Day 116 - - Day 2 of 90

So today is Day 2 of my 90-day Body By Vi Challenge.  I am feeling pretty good.  I don't think I slept very well last night, my eyes are very tired today.  Could be the fact that we were at the ball field again last night, and the pollen and grass got to me!

Yesterday, I had a Vanilla Coffee and a Pumpkin Pie shake.  Today was a Fruit Smoothie and Banana Cream Pie.  I do love these shakes.  They are way too yummy to be good for you.  I haven't had a hunger pang yet. 

My husband is doing it as well.  He loves it too!  He hasn't had any issues of hunger or anything else either.  He normally has issues of low blood sugar, if he doesn't eat every couple hours, he gets the shakes, and headaches, etc.  He has had no issues with these so far! 

Today is short and sweet, been a little hectic today, so I don't have much time.  Just thought I would check in with everyone and let you know things are going great! 

I did take before photos of my 90-day challenge, and that is in addition to the before photos I had taken at the first of the year.  Only about 20 pounds difference in the two photos, but you can see the difference.  I will post those later.

Have a great weekend!

Day 114

So, my Visalus shake mix finally got here today!  I am so excited.  I was feeling junk-foody yesterday, so I had Chinese for lunch.  Bad Girl, I know.  I have been super tired and lagging all this week.  I can't wait to get shakin' tomorrow, get my energy back, and start losing some real pounds!

I went to a class last night at Abs & Glutes, and let me tell you I am feeling both of those things, as well as every other muscle in my body today!  It was great and I felt good afterwards, other than not being able to move much! LOL  I have a ball game next Tuesday, but will be going back as much as I can.  That class works so much, surely it will help!  Plus need to start back working out regularly, it's just so hard to do that when I have ball games on different nights each week.  But I will get to it, will figure out what I have to do to get the most benefit from the Shake Challenge and working out!

I am excited about this challenge.  It's a 90-day Challenge, starts tomorrow, and my husband is doing it with me.  I have one other person signed up with me, and her shipment will hopefully be here today as well!  I am just so tired as I write this right now, my eyes are droopy and heavy, and I could really just go home and take a nap.  I can't wait to start shakin' tomorrow so I can have the energy I had last week!  And it's a great time to start these, because that wonderful time of the month is coming too soon, and my energy ALWAYS lags when that comes around.

Again, if you are interested in more information about the Body By Vi Shake Challenge, please log onto: www.Billie4.BodyByVi.com and watch the short informational video!  It's taking the country by storm!

Day 112

So I ordered my shakes last week.  And so did my husband.  The shipments are supposed to be here tomorrow.  I haven't weighed in, but that is just because I am waiting to do so the day I start my "real" 90-day challenge.  I weighed and measured last week to see how well my samples did and was amazed.

We were busy, busy people this weekend.  We had our annual Dogwood Festival here in town, so we watched the parade, walked to the school where they have all the craft booths set up, browsed around those, played catch with the boys...  Sunday, I cleaned my office, went grocery shopping, made homemade laundry soap, did laundry and made homemade and low-cal Ranch dressing!!  It is yummy!!

Homemade Ranch Dressing
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 pkg Ranch dressing mix (make sure you get the dressing and not the dip)
1/2 cup 1% milk


Whisk all together and done!  Very easy, and the amount it makes, for the whole bottle of it, is less than 300 calories!!


Yes, I ate fair food.  There is only so many times a year you can get a good funnel cake, so I had one, but I shared it with my husband!  And we ate out a couple times, and I didn't get the best thing I could, and I am ok with it.  I know I could have made better choices, but at that time I didn't want to. Those were the decisions I made, I have to own up to them and I do.

I am out of my Visalus shake mix, but I made myself a butterscotch protein shake this morning, and was hungry by 10:00.  I don't know what the difference is between the protein shake and the Visalus, but I never felt hungry with the Visalus.  So, I can't wait til my shipment gets here and I can get this ball rolling.    I am having a salad for lunch, with my homemade Ranch.

We have ball games on Monday and Thursday this week, so I am hoping to go to some classes tomorrow and Wednesday to workout.   Still have the "Insanity" dvd's, and if I start those, it needs to be today (on a Monday).  We shall see how I feel after we get home from the ballpark and fix dinner!

This is a bit of a short one one today.  Hope everyone had a great weekend.  Good things to come!!

Day 108-276.8 pounds

So I am down exactly 5 pounds from Sunday.  I know I wasn't supposed to weigh, but it's like a habit now, so I just do it.  I did go to Zumba last night, had a great time, sweated like a dog, and didn't fall down!  I am in the process of ordering my Shape Kit from Body by Vi, and can't wait for it to get here...

We had a lot of conversation rolling on my facebook group yesterday.  About what works for you, and if you are depriving yourself or looking for a "quick fix."  With these shakes, I don't feel like I am depriving myself of anything.  I am the first one to say that the "quick fixes" don't work!  I have tried almost every diet plan and pill that you can imagine.  I finally got it in my brain that those are not going to work for me.  But neither does planning out meals, that I normally don't have time to fix or won't keep in my work refrigerator.  I am not a planner.  It just doesn't work for me.  So, I keep on hand the stuff to make 20 different kinds of these shakes, and guess what.... 5 pounds in 4 days.

If these stop working for me, then I will have to reevaluate.  Just like I did with the Slim Fast I was on.  Those worked for awhile, then made me feel sluggish and having pains.  I stopped taking them, and I was fine.  The healthier eating was working for me for awhile, I spent 2 hours one Sunday making my own "Egg McMuffin" so I could eat something filling and healthy.  And it was good.  But little by little I have slid back into the routine that if I don't have cereal in the house, or the time to eat it, I eat a fruit and grain bar (170 calories of NO nutrition) and coffee, then be starving by lunch, eating my leftovers from the night before (which are not bad for me), but still carving a candy bar or soda.  I have not craved a candy bar or soda yet.  The girls at work wanted one, went next door and bought... someone even offered to buy mine, but I said no.  I just didn't have the desire for chocolate right then.  And that is a Herculean feat, let me tell you!

Just got my kit ordered, and a kit for my husband!  We are excited to get started!

For more information, log onto: www.billie4.bodybyvi.com

Day 106- 278.2 pounds

Down another 0.8 pounds from yesterday.  I had a mocha shake this morning, and am in the process of wishing there were more of my lunch shake, which is banana cream pie.  Swear to God, it tastes just like a big ol' fluffy pie with whipped cream on top!  My new fave!   I can't wait to order my first shipment on Thursday!

I am so proud of my friend, Erin, who reached one of her personal goals today.  And it's a big one!  She has worked so hard!  Congratulations, girl!

I really want to go to some of the classes one of my gyms offers, but with baseball games and practices, it is making it very difficult.  Would love to go to the one tonight, called Power Pump, but my oldest son has his first baseball game tonight, and if I went to class, I would miss it!  Tomorrow night is just a practice, so I might try to go to the Zumba class tomorrow night, hopefully I can still keep up!!

As for my energy level, it is pretty good.  I did drink a Dr. Pepper yesterday, not really because I was craving one, but because my head kinda hurt, and it was about the time I would normally have one, so I figured it was the withdrawal from the caffeine my body  normally has at that time.  Unfortunately, it didn't really help...  I am chalking it up to the "detox" part of these shakes.  It has so much good stuff for you in them, that it clears all the bad stuff out of your body.  I think it was that, because even after dinner (a real meal of chicken quesadillas, YUM), it was still hurting a bit.  I don't seem to be as tired or "worn out" as I have been.  I still want to sleep in, but hopefully the longer I do these, the better that gets and I can maybe have a workout before work!  But at night, I am usually just ready to fall down, don't really want to cook dinner, just want to veg on the couch.  But last night was different.  Wasn't tired or worn out, but when bedtime rolled around, was definitely ready for sleep.  Which is good, sometimes I feel so tired, but when I get ready for bed, no sleep!

I just am so proud of my friend.  She said that I was her inspiration, as several other people have, but they don't realize how much of an inspiration they are to me.  Some of them that started after me have lost more, and that's because they kept at it no matter what!  I haven't really done that.  I have fallen off the wagon more than once!  But it is them who keep me going, who keep me wanting to be fit, and help motivate me more!

Day 105- 279 pounds

So, I started my shakes yesterday that my friend was so gracious in letting me try out first.  I weighed in at 281.8 yesterday morning, and down to 279 today.  WOW.  And the fact that they taste like candy, or decadent coffee, or fruit smoothies, or whatever you want them to taste like!!  I had a vanilla caramel frappuccino and a Butterfinger yesterday.  The first one was OK, not as much flavor as I personally thought it would have, but still tasted good (and as I told my husband, it was much better tasting than a "light" at Starbucks!!)  The Butterfinger one really surprised me.  It really tasted like a candy bar.  I let my whole family taste that one, and my kids are like, "Mom, can we start drinking those too??"

Today was a Tropical Pineapple, and now a Peanut Butter Cup for lunch.  The pineapple one, again, was ok, probably will put more fruit in it next time, but still was very good.  The peanut butter cup is amazing!  Taste's just like a Reese's.

I think I am going to do the 90 day challenge.  I already have some people that want info on it, so they  might try it as well.  And the more people we get doing it, the more free stuff for all of us.  I love saving money, and if it is going to help me lose weight in the process, then I am all for it!

THANKS JOANNA!!!

So, not sure how many workouts I will be able to put in this week.  Trying to get back into the habit of working out and going to the gym, but we have a baseball game on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and practice on Wednesday and Saturday.  Whoo!

I think I will go ahead and end this for today.  Will be back tomorrow!  If anyone else is interested in getting on board with this shake... let me know.  The more people we can get healthy, the better!

Day 102-282 pounds

This is me, gaining and losing the same weight.  Again, still haven't gotten back on track on the exercise, but that should be forthcoming.  Also, have my "test drive" shakes on the way this afternoon, so will be starting them soon too. 

I need to get serious about writing down my goals, getting my vision board up and running.  This weekend, with all the rain might just be a great time to be working on that.  Hopefully that will also help with the motivation!

The will power thing is another one I am struggling with.  I have never had much of it, so it is a stretch for me.  But I am hoping that the shakes do something for me, I have heard they are quite addicting, as well as great tasting, you can make them taste like candy.... so hopefully...

I am going to keep this short and sweet, as it has been a crazy busy day.  Just wanted to keep up, and let you all know I am still trying... still working...

Day 100- 280 pounds

Down from yesterday again.  I am thinking of modifying my plan a bit.  Maybe not weighing every day.  I don't know how that will work though, it seems to make me more aware of what I have or haven't done when I weigh every day... but sometimes it gets me down when the weight hasn't come off like I think it should.  Just pondering that...

I have had a great "show of faith" given to me by an old schoolmate, who is now a Facebook friend and loyal blog follower.  She is involved with the ViSalus Company and has offered me a "test drive" of the shakes to see if I can and want to take them.  Her and I are both hoping that this might be the motivation I need to get back on track.  I am supposed to meet with a friend of hers on Friday afternoon to get my "test drive."  I am pretty excited. 

I know this is part of my problem.  I have not given up, just lost the momentum.  But I see how little I have lost (at least I think so) and how much I could have lost in all this time, and all the weight I have to lose to reach my goal.  It's so easy to focus on the negative... why is that?!? 

We have ball practice tonight.  My husband's back is feeling much better.  I am planning on helping with practice as much as possible, he is still healing!  I am also hoping to be able to walk for a bit while my older son is practicing, so I can get some movement in!  My knee was kinda feeling funny again last night.  I have not been diligent on taking my glucosamine medicine, so I started taking those again, and hopefully walking will get it better. 

I do want to start that class next week.  That's on Tuesdays.  I would love to get back into the Zumba class, but with my husband hurt, that might be a bit of a stretch, as baseball and Zumba are on the same night.  But actual games start soon, and most of those are not on a Wednesday.  So, there's hope!

Day 99- 281 pounds

I am up from last week.  But I have not been exercising and haven't really watched what I have been eating.  We have had a pretty dysfunctional week or two in my house. 

My husband was lifting weights last week (the last time we were at the gym) and someone nudged him in the back in the middle of a "pull-down" and it tore a muscle.  We have spent time in the chiropractor's office, time on the heating pad, ice pack, massaging, everything we could think of to get it better.  Yesterday it was so bad, we spent over 2 hours in the Emergency Room, with lots of pain meds and some muscle relaxers to try to be able to loosen his back muscles up.  X-ray shows no discs out of place or bones broken, etc. so the doc is pretty sure it is torn.  Sent us away with more pain meds and muscle relaxers and the hope that it gets better on its own.  So...lesson of the day....DON'T TOUCH SOMEONE WHILE LIFTING WEIGHTS!!

I am hoping he heals quickly, for his sake and mine :-)

I have mapped out my meals for the next 10 days.  We actually had pizza last night, just because it was 8:00 before we got out of the ER.  But I have some of the recipes I want to post in my menu plan, so I will try them out and post them if they are any good! 

I am planning on going to a new class at one of the gyms here.  It is called Power Pump and is a weight training class.  I also am looking forward to going back to Zumba sometime soon, hopefully when the boys start their baseball games, and don't have practice every Wednesday night. 

My husband and I are going to try to do the INSANITY workout.... it seems kinda crazy, and I am not even sure I can attempt, let alone achieve some of the "moves", but you don't have to do a certain amount, but you just have to do them to the best of your ability for a certain amount of time.  This is hinging on his back healing quickly and starting it in the the next week or two. 

In the meantime, I need to get back to the gym or park and at least be walking.  And I will, it has just been crazy, like I said.  Again, I am going to have to revise my goals.  I still want to lose a total of 125 by the end of the year, but we are getting several months into it, and I am still a long way away from that!  I will just have to focus on what I want, and get the results I need!

 Our destination is never final.  I will have to continue working on my goal to lose and maintain for the rest of my life.  Failing as I have so far (and I have, don't try to make me feel better) is not the end of the world.  But I do have to courage to continue this journey, and hope to finish as a new woman!
 

Day 94- UPBRINGING OBESITY

Down again from yesterday.  Getting to the end of the week.  


I thought I might talk about something different today.  


Getting into the topic of what I like to call "upbringing obesity."  
What were we told as kids when we sat down to eat?  
What do we still tell our kids today?  


Finish everything on your plate.  If you eat everything on your plate, you can have dessert (or a treat, or whatever...).  Do we ever let our kids get hungry?  Do we let them feel what it actually feels like physically to be hungry?  
I think not.  


What happens at Christmas, Thanksgiving, 4th of July, Memorial Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Easter, Birthdays, etc.?  We all gather as a family and have dinner, or cake, or a BBQ.  What will I be doing this weekend?  Going over to my grandmother's to spend the Easter holiday with my family.  And what will we be eating???  Traditional food that we have all eaten most of our lives (especially in our area)....FRIED CHICKEN & MASHED POTATOES & PASTA SALAD & STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE & COOKIES & DEVILED EGGS!!!


And for most of us (myself as one of the biggest culprits) it is hard to eat healthy or proportionately at these gatherings.  You fill your plate with so many things, because there are so many things available to eat.  Unfortunately for some in my family, and fortunately for me, there are diabetes issues, some high blood pressure issues, so some of the things made will be sugar free or half & half, so a little better than the full calorie/fat version.  


How many of you out there are guilty of all the things I just mentioned?  No need to raise your hands, as I know personally a lot of the people that read this, and you were raised just like I was.  When my mom made macaroni and cheese, it wasn't a box mix.... (not saying that is any better) it was macaroni noodles, cooked, then with Velveeta, whole milk and butter added to make the final dish.  While delicious, not really the best for you.  


We never baked/broiled our meat dishes.  It was fried chicken, or breaded pork chops, or breaded cube steaks.  It wasn't until I was cooking for a family of my own that I stopped breading everything.  And when I was a kid, do you think my mother ever BAKED her french fries or tater tots?  That would be a disgrace!!  No, we brought out the "fry daddy" and deep fried them bad boys!  I don't "FRY" anything in my house, and haven't for a very long while.  I don't "BREAD" anything.  If I fry something, it is in a non-stick pan with some cooking spray.  I still make cube steaks every once in awhile, but they are NOT breaded.  I have not deep fried anything (besides maybe a time or two) in almost my entire adult life.  But still, I am overweight, my husband wants to lose weight, and one of my children are a little "husky".  Because besides the fact that I don't normally fry anything, we still have meat, potatoes/noodles and no veggies for dinners.  And more than just ONE portion, I have no doubts.  And then there are the desserts... why do they have to taste so good?!?


I know that my husband and I have to be the ones to change for the better, to make our children better eaters in their future.  My husband and I both know what it is like to grow up as overweight kids.  My husband grew out of his when he got into Jr. High and High School, I did not.  I was a size 18 when I went to my senior prom.  We have to be the change to help our children.  We are the ones that need to break the cycle, so our kids don't grow up with the problems that we have, or the ridicule that we experienced.  


I am trying.  We have started adding veggies into our meals.  We have started dishing out "portions" and they have to wait about 15 minutes after they finish that before they can have seconds, to make sure they are still hungry.  And for the most part... I fix what will be right at 4 portions, just enough for us at one portion each.  If they are hungry after that, they have a piece of fruit or something similar.  We have made changes, but there are still those times when the grocery cart seems to gravitate towards the Oreos (propelled mostly by my husband....LOL) and they come home with us.  But we are getting better.  We are making small changes that will reap big rewards.  I have faith in that fact.


They say you can't lose all your weight in the gym.  But I don't and haven't really eaten HORRIBLY for the last several years, and have still gained and gained and gained.  It was only when I started in the gym, and watching my portions more closely that the weight started coming off.  Be the change!  

Day 93- 281.4 pounds

Down some from yesterday, losing a bit of the water weight I think.  Still doing pretty good on the portion control and not eating whatever I want.  I have not been to the gym, have had some things going on.  More excuses, but I own up to them.  I am sure I could have figured out sometime to go, but it would have been very inconvenient...


I am very un-motivated right now.  I don't really know how to get myself back into the groove I was in when I first started.  I have been thinking about doing some classes, going back to Zumba, and maybe a strength training class.  I don't really enjoy working out with other people, as in a "partner" but I like classes where I can be a part of a group.  Those classes would be two nights a week, so that would leave 3-4 nights I could just walk, or do strength training on my own.  At the beginning of this year, it was like I was getting cheered on by everyone, I would get high fives at the gym, I would get hoots & hollers, and now it's more like I am too far into it, no one really "cheers" anymore, and hasn't for awhile.  I am not saying I expect this, but it was nice and it did motivate me a little more than not.  I am just in a funk, and can't seem to get back out of it right now.  I have to get it in my head and heart that I need to do this, and just do it.  But that is easier said than done!  


I feel out of sorts, this week especially.  Just want to go home and lay down.  Not really depressed, just sorta blah.  I don't really know how else to describe it.  I am not really exhausted, or sore, or whatever.  I just don't feel like doing ANYTHING right now.  


I will bounce back.  I have a huge support system.  I just need to feel it for myself, get more motivation somehow....

Day 92-283.4 pounds

I am up from last week, but I expected that.  It is that wonderful time of the month, and I always blow up like a balloon, no matter what I do.  Ate pretty good over the weekend, only a few minor slip-ups this time instead of a wreck of the whole weekend.  I haven't been to the gym lately, but have had so much stuff going on, it's been a little crazy!  And those are just excuses, and I know that, and I will deal with it.  


I have been slacking with my writing too.  I feel kinda like I don't have anything to write, because I don't feel like I am making any progress.  I have started gathering recipes (via Pinterest mostly), and will be posting soon with those, just haven't been able to try any yet, and I want to try them before I post them.  I can't believe that it is getting into month 4 and I haven't even lost 15 pounds.  Definitely not on schedule with that!  I am a little disappointed in myself.  And I know some of you that have been cheering me on are a little disappointed for me.  But it is my fault.  I own that.  I make choices that I know aren't going to get me to my goal, and that is something I have to deal with and make the decisions myself.  Keep the faith in me!  I will do this!  Just have to make the changes and stick to them!  I kinda wish we lived in a bigger city, with more store choices, more whole foods markets, more better choices!  


Keep hanging on with me, I know I will get there!