Baby Weight

I've been kind of dragging my feet on this . . . but it's time.

Time to discuss the dreaded baby weight. 

It's so much more fun to discuss summer outings, crafts with kids, photography, and, oh yes, the sweetness and joy of having a precious new little baby at home.  But it's time to get real, y'all.  And the fact of the matter is I've got weight to lose. 

I have gone back and forth about whether or not to post my weight.  I think I'm not ready for that, so instead, I'll tell you how much I have to lose.  About 20 pounds.  {Gasp!} That's right, my sweet little Taylor Grace is 6 weeks old today, and I still have 20{ish} pounds to lose.  Let me just tell you, that's what happens when you gain upwards of 44 pounds during a pregnancy.  Surprise, surprise, I did not give birth to a 35 pound baby! 

So . . . here's what I'm doing so far:

Trying very hard to cut out the junk.  I crave a lot of sweets, and I'm not really into denying myself that, so it's a challenge.  But I'm trying to make better choices. 

I'm drinking a lot of water.  This is not a problem for me.  I typically drink a lot of water, so not much change there. 

I am getting up and moving more.  I seriously thought I was moving a lot as it was.  I mean, really, I'm chasing after kiddos all day long.  But when the scale isn't budging, it means I need to move more.  I'm trying to exercise daily because if I don't, then it doesn't get done at all.  3-4 times a week I do aerobics with Denise Austin, and the remaining days I'm walking.  I used to exercise all the time, but really haven't regularly since Kameryn was born 2 1/2 years ago {yikes!}.   So, {do not laugh!} I am starting slow.  Walking a mile and a half on the nights that I do the walking, and hoping to work my way up.  Pathetic, I know, but I'm just trying to be honest here.

Alright, so any tips?  Motivational thoughts?  Inspirational words?  ;)

Oh, and here's a photo of my precious Taylor with Nana.  She is growing like a weed!  Crazy, I tell ya.  I look at her, and I don't even care about the weight.  {But, I still kinda do a little bit}.

Confession Time

I have a confession to make . . . {though some of you may already know}.

Wait for it . . .

Wait for it . . .

I don't exercise.

{GASP!}

I know. I know. I should. I just . . . don't. {Colleen? Are you there? Can we still be friends?}

I haven't always been this way. Obviously when I was doing the Miss USA thing I exercised. Like crazy, really. And even after Sierra was born. I exercised every day. Every.single.day.without.fail. But then I got pregnant with Kenners. I was put on bedrest at 13 weeks, and my exercise habit came to a screeching halt. Once Makenna was born I was out of the habit and I had a newborn. And a two year old. Exercise just wasn't at the top of the ol' priority list. And ever since, {I am so embarassed to say}, I haven't had a regular exercise routine. Or even a semi-regular exercise routine. Sure, I'd start back up before, like, our trip to Hawaii. And I might throw in a little aerobic activity before bathing suit season. But that's it, folks.

So, here's the deal. I'm actually pretty happy with my weight, but I really need to get in shape. I thought if I came here to confess, maybe I'd be held accountable. And maybe I'd even get a little support? Encouragement? Opionions on what has worked for others? If you love to exercise {or even if you don't, but you do it anyway}, please share. I'd love to hear about your experiences. What works for you {what doesn't work for you}, and if you're an aerobics girl, like myself, which dvds you enjoy {and which you hate, so I can stay away from those}.

Whew! It feels so much better to get that off my chest ;)

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition ~ Back to School!

So, it's been awhile {again}, but since I haven't exactly been great

at working toward my goals, I haven't had too much to report.

New to Extreme Makeover: Me Edition?

Hurry on over to Amber's to read all about it and join in!

This week it's all about heading back to school.

Amber asks:

How is sending the kiddos back to school going to affect you?

Is it going to be easier/harder?

Are there any benefits/downfalls?

Not just back to school time,

but basically, summer is coming to an end.

Is summer harder or easier for you to stick to your weight loss goals?

For me, the start of school means less time for everything else,

as we are a homeschooling family.

Once we go back to school, our days will be filled with studies

PLUS all of the other chores and activities we have on a daily basis.

Add to that swimming and dance lessons,

and we have a pretty full schedule.

On the other hand, I do much better when I'm on a schedule,

so even though I have less time, it may work in my favor.

I've learned that no matter how much you have going on

you can still make time for the things {and people}

most important to you.

Exercise needs to become more important to me!

On the weight-loss front,

I stepped on the scale and saw the smallest number

I've seen in awhile.

I'm down a pound or two from pre-pregnancy weight, even.

It's pretty ridiculous how happy that made me ;)

{Like, standing in the bathroom doin' the happy dance, happy!}

Weight Loss isn't the problem, I NEED to exercise.

No excuses, this body has got to get in shape!

So . . . some goals:

Drink more and more water {I'm pretty good about doing this anyway}

Cut out more sugar {getting better}

Eat smaller portions

~EXERCISE~

walk, run, aerobics, weight training, whatever!

I just need to get movin'!

How about you? What kind of goals do you have?

Head on over to Amber's and link up. We'd love to have ya :)

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition

I am totally slackin', y'all! Another week of EM:ME is upon us! My how the time flies.

Lovely Amber hosts, and is askin' us:

How are you doing???

Great, thanks for askin' Amber! :)

Actually, I'm at a stand still. With, two, 10-day rounds of antibiotics under my belt in the last two months, I've been feeling drained, and haven't been too motivated in the exercise department. {Oh, who am I kidding, I haven't been motivated in that department for a long time!} However, now that summer is upon us, and there are all sorts of fresh fruits and veggies around every corner, we have been enjoying eating FRESH! And with the 100+ degree days, you can't help but guzzle the water.

So . . . same ol', same ol', I guess. I know I need to add more exercise to my routine, and I wouldn't mind losing just a couple more pounds, but other than that, I'm pretty happy :)

Head on over to Amber's to read about other great gals' journeys!

*And, oh yeah, I may have another reason for feeling totally drained and left with no time for exercise these days . . . I'll post more about that soon ;)

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition, Week ???

Wow, it's been awhile! I've been slacking in blog-world, but for good reason{s}, people, I can assure you. First, the normal hustle and bustle of Summer. We don't get months on end of beautiful sunshine here in Oregon, so we gotta take advantage of it while we can.

Second, I have {stupid} mastitis again {waaaahhh, Idon'twannabeonantibioticsagain, } and I'm wiped out! Alright, fit over.

And, do I need to remind y'all of the 14 loads of laundry, trailer clean-out, and week-long camping trip I'm still recovering from? Okay, then.

So, the lovely Amber, host of this beautiful weekly gathering of ladies who are in pursuit of bettering themselves, poses this question:

What's been inspiring you???

I am inspired by other people's health and fitness. Last week, while at my family reunion camp-out, I got to spend some time with my younger sister and her precious family. Her daughter, Sonoma, is 11 months old and soooo super adorable {as is her son}. Anyway, Annie {sister} looks FAN-tastic! She is the thinnest I've ever seen her. Ever. And not just skinny, but toned as well. Of course, she IS superwoman. Chasing after two little ones, working part-time at Starbucks, AND coaching high school dance team, just to name a few.

Anyway, what an inspiration! After days of snacking on Golden Oreos and Snickerdoodles, I wanted to just toss the rest of the snacks in the garbage! Of course, I didn't. I am a snacker, and I won't give it up totally, but it was a reminder that if I want to change my body, I'm going to actually have to do something about it. Crazy, huh? Now, don't get me wrong, I am pretty happy with how far I've come. I can happily say that I am down to pre-pregnancy weight. A weight that I've been within a few pounds of all my adult life. About 112, if you need a number, people. BUT, I need exercise. I need to tone. I know this, but somehow it seems so difficult to fit it in. Something to work on, I guess.

So, that's that. How are you doing with your fitness goals? What inspires you? Head on over to Amber's to join in, and link up. You'll be so happy you did!

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition

***Don't forget to check out

my current giveaway!!!***

So, it is Week 13 of Extreme Makeover, but it's not too late to join! Head on over to Amber's to join in and link up, and to read other gals EM:ME journeys. We could all use a little love and support.

Speaking of support {smooth, huh?} This week's question comes from Shortmama, who asks:

"Who is your biggest supporter/motivator in your weight loss? Do you have anyone around you that tries to sabotage you by "talking" you in to eating the not so good stuff?"


Well, my husband likes to tease a little bit . . . okay a lot. And sometimes it's the teasing that gets me motivated to kick the exercise up a notch, or re-think what I'm about to eat. And my oldest daughter {6} is always asking if we can turn on the iPod and exercise. She's a huge support. No one talks me into eating the sweets . . . I do that all on my own.

So, same ol', same ol' around here. I need to exercise more, eat less ;) I just love food so much! I do have my laptop back, and it doesn't seem to be giving me trouble, so I guess I should post pictures of my fridge from last week's EM:ME task. I was kinda hoping to get out of it, but here we go:

When these pictures were taken, I desperately needed to grocery shop, hence the bare fridge. I know, I know, it doesn't look too promising, but I do stay away from the Cool Whip {I did not stay away from that pizza, however. Oops}, my husband is the Coke drinker {I like naked water, remember?}, and I don't happen to love vanilla ice cream. That ice cream has very possibly been in our freezer for some time. I should probably throw it out, now that I think about it. So, that is shrimp, chicken breasts, and some sturgeon fish that hubby caught. Mmmm is it yummy! Oh, and before I get loaded down with emails notifying me that our eggs are way past expired . . . we have chickens, so we get fresh eggs daily. We collect these old egg cartons to put them in ;)

Until next week,

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition Week 11

First things first, if you are new to Extreme Makeover, Me Edition, go straight to the girl who started it all ~ Amber! She dreamed up this journey for women who want to get healthy and feel better about themselves. Go check out her blog, catch up with others, and link up yourself!

Sooo, I didn't even know it was Wednesday until I was catching up on my blog reading and saw Lisa's EM:ME update. I have been a little out of sorts lately. I can't shake this exhaustion, and I cannot seem to remember anything. I'm just not feeling like myself. However, I have been exercising lately. YAY! Not every day, but every other day I seem to be able to get in at least 30 minutes of aerobics, and some plain ol' walkin'! This is a step in the right direction.

Amber's Question of the Week:

What's your favorite thing to drink while you're losing weight? We all know how important it is to get that water intake up, especially with summer almost here. What's your favorite way to spice it up?

I actually enjoy naked water. I've always been a water girl. If I'm really thirsty, water is all that will do. But, I have recently found water's long lost friend, Crystal Light. I have to admit, I do love it. It works great for those times that plain ol' water isn't enough. It's like a little party for your mouth, and I enjoy it. However, I do not enjoy the flavors that are highly dyed. I tried Target's brand of CL and I can't remember what flavor it was, but it was RED. Red-red. And it dyed everything. No thank you, I don't want to look like I've gotten into the food coloring!

Oh! Almost forgot, the results! I'm down another pound! Yippee :)

Until next week ladies!

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition, Week 10

Welcome to Week 10 of my journey through EM:ME. I say it every week, but I truly don't know where the time has gone. If you're new to Extreme Makeover: Me Edition, shimmy your way over to Amber's for the details, and to check on everyone else's progress. And sign up, why don'tcha? You'll be happy you did!

Soooooo, I'm happy to report that I'm in a better mood than I was last week ;) Not sure what was going on there except that I had been battling an infection and was on some heavy duty meds. I just wasn't feeling myself, I guess. This week I'm feeling much better, am working on getting a little more sleep {though that hasn't really happened yet, it is a goal of mine}, and am overall much cheerier.

I am at the point now where I'm feeling pretty good weight-wise. If I didn't lose another pound, I think I'd be okay with that. I'm within 2-3 pounds of my pre-pregnancy weight, all of my clothes fit, and I'm happy. However, something needs to be done about the lack of tone. This is a hard one for me, because motivation for exercise hasn't been very strong since I started my journey. When I get into a habit of exercise, I almost need it every day. But when I've gotten out of that habit . . . oh, it's so hard for me to get back in the groove again. And let's face it, it's easier to find the time to squeeze in 30-60 minutes of exercise each day when you have one little one. When you have two, it can be a bit harder to juggle. Now with three (and all of our other resonsibilities ~ homeschooling, dance lessons, swim lessons, church and family activities), if I find an extra few minutes to myself, I'd rather be doing something, anything, but exercising ;) I need to change my mind-set. Once I figure out how to do that, I'll let ya know!

Progress: I'm down a pound since last week. I'm ecstatic about that simply because I know that it's harder to take it off now that I'm practically at goal weight. I added it up, and I've lost about 10 pounds in the ten weeks.

Now, for Amber's Question of the Week:

What's your favorite beauty secret?

1. Mascara. I hadn't realized how important mascara was until I was interrupted in the middle of the makeup routine last week. I completely spaced my final step of mascara. I went about my business, and every time I'd catch a glimpse of myself I thought "what in the world is wrong with me? I look tired or something". I finally remembered my mascara, and voila! All better.

2. Self-tanner. Have to agree with Amber on this one. I've used self-tanner for many years {and boy, has it come a long way!}. It gives you that extra glow, and does wonders for your self-esteem, say, in mid-January when you're feeling all paste-y. It also slims you!

3. Toe polish. I always keep my toes painted. It's no beauty secret, but I feel like my feet look a little prettier when I keep them up. And let's face it, feet just aren't that pretty.

4. Baby Powder. Don't have time to wash your hair? Is it gettin' a little greasy? I sprinkle a little baby powder in my hair brush and dab at the roots.

The next couple are from my pageant days . . .

4. Visine. Have an unsightly red blemish? Didn't get much sleep and now your eyes are the color of tomatoes? Visine to the rescue! Visine seriously gets the red out, whether in your eyes or on your face, so put it to good use!

5. Preparation H. I know you've all heard it before, but it really does the trick to shrink ;) I used to rub it all over the bum and thigh area and then wrap with saran wrap before bed the night before a pageant. It's an instant tone. But that gets expensive, and I'd never use it for that now. Who has the time??? What I would use it for {and need to use it for} is these unsightly bags under my eyes. Try it!

Until next week!

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition, Week 9

It's hard to believe I'm starting my ninth week of this journey. For those of you who are new here, and have never heard of EM:ME, skip on over to Amber's for details, and to sign up. It's great fun!

I'm all about honesty. I always want people to be honest with me, so I will give y'all that same courtesy. This has been a hard week. I wasn't feeling well, I'm tired, Kameryn has been more than a little cranky {could this be the antibiotics I'm on????} and, truthfully, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with the next few weeks to come. We just started swimming lessons last night, Makenna has one more dance lesson before rehersal and recital (which happens to be the same night as Sierra's swimming lesson), Sierra will continue to have dance lessons throughout June, along with her swimming lessons, and there are more events coming up {Graduation, BBQs, Birthday parties, Recitals, Performances, etc.} than I can count. Now, don't get me wrong, I am looking forward to all of it. Every single bit. And I do love keeping busy. It's just that sometimes, {when I'm already feeling a little rundown}, I take a look at the calendar and I think "whoa". Sooooo, what does this have to do with EM:ME? I'm just not feeling motivated. I guess I'm too busy thinking about everything else that's going on to really want to make a plan and goals for exercise. Annnnnnd, I think I've hit a bit of a plateau. The weight doesn't want to come off as easily as it had, and I don't want to work harder. That's not a good combo. In fact, I'm finding that not only is the scale not moving to the left . . . it's actually fluctuating to the right a little {gasp!}.

Of course, if I were to try to look for the positives, I could certainly find a few. I think the main reason that the weight isn't continuing to come of is because I'm pretty dang close to my pre-pregnancy weight. Within about 3-5 pounds. That's a plus. And, yes, I'm still nursing, so I know that that can keep an extra few on. I guess it was just so exciting to see the scale moving, that it's a let-down when it doesn't.

I'm not sure the results are worth posting {Look at me, Negative Nancy, sheesh!}. There really isn't much change since last Wednesday. I lost about a half pound, and then I put it right back on, now I'm down a half pound again. Can you say, yo-yo?

That's that. I just got through reading Amber's post. She's had quite the week with having her wisdom teeth out. She's battled the yo-yo weight this week too, and was feeling miserable, and guess what, she's staying super-duper positive {not to mention walking 1.5 hours each night!}. Guess I could learn a thing or two from her, huh?

Until next week ladies ~ at which time I promise to put on a smile :)

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition, Week 8

Here we are, it's Wednesday once again! You know what that means . . . the walk of {weigh-in} shame. No, really, are you wanting to feel better about yourself? Get healthy? Tone that unsightly flabbity flab flab? If you answered, YES, you're going to want to skip on over to Amber's {skipping is known to burn more calories than plain ol' walking don'tcha know}, and read all about other inspiring ladies who are making over themselves. Then, join our lovely group, write a post of your own, and link up! It's easy as pie {er, celery sticks!}

I'm feeling okay about last week. I dusted off the ol' Pilates DVD. In all honesty, it's not my favorite form of exercise, but I did feel good about doing it. I also tried to get myself back on track after a lot of indulging on our Sunriver trip {not to mention all the Mother's Day chocolate, etc.}. So . . . I'm slowly getting there. Back on track, I mean. It's a process, people. I cannot eat 4200 pieces of chocolate one day and deprive myself of any, the next. That's not how I roll. Slowly, but surely, I am saying no to the chocolate and yes to healthier options.

This Week's Question:

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

Hmmm... I don't like to substitute (just kidding. But, actually, I'm not). I guess, if anything, I try to eat a little less of my guilty pleasure. I'm finding that I'm not actually an ice cream gal. I mean, I'll take it, but it's not my favorite sweet. So, I'll try to remind myself that if I don't LOOOOVE it anyway, why spend the extra calories on it. If I'm eating a salad, maybe I'll try to put less dressing on it. As for the chocolates that I've been inundated with. They are good. Really good. Well, it seems my daughters (and husband!) think so too. So instead of eating them all myself, I go the "Of course you can have a chocolate" route. That way I'm being a good, sharing, mom, AND I'm not consuming all of those calories on my own. Win-win :)

Results: I lost allllllmost a pound. .8 lb., I guess. And I'll take it. Now that I'm getting much closer to my pre-pregnancy weight, my goal weight, the weight is a little slower in coming off. I'm still nursing (and will continue for a long time, I imagine), so that will probably keep an extra pound or two on. For me, it's not all about pounds lost. I'm eating better, making wiser choices, and exercising more. That is far more important, to me, than 1/2 pound here and there.

Go on over to Amber's (skipping is optional), and join in on the fun!

Until next week . . .

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition, Week Seven

Is it Wednesday already? My how the weeks are flying by! I guess it's time for Extreme Makeover: Me Edition, once again! The fabulous, Amber, has gotten us gals together for support and encouragement while we try to better ourselves and get healthy! Join us, post about it, and link up, why don'tcha?


So . . . I knew this week would bring set-backs. I spent three days on vacation with my family, throwing caution to the wind, and not watching what I ate. At all. I had a big serving of my mom's lasagne (with super yummy garlic bread, thankyouverymuch) the first night, delicious fajitas (courtesy of my brother and brother-in-law) the second, and, oh yeah, many slices of pizza on the third. No, in case you're wondering, this wasn't followed by lots of exercise. I'm not gonna lie to ya, I didn't even think about exercise once. And if that wasn't enough, my beautiful, sweet, thoughtful daughters know exactly what I love . . . chocolate. And they got me plenty of it for Mother's Day. Like, two gigantic bars and three bags, to be exact. And it was the good kind {as if there's a bad kind of chocolate}. And yes, I had a lot of it. Okay, there, confession over. It wasn't a great week for weight loss, but it was a great week for family and fun. I think that should win out every once in awhile, anyway.


Before I jump to the results (I'm not really looking forward to posting them, so I'll stall as long as I can), it's time for the question of the week:

Show us your inspiration picture. Of yourself skinny, of yourself fat, of a celebrity that inspires you to keep going.

I don't really have an inspiration picture. I did recently come across some pictures taken in 2003. That was a year after I had Sierra. I was in really good shape at that point in my life, probably my thinnest at about 103 pounds, but also pretty toned as I exercised to Denise Austin every.single.day. This picture was taken in August of 2003. My mom, Sierra, and I had taken a trip to Michigan to visit my roommate from Miss USA. We spent a week back there just visiting, and it was so much fun. I look at the picture now and aspire to get my body back in that kind of shape. I felt good.

August 2003

And also the fall of 2006. We went to Hawaii in October, so I had been pretty good about exercising, and I just felt good about my body.

Okay, the results:
I stayed exactly the same. No gain, no loss. To the ounce, the same. I'm actually not altogether disappointed since I did not make the best choices health-wise last week. I'm going to get my bum in gear for next week, though. I still have a few pounds to go, and LOTS to tone!

Until next week, ladies!

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition, Week Six

It's about that time again! Time to get your bum in gear, exercise like mad, and eat healthy. What's that? I should take my own advice? Yeah, you're right. But that's another story. Go visit Amber, she's the fabulous gal who dreamed up this great idea to get us ladies together to help motivate one another for a complete makeover! Join us, post about it, and link up. It's lots-o-fun!

It's more of the same around here. My new music is still motivating me to move more. Sometimes (Do.Not.Laugh.) I will throw on the iPod and shake my groove thing while making myself beautamous in the morning or while making dinner in the evening. Overall more movement, and less eating. Though I'm finding that as I'm losing weight, I am more hungry due to nursing Kam. A few weeks ago I was thinking back to when I nursed my older daughters, and I was ravenous all.the.time. I was wondering why that wasn't necessarily the case this time around, and I think I've found my answer. The closer I get to my pre-pregnancy weight (now only 4-5 pounds away) the less fat stores I obviously have, and therefore I am getting hungrier again. So . . . this means I will probably need to step up the exercise routine, as I'm going to be eating more again.

And now, for the question of the week, courtesy of Amber and Xazmin from This is the Year:

We're all here at EM:ME because we're unhappy with our bodies, or our health; there are things that we are trying to change.But today you must share one thing with everybody that you absolutely love about yourself

I'm not sure I can think of anything that I "absolutely LOVE" about myself. But I will say that I almost always give 100% (though I've found the exception to be exercise!) I try to be the very best I can be, especially at the two things that are most important to me, being a good wife and a good mama.

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for (what? You're not on the edge of your seat? Oh.)

I have lost 1.6 pounds this week, for a grand total of exactly 8 pounds altogether. (And, in case you are wondering, yes, I had lost a total of 2 pounds on Monday, but, in grand tradition, the darn .4 pounds crept back in. What is that all about?!) Plus, (I just have to share!) we went shopping last week and I bought a pair of size 4 capris hoping that I'd be able to fit into them by the time we get some sunshine. And guess what, they totally fit. And I'm not even having to squeeze into them. Yay!

Until next week, ladies! Oh, and I'm planning already for a gain next week. We're leaving Friday for the Sunriver Resort for 4 days with my whole family (except not Jeremy, {sad face}). My mom has lasagna planned for Friday night (um, yum), and I'm sure we'll have big breakfasts every morning and quite a bit of eating out. Just thought I should warn ya'all! :)

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition, Week 5

Whoa, whoa, whoa, where did the time go?! This last week just zoomed right on by me. First things first, if you are new to Extreme Makeover: Me Edition, please go visit Amber. She's the one who started this grand journey. You'll definitely want to join this fabulous group of ladies trying to get and stay fit and healthy. Go on, check it out why don'tcha!

So . . . this week wasn't too bad! Last week's question regarding tunes that you listen to while working out really got me motivated to fill up my iPod with some better music to get me goin'. And it worked! I actually fit 35-45 minutes of aerobic activity into several days last week. AND, thanks to Amber, I remembered that I really love doing isolated exercises, so I've picked that up again as well. (Think crunches and leg lifts). I've also been snacking less, and being more conscious of what I'm eating. And, while I've always been a water-drinker, I've upped my intake lately.

Amber's Question of the Week: Share with us a healthy recipe

Would you believe that this question is totally stumping me? I know, that's sad, but true. We don't eat a lot of junk, but I'm definitely NOT what you would consider a health nut. So, the following is pretty basic, and I wouldn't even call it a recipe, but here ya go:

We love fruit around here. And especially in the summer time when there are so many yummy fruits in season, I enjoy putting together a fruit salad. You can choose to add any fruit you like, but we enjoy:

*Sliced Strawberries* *Blueberries* *Raspberries* *Grapes*

*Sliced Bananas* *Sliced Kiwi*

I then make a fruit dip which consists of Fat Free Vanilla Yogurt

(Yoplait is the only kind I buy. I'm a yogurt snob like that)

and mix with Light Cool Whip

The girls love dippin' their fruit. I realize that this "recipe" would be healthier if we eliminated the cool whip, but c'mon Cool Whip makes everything a little more fun, right?

Time for the results: Why, oh why do I ALWAYS weigh less on Monday than I do on Wednesday? (Uh, Amber? Can we move EM:ME to Mondays?) I usually weigh myself daily, and Mondays I'm always like "Woohoo, look at that loss" Then we get to Wednesday and it's like "What the heck?!" Yep, that happened again this week, but I'm trying not to take my anger out on my scale. Soooooo (stupid stinkin' scale says) I have lost 1 pound this week.

So, what are you waiting for? Go take a look at what other moms are doing to get healthier over at Amber's and sign yourself up!

Until next week!

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition, Week 4

Alright ladies, I will not keep you in suspense any longer. The winner of the handy dandy Sportline Step and Distance Pedometer is . . .

Wait for it . . .

Wait for it . . .

#10 ~ Staci, from Playing House! Alrighty, Staci, if you could contact me ( sugarplumfraijo@yahoo.com ) with a mailing address, I will get this shipped right to ya! :)

Now, on with the show. This is week 4 (for me) of Extreme Makeover: Me Edition, courtesy of Amber. Amber started this journey to help us ladies get and stay motivated in becoming fit and healthy. Go check out her blog, and join us, why don'tcha?

I wish I could say that last week was the week that motivation struck. The week that I'd had enough, and really put my body to work with a brand new, super intense workout routine. Sadly, that was not the case. In reality, I went to my mom's birthday dinner at one of the yummiest restaurants ever (though I didn't do too horribly, a healthy choice dinner option and a sliver of cake), took the girls to the tulip festival where I had some fries and kettle corn, had lunch at the Olive Garden after family photos, and have been utterly exhausted due to an overly crabby baby who just can't seem to get settled into a sleeping groove.

On the positive side, I had been avoiding some of my pre-pregnancy clothes like the plague, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that almost everything fits pretty well these days. I may have a couple pairs of capris that are a tad snug, but the in-between-pants that I had bought to wear until I lost the weight are now too BIG, yay! Also, I'm still practicing some self-control in regard to food, which is a big step for me.

So, now, Amber's Question of the Week: Share some of the music that you work out to. What helps you rock it!? What gets your blood pumpin?

80's/90's Dance Music (think Blackbox, techno)

Disturbia-Rihanna (me too, Amber!)

Anything Black Eyed Peas

Milkshake - Kelis (do not laugh)

Missy Elliott (I know, I know, not suitable for little ears)

Timbaland/JT/Nelly Furtado

Outkast

Good grief, this list is almost embarassing ;) In defense, they are "clean" versions. Yep, time to stop trying to explain it.

And now, for the results: boy, it just keeps getting worse each week, doesn't it? I did lose, but just barely. A little over half a pound. Okay, this time, I mean it. More exercise, more exercise, more exercise. More water (only water?). Even a little more self-control regarding food.

Join in on the fun. Take a look at what other moms are doing to get healthier over at Amber's and sign up yourself, why don'tcha!

Until next week!

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition, Week 3 ANNNNND A GiveAway!!!

(Don't forget to "enter" the giveaway!!!)

I am finishing up Week 3 of Extreme Makeover: Me Edition, Courtesy of Amber. Let's start off with some honesty, this week hasn't been the greatest. I am a sweets person, and guess what, there were a lot of sweets floating around this house last week. Though really, it seems there has been candy in the house non-stop since Halloween! But I'll save that rant for another day. On a positive note, though, I'm still refraining from visiting the fridge during the night, AND I think I may be gaining some willpower.

Exercise: not so much. I know, bad, bad, bad, right? Exercise is really all that is going to help the jiggle after having a baby. And, let's face it, exercise is just plain good for ya! Yes, it's helpful to cut out some sweets, and I'm happy to be gaining some willpower regarding food, BUT, I need to step up my exercise game. Besides the usual running around (what I affectionately call my "mommy steps") and a couple of "dance days" with the girls, I really have not done any formal aerobic activity this week.

Alright, on to Amber's Question of the Week: What do you do to get yourself back on track?

Yep, I definitely need to get back on track. I like to set goals for myself and write them down so that I'm held accountable. This week my number one goal is to get moving more. I really need to get more exercise in. I seem to be doing better with food. Besides a couple of pieces of candy, I really stayed away from it over the week. I ate a little more at Easter dinner than I normally would have, but didn't have much in the way of dessert. Overall I feel like my willpower is coming back. It just has to be more important to me to be fit and healthy than it is to taste that cheesecake, chocolate bar, etc.

Now . . . for the results . . . not actually as horrible as I thought it might be. I am down 1.2 pounds. For a grand total of 4.8 pounds since this little journey began 3 weeks ago. I am genuinely happy about that. More importantly, I seem to be taking a little off at a time and it's staying off.

Time for the fun part! The GIVEAWAY!!!! I love giveaways, LOVE them, I tell you. So, after a lot of talk about my beloved pedometer, and many comments and emails from others about wanting to try one, I decided to pick one up for a Giveaway this week. That's right, folks, I'll be giving away one fabulous Sportline Step and Distance Pedometer (you're so excited you can hardly stand it, am I right?). Now, for entry rules. Simply leave me a little comment under this blog post. I won't make ya follow me or anything (though I'd be thrilled if ya did, I want you to follow along because you WANT to, not because of a giveaway!) I will draw a name at random next Wednesday, April 22nd, and this little pedometer will be on its way to a new home.

(If, for some reason, you do NOT want to be entered in the giveaway, but would like to leave a comment, please note that in your comment, or pass along an email to me, and I won't put your name in the drawing.)

***Update****

(I forgot to mention, silly me!)

Please leave me an email address so that I can get in touch with you. If you are the big winner (hehe), and I don't have a way to contact you, then I will have to choose a new winner (that is sad news, I say!), so please don't forget to leave me your contact info.

Wanna join in on the fun? Take a look at what other moms are doing to get healthier over at Amber's and sign up yourself, why don'tcha!

Until next week!

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition Week 2

I am finishing up Week 2 of Extreme Makeover: Me Edition, courtesy of Amber. (Yes, I'm a week behind, people, story of my life ~wink~). So, overall not a horrible week. I gave in to my fair share of food indulgences, but I don't think I'm even going to call them "slips ups" or "set backs" anymore, because number one, that makes me feel bad, and number two, having sweets now and then is normal for me, and I really can't see myself cutting them out altogether. I am on week two of no middle-of-the-night trips to the fridge ~ woohoo! And don't think I don't want to sometimes.

As for the exercise, it could've been better . . . but it also could've been worse. I got in three days of aerobic activity, and overall we were on the go a bit more through the week. Last week I mentioned that I wear a pedometer. I kept it on every day this week and I'm happy to report that I had only one day of around 5,000 steps. The rest of the days averaged around 8,000, and yesterday, (drumroll, please), I hit 10,000 (oh okay, it was really 9,997, but you get the idea!). So, overall quite a bit more activity.

And now, for Amber's Question of the Week: How are you keeping track of your achievements? How do you reward yourself upon reaching your goal?

I keep track with a scale. I'm a numbers gal. And I record my weight each day on my calendar. But, I also keep track other ways. How my clothes fit is an indicator to me, and as I said, I wear a pedometer religiously (see? Numbers, I like 'em). I weigh myself at the same time each day (morning before eating or drinking anything), and sans clothing (blush!)

I don't know that I really reward myself. I guess feeling great, looking better, etc. *is* my reward. And I certainly don't deprive myself. If I want a cookie, I'll eat one. However, if I don't think I can control the number of cookies/sweets, I'll try to stay away altogether.

Now . . . for the results . . . (you are on the edge of your seat, aren't ya?) I am down 1 pound 2 ozs. I debated using yesterday's scale reading, as it looks as though I've gained 4 ozs since yesterday morning. (Oh, did I mention that I took Sierra to McDonald's yesterday? Conveniently left that part out, did I? Yeah, I had the hamburger AND fries, the whole nine yards. I guess that accounts for the 4 ozs, huh?! Okay, that's definitely called a 'set back' not an indulgence!) So, that is a grand total of 3.6 pounds altogether in the last two weeks.

Wanna join in on the fun? Take a look at what other moms are doing to get healthier over at Ambers, and sign up yourself, why don'tcha!

Until next week!

Extreme Makover: Me edition - week 1

I'm just finishing up Week 1 of Extreme Makeover: Me Edition, courtesy of Amber, and I can honestly say that I think it went pretty well. Sure, I had a few slip-ups (can you say 'fudge stripe cookies'?), and a couple of days that got away from me without any form of exercise, but overall I am making progress, and that's what counts! Not once did I go to the kitchen in the middle of the night for any kind of snack (those days are over!), and while I did indulge in some treats now and then, I'm not sure I want to cut those out entirely. I don't want to deprive myself. So instead, "moderation" is the key word around here.

I did purchase a new scale. It's nothing fancy, but it is digital so that I can keep better track of weight loss (or gain?!). I'm happy to report that I've lost two pounds since last Wednesday. A pound of that came off pretty quickly (like in a day), and the other pound was lost in 2 and 4 oz. incremements over the rest of the days. As I've mentioned before I am nursing my baby daughter, so weight loss is not my number one goal, nor do I plan on losing all of the weight right away (although I did with both of my older daughters simply because, for me, nursing just shed the pounds naturally). And as far as numbers go, I have about 14 pounds to lose in order to get to my pre-pregnancy weight, but would be happy even to lose 10. This is definitely the longest I've held on to that much extra weight after having a baby, but I am a little older now, and there have been other issues that have played a role. Mostly I would like to feel better and be more fit (and it wouldn't hurt to fit nicely into my old clothes ;)

I also wear a pedometer. I've worn one for a long time. I'm a visual gal, ya see, and I like to keep track of how many steps I'm taking/how many miles I'm walking per day. It gives me a goal to work toward. Before I was hospitalized with Kam I was taking around 10,000 steps per day. That was my goal, I guess you'd say. Once Kam came home from the hospital, that number was cut drastically ~ like less than 3,000 steps. I was literally just holding her all day long. These days I rarely take less than 5 or 6 thousand, but am working my way back up toward 10,000, and have been coming closer and closer to that goal.

Alright, down to business, now for Amber's Question of the Week! What are some methods you use to stave off temptation and/or keep from over-eating?

Hmmm, honestly I don't have a lot of willpower, AND I love sweets (not a good combo, I know). But, I used to drink nothing but water ~ no soda, no juice, nothing. That is definitely on my to-do list now. I hate the thought of "wasting" calories on beverages, so I plan on going back to water-only (or at least, water-mostly). I try not to let myself get overly hungry (typically if I'm starving, I'll just reach for whatever is closest). And if I'm craving something sweet, often times I'll give in to the temptation, but only eat 1 chocolate, NOT 10 chocolates. It may seem basic, but know your limits. I know that I'm weak, so I deliberately don't buy certain sweets. Last week, after my 8 week post partum check, my mom, the girls, and I met my dad for lunch at Shari's. When we were getting ready to leave, my dad bought an apple pie to take home (yep, you guessed it, that's where I get my sweet tooth!). Later that day he brought half the pie over for me. Sierra and Makenna aren't big pie eaters, and Jeremy was at work for 48 hours straight . . . this was not good. I *did* have a slice, but I knew that if that pie sat on my counter it would eventually all get eaten . . . by me. So, I packed up the pie and delivered it right back to dear ol' dad.

Take a look at what other moms are doing to get healthier over at Ambers!

Until next week!

Can I Get A Shout-Out For My Girl, Denise?!

No one makes aerobics fun quite like Denise Austin. I love her, I really do. So you can imagine how crushed I was when Lifetime took her Daily Work-Outs off the air. Good thing I recorded two whole VHS tapes worth of Denise ~ score! (And yes, I do still own a VCR).

Let's Get HEALTHY

Okay, after reading my last post (which I've recently deleted), I realized that I came across as more concerned about weight loss vs. actually getting healthy. Since this is not true, I figured it'd be best just to start over, that way there is no confusion. So here it goes . . .

Folks, I want to get healthy. Am I hoping that I lose a few pounds because of it? YES! Am I okay if I don't? YES. I am, of course, nursing my 2 month old, and her health is of utmost importance to me.

My sincerest THANKS! goes out to Amber for initiating the Extreme Makeover: Me Edition, Challenge. No more trips to the kitchen for Oreos in the middle of the night, no more finding excuses for not exercising. Nope, it's time to get healthy and in shape. Won't you join me?