In this game.... Losing is Winning and I won!

I lost another 1.2 lbs, for a total weight loss of 13.4.  I am so juiced!!!  I also was measured this morning, which I only do once a month and I lost a total of 6.5 inches.  I so happy.  I feel like I'm flying... 

Just so everyone knows, my ultimate reward to myself when I reach 199 is a trip to Hawaii.  I want to be right on the beach, in this same spot, with this same GREAT tan, by November 2012.  Also a great month cuz it's My Birthday, My Bestie's Birthday, and the Boo's Birthday.  Whoo Whoot!



Hawaii 2010 ... Miss the smell of brown sugar tanning oils...



The Dreaded Weigh In....

Oh yea! So weigh in is tomorrow, right after my moms birthday dinner tonight at the local steakhouse - Cattleman's. What to do? Well, I ate off the kids menu like my 5 year old niece. Haha! Don't laugh. The waitress let me and the adult portions are more for like 2-3 adults. So... I ate salad, a baked potatoes and I splurged on ribs. In the kids portion they give you two ribs. They were great and ordering off the kids menu helped me not over indulge. Hope this pays off tomorrow!

The pic below shows just how excited I am... Don't ya think?

Fitness Gadgets and Gizmos

So, as I tend to do... I've been obsessing about what fitness gadget must I obtain to help me stay on track and stay motivated.  I was really torn between a heart rate monitor and some of the new systems that have been on the market for 10 years or less.  So, here are my top 3:

1. The Bodybugg SP, by Apex Fitness / $199 plus monthly subscription
2. Nike Fuel Band, which is launching Feb. 22, 2012 / $149 no monthly dues
3. Bodymedia Fit LINK, by Bodymedia / $199 plus monthly subscription

I owned the very first version of Bodybugg in 2008.  It was big and bulky and I hated wearing because it didn't fit under tight clothes.  The new one however has a slim design and is very compact.  The SP version actually syncs with my Iphone 4s or an Android phone, if you have one (poor, you...lol.  jk).  Here is the demo.  The great thing about this product it that it's extremely accurate.  It measures your calories burnt and you input your calories consumed, producing a calorie surplus or deficit.  It also measures the steps you've taken, activity time, and has a huge data base of food items to choose from.  The only downside is that the user interface seems like the same one I used 4 years ago... boring!  I also noticed when tracking food it doesn't give me a detailed list of nutrients.  It didn't even list FIBER!  Small detail, but it bugged my OCD ass.  LOL.



The Nike Fuel Band was by far the coolest and most fashion friendly!  Its a water resistant bracelet that measures calories burnt through out the day, steps taken, and gives you the time on the LED screen.  ALTHOUGH, the biggest down fall of this product is that it only gives you a general idea of how many calories you are burning because it's not tailored to fit each individual.  It's tailored for the average person.  WHO is average?  So, basically, I, being that I'm 32, 5'10 and 244 will burn a different amount of calories than my step daughter who is 13, 5'7" and roughly 140.  Although it's a great motivator and it syncs with your Iphone or smart phone as well.  I do give Nike a huge HIGH FIVE for having the best commercial.  They really know how to market and I was almost swayed but I did more detail research.  The normal person probably would just assume that the personalizing your data doesn't matter that much, but it does!  Here is the demo.

The WINNER for me is the Bodymedia Fit LINK Band.  The LINK version of this band is the only version of this brand, that syncs with your Iphone or smart phone to give you to the minute, real times results.  Look familiar?  This company is actually the makers of the famous Bodybugg.  There were a few small differences between that products that completely sold me.  One is the user interface... it's colorful and exciting and it looks more user friendly.  Secondly, on my phone or online I can actually see, not just the calories consumed, but all the nutrients (which I provided a screen shot of below after the video).  This is truly important for me to know what I'm consuming.  Third, it monitors my sleep.  It will show how effective my sleep patterns really are.  Forth, it allows you to also use a heart rate monitor while working out and you simply upload the data to the site.  Lastly, the monthly subscription is only free the first 3 months and 6.99 a month vs. 9.99 a month for BodyBugg. 





The Main Screen.... it gives you a screen shot of your daily activity, food consumed and sleep.





This was what I was talking about when I said the Bodymedia fit LINK band had a detailed nutrition list.  I LOVE THIS!

Anyone else have experience with either of these systems?  If you have experience with both please comment below.  I'd love to know first hand from someone who REALLY know because they used them.

Super Bowl success!

So, anyone who is trying to watch their weight or eat healthy already knows that Super Bowl Sunday is going to bring it's challenges - which it did!  Although for the first time, I felt like I won.  Before heading to this festive event I had to eat something so I didn't devour all the wings and things at first glance.  So, I prepared by heading to fresh choice for some yummy greens and a baked potato.  I also threw in my purse a fiber bar and an apple and a bottle of water. I was PREPARED and I honestly think this is what saved the day!  Here were my totals at a glance.  YIPPPEEEE! 

Daily Totas at www.livestrong.com/myplate/

So, did anyone else know that NY was going to win besides me?  It just confirms that if my 49ers would of beat them Patriots and they would of took that super bowl title.  Next year baby!

Grocery Shopping as a fat girl... The RULES of Shopping :)

After cycling class today I ran over to Lucky's to get some eats.  Grocery shopping for this fat girl used to be such a treat, but now it is a huge temptation.  So, I decided to develop some rules before I head to the store so I don't get off track.  Here they are:

1. Drink 16oz of water and eat something to prevent over shopping or impulse buys.  People usually rush and buy more food when hungry resulting in poor food choices and food waste.
2. Make a list.  This helps me stay focused on what I NEED and within my budget.
3. Set enough time aside at the store to really look at labels and I'm not just talking about calories.  Look at the fiber and protein content, the vitamins, and ingredients as well.  You'd be surprised what you find out. 

Here is what was on my list:

• Greens (Spring mixed with spinach)
• Blueberries
• Bananas (to add to my Protein shake)
• Sweet Potatoes (they're better for ya!  http://www.livestrong.com/article/257046-sweet-potato-vs-yam-nutrition/)
• Cherry tomatoes
• Rice (I opted for rice pilaf made by Kashi which has 6 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber in .5c)
• Cheese  (my all time weakness. I love cheese!  I did get some blue cheese crumbles to top my salads sometimes and for the Sargento reduced fat slices) 
• Greek Yogurt (a must have!)
• Granola  (organic granola, don't be fooled by over processed cereals.  ALWAYS measure it out!)
• Snacks - Kashi TLC bars (for when I do crave chocolate, which will be in just a few day, lol) and Stacy's Multi grain Pita chips (Cindy, my life coach would probably say "NO", but I love chips and this small bag with my Athenos 3 pepper hummus is a treat.)
• Oatmeal (I prefer the steal oats at Trader Joes, but I'm on a budget this week and opted for Quaker Oats extra fiber, 10 g of fiber!)
• Dressing (Ken's Steakhouse reduced fat balsamic vinaigrette.  I prefer Newman's light vinaigrette, though.  Ken's was on sale)

The key here is measuring EVERYTHING, EVERY TIME.  I know it's hard and it can take a few weeks to get used to it, but measure your food!  It's been helping me and I know it will help you too.

The "Fat Girl" Epidemic... how did I become part of it?

If you knew me at all growing up you would be shocked that I'm part of this "Fat Girl" club!  I was extremely active, playing sports, exercising after school, eating healthy, and obsessive about my weight.  My mother used to always say, "You don't want to be fat, like me" and I didn't.  So, how did I become a fat girl? 

I can't blame it on anyone but myself.  I'm 32 years old and I can't even blame it on having a kid, cause that hasn't happened.  In high school I weighed about 160 at 5'10 and wore and 9/10T.  I was extremely healthy and extremely fit.  I ran cross country, played basketball, and softball and I played out side after homework.  I was very active and even a little obsessed with my weight, fearing that if I didn't obsess over it I would end up a FAT GIRL.  I don't expect to look as I did in high school but 256!  Yes, 256 is what I weighed in at on January 1, 2012.  Not to mention, last year I hit an all time high of 271 - YIKES!  Dont' tell anyone though, it's a secret.

So, I freaked out.  How did I get so FREAKIN FAT?!?!?!?!  Last year I bought a gym membership that I didn't use nearly enough.  Although I did lose a little bit of that baby fat and went from 271 to 245 for a total weight loss of 26.  Whaa whaa whaa... really?  That's all I could do?  I gained some back over the holidays and decided, like everyone else, I'm really going to do it this year.  Although, I mean it!

My first plan of action to make this happen was getting help.  I mean, I really need it.  I have an addiction to food and when I was younger and had the time to be active all day.   I could get away with things, I suppose, or maybe I was so afraid during my insecure years of being the fat girl at school that I went crazy trying to avoid that label.  I don't have five hours a day to play sports and go roller blading or jogging anymore.  I'm lucky if I get an hour and a half to myself.  Plus, I'm a big girl and I have to work!  You can't by Prada with nada. 

So, my help is with my life coach, Cindy.  She is a trainer at my gym and a professional fit girl.  I mean, this woman is super fit and not in that gross body builder way, but in the beautiful yet strong feminine kind of way.  I used my Christmas bonus this year to employ her services, which are already paying off.  Just in the 4 weeks that I've started with her I went from 256.6 to 244.6.  Oh yeah!  12 pounds!!!  No detoxing, starving myself, and being at the gym for 2 or 3 hours.  My goal is only 1.5 pounds a week.  To ensure that I stick to this life style change, I paid for 5 months of coaching up front.  I'm some what of a "cheap skate, beef skate", so it was a little heart wrenching to let money go, but obviously I'm doing something wrong and I need the accountability. 

Tracking my food has been the biggest challenge for me.  I've been doing it for the last month and let me tell you...  a food tracker doesn't lie.  I had no idea how much this helped until I started implementing it into my life.  I use a free app called MyPlate by Livestrong.  It's available to Iphone, Ipad, and Android users.  You can also create an account at http://www.livestrong.com/myplate.  I quickly realised why I was gaining weight and not losing even when working out.  I was over consuming - BIG TIME!  Last Sunday I fell off and ate like the old self.  I consumed over 4000 calories.  I didn't stuff myself, but I made terrible choices and nothing made me feel satisfied or full.  Fast food is my biggest weakness, solely because of the convenience.  My daily intake right now is only 1867... so what a F-up!  But it made me realise really quick why I was becoming such a Fatty. 

This year is to a new me... a healthier, more fit, happier me!

At the gym... That tum tum has got to go!