Day 25

I took a couple days of rest and it felt great. My muscles had a chance to repair and when I started working out the next day, it was a piece of cake. My muscles felt stronger and I was able to do a lot more.
I raised my arm weights and leg weights. I am now doing 50lbs for my arms and 70lbs for my legs.
I still need to do my measurements but I have been lazy about it because I am really not worried.
I gained a couple pounds after resting a couple of days and I believe it was just all muscle due to my very healthy eating.
I am really loving it and it doesn't even feel like I've been doing this for 25 days! It feels like a week.. haha.
I also pulled out new pants and shirts from my pre-prego box and I am starting to fit old clothes! Woo hoo...
Let me know if you want to start or need someone to motivate or help you! I could always use a friend to stay healthy with!

Size 8

I am now a size 8! Starting at a size 12, I am really making progress! I am hoping to end at a size 2 or 4 which what I was before I got pregnant but I have lots of time to keep the work up and lose more weight. I have not measured myself at all but I am thinking about starting. All I know now is my size 12 jeans are falling down my bum and my size 8 are fitting perfect! YAY!

Day 20

For some reason today was a little harder for me... Maybe it was because I took a walk with the kids and my mom before I worked out or maybe I did not eat enough beforehand but working out for 45 minutes was a lot tougher than yesterday. But the nice thing is after doing it, I felt that much more accomplished.

Today is day 20 of getting healthy and I seriously feel great. The hardest part of it all is getting myself to slow down to let my muscles take a break. As far as eating... I feel like my appetite has gone down quite a bit. I am not having very many cravings and I feel like I am eating less without still feeling hungry.

Before I eat a meal, I try and drink some water so that I don't eat as much and I still feel full and not only does it work, it has been helping my skin and body.

Is this getting easier?!

It's amazing... after 19 days of working out, I can already do soo much more! When I first started, I was only able to burn about 250 calories when pushing myself. As time went by, I was able to do 300, then 400, and today I did a whopping 500 CALORIES in 46 minutes and it wasn't hard at all. I could have even kept going.
Also, I have raised the weights on the machines about 10-20lbs more than when I started. My abs have also gotten a lot stronger as I am able to do a few more sets of crunches and they are not as difficult. It's amazing to not only see myself lose the weight but to feel great and feel stronger. I am so proud and I can't wait to see how my body transforms.

Almost 3 weeks into it...

This is me as of 11/1/10... Weighing in at 160lbs.

(*For those concerned, Yes, I am losing the weight very naturally and healthy! Just exercise and healthy diet.)

2 Weeks into it....

Weighing in at 164lbs.

A week later...

A week later of healthy diet and exercise... Weighing 168lbs.

Progress...

Here is a picture of when I started weighing in at 170lbs!

The Late Night Cravings!!!

Okay... So it is almost 2am in the morning and I know not everyone stays up as late as I do but we all get late night cravings, eh? Well, here's a few ways I have found to fight those cravings...

1. Drink lots of water.
2. Have a small handful of almonds or a spoonful of peanut butter.
3. Make a small bag of popcorn.
4. Have a low calorie whole fruit popsicle.
5. Just go to bed.

:) Sometimes our body thinks we are hungry because we are thirsty so remember and I always forget to, but drink lots of water.

2 1/2 Weeks of Exercise and I've NEVER felt better.

My Daily Exercise Plan
-30-40 minutes of Cardio (jogging, eliptical, or cross trainer)
-Weight lifting (arms and legs)
-3 Sets of crunches, 2 sets of twists

Over the last 2 1/2 weeks of doing this daily, I am able to exercise longer and harder and have already raised the weights 10lbs more. Also, am able to do crunches faster and easier. My body seems to need more water and burn food faster. I love it and I feel soo good after this.

What exactly is physically active?

I was reading an article the other day and it was talking about some of the answers doctor's get when they ask a patient if they are physically active. The doctor quoted that many mom's say their exercise if running around driving their kids here and there, cooking dinner, going grocery shopping, etc. The doctor's laughed at that because being physically active does not mean staying busy but setting a time in your day to 'work out'. A lot of stay away from that word because it seems overwhelming. What even is working out? What is considered physical activity? Well, the doctor said that at least thirty minutes of fast-paced walking or more a day is the only thing that will show health results. WOW! When are we going to fit that into our already crammed schedule? For me, I have been taking the time to get to the gym for at least 30 minutes everyday and I usually spend about an hour there. The hardest part is getting yourself out and going. For these past two weeks, I have done 30+ minutes of cardio a day, weights, and crunches. I already feel stronger and thinner! It really boosts my self-esteem and gives me energy. But there ARE other options if you are not a gym member or can't stand going to the gym! Try some of these:
-Rollerblading
-Biking (research shows this is a great exercise because it takes more energy to get off the bike than a treadmill or other machine so most people actually spend more time on it)
-Walking/Jogging
-Crunches/Sit ups (all do-able at home)
-Dancing to music
-Stairs (they make step boxes or if you have stairs at home)

This is just a few but working out will not only give you more energy but make you feel better and boost you to eat healthier!

Why 'diets' don't work for me.

Sticking to a set of rules has never been something I am good at. When I see 'diets' usually they come with a set of rules or guidlines to follow. I don't know about you, but in today's society with the fast pace lifestyles and eating on the go, we need more options than a low-carb, low-fat diet. We need something that works. I started my change a little over two weeks ago and I have already lost 7+ pounds, feel better, and look better. I am gaining muscle and losing fat and here's what I do. Yes, I still stop at Taco Bell, I still eat dessert and I even still eat burgers... but there is something different. Instead of subjecting myself to all sorts of rules, I simply CHOOSE healthier options. Instead of waffles for breakfast, I eat a bowl of Cheerios with milk. For lunch, I am not one to immediately dig into a salad and I could not live like that, instead, I eat a sandwich with almonds or some veggies and rice (which you can also get at Panda Express!). For dinner, I have fallen in love with lean cuisines and veggie burgers. For example, last night, I ate two veggie burgers with a 1/2 of a bun for both. I had cheese on only one of them and on the side I had 3 small potatoes with salt. It's food that I still LOVE and it fills me up but I am not feeling like I have to count my calories, fat, or carbs. Today, I was out at the mall and I was forced to eat out which turned out to be easy. I grabbed white rice and veggies from Panda Express. As far as drinks go, I either choose water or diet coke. And I am not a dessert person but if I am craving something, I will either A. eat a small portion of what I am craving or B. look for some dark chocolate with almonds. Making better decisions now will affect the rest of my life. Choosing to eat less fat and sugar will give me overall better health.