New Direction!

I won't post weigh in results just yet, as I haven't heard from some of my Monday weigh'ers.  I will update that later this week.

As for me, I maintained all weekend long.  This is a huge deal for me, as I usually put what I lost through the week, right back on during the weekend.  The fact that I maintained, means that I will show a loss 2 weeks in a row.  THAT makes me thrillingly happy!

As you know, in my last post I was thinking about doing the Beach Body challenge with the Shakeology drinks.  I got a sample from my local Beach Body coach and tried it out this weekend.  I was pleasantly surprised!  I used the chocolate Shakeology mix, and blended it with 1 cup of 2% milk (would normally use skim but didn't have any on hand) 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and 3 ice cubes.  It was very thick, so I'd add more ice next time around.  But surprisingly tasty for a diet type shake.  And it made more than I was expecting.  I used one of the Coke glasses you got free from McDonalds (appropriate, don't you think??) and it was filled completely, just below the top of the glass.  Someone had stated that the recipe I used tasted like a melted Reese cup, and I'd venture to say that it wasn't far off!
Weekends are very hard for me food wise.  I have a hard time keeping myself occupied enough to 'not' eat.  It's usually bad things, sugary things, that I'm ingesting.  I had my shake at 9:30am to replace breakfast.  Believe it or not, I did not think about food at all until 2:30, when I realized I hadn't been hungry all day!  That was a huge bonus and selling point for me.  So I bit the bullet and joined the challenge.  At 160.00, it's not cheap.  But that got me the entire Brazillian Butt Lift workout line, and a 1 month supply of the Shakeology.  When I need more, I will only have to pay $82.00 for a 30 day supply, since I'm a Beach Body member.  I'm still not clear if there is a monthly membership, but I'll find that out post haste.

So I'll keep you updated on how this Beach Body thing works out.  I have totally high hopes for this!!

update!

here are the current standings...I only got 4 weigh in's this week!

Cas  -5.12% (wow!)
AS   -4.70%
Jac   -.49%
pixie +.37% (so close to hitting my start!  lol)

I did not get weigh in's from the rest of you, so if you have it, let me know!  Cas has obviously been working her lil butt off...literally!  Nice Job!

I was invited to start a BeachBody challenge by a fellow Zumba instructor.  She is a Beach Body trainer, licensed and all.  It looks great and all, and there's a fancy shmancy shake that goes along with it.  The downfall (besides the fact the cost has not been disclosed) is that it's based a great deal around doing a Beach Body video consistently at home.  In case you are not familiar, Beach Body videos are P90X, Insanity and Turbo Fire etc.  Highly intense workouts.  Now, I know myself very well.  The reason I don't already do these videos, is because I know I will not put forth maximum effort alone in my living room.  As soon as it gets too hard, I'll quit.  Now, if I was in a class in a group setting, that's a whole different story.  I'll be damned if I give up in front of a group of people.  If have only learned one thing about my workout preferences over the years, it's that I am totally a group fitness person.  I have to have that competitive fire...even if I'm not competing, and don't know the other people in the room.  I work harder knowing that someone is watching me, and would see me fail and or give up.  I emailed the trainer this, so we'll see if she has any options.  I don't think she's terribly local, so I'm pretty sure she doesn't teach a class around here.

Has anyone ever done or have more info on Beach Body challenges??

I obviously, cannot be trusted

...with food that is!  I am a bona-fide closet eater.  To a ridiculously nonsensical extent actually.  I had done relatively well all week with my food choices (ok upon further review, I did not do as well as I thought since I had funeral dinner days this week), and then was left alone for the better part of the weekend.  If I'm left alone with food, I cave.  If I go to the grocery store alone, bad things happen.  I went to the store to get toilet paper and cleaner...I came home with a a package of cookies...and McDonalds.  (**On a more positive note I did NOT get pop...haven't had a soda since 1/3!!)  Of course the guilt of having the girls or Kelly SEE that I caved made me then inhale said cookies (yes the whole package) before they got home.  Then I buried the McD's bag in the garbage so no one could see I had it.  OH!  Let's back track shall we??  I went to Buehlers on Friday during my lunch break for snacks to take to game night with the family.  I ended up leaving with a package of Troyers sugar cookies...and again proceeded to eat all but 4 before Kelly got home.  Then I hid them, and had the remaining 4 with breakfast Saturday morning and again buried the packaging in the trash.  I think I have a serious issue, and I am at a loss on how to conquer my sugar cravings.  I know eating sugar makes you want more sugar, and trust me...I can totally vouche for that being true.  When I go on a sugar bender, I go full force!  So the damage from the weekend, and my inability to say no when Kelly says "dinner out tonight?" ?  I am up 3.5 since Friday.  This is getting ridiculous, and I just may need an intervention.

update!

So not many of you emailed me with a weigh in this week.  So I'll put standings for thus far in the challenge, regardless of the date of your last weigh in.

AS:  -3.72%
Cas: -3.0%
MF: -2.85%
wtf: -2.27%
Jac: - .89%
LS: - .47%
TC:   0%
pixiestc: +1.66%

That's where we stand as of right now!  So get your weigh in's to me, or your start weights! 

Kel and I have decided to take a getaway vacation.  The plan is to go late February.  Which means I have about 6-7 weeks to look at least semi decent.  The thought of going away to somewhere that I would have to dress beachy, absolutely terrifies me.  I am sooo unhappy in my own skin at this point that I can't even look in a mirror without crying.  Ew.  So...  Zumba with Sarah on Monday's, Spin class on Tuesday, Tap class on Weds, Zumba at either the studio or the town hall or my living room on Thursday.  I'm going to bite the bullet and join Curves.  I'm back to squeezing in some weight lifting exercises during bathroom breaks.  I'm back on the Hydroxycut.  Now I just need to get some willpower over food.  That's always my downfall.  If I can get Kelly to help me, I can do it.  Unfortunately, he usually isn't very helpful on the food front...lol.

Check out this article for motivational tips!  This workout is crazy good, withough being crazy difficult!

I've been good taking pictures for my scrapbook...some busy mornings have made me miss a couple.  But I think I have 3 sets so far (front and side view).  Lets just say....um, blech.  But I'll get the January page posted when it's done. (fingers crossed).

ka-frazzled!

I am currently a mixed bag of irritated, frustrated, pissed off, discourgaed, stressed out, determined and exasperated.  My brain can not seem to focus on one thing, as I feel like I have a million things that need to be accomplished.  None of these 'things' can keep my attention long enough to be completed.  Not that I have an unusually short attention span, I just seem to be losing focus.  The one thing that I seem to have no problem accomplishing??  Shoving food in my mouth that seems to be forever piling onto every unattractive inch of my expanding body.  I can feel every potato chip that I ate last night.  They settled comfortably and evenly onto each one of my ass cheeks, lovingly surrounded by the chip dip that accompanied them.  The cheesy potato leftovers made a home on my right love handle, while the coke bottle gummies fit right onto the the left one.  I can feel my 'bra fat' slowly adjusting to make room for the banana and pumpkin bread that are calling to me from the table in the lunch room, while the butter that will undoubtedly go on it will more than likely end up on my second chin.

I am extending the challenge to 2/15.  At that point a winner will be crowned and the monies paid out.  I'll probably start another challenge right after that.  For the current contest, any new starters will start fresh, while those of you that have been so good, will keep your current loss percentage and continue to build on it.  I have received challenge money from:

Cas
Jac
As
TC
pixiestc

So let's go!  I'm getting back on my horse and trying to get a solid workout plan in motion.  I have new links to share and will have them up soon.  If I can turn the vacuum cleaner that is my mouth off, I might be able to make up some ground!

oh dear.

yes, i did what I said I wouldn't do.  I let my weight totally balloon over the holiday break.  I'm at my heaviest weight ever.  223.  How the f*ck did I let that happen?  It is what it is, and I need to deal with it.  and I am.  I bought a new HR monitor with the chest strap to help with my tracking.  I'm getting my workout schedule finalized.  My biggest hurdle is food.  i just like it.  A bit too much.  I need to gradually scale back my calories and drastically cut back the sugar.  That's the hard part...I love sugary stuff.  But baby steps need to be taken before i can make giant leaps.  I've learned this from experience.  so again, here we go from the beginning.

I have gotten weigh in's from several of you during the break.  Gold stars for you!  I'm going to extend the competition...if I have no objections.  I can't end the challenge at a 'plus' percentage.  That's a shitty way to start the new year!  I have some serious catching up to do with those of you who lost over the holiday!  My hat is off to you, and I am using you as my motivation to get back on my horse!

I just feel very cluttered right now.  My house is still in holiday hangover mode, and It needs some serious de-cluttering and organizing.  My diet is in shambles, and my exercise routine has all but disappeared.  I'm making up my resolution list, which I usually do monthly ie: 1 resolution for each month.  This year i have decided to just do a weightloss scrapbook.  A photo taken on the first of each month, with my goals to accomplish on one page, and the opposite page showing my results from the previous months goals.   Pages in between will feature any accomplishments I achieve not having to do with my listed goals.  We'll see how this pans out.  I'll share the scrapbook with you as it progresses.

As for challenge updates, I'm getting there.  I'm a little discouraged, and updated the challenge seems daunting at this point.  But all of you are depending on me, and that will keep me going!

Again, if anyone wants to jump in the challenge for the New Year, please do so.  Still $5.00...still winner take all.  CAS and AS are leading the way right now!  you GO girls!!