Really... I took down all of my measurements last Monday, the day before I was suppose to get my machine. That day I also started counting calories and eating no more than 2000. Since I hadn't started working out yet, and couldn't until I got my machine, I figured might as well get a head start on getting my calorie intake in check. Now that I have my machine, I've worked out 3 times. Twice yesterday, and once (so far) today. I planned on working out twice a day, for an hour each time. Thing is, I totally forgot what it was like working out. Back in the day when I had my gym membership, I could go a good 45-1hr straight on the elliptical. I don't remember if I worked up to that or if that was right off the bat. My first workout yesterday kicked my butt! I stupidly put the machine on Hills, which puts it up to level 3, and went at it. I was seriously tired 2 minutes in. What the heck? So I stopped it, put it on Manual level 1 and continued for 20 minutes. That was all I could do. So I've readjusted my goals. 3x a day for 20 minutes at a time. I'll work up to more obviously, but I'm not going to set goals that I can't reach (yet). I'm already getting better. This mornings workout I barely had to take any 5 seconds breaks, went twice the distance and burnt 50 more calories than last nights workout.
Anyway, back to the measurements. I won't list every one because I haven't noticed a big difference all over. The only place I can really tell is smaller is my waist. The first was 58"... holy crap that's almost FIVE FEET around. I'm only 5'5" tall, so that is just wacky in my brain. It doesn't make sense, or look like it. But the measuring tape does not lie.
I felt different today so I remeasured for the heck of it, and my waist is down 3.5"! I've sweat a bucket so I'm sure I'm losing a bunch of water weight but I don't care. I don't care how this weight comes off, just that it does. It's so motivating that I'm only on Day 2 and seeing/feeling results. WOOT!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Hello-Goodbye
Today is the beginning of the new me and the end of the old me. It's taken A LOT of courage to take and post these images. But you know what? I just had to change my perspective. I shouldn't be embarassed (well maybe I should for getting this way) by how I look, because the whole point is I'm doing something about it. This is the last time I will ever look like this. Actually, since I've already done my first work out (which kicked my butt) I can say, these images are NOT me anymore. I'm already on the road to a better, healthier life.
I know in the end, or in a few weeks even, I'll look back at this and say "wow, look how far I've come." I'll use these images as motivation to move forward and never backward, unless I'm on the reverse setting on my elliptical machine ;) All my friends, family and supporters are seeing these which means I HAVE to do well. I can't let everyone down. I can't let my girls down. I can't let MYSELF down.
I should just forewarn. I planned on having my makeup on, and my hair done for these. Joel said I shouldn't because on all the TV shows, and weight-loss infomercials they have the "before" pictures of the people looking drab, depressed, and just awful. So, while not calling me "awful-looking", he said I needed to just take the pictures as is. My "after" pictures should be me all done up and HAWT... so he made this call for me. Fresh out of the shower, wet hair, no make up.. not even MOISTURIZER on.
Day 1 June 24th, 2011
This morning I weighed 301 lbs.
"Hello, I am Erika, it's nice to meet you. Goodbye, you'll never see me [like this] again."
I know in the end, or in a few weeks even, I'll look back at this and say "wow, look how far I've come." I'll use these images as motivation to move forward and never backward, unless I'm on the reverse setting on my elliptical machine ;) All my friends, family and supporters are seeing these which means I HAVE to do well. I can't let everyone down. I can't let my girls down. I can't let MYSELF down.
I should just forewarn. I planned on having my makeup on, and my hair done for these. Joel said I shouldn't because on all the TV shows, and weight-loss infomercials they have the "before" pictures of the people looking drab, depressed, and just awful. So, while not calling me "awful-looking", he said I needed to just take the pictures as is. My "after" pictures should be me all done up and HAWT... so he made this call for me. Fresh out of the shower, wet hair, no make up.. not even MOISTURIZER on.
Day 1 June 24th, 2011
This morning I weighed 301 lbs.
"Hello, I am Erika, it's nice to meet you. Goodbye, you'll never see me [like this] again."
EM's in the house!
EM (Elliptical Machine, duh)
My elliptical is finally here. After 2 days of delays, it's FINALLY HERE! I'm excited <-- can ya tell? It arrived yesterday evening in a huge beat up box.. the box was almost torn to bits and worried me a lot. The freight company said it wasn't their fault, etc etc. All I knew, is my new friend best not be busted. I'd have to open up a can. After taking out every single piece, my hubs determined that everything was in tact.. well just about, there is a minor crack in one of the casings. Not sure if it's worth getting replaced or not. It took him 1.5 hours to build, with out daughter "helping" it probably would've gone a lot quicker. He tested it out first, burned near 300 calories in like 25 minutes (show off) and declared I was good to go. Well.. actually I wasn't good to go because I had to feed the wee one, over and over and over again... cluster feeding is what they call it. I call it "squash any chance of sleep for mommy the whole night so I can eat every 20 minutes." Add in still caring for the other little-big one, Elika.. I sort of had a busy night. Wait. Who am I kidding. My days and nights will always be this way. I guess I'm just making excuses. Nah, not me.
I suppose I should get on with it.
This is how Elliptical Machine arrived. I didn't open the box, the delivery guy did to make sure nothing was obviously busted up. Looks a little intimidating, but like I said, it wasn't too bad to build. Especially with my amazing direction giving instruction skillz.
And here are a few of it built. As you can see, Elika has to be in every shot. She thinks it's a new toy for her,
au contraire my sweet.
And just a few more, because she's so cute.
My elliptical is finally here. After 2 days of delays, it's FINALLY HERE! I'm excited <-- can ya tell? It arrived yesterday evening in a huge beat up box.. the box was almost torn to bits and worried me a lot. The freight company said it wasn't their fault, etc etc. All I knew, is my new friend best not be busted. I'd have to open up a can. After taking out every single piece, my hubs determined that everything was in tact.. well just about, there is a minor crack in one of the casings. Not sure if it's worth getting replaced or not. It took him 1.5 hours to build, with out daughter "helping" it probably would've gone a lot quicker. He tested it out first, burned near 300 calories in like 25 minutes (show off) and declared I was good to go. Well.. actually I wasn't good to go because I had to feed the wee one, over and over and over again... cluster feeding is what they call it. I call it "squash any chance of sleep for mommy the whole night so I can eat every 20 minutes." Add in still caring for the other little-big one, Elika.. I sort of had a busy night. Wait. Who am I kidding. My days and nights will always be this way. I guess I'm just making excuses. Nah, not me.
I suppose I should get on with it.
This is how Elliptical Machine arrived. I didn't open the box, the delivery guy did to make sure nothing was obviously busted up. Looks a little intimidating, but like I said, it wasn't too bad to build. Especially with my amazing direction giving instruction skillz.
And here are a few of it built. As you can see, Elika has to be in every shot. She thinks it's a new toy for her,
au contraire my sweet.
And just a few more, because she's so cute.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Houston, we have a problem.
My friend Elliptical Machine still has not made it's appearance. I got a call Monday asking me to reschedule delivery, so I do that and made another delivery appointment for Wednesday. A little hiccup in the plan, but it was just a day, we could work around this. Then Tuesday morning, I get another calling. The nice lady told me my package wasn't even arriving in their warehouse until Thursday, so that's when I can have it dropped off. THURSDAY. Two whole days after I had planned. I was suppose to be 2 days into my challenge.
This delay is making me itchy. I want my elliptical so bad it hurts. In the meantime, I figured I'd post a whole bunch of "Before" pictures. Not THE before picture, but some leading up to today. THE Before picture is the one I'll take right before I step on Elliptical Machine, and the one you'll see as a comparison to my weekly progress pictures.
So, no laughing.. at least I'm doing something about it.
The first is on my wedding day. I look at all these memories from the past and I feel like they're ruined by my size. I'll always be fat on my wedding day. I will never be that gorgeous, skinny, magazine page bride. Maybe in a few years we can renew our vows, have another ceremony just so I can be the stunning bride I've always wanted, and then I can look at THOSE pictures for the rest of our lives... meh.. Joel doesn't think so. He says he likes me just the way I was, after all he DID marry me that day DUH! Right? See that stray curl in my hair? Well I had lots more in the back, no one bothered to tell me that I had that one random curl in the front, with my short layers only, for the entire ceremony! ugh. (4/20/2007)
Another: excuse the poor quality.
This is me and the hubs on my 21st birthday. He's handsome, and has a great smile huh? I told you, he's ALWAYS happy! (5/12/2008)
I don't like to be in front of the camera too much by myself. So to accessorize, I usually grab someone cuter than me. It's usually my daughter Elika. These two are about a week apart. Elika is a month old (so this is 18 months ago) (12/09)
Here she is about 6-7 months old. (5-6/10)
I totally retouched my arm in photoshop so it didn't look so fat. Probably my chin too. Again, the cuteness 8 months old. (7/10)
This one I took after I got my hair done. It had been probably 8 months before that, that I had a chance to get my hairs did. I snapped a picture for my stylist so she could see the color in the sun light. (9/10)
The picture above is probably the last picture of me until I had Selah. It was taken in September of last year. Yea, that's how often I'm NOT in front of the camera. I get to use "I'm the photographer" as an excuse most of the times, but seriously... how sad is it for my kids to have almost no pictures of them with their own mother. And it's not fair that Joel gets to be in all the pictures just because I feel like a lard-o.
The ACTUAL last photos taken of me were when I was in the hospital after giving birth. Maybe I'll post one if I can find a decent enough one. I don't think I've even LOOKED at them! So people, here I am. THE Before picture that I'll be taking today or tomorrow will be revealed once I get my elliptical and I'm ready to start working out. You'll see the real me, to date. It's taking a lot of courage to do this whole thing, but I have you all to hold me accountable. Just do so nicely, I'm sort of a cry baby.
This delay is making me itchy. I want my elliptical so bad it hurts. In the meantime, I figured I'd post a whole bunch of "Before" pictures. Not THE before picture, but some leading up to today. THE Before picture is the one I'll take right before I step on Elliptical Machine, and the one you'll see as a comparison to my weekly progress pictures.
So, no laughing.. at least I'm doing something about it.
The first is on my wedding day. I look at all these memories from the past and I feel like they're ruined by my size. I'll always be fat on my wedding day. I will never be that gorgeous, skinny, magazine page bride. Maybe in a few years we can renew our vows, have another ceremony just so I can be the stunning bride I've always wanted, and then I can look at THOSE pictures for the rest of our lives... meh.. Joel doesn't think so. He says he likes me just the way I was, after all he DID marry me that day DUH! Right? See that stray curl in my hair? Well I had lots more in the back, no one bothered to tell me that I had that one random curl in the front, with my short layers only, for the entire ceremony! ugh. (4/20/2007)
Another: excuse the poor quality.
This is me and the hubs on my 21st birthday. He's handsome, and has a great smile huh? I told you, he's ALWAYS happy! (5/12/2008)
I don't like to be in front of the camera too much by myself. So to accessorize, I usually grab someone cuter than me. It's usually my daughter Elika. These two are about a week apart. Elika is a month old (so this is 18 months ago) (12/09)
Here she is about 6-7 months old. (5-6/10)
I totally retouched my arm in photoshop so it didn't look so fat. Probably my chin too. Again, the cuteness 8 months old. (7/10)
This one I took after I got my hair done. It had been probably 8 months before that, that I had a chance to get my hairs did. I snapped a picture for my stylist so she could see the color in the sun light. (9/10)
The picture above is probably the last picture of me until I had Selah. It was taken in September of last year. Yea, that's how often I'm NOT in front of the camera. I get to use "I'm the photographer" as an excuse most of the times, but seriously... how sad is it for my kids to have almost no pictures of them with their own mother. And it's not fair that Joel gets to be in all the pictures just because I feel like a lard-o.
The ACTUAL last photos taken of me were when I was in the hospital after giving birth. Maybe I'll post one if I can find a decent enough one. I don't think I've even LOOKED at them! So people, here I am. THE Before picture that I'll be taking today or tomorrow will be revealed once I get my elliptical and I'm ready to start working out. You'll see the real me, to date. It's taking a lot of courage to do this whole thing, but I have you all to hold me accountable. Just do so nicely, I'm sort of a cry baby.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Brain[storming] monsooning
I've come up with a set of achievable short term and long term goals. I need the short term, I think every one does. I feel so great when I finish something, it makes me want to keep going. This is why I don't make blankets. I knit and crochet and never again will with make a blanket... why? because it takes forEVA. Scarves? I've made TONS, because they're easy and I can make one in an hour. I've completed something, and I feel so accomplished. I can marvel at my work sitting right in front of me and think "wow, that was easy... lets make another!" With a blanket, I work on it for an hour at a time, and for days and days, I'm still looking at a heap of yarn. Unfinished.. and then I get bored. What's the result of this? A whole basket full of quarter/half done unfinished blankets, and a LOT of wasted yarn. So instead of my weight loss turning into an unraveling blanket, I'll make a bunch of scarves and sew them together. I'll lose small increments of weight, reach my goal, and in total I will have lost a whole load! In the end, I'll have a completed beautiful blanket.
Okay, enough about blankets. Here are my goals and rewards.
Lose 10 lbs $10 Towards New Wardrobe
Lose 25 lbs $15 ^^
Lose 35 lbs $10 ^^
Lose 50 lbs $15 ^^ and a MANI/PEDI (woot!)
So for the first 50lbs, it'll be 1$ per lb. I don't want to be buying tons of clothes before I reach my goal weight because I'll just be getting smaller. No sense in wasting while I'm wasting away!
This is all I'm going to focus on for now. There are more goals, but again.. scarves, not a blanket.
What am I looking forward to?
-shopping at the cool stores in the mall
-wearing high heels without piercing the earth
-spending less than $45 on a normal size bra
-hiking a mountain without nearly passing out
-running in the park with my kids
-being smaller than my husband
-wear a 2-piece swimsuit.. with NO cover up! *gasp* (even though it'll still probably be a tankini, dewd I've had 2 kids mmkay?)
That's just a few. The shoe thing... I love shoes, the cutest ones are always heels or wedges, but seriously all this weight on those things SUCK. Since my sister also has a shoe fetish and we share feet size, hopefully I'll get to indulge in her closet.. and borrow a few pairs for a night on the town!
Next: arrival of Elliptical Machine, building of Elliptical Machine, and first "weigh in" eek.
Okay, enough about blankets. Here are my goals and rewards.
Lose 10 lbs $10 Towards New Wardrobe
Lose 25 lbs $15 ^^
Lose 35 lbs $10 ^^
Lose 50 lbs $15 ^^ and a MANI/PEDI (woot!)
So for the first 50lbs, it'll be 1$ per lb. I don't want to be buying tons of clothes before I reach my goal weight because I'll just be getting smaller. No sense in wasting while I'm wasting away!
This is all I'm going to focus on for now. There are more goals, but again.. scarves, not a blanket.
What am I looking forward to?
-shopping at the cool stores in the mall
-wearing high heels without piercing the earth
-spending less than $45 on a normal size bra
-hiking a mountain without nearly passing out
-running in the park with my kids
-being smaller than my husband
-wear a 2-piece swimsuit.. with NO cover up! *gasp* (even though it'll still probably be a tankini, dewd I've had 2 kids mmkay?)
That's just a few. The shoe thing... I love shoes, the cutest ones are always heels or wedges, but seriously all this weight on those things SUCK. Since my sister also has a shoe fetish and we share feet size, hopefully I'll get to indulge in her closet.. and borrow a few pairs for a night on the town!
Next: arrival of Elliptical Machine, building of Elliptical Machine, and first "weigh in" eek.
The Beginning
Welcome! I am Erika and this blog is dedicated to my weight loss journey. This is the very beginning and I'm still working out the details and how I will be structuring/documenting this adventure. I'll start by saying that I am NOT a writer. I won't come up with cool/clever/quirky snippets that will entice you to keep reading. I'm not very funny, although I try REALLY hard to be. I'll be writing this blog like you, the reader, are my friend sitting across from me, drinking a (fat-free/sugar-free, everything free) frapaccino... [err, just make mine a water, after all this is for weight LOSS].
A little bit about me: I'm married to the funniest guy I know, Joel. He's always smiling, literally, and can make ANYONE laugh. I'm a mother of TWO beautiful girls. Elika my oldest is 19 months old, and our newest addition is Selah and she is 4 weeks old today! WOW. We have lots of fun together and this weight loss challenge is inspired by the fun we COULD have in the future. I want to be active with them, go to the beach, play a game of soccer, run to the back of Six Flags Magic Mountain so we can ride "X" as many times as we can before the normal park goers arrive by walking, etc etc. I am a photographer and a hairstylist. I have a huge family.. not huge like fat, but huge like a LOT of us! I have a very mixed family, so all in all... I have 3 brothers & 3 sisters, 2 moms, 1 dad, 3 aunts & 1 uncle, TONS of cousins, 3 nieces & 2 nephews (and a mystery niece or nephew on the way), in-laws and my close friends that I consider family. I hate jello and dairy scares me. I love black olives, pickles and mushrooms. I do too many crafts and own WAY too much yarn. I want to write a book, but would need a seriously good editor (good thing I know one!). There is much more to me that I will post in this little paragraph. You'll learn more as the time passes, I assure you.
For everyone that loves me and supports me, THANK YOU! This is will be... interesting, scary, embarrassing and hopefully fun and successful. I'm sure this is going to get VERY personal, you will probably find out things about me that you didn't know before, maybe no one knows them.. Maybe *I* didn't even know these things.... who knows?
The beginning is actually tomorrow. No, that is not just another excuse that you hear everyone use. "I'll start my diet tomorrow." Tomorrow is the arrival of my new soon to be best friend, named Elliptical Machine. Once we meet in person, I'll probably rename Elliptical Machine, so be on the lookout for that. I'll be sure to show you a picture of Elliptical Machine once we've put it all together too.
Next on my agenda is to brainstorm. If I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it right. Organized and everything. I need to write some lists (I love lists) of goals, short and long term. My plan of execution and how I'll reward myself. I'll most likely brainstorm here, but beware... my mind goes in circles, so you might be dazzled... BEDAZZLED. That's it! At the end of all of this, I'm going to Sparkle and Shine.
A little bit about me: I'm married to the funniest guy I know, Joel. He's always smiling, literally, and can make ANYONE laugh. I'm a mother of TWO beautiful girls. Elika my oldest is 19 months old, and our newest addition is Selah and she is 4 weeks old today! WOW. We have lots of fun together and this weight loss challenge is inspired by the fun we COULD have in the future. I want to be active with them, go to the beach, play a game of soccer, run to the back of Six Flags Magic Mountain so we can ride "X" as many times as we can before the normal park goers arrive by walking, etc etc. I am a photographer and a hairstylist. I have a huge family.. not huge like fat, but huge like a LOT of us! I have a very mixed family, so all in all... I have 3 brothers & 3 sisters, 2 moms, 1 dad, 3 aunts & 1 uncle, TONS of cousins, 3 nieces & 2 nephews (and a mystery niece or nephew on the way), in-laws and my close friends that I consider family. I hate jello and dairy scares me. I love black olives, pickles and mushrooms. I do too many crafts and own WAY too much yarn. I want to write a book, but would need a seriously good editor (good thing I know one!). There is much more to me that I will post in this little paragraph. You'll learn more as the time passes, I assure you.
For everyone that loves me and supports me, THANK YOU! This is will be... interesting, scary, embarrassing and hopefully fun and successful. I'm sure this is going to get VERY personal, you will probably find out things about me that you didn't know before, maybe no one knows them.. Maybe *I* didn't even know these things.... who knows?
The beginning is actually tomorrow. No, that is not just another excuse that you hear everyone use. "I'll start my diet tomorrow." Tomorrow is the arrival of my new soon to be best friend, named Elliptical Machine. Once we meet in person, I'll probably rename Elliptical Machine, so be on the lookout for that. I'll be sure to show you a picture of Elliptical Machine once we've put it all together too.
Next on my agenda is to brainstorm. If I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it right. Organized and everything. I need to write some lists (I love lists) of goals, short and long term. My plan of execution and how I'll reward myself. I'll most likely brainstorm here, but beware... my mind goes in circles, so you might be dazzled... BEDAZZLED. That's it! At the end of all of this, I'm going to Sparkle and Shine.
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