like a pig and look like you've spent three too many hours in the sun when you're finished.

I've learned I have an amazing support system containing family, friends, and complete strangers.

I've learned that even a $500 shopping spree can't make some women catty.

I've learned that there truly are some fantastic people in the world who won't hesitate to give someone a boost even though they are competing against them.

I've learned my kids like veggies.

I've learned that it's ok to have a bad day, even a few bad days, as long as I find a morning to start over.

I've learned it's ok to start over.

I've learned that I'm not just a mommy and a wife. I'm also a human being who needs "me" time so I can do a cardio exercise or go to the gym.

I've learned to like oatmeal.

I've learned it feels much better to put my hands on my hips and actually be able to feel my hips.

Most of all, I've learned to believe in myself. Never having to lose weight before, I didn't know how hard it was going to be. All the fat packed on pretty quickly and I wanted it off even quicker. I learned to be patient and eventually my hard work would pay off. I believe I can look the way I want myself to look.

Last September when my half sister got married, I wanted to look great in my bridesmaid dress so I started exercising. In June, I was 132 lb which was my heaviest ever. The day of the wedding I was back down to 120 lb and, having recently kicked my self esteem issues in the butt, I thought I looked hot! By December I was back at 130 lb and in January was at 140 lb. I was F-A-T!......for me. My first post ends with "Let's do this!" I now know that I can do this because I am doing this.

I've learned so much on this journey. I've also enjoyed sharing it with all of those who read my posts. I've already achieved one goal which was to inspire one person to become healthier. I'm so anxious to start hearing my sister's-in-law updates. Maybe she'll inspire someone else as well.

Slacker Fattie tip- You don't need a lot of fancy equipment at home to get in shape. Use water bottles as dumb bells. That big bottle of laundry detergent can also be used to tone up your flabby arms. I used my kid's plastic step stool to step up and down on until I bought an exercise step. Look around your house and get creative. I bet you'll find all sorts of ways to shape up without spending a dime on over priced exercise equipment.

Sexy Meal Plan tip- If you are serious about wanting to drop pounds, one of the first steps should be switching to water. It's amazing how many calories soda, "healthy" drinks, sports drinks, alcohol and even fruit juices contain. Don't even get me started on diet soda. Drink water, got it?

Waist Watchers Countdown- 31 days
Sexy by Summer Countdown- 64 days

How I discovered I'd gotten too fat....for me

See that picture? Those are my jeans. I've had them for two years. They're size 5 Arizona Jeans that I got from Bealls while shopping for Kelly. They are stretchy and oh, so comfy. Or, at least they were. The first clue that they didn't fit anymore should have been when I acquired the oh-so-attractive muffin top. But no, I kept squeezing into them, not thinking too much about having to unbutton them when I sat down.

The second clue should have been when I popped the button off when I sat down and didn't unbutton them. But no – it took the third clue. Look closely to the butt of my favorite – once favorite – pair of jeans. Yeah, that's a hole. A big one. Right in the ass. You may notice small bits of black thread. That's where I tried to repair that giant ass hole – ummm, that didn't sound so great. Let's try this. That's where I tried to repair the giant rip in the back. Better? I used heavy duty thread and stitched it over three times.

I waited a week. Why? I don't know. Maybe I was thinking it would toughen, up like Gorilla Glue.

The day came for me to try them on and see if the stitch would hold. I'd lost 15 pounds and an inch off my butt so I thought, "What the hell?" That's 15 pounds since January, not in one week. I'm not on The Biggest Loser...yet. I pulled them on, zipped them up and buttoned them (somehow I managed to sew the button on, too). After 10 minutes of walking around and sitting down a few times, the button held. The stitching? Well, you see the results. The inspiration I got from these jeans has been twofold. First, is to get off my obviously fat ass and exercise so I can fit back into them comfortably (just not in public anymore). Second, to win Sexy by Summer so I can get that $500 shopping spree. I NEED that shopping spree! Not only do I need a new sports bra… but now I need new jeans, too.

Slacker Fattie Tip – If you notice your clothes are starting to fit a little snug, it's NOT ok to go buy bigger ones (unless you're prego, then feel free to shop away). Snug clothes means your shoveling food in your face and sitting on your fat butt – I seem to be in a sarcastic mood today, sorry.

Sexy Meal Plan Tip – I've said this before but it bears repeating. Portion control. That doesn't mean controlling your portions so they don't touch each other on your plate. This means that you don't need 2 giant pieces of chicken/steak/pork, etc. The amount of food a restaurant serves you is ridiculous. I've heard this in many different places: Cut your dinner in half and ask them to box up the other half. Save it for tomorrow's lunch (not a late night snack, you can't be THAT hungry!)

Fell asleep at rock bottom, woke up to a cute hiney

Last night I feel asleep crying. I am so angry at myself and my behavior for the past 4 days. Since Friday I've eaten Cap'n Crunch, Subway, a hamburger with a bun, potato salad, Cap'n Crunch, chips and queso, meat loaf, pizza without the cheese (because I promised Melissa I wouldn't eat cheese), Cap'n Crunch, and French Onion soup (also without cheese). I also haven't done squat in terms of exercising.

Last week I was losing weight like there was no tomorrow. I was so proud of myself. For some reason I got it in my head that one bowl of cereal wasn't going to make a big difference. Then it was just 1/2 of a 6" sub. Then just a handful of chips and it all continued downward. The result? A gain of 2.6 pounds and feeling like shit. I had my body pretty much cleared out of toxins and in four days, I put them all back in. Was it worth it? Hell no! Last night I went to bed early because I felt so awful inside. Mostly because of what I'd eaten, but partly because I was so disgusted with myself (this is where my family calls/texts me to make sure I'm ok and not becoming obsessive). Last night I realized I was letting myself down. I was letting my family down after putting them through my OCD over what I was eating and exercising. I was letting Douglas down after all the time he invested in me. How many trainers continue to answer your texts and emails long after your last session? One?

This morning I woke up to a cute hiney 2 feet from my face. Two year old Maisie always seems to wind up back in my bed despite the number of times I put her in hers. She refuses to wear undies to bed and had on a nightgown last night. I open my eyes and there it is! Poor baby got my bubble butt. It's cute now, but she'll hate it when she gets older. I couldn't help but smile. I laid there after covering her up thinking of all the things I needed to get done today. I started to get overwhelmed as my ADD began consuming my thoughts. Then, Maisie rolled over and I looked at her cute little baby face – I started my thinking over again.

I got out of bed, changed out of my pj's (this in itself is a big accomplishment for this SAHM!), grabbed a load of laundry and shoved it in the washer, fed the dogs, fed the cats, and fixed my breakfast. In 20 minutes my alarm is going to go off to take my Adderall. Before that, a load of dishes will be washing in the dishwasher. After that, I'll be trying out my new Crunch Fitness Go Go Dancing DVD. Then I'll catch up on the 59 or so emails from the 9 to 5 Ladies (my 3 friends who email back and forth all day) and divide the playroom in to sections to clean. Before lunch I'll do my Tae Bo video (yes, we still own a working VHS player). Laundry will get washed, dried, folded, and PUT AWAY. The kitchen will be cleaned. The playroom will be organized. I'll remember to take my afternoon Adderall. Dinner will be put on the table at 5:00. Before I go to bed, I will have done my Core Rhythms DVD.

Today is a new day and I'm going to make it count. I have 36 days left until the end of the Waist Watchers competition and 75 days left until the end of Sexy by Summer. This is plenty of time to reach my goal. I can't afford to screw around anymore. There's no more time to waste. A lot of my new found motivation came from watching The Biggest Loser as I cried myself to sleep last night. To watch those people work out 6-10 hours a day, sweat profusely, and push themselves as far as they can is incredible inspiration. I can't move Douglas into my house (believe me, if I could I would). It's up to me to get myself up off my ass and do the work. It's up to me to push myself as hard as I can. My taste buds will suffer, my muscles will ache, and my knees will hate me. But my inner self will be elated at the end of all this. I'll be happy, healthy, and sexy as hell!

Well, I've finished my breakfast of Romaine lettuce and 1/3 can of tuna (I added ONE tablespoon of light dressing...shhhhh!) and I'm off go Go Go dance!

**UPDATE** Just got the post back from my editor and I wanted to add that the Go Go Dance DVD kicked my ass! Dishes are done, 3 loads of laundry are done, I took my Adderall, I'm off to eat another salad with tuna, then kick some Tae Bo butt!

Slacker Fattie Tip – She’ll return from time to time, that Slacker Fattie in you. It's up to you to send her packing again and release the Skinny Bitch. Have faith in yourself that you can send her off on another extended trip or a permanent move. I've sent my Slacker Fattie deep into the Amazon Rain Forest. May she get lost or fall in love with an Amazon Native and never return.

Sexy Meal Plan Tip – Eat your veggies. I've recently discovered that the detox cleanses are a waste of money. Eating lots of fruits and veggies that are high in fiber does the same thing. So save your $40 and hit the produce section hard!

I need a new sports bra

I need a new sports bra…

Yup, you read that correctly. I need a new sports bra. I don't know where I got the one I have. One? Yes, one. And I'm working out every day? Yes. Since I have 4 kids, I do at least 12 loads of laundry a day so washing the sports bra everyday is no chore.

Oh, why do I need a new one? Not because this one is ratty. I'm actually surprised it has held up so long considering I bought it post-three kids and pre-two kids. I don't even remember where I got it. I do know it was on my last I'm-Gonna-Get-Sexy kick. I bought a workout wardrobe. The sports bra and some tight black hoochie shorts are all that's left. The tight black hoochie shorts were so no one could see up my not tight hoochie shorts.

Oh, so why do I need a new one? Not because it's ugly. It's actually a pretty color blue. Kind of like a light sky blue. I was in our Hootsy Tootsy mall recently (the one I have to dress up to go window shop in) and I passed by Bebe Sports store. Um, really? Women actually spend hundreds of dollars on one outfit that's just going to get stinky and sweaty? Oh, wait. This must be the store for the women who have tummy tucks and liposuction, then buy workout clothes to wear so other women (like me) think they've actually sweated to look like that. I think my workout clothes came from TJ Maxx or Marshall's. I bet once upon a time they were in Bebe but got rejected. S'okay. I don't mind paying $10 for what some Hootsy Tootsy paid $100 for. Plus, I actually sweat in mine. A lot!

Oh, so why do I need a new one? Because it's too damned tight! I don't know if it was always this tight and I just didn't realize it, or if it shrunk when Kelly borrowed it. And, no, it's not because I've gained weight. Even losing the 2 inches from my chest hasn't made it feel better. It's so tight that my ribs hurt after a while.

It was so uncomfortable earlier that I stuck my arms in my shirt to wrangle it off. Yes, I was too lazy to walk five steps to my room, take my shirt off, take the sports bra off, put my shirt back on and then walk the five steps back to the desk.

Carson, who's five, tried to lift up my shirt and asked, "Is there anything else in there?" I swat his hand away and told him no. He said, "I thought maybe there was something else in there" as he pats my boob. What is it with my kids whacking me in the boob? It's actually kind of funny because my friends who don’t have kids ask, "Isn't that annoying?" I ask, "What?" "Them hitting you in the boob." Hahaha! After all the kids I've had, I hardly even notice it anymore. It just comes with being a mom!

So, I'll let you know when I find a new sports bra. While I'm at it, I think I'll replace the rest of my bras as well. Maisie is 2 1/2 and I'm still wearing my nursing bras...and she quit nursing when she was three months old. I guess this means I need to work my ass off to win the Sexy by Summer contest so I can buy some non-nursing bras on my $500 Dillard's shopping spree! Yay!

As I just read this over (which I usually leave for my editor to do), I realized how much my ADD shows in my writing. I think I'll go back to letting my thoughts flow from my brain to my computer and send them off to be edited without re-reading them first. It irritates me to see my ADD in black and white (or blue and white as the case may be).

Slacker Fattie Tip –Try everything on before you buy it. Everything. Even undies (just make sure you have your own on!) As much as I hate trying things on, I hate getting home and finding that something doesn't fit even more. I hate returning things even more than that.

Sexy Meal Plan Tip – It's spring. Plant a garden, and then eat what you plant. I meant a vegetable garden, not flowers, though you can eat most of them if you wanted to. Hubby picked his first onion yesterday. Yay! No more buying onions! He also picked broccoli, brussel sprouts and collard greens. Get the steamer ready. Yum, yum!

Glass half full or half empty?

As you can see, I did my updated bathing suit pictures. My hour glass figure is coming back and the back fat is gone! My belly and thighs still need a lot of work, but I've come a long way compared to Thing 1 and Thing 2

I'm at the half way point of the Waist Watchers competition. This last week the pounds have been coming off quickly! How did I celebrate? I ate a bowl of Capn' Crunch, a 6 inch Italian BMT from Subway, and a can of Dr. Pepper. No, I don't recommend celebrating this way. This is another one of those do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do times. I'll work it off later today, I promise!

I'm still following the Sexy Meal Plan (formerly the Dreaded Meal Plan) as closely as possible (ok, except for today). Last night I had a spoonful of my yummy mashed potatoes and 2 spoonfuls of long grain wild rice and a salad. I've added salads back in and am allowing myself 1 tablespoon of salad dressing. I either use Vidalia Onion or Light Italian. I top it with 1/3 of a can of plain tuna and it fills me up without any sides.

I think doing the Core Rhythms DVD every day has helped a lot. I put more into it each time I watch it and sweat more, too. I just ordered another dance DVD so we'll see how much I like it. After I try it, I'll let you know. It's Crunch Go Go dancing so it should be fun! Another thing that has helped is my iPod. It has become a permanent attachment to my head. I listen to it pretty much all day and dance around like the big dork that I am while I do dishes, laundry, and pick up around the house. Some of you remember me referring to this as Club Clean. I LOVE Club Clean! I get exercise, my house gets cleaned, AND I have a blast doing it.

I should be strength training more though. I can't seem to put cardio and strength training together. When I train, I hate cardio. When I do cardio, I hate training. Wall squats with my stability ball aren't too bad so I try to do those. While I'm waiting for dinner to cook, I'll do counter pushups. Carson wanted to play Wii bowling the other night so I played with him. The problem is that he's only 5 and has a short attention span. He spends more time setting the game up and insisting that we each play a guest as well as ourselves, than he does playing. He'll bowl a few times then tell me he's tired. This worked to my advantage though. I took Carson's remote and did alternating lunges with each turn. That was two days ago and my rear is still sore!

So as of this morning, I weighed 121.8. Yay! I think getting to Douglas's goal for me is totally doable. I have until May 6th to lose 11.8 pounds. Seeing as I've lost 18.2 pounds since the middle of January, 11.8 pounds doesn't seem so much. But what's that saying? The last five pounds are the hardest? Well, I'll let you know if that's true in 6.8 pounds.

Slacker Fattie Tip – Find something you love to do and incorporate it into an exercise. I've also started sitting on my stability ball while I chat with the 9 to 5 Ladies (with my iPod on of course) and bouncing/boogieing while typing. I finally found a way to sit on my butt and exercise!

Sexy Meal Plan Tip – here's another recipe from fitnessmagazine.com:

Wheat Germ Carrot Muffins (oh, so yummy!)
They're 226 calories each so drink a glass of water with one and that's your breakfast for the day.

Ingredients:
* Nonstick cooking spray
* 1 cup golden raisins or dried currants
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/3 cup toasted wheat germ
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 beaten egg
* 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/4 cup cooking oil
* 1 cup shredded carrot

Directions:
Lightly coat twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with cooking spray; set aside. In a small bowl pour boiling water over raisins to cover; set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Make a well in the center of flour mixture.

In a small bowl combine the egg, buttermilk, brown sugar, and oil. Add the egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Drain raisins. Gently fold raisins and carrot into batter.

Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full.
Bake in a 400° oven about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups. Serve warm.

This morning...I love my scale

I've been working harder the last several days because I have 3 big things coming up. It's the midway point for Waist Watchers (though I don't think they're going to ask us to come to the station, now), it's the one year anniversary for when I met my biological parents, and my girlfriends and I are having a sleepover (you're NEVER too old for one).

I've been getting in at least 2 and sometimes 3 cardios every day and sticking close to the Sexy Meal Plan (formerly the Dreaded Meal Plan). My hard work is finally paying off. Hubby said he's noticed a difference and a friend of ours said he could tell I had lost weight. Yesterday, Carson gave me a hug and did his usual squishy fat test...he said it was smaller!! AND! I got catcalls from the garbage men (which, at least my girlfriends said counted, Douglas just said "It's a start."). The best part is I FEEL thinner.

So, why do I love my scale? I'll tell you! I bought it not long after we moved, about two years ago. I chose it very carefully liking how I could program it to keep track of my weight. It also computes my BMI but since I've remained in the safe range, I don't pay much attention to that. My original weight was 123.8. That wonderful number popped up with an "up" arrow while my weight climbed. The past couple of months the arrow has been pointing down. This morning I got on the scale and held my breath.

Oh, wait, I need to tell you this first. You really shouldn't weigh yourself every day. At the most, every week, but it's best to weigh yourself once a month, in the morning and in your birthday suit. Weight will fluctuate and weighing yourself everyday can make you frustrated and more likely cause you to give up. I know, I should follow my own advice, but this is one of those "do as I say not as I do" moments. Don't worry; my kids have to deal with that all the time.

Oh, back to my scale. So I got on and held my breath. You know, actually, measuring yourself is better especially if you are weight training (haha, do you feel like you're watching American Idol?). Muscle weighs more than fat. I've noticed some moms in the Sexy by Summer contest who are weight training and are frustrated because they're not losing weight. I do both. And I measured this morning again after getting off the scale. Are you ready for the results now? Are you sure?

Ok, no more suspense..........(insert drum role here)..............123.4!!!! Yay! Go me! Go me! Go me! Ahhh… and the measurements? Since March 1st, I've lost a total of ..............(insert second drum roll here)................8 inches! Oh, yeah, that's right. Eight! Count 'em – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Eight. Since the beginning of Waist Watchers in February, I've lost 12.2 pounds. But, since the beginning of Sexy by Summer in January, I've lost 15.6 pounds! I'm really very proud of myself. I can't wait to strut my stuff into AnyTime Fitness for my next training session. Douglas hasn't seen me since I weighed 128 pounds. We'll see if he notices!

Slacker Fattie Tip – Slow and steady wins the race. I'm NOT a patient person. I wanted the weight off quickly. That doesn't happen. It takes hard work, dedication, and most of all TIME. Keep working and it will happen!

Sexy Meal Plan Tip – Grill and Mrs. Dash. These are now two things I can't live without. I grill veggies and meats on my little George Foreman grill and season them with Mrs. Dash which has no salt or MSG. I love chicken breast, tuna (yes, I grill it even though it's out of the can), hamburgers (4% fat), onions, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower. Yummy!

It's ok to fall off the horse...

as long as you get back on. I haven't necessarily fallen off, I'm just kind of hanging off to the side a bit. Like my foot is caught in the stirrup and doesn't want to let go. This is ok, as long as my foot doesn't slip. And it's not going to slip because I'm not going to let it. I'm going to use every ounce of strength in my wimpy little arms to pull myself back upright.

Just about everyone who is trying to lose weight has set backs. I haven't had one in a while. I'm just not moving forward as much as I'd like to be. Not yet a plateau, though. Originally, I thought the Dreaded Meal Plan (now called the Sexy Meal Plan) would be the hardest part. I thought three 30 minute cardio sessions a day would be a piece of cake. Boy was I wrong! I finally do at least one and usually two a day. It's a rare day that I manage to squeeze in three. But I need to make sure I do three or I will plateau. The all important strength training three times a week is a must, as well.

Once I got through the first 2 weeks of my newly revised meal plan (remember, meal plan, NOT diet) I found I didn't miss a lot of the foods I knew I couldn't live without. I grew up on Frosted Flakes, Fruity Pebbles, Cocoa Puffs, and Cap'n Crunch with whole milk. I'll probably have a bowl every once in a while for old times sake but won't go back to eating it every day after these competitions are over. I don't miss Rice-a-Roni or pasta. I do miss a good bread, though and pancakes, and waffles, and ham, and soup, and , and.......

Ok, I'm back on the horse again. My butt is securely in the saddle. I've wavered off and on the meal plan and exercising the past couple of weeks. It's time to kick things up a notch since I'm on the down side of the Waist Watchers Contest as of this Wednesday. My cyber friends are going to have to miss me a bit. My cyber family will wonder where I've gone. My blogs may be shorter or written in the wee hours of the night or morning (hopefully they'll make sense). I have until May 6th to make as big of a difference in myself as possible. I can do it. I know I can. Feel free to ask me if I've done all three of my cardios. Comment and ask what I've eaten. I'll tell you honestly. Why? Because if I lie, I'm only cheating myself. And lying to you. How can I be a good roll model if I lie to you? I've made myself accountable to you, Hubby, my trainer Douglas, my friends, family, and most importantly, to myself. I can and will do this.

Slacker Fattie tip- Get up. Right now. That's right, I said, "GET UP!" Go move for 30 minutes. Walk in place. Jog in place. Put on some music and shake what you're mamma gave you. Go on a bike ride. Oh, or you could borrow my friend Melissa's, son. She's offered to rent him out to you if you don't have your own kids to chase around outside. Just make sure you return him in the condition you received him (or close to it). I'm getting up off my butt, too, right now.

Sexy Meal Plan tip- I don't fry anything (ok, except for the chicken and hush puppies I made tonight, but only because Hubby grew up on good Southern cooking and it's not his fault he married a Yankee girl). I will lightly sautée in Extra Virgin Olive Oil or a bit of butter, or canola oil but I do NOT drown food in vegetable oil. Yuck. No frying, got it? Hubby only gets fried chicken about once every three months so I hope he enjoyed it.

PS Updated Thing 1 and Thing 2 pictures will be done of Friday. I hope you see a difference.

Technology, fitness, and me

I try to get to AnyTime Fitness at least 3 times a week but with my schedule of 3 cardios a day, that means I have to find other ways to exercise. If you have a treadmill, elliptical, etc at home that's great! I don't, so I have to get creative so my body doesn't get bored and plateau.

When I'm not strength training with Douglas, I use fitnessmagazine.com. I find TONS of different exercises to target all areas of my body. My favorite are any of the video exercises like "Get Tank Top Toned" or "Look Sexy in Shorts." These are much easier for me because I can see exactly what I'm supposed to do. For those of you who are not visual learners, you'll be able to use the written exercises as well. I usually wind up reading them five times, saying, "Huh?" and find a video instead.

In the playroom/dining (makes 1 giant playroom) alone, we have 3 tv's, 3 DVD players and one VCR. Can I use any of them? No. I was getting frustrated because I have several FitTV shows recorded on the DVR but Maisie and Carson are always watching their cartoons. This is why I brought out their little TV from their room. I was allowed to use it at first, but then Maisie took it over. If I try to put in an exercise DVD, all hell breaks loose even if she wasn't watching it! I tried their portable DVD player, but of course, it wouldn't read my DVD. The VCR is hooked to their big TV, so there goes my Billy Blanks Tae Bo video. I've been trying so hard, after my regrouping, to get in 3 cardios especially with the Waist Watchers 1/2 way point coming up. I got creative....for me. I took my Core Rhythms DVD (no more sit-ups for me!) and put it in the computer for my first workout of the day. It worked!! The best part? Both kids came over to watch it. With both of their TV's playing different cartoons. What the heck?

What about the 3rd TV, you ask? That's for the Wii. Poor Reyna lost her TV since Cartoon TV can't be used for the Wii. Wii TV will sit their all day, not being used UNTIL, I decide to play. Don't get me wrong, our Wii gets played every day. But many times, no one wants to play until I get on. As I've mentioned before, I don't play Wii like a lot of people do. We have Beach Sports, Winter Sports, Tiger Woods Golf, some Sponge Bob game and the game it came with. When I bowl, I do the whole lunge thing like I'm in a bowling alley. Great butt and thigh workout. When I play tennis, look out! I have to clear the dining room of all toys and small children. I'm all over the place and always set it to play best of 5 sets. Before each serve and in between sets, I jump like I'm jumping rope. When I play beach volleyball, it is pure entertainment for my kids. Last night I put on my ipod, turned on beach volleyball, chose 5 sets and prepared for my 3rd cardio of the day (second was jogging in place for 30 minutes which I need to stop doing as it kills my poor dancer-knees). Deep squats, high jumps followed by side kicks, and imaginary rope jumping in between each serve had me sweating and close to an exercise headache (which I get when I overdo it) 40 minutes later. This would make more sense if I could attach a video but technology and I don't mix well so do your best to imagine a 35 year old mom jumping and flopping every where while booty dancing and jumping with an imaginary rope.

Oh, and I can't forget about my "bookmarks." I discovered mini-workouts on youtube one day. I now have a folder for them so I can find them easily when I want short workouts. I love the Zumba, salsa dancing and thigh workouts. I still need to buy another hula-hoop to replace the one my wonderful children took and broke so I can become a master hula-hooper.

Slacker Fattie Tip – Workouts should be fun! Find something that interests you, then do it all out. Make a fool of yourself. Just get up and get moving!

Sexy Meal Plan Tip – Write down everything you eat for the first 30 days of your new change. It helps so much to see what you're eating and what exercises you're doing. I stopped after 30 days because I now have control over myself and what I allow myself to have. Write it down as long as you need to.

In memory of Jennifer...an anorexic

This is going to be a long and difficult, but important post. I'm already in tears. I feel I need to write it though, especially after one of my cousins expressed concern about me and my weight loss.

Jennifer was my next door neighbor, friend and my first babysitting job. She passed away a few years ago from anorexia. She was NEVER fat. Always so skinny even as a little girl. I was shocked when I learned she had anorexia and saddened to learn she'd passed away.

Anorexia is an eating disorder AND a psychological disorder where people starve themselves. They are usually 15% below the normal body weight for their height and age. We see them as overly skinny but they see themselves as fat. It's about control. There are so many things in our lives that are out of our control. For anorexics, eating and exercise are things they have absolute control over.

There are several signs and symptoms of anorexia. They can include:

* not eating in public, not eating, cutting food into tiny pieces
* anxiety and personality disorders
* depression and or social withdrawal
* weakness, fatigue, inability to sleep well
* brittle skin and nails
* shortness of breath
* obsessiveness about calorie intake, food portions, housework, sex, shopping and exercise
* they often fix large meals for others but don't eat what they've fixed

Medical consequences can include:

* shrunken bones
* low body temperature
* irregular heartbeat
* abnormal growth or osteoporosis
* bulimia nervosa
* difficulty conceiving or carrying a baby to term
* constipation and abdominal pain
* potassium deficiency and mineral loss
* electrolyte imbalance from laxatives and vomiting

Causes of anorexia may be:

* demands from family and society
* poor self image
* a fear of growing up (mostly in girls)
* high parental expectations
* poor communication skills
* recent studies are showing possible genetic links and brain dysfunctions as possible causes

Unlike many diseases, anorexia can be treated. It can be overcome. Women sufferers can carry and give birth to healthy babies. Most cases can be treated through outpatient services but some require hospital stays. Just as losing weight healthily, anorexics must gain weight in a healthy way, usually 2-3 pounds a week. Individual, group and family therapy are all highly recommended as there is usually an underlying problem which caused the anorexia. Proper nutrition education is important as well. Some may choose antidepressants to help with moods and anxiety.

One percent of teenage girls in the US will develop anorexia. It's seen in many middle and upper economic classes and many are athletes, dancers, models and actors. One percent may seem like a small number, but of that 1%, up to 10% may die from the disorder. The most common causes of death are cardiac arrest, electrolyte imbalance and suicide.

We can blame society, but it's up to parents to be the most positive role models for their children. My cousin was afraid of the impact I was making on my children when she was afraid I was becoming anorexic. I could never be anorexic. I like to eat too much! I could never be bulimic either. After being pregnant 5 times, I have no desire to throw up on purpose. I and my family joke about me being fat but we understand that I am not fat, nor do I view myself as fat. I was over weight for me and was uncomfortable. I am not on a diet. I am on a healthy meal plan. They see me eating healthy and exercising. I've spoken with them about making healthier food choices and cutting back on chips and cookies. We've discussed obesity, diabetes, anorexia, bulimia and clogged arteries.

I am in no danger of becoming anorexic. I am very aware of what I eat and the exercises I do, not as something to control, but as a way to become healthier. I want my children to be healthy, too. Kelly and Reyna look at those stick figure models as ugly and unhealthy. We saw a little boy at Busch Gardens on Saturday who was the same age and height as Maisie. He had to of weighed at least twice as much. We were very sad for him and his overweight parents. Neither of my older girls have any desire to look like a stick figure OR a rollie-pollie. It's MY responsibility as a parent to make sure they have that type of attitude. It's MY responsibility to see that my children eat healthy and get plenty of exercise. If you ask them who their role models are, they will tell you me and their dad.

While researching this topic, I came upon a site where girls posted about their anorexia. They are proud of their disease and how they look. They boasted about trying on size 0 jeans and them being too big. I read two posts and started crying. I only read one page. It was all I could stand. I wanted so much to give each of those girls a hug. I decided not to include the link. I'm not sure if you have to become a member to post but my fear was that people would go on there and say mean and nasty things to those girls. Negative comments will not help them. I cannot help them in any way except to pray for them. I can only help my own children. Their family and friends are the only ones who can help those girls.

Instead of tips today, I want you to look at yourselves and your families. Are you making healthy choices? Do you see anyone in danger of developing an eating disorder? Open your eyes and look deep inside yourselves as well as paying close attention to those you love and care for.

reference sites:
www.medicinenet.com/anorexia_nervosa/article.htm
www.mamashealth.com/anorexia.asp

Taking time to regroup

I need to regroup. I'm not used to long term goals. I have recently started setting short term goals which I suggested earlier. Today was a hard day and I decided I need to take a break. These weight loss challenges have consumed my life. It's all I think about. It's all I talk about. I'm surprised my poor friends haven't kicked me out of our emailing group. Instead of telling me to shut up and get over myself, they look at my Sexy Meal Plan and give me suggestions to liven it up some.

I'm learning that short breaks are needed when achieving long term goals. This does not mean that I'm going to go crazy. I'm not going to eat a bunch of junk food or sit around on my butt all weekend. I will still stick close to my plan, but if I see a small snack that I really want, I'm going to eat it. Like my friend Kris says, “Everything in moderation” (I hope I got that right). In her opinion, if I don't ever allow myself a small taste of things I love to eat, I'll be more tempted to overdo it and pig out.

Most of my day was going pretty well. Nothing exciting but our email group was providing me with lots of laughs. Carson and Maisie wanted to go outside as it was a beautiful day. Then I got a phone call from the Office of Vital Statistics. I knew it couldn't be good. It never is when they call or send me mail. Here's a little background as to why they were calling:

I was adopted at birth by 2 amazingly wonderful, loving parents. I grew up knowing I was adopted and wondered all the time who my biological parents were and if they ever thought of me. I started searching at 18 (the legal age for Florida). I'll elaborate another time, but for now, you're getting the Cliff's Notes version. Last March, after searching for 17 years, I finally found them. This meant, among many other things, that I could get my original birth certificate (OBC).

First, I had to send in 3 notarized forms stating that everyone agreed it was ok to get my OBC. One from me, one from my adopted parents, and one from my biological mother. I mailed those in. Then I got a letter telling me they needed a copy of my driver's license and money (it's the government, they always want money). So, I sent that in. THEN, I get the call today. Mine and my bio mom's were the wrong forms. WTH?? They couldn't have told me that when they sent the "we need money letter"? It wouldn't be that big of a deal except for the fact that March 29^th is the one year anniversary of meeting for the first time. I really wanted to be able to give my bio mom my OBC, THEN! After crying, yelling and apologizing to the poor woman on the phone, I accepted that she would mail the correct forms out to me. It's not her fault the government doesn't give a rat’s ass about adoptees rights.

So, my dream of doing strength training and 3 cardios today went out the window. Haha! I can hear Douglas right now. "Suck it up and get off your butt." I will. On Monday. If I feel like getting off my butt before then, I will. I'm taking 2 days to myself to regroup. Monday morning, I'll be back and ready for war. Oh, today wasn't a total loss. I did do plies for a minute. (insert very happy, sarcastic smiley, face, here)

My short term goal is to lose as much as possible by March 25th. This is supposed to be our midway point for the Waist Watchers contest and Channel 10 is having the contestants come on the news to see how everyone is doing. I can make a difference in a week. I know I can. I have faith in myself. I also have a wonderful support system. My email group will be yelling at me to get off the computer and do cardio. They'll be keeping tabs on what I'm eating. My blog followers will be on the edge of their seats waiting for updates. BTW, if you scroll down to the bottom of the screen, you'll see what's called a ticker. It's supposed to be moving to the right. If you see it move to the left, feel free to send me a nasty comment.

Wow, Kris was right.....again. Writing does help. I'm not in such a crappy mood anymore. Good enough to go play some Wii sports, but not good enough to do Tae Bo. Oh, and in my house, you're not allowed to sit down and play Wii. I sweat when I play.... a lot.

Slacker Fattie Tip – (as inspired by a question from my friend Melissa). If you want to tone, more reps less weight. If you want to look like the Hulk, more weight, less reps (at least that's what several trainers have told me).

Sexy Meal Plan Tip – indulge yourself. Have an Oreo. No, not a whole package. And, no, not a whole row. ONE is not going to kill your newly, healthy, modified meal plan (not diet, meal plan).

PS. I lost another pound so I had to change my ticker from 127 to 126 AND lost 3.75 inches since March 1st. Yay!

To diet or not to diet?

I must be on a Shakespeare kick! To answer the question, don't diet.

I love fate. I wrote this and decided to save it. My creative juices have exploded the last couple of days and I have spare posts hanging around in "drafts." I get updates from yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com in my emails. This article (click on "article" to read it, Aunt Bee!) popped up and I thought it was perfect to stick in here. It says pretty much what I wrote below but, well, they're experts and I'm not so I thought I'd let them have their 2 cents.

Actually you already are dieting. Your diet is simply what you eat every day. Most fad diets don't work because you either get bored or once you lose the weight you go back to how you ate before. I am not a nutritionist nor am I licensed to dish out nutritional advice. Ok, there's my legal disclaimer. Now you can't come back and blame me if things don't work out for you, haha.

My first step in trying to lose weight was to limit the amount of food I consumed. I switched from the standard dinner size plate to a salad plate. And NO you may not go back for seconds. This defeats the purpose of using a smaller plate. Google serving sizes or actually pay attention to what the serving size is on your favorite foods and drinks. A 20 oz bottle of soda is actually 2.5 servings. When you look on the label and see 100 calories you think, "That’s pretty good." Multiply that times 2.5. Uh huh, not so good anymore is it. Next Google calories burned ____insert favorite exercise. Find a site where you can enter your weight since it varies greatly. Now you'll see how much you'll have to exercise to work off that yummy soda you just gulped down. I quickly switched to water.

Next I started writing down everything I ate. EVERYTHING! If you don't write it down, you're only cheating yourself. Boy was I eating a lot! And it was all very yummy! And very unhealthy. Most of it anyway.

By making these small changes, I lost 4 pounds in a month. I walked every once in a while too, but not on a regular basis.

In making baby steps I knew I would be less likely to go back to my bad habits.

Then I met Douglas......

Slacker Fattie Tip – if you have a Wii, use it. You don't need all the extra games. You can burn calories with the fitness game it comes with. In my opinion, playing tennis is about, but a little more active, than playing ping pong. There are lots of sites you can go to and enter your weight and exercise to see how many calories you're burning.

Sexy Meal Plan Tip – I hate oatmeal. Other than egg whites, it's the only "breakfast" item on my meal plan. I top it with a 1/2 cup fresh fruit to mask the taste. For me, it's a very doable way to eat oatmeal.

Back on track

I suppose since this started out as a journal for my weight loss, I should pay a little more attention to posting more about losing weight.

Well, I would if I were losing weight. In order to not get frustrated, I've shied away from posting about it. That's not helpful for me or those of you who read this looking for hints or tips about weight loss. Although I will still wander occasionally, there will always be something in every post either with an update or a tip I'd like to share that I use or that has helped me. If I forget, don't hesitate to send me a comment and let me know!

I've been going to the gym 3 times a week. I've taken a break from training and trying things on my own. It's not going well. I'm stuck at 127/8 pounds. I've been there for over a week. I've decided to make smaller goals inside of my big goals (winning Waist Watchers and Sexy by Summer). I have a long piece of paper on the wall behind my desk with a countdown to May 6th which is the end of WW's. Each day I write which exercises I do. Why? Because I'm a visual person. I look at it every day and my goal is to do at least three 30 minute cardio sessions a day. Sometimes it happens sometimes it doesn't. Occasionally, life with 4 kids gets in the way of "me" time. I DON'T want to see a single blank day. I'd rather see 3 entries for each day, but I can only do my best and sometimes that means only getting in 1 or 2 workouts.

I have 3 important dates coming up in a few weeks. The first is March 25th when Channel 10 is supposed to bring the Waist Watchers contestants back on the show to see everyone's progress. This is big deal for me being the smallest contestant. The weekend after that is the one year anniversary of meeting my biological parents after searching for them for 17 years. I don't know what's planned for the anniversary but whatever it is, there will be lots of pictures taken and I definitely don't want to look how I look now! The 3rd is a slumber party with my girls who I've named the 9-5 Ladies (because we entertain each other during their work days). Again, lots of pictures and LOTS of food. Douglas isn't going to want to read this part, ha ha. I'm not going to go crazy on junk food but I am going to enjoy some good-tasting-as-healthy-as-possible-but- probably-not-yummy food. We'll probably be dancing around like fools burning off whatever we ate anyway!

So, there's your Slacker Fattie Tip for the day. Set small goals for yourself. You're less likely to give up if you do.

Sexy Meal Plan Tip – wash and peel carrots and put them in water in your fridge, same with celery (well, you don't have to peel celery, though). All you have to do is grab and eat for a quick, healthy, fiber-filled snack.

Be Perfect Today

When I got to AnyTime Fitness today, I asked Chris who works there, if he knew how many of the Waist Watchers contestants came in to do their official weigh in. Seven. Seven? Seven! Out of 25. Ummm, hello people! Free trip to NYC! Come on!

At the very least they could have had 3 months free at the gym. Most said it was too far to drive as we had to use the South Tampa location....did I mention it was free? There are 3 AnyTime Fitness locations closer to me but I drive the 15-20 minutes because it's FREE. Apparently one woman came in for a consultation but was never heard from again. Then there's The Guy. The only Guy in the competition, I think. The Guy seems to be my biggest competitor since he seemed very confident the day I met him at the kick-off. Plus, no offense, The Guy has a lot more to lose than me. I hope someone did his fat percentage because I want to blow him out of the water on that! But, alas, the rules are whoever loses the most. Well, me and my measly 25 pounds that need to be shed are still going to work hard. As I've said before, even if I don't win the contest, I'll still win because I'll have my body back. The one that my kids stole from me. I'm taking it back, kids! It's mine! mine! mine!

Douglas issued me a challenge. To be perfect for a week. No food cheating. No skipping out on cardios. Can I do it? I'm sure going to try. My mom always told me to do my best and that's all I can ask from myself.

Later, I received a text from my favorite trainer (ok, he's my only trainer, but he's really good). It said "Be perfect today!" Three simple little words with such a huge meaning. They are now in standby on my phone (that means that whenever I check my phone those 3 words are on the screen). Behind those words is a picture of my ultimate goal. I'm not sure if I'll ever get there but Jennifer Nicole Lee's before pictures were worse than mine. She issued a challenge for herself like I did. Baby steps, though. I'm busy working on being perfect this week. Actually becoming perfect is a different story all together!

Slacker Fattie Katie comes home

March 2nd

Ugh! She came back!

After winning the Sheep Shearing Contest in New Zealand, Fattie came home...with a cold. I let her hang around Saturday and Sunday. She did a 30 minute salsa DVD then spent the rest of the weekend on the couch or in bed.

Monday morning, I shipped her off to Alaska for some whale watching, dog sledding, glacier viewing and duck hunting. Maybe she'll spot a polar or grizzly bear or go crowberry picking. It'd be great if she had success with gold panning! Fattie better not bring me back an oosik, gross. Watch out for moose!

So here I am, the skinny bitch, left with a lingering cold, a gain of 2 pounds from the 1,000 calorie cocktail Fattie downed and a messy house. This happens every time I get all hyped up about losing weight. I get sick, injured or certain female issues pop up.

Despite how I feel, I'm doing 3 cardios today. And cleaning the house. Normally, I would take another day to rest. But not today. This is due mostly to an email I got from Douglas after I told him Slacker Fattie Katie was sick. "Suck it up and get your butt off the couch" was his reply. This may sound harsh to some, but it's what I needed.

Six years and 2 kids ago, I went to a gym 3 times a week for almost 2 years. There was a personal trainer who was included in the membership (that was nice). Joe pushed me every workout. When I thought I was done with a set, he'd make me do one more. Then one more. I need someone pushing me because Fattie won't do it (curse her laziness!).

Slacker Fattie Katie does not push or focus.....but Skinny Bitch does.

Sheep Shearing in New Zealand

Hi, you've reached the voice mail of Slacker Fattie Katie. I'm sorry she can't get to the phone right now, she's on a hiatus to New Zealand for the running of the sheep. Please leave a message at the beep. If she is Sexy by Summer or has a hot Watched Waist she will return your call after spring.....beeeeeeeeeeeep.

Ok, now that I've gotten rid of Slacker Fattie Katie, it's time to get down to business. At a play date today, Sexy by Summer organizer, Liz, gave me a set of 4 Latin dance exercise DVD's. I took the TV/DVD player out of the little kids room and put it in the kitchen so I can use them. I'm sticking to The Dreaded Meal Plan which, from here on out, will now be known as the Blessed Meal Plan. Or the Necessary Meal Plan. Hmmmmm, let me know what you think.

Gone are Fattie's excuses for not getting in 3 cardio sessions a day. Gone are Slacker's cheating habits. I've sent her away. Who am I? Oh, honey, let me tell you. I am the skinny bitch. I'm the thin chick living deep inside Fattie's body dying to get out. I've been cooped up in this hell hole long enough and I'm out and ready to get nasty.

While Chub-o Unhealthy Katie is busy shearing sheep in her platform's (thank you for the trip, Beth!), I will be in her place. Working this gigantic ass off. Getting rid of the swelled, post-preggo looking belly. Slimming those thunder thighs. Tightening the jiggly waving arms. She's going to be one proud sexy mamma when she gets home. Hubby is going to have to pick his jaw off the floor. Douglas is going to be a proud trainer. Our friends are going to Woot Woot! till the sun goes down.

By the time Lent is over, Slacker Fattie Katie and I are going to blow everyone away. And Melissa is going to survive her no caffeine world (you can do it, sweetie!! I have faith in you!). Sorry, had to plug another hard worker.

In a few weeks, this inner skinny bitch will be ready to post an updated bikini picture. It won't be the final product. That doesn't come for another couple of months. You'll have to stay tuned for those. The first focus is on getting Fattie's fat percentage down to 17% by May 6th. That outta help win the Waist Watchers contest. Next we will be toning up and getting ultra sexy for Sexy by Summer which ends June 15th.

The skinny bitch is in town and is here to stay. Let's do this sh@#!!