C25K: Week One

I did it! I officially completed week one of the Couch to 5K plan!!!

To be honest, I had my doubts. Most of you already know that I tried the plan before and thought I was going to die after day one and gave up. And, I have a pretty convincing track record of saying I'm going to do something and not following through. Not the best character trait to have, but hey, I'm being honest here. So, Sunday rolled around, the day I had planned to start and all I could think about was if I would actually do it. I had my qualms and I had some excuses lined up but I knew it was time to quit making excuses and go for it. I was only hurting myself by not following through.

I took Abigail to the park for an hour on Sunday afternoon and when we got back home, I changed clothes before I could change my mind. I only have a cheap umbrella stroller, not ideal, but it's all I had to work with and since I wasn't making excuses, I buckled Abigail in, put in my headphones, found the C25K podcast on my iPod, and headed out the door. After the five minute warm-up walk, came the first run...and it wasn't too bad. It definitely got harder as each run came up and as I fought with the umbrella stroller but before I knew it, the last run was over and it was cool down time. I had made it! I finished day one! Once we got back inside, I took stock of how I felt. Even though I was a bit winded, I didn't feel anything like I had felt that first time. I actually felt pretty good which then led to feeling great because I was so proud of myself.

I couldn't wait for Tuesday and my next run but I knew I couldn't do it again with that umbrella stroller. Well, really, I would have if I had to, but my wonderful husband agreed to watch Abigail and the baby I sit for and I headed out about 10 AM that morning. It was the perfect day for a run. The weather was cooler and the humidity was way down. It was so much easier and when I was done, I didn't feel pretty good. I didn't even feel great. I felt exhilarated, empowered, and energetic!

On Tuesday night, I went to Walmart for some groceries and decided to splurge on a few things for myself...a sports bra, some athletic socks (I had been wearing two pair of Ryan's socks), and a cute running outfit. I was so happy that the tank top had a media pocket. I really want to invest in an armband for my iPod but these tank tops are great! I was READY to run on Thursday.

Who am I? I HATE to run! At least that is what I thought. I'm sure some weeks will be tougher than others but I am determined not to give up! I WILL graduate from this program.

Well, I'm on central time and for me, it's still Thursday. So today, my husband watched the kids again and I went out and did day three. My legs were a tiny bit sore and it was warmer out today and the humidity was back up. It was a bit tougher than day two but not as bad as day one. I finished and I finished well. Oh and I looked cute doing it!

I'm ready for week two to start on Sunday!!! Did I just say that? :)

Another bit of fitness news: we got a gym membership today at an awesome gym in town. I'm so excited to try some new fitness classes and take advantage of the outdoor pool this summer. They offer childcare for two hours a day while you work out which is perfect for me to be able to go to the gym in the afternoons and I can enroll Abigail in swim lessons without any additional cost! Yay!

I went and saw a movie with my friend tonight and when I got home, Ryan had a jogging stroller waiting on me! I was SO happy! Goodbye cheap umbrella stroller. It was nice knowing you!

Oh and I've decided on my first 5K. I'm going to do the Critter Run in Dothan, Alabama on July 23. It's near my parent's and my mom is going to do it with me. I filled out the registration form today. I have to send it in with my money next week. Just another incentive to finish this program! I can do it!

~Jessica

I've Got Goals

Something that I've learned over the past few days is that it's important to set goals. I know. I probably should have figured this out a long time ago. I guess I'm slow! :) I've never been one to set goals...properly. I'm pretty good at setting unrealistic, unattainable, unspecific goals. Most of them were long-term goals without short-term ones to help me reach them.

As I continue on my journey to be healthier and shed some pounds, I really need goals, short-term and long-term. These goals will give me something to work toward instead of just a distant goal weight in the future. Still not sure what that is yet. Some of my goals will be tailored to do just that, help me reach a goal weight. Others will be to help me continue on in my healthy lifestyle. Others won't pertain to this journey in particular, but other areas of my life.

So, I've been mulling over what it is that I want to accomplish in all areas of my life. I'm not done. And I'm sure I won't ever be. Things in our lives are constantly changing and evolving. We have to adapt.

It's important to not just set goals but to also give yourself a realistic time limit in which to reach that goal. And if you don't meet the goal at the appointed time, don't give up, don't be discouraged. Re-evaluate. Figure out why it didn't happen. What changes should you make?

It's the same way with cooking and recipes. Sometimes, you can follow a recipe exactly but not get the same result as someone else did. Or, your tastes may be different, just like our bodies and lives are different, so you tweak or adjust the recipe to your liking, to make it work for you. As you get more comfortable with cooking and learn new techniques, expand your palate, get more creative and adventurous, what you're able to accomplish in the kitchen grows. You're repertoire of dishes grows. You're food tastes better. You become more confident. You are more willing to try new things. The same is true with goal setting. Once you get comfortable with setting goals and doing whatever it takes to reach that goal, the more you can work on yourself. And if you've ever tried to lose weight in any capacity, you know that you can't do it the same way all the time, because eventually you'll plateau, get discouraged, and head in the opposite direction. So, you have to change it up. Be flexible. Instead of being discouraged, take it as a challenge. And if you're like me, you like a good challenge. I'm very competitive!

So now that I've waxed philosophical about goals and doing whatever it takes, I sound like I have it figured out...I DON'T! I've just begun to set goals for myself. But for the first time, I feel like I understand better what it's going to take to be healthier and lose weight. In the past, I've struggled with the instant gratification problem. If I didn't see results immediately, it wasn't working, so why give up fast food, chicken fingers, and chimichangas. But just because you can't see something changing immediately, doesn't mean it isn't changing. I had to get my head around my problem and what was going on in my life that caused me to gain all the weight, to be complacent, defeated. In short (maybe a longer post later), I'm a food ADDICT! I didn't figure this out until recently. I don't just love food, I'm addicted to it. I crave it. If I kept an account of everywhere I spent my money over the last year, you would find that most of it was for food. Five dollars in my pocket meant I could have a double cheeseburger, large fry, and diet coke from McDonald's. More about this later...back to the original post...GOALS.

Here are a few of my immediate goals to begin working towards:

1. Drink more water, at least 64 oz a day.
2. Exercise 3-5 times a week.
3. Complete C25K training in the next 8 weeks (week 1 will be finished tomorrow. It's a 9 week program).
4. Go to bed earlier and get more sleep.
5. Eat more fruits and veggies.

These are my top five for now. I've heard it takes 28 days to create a habit. So, that's my time frame for all but the C25K since it already has it's own time frame.

I joined SparkPeople yesterday. I learned about it from Clara's blog. It's a free weight loss website that allows you to track your goals, nutrition, fitness, etc. You can also connect with others who are on the same journey as you, get recipes, and tips, and so forth. You can either put in a weight you want to be or a specific date and it calculates what date is realistic to reach your goal or what weight is realistic to reach by the specific date. I chose the date and let them choose the weight. So my first long-term goal is:

To lose 30 pounds by September 01, 2011. That will make a total of 40 pounds since March.

No matter what sort of journey you are on, set some goals, give yourself a time frame in which to reach the goal, make a plan, and get started!

~Jessica

Before and After: Part 1

I decided to show you a before and after picture of me from December 2010 to May 2011. There might be a better before picture on my hard drive somewhere but I took this one from my sister-in-law's Facebook page because it's the best straight forward shot. Grant it, both of these pics are only face shots but you can still tell the difference. I had my husband take some full body shots when I started the JM stuff last week. So eventually I'll post another set of Before and After pics. Here is before (December 25, 2010):

Here is AFTER (May 08, 2011):

And a little side by side action:

Healthy Living Update

I haven't done a post in a while about my healthier lifestyle so I decided to catch you up to speed today. If you are my friend on Facebook, you may already know most of this through my Facebook statuses.

Here is a brief recap:

At the end of last year, I was the biggest that I have ever been. I don't know my exact weight because I was too scared to get on the scale and see the number. (Even now, I am not comfortable sharing my weight with the world. Only a few friends and family know)

At the beginning of this year, I was completely disgusted with myself and decided to make some lifestyle changes. After years of "dieting" and trying the new fads, I knew what DIDN'T work. So this time, I decided to just eat healthier most of the time. I decided to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. I decided to eat less junk food. I also decided that I would not completely cut something out of my diet unless I decided that I absolutely didn't like it or want it anymore. So, if I wanted some french fries, I'd eat them. Or, if I wanted a cookie, I'd eat it. I already knew that depriving myself of something only made me want it more and eventually led to gorging myself on it later and falling completely off the proverbial wagon. So basically, if I ate well 90% of the time, I could afford to indulge a bit 10% of the time. And you know what, it's worked. I haven't been perfect and I'm sure I probably could have lost a bit more weight if we hadn't gone on vacation and we hadn't had to move but I'm okay with where I am and I don't feel guilty. Because, really, it's all about the decisions you make!

The last time I updated you all, I had lost about 5 pounds. Well, I am happy to announce that since March I have lost 10 pounds total! And that's even with the three somewhat bad weeks I had in April with the vacation and moving.

Here is where I am now:

I'm back to cooking and making meals at home instead of eating out! Thank goodness!

When I bought groceries last week, I purchased Jillian Michael's 14 Day Jump S Cleanse and Burn Kit. I successfully completed the first week of the cleanse and yesterday, I started the burn part. This week, I am taking one pro biotic pill in the morning that restores balance to my body after the cleanse and 2 fat burner pills in the morning and 2 more with my biggest meal of the day. Now, being someone who has tried lots of different types of diet pills, I know that pills aren't the way to go. Once you stop taking them, the weight comes back on, if you haven't changed your lifestyle. Well, this is just a jump start and I've already changed my lifestyle. So, I'm not worried. Next time I feel like I need a jump start, I might try something that doesn't include pills. But we'll see. I do have to say though, that I love all the energy that I have with the fat burner pills. I'm sure some of it comes from eating healthier and exercising too.

Last week, I also ordered a pair of running shoes with the birthday money I received from my grandparents. Of course, when they came in, they were too small. My feet grew when I was pregnant and never went back to their normal size! LOL! So, I'm never sure what size I am anymore. Luckily the store in town exchanged them even though the price in the store was more than the price online. And I had to get a different color but so far I love them. I successfully started the Couch to 5K running program this week. I did the first day on Sunday all the while pushing Abigail in a cheap umbrella stroller. Not smart but my husband was working and I didn't want to use that as an excuse. So, I pushed through and persevered and wait for it....I SURVIVED! I wasn't gasping for air and I didn't feel like I was going to die like the last time I tried it. Today, I wanted to get up early and run before Abigail woke up and before the baby I sit for arrived. But I didn't sleep well last night so I couldn't make myself get up. That's always been a problem. Please read...I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON!!! I was really not looking forward to having to run with the stroller again today so my wonderful husband agreed to watch Abigail and the baby so I could go out by myself. It felt amazing outside and you know what, it was easier today! I felt great when I finished! I was exhilarated! I can't believe I am saying this but I can't wait to do day three on Thursday and finish up week one! Oh and my hubby is going to buy me a jogging stroller soon! Yay!

Yesterday was an off day for C25K but I didn't want to be inactive, so while both kids were napping, I turned on the Wii, got out the balance board, and put in the Wii Fit game. I was a little nervous. I knew it had been a while since I had been on and if you own one you know that the balance board will make fun of you. Or so it seems!:) It had been 40 days! I couldn't believe it but there was the truth staring me in the face. Cringing, I aimed at the Body Test icon and clicked the button. I stood steady as I could while it weighed me and measured my balance and guess what...I had lost 6 pounds since I had last been on there! Making a total of about 10 pounds since March! I stepped off the board, did a little happy dance, and then got back on and did about 30 minutes of aerobics and some balance games. Balance has never been my strong point! :)

I feel great! I feel happy! I feel energetic! I also feel encouraged! I came across a blog a few weeks ago written by a woman with whom I have a mutual friend. Plus, my mom knows her. I had already learned from my mom about what an incredible weight loss journey she had been on. I read a few posts when I first learned of the blog but last night as I was watching the Braves, I decided to google weight loss blogs. I read some snippets from a few but nothing was written as well as the posts I had read from the woman named Clara. So I searched through my friends Facebook page until I found the link and between last night and today, I read EVERY single post that she had written over the last year and a half. It was amazing, insightful, encouraging, emotional, inspiring, and the list could go on. If you are interested, take a look. She is amazing. Click here for her blog.

I learned a lot from Clara and plan on implementing some of her tips and ideas. This post is long enough for now so...

Check back often for updates and to find out about life as I know it!

~Jessica

Mother's Day

This Mother's Day, Ryan had to work so Abigail and I were able to spend some quality time together! Not much different from most days. I absolutely LOVE being a SAHM. There is nothing better than doing what God has designed and called me to do. I don't always get it right. But I don't always get it wrong either! :) Motherhood is such a joy and a blessing. It also comes with it's trials and difficulties. I prefer to forget about the potty training days and the temper tantrums (hers not mine-ha!). But even when it's hard, it's wonderful and rewarding! I would do it again in a heartbeat! And I want to, but it just hasn't happened again for us. I rest in the fact that everything is in God's hands and His timing but sometimes I get down and discouraged. And some days I swing the total opposite direction and I'm sure that Abigail will be an only child. But then I pass the baby section at Target or hear about a friend who is pregnant and my heart swings the other way again. I try not to worry and stress over it. I know there are other women out there who yearn for a baby and don't even have one. So I choose to be thankful for the blessing that God gave to me over three years ago and if He so chooses to bless me with another, I'll be grateful then too!

So, what did I do on Mother's Day you ask? Well, first we went to church and then had lunch at the Times Grill. They have some of the yummiest hamburgers around! After lunch we headed home. Ryan had to leave for work and Abigail needed a nap. I took that opportunity to relax, read some, and watch a little TV, something other than PBS or Nickelodeon! After Abigail's nap, we walked down to the park near our house and Abigail played for about an hour. Afterwards, we came back home, got baths, heated up leftovers for supper, and I watched the Celebrity Apprentice. I love that show! :)

Overall, it was a great, relaxing Mother's Day. Oh, I almost forgot. I've been begging Ryan for a printer so he bought me a printer, some paper, and the new Harry Potter DVD for Mother's Day. And he and Abigail gave me the funniest card. On the front, it said, "Good mom's let their kids lick the beaters..." On the inside, it said, "Great mom's turn the beaters off first!" LOL!

Abigail and I on Mother's Day 2011

Life in Pictures: We've Moved!

Saturday April 30th, dawned a bright and sunny day. Not too hot, not too cool. It was my 28th birthday. Another year closer to 30, another birthday without my family. Last year was the first year that I've ever spent a birthday where I wasn't with either my parents or Ryan's parents. It was hard but nothing compared to this year. Not only was my family over 4 hours away, we were moving across town. What fun...NOT! But this is not the purpose of my post. If you want to hear more about my moving day blues, click here.

Otherwise, just look below at the pictures of our new place. We have really been enjoying living here and the central heating and air, I can't say enough good things about it! :) Enjoy!

The Cross is Bare, the Tomb is Empty, the Throne is Occupied

Hallelujah! What a statement! What a truth! The title of this post is taken from the lyrics to a song by Ron and Patricia Owens. At Christmas we celebrate the birth of our Savior, but what good would His birth have been if it wasn't for His death? But not just His death, His resurrection! Hallelujah, oh what a Savior!

Celebrating the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord is what makes Easter so special for Christians. It's not about a mythical Easter bunny, hunting eggs, Easter baskets, etc. But while remembering what Christ has done for us, we often participate in some of the other traditions. As we did this year with my family.

Before going to church, we gave Abigail her Easter basket from us. No Easter bunny myths for her. :) Her basket this year was actually a Georgia beach bucket, designed by, Just Say It Signs. A friend of mine, who I played softball with growing up, is part owner of the business. Check out their Facebook page here. Anyway, the bucket was filled with a Dora beach blanket, Tangled, and her favorite Easter candy, Reese Pieces Eggs and Robin Eggs. She was so excited about the towel most but loved it all. In addition, she had already received an Easter basket from her Meme and Granddaddy and would receive another Easter basket from Nana and Papa after lunch. Can you say, SPOILED?!

It was so great to go to church with my family this year on Easter. It is always a privilege to sit under my dad's preaching and so it was on Easter Sunday. Check out his blog here. After church, we headed back to Gracville, changed clothes, and went over to my brother, Justin's house to eat lunch. We had a smoked turkey, ribs, potato salad, deviled eggs, peas, corn fritters, green bean bundles, and maybe some more stuff. I can't remember. We had an Easter cake for dessert.

After we ate, the men hid some eggs for Abigail and Marlee to hunt. They had so much fun hunting eggs together. After the egg hunt was over, we took some family pics, ate some cake, and Ryan, Abigail, and I headed back home to Pearl River. The next week would be super busy for us because we were moving the very next weekend.

Overall, we had a great vacation and Easter Sunday with family. Here are some pics from the day.

Abigail and her Easter basket.

The girls in their Easter dresses both from Etsy.

The girls with their loot from Nana and Papa! :)

Hunting Easter eggs.

 A family picture.

And last, the yummy Easter cake that we ate before we left. Cake courtesy of Hannah's parents who spent Easter day with us as well.