ATTENTION!

NEWS!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, first and most important...

I HIT THE 100 LB MARK! YIPPPEEEE!!!!!

*excuse me as I do a dance and jump up and down*

Ok, so in honor of that I have set up a photo shoot and will have some pretty awesome pictures to show off soon. I have also contracted with this photographer to do a series of photo shoots with me over the next year. Some at my races, at the gym, just all around in my life so that you guys can follow it. It is pretty amazing really.

Also, because of this, I am going to be part of a promo for my gym/trainer! Videos of me training will be up online showing progressions of Olympic lifts and such. As well as some printed posters and stuff. WOOHOO!!!

Also, in honor of this, I am going to be a featured guest blogger on "Or So She Says" sometime in the next few weeks. I share some pretty intimate details about my weight loss journey and my tips. Which will of course be linked back to my "Fit With a Side of Cheesecake" blog which is where you will be able to read all about my journey.

And my 5k is only 2 weeks away.

Is anyone else as excited about this as me? I don't think that they are.

Vindication!

As everyone knows I have been working really hard in the last year to improve my health and lifestyle. I have done all kinds of things from various diet changes, to all kinds of work outs. My success has included losing 90 lbs, lifting crazy amounts of weight and feeling lots more energetic.

I have also struggled a great deal. Going from no activity (or little) to very vigorous and regular activity is taxing. I push really hard. I have struggled a great deal lately.

I have been at a relative stand still in the last few months. I have lost a few pounds, gained a few pounds. Not moving much at all. It has been a very emotional time. I have struggled with a constant hunger. I eat my normal meals, well balanced and regular. I eat snacks regularly. And I have a gnawing hunger after an hour or so. It is frustrating to feel hunger all the time and very taxing emotionally when you are trying to limit your caloric intake and you are starving. I had more than a few very emotional days where I was in tears because I was so hungry and so afraid to eat as much as my body seemed to want for fear it would not only derail my progress but become my biggest fear, a binge. I talked it out with many friends at the gym from multiple trainers and people trained in the wellness industry. Many, if not all, have said that it may be in my head that I am so hungry. An emotional reaction to the changes. I wanted to agree, but it was not in my head that I was hungry which was even more emotionally frustrating for me. I just couldn't get anyone to understand.

So, after consulting with my trainers, dietitians and friends I ran some tests. I did an RMR. A Resting Metabolic Rate test. It shows how much your body burns each day by just sitting, how much you spend by doing everyday activities and then about how much you would burn with a 1/2 hr work out a day. The results were shocking.

At rest I burn 2319 calories a day. Everyday bits and pieces burns another 693 calories and with a moderate 1/2 workout I burn another 289 calories. So I burn about 3300 calories a day. The test results also say I have a very fast burning metabolism. So what does that mean for me? I was not exaggerating, I was starving myself. In order to maintain my current weight I would have to consume about 2500 calories a day and to be losing I should be consuming 1800. And I had been on a diet that allowed me 1300 a day! I was starving!

I share this not only to let some of the emotional stress about it go, but to share how important it is to regularly make sure you paying attention to what your body is telling you. Even if others try to tell you it is in your head or an emotional reaction, do what you feel you need to. It is worth it.

Today is the first day in a month I have not been hungry. The first day I have cried tears of relief instead of frustration. Today is the first day to being back on track and it feels so good.

4x the Weight

I am feeling great. I rocked at the gym today doing 4x the weight I thought I could do! I really realized how much I have changed as a person in the last year.

I have always been determined. I want to do things my own way and as many people could tell you, I stood my ground on the things I wanted, believed or thought. I haven't changed that determination just refocused it. I am determined to push myself to the limits. If it means adding weight or doing more reps, I'll push until I can't.

I can not take all the credit for my success. I owe it to a few other people as well.

My trainer, you have heard me mention him a few times, is amazing. He took me from doing a few lunges, fake sit-ups, barely push-ups to 100's of lunges, 100's of hollow rocks (harder than sit-ups!) and more push-ups than I like to think about. He never stopped pushing me to do more, encouraging me when I felt weak and not wanting to try anymore and amazed at how great I am today. He helped me set up regular workout routines, diet helps and a shoulder to complain to about my diet, workout and stress in relation to the whole thing. I am happy to have Zack as my trainer.

My friend Carrie offered initial diet tips and snack ideas when I was at a loss.

My friend Chantal for believing in me and what I could do it.

While my physical appearance has changed a lot and that is what many people see, it is really more of a change on the inside. Knowing I can do, want to do and have the ability to know that the only person that really matters in all of this, is me.

Ramping Up

I start my really hard core training next week. I start meeting the trainer at 5am at the gym, yikes! Weight lifting three days a week and runs every day. I really start the protein shakes and rigid diet. While it is a little daunting at the moment, I am kind of excited. I seriously get to walk around and say, "I'm training for a marathon". Crazy!

While I am excited and ready to start training, there is a part of me that wants to go out of this week just ignoring it all. I want to eat all of my favorite things and not care about the calories. I want to eat chocolate cake, cookies, coconut fried shrimp, pizza, root beer and something dripping in a rich thick sauce. I know it will only make it harder, but there is that part of me that craves one last hurrah.

I started a crazy training regimen today, doing 83 (progressively smaller sets from 21 taking away 3 each set) of each of the following. Dumbbell Swings, 20lb weight swinging from a squatted position to chest height. Shoulder press, 2 ten pound weights doing a squat with a shoulder press at the end. Sumo Dead Lifts with a pull, as noted before these work the inner thighs and shoulders. Squat jumps, easy enough and push-ups. If you can make it through that easily, I admire you. It is not as easy as it sounds, I promise.

My new gym shoes make a huge difference though.

12 Days of Christmas...at the Gym

I met with my trainer today and we did the 12 Days of Christmas work out. Let me just explain what that entails.

First, I ran a quarter of a mile, as warm up. Then I did 12 of each of the following:

Medicine Ball Toss: Stand 6-8 feet from a wall, hold the medicine ball (10 lbs) over your head and squat and while returning to standing position tossing the ball against the wall and catching it as you return to the squat.

Sumo Dead Lifts: The set up is your feet will be about shoulder length apart with your feet turned out at 45 degree angles. Your back and neck should be straight. Using an overhand grip with hands about 12 inches or so apart you are ready to start. Similar to normal dead lifts, the benefit is with a Sumo you work your inner thigh and ham stings. Your back stays straight as you bend your knees to prepare for the lift. We added a pull to the end where instead of just lifting to chest height, you pull the bar to the chin and the elbows go up and out. This adds difficulty and makes it a more complex work out. We used the 25 pound bar today.

On the Power Plate:

Squat Jumps: Standing on the Power Plate (which provides constant vibration which engages more muscles) you do a deep squat but instead of just standing you jump out of it, landing lightly on the balls of your feet.

Sit Pumps: Sitting on the edge of the Power Plate place hands beside you then lift yourself up and off the Power Plate and use your arms to lift your body weight.

After doing 12 of each of those, you then start at the beginning and do 11 of each, then with each rotation you go from sets of 12 to sets of only one. Finishing with running another .25 miles.

When all is said and done you will have done 78 of each of these.

My tips of the day, remember to breath and keep hydrated. They are the key to success.

What a great way to celebrate Christmas Eve, I think I have a new tradition.

A Day in the Life

I have been so busy in the last week or two that I haven't had time to update! Here is what I did today...

Off to work bright and early and enjoyed a morning of some interesting discussions with kids. Apparently Santa is bringing me shoes and diamonds and lots of money. Haha! I wish he was bringing that.

Today I apparently made plans to have lunch with two people...opps! I couldn't be in two places at once so I had lunch with Liz at 12:30 at Chili's and enjoyed our weekly session of venting and giggles. It was a blast, as always. Then at 2pm I met Logan at Patricia's. We chatted and enjoyed our monthly gab session. I am so lucky that he has such an amazing wife that let's him still hang out with me. Needless to say I was really full. I ate with Liz, nibbled a salad with Logan and brought it home to eat for dinner.

Then a run to the dollar store to pick up thank you cards for those who participated in the Angel Tree we did at work and a few bits and pieces for tomorrows Christmas festivities.

I ran home to change, feed the cats, check the mail, vacuum the house and mop the kitchen/dining rooms.

Off to a training session, where I got my butt kicked. I wonder why I do it sometimes, because I hate feeling like I am absolutely done and exhausted. My muscles don't work by the end and I push like crazy just to finish sometimes. I work hard and I always am glad I did it, but man does it hurt some days.

Then off to cover a shift for someone.

I came home to eat a wonderful dinner of cereal. I finished up the last of the Christmas projects for tomorrow and decided I had to update. Ah, a day in the life of me! I am grateful for the chance to have a few down days coming, not just for the joy of Christmas, but for the chance to just nap and not have to go and do anything!

Enjoy the last days before Christmas.

Turkey Run

I started my Thanksgiving off with a Turkey Run. I ran most of the three mile course I did (could do up to five, but I pushed too hard training last Saturday and my old fracture is giving me some pain) and it was wonderful. It was so beautiful this morning and it makes it hard not to be thankful for the amazing blessings in my life!

Blessing number 1, living in beautiful Utah. This was at the end of the run and I just struck me how lucky I was to be so blessed to be surrounded by such beautiful scenery all the time. I love seeing the mountains in the background of everything and I love crisp cool air in the mornings.

I am so blessed to be blessed with amazing friends who have become my family. Being so far from my own family I have been so blessed to have amazing people come into my life. In no particular order the ones I feel most grateful for this year are: Logan, Chantal, Melinda, Tricia, Kari and Peter. There are so many more but it is this small set who have truly been such blessings to me this year by being listening ears, shoulders to cry on, late night texts about Taylor Lautner or Hugh Jackman, temple buddies, encouraging messages or telling me that no matter what others say or act like, that I am a beautiful and sweet person.

I am grateful for the gym and my trainer. You have to bored of this by now but the changes in my life have been staggering and a whole new world has opened up to me because of it. 6 days a week I am at the gym working out and I love the person I have become because of that one little fact.

I am so blessed, to know of my worth. I can move mountains, soothe troubled souls, lend a shoulder when needed and I can build and strengthen those around me. How blessed I am!

I am most grateful for the love of my Heavenly Father who has taught me that as long as I do what I know to be right, things will work out. Every time. It may not be in a week, a month or even a year, but in the end it will.

Those are just a few of the things I am thankful for today. Now that that is out of the way, on the the last bit of Black Friday planning...

Before and After

Well, my friends this week has been crazy.

I would wake in the morning have oatmeal, toast, fruit and a glass of milk about 7:30 and by 10:30 I would be starving! I thought that there was something wrong with me. So I mentioned it to my trainer and he laughed at me! Apparently my metabolism has sped up (NICE!) so I have to eat more frequently. It is the hardest thing to get used to! Six meals a day sounds way more fun than it is.

Having spent hours at the gym each week (between 7-8) and changing my diet I have really done a lot. In fact this week I hit the 60 pound mark. Yeah, that is right friends, 60 pounds down! I can hardly believe it.

So I thought I would share a little before and after. I am shocked myself at the difference. I can hardly believe it. Down 2 cup sizes, a whole shoe size, am now wearing Large shirts in instead of XXL and am down 3 jeans sizes!

Here are some horrible before's. I can't believe it when I look at the pictures.

I cringe when I look at those pictures. What was I thinking? I have no idea. I am just so happy that I finally woke up and decided that it was time to just do something. So my friends, after months of hard work, a stress fracture in my tibia and lots of ill fitting clothes, this is how I looked as of Monday evening...

Now I know that I am not done and that I still have work to do...but wow. The change is surprising! I will always have a large chest, it is something I think I will always have to deal with until the day comes when I can justify a reduction, and believe me I am always looking for a way. But wow. I am working on getting some better shots of me but this is what I have. Still, considering where I was, this is awesome.

Breaking Point?

I feel the need to brag. I am not ashamed at all to brag my friends. Not in the least!

Yesterday I trained with Zach, my trainer. He rocks my world. All the time. So when he starts me on a work out I am ready to be worked to my breaking point, which I love. Apparently my breaking point is a little further than I thought it was.

I did in about 35-40 minutes yesterday, 150 push-ups, 150, sit-ups (from a seated position on the bench, not on the floor) and 150 lunges. Yeah, that is right, I did 150 of each and not only did I live to tell but after that went and ran a mile.

So, excuse me for bragging, but I think I have the right.