Extreme Makeover: Me Edition: Success

I haven’t posted any EM:ME entries for a few weeks, but I have been working hard.

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This week’s question: What are your successes this week?

I am still doing my trail every day. I started by barely making it down the trail and back each day (there are many steep hills). Then I was walking faster. Then I got arm weights and started doing arm exercises while I walked. Then I started running the trail.

I can definitely see a difference from where I started. It was frustrating for the first few months because I wasn’t losing any weight and I wondered if it was even worth it. But I think what was happening was my body was turning fat into muscle and that takes time. Then about 3 months into it I saw my body change. I could see muscles I haven’t seen in a long time. My abs are strong, I have muscles in my back now and my arms are more toned.

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Plus, I love having that time to myself each day. It is a wonderful time to meditate, think and plan. So far I have lost 7 pounds and I feel like I am so much stronger!

Before:

(see how I am hiding behind the Edward poster?)

After:
And to keep myself on track, here are my goals for the week:

• Do the trail 6 days a week for 1.0 – 1.5 hours (sometimes if I don’t have a big block of time, I will do some of the trail in the morning and then walk at night. And sometimes I don’t have time to do it at all).
• drink 10 glasses of water
• do 300 sit-ups each night
• no snacking after 9 pm
• try to go to bed at a decent hour – before 12 hopefully…

And I have to say thank you to Amber. I don’t know if I would have been motivated enough on my own to start getting heathier. I have loved the support and encouragement of all of the wonderful ladies in the EM:ME group. Love you guys!!!

XOXO

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Extreme Makeover: Me Edition — August 5th

Can you believe it’s August already? This summer has just flown by. If you haven’t hear of Extreme Makeover: Me Edition before, it’s a group of women started by the lovely Amber who are supporting each other as we try to get healthier. Amber’s question this week is:

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How is your progress?
{Weight, body, mind, etc.}

• I am feeling really strong. I have been doing my trail about 6 times a week. I started off by walking it. When I got to the bottom and then had to go all the way back up, sometimes I really thought I wouldn’t make it. But I did and each day I was able to go a little faster.

• Now I am running most of the trail. There is a huge hill halfway through that is so hard to get up — people call it “Heart Attack Hill”. When I started I literally had to stop half way up to catch my breath. Then a few weeks later I could get up but had to stop at the top to catch my breath. Now I can get up really fast and keep going at the top without stopping. So it makes me feel really strong.

• I look forward to my time each day. If I miss a day I am really disappointed. It has become “me” time and I love it!

• As far as results, I am down 4 pounds from the start. But the biggest difference is the change in my body. I can see definition and muscle tone.I use my arm weights every day. I do different exercises as I walk and run along. I have really noticed a difference in my arms, back and abs.

Go on over to Amber’s and join this group of supportive friends!

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Have a fantastic Wednesday!

XOXO

PS – Thanks for entering my Blogoversary Giveaway! I will announce the winner tomorrow!

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Extreme Makeover: Me Edition — What Motivates Me?

It’s Extreme Makeover: Me Edition over at Amber’s. I feel so much better this week than I did last week. Too much eating out on our trip and not enough exercise. Now that we are home I am back to my routine.
I mentioned earlier about my summer routine of going walking/running on a wilderness trail near my home. I usually run up the hills and power walk down them. I am not sure how far it is – I need to get a pedometer and see. It takes me about 1 hour. It is so beautiful. Yesterday when I went, I took my camera.I also got some new arm weights which I tried out yesterday. They are awesome! As I walk, I do different exercises with my arms and today I hurt – so I think that they worked. The weights are 3 pounds each and they attach around the wrist with Velcro and you put your thumb through the hole so they don’t slide around. Jeff put a really great working out playlist on my ipod and away I go every morning!
If you are interested in losing weight, or just getting healthier – join Amber’s EM:ME group. It is a great group of girls supporting each other!

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Have a super day!

XOXO

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Extreme Makeover: Beauty Tips/Tricks

It’s that time again: Extreme Makeover: Me Edition. This week I have been doing really well – I have been walking/running in the morning for an hour each day. I am starting to feel really strong. I also feel like I have more energy during the day. I still am down 3 pounds from where I started, and that is fine. I have noticed more toning in my arms and in my abs. I also noticed that my pants are fitting looser – so yay! I still need to download some good workout music to my ipod. Go on over to Amber’s and join in the fun!

This week’s question:

What’s your favorite beauty secret?

• Sunscreen: I am a big believer. I use Neutrogena 45 sunscreen. I really like Neutrogena because it doesn’t make my face break out. I wear it year-round. And I put it on in the morning when I go walking even though I wash it off later and have to reapply it again after my shower.

• I know other people have said this, but I love tank tops. The kind I buy are from a store called Charlotte-Russe. They are very light-weight and stretchy. They smooth evrything out and give me coverage for when I am bending over and my top hikes up over my pants.

• Makeup Primer. I love this stuff. It smooths your skin out and mattifies your skin.

• Mineral makeup. I think this is so much more natural than liquid makeup. And you can apply layers of it when you need a little more coverage.

• Sunless tanner. This is great stuff. For me, using so much SPF, I don’t get very much of a tan. But if I have to go to the pool I feel so much better with some color. If you need some color fast, this stuff has bronzer AND self-tanner. The bronzer gives you an INSTANT tan so you can see it immediately. And it doesn’t rub off on everything.

• Shine happy. I have EXTREMELY dry hair. No matter how much I condition it, nothing matters. This is a clear coat that is like dye, but without any color. It just gives your hair shine. It lasts about 6 weeks.

Have a wonderful day!

XOXO

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Extreme Makeover Me: healthier snack ideas

It’s Wednesday and time for Amber’s Extreme Makeover: Me Edition. This week the question is

Name your guilty pleasure.
Think of a healthier choice
you could use as a substitute.

I am a Big snacker. So in order to get healthier I have had to make a few adjustments to my favorite snacks.

• Tortilla chips and salsa ————————————Baked Lays and salsa

{7 grams of fat, 200 calories}{1.5 grams of fat, 110 calories}

• Ice cream sundays—————————————–Jello pudding snacks (frozen)

{Dairy Queen small sunday: 10 grams fat, 400 calories}{1.5 grams fat, 110 calories}

• Snicker bars———————————————Junior Mints (frozen)

{11 grams fat, 266 calories}

{3 grams fat, 170 calories}

• Wendy’s 1/4 pound single, loaded——————Wendy’s Jr. Hamburger, no mayo -or a baked potato

{1/4 single: 40 grams fat, 860 calories — jr: 8 grams fat, 230 calories}
{sour cream and no butter – 3.5 grams fat, 300 calories}

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This week I was doing pretty well until I put my back out. I have been taking Ella for a walk in the jog stroller and running half of the time, walking the other half for 1 hour each time. And at night I have been doing 300 sit ups each night. Until last night. Hopefully my back will feel better soon so I can keep going. I am down 3 pounds.

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Go on over to Amber’s to join in the EM:ME fun! It’s a great support as we try to get healthier!

XOXO

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Extreme Makeover: Me — My Inspiration pics

It’s time for Extreme Makeover: Me Edition. This week we are talking about inspiration photos that get us motivated. Mine is Cindy Crawford. She has had a couple of kids, she is older than me and looks great.

Another picture that keeps me motivated is this one. This was taken a few years ago on a trip to Hawaii, before I discovered tankinis and had my last child. I remember doing the Body For Life plan before we left. It really worked and I felt great.

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I have been keeping really busy this week. I haven’t been snacking as much. So my goals for the coming week are:

• Keep drinking lots of water
• Lots of fruits and vegetables
• Go for walks/runs
• Dust off that Body For Life Book – I know it’s around here somewhere!
• Portion control

Good luck to everyone. Go on over to Amber’s to join the group. It’s a great support system of wonderful ladies!

Have a Great Day!

XOXO

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Extreme Makeover: Me Edition healthy recipe

Hello my friends. It’s Wednesday and that means it’s time for Extreme Makeover: Me Edition. Amber is hosting this great group of girls who are supporting each other as we strive to lose weight/get healthier.

This is my philosophy this week: It is what it is. I have decided to be happy with me. This body I have is amazing. It does so much. It takes care of my kids, loves my husband, hugs my friends, blogs, cleans and allows me to be creative. I am going to be happy with myself and try to be healthier.
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This week: drink more water, continue walking, eating more fruits and veggies.

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This week’s question:

Share with us a healthy recipe.

{One that you’ve adapted, found, made up. Anything. Try to give any nutritional info if possible}

Asian Noodle Soup With Chicken and Snow Peas

This is a recipe that I made Monday night. It is from Martha’s Everyday Food magazine. I just love those magazines – could they be any cuter??

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Here are the nutrition facts for the dish: 355 calories, 1.8 grams of fat, 27.5 grams of protein, 55.3 grams of carbs, 2 grams of fiber. {It does call for something called lemongrass. I looked all over and even in spices and couldn’t find it. I substituted lemon seasoning for it and it was great!}

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Click HERE for the recipe!

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It was a huge hit!!! Everyone loved it. I loved it because it was healthy and so yummy. I had the leftovers for lunch today!!

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Go on over to join the EM:ME group. What a wonderful group of supportive friends!

XOXOXO

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Extreme Makeover: Me Edition… Help!

It’s week 4 of Amber’s Extreme Makeover: Me Edition. This is a really great group of ladies who are supporting each other as we try to lose weight/get healthier. Go over and join!

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Ok, I’m keeping it real — I am at a low point. I almost didn’t post today because I feel like I’m not making much progress. Here are the good points this week:

• Not eating late at night (except one night when I had to eat like half a bag of Baked Lays)
• Drinking more water (I am loving Crystal Light)
• It’s finally warm here so I have been taking Ella for walks in the mornings (well, twice so far…)
• Working out in my yard has kept me busy and weeding up and down is almost the same as lunges, right???

Bad points:

• I am discouraged
• My jeans are still tight
• My stomach grossed me out in the shoe mirror at Target tonight as I was sitting to try on some sandals – blah!
• I am tired of Jillian Michael’s yelling at me as I Shred
• I am still going up and down with the same 2-3 pounds each week

The question this week is what type of music do you work out to that gets your blood pumping? Well, my kids will tell you that I like music way too young for my age. Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, The Fray, Owl City, Jack’s Mannequin — but also love 80’s stuff, Madonna, OMD, U2, Keane.

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So, if you’re still reading this, please help me get motivated. Do you have any good ideas???? I am thinking about bagging it all and getting one of these:

{just kidding — kind of…}

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Thanks for coming by!

I hope you have a wonderful day!

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Spring Scarves Update and EM:ME Week 3

Last month on Trendy Tuesdays I talked about Spring Scarves. Ever since, I’ve been itching to get my hands on some cute scarves. It seems like everywhere I go there are people with colorful scarves, transforming their outfits from plain to fabulous. So yesterday my mom and I went shopping for Spring Scarves. I’m really happy with the ones I found.{Wet Seal for $8.50}

{American Eagle: $11}

{Wet Seal: $8.50}

{Wet Seal: $8.50}

And now for Extreme Makeover: Me Edition. (EM:ME) I had a really hard week with Easter. I’m sure everyone did! This week we are talking about how we blew it (if we did) and what we are going to do to get back on track.

Here are some of the ways I blew it last week:

This week I am going to:

{4-5 times}

{more of this}

{less of this}

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Go on over to Amber’s and link up to join the Extreme Makeover: Me Edition group!

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Thanks for all the nice comments yesterday!
Have a Wonderful Wednesday!!!

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Extreme Makeover: Me Edition Week 2

It’s week 2 (or maybe really 3?) of Amber’s Extreme Makeover: Me Edition. This is a really great group of ladies who are supporting each other as we try to lose weight/get healthier. Go over and join!

This week I did my Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred 5 times. I am on level 2 and it’s kicking my bee-hind! I haven’t lost any weight. I keep fluctuating within 2 pounds, I lose 2 and then gain it back over and over.
I also got out of my house and went to the park and on walks with my kids. So I feel like I am more active. I also have been trying not to snack at night. That is when I am hungriest.

I had popcorn one night and one of my frozen puddings another night. (I forgot to add that you leave the pudding out to thaw for about an hour before you eat it so it is a creamy consistency).

I am struggling with drinking more water. I keep forgetting to do it. How do I reward myself for hitting my goals? Well I haven’t hit any yet. But I do reward myself for working out by having one glass of Diet Coke that day. It is my highlight. Ahhhh….

I have loved reading the rewards you all have planned for reaching your goals. Vegas, shopping sprees, trips. How fun! I’ll have to think about a good reward, maybe that will help me get motivated!

In other news, Jeff bought the wood to make my Square Foot Garden planters! We have ordered the dirt. I am busy planning out the boxes! And — My kids are out for Spring Break tomorrow. Yay!

Have a wonderful day!

XOXOXO

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