Friday's Follow-Up: Fitting Back Into My Clothes- Wk 7

So last week, I left off at 117.8. And if I weren't an adult who understands the concept of free will and taking responsiblity for my own actions, well, then I'd totally blame my husband and his friends for what the scale says now: 118.6. Over the weekend, they tailgated and took only what they thought they'd need with them. Leaving behind so much junk food; cookies, chips, candy, etc. And then I decided I'd make them Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes, as I saw the recipe online that day. By Monday evening, the scale said 120.6 and I didn't feel that great. But, since things happen for a reason, this is the good that came of it:

1) I remembered just how horrible junk food makes me feel and I'm not going to forget that feeling any time soon.

2) On Tuesday, I finally did a custom workout on the EA Sports Active and it was amazing! It truly is like having your own personal trainer at home!! I got so much energy from just one workout, that I was awake until 1AM. Just the boost I needed from the lack of energy the few days before.

3) I lost two of those pounds by eating healthy throughout the week.

4) I told my hubby we should try to go all of August with no junk food; focusing on our snacks and lunch sides. (Though, I agreed he could still have his occasional pop.) It will be interesting to see what snacks and lunch items I can find for him that are decently healthy and that he likes.

5) It's put me on a mission to find healthier recipes.

So that's my week in a nutshell. 2.8 lbs gained, 2 lbs lost. What's important is that I know where I went wrong and I got back on track again. No one says you have to stop exercising just because the scale doesn't go the way you want.

Remember, scales are just one tool of measurement. You should always have a second--maybe clothes or actual body measurements. One of my readers only lost 2 lbs but lost 4 inches, too! (Congrats!!)

How did your week go? Do you have any fitness or healthy blog posts to share? Leave a linky or comment to share.

Friday's Follow-Up: Fitting Back Into My Clothes- Wk 6

I have a confession to make--I didn't exercise at all this week, so to speak. By that I mean, no walks, runs, bike riding or even Wii exercise things. (It was so weird to give these up this week! I think my Wii missed me!) All I did was clean. I cleaned in more of a frenzy than I did when I was a week overdue with Nathan and bit by the nesting bug. Did the scale show my hard work? Well, last week I weighed in at 118.8. And this week...117.8! How about THAT for motivation to de-clutter! :)

Not only was the cleaning a great form of exercise but it kept me overly busy so I didn't have time to think about snacking. I made sure before I started to have plenty of cheese, apples and celery ready to go for little breaks. And I always had my water bottle close at hand!

I cannot tell you how amazing I feel today. Not only is the house on the verge of being clutter-free but I also lost a whole pound! I'm inching closer to the weight I was before Kaydi at 114. (I'm not sure I'll get back down to where I was before Nathan at 107! :) I've always been very petite and fairly thin. I can thank my Mom for my small-bone structure and my height!)

So, how did you do this week? Did you get in any exercise or find a solution to switching to a healthier lifestyle? Leave us a linky and share. Even if it's just a good healthy recipe you've found!

Remember, regardless of what the scale says, it's all about how you feel inside. You overall goal should always just be to feel comfortable in your own skin!!

Looking for a great support group? Check out Wii Mommies! You can read more stories from some of them HERE, along with an update on a new DS game. I had a BLAST racing them this week in the Wii Mario Kart Big Race. :) And I forgot to mention, I've been holding off starting my EA Sports Active 30 Day Challenge until after BlogHer. I didn't want to miss a day!

Friday's Follow-Up: Fitting Back Into My Clothes- Wk 5

So I figured out that there is a negative to signing up for birthday clubs---it's hard to resist using all of the freebies they send you! :) Last week I left off at 118.2 and this week I'm at...118.8. Yes, I know. I'm going the wrong direction on the scale! But, to be 100% honest, I figured it was going to be worse. Between birthday freebies and parties, I didn't cook supper from Friday - Tuesday! 5 Days!

This is the first time in my life that I'm actually proud of myself for gaining 1/2 a pound, so to speak! If I hadn't changed my eating-out habits, it probably would have been a 3-4lb weight gain! So what did I do different?

First off, as soon as my food came, I cut it in half and saved the rest to-go. Almost everywhere we went, the portions were outrageously large. Another thing I did was ask for any extras on the side. This way, I could add only what I needed. I made sure to request high-calorie condiments, such as mayo, to be left off. And I opted for water or milk to drink. (Though, I did "treat" myself to some sweet tea the one night!)

I am excited that I am finally able to start the EA Sports Active. I think I may start the 30 day challenge on Monday. We had a lot of house-stuff planned for this weekend and I didn't want to miss a day off the bat so I didn't start on the 1st.

Thursday night, it was a little cooler out so I took a chance and tried on those slightly snug size 6 jeans I had gotten for Christmas. Not only do they now respectfully fit, but they are even a little loose! This is the reason why you should never use the scale as your only measurement for weight loss.

How did your week go? Were you able to get in a little fitness or alter your diet to a healthier one? Feel free to share via Mr. Linky or in the comments field below this posting.

Friday's Follow-Up: Fitting Back Into My Clothes- Wk 4

So, I left off last week at 119.0. Where am I at this week? 118.2. So close to that one pound weekly loss! I was so excited about it that I took a picture of the scale. (My desktop computer is acting up so I couldn't get the pic uploaded!) I'm not sure why I was so excited when I've weighed a lot less but maybe just because I wasn't expecting it to display that. I wasn't able to get in exercise every day this week. I was preparing for my coupon class and dealing with a defiant toddler. (To which I told him, it's OK buddy, we all have bad weeks!) Throw in some scorchingly hot and humid weather and we've got a tough exercise week.

BUT, I am sooo excited that I finally get my EA Sports Active next week. (Jenn, can you believe I didn't give in and open it earlier?!) I'm hoping to start up the 30 day challenge on July 1st. We'll see how it goes. If anyone else has it and wants to join in, it would be fun to share stories. We'll see how my knees hold up! (I've basically decided to wait on my 5K training for now.)

Changes I Made This Week:

~I took mental note of any time I wanted to grab a quick snack and dove for the celery or apples instead.
~I switched out my morning glass of milk with my cereal for yogurt. It's been helping to keep me fuller longer. (And it was soo cheap at Jewel!!) :)
~I did my best to stay in constant movement and not become a "couch potato" during the week. I planned some more active games with the kids instead of just playing toys on the floor.
~Whenever I'd get hungry by the computer, I'd drink a glass of water. It seemed to help.

So, how did your week go? Did you find time to get in a little fitness or alter your diet to a healthier one? Leave us a comment or linky!

Looking for a cool support group and some exercise inspiration? Check out my friends over at Wii Mommies HERE.

UPDATE: I just got to read this week Featured Fitness Friday story HERE from Wii Mommies. I am totally even MORE excited about starting the EA Sports Active now--which I didn't think was possible. And here's a shocker for you all---this week's feature...is from a Wii DADDI (not Mommi)! Yup! You'll want to check it out! If this thing helps me get in that good of a workout, then I might be telling my hubby it's the best present he's ever bought me! :)

Friday's Follow-Up: Fitting Back Into My Clothes- Wk 3

So I knew that I wouldn't meet my 1 pound loss a week goal this week so I suppose that helped when I stepped on the scale. 119.0. A whole 1/5 of a pound. (Down 2.5 lbs in 3 weeks, though.) But it's a loss, so that's good. It was real hard getting in exercise this week, as Kaydi was super clingy and it's been raining non-stop here in Chicago, preventing our daily walks. (I'm beginning to think this second tooth has to chisel through cement or something!)

But I did find a new way to sneak in more exercise. While Kaydi is in the Jumperoo, I've been doing stomach crunches. (Ouch!) They seem to help tighten up that stretched baby skin. And to be honest, the scale may not have moved much, but my clothes are fitting better than last week. So that's a bonus.

I'm excited that we were able to move my exercise bike to the family room. I've been working hard at re-arranging, well, basically the entire house. So now, when the kids are playing, I can get in some biking time. I think we may go look for some child seats for our outside bikes this next week.

So, while the scale didn't take a huge jump, I'm still pretty happy with the results. And at my willpower to resist cake/ice cream at the last party! We have six parties in five weeks. And with all the ice cream coupons/sales...it's really pushing the willpower to the next level! :)

How did your week go? Leave a linky to your blog or a comment on your progress. And for those of you looking for a support group, my fave is the Wii Mommies HERE.

Friday's Follow-Up: Fitting Back Into My Clothes- Wk 2

So last week, I left off at 120.2. What does the scale say now? 119.2. Yup one more pound shed this week. I know it would've been more but I had to miss one day of exercise. I was incredibly sleep-deprived from Kaydi's teething, keeping us up all night. I should have a "first-tooth" picture soon! It's not quite pushed up enough for that photo yet. But anyway, sometimes you have to know when the exercise just isn't going to fit into the day and make sure you eat extra healthy that day.

What changes have I made this week? I found a "visual goal" for my weight loss. My MIL bought me a pair of really great size 6 Express Jeans for Christmas that are just a little bit snug right now. Yes, they fasten but breathing is...not so easy! :) So I'm hoping to fit comfortably into them in a few weeks here.

I was also real lucky to find a brand-new vegetable keeper at a garage sale this last weekend! I just fill it with water and throw in some celery and carrot slices and I have some snacks ready and waiting for me when I get those evil cravings! I also picked up a 5lb. bag of apples and washed them right away and had them in our fruit basket on the kitchen table. Talk about a quick snack! Even Nathan loves grabbing some when he's hungry!

I've been keeping track this week of when I head off to the kitchen to "munch" on some snacks and I've found that it's almost always due to boredom or stress. I don't deprive myself of some munchies but I just grab some gum or carrots/celery instead. No more chips!

And how did I fit in exercise this week? Last Friday, we went to the park, as a family, and had a really great time. We came back and had a round of horse (basketball), to which I lost! I've continued to take walks with the kids and sneak in exercise throughout the week during playtimes and naptimes. Still loving the WiiFit. I will be starting up that 30 day challenge on EA Sports Active in July, so it gives me something to look forward to. I love switching up my routine. Rich took our bikes off the storage hooks and I'm hoping to add bike rides to my weekly exercise. We may invest in some child seats so we can go together as a family.

So anyway, I hope that you have also been finding ways to change your eating and exercise habits to shave off a pound or two and inch closer to fitting back into those old clothes!

Got a posting on your fitness this week? Leave us a linky for some inspiration. Don't have a blog? Please, share your week with us under the comments.

Friday's Follow-up: Fitting Into My Clothes Wk 1

So this last weekend, I decided it was time to finally get serious about losing that last bit of "baby weight." Kaydi's 6 months old now and I know that with a little work, I can eventually fit back into my old clothes. I'm at a "tight" 6 and need to go down one more size to get back into those 4s! Eventually! :)

To start off the week, I weighed in and to my surprise, I was up to 121.5. Now this is on the scale and not the WiiFit. So I didn't subtract the 2-3 lbs for clothes. Since I don't always use the WiiFit daily, I wanted to use an easier way to judge my progress. And today, after 4.5 days, I'm at 120.2. Since they say to try to stick between 1-2 lbs per week for a healthy weight loss, I'm right on target.

So how did I get my exercise in this week, while keeping up with two little kids, housework and blogging? I don't have to tell you...it's not easy! But my health is important to me so I took the time. On the nice days, the kids and I went for a walk around our neighborhood. When we got back, if Kaydi had fallen asleep in the stroller, Nathan would ride his bike and I'd shoot some hoops while she slept. Some days I'd do all these plus squeeze in 15-30 minutes on the WiiFit. I've been mostly focusing on Aerobics and Balance. Next week, I hope to get in Strengthening/Yoga on the WiiFit and start up my running again. We'll see how it goes.

I've also been "sneaking" in exercise while playing with the kids. Doing "peek-a-boo sit-ups" with Kaydi, leg lifts/curls while coloring or playing with toys and tag/chase games with Nathan to get in more motion/steps, rather than just sitting to play.

But exercise is only half of it for me. Since I can't put in long hours working out, I also have to focus on what food I take in. I've been trying to drink more water, in general. I don't drink pop/soda so I couldn't give them up! :) I've switched from potato chips/dip to pretzels w/ mustard. Did you know that 20 pretzel sticks and mustard are only 50 calories? (The mustard I have is zero calories!) They are also fairly filling, too!

So I'm working on making exercise a daily habit and focusing on eating less/better.

I'm hoping your week is going well, too! For those of you that do own a Wii, you may want to check into the Wii Mommies site. It's a great place to chat with others on progress & fun!

How Did Day One Go?

So, I don't plan on doing a daily exercise re-cap but I thought I'd share my first day with you. My "exercise personality" is like an undefeated football team that wins constantly until they finally lose one--then they tend to lose easily. So it's important for me to stay on track and not miss a day!

Today, Nathan, Kaydi and I went for a walk. It normally takes 15 minutes but it was a good 25 minutes, since Nathan was walking and I was pushing Kaydi in the stroller. I was regretting wearing pants but the idea of squeezing into shorts wasn't appealing. (Soon!!!)

Nathan rode his Big Wheel when we got back and I shot some hoops---taking advantage of Kaydi sleeping in the stroller! :) Like good old Chicago, we were sweating like crazy and then an hour later, I had to close the doors/windows up before we had to put on our winter coats. There was a cold, strong wind coming through. (Hence our name, Windy City!)

So we had fun. I got in my exercise and we survived day one. :) I'm hoping you were able to get a little in, too!