Interesting Article for Beginning Runners

New York Time: For Beginning Runners, Advice Can Be a Hurdle (click here!!)

The Best Cracker!!

I found the best cracker!  Blue Diamond Nut Thins!  They come in several different flavors and are super yummy.  They are made out of nuts and are very low calorie and you get a lot of crackers per serving. 

~Heather

Water

I've been having a harder time lately getting my water in.  So, I decided to buy a gallon size jug of water.  My goal is to drink one of these a day.  I am a very visual person so it will let me know how much I have left to drink through out the day.  Hope everyone is having a great Cyber Monday and finding great deals!! :)

~Heather

Recipes

I found a great website with a ton of healthy recipes!  Check it out! Skinny Taste

Importance of Rest Days



My new goal weight! lol


After speaking to a friend (who will remain nameless :)) today I decided to do a little research on the importance of giving your body a break every once in a while.  I fully believe that your body needs time every once in a while to recover.  I also fully believe that your mind needs a break.

My reasons are:

• You don't want to burn out.
• Your body will get used to the work out and plateau.
• You can hurt yourself.

Now, those are just the reasons I came up with, with no evidence to indicate one way or the other.  So, after searching the good ole' world wide web, I came across this article.

Runners World Article

Their reasons are:

• Prevents overuse injuries
• Restores glycogen stores
• Prevents mental burnout

I know for me personally, I sometimes feel that if I'm not doing things 100% then I'm failing but that's not true.  Last year I was having a lot of hip pain caused from my back.  I was currently working out and doing a lot of the elliptical machine.  That is extremely low impact but it was still causing my pain to flare up.  After talking to my surgeon, he encouraged me to continue to keep working out but the second I felt just the slightest twinge of pain to stop.  He said even if it was only 5 minutes to stop.  5 minutes was better than nothing but 10 minutes certainly wasn't worth hurting myself more.

 

So, my personal opinion, I think you will ultimately do yourself more harm than good if you don't give your body a break.  You have to take care of yourself, first and foremost, otherwise you might just miss a months worth of workouts vs 1 workout a week.

Family Picture

We had our family pictures taken last week while John's family was in town from San Diego.  We do it every year and it is fun to see how much the kids change from year to year.  While I'm not a fan of chain picture places, I decided to go ahead and get them to snap a few pics of my family since we haven't had them done lately. 

Well, this one particular picture would be so super cute if I didn't look so freakin' huge! lol  So, I'm using this as my motivation and a "before" picture.

From left to right: Preston (3), Me, Carter (5), John, and Liam (2)

This is the picture that I'm going to get printed .  Probably in black and white to hide even more of me.  Sounds really pathetic when I say that out loud.

And this is one of my favorite pictures of my boys! Love them!

Preston, Carter, and Liam

~Heather

When you don't give up..You cannot fail

Gobble Hobble 2011 - Very First 5k

I did it! I ran my very first 5k and had a great time! Alyssa picked me up about 7:45 in the morning and we made our way to Richardson and got there about 8ish. We picked up our bibs and t-shirt and started stretching. We found a nice little spot out of the way.

They started at 8:30 with a 1 mile family fun run. We used that time to run to the potty and get ready to start at 9. While we were stretching Troy Aikman walked by us. He was there with his family and ran in the race too. He is much cuter in person, I think. And extremely tall. Who knew he was so tall??

Alyssa and I before the race.

Troy Aikman

Anyways, we got lined up at the starting line and right at 9 am we started. As we were crossing the starting line I spotted my family cheering us on. John and the kids and my mom were there. I knew they planned to come to finish line but I didn't expect to see them at the beginning. It was very motivating to know they were already there. How cool to have your own cheering team!!

We started out running and then walked/jogged the rest of the way. We did get stuck with this lady who was with two young kids. It was actually quite annoying as she was just constantly yelling at them. We would try to get ahead of them but they would catch up. lol

The wind took me by surprise. In the little training I've done, sure there has been wind but I could also just turn down another street to get away from it or go a different direction. My lungs took a beating due to the wind. I was wheezing quite badly by the end of it. We turned a corner and could see the finish line. And I could see my family standing there cheering us on. We ran across the finish line while hearing my 3 boys yelling, "Go, Mommy, Go! Go, Mommy, Go!" Seriously, I think that is the best part of it...having the support and encouragement.



John and Preston giving me a hug after I finished!

 We crossed the finish line and grabbed a banana and bottle of water. We did it! We finished! AND WEREN'T LAST!!!!

My official time: 50:06.4
Pace: 16:10/mile
Placed 751 out of 817 (that is the best I can tell from looking at the results page)
Age Bracket 30-39 placed 108 out of 117

I'm not extremely happy with my results but I accomplished my goals.
1. I finished!
2. I wasn't last!

My next goal is to finish in less than 45 minutes. My ultimate goal is to beat the 71 year old that finished #32 at a time of 22:40.1!! lol

I'm going to try to committ to a 5k each month. And I also plan to go cheer on friends in other races. So, please let me know what races you have coming up and if you would like to join me in my future races.



You can see me and Alyssa right at the 0:51 mark in the far right hand side.

A huge THANK YOU to Alyssa for joining me on my first 5k. I love you dearly and so happy you were by my side the whole way! You are one of my most encouraging friends and I'm extremely blessed to call you my friend! Nothing is better than going through this journey than with friends by your side!!

We did it!!!! 

~Heather

No Excuses!

Weekly Weigh-In {Nov. 17}

I actually went to the weigh-in this week and I'm just starting back over.  So today, I am back!  I am back at tracking and drinking water and making good choices.  Today, I committed that I will lose the pounds and keep them off.

I never realized how much 6 pounds made a difference.  One day my jeans were too big and I was going to buy new ones that fit, and today they are too snug!!  How does that happen so fast!?!  My answer COCA COLA!!  When I started back drinking cokes again, I fell off the weight loss!

NO MORE COKE! NO MORE COKE!

* Rinse and Repeat*

~Kristie

Just Another Day

But not a great day... I did not make the best choices today but tomorrow is a new day! :)

On a side note, I had a weird dream about the 5k.  I dreamed that I showed up in dress clothes and couldn't find a place to change into my running shorts and tank top.  When I got to the starting line everyone was gone.  lol

Weather for Saturday

Let's hope the weather forecast changes and there aren't thunderstorms on Saturday!  Or I guess that could make for a great story of my very first 5k!

~Heather

Don't Google!!

My stomach has been hurting all day yesterday and today.  Something is just off.  Is it nerves for this weekend or is stress??  I could google webmd but then I would be convinced I had stomach cancer.  So, I'm going with nerves.  You eat less when your tummy doesn't feel good.  Which means you consume less calories.  Which means you lose weight.  Don't worry, I'm not starving and most definitely getting my nutrition and plenty to eat...just not craving food right now.

See y'all tomorrow!!

~Heather

Bounce!

I'm adding these to my Christmas Wish List :

How cool do these look?  And they are becoming all the rage!  They look pretty cool and easy to use, even for the uncoordinated, like me.  Pretty soon these pounds are going to be bouncing off me!!

~Kristie

Turkey Meatloaf

Meatloaf has such a bad rap but it is really good if you find the right recipe.  Kristie mentioned making a meatloaf for dinner so I thought I would share a really good, low calorie meatloaf.  My kids gobble this up!

Turkey Meatloaf 
2 T butter
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (20 oz) package Jennie O Turkey Lean Ground Turkey
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 large egg
3/4 cup catsup
2 t Worcestershire sauce
3/4 t salt
1/2 t pepper

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter in a small skillet over medum high heat.  Add onion and garlic, cook 5 min, stirring occassionally.  Transfer mixture to a large bowl; cool 5 minutes.  Add turkey, bread crubms, egg, 1/4 cup catsup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to onion mixture; mix well.  Pack into 8x4 loaf pan.  Spread remaining 1/2 cup catsup over top.  Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until no longer pink in center and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

~Heather

today...

today has been just another day.  I'm eating good, drinking more water and I've already gone for a 2 mile walk with Joy!  I hope this becomes a weekly routine that we can continue on.  Greg is out of town, so I am brainstorming on dinner ideas and I am thinking a Weight Watchers Meatloaf recipe is at the top of the list.

I'm also feeling so overwhelmed with the fact that I let myself slip back into this unhealthy routine.  I'm hoping after having a few good days, I can remind myself that I can do it.  Right now, I'm not sure I can...

~Kristie

5k nerves

I'm getting kinda nervous for my first 5k.  I know most of you think a 5k is no big deal.  It's only 3.1 miles after all.  However, I really don't want to be the last one to finish, I really don't want to be the one finishing after everyone else has packed up and gone home.  lol  I know I will be proud of myself for just finishing it and someone has to be last, right?  Will other runners be making fun of the slow ones?  What do real runners think of those that are just getting into it and are still terribly out of shape?  Hmmmm.....

~Heather

Ehhh...just another day

Nothing really special about today. I ate ok and got my workout at a photo session. That counts, right??? I had a 3 year old and 6 month old that gave me a run for my money. :) I was literally sweating after the session was over. I'm going with, yes, it counts!! ~Heather

Mind Games

I've got this mind game going on inside my head.  

I've got this little voice in my head that says since I'm doing this lifestyle change (because I do realize this is a lifestyle change), that I will never be able to have the foods that I enjoy.  I know that isn't true, I know that it is a matter of portion control and that I can have the foods I love just in moderation.  I know that.  I do, I really do.  But then, something in me just freaks, and I want that food (say, I don't know, Chick-fil-a or a coke) more and more and when I give in and I have that food, I can't get enough of it.  I hope that I can get over this soon, because I can't handle this see-saw.  I can't handle the cravings and the wants and the I can't haves!  

On a better note, I currently can't stand the smell of fried foods or McDonald's!  :)

~Kristie

Video for the Day

Thought for the Day

The voice in your head that says you can't is a liar!

~Heather

Goal Jeans

Last week I cleaned out my closet and found my favorite pair of pre-kids jeans and I wanted to jump for joy until I realized that they probably didn't even fit my thigh!!

They are size 8 Abercrombie and Fitch jeans and they were super comfy before I outgrew them.  I gave away all my other jeans that didn't fit, but these, these I kept as my goal jeans and I hope sooner rather than later I will be able to wear them!

I didn't make it to this weeks weigh-in at the actual center, but I weighed in on the scale that I got my original weight from and it said I've lost a pound!!! I'm just happy I didn't gain a pound!!!  :)

~Kristie

Good Choices!!

I am doing so good today! I went to Starbucks and made the good choice and chose a skinny vanilla latte. It filled my yummy coffee craving and didn't break the calorie bank! Then at the mall I had subway for lunch and got a turkey on wheat, no cheese, lots of veggies, very little light mayo and baked lays chips. Doesn't seem like a big deal but every little good choice makes difference!!

~Heather

Just a Picture for the Future

Nothing to report today except a picture for me to look back on.  I had makeup on! yay!!  I had John take this tonight right before we left to go to Carter's first kindergarten program.

So, we didn't do anything we had planned on today.  I was up super late last night with a terrible cough.  I am soooo over being sick!!

~Heather

Fashion Statement

Well, I did it.  I got up, got the kids to school (and the sitter), came home and changed into this lovely ensemble, because running isn't about a making a fashion statement right?  I'm not going to lie, I really just wanted to climb back into my warm bed!  But, I told myself since I was already up and moving, I just needed to do it!  And I did.  I walked/jogged/ran my hardest for 1.34 miles.  I think I could have gone longer if I didn't have a really bad blister on my heel.  I'm so proud of myself for actually going since it was 44 degrees outside. 

 Tomorrow is weigh in day and Heather and I are going to go for a walk in the morning before and then Joy and I are planning on going in the afternoon!

Oh and that picture you see in the above picture is my goal picture!  I was 18 in that picture and would love, love, love to look that good again!!!  One day...

~Kristie

3 Way Mirrors...

Suck! lol  I stopped by Kohls and Target today to get some workout wear that would keep me a little warmer as the days get a little colder.  The dressing rooms have 3 way mirrors and even those help you see all of you, they force you to see all of you!! 

Here is a picture of me in a new shirt.  Please excuse the no make up...I hardly ever go out without at least some makeup but this morning was just one of those mornings and I ran out of time before taking kids to school.  This just reinforces why I must put makeup on before I leave the house.  I probably scared little children!!  And this was a picture with my phone so quality is horrible!

So, one of my goals is to actually look decent in this shirt.  This shirt really shows off every bit of love I have and I have lots of love! :)

~Heather

Fat Fingers

So, in an attempt to not have my last post as the top post for today... :)  One of the things I'm really looking forward to be skinny again...my fingers!!

Today John and I had to go to Frisco to make our final cruise payment to our travel agent.  Yes, we could have done it over the phone but our current travel agent doesn't have a very good track record for being timely so I wanted to do it person.  Well, do you know what's in Frisco right at Preston and 121??  In n' Out.  Mmmmmm!!  John is from California so he loves In n Out and there is only one thing to get there... a hamburger.  I ate that and only half of my fries.  So on the brighter side, I only ate half of my fries!!  But anyways, tonight after having so much salt today my fingers are swollen.  Nothing makes you feel fatter than fat fingers!

~Heather

Uggg...Am I really making this public????

So, my starting weight when I started weight watchers was 186 pounds.  OMG!!!  That is sooo super hard to make public knowledge.  I have to look in my official WW book to see how low I got before going back to what got me here in the first place.  My goal is 128...that is the official weight that will put me back into having a healthy BMI.  I want to get closer to 120 but my first and most important goal is to just make this a lifestyle.

Talking about lifestyle...when does this become a lifestyle??  How long does it take??  

See y'all tomorrow! :)

~Heather

P.S. I'm still feeling like crap...my allergies have turned into sinus infection.  Ran a fever yesterday and today I feel like I've been ran over by a truck.  I'm so hoping to be feeling better quickly!!

Weight...

As hard as this is to post and as nervous as I am, I'm going to post my weight.

As of yesterday morning I weighed 160.4! Shocking, I know!  I act shocked every time I get on the scale!

When I started this with Heather, I weighed 163.8, so I'm not completely back at where I started, but pretty darn close to shock me back into reality.

Yesterday and today, my friend Joy, has pushed me off the couch and outside to exercise and I can't tell you how much better I feel and how much it has helped me NOT run to the freezer and grab those Reece's Peanut Butter Cups.  And another friend, Casey, posted on Facebook that "the hardest step is the one out the door" is so true!!  Now that I am up and at it, I don't want to stop it.  I don't think Joy and I are going to be able to meet up tomorrow, so my plan is to go in the morning after I drop the kiddos off at their respective places.

I know I can, I know I can, I know I can!!!!!!

~Kristie

Back At Square One!

Not totally but I sure feel like I am.

Last night Heather and I met up to discuss where we went wrong, how we didn't hold each other accountable and how we could do better.  We came to the conclusion that we need to post EVERYDAY, so be prepared to hear from us at least once a day, maybe more.

Also, we decided we were going to be real here, that means very soon, you will know exactly how much we weigh.  There is no sugar coating things, we need to put it down here, just how much we weigh and how much we want to lose.  It is a known fact that things that get written down on paper (or a blog) are much more likely to be accomplished than things that are just floating around in your head.

Coming very soon are weekly pictures!  These are things that Heather and I decided would hold us accountable to the interwebs!

I hope it works!  I need something to work...

~Kristie

What Happened??

Kristie and I met for coffee last night to figure out what happened and what we needed to do.  We decided that we officially fell off the wagon right after the Jailbreak.  I know for me personally, my back was killing me right afterwards and decided to take a small break to recover.  Well, that short break lasted a long time.  It is super hard to get back on track from a break.

So, we decided that daily blog posts will help keep us on track.  I woke up super sick today so I actually haven't done anything special today.  I have eaten pretty well so that's a plus.  :)

~Heather

A New Beginning & Other Ramblings

So, after posting the video I came across on Friday, I have read almost all of this guy's blog. His story is definitely about losing weight but it is more importantly about DOING LIFE.  He blogged every day.  He ate well, excercised a lot, and had great friends that did it right beside him.  He made his journey about experiencing life.  His feelings about being fat and over weight are a lot of how I feel.  So, with the start of a new week, I'm going to start doing life.  I am very tired of being inspired for a week and feeling great and then the enthusiasm wears off. 

It's funny, I have some great friends that will ask me if I worked out today and send me some ideas of how to get my workout in.  But you know what?  That actually demotivates me.  Is that weird?  It shouldn't be that way, right?  That should make me want to work out, right?  Why is that when I'm asked about it and told I should, I just want to sit on the couch and do nothing?  Is it because it has to be my choice??

So, after seeing a few blogs and getting inspired (I'm kinda sick of that word, lol) I think the thing I like most about some of the blogs are pictures and videos.  Those keep everything real, I think.  So, as much as I hate, despise pictures of myself, I'm going to start doing it more.  I'm going to take progress pictures and maybe some video.  I do think it will be awesome to look back on everything.

I also find myself saying things like, well this guys doesn't have kids, doesn't work so he has so much time to go work out and "do" life, but those are just excuses.  There are people that have much busier lives than me and they do so much more than I do. 

So, I'm getting back on this doing life thing and let's hope it sticks this time.  lol  It will stick this time.

~Heather

Friday Night Inspiration

I came across this very inspirational video while web surfing after eating a turkey cheese burger, fries, a real coke and an Oreo milkshake!  OMG!  Did I really eat all of that in one sitting??  It has been a long time since I've been this uncomfortable and I feel terrible.  I don't feel bad about eating that but I physically feel terrible!!  So, this video is exactly what I needed to see just two weeks {gasp} before my first 5k. 



I literally started tearing up at the end. Such a great story and a great song to go with it. 

~Heather

Wagon...

Fell off the wagon this last week and a half.

Gained 1.4 lbs (:( ) last week and probably more this weekend,

Back on the wagon tomorrow!

whoa...nelly!!!

Talk about a bad day!  Gracie is sick (possibly the stomach bug) and I had an awful day eating wise!!

My daily logs looks like this -
Morning - 1 cup Chex Rice Cereal  = 3 points
Midday- 6 McD's chicken nuggets + small fry = 14 points
Dinner - 7 Wings Stop wings + small fry = 42 points!!!!!! :(

Daily points used - 59 points (I'm allowed 29 daily points and 49 "extra" points to use through out the week)

Ouch!!  That really looks bad!!  OMG I can't believe I ate that many points today!!  I'm really going to have to work that off this weekend!!  I'm just so sick to my stomach and there really is no excuse for it other than I was being lazy and I'm tired from not getting much sleep (but, that's not my excuse, there is none)

The good news is that there is tomorrow and I will do better tomorrow!  I want to see that scale continue to go down!!

~Kristie

Weekly Weigh In {9/29/11}

Went to my weekly weigh-in this week and I lost an addition 1.4 lbs!!  YAY!  Which makes my total loss at 6 lbs!!!  Finally, I got a 5 lb star at the meeting so that was exciting!!  :)

I hope this steady downhill slide can continue!  I'm going to be majorly bummed when I have bad week.

This last month of September, Heather and I haven't been able to do our weekly walks on Sunday's because I've been working, but tomorrow that is going to change!  We are going to start our weekly walks and get back into starting our week off right!!

I'm so proud of Heather, doing this with her has held me accountable more than once.  She might not realize it, but I have so enjoyed going through this process with her.  I hope that I am able to keep her spirits up as much as she does mine in weeks when we are feeling a little down on ourselves.  We aren't in this for the short haul, we are in this for the LONG haul and that makes me so proud of US!!

~Kristie

Weekly Weigh-In {September 29, 2011}

I gained 1.2 pounds today. I'm not surprised as we've eaten out A LOT this week. I also just had 2 weeks of consistently losing 2 pounds so it still averages out. That's not to say I'm not a little bit disappointed though. My goal next week is to get the scale to go down and get another 5 pound star which would make me reach my 5% goal too!!

I have to brag a little on Kristie! She is doing so great! I will let her post about her week but I'm super proud of her. It is so cool to see the excitement in her eyes and very inspiring to me. This is not an easy nor fast journey but it's awesome to have a friend right by your side!! Love ya, Friend!!

~Heather

Avoidance

Avoidance...it's what I've been doing lately.  You can tell by my lack of blogging.  I've been avoiding this whole new lifestyle.  I've been watching what I've been eating but that's about it.  I have known that I haven't walked in a while and I have quickly changed the subject when my husband has asked about it.  I have not pulled out my sticker chart because I know what it will tell me.  I think, "What's the point of looking at it? I haven't put a sticker on there in over a week...."  Well, I can't avoid it.  This is my life.  I can't avoid life.  I can't avoid the fact that I have people noticing I'm not blogging.  I can't avoid I am committed to running a 5k in 2 months.  It has been exactly 2 weeks since I've walked.  (besides running the Jailbreak with friends...but I guess that does count because that was some hard work!)

So, I'm back.  It's time to pick up where I left off!  It's time to add stickers to my chart.  (lol, I love how that so sounds like I'm 5!!)

~Heather

Quick Check In

I have spent way too much time away from this blog!!  I hope to steal enough time away this evening or tomorrow to fully update but here is a quick recap of the last two weeks...

Lost 2 pounds!
Ran the Jailbreak with Kristie and a group of friends!
Lost another 2 pounds!!

Total lbs lost... 8.6!!  Woohoo!!!

~Heather

Weekly Weigh-In {September 22, 2011}

This weeks weekly weigh-in is in the books!  Another ONE pound down!! WOO HOO!

Slow and Steady wins the race!!

~Kristie

JailBreak 2011

On Friday, Heather text me and asked if I wanted to join her and 7 other friends at a mud race called "Jail Break".  Without hesitation I said YES!  Now mind you I had NO preparation for this, I had no clue what I was getting myself into, but I am soooo glad I said yes!  Heather picked me up at 6:30 and I had a nervous feeling all the way up till we crossed the start line!

The obstacles are what made me the most nervous!  I was worried I wouldn't be able to do them, especially since I hadn't done anything to prepare, but once I got out there, the adrenaline got me through them.  The hardest was a slippery, slippery slope that you had to use a rope to get up.  It required a LOT of upper body strength and I tried several times before FINALLY getting up!  After that my energy was zapped, but I found enough strength to get through it.

photo courtesy of Dwayne Master's Photography

After crossing the finish line, we were all super pumped!!  This was the first time in my life, that I can remember crossing a "Finish" line!  I've crossed the start line before, but never a "finish" line and I feel so confident that it was my first but NOT my last!!!

~Kristie

If only I'd known back then...

If only I knew back then what I know now, I would have appreciated the figure I once had!!  I'm on a mission to get close!  I will...with time!   

~Kristie 

Weekly Weigh-In {September 15, 2011}

Yay!!!!!  I lost 

2.4 lbs!!!

Much better than last week!

~Kristie

Holy Pinterest, Batman!

Ok, this doesn't have much to do with my personal weightloss or journey to healthy but I just saw a picture from our blog on Pinterest from a COMPLETE STRANGER!!!  That is super cool!!  It was from my post about the sticker chart I use to track exercise.  Granted, I'm the original "pinner" but it reached someone some how!!  So, if you are new to our blog, WELCOME!!! 

~Heather

Unexpected Encouragement

My oldest, Carter, started Kindergarten a few weeks ago.  It has been a huge adjustment for everyone.  He has to be at school by 7:20 and it is late by 7:30.  For anyone that knows me or my family, we are not morning people.  Night owls, yes, morning people, no.  It's been hard trying to figure out how/when to get my run/walks in. 

This week I started dropping Carter off and then coming home and heading out for a quick workout and then dash home and get the other two kids to preschool at 9.  It's actually extremely hectic but at the end of the day, I got my work out in and the kids got to school. 

Carter has been begging and pleading for me to walk him to school.  We live just over a mile from his school.  And we would have to leave our house around 6:45 AM to get there in time.  Well, I gave in yesterday.  He did surprisingly well.  We made in 28 minutes and only a few complaints.  His complaints quickly went away when I reminded him he begged to do this.  It was a great transition for me into my daily walk/run.  It worked out perfect.

He wanted to do it again today but instead of a 28 min mile we made it in 25 minutes!  Woohoo!!  He was cold so I told him to run.  He would run until the next street and wait for me to cross the street.  It worked out perfectly.  I didn't have to slow down my regular pace too much and he got lots of exercise.

It's funny, I was totally going to take the day off today and give my body a small rest day but how can I tell my boy no when he wants to go out and walk.  And how can I just leisurely walk back home after already being out?  So, for this week I already have 5 stickers on my sticker chart.  I only have taken Monday off so looks like I'm going to take tomorrow off to rest. 

I will say the more you exercise the easier it is.  The easier it is to get out there and move.  The hardest part is just getting started.  As cliche as that sounds, it is very true.  I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!!!  I'm excited to spend the weekend with some of my closest friends!!

~Heather

Weekly Weigh-In and a swift kick in the...{September 9, 2011}

I have no excuses!  I gained .04 lbs this week at the weigh-in!  I'm so mad at myself, but I have no excuses why!

I've got new shoes, so my feet shouldn't hurt.

I've been on reserve, and not used, so I have the time.

I've been drinking tea, sweet tea, I've told myself 'at least it isn't coke', which is true, but still the sugar is killing my weight loss goal!  No more sugar!

This weigh-in was the swift kick in the arse that I needed!  Tomorrow NO EXCUSES!  My alarm is set to get up and enjoy this beautiful weather!!

NO EXCUSES! NO EXCUSES! NO EXCUSES!

-Kristie

Weekly Weigh In & Other Ramblings {September 8th, 2011}

My weigh in today was not good.  Not good at all.  I GAINED!!!  {insert very unhappy face, hands on hip, and stomping my foot on the ground here}  I gained 0.6 pounds.  I know it's not the end of the world and I think a lot of it is water weight as my monthly friend is here this week.  But still, I want to pout.  I've worked really hard this past week and have really been exercising more.  Sigh... just a bump on this long journey.

I am having some friends over this weekend and really going to try to be smart in how I eat.  We are having an appetizer party, so trying to make all finger foods.  It is going to be very easy to just keep snacking but I have to have will power.  I WILL have will power!!  I have been banking all of my activity points though and hoping that will help.

I did get some unexpected (negative) motivation today.  I had a new housekeeper come by my house to give me a quote for cleaning my house.  So, she came by and commented on how cute my 3 boys are.  She commented on how all three of them are boys.  Then she pointed at my tummy and asked if I was having another one.  Ugggg  I politely said no and started showing her around my tiny house.  How come even though you know you are over weight and don't look very good, it still stings super bad when someone thinks you are pregnant??????  I blew it off until now.  Now that I'm writing it out and really thinking about it the more it brings tears to my eyes.  I generally gain weight pretty proportionately throughout my whole body but for some reason over the past year my weight has shifted to make me look pregnant.  Maybe it's what I'm wearing??  Maybe it's because I had 3 kids within 3 years? I don't know but it sucks.

My mantra for the next week:

Discipline is remembering what you want.  ~David Campbell

When I'm faced with temptation, I need to remember what I want in the end.  I need to ask myself if giving in is worth not reaching my goal.

~Heather

Learning to eat healthy

Learning to eat healthy is tricky!!  I could eat only fruits and veggies, that's not hard, but once I started to eat all the other things again I'd be right back where I started.  Today for lunch my hubby, Greg, wanted hot dogs, I thought they sounded good, but once I look them up on my WW app, I knew I couldn't eat one.  The hot dog bun alone was 4 points, plus add the actual hot dog (3 points) and the chili (2) and the cheese (2), that comes out to ELEVEN points just for one chili dog!!  I debated about just eating a salad, I had the stuff to make a great one, but I want to learn to eat the things I love, just in a different way.  So I looked up how many points a turkey dog would be - score one for me a, 98% fat free turkey dog was ONE point!!  And I ate it with no bun, minimal chili and a pinch of cheese and I was able to eat a hot dog for 3 points!

Greg and I went out for a date night on Saturday night (yay!), we love Mexican, so we chose Posados for dinner.  Once again, I was worried that I wasn't going to be able to eat the things I love, so as we drove over there I looked over the WW app to see what would be the best thing to eat.  I decided that I would be able to have a fajita or two and a few chips and salsa all for about 16 points!  That may sound like a lot, but I decided I would splurge and use some of my 49 weekly allowance and give myself some slack.  I also knew that we would be going to see a movie afterwards, so I wanted to save some of my points for that.  All in all, I used 25 points for my date night.

Learning to eat healthy takes time and knowledge and I'm getting there, one step at a time.  Portion control is also a big thing to watch for.  Before I started this life change, I would have probably eaten a basket or two of chips, but this time I paced myself, watched how many I was eating and when we left I felt like I had satisfied my craving for chips and salsa, all without feeling stuffed and bloated!

~Kristie

ps - "The Help" is both a GREAT book and a good movie!!

Weekly Weigh In {September 1, 2011}

I lost another 0.6 lbs!  Woohooo!!!   Which means I have now lost 5 pounds total.  In WW you get rewarded with star stickers for every 5 pounds you lose.  And you know how much I love my stickers!!!  I put that baby in my little book that they record the weigh ins.  I wish I had lost slightly more but I'm very thankful the number is going down.  That is the most important thing.

At the meeting, one of the ladies had reached her goal weight.  That is such a huge accomplishment.  She was very inspiring and she looked to be close in my age.  She said she lost 60 pounds (the same amount I want to loose) in about a year.  The leader, Vicki, asked if she would share any tips and how she felt.  Her main piece of advice was that you really have to want it for you.  Your heart and mind both have to want it.  She said her parents are divorced and her dad is a very active, outgoing, energetic man full of life.  Her mom used to be athletic but has since let herself go...eats unhealthy, doesn't get out, doesn't exercise, depressed and etc.  She said that one morning she woke up and realized she had a choice to make.  She could either be like her dad or like her mom.  She chose to be like her dad.  Another good point she brought up was the power of the word no.  She loves going out with friends for drinks and dinner but has learned that she can't always go.  She had to determine what she wanted more.

I hope know I have what it takes to stand up  there a year from now and tell my story of how I reached my goal and how great it feels!

Also, it is WONDERFUL to have Kristie and my mom there at the meetings.  I love the friendship Kristie and I are forming and well, my mom is my best friend so it's always good to be with her.

~Heather

Weekly Weigh-in {September 1}

I went to my weekly weigh in this week - down 

1.6 pounds!!

I didn't get much out of the meeting since I experimented with taking Gracie, but it was nice to see Heather and her mom there!  I can't wait to see where this journey leads us!

~Kristie

Do It For You!

You always hear that you can't lose weight for anyone but yourself.  Just like a drug addict can't become sober unless they truly want to become sober for themselves.  It's actually pretty amazing to look at the similarities between trying to quit an addiction and lose weight.  I used to be a smoker.  I started smoking when I was around 16 or 17 and smoked until July 4th, 2005.  Funny how I know the exact date.  I still have the craving for a cigarette occasionally but I know I will never start smoking again because I never want to quit again.  That was some serious hard work.  I am determined to reach my goals and once I'm there I refuse to let myself go again.  I know it is going to take hard work and I'm already putting in the hard work.  Why would I want to keep doing it over and over again?  Why would I want to go back to unhealthy when I worked so hard to become healthy?

So, this morning, while on my walk/run, I was thinking about why I wanted to lose weight and become healthy.  I know I want to do it for me and no one else but me.  So here are a few of my reasons:

• I want to be healthy.
• I want to look good.
• I want to feel good.
• I don't want my thighs touching anymore.
• I want to wear high heels again.
• I want to wear the cute clothes I used to wear.
• I want to be confident when going to see my doctor.
• I want my boys to learn and know a healthy lifestyle.
• I want to live a long life and see how my family grows over the years.
• I want to travel the world.
• I want to be athletic.
• I want to be a runner.
• I want my body back.
• I want my outside to reflect how I feel on the inside.
• I don't want to be a statistic.
• I want to have energy to keep up with my boys.

I came across this picture on Pinterest today and went on a hunt to track down the original picture.  It is very fitting to my thoughts this week. 

~Heather

Home

I'm sitting at home, on reserve, not a soul in the house. No one to hold me accountable, the food is controlling me, although I haven't given it complete control.  I haven't gotten myself up off the couch to go into the fridge and get that swiss cake roll that is screaming my name, yet...

...and I don't plan on it.  So I turned to the blog.  A place I where can vent my frustrations about my husband even buying those stupid things.  Why?  Why does he insist on buying everything under the sun that I don't want to eat, but it is there, so of course I'm going to be tempted!  It's not his fault that I am fat, I chose to eat what I've eaten in the past and I can choose to either eat that swiss cake roll or I can choose not to eat that swiss cake roll.  Before starting the blog, and this whole life change, I would have said "screw it, no one will know, just eat it!"! I'm trying to remember I'm in control and you hold me accountable.

I feel like I am too early in this process to give in and let myself have a treat like that.  I haven't earned it yet (so I tell myself), maybe in a couple of weeks I will feel like I've earned it.  Maybe if I get up off the couch and do a little cardio, I will feel like I've earned it, but I don't see that happening.

Have I shared that I feel unmotivated to work up a sweat?  Heather and I have met the last 2 Sundays to go on our weekly walks, those are nice and we get uninterrupted chat time, but man I am so exhausted afterwards, that I just want to get home and crash!  In my mind, I know to maximize the benefits of Weight Watchers means that I need to get moving, but I continue to make excuses.  My excuse today is that I'm on reserve, which means I am on call.  I will have two hours to get dresses, out of the house and to the airport.  Not much time to get back home if I am out running!

I'm hoping that after my first weigh-in I will feel more motivated to get my butt of this couch!!  I heard a rumor that a friend of ours *cough, cough Ame* might be thinking about starting another boot-camp.  I did one of hers last year and felt wonderful after it was over, but that was short lived!  This time, I will not let my hard work go to waste!  This is a lifetime commitment...

~Kristie

Control

Before I ate something bad I would think, 'I 'm in control, I'm not going to let some diet tell me what to eat', so I would over indulge in whatever I was eating or drinking because I wanted control.  When I started this whole process I thought to myself I have to give up my control over food and eat with "they" (the diet) tells me to eat.

Boy did I have it all wrong!  In just two short weeks my mind has been completely changed!  I was reading in one the the Weight Watcher weekly pamphlet and came across something that has forever changed my thinking about control

"Go back to your inspirations: Why are you trying to lose weight?  Who's in control, you or the food?" - Kay

Then it hit me!  All this time, I've been thinking I'm in control, when really the food was controlling me!!  Now when I see something that I want to overindulge on, I'm going to remind myself that I am in control, not the food.  I've always wanted control over what I eat, and I did, I just had the wrong mentality for it.

Now, I just need to learn how to control my free time and work out when I have some, I'm totally failing in that area!!

~Kristie

Find Your Strong

With school starting last week, I've had a very hard time finding a time to get my walk/run in.  Carter has to be at school between 7:00 and 7:30 and Preston and Liam have to be at school at 9 and John starts working around 7:30ish.  The sun isn't coming up until around 6:45 and I'm not comfortable going out while it is still dark.  And it is so freakin' hot here right now, any time after 7:30ish is absolutely miserable.

I did work out yesterday for a short 30 minutes which is better than not doing anything.  However, I didn't feel like it was enough.  I worked out over at my good friend's house on her treadmill.  Definitely a nice change of pace and she helped me tons with encouraging words and pushing me a little further than I wanted to go.

This morning, I went out and decided to start the Couch to 5k program.  UUGGGHHH!!  That's what I have to say about that.  It was terrible.  I almost had to call John to come pick me up.  My shin on my left leg hurt so bad.  My first mile was about 17 minutes which isn't too bad for still walking A LOT but I was in so much pain by the end that I was averaging a 21 minute mile.  I guess I need to concentrate this week on building my endurance up a little to get back in the groove and start the 5k training next week?  Part of me feels like I'm making excuses but the last thing I want is to injur myself. 

I ran across this picture this morning and I really like it.  It says "Find Your Strong."  I think everyone has their own strengths and when it comes to getting healthy you need to do what is best for you.  My strong right now is not my running but I want it to be.  I know it's in there...I've had it once before.  I will find my strong again!!!

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!!!

~Heather

Cravings

You know how earlier this week, I posted that I was having a hard day and craving really terrible things??  Well, I have found that that craving is not going away.  Very frustrating.  So, today I decided that I just need to give in to the craving and then maybe it will go away.  Maybe??

In my quest for this craving I have eaten some pretty bad things.  And made some pretty poor choices.  However, I think that since I haven't actually eaten what I'm craving I'm still left wanting.  Does that make sense??

So, my big craving this week??..... Jalapeno Poppers

I did a little research this morning on good ole' Pinterest, because all the best are on there, right? lol (Have I mentioned that I love this site and think everyone should be one there?? {cough, cough, Kristie!!})  I came across a recipe for "healthier" jalapeno poppers.  I bought all the ingredients and now I just need to make them. 

Jalapeno Popper Recipe

It's actually a very cool website where I found them.  Hungry Girl.  This particular recipe she compares to Arby's Jalepeno Poppers and has the WW points calculated.  I will be sure to let everyone know how they turn out!! :)

~Heather

Weight Watchers

Yay!  I went to my first Weight Watchers meeting yesterday with Heather.  What a great experience!  I left there eager to watch my food intake, learn what food are "power foods" and what to stay away from!  I'm so glad that I have Heather there for good moral support and someone to bounce ideas off of.

Today, I learned that not everything at McAlister's Deli is good for you.  I had the Sweet Chipotle Chicken Sandwich and it was 16 (!) points! That's over half my points for the day!  I really had to watch what I ate the rest of the day.  The good thing is that fruit (within reason) is ZERO points, so I can eat that to make me feel more full.

Up next on my list is to stop by Luke's Locker or Run On to grab me some new runners!!

~Kristie

Weekly Weigh In {August 25th, 2011}

I went to my weekly WW meeting today.  I lost 1.2 pounds!  Yay, go me!!! 

Having a Hard Day

For some reason, I am totally off track today.  I'm very unmotivated.  I'm craving terrible foods.  I just want to sit on the couch and do nothing.  Maybe it's exhaustion catching up to me, maybe it's stress, maybe it's hormones...the list could go on and on.  I have to remember though to not let those "reasons" turn into excuses.  {sigh} What do others do to get past those cravings?  How do you combat the exhaustion?

New Gear

I went to a wonderful store yesterday, Run On.  They have a few locations throughout the DFW metroplex and they were the nicest most helpful people.  They measured my feet, watched me walk, and jog.  Talked to me about what I wanted to do with the shoes and asked about any problems I'm currently having.  Kandice is who helped me.  She recommended 3 different running shoes for me.  Asics, Brooks, and Mizuno.  I tried each pair on compared them to each while walking around the store.  I chose the  Mizuno Wave® Inspire™ 7 and I LOVE them.  They are very light weight and supportive.  I can't wait for my first run in them. 

They have a few different color choices but I got this color.

I also got a new sports bra.  I had what I thought to be a good sports bra but as soon as I started running, I quickly realized that it was a terrible non-supportive sports bra.  I mean, I was in pain with every step.  Horrible!!  So, I tried a few on and got the Moving Comfort Women's Juno Bra.  I'm in love with this bra.  The ladies don't move an inch with it on.  It isn't the easiest bra to take on and off and I'm a little nervous how I'm going to take it off after a sweaty workout but I think it's going to be so worth it. 



It is a razorback, has adjustable straps, and regular bra closure in the back.

I also got a few pairs of new socks.  I didn't splurge and get the super expensive socks but did get some that are more than what I usually spend.  They are the supporting type of socks and supposedly wick the sweat and everything away.  What I loved about them is they came in lots of different sizes.  I've found  that most women's socks come in a one size fits sizes 6-11.  Well, I wear a 5 1/2 or 6 so those socks are usually big on me.  I put these new ones on and thought they were too small at first but nope.  They just actually fit!!

So, hopefully I can get a run in and try everything out soon!  This week has totally thrown me for a loop since school started this week.  I have to get Carter to school by 7:20 so our routine has completely changed and I have yet to figure out how to run in the mornings.  I'm working on it though so hopefully in the next few days.  I go for my weekly weigh-in tomorrow so I will be back then!  Hope y'all are having a great week!!

~Heather

Stupid Cookies

I made cookies for Carter's first day of school.  I wanted to bake them so he would have something special to come home to.  Well, evidently the self control that I've had the past couple weeks just went totally out the window.  I had five, yes, count, 1...2...3...4...5!!!! cookies!! And they were DELICIOUS!!!  I don't feel too terrible because I did have the extra pts and I can't completely deprive myself but come on... I could have totally stopped at 1 or 2.  Oh well, track it in my food journal and move on.  This just proves that I can't have cookies in the house or else I will eat them.  Need to at least make it a little more into this journey before I purposefully put temptation in front of me.  Tomorrow is a new day and it will be better!!! :)

~Heather

Day 1

Day 1 is in the books for me!  I did well staying under my calorie intake, so I didn't use the 420 calories I burned this morning.  The donuts I picked up for the kids this morning on my way home, stared me in the face all day, until I finally had had enough and chunked them in the trash!  Kristie - 1 Donuts - 0!

This morning's walk was 3.5 miles, but felt like a mile.  Heather and I chatted the whole time and it barely felt like we were exercising, we made plans to go buy new shoes!  Run-On or Luke's Locker seem to be the best places to go and get fitted for them!  By the end of my walk my feet were killing me, so it is definitely time for some new runners!

Day 2 is going to be pretty exciting, starting with an early morning walk and then on to get Cutter up and ready for his first day of pre-school!

We've got this!  We are makin' this happen...we're gettin' our skinny back!

~K

I.AM.FAT!

Let me introduce myself...

Hi, I am Kristie and I am fat!

I am fat, not obese (although, if you look at my BMI, I am considered obese, but I don't consider myself obese).

I have a husband of almost 6 years and 2 kids, Cutter (3.5) and Gracie (2).  I have approximately 55 pounds to lose to get my skinny back.

I say I am fat, not because I have low self esteem, but because I have been lying to myself the last 5 years.  I have told myself over and over and over again, that I am not fat and I am.  I want to change that.  I love myself enough to want to be healthy for me, for my husband, for my kids and their kids.

Part of my problem is my job.  I have been a flight attendant for almost 10 years.  When I started I was in a size 4-6, now I'm in a 14 (how's that for reality!)!!!  Ouch!  It is so easy to eat out at the hotels, in airports or even airplane snacks (yuck!!)!  And let me tell you, they are NOT healthy.

My plan for kicking butt and getting my skinny back is joining Weight Watchers and workouts.  I have to commit to working out on my overnights, even when all I want to do it lounge around and enjoy the peace and quiet.  I have a goal of 40 lbs in 20 weeks, that can be done right?  YES, it can...and I am going to prove it to you.

Starting tomorrow 8/21, I'm starting my weight loss journey and I can't wait to see the results!

Thanks for holding me accountable....I'm counting on you!!!!

xoxo-kristie

Bragging

I have to brag on myself a little bit.  I'm very proud of myself.  We went out to eat last night at Chili's.  I researched the menu before we left and made a choice of what I wanted to eat before we got there.  I chose the Margarita Grilled Chicken.  It comes with black beans and rice.  It is YUMMY!!  John and I decided to split it so for WW, it was only 7 pts!!  When we first got there I had to take 2 of my kids to the restroom and when I got back John had already ordered chips and salsa/ranch.  Ugh!  I was a little frustrated.  Why would he put temptation directly in front of me when I'm trying to make the best choices??  Bottom line on that is he wasn't thinking and was hungry.  lol  It did help keep the kids entertained so I'm not complaining too much.  I, however, was very good and didn't eat one single chip!!  I'm so very proud that I had the self control to not touch  them.  So, at the end of the day I was actually short on my pts for the day and that was with eating out.  Don't worry though, I ate a spoonful of peanut butter to be sure I got all of my calories I needed to for the day.

Everything comes down to choices.  I'm making one choice at a time.  I can do this if I take baby steps.  I know I can!

Breakfast

I have a friend that loves cooking and even has a blog and Facebook page dedicated to her recipes.  I have tried a few things and have never been disappointed.  However, I despise cooking.  I can cook but I just plain and simple do not enjoy it.  I wish I did!!  In an effort to budget more wisely and eat more healthy, I have been cooking on a regular basis for a while.  It isn't too bad if you just plan it all out. 

So, one of Amanda's tricks is to bake breakfasts foods ahead of time and freeze them.  I took one of her ideas of mixing together eggs, sausage, splash of milk, and cheese then pouring it into greased muffin pans.  My one batch made 24 "muffins."  I will calculate the nutritional value and include that but I know the WW pts came out to 3 pts per muffin.  Not too shabby.  I talked about these in a previous post HERE but today was the first time I actually reheated them and ate it.

I reheat them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes (directly from frozen, would be shorter if they are defrosted) at 350.  I cut mine in half and put it on a toasted 100 calorie whole grain English muffin.  It is delicious and very satisfying.

(please forgive the iphone quality picture!)

After I cooked all of them, I cooled them off and  then put them on a cookie sheet to freeze and once frozen I put them in a large ziplock bag.

My boys gobbled  these up too.  I think these are going to become staples!

Nutritional Info: (per serving, 24 servings) (not including the English muffin)
Calories: 119
Total Fat: 9.5 g
Total Carb: 0
Fiber: 0
Protein: 7.9 g

Sticker Chart

I wanted to post what helps keep me motivated.  I think we are all kids at heart and whatever motivation worked as kids will still work as adults.  Who doesn't love stickers??  I use stickers to reward my kids all the time.  They love to show me stickers they got at school or from doctors' offices etc.  It gives them that little boost for a job well done.

I created a chart to track my weight and exercise progress.  I have it broken down in weeks as I'm also using it as a countdown to a cruise my family is taking in February.  (That's my other motivation :)) So on the far left I have week # which is how many weeks until my cruise along with the dates for that week.  Then the next column has the month.  The next 7 columns are for the days of the week, Sun - Sat.  The top number is the days left until my cruise and the bottom number is the date.  I pencil in my weigh ins and any notes.  I also have highlighted my first 5k that I registered for yesterday!!  (eeek!) 

So, I bought a pack of smiley face stickers (and praying that my boys don't find them!) and I put a sticker on each day that I walk/run or exercise in general.  It really helps to see when I've exercised and motivates me to get up and go the next day. 

Weekly Weigh In & Other Ramblings

I had my weekly Weight Watchers meeting last night and weighed in for the first time, well the second weigh in but the first since the initial.  I lost 3.2 pounds.  I know the first week is mostly water weight and I'm ok with that.  I actually ate a bit off plan over the weekend but I still tracked everything and accounted for everything. 

I might change my WW day to Thursday.  There was a sub leader yesterday and I really liked her.  She normally leads the meetings on Thursdays so I may try to make those meetings.  My mom is probably going to join too.  It will be fun to do this with my mom.  We went together the last time I did it and it was good to have her there for support.  She has reached lifetime membership when I was a kid so WW really does work.   I heard yesterday that if you stick to the plan and really make the lifestyle change then you will definitely see the results.  If you only half way work the plan and make the lifestyle change then you will only see half of the results.  I like that perspective. 

I went out with some girl friends last night and wanted a drink drink so badly so I ordered a "skinny" martini type drink.  Wasn't bad but don't know if it was really worth the calories. Oh well, the company was well worth the extra calories and it was super nice to get out with friends.  I also stayed out too late and ended up sleeping in so I missed the chance to get my exercise in.  It is way too hot here in Texas to get out and exercise past 8 am unless you can exercise indoors. 

This morning I made a chocolate smoothie for breakfast.  I bought a package of chocolate smoothie mix from the WW meeting.  If you mix it with water it is worth 2 pts and if you mix it with a cup of fat free milk then it is 4 pts.  I chose to do it with milk since it was my breakfast.  I mixed the milk and packet first so the powder dissolved then I added a few frozen strawberries and ice.  I blended it in my blender and it was YUMMY!!  And it took me about an hour to finish it all.  It filled a very tall glass.  I can definitely see that as a staple for my busy mornings. 

Next week is the start of school.  My oldest is starting kindergarten and he has to be at school by about 7:20.  That is freaking early for my house.  My kids usually sleep in until 8ish so the thought of having everyone up and dressed, fed and out the door at 7 terrifies me.  I have a friend that suggested making egg "muffins" and freeze them.  Then all you need to do is reheat them in the oven in the morning.  So, I figured I would give them a shot.  I combined a dozen eggs (minus 1 yolk...I cracked it and it was bloody...YUCK!!), about 5 oz shredded cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup milk, and 1 pound cooked sausage.  I poured them into greased muffin pans and cooked them for about 17 minutes at 350 degrees.  They turned out pretty tasty.  I calculated the points for me and they are 3 pts each.  If you add more veggies you could really have more for the same amount of pts since they would make more.  I might try adding spinach, onions, bell peppers.  I figure they will be really good on an English muffin.  The boys will love them in the morning just plain.

Hoping to get a good "before" picture taken this week.  Is ther such a thing a good "before" picture??? lol  I usually try to hind behind the camera and absolutely hate pictures taken of me.  So I know that if I don't purposely take a picture I will have a hard time finding a "before" picture.  I like the idea of taking weekly pictures in the same outfit.  Kinda reminds me of pregnancy pictures... It will be nice to look back and  truly see the progress.

Pinterest

Anyone follow Pinterest??  It is my newest addiction.  I have now decorated my future house, found new places I want to travel, clothes I NEED to buy, and recipes that look delish!!!  It is such a fun site!  Here is their official about us site: About Pinterest.  It says,

Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.

Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.

A couple of the boards I have are Healthy Mind, Body and Soul.  I post quotes, pictures, helpful advice and etc to help me remember why I need to lose weight and be healthy.  It provides me with inspiration. 

I also have a board dedicated to recipes that I want to try.  There are definitely some unhealthy ones but some healthy ones in there too.  I'm going to make it a goal to try to make new dishes every week and post pictures along with their recipe on here.  I have found some that look super yummy!  You can follow the food/recipes in my Mmmmmm board.  I have a few others for freezer cooking and crock pot cooking.  With a family of 5 I need to try freezer cooking and I LOVE my crockpot!!

Gettin' Our Skinny Back

Welcome to Kristie, Heather, and Joy's new journey of Gettin' Our Skinny Back! We are three moms with 9 kids between the two of us all 5 years and younger. We have been talking back and forth with each other for over a year about our weight loss struggles and after all is said and done we are both where we were a year ago. We are hoping this blog will help keep us accountable to each other and then maybe others will find helpful information along the way, or better yet share their helpful information with us.

A little bit about each of us:

Heather:
I am a mom to 3 small boys... Liam (1-about to be 2), Preston (3) and Carter (5). I have always been a pretty petite girl (I'm 4'11") but with muscles. I never had to worry about my weight or what I ate. That was nice growing up but not so nice once I started college. I think instead of the freshman 15, I gained the freshman 30. Then came the babies. I took the "you have to eat for two" very literal and I think I actually ate for at least 3. My mom told me with all 3 of my pregnancies, "you're going to regret that once the baby is born." And you know what? I don't!! I enjoyed every little bite of food I ate when I was pregnant. I mean that is the one time in your life that no one really notices that you just ate a whole pizza and half-gallon of ice cream. However, now after 3 babies and my youngest is about to turn 2, I still haven't lost the weight. I have lost some weight but then I gain it back. Oh, also add to that after I had my youngest I ended up having back surgery. So, my workouts have been almost obsolete. So here I am in my thirties and determined to get my body and health back. I know I want to look good and wear clothes that make me look good but most importantly I want to be healthy. I want my boys to grow up with a healthy lifestyle and outlook on life. In a society monopolized by convenience food I want my kids to know that there are healthy, good foods out there. We only have one body so we better take care of it the best we can.

Kristie: 
Hi, I'm Kristie.  I have two children, Cutter and Gracie.  I have been married to my wonderful husband, Greg, almost 6 years!  My career as a flight attendant has lasted almost 10 years and is still going strong.  I started gaining all my weight right out of high school.  With the stresses of college, my parents divorce and living on my own all on my shoulders the freshman 15 was really the freshman 30!  I met Greg and my weight really climbed  then, the comfort of knowing that someone will love you whether you are short, fat, tall or skinny is the worst for someone like me who is short!  We ate out A LOT, enjoyed getting to know each other over food was one of the things we did most.  I love him to pieces, don't know where I would be without him.  He certainly didn't make me fat, but he's part of my problem!  He doesn't think I look bad, so I have a hard time telling myself that I am fat, but I am, and I have come to the conclusion that I need to lose this weight!!  Thanks for encouraging me when I need it most, it will help more than you will ever know!

Joy:

Weight Watchers

Last week I joined Weight Watchers.  I lost approximately 30 pounds in 2007 while going to the Weight Watcher meetings.  I stopped going once I got pregnant with Preston, my 3 year old.  After I had Preston I figured I could get back on track without going to the meetings. However, as soon as I started working out with a personal trainer and dieting I became pregnant with my almost 2 year old, Liam.  I still haven't managed to lose weight and keep it off since having Liam.  My doctor has been urging me to join Weight Watchers again and actually go to the meetings.  So, I did just that.  I went to my first meeting last Monday on August 8th.  I fought to hold back tears throughout the whole meeting.  I know I'm not alone in this and everyone in that room understands what I'm going through but I just have a hard time believing that I let myself get to this point. 

I go to another meeting this afternoon and I'm feeling pretty good about it.  I had a few slips this weekend but nothing too terrible.  I started tracking all of my food and that really helps me stay on track.  I will update after my weigh in!  Wish me luck!!