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!