What about Fruit?

Ok. So, consuming 15 grams of sugar or less each day has not been too difficult for me. I thought it would be, but I'm at the end of my second week and haven't found it hard at all. I just substitute other foods with lower or no sugar (trying to avoid sweeteners, too).

But, what about fruit? Isn't it supposed to be good for you? Isn't it part of a "balanced diet"? Well, I've found it depends who you ask. Yes, fruits have fiber and vitamins. They also have sugar. It is fructose; but the body responds to it the same way as sugar.

So what is the answer? Do what works for you and what you are comfortable with. For me, I'm kicking a major sugar addiction and warding off a family history of diabetes. I'm ok with limiting my fruit consumption while I gain control of my life. In fact, I've learned that 1 cup of broccoli has more vitamin C in it than a whole orange! Wow!

For those times when I want fruit, here are the fruits that have less than 5 grams of sugar per serving. This list isn't comprehensive, but it certainly is a good place to start.

1 med. apricot = 3 grams
1/4 C. avocado = 0 grams
1/2 C. blackberries = 4 grams
1/4 C. blueberries = 4 grams
Lemon/Lime wedge = 0 grams
1/2 Nectarine (sliced) = 5 grams
Olives = 0 grams
1/2 C. raspberries = 3 grams
1/2 C. strawberries = 4 grams

These are yummy and super nutritious! Enjoy them!

 One website I have found that I really like is http://nutritiondata.self.com/

This is my go-to site for nutrition data on food. I always go here first. Like I said before, enjoy your food!!!

*Yawn*

Wow! Today I am exhausted! 

Yesterday, I did interval jogging/walking for 2.2 miles and felt amazing afterward! But, I did not get enough calories yesterday and went to bed hungry! I am having a really hard time getting any energy today! Took a 2 hour nap even! 

Lesson learned: get enough food! I only had 2.5 grams of sugar yesterday (which is amazing!), but I also only had 4 servings of carbohydrates when I am supposed to have 6-7! I needed those calories! Should have had something before I went to bed. I didn't want to eat and then go right to bed....no time to burn calories, but I regret that today! 

Be sure you eat enough. Without it, your body can't function! It can't lose the weight and inches smartly! Eat smart. Good, whole grain carbs. Lots of veggies. Combine a protein with everything you eat (even snacks). I eat 5 times per day and always include a protein. Remember, protein doesn't just come from meat! Trust me, if that was the case, I'd be in trouble. I can't eat red meat (allergy), and I don't really like meat! Good thing I can eat beans, cheese, yogurt, protein shakes, spinach, etc. 

Enjoy your food, eat enough, and eat smart! One of my favorites is Taco Salad!!! Yummm!

I'm Human

That's kind of a dumb statement, huh? I'm human. Of course I'm human! What else would I be!?

Sorry, little tangent there.

I wasn't going to get on here today.

I want this blog to be uplifting and inspiring. Motivating. But I also want it to show that Spunky and I are human. We aren't robots. We aren't perfect. We make mistakes. We have cheat days.

And we have down days.

I'm having one right now.

I can't really tell you why I'm down. It's a mixture of things. I'm sad. I'm sad I'm not at the weight I want to be at, even though I'm on my way there. I'm frustrated there are other people who had a baby about the same time I did and they look better then I do and some started at a heavier weight then I was. I'm frustrated that this journey is SO hard, I know it's totally worth it, but it's hard. I need to run. I'm so much happier on days I run or I can go outside. Unfortunately, due to the fires near my house I can't. It's smokey beyond belief. I was able to run yesterday, thankfully, but I don't think I'll be able to tomorrow, which saddens me. I'm an endorphin junky. Lol. I need my workouts now. That's weird to say. I need my workouts. I'm so much happier when I get my endorphin "fix".

"Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don't kill their husbands. They just don't." (Can anyone name that movie? It's one of the Hubs favorites, no joke. Haha.)

I'll be doing my workout in about an hour, after which I'm sure I'll feel better, but I wanted to post this and show that this journey is more like an adventurous rollercoaster. You'll have your ups and your downs, both in emotions and weight. You're making a LIFE TIME change. In order to stay in the shape your trying to get to or are in now, you have to make a LIFE TIME change. I would say not a momentary change, but it is a momentary change as well. It's all the little moments that make up your life time change. You can have a slip up here and there, but it's the big picture that really counts.

I was a "I messed today up... I'll start on Monday" kind of girl until I started getting really serious about this. Then I realized. Ugh, I messed up that meal, or that snack... I'll do better NEXT MEAL! Not the next day, not the next week, not the next Monday. Right now! If your in the middle of a cookie and remember what your supposed to be doing or realized you've messed up, PUT THE COOKIE DOWN! The Hubs came home one day and found an unwrapped Hershey kiss on the counter next to a line of other wrapped kisses. I quickly explained I had unwrapped the kiss with full intentions of eating it and had it to my mouth, practically inside my mouth, when I told myself no.

Make the decision right now. Stop snacking on that cookie, candy, chocolate, or whatever is healthy. Put it down and make a better choice. It's all the little choices. All the little moments that make up this life time change.

If I can do it. YOU can do it. :) Trust me.

Workout DVD Review

Guess what came in the mail today? That's right, the DVD I ordered on Monday!

Bob Harpers Bootcamp!!!

I was going to wait to do the first workout tomorrow because I already ran eariler... but I couldn't.

 It just kept staring at me...

I wanted to do it so badly!!!

So, I did! :D Haha

And let me just say, AWESOME!

I went to the Maximum Results Program Menu and clicked Weeks 1-2. It's a thirty minute workout and I immediately thought, 30 minutes? Psh! That's gonna be easy! Like I said before, I haven't done this workout DVD since I was pregnant last spring. And we didn't do the Maximum Results, all we did was the Customize Your Workout (which is a cool feature) and picked one of the exercises. I remember feeling annoyed one time because they wanted to do the shortest workout and I wanted to do a longer one, but I kept my mouth shut. One, because it wasn't my DVD; Two, I was still getting to know the girls and didn't want them hating me; Three, I was pregnant! And I knew I shouldn't push myself like I wanted to. 

I can hands down say that the Maximum Results Program Weeks 1-2 was the best 30 min overall workout I've ever had. In incorporated a little of everything and I was able to do it even after running. I like being able to run and still do another workout too. I have 5 lb. weights that I did the workout with and it was perfect. There were only a couple times where I needed a break and I'm kicking myself for it because I know I could have pushed through! But that is what tomorrow is for. On one of the moves I took a break on, I don't regret. I have a weak shoulder, injured it in high school, and five pounds is heavy for that shoulder. But I know it will get stronger. 

I know it's only the first day, and I'll do another review on it next Friday, when I've been doing it for a little over a week, but I was very impressed with this workout. Coupled with my running?! I'm SUPER stoked for Saturdays weigh in! :D 

158 here I come!

I AM

I am statements. Love them. Also called positive affirmations. Here are my I am statements for health.

I am physically HEALTHY and FIT!!!

I am STRONG and Flexible!

I work and play hard!

I am pain free!!!!

I run 3 miles 3 times a week!

I enjoy resistance training!

I enjoy playing sports and am well coordinated. 

I can do a toe-touch jump and a handstand!

I am a confident dancer!

I am a master of yoga!

I am in the best shape of my life!!!

Say these to myself 10 times per day and soon they ALL will be true!

It works, try it!

Healthy Victory

Sorry for the shaky camera. I'll have to figure out a better way for the future!

If You Haven't... You Should!

Sorry about the creatively brought to you at the end of the posts, they haven't been showing who has posted them, but I think I fixed that so it should from now on. I, Spicy, have been the one posting. HOWEVER! I am pleased to welcome my Sis Spunky to this blog and she will be posting with me! Yay!

I'm excited if you couldn't tell, and who wouldn't be?!

Who isn't?!

*Glares out at the invisible crowd...*

hmmm... You better be excited! :P

Anyway! We've also had some issues with the comment are, but that is fixed now too! So please feel free to leave us some love with a comment!

On to the REAL reason for this post.

Oh my oreos I get so distracted... hmm....

Oh right, haha.

I have been thinking about Almond Milk for AGES! I can't tell you how long because I honestly don't know... At least since October 2011, probably before then though. My hesitation to buy it came from the fact that it is expensive. If that was all I bought, instead of regular 1% Low Fat Milk, it would still be about $2 more... which is hard for me to justify when we have bills and a baby to worry about and take care of. Today... I bought it.

Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk

Pure bliss and joy in a cup.

Let me also say, it didn't taste like what I thought it would taste like. 

My Mom LOVES Silk Soy milk... I personally think it's nasty. Bleh. I would rather drink regular milk any day... saying that may not mean much until I tell you...

 I don't like regular milk. It's really hard for me to drink. I don't know what it is... 

It's not the milk.

It's me.

I know tons of people who love milk, the Hubs included, but I can only drink a small bit of it at a time unless it's loaded with chocolate milk mix. When then isn't really good for you either.

*sigh*

BUT! The Almond milk was smooth, light, refreshing, not overly sweet, not overly almondy. It was perfect.

Now, you may be asking how I justified buying it. Well... The Hubs and I have our own separate "allowances" for the month.

Cute, right?

It keeps us sane in our world of tight budgets.

This Almond Milk will be coming out of my "allowance" and I bought the smaller carton of milk for The Hubs and for cooking when it's needed. Aside from the price and the inconvenience of having to go to two separate stores, I love it. I'm so excited to try it in my protein shake tomorrow morning, in oatmeal, in cereal, as part of my after run snack. Oh the possibilities!

Oh ya! And another great thing about this new joy of mine... the sugar, carbs, calorie count!I don't typicallly count calories, long story short... it's annoying and a waste of my already limited time. The sugar and carbs are what I count.

Calories - 35 per one cup; Carbs - 1 gram; Sugars - 0.

Yes, I count Sugars and Carbs. Both are essential to losing fat. ESPECIALLY Belly Fat! 

So, if you've been on the fence about trying Almond Milk - Unsweetened. Do it! You will NOT regret it. :)

Looky Looky!

When I found out I was pregnant in January 2011 I was terrified. Not your usual response to learning your about to have a baby... I know. Well, LW wasn't planned. In fact; if he had come when he was planned, then we would have found out we were pregnant this summer some time. I was 185 (ish) when I learned I was pregnant and I knew the risks of being over weight and pregnant. Especially with my families history of diabetes. I did NOT want to get gestational diabetes. In March 2011 we moved into a new place, a three bedroom condo we were renting. My church's ward there was amazing! And I felt like I was instantly welcomed into open arms. I don't make friends easily... I never have. But I made a few friends fairly quickly there. And I learned there was a morning fitness group! Awesome! Just what I needed to get moving while pregnant. I wasn't looking to lose weight, just try to be a little healthier. We didn't ever do the same workout two days in a row. But one workout we did that I really enjoyed was Bob Harpers Bootcamp DVD. If you don't know who Bob Harper is... shame on you. Haha! Just kidding. I don't watch TV, not joking. So if I didn't have family members who love The Biggest Loser, I probably wouldn't know about him either. He is a trainer on The Biggest Loser. Or was... is he still? I don't know. I don't watch TV. With that being said, before you think I'm some kind of freak, the Hubs and I do have some TV shows we love, but we watch them by other means then television. DVD's of our fav's, or streaming them from online whenever we have time. We're busy.

You're probably wondering what's up with the title of this post... "Looky Looky"? Looky Looky at what?!

Well... I had to tell you that little story in order for you to understand my excitement about a purchase I just made! (technically the Hubs made it).

TA DA!!!!

YES!!! I'm so excited to get this! What brought on this sudden spur of wanting this and buying it? Remembering how much I loved it when I was pregnant was really the thing that made me buy it, but wanting it? Or even remembering it? I was reading over the HarperGirl Fitness blog and saw this was her first workout when she started her weight loss journey. That sparked my interest. I'm always interested in new workouts. That may sound weird, but I am! You gotta shake things up to keep yourself moving! Or at least... I do. Maybe you are one of those people who can do the same thing every single day, every single week, but... me? I get bored. And then I get depressed because I'm forcing myself to do it... and then I stop doing it, because it's making me depressed! The one thing that falls under that exception is running. I don't know where it came from, but I have a love for running that is un-explanatory. Weird... I know.

I should be getting this sometime this week, and I will write a review on it after I've done a few workouts, probably after the first week. I just wanted you to know how excited I am. :)

Until Next Time!

Surprising Reaction

Yesterday I was dreading today's run. I was going to repeat the run I did on Saturday because I was supposed to do it today, week 5 day 1 of C25K. Thinking about it yesterday though, I did not want to run. Today, I woke up and I was excited to run. I was ready to kick butt out there and push hard. Then the Hubs reminded me of something. There was a BIG fire close to here this weekend and the air is filled with smoke. He said to be careful if I was going to run and I told him I would be... until he opened the door and smokey air filled my nose and lungs. I coughed and told him quickly there was no way I was running today. He left for work and I felt like a weight was suddenly on my shoulders. I need to go run. I want to run. But I can't. Smokey air is not good to breath in and I don't want to expose LW to it either. 

*Sigh*

I am totally a runner. I'm trying to be happy today, but it's hard. I'm always so much happier on days that I run and when I'm planning on running then can't it makes it so hard to stay upbeat. 

Due to my thoughts yesterday I thought I would be relieved not to run today, but it's the exact opposite. I want to run! I'm really sad that I can't. :( Unfortunately, I don't know when I'll be able to either. It depends on when the smoke clears. 

Until then I'll do some dancing indoors and REALLY focus on my food intake and continue with "The Belly Fat Cure" by Jorge Cruise

Spicy Saturday: Hello 150's!!!

This morning I got up, and within twenty minutes I was out the door, breathing in the beautiful morning breeze and completely pumped for my run. If you can't tell I usually run M,W,F, but after talking it over with my Mom (a personal trainer and Marathon Runner) I've decided I'm going to start running four days a week... next week. I'll be running M,W,F,Sa. Anyway! I started my warm up walk of five minutes, said a few greetings to some fellow runners, and started my first run. I felt like I was going for a long time so I looked at my phone and saw I had accidentally clicked Week 5 Day 1! Oops!!! I chuckled to myself and said, "Okay, let's do this!"

Week 5 Day 1 of C25K has me warm up walk for five minutes, run for five minutes, and walk for three. I run three times for five minutes. Awesome. Week 4 had me running for five minutes too. I knew I could do it. And LW was still asleep at home with the Hubs so I was free to stretch my legs and power myself forward with my arms! Our little hill is so much easier to run up when I'm not having to worry about LW's stroller. I finished my first mile in 13;49 mins. Yay! My second mile I completed in 12:53 mins! YAY!

The app I use on my android phone to track my speed and distance is called  . I walk/ran for 35 minutes, with a distance of 2.52 miles, an average speed of 4.3 miles per hour, and an average pace of 13:49 min per mile!!! YAY! I was so excited. My max speed was 5.7 mph.

I am very excited about my running results, but what I'm even more excited about is what I saw on the scale when I got home! Check it out!

Hello 150's!!!! 

That's a 2 lb weight loss from last Saturday!

I called my Sis, Spunky, and she was on the phone with me when I weighed myself. I squealed, she laughed. Then she told me she lost 3.2 lbs! Congrats Spunky! You're awesome! She was shooting for 4 lbs and was a little bummed she didn't make it, but 3.2 lbs is still amazing! She will be in the 100's SO soon and I couldn't be more happy for her! 

While I was making breakfast for the boys, Spunky called me back. She reminded me that she was a little down by what she saw on the scale, but when she put on the pair of shorts she had bought a few days ago... she didn't need to suck in and she was comfortable in them! And she was pretty sure she was going to be wearing them all day! Oh, my, OREOS! I can't tell you how happy I was to hear that. :) 

I finished cooking breakfast and darted down the hall to find a pair of pants I haven't worn in almost four years. The pair of brown pants I married the Hubs in (we eloped, haha). I haven't been able to wear them since and I was so sad when I realized I couldn't. I've been trying to fit into them... and look.

THEY FIT!!!

I nearly started hyperventallating and I walked out to the Hubs with tears in my eyes and just said, "Hunny, look..." I explained what pants they were and that I haven't been able to fit in them since we got married and now I could. He looked at me with a weird look on his face and said, "Then why are you crying?"

Oh silly boys.

He smiled after I explained and came over to me and gave me a huge hug. 

They are a little tight, I'm not quite comfortable in them, but it is SO close! I didn't need to suck in to get them on, just pull a little. 

I'm so excited to see what this week brings! 

Now, time to celebrate the 150's!

See ya! :D

More Then Two Miles

Week 4, day 2 of C25K was awesome!!! I walk/ran 2.57 miles in 37 minutes!!! I've been averaging 2 miles, but I really wanted to get more then that in and I did! I don't know what the difference was today, but I was just able to go, Go, GO! Yay! I was so happy to see that. My phone says I ran an average of 3.9 mph with a max speed of 7.2 mph. With an average mile speed of about 15 minutes. Yup, that's slow, but it was walk running! Plus, I'm not a fast runner to begin with. However, my average mph up until now has been 3.8. It went up! Sweet! I ran 3 minutes, walked 90 sec, ran 5 min, walked 2.5 min and repeated that. I ran up the small hill near our house and didn't die! However, I definitely need to invest in a jogging stroller. I'm finding myself leaning forward so I can hold the stroller out far enough for my feet and legs or running next to it and trying to hold it with one hand. One of the wheels clicks too, which is loud. LW doesn't seem to mind though. He LOVES my runs.

I am very excited to weigh myself on Saturday! I've been working really hard on my eating this week thanks to my Sis Spunky. I am anxious to see the numbers! I'm really hoping for two pounds. I am going to break through the 160's. I am going to see the 150's! I feel great!

What a Yucky Feeling...

Oh man... what did I do? 

Last night, I surprised the Hubs with a Date Night, in home, on the couch, watching a movie, with LOTS of treats... I'm been "off sugar" since mid May. We both decided I could have a night off. Boy did I learn my lesson. We had Arby'Q's for dinner (I only had one) and curly fries. Side Note: I'm ticked at Arbys! They totally gyp us on the curly fries every time! Not cool! Our date night also had a theme! All american! I bought sour gummy red, white, and blue stars, white chocolate covered pretzels that had red and blue chocolate drizzled over them. A mini trifle for each of us, complete with star cut outs of Sara Lee's Pound Cake, cut up strawberries and blackberries (we pretended they were blue) and light whipped topping. AND! A cool layered drink of Sobe, Gatorade, and Gatorade 2. (No alcohol, we don't drink, but I'm sure if you do you could add it.) Sorry, I don't have any pictures... I'm bummed about that too.

In retrospect, I really didn't have to much of this stuff. I had my trifle. About three sour gummy stars (I had to suck on them because of my braces), and a few chocolate covered pretzels. Oh and our layered drinks. However... I've been eating really healthy... and I didn't realize how much my body had changed. Ugh...

I used to be able to eat all of that and LOTS more in one sitting and not feel the after effects the next day. Today I didn't go running because my stomach was in knots and oh so very upset. I was running to the restroom every ten minutes (really more, but that's what it felt like) and I wished I could have just stayed on the toilet all day.   (TMI?) Blarg. Needless to say, I definitely learned my lesson. The only exercise I've had today is cleaning, and that was hard enough with the urge to go constantly.

If I could stick a note on myself to remember NEVER to do that again. I would. But I know it would fall off and I'll forget anyway. So, not to self: (on a blog) Don't do that again! 

On a happy note, that means that overall I've been eating healthier and my body has changed. It's no longer used to all the sugar. Awesome! :)

Ode to Happiness

My run today was hard. Thinking about it now, it wasn't that hard, but during my run it was. I just couldn't get into it. I felt like my legs were heavy and for once I wasn't excited to do it. I've loved every minute of running since I started this program four weeks ago, it's sad that today I didn't enjoy it. I got home and felt junky. I didn't feel beautiful. I felt fat. I felt ugly. I didn't want to look in the mirror. I didn't want to get dressed. I just wanted to lounge about and mope. Did I? NOPE!

After I ran I felt better. Not one hundred percent, but better. I looked in the mirror and grumbled then thought to myself, "Self, what are you doing?! If you want to be beautiful, if you want to lose weight, you have to believe in yourself!" Instantly, I started thinking about when my Mom was in the middle of her journey. She had these 3x5 cards with sayings on them. Positive sayings. I thought it was ridiculous at the time, but she use to always say, "The mind is a powerful thing. If you start thinking something, good or bad, your mind will find a way to make it happen." And look at her now! She is a tiny, healthy, gorgeous thing that I am jealous of! Lol, not really. I'm so proud of her. :) Although, it is a little embarrassing that my 52year old mom is in better shape then I've ever been in my life. :S 

Anyway! Due to this revelation I started thinking. "I need to have a Mantra. Something I can chant to myself when I'm feeling down. Hmm...." Then it came to me!

"I AM Beautiful, Healthy, Fit, and Thin! I AM 120 lbs!"

I started dancing around while chanting that to myself and I am SO glad no one else saw it. I would have been thoroughly embarrassed. Haha.

I went to do BBL - Sculpt and became instantly depressed. I didn't want to. I turned on Sculpt, starred at my weights and sighed. My happiness that I had just found a few moments ago was gone.

I did not want to do Sculpt. 

So I didn't.

I thought, 

"My happiness is more important then lifting a couple of purple five pound dumbbells for an hour."

And that was that. I turned off Sculpt. Sat on the couch and worked on my book. Such a better way to spend an hour. :)

I've repeated my mantra to myself multiple times today and let me tell you, it's working. It blows those grey storm clouds away in an instant! 

You should try it! 

What's your Motto?

Spicy Saturday: The Right Direction and a New Plan

Well... I'm not quite as happy this Saturday as I was on Monday. I stepped on the scale and saw 161.6 lbs. That is only a .2 pound difference. However, it is still in the right direction. Oh, well... This week is over, time for a new one.

Sis Spunky was telling me about this thing she is doing this next week. She is going to test something out. I instantly asked if she wanted me to join her, I want to be supportive. She said I could and I began to listen. 

Although, I will admit I didn't listen very well.

I have a nasty habit of toning people out, ugh.

Anyway, she sent me the basic instructions and her menu for then next week. I won't be starting it until Tuesday because that is my shopping day and I don't have even half of the things on the menu. But we will see how it goes. It's supposed to help with Belly Fat, which unfortunately our family is prone too, so it couldn't hurt right?

Fingers crossed that it works and I'm not starving in the process.

Spicy Monday: Two Days Late

Sorry I didn't post on Saturday! I was away at a family reunion. It was a lot of fun and I was able to see my Mom! Yay!!! I don't get to see her, or anyone from my family very often. It was really hard to say goodbye. I wasn't able to weigh in on Saturday, but I weighed in this morning and was nearly jumping up and down with what I saw! 

161.8 lbs!!! WOOT!!!

That is a 2.6 pound difference! Yay! I did so good last week! I'm excited for this week.

Spicy Saturday: Looky Looky!!!

Look what I saw when I stepped onto the scale today! 

If you can't tell what that says, it says 164.4!!! That's a 1.8 lb loss! WOOT!!! That's exciting. However, that was NOT the first number I saw today.

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. I was super grumpy! I was trying so hard not to snap at the hubs while I was making him and LW breakfasts. I was finally able to go running and it's a good thing I did. I also stepped onto the scale before my run and it said 168... bad... It had to have been wrong though. Because when I got back and weighed myself again I saw 164.4! Yay!!! That was exciting.