Measurements of Success

I have been absent from keeping updated on my progress

Though it was for good reasons from a very busy life and lots of changes

I am proud to say that I haven't given up on my goals or journey towards weight loss

I will be the first to admit that it hasn't been my #1 focus

Between starting a new job and school assignments and exams

Vacations, holidays, and the many challenges in life

I found myself a little distracted.

However, I did make it a focus to eat better and more vegetables

Thanks to our ever growing garden 

We have had an overwhelming abundance of fresh vegetables

Honestly, more than we can eat

Good news is that I have in the last 6 weeks lost a total of 13 pounds!

This is my picture that I reference to motivate myself

Seriously, I can't believe how much 13 pounds actually is! OMG!

I am very proud of myself!

I love that my pants are getting really loose and to the point I can't wear them anymore

{EVER AGAIN!}

Even though my start has been really slow it makes it easier to gain momentum

I want to build and improve week to week

This week my focus is to come up with a better measurements to track successes

I am going to take measurements

both inches and weight

Plus before and after photos

I want to be better about tracking calories and my workout stats

That way I can set more specific goals and have a way to track success.

I haven't decided if I'll post pictures or actual measurements yet

Its super personal and the thought of it frightens me

{I still feel like I'm being judged}

Maybe I'll get brave one day in the future, we'll just have to see

I found a bunch of motivational pics on pinterest

This one is one of my favorites and I wanted to share

I want to thank everyone for their words of love and support

It means more to me than you know!

I promise that I will be better about posting and setting goals

{and breaking them!!}



My Exercise Motivation

I have figured out the best way to stay motivated during a work out

Not motivational music

Not keeping track of calories

Not setting a length of time

and not trying to reach a certain distance.

Nope these aren't my motivation during a work out

Its simple.

Make it a priority to wear out this dog:

We run, we jump, we play chase, and cover the entire sports complex

Even when I am exhausted

We don't stop until this guy is thoroughly worn out

He is too tired to completely open his eyes

We took 2 long trips to the park today

which included a TON of running

I say today was a very successful day in terms of exercise

It feels so good to run around and be active

Thanks to my husband and my over energized puppy for helping me out



The {Not-So} Great Truth

“Stumbling is not falling.” ~Portuguese Proverb

I knew when I started this "get fit" journey that it wasn't going to be easy.

When I started off it was easy.

Each morning I woke up and made a healthy smoothie

Each day I'd find something active to do whether working out via dvds or the kinnect

Sometimes bike rides or outings with Oakley

We ate lots of fruits and vegetables

I lost 10 pounds in a short period of time.

Then life intervined and it wasn't easy anymore

I started the busy process of getting a new job!

more info on that later

Getting ready for our best friends' wedding

Then our GLORIOUS trip to California

Needless to say I got off track during the process

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” ~Colin Powell

 Now I am home and I have a week before I start my new job

Perfect time to get back into the groove

I promise I will be better about posting my progress along my journey.

I will post more goals and some starting pictures and information.



First Bike Ride in 10 Years

Last year Jeff's parents got him a bike for his birthday. 

Ever since then we have talked about me getting a bike so we could ride together. 

Honestly, it had been so long since I have even been on a bike

I was a little scared that I'd forgot how to ride. 

Not to mention the last time I was on a bike...

I crashed. HARD.

Mainly because the bikes back breaks weren't working and my friend failed to share that info

Either way as part of my new get fit process

I got a bike!

The only problem is the one I wanted is pretty tall. Taller than my husbands bike...

With the seat at its lowest point I am ready to go

Jeff and I went on our first bike ride

We rode from our house to Utah Lake and back

I didn't know how far we went and thought it was about 3 miles round trip.

Turns out it's about 4.7 miles round trip

I know that doesn't seem like a lot on a bike

But for that being my first major workout. 

I'm pretty proud.

It wasn't too bad for the first part of the ride. 

Once we started to head back I started to feel the ride. 

My legs were tired and I was exhausted

There was a point I thought I wasn't going to make it home

and that I had reached too far for our first ride

I made it and after my legs felt like rubber

But it was a great feeling.

Can't wait for our next bike ride! 

Couch Potato to 5k Runner

I haven't ever been much of a runner. I wasn't part of the track team, but I went to many of them. I have never participated in any competitive run like 5k, 10k, etc. The only running I have ever done was part of gym class or at the gym on the treadmill. My husband, however, loves to run. In fact his entire family are major runners. Not to mention a good majority of Utah seems to be obsessed with running. I decided that I wanted to give it a good try and see if I can discover a love for running. Plus, I have a furry little buddy who lives to run. 

I don't do anything without a plan. Part of the OCDness my mom instilled into me. I found a nice 10 week program on pinterest that I think is perfect for me. On August 4th I have registered to run in the Wasatch Wellness 5k Run in Provo, Utah. I want to run the entire thing and I know as long as I keep committed that I can do it. Wish me luck!

Goals to Success

I decided for the best chance of success that I need to motivate myself in as many ways as possible. I decided that if I make a series of goals to mark each of my accomplishments then that will be a good source of motivation. I don't want to put goals for each step yet. I want to do it in series so I can be as realistic as possible. So here is my goals so far. 

My Weight Loss Goals

• 5 pounds 
• New craft project
• 10 pounds 
• New pair of shoes
• 15  pounds 
• Get my hair done
• 20  pounds 
• Buy side table for living room
• 25 pounds
• New workout clothes
• 30 pounds
• Weekend getaway to Park City

Reach my goal weight

• Get some new clothes
• Family pictures
• Caribbean Cruise Vacation

Letting Go and Moving Forward

A big deep breath and a step forward... I am ready to begin what I am know will be the hardest and most rewarding journey in my life. Change is never easy and committing to sharing my struggles and successes with the world makes it even harder. It is something that I have debated about sharing with everyone numerous times, to the point it has kept me up at night thinking about it. I ultimately decided that it would be a great source of motivation, because struggling to succeed is not as embarrassing as giving up to failure. Failure is not an option, therefore, neither is giving up. I am ready to make the change and what I hope feels like the next step for a better life. 

Since I was little I can remember being self conscious about my weight. I can't remember a time when  I didn't compare the way I looked to others my age. I started dancing at 3 years old and was a major part of my life. I would spend hours dancing around our family room. I was always an active child and I think that helped keep my weight in check, since I wasn't ever overweight as a child. I just was never a skinny child, I hope you understand what I meant. Not to mention I hit my growth sport early and was taller than majority of my classmates. Doesn't exactly help with a child's self esteem. 

Throughout school I was bullied and tormented about my weight and another major insecurity. I was born with a birth defect called Duane Syndrome, basically there is a lack of communication between my left eye muscle and the back of my brain that controls movement. As a result my left eye has problems turning to the side. {More info can be found here} I was called names from cross-eyed cow, lazy eyes, and some other just really cruel names. Childhood can be tough and words hurt more than stones, that childhood rhyme lied. I have held onto those memories for far too long. I have never told anyone how others treated me. I didn't ever want to give them power over me. Yet, by holding it in it gave them power over who I believed I am for all these years. I will make the promise to myself that I will never think of those names again. 

As I entered the teenage years and worst high school I became more self conscious. My sophomore year was without a doubt the best year I can remember. I was in the best shape of my life, thanks to cheerleading. I had great friends and not to mention I met my husband. I, for the most part, had found self esteem and felt like I actually fit in with the rest of society. I was genuinely happy. I can honestly say this was the year that I came to terms with my eye issue and decided it could only bother me if I let it. I turned it into something I could do that no one else could and I just didn't let other's comments get to me. This was a major event for me and shows me that I can let go. I am a person just like everyone else. No one is better than me we are all equal. We all have different struggles and trials in our life. Its how we deal and learn from them that makes us special. 

My junior year was when things started to go back down hill. I didn't feel like I fit in on the cheer squad anymore and those responsibilities kept me from my real friends and they formed their own groups. I started to feel alone again. My senior year I found an out, going to college instead of high school. I spent 50% or more of my senior year pursing my paralegal and the part in high school I spent with the debate team and finishing up the last of my required classes for graduation. This year I gained a lot of weight in part due to a stop of my active lifestyle and what I later found out to be partly because of a medical condition. I loved going to college I felt like an adult and like I finally fit in somewhere. I wasn't judged by those in my class and just was able to be me. When high school graduation came I wanted absolutely nothing to do with the graduation party. I downright refused to go, I didn't feel like I belonged there. That wasn't my class. I was the outcast. The combined efforts of my mom and Jeff forced me to go. I hung out with some of my old friends and actually ended up having a great time. The summer after high school I spent working and spending time with old friends. I couldn't wait for college, because I saw it as a fresh start and an escape from my current reality. 

My first year of college I didn't really get involved, in part because I didn't want to risk putting myself out there, and I just went to class and work. My relationship with Jeff grew and that's what I focused on. I did end up seeing medical help in regards to my weight and was diagnosed with PCOS, you can find info here, and hypothyroidism, more info here. Both helped to contribute to my weight gain and make it harder to lose weight as a result. I became discouraged and helpless. I thought the world had conspired against me to make my life as hard as possible. I became depressed and lost. I didn't want to focus on school anymore and my life long dream of become a lawyer got pushed aside. I started looking for an easier route and a less risky path I changed my major a couple times as a result, which put me further behind and extended my time in college.

For the past year I have continued to struggle with my weight and have been working on realizing how being depressed and holding onto the past is only inhibiting my dreams and giving up on myself. I have come back to my original major and to my dreams of going to law school. I have decided to focus on the positive things in my life and improve on the negative. I am determined to lose weight and shed it from my insecurities. I am going to work with my doctors to make sure I do this in a healthy way and make sure that I am taking my medication regularly. I am so blessed to have people around me who are willing to support me and help me through this journey. My husband is my best support and I am so thankful for accepting me for me no matter how I look on the outside. I am ready to let go of the past and welcome the new me. I am going to post my struggles, my goals, and my accomplishments through the blog. You can follow my journey through the weight loss tab above. You will never see me look like that girl again. I am going to find a more confident and happy version one that feels beautiful on the inside and outside. I want to be proud of the person I see in the mirror every day rather than avoid the mirrors all together.