Results?

Hi Guys! I thought it was time to post some results of my "health quest" efforts. I must admit... I've been a bit disappointed in the scale these days. Which is Reason #1 that I'm SO glad I took my measurements when I first started. I can still see visible changes, even if the scale isn't going down as quickly as I want it to. We have all heard the stupid notion that muscle weighs more than fat. Doesn't mean I don't revel in the loss! Which, from the beginning of the year is 15 lbs. lost.

So now the big drumroll please... I've gone down 5 1/2 inches in my waistline! WOO HOO!!! That made me feel awesome... until I measured around my ass. I swear. WHAT does a girl gotta do around here to loose some of the junk in her trunk! Only rap stars like big booties!!! I've always been a bit of a pear-shape though...That number is a measly 1/2 inch lower than when I started... I'm loosing weight from the top down... which also means that "tha sistas" aren't as full as they were in the beginning either. I've got to be honest here though... The size of the rack never really bothered me much... except when I was breastfeeding and they were bigger than my head. I'm sure dear husband is a bit disappointed though... :-/

I will be trudging along and focusing more of my efforts on strength training and stretching. I've become quite addicted to the elliptical these days. *gasp* Can you believe I just wrote that??? Seriously though, it doesn't feel like I've started my day until I've had my oatmeal and put in 30 minutes of sweat inducing cardio. Then I can shower up, put my face on, and wear some of the new clothes I've had to buy!

Hammin it up

I couldn't help myself... The morning was to pretty, and she was so funny...

Good Golly Miss Molly!

I have finally found a "go-to" summer dress pattern for Jillian! It's the Miss Molly sundress by Samantha Caffee of The Handmade Dress on YCMT. Samantha's pattern was FABULOUS! It took less than 10 pages to print (a real shocker!) and the directions were some of the best I've ever seen on an e-book pattern. I think it took me less than an hour from start to finish... but I didn't have uninterrupted time... The fabric is a Liberty of London lawn print... Sew nice!

Sorry you have a pic from a hanger, but the little model went for ice cream with her daddy and I just couldn't convince her to stay home and try on more clothes...

Well?

As in... "Are you well?" Does it seem like everyone is sick these days??? At the beginning of the week, I had a stomach bug, then I caught Strep from my 2 kids! UGH!!! I hate being sick, and it seems like we've been constantly sick since we moved to Texas... I seriously think we should quarantine their schools for 2 weeks and let everyone get well before putting them all back together... And the bugs are getting stronger... the Strep this time was vicious! Several of our little friends had it all at the same time... I seriously thought they might all be sharing a drink at recess together...

Anywho! I'm doing a Wellness posting a bit early this week. Just in case any of you are sick and need some blog lovin to make you feel better. I worked out 1 day this past week - during the one 12 hour span of time that I felt well. It was a good run, but boy did I pay for it later that night. I just pushed myself too hard. After the fever had really kicked in and made me really achy and sore, I learned a few tricks to make me feel better.

First - Take a warm bath. Not so hot that your legs go weak and you can't get out of the tub without help. Just warm. And don't soak too long for the whole weakness reason. It helps to take some of the ache out of your muscles. I also put some Epsom salt into the bath water... just because I was REALLY sore and achy.

Second - After your warm bath, s-t-r-e-t-c-h. I was feeling all sorry for myself when I couldn't work-out so I decided to at least do some stretches and a bit of yoga. Nothing big, just around 15-20 minutes. My neck was sooo sore and my back was sooo stiff and tight. After the warm bath and a few minutes of stretching, I really started to feel better. Toss in a few poses for good measure, and I felt like I had still done something good for my body.

Third - Reflexology. I have an app on my iPhone where you can scroll down different parts of your body and then choose to see the appropriate pressure points on your hands or your feet. I KNOW this sounds hoaky in a New Age sort of way. But seriously people. My neck was very stiff and achy and my sinuses have been bothering me. I grabbed some hand cream and got to work on the parts of my fingers that it showed me. It works. I don't know the how's or why's. I just know that it made me feel better. If you don't have an iPhone or iPod Touch, check this site out for more information.

More on massage...My mom gives the best foot and hand massages ever. (She has ridiculous hand strength) I remember when I was pregnant and swollen with Abby, she worked on my feet and ankles after a shopping trip. Ahhh.... The power of massage. I've seen loads of articles on the positive benefits of massage in hospital patients and I am a FIRM believer. Have you ever gone to a nursing home and just held someone's hand? Have you ever rubbed some hand cream into someone's hands? Have you ever had a manicure? There's something to be said for touch.

Maybe it's the whole reflexology thing, maybe it's just the soothing touch of someone who cares. Whatever it is, I know it works. I also know that after 2 days of working on my hands twice a day, I was feeling much better. I didn't need antibiotics or anything stronger than a few cups of hot tea.

And now that I'm better, I'm back up and running... literally. Off to sweat it out girls. Have a good week, and keep moving!

Wellness Wednesday

Hey Hey! Lookie at me, it's ACTUALLY Wednesday!

This week has been interesting... the journaling for my workouts has helped me see that when I loose focus, all hell can break loose... or all cake can end up in my mouth... whatever. I caved and went with a friend to Chilis for a drink (or 2)... we had that Triple Play appetizer with the Southwestern Eggrolls and double boneless buffalo wings... Keep in mind that this is the first serious sort of crap that I've had in over a month and a half... Not pretty. My stomach hurt so much that I couldn't eat dinner that night, and then I swear I had food poisoning from it... I spent the entire night Sunday either on or in front of the toilet. Like I said... Not. Pretty.

Then last night while watching The Biggest Loser, I ate cake. Come on people. Who the heck eats cake while watching THAT???? Well, I did... and even though I swear I've caught the strep that both of the girls have, I got up and put my cake eatin behind on the elliptical for 6 miles this morning... I feel sooo much better now.

Which leads me back to the journaling. Because I've been writing down most everything, I have been able to figure out certain patterns for my insane inability to control myself. This is what I've learned...

PMS is 2 weeks long for me... Seriously, all I want right now is a vat of chocolate and salty potato chips. The week before and the week of, well, it's killing me! Talk about a serious test of willpower... And I SO don't feel like cooking. But by realizing what is going on, I've found a way to force myself out of the cycle of crazy and just know that I will have to make things easier on myself... Large batches of whatever, just for the leftovers, makes it easier for me to resist Chick Fil A.

I also learned that when I am sick, it's OK to take a break. I don't think I could have moved on Monday if I wanted to, and Tuesday I was still trying to recoup on the loss of sleep. But this morning, I hopped right back on. I even did most of the 6 miles on a higher level than I've gone before. So I wont berate myself for Monday and Tuesday. And I also wont let myself think that this week is a lost cause because of it.

And on a funny note, I'm having a wonderful morning because super fit Tweedle Dum (you know, my party pooper older sister) who has always been the ubre fit jock one? She told me about taking a mile long walk and trying to jog a bit... and she had a hard time. WHAT? Trust me folks... I've NEVER been able to outrun her skinny a$s... In some small petty middle child syndrome way, that made me feel sooo good! ;-)

Keep it up girls! Our hard work will pay off and we'll be soooo ready for that cruise!!!

Goal oriented?

LOL... I'm so tickled at my friend Amy's comment on yesterday's post... She suggested that I train for a 1/2 marathon or something... you know, as a goal...Well, I don't know if this TECHNICALLY counts, but Amy, I am training for something...

A MOMMY Cruise! I officially declared to all of my girlfriends who would listen that I would be on a cruise ship in June, with or without friends to chat with... so if you want to come, meet me in Galveston! Come one, come all! I'll be sitting by the pool in a *gasp* swimsuit! LOL... TRUST me Amy... This might just be harder for me to achieve than any 1/2 marathon could ever be!!! I'm calling it practice for when I have to park my behind between Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum in Hawaii for Tweedle Dee's graduation trip next June!!! LOL.... (you know who I'm talking about...)

With that all in mind, I did the whole interval training and strength training today... Oh My Goodness....First of all, squats on the elliptical - insane. I'm sincerely hoping that I will be able to move tomorrow... I also did arms and abs using my big giant ball... I put iPump Swiss Ball on my iPhone, so I figured I might as well use it, right? Yes it was tough. and Yes, it feels good!!! So maybe by June, I wont have to worry about "cafeteria lady" arms (no offense to cafeteria ladies) and maybe by June, I wont be competely embarrased to be hangin by the pool with my peeps.

And maybe I'll be tempted to run in the fall 1/2 marathon in town... ;-)

Wellness Wednesday

Hmm... Ok, maybe I should rethink that title... Sorry, I just ran out of daylight yesterday... If this is the rate that I'm aging, I'm in serious trouble!

OK, Focus Holly... What did I learn this week...

Oh yeah, this STILL isn't easy. Every day I think about curling back up into bed and sleeping more... I think about it for about 1/2 a second. Then I tell myself that it's not a choice. I HAVE to work out. Period. Paragraph.

I think that if I allow myself to say " I'll do it later today" then it just isn't going to get done. And then I would have cheated myself and let myself down in my commitment to finding health. Not acceptable. Not at all. I'm sure a lot of you are moms like me. This is the ONE thing that I am going to selfishly take for myself every day. I may be running around like a crazy girl doing things for others for the rest of the day until I crash into bed at night for sleep, but I WILL have done this one thing for ME. My legs might not be freshly shaved, my face may not be made-up, my pedicure may be in SERIOUS need of a touch up, but I WILL have done this for myself. And honestly, that feels good.

It's not easy. I don't think it's supposed to be. If it was, it would be too easy to give up on. Don't make excuses. Just do it.


Oh, and FYI- the Challenge posting on the left totally makes me feel like Forest Gump when I look at those totals... ;-)