Nancy’s Weight loss Journey 5 Yrs & Counting

I’ve decided to give my PMS a name.  I will call her “WILDFIRE”  because I just go off like crazy around this time of the month.  I don’t know if I should even read blogs today because I just can’t keep my mouth shut. But I will try my best to play nice.  What is it about PMS and alcohol that makes it that much easier to let my guards down and just speak my mind?  I have no idea.  But I know this much, KAMA and NICOLE loves it! LOL

You know the saying, “Kids says the darnest things”, in my case “PMS makes it easy for me to say the funniest things…things that comes to my head and on a normal day never say but I did yesterday and will do so for the next couple of days.”  SOMEONE SLAP ME - NIC?  LOL

I believe Rodney packed his bag and it’s sitting right next to the front door; in case he has to skip out of town for the week or two I’m on a good one.  Poor guy, the joy of being my lover.   :)  LOL!! 

I did not get enough sleep last night thanks to my sister!  She didn’t get back home till 5am.  I had both little boys until 2am - once grandma came in I went right to sleep.

Do you know how important it is to give your body proper fuel?  Especially when you exercise?  It’s very important.  To me, it’s vital to my performance.  Forget what the experts out there are saying!  I know what works for me and what doesn’t.  Not to say I’m recommending this for anyone else, but for me I have to eat between1200-1500 calories of good food to do all 3 classes!!!!! Tha’s not 1500 cals for the day because today I will eat about 2000 or more calories before the night ends.

There is no way on God’s green earth can I do 3 hours of Step, Kickboxing and Power YOGA on 600 calories!!  Like some people say they will eat tiny  amt of calories during the day, try to burn like 100o calories at the gym and eat the balance of their calories afterwards!
That’s insane!!!! 

You have to fuel your exercise!!!!! If I don’t eat enough carbs, proteins and fat - I can’t do it.  I’ve done this over and over again.  The days I eat really good, I can’ just bang out each class one after the other like a pro.  But let me eat less then 1200 calories and it won’t happen.

Just can’t eat junk either!  Has to be complex carbs, good protein, lots of water - already got 2 liters in at 10am, and lots of fiber and good fat! 

Thus today, I get to be an eating machine! WHOO HOO!

Unfortunately I slept in again and did not get my run in.  But I will.  I will get a run in before the weekend is over.

I did get to the gym and did almost two hours of my  own customize bootcamp.  For the past few months I’ve been venturing off and doing my own routine.  One in which I pick out all my favorite moves and customize it to fit my needs.  I still go to a weight class once in a while but for the most part everything is in my head.  I love the freedom to do my own routine.  I keep it fresh and fun.

I received a number of emails asking me what my bootcamp is like.  Above is a picture of the basic equipment.  The  goal is never stop moving.  Unlike doing pure weights, whenever I do a cardio/interval circuit style I stick to lighter weights.  Then later in the week I go back to just a pure weights routine.

What I do is warm-up on the elliptical to get my blood flowing.  Some light stretches and off I go.  I hit the low row and lat pull down, the only two machines I use, to work my back and some shoulders, tri’s and biceps.

Then I take off for the aerobics room, set up and start with a cardio on the step.  I pull a lot of technique from my step class for this.  1 to 2 min later I do an upper body move.  Then back to either the BOSU for a cardio and weights combo or back the the 3 tier steps for a 1 to 2 min. cardio fix.  Then I move back to all weights say, lower body…..etc.  I usually try to hit 4 to 5 sets of 12 to 15 reps of everything.  Then I do my push-ups on the BOSU, planks….back to cardio, weights and so forth.  I keep a lot of walking lunges with the medicine ball or barbell.

I usually do not do a full body workout like this more then once a week because of how fast my lower body tones up.  Thus I do this once a week and upper body twice a week if I have time.

I was drenched in so much sweat.  I just couldn’t get myself to pull through for a run.  Like I need one anywayz.  The cardio was incorporated in the routine so it’s not that needed.

I never keep it the same ever.  I do what comes to mind.  Then I cool down and about 20 min. of yoga to stretch and meditate.

The bbq I went to, I did very well.  Luckily for most Cambodian BBQ, the focus is usually the meat,veggies and fruits.  Unfortunately they brought out donuts and I had just one.

To my question of size, do you ever wonder what size you would wear at a certain weight?

I know for me I wore a size 18 going on to 20 at 220 lbs.

When I made it to 180 lbs I typically wore 13/14 and was able to shop from normal size stores.

Now at 142 I wear a solid 7/8 with a few smalls here and there.

What I don’t understand is how some people say they were a certain size at a  certain weight.  Like, how can someone who weighs 220 lbs or bigger wear a size 12?  That doesn’t make sense to me.  It makes me say, what was I doing wrong at 220 to be wearing an 18?  My cousin tried to tell me she is wearing a large at 220 lbs - I COUGH BULLSHI*!

Yes, I know size vary by designers, but come on, does that make sense?  Let’s be realistic because that shi* ain’t real.

I hope to make it to a  5 and stay there, but my body is really happy where it’s at now.

Well, I have a lot of exercise planned for tomorrow.  Better to not say what it is till I do it.  I don’t want to lie to myself.  I hate it when I write something down and don’t follow through.

I LOVED IT!!!

I don’t know what I was scared of!! I just don’t know.  I had a ton of fun.  I am NO LONGER A HIP HOP VIRGIN!

I ate a ton of good food including 1 fried chicken breast.  But with mainly fruits, veggies 9 servings of fruits, high protein from cottage cheese I had all the energy I need to do two awesome classes.

We did a new routine in Kickboxing!! I loved it.

I was apprehensive about HIP HOP; but I stayed and did it!! OK, so I’m not coordinated just yet, but I did find my own rhthym and style!!!

YAY ME!

I come home to some yummy eggrolls and fried rice courtesy of my honey Rod.

I am so going for a 10K slow run tomorrow.  I’m used to doing 5K’s but I have to start doing a bit more.  No time - just do the do!!!

Exhaustion got the best of me!

We had soooooooooooooooooo muchhhhhhhhhh funnnnn!!!!!!  We got up early, geared up and went to the Laker’s Parade.  We managed to pay $20 to park at USC and got into the Coliseum with a great seat!! WHOO HOOOO!!!

Few things, NEVER TRY TO BREAK IN A NEW PAIR OF SHOES NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT MATCHES THE OUTFIT!!!  The New Balance shoes gave me a big blister  because I bought them last night.  I limped for about 3 miles.  I wish I wore my old pair but Rod wouldn’t let me of course. 

We screamed so much I think my voice will be lost for a few days.

   Dorky as ever and yes Rod said shorts!!! I was terrified but I wore them.   I wore no make-up because I want none running down my face.   A few girls had a full mask, I mean full face on and it was scary!  I think I look fat!  No, I feel fat but it’s ok!  I’m never a fan of t-shirts because of my broad shoulders!

The stadium maxed out at 93,000 people!  The energy was electrifying!

I ate a big breakfast of scrambled eggs and rice.  Then munched on granola bars at the stadium.  I had pear and carrots but just never had time to eat it.  We got lost coming back to USC; thus we walked about 8 miles total!

I’m tired.  I will take another exercise day off.

Tomorrow it’s back to Kickboxing and weights!!!!!

DEDICATION
DETERMINATION
COMMITMENT
CONSISTENCY
WILL POWER
NO EXCUSE!!!! NO EXCUSE IN MY BOOK!!!! I do not make excuses for myself!! NONE! Because excuses is what got me to 220 lbs!!!!!! These days I just do it!!

Make this process, the eating in moderation, exercise as easy as breathing to you. Make it a part of your life. At some point you won’t need to count calories and count calories burned. At some point you can have a binge or two and be ok with it. At some point falling off the wagon is good for the metabolism.

THIS FREAKIN’ journey is hard!!!!!! I urge you to allocate a couple hours in the day for you. Make it me time. The me time is needed so you can refocus on your journey. Set aside other priorities. Because you know what? They are still going to be there when you are done.

Sometimes I feel like it works against me that I don’t have children. Like, having no children means I have more time for myself, which is true BUT!!!!! I’ve learned how to make me time. I don’t care if it’s 5am in the morning! If I want to run I go!! I don’ care if it’s break time, if I want to walk I walk!!!! I don’t care if it’s the weekend and I have stuff planned, I planned my days around my exercise and food!!!! Why because it’s that important to me!!

Me time is me time!! If other people can’t handle it because Rod and I get into it, oh well!!! I’m sorry but there’s 24 hrs in a day and if I want to spend 2 to 3 hours on MY BODY, MY HEALTH, MY MENTAL STATE AND MYSELF - I WILL! I shed enough hours for work, for the family and friends. I need to spend the time thinking about my food intake and my exercise as well as my mental state. If I’m not healthy, how good will I be to the rest of my family? I won’t!!!!

If I can’t do that for me no one else will!!! AND IF THIS SOUNDS SELFISH THEN SELFISH I AM!! I spent enough years not being selfish enough and so be it!! I want this enough because I know it has to be done!! NOT talked about - DONE!

I had such a great time in all 3 classes.  Step was awesome!  We did a new routine and I kicked it up a ton of notches.  Kickboxing was great but I was getting tired by hr #2.  Yoga, ah, she killed our triceps with tricep push-ups! YAY!!!  Suffice to say I’m exhausted to the max!  I drank a ton of water with electrolytes added and ate my energy bar in between classes.  I’m just too tired to take a shower.   I stink.  Completely and utterly stinker!

Blaithin, next month I will certainly try to make it to a custom runner shoe store for a pair but for now, I can’t budget it in.  Instead I went bargain cheapo and bought a pair of New Balance running shoes for $35.00.  See, I have the expensive ones that cost me $120 but I rarely wear it because my foot shrunk 1/2 a size since I bought them.  Since I’m only going into my 5th month of running, I figured I need to spend my money wisely.  As I did today.  And Rod replaced some of my black tank tops that conveniently disappeared during a wash a couple weeks ago.

Tuesday evening I’m not sure If I will exercise or take the day off yet.   It’s to be determined.  I want to do something but I will have to wait and listen to my body.  If it tells me tomorrow is good I will do something.

Been thinking a lot about our instant gratification  society that we live in.  For the most part, most buddyslim members are in long term relationships or marriages which is great.  We have some great single ladies too.

Something happened to a wonderful friend of mine and my heart goes out to her.  It tears me up to see how hurt she is by a man she loved.  He is cruel.  He swept her off her feet only done to feed his own ego.  This friend is a wonderful person and does not deserve the bullshi* she got from him.  But I know she is strong enough to get pass this difficult period and one day find the man of her dreams.

Now, I know how much it hurts because my ex not only cheated on me numerous times, but the final time, the one in which I had direct evidence, I left him for.  Even then, he still try to lie,cheat and deceit his way into my heart.

My question is, how many of us really know if our loved ones is being true to us?  How many of our men have lied to our faces and been with other women?  How many of us truly knows the truth?  Do we really want to know the truth?

I believe, as I told my friend Blaithin, that there are very few faithful men and I’m sure faithful women out there.  Especially in this age, this time where a man can be on the computer talking to someone else and we may or may not know about it.  How would you handle it if it was you?  Would you leave or stay?  Does having children play a role in your decisions?

How I’ve handled it with my boyfriend, we have a very open relationship that allows us to freely talk about ourselves.   There’s very little I do not know.  I know most everything that he does.  Not to say it couldn’t happen again.  But I established from the first day I met him what I expect from a man.  I hope and wish that by keeping an open relathionship where we do not feel the need to hide our desires and dreams will keep our relationship free of the deceit that I’ve experienced in the past.

2 0 0 9 LAKERS ARE THE CHAMPS BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KOBE M V P!!! SHOUT OUTS TO MY BOYS!! OH YES!!!!!

YES!  See, that’s what doing push-ups and weights is all about!!!! I know I know, it sounds insane but I did it! I was looking at myself in the mirror and I can really move my chests!  Now, the problem is I can’t go and show it to Rod because it would freak him out.  He would just pack his clothes and leave me! LOL

Shaina, man girl, my man is SOOOO not for me even thinking about doing body building!  Yep, I brought up the subject Saturday night.  Like, how would he feel if I did it?  He was just like he can’t do it.  I said if I was single I would.  Now, I DON’T Need his approval to do anything because it is my hobby, but I do see where he’s coming from.  Ultimately, I am here to be healthy but at the same time be attractive to him.  It was a nice thought though!

I told him I can move my chest but I won’t show it to him.  He asked to see but I know he would be so scarred and terrified he would not look at me the same.  I think I’ll just keep the womanly curves for him and tone up for me.  We can have the best of both worlds!

Sunday afternoon Nancy’s Bootcamp was the shi*!! I loved it.  I ate my leftovers from the dinner for breakfast and it was perfect food for my workout.  I did all my push-ups on the BOSU, used the stability ball, the medicine ball and step routine.  I Love coming up and doing my own workouts.  If I want to make it hard, I do, if I want to lighten it up I can do that too.   Everything is customized for me.

Like Becky, I decided two weeks ago to stop counting calories on the weekend and just eat normal food but with portion control in mind.  It’s been working.  I feel good.  Tomorrow I’m back on it with the food journal.

TRIPLE PLAY MONDAY IS ON!!!! I can’t wait to get to all 3 classes.  This time I have to eat about 1400 calories BEFORE 3PM  so I can do all 3 classes.  Nothing like my fave Step, Kickboxing and Yoga to begin a new week.

I should be in bed but I forgot I haven’t been on here all day!

Friday kickboxing was the shi*!!!!!  I had so much fun!!! But I did not make it to HIP HOP! I chickened out. OH WELL, I have another Friday to do it.

Saturday morning I thought I should take the day off from exercise.  I didn’t get up to eat early like I would on days I do exercise.  10am rolled around and it’s still cloudy out.  I decided why not right?  After adding some of those little electrolytes pack thingies to my water I took off for a 5 mile run.  Yes Blaithin, I took it outside.  But it was horrible.  First mile I couldn’t do, second, third, fourth and fifth.  I did not have my usual level of energy.  Came back home and did some yoga by the poolside.  That is until the two nephews started doing it with me and the two yr old was sitting on my head during pigeon pose.  That was the best part of it.

I WILL NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER RUN WITHOUT EATING MY USUAL BREAKFAST OR PRE-WORKOUT FOOD!!!

How do people exercise without eating?  I don’t understand it because I just can’t!!! NO WAY NO HOW!!!! I’m fit and I felt like that was the first time I ever ran in my whole life!

We went to a wonderful show and dinner with Pirates and all that good stuff with my whole family.  We had such a great time.  I ate everything from appetizers, to the full dinner, ate off my two nephew’s plate and brought the rest of my food home for tomorrow’s lunch.  I did not worry about the calories.  AHHHHHHHH that was the first time I had mashed potatoes in forever!!! And chicken strips!!!  And little sausages!!!! Yep, all the little kids food!!

Sunday, I’m getting up early, eat a large breakfast so I can do my own BOOTCAMP workout!!! OH YES!!  My bootcamp workout consists a lot of free weights with 2 min cardio kicks in between sets.  I also use the BOSU, the stability ball and medicine ball.  The great thing with using the Aerobics room after all the classes is the SPIN bikes is in there and I can jump on for the cardio kicks.  I also love doing lunges across the room with 30 lb weights which is light but walking lunges takes more effort then stationary ones.  Oh and my lovely lovely push-ups!  Then yoga to finish off my morning.

It’s early morning, no way am I going to catch up on blogs, forums and what not.  Will do so Sunday. MISSED YOU GUYS!!!!

I just realized after setting up the Wildcats forum that I’m almost there. It’s hitting me that in 1/2 a year on New Years day 2010, I would have been on this journey for 5 years! 78 lbs of me is gone and I kept all of it off. I can’t tell you how this brings me to tears. Even with 9 months where I couldn’t exercise because of an injury and my own frustration with my body and mind and gaining 30 back, I managed to lose it and keep it off.

To put it all in perspective, I am and will be a 1 in 10 or so of people who lost the weight and kept it off.

WOW, I never thought of it like that when there are days I get mad beause I can’t lose another 10 lbs easily.

To reflect on the past and appreciate the future. Why am I such a cry baby? Sits here crying over 78 lbs. WOW.

And in 3 months my first 5K official run or even a 1/2 marathon. Next yr is the LA one.

The girl who wouldn’t exercise, eat right, eat breakfast, drinks soda is no lnger here. 4 1/2 yrs!!!