Finally!

So I've been stuck on a plateau for a few weeks now.  I've been exercising and eating well but the scale has been at a stand still.  But I kept trying my best and I tried not to get too discouraged.  I was seeing results even if the scale didn't show any.  I have gone from only being able to fit into one pair of pre-pregnancy jeans to fitting into most of them!  It's a good feeling when you can wear some jeans that would have been impossible to wear just a month ago.  So I've kept my spirits up knowing that something good must happening... as tempting as it was to give up for an evening or two and just eat whatever I want... since I was working so hard and nothing was happening.  But this morning I am so happy to report that I have lost 3.5 pounds since last week!  It's finally paying off!

So just know that if you feel like you are working hard and you aren't seeing the results... put away the scale for a week or two.  Just pay attention to how your clothes are fitting.  Measure your inches once a week and track your progress there.  Whatever you do, don't give up and keep working hard.  It will finally pay off!

Goals

`Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?' asked Alice.

`That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat. 

`I don't much care where--' said Alice.

`Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat. 

Just like Alice, if we don't have an idea of where we want to end up, then it doesn't really matter where we end up!  If you float around aimlessly in life, then you won't have much say in what happens to you.  The same principle applies to your health and fitness.  If you don't know what you want, then how do you know what to work for?  How can you track progress?  The best way to track progress and to make sure you end up where you want to is to set some goals.

Right after I had my first baby I decided that I wanted to train to run a half marathon.  At the time I could hardly believe that I had set such a goal.  I hadn't been running for the past year and I wondered if I could be ready in time.  Once I got the 'okay' from the doc to exercise again I had three and a half months to train and to be ready to run.  I must say that setting this goal was the best thing for me.

On days when it was hard to run, or I didn't feel like training, the thought of finishing my goal helped motivate me to get going!  I remember my first 'long run' day... six miles.  I got home from my run and tearfully told my husband that I couldn't do the half marathon.  I had just about died running six miles!  How could I ever run 13.1!  But I had already registered and paid for the race and I was committed to finish.  I got excited to think that someday I would actually run a half marathon.  Me!?  That's crazy!  I loved the thought of accomplishing something I thought that would be "too difficult" for me.

I was nervous and excited on race day.  I was ready and I wanted to run!  My goal was to finish the half marathon under three hours and I did!  It was such an amazing feeling!  I was so happy to finally cross the finish line!  The last couple of miles had been brutal!  

I got my medal, and my creamy (best creamy I've ever had) and met up with my family.  They were such a support to me and I couldn't have done it alone!  It felt so good knowing that I had set a goal, worked really really hard, and I had accomplished that goal!  I felt so powerful!

The thing that I love most about goals is the direction they give you.  Your goals are so personal and they belong to you.  I hope you all have your own goals that you are working towards.  Write them down!  Look at them often!  I like to keep a list by my bed so I can read over them often.  If you need to revise and write new ones there is nothing wrong with that.  Just do what you want to do.  Set some goals regarding your health and fitness.  Set some goals involving relationships and personal growth.  Have something to work towards and stretch yourself.  Stretch yourself and you will be amazed at what you are able to accomplish.  

I hope you sit down and seriously think about what you want to accomplish.  Have fun with it!  Don't stress and as my mother use to say, "believe in yourself, it works!"

Strawberry Lime Slush

Being healthy doesn't mean you have to give up the sweet things in life.  You just have to be smart about what you eat.  There is no reason you need to live a life eating organic fig bars just for the sake of being healthy.  

The other night it was pretty warm outside and I was having my nightly sweets craving.  I had a bunch of strawberries in the fridge that needed to be eaten so I thought I would make a delicious slush to cool down and have a treat.

Strawberry Lime Slush

1 liter Sprite Zero

1 package of fresh strawberries (or 3-4 cups frozen)

1-2 cups of ice

1/2 lime

Blend the Sprite, strawberries and ice and add enough lime to taste!  I used the juice from half a lime and thought it was perfect!  So easy and so delicious!

It's very low in calories, full of fruit, and sweet and tasty.  So the next time your sweet tooth comes calling give this baby a try!

Lose It

Alright everyone, I'm here and I'm ready to lose.  I'm in the process of loosing some baby weight and I thought that six months later I would be down to my ideal weight.  Six months have come and are leaving quickly and I'm not where I thought I would be.

This was my first pregnancy and I gained 35 pounds.  So far I have lost 25 pounds... ten more to go until my pre-pregnancy weight.  Over all I would like to loose 30 more pounds to be at my ideal weight.

I'm so excited to be starting up this blog again.  I'm going to be sharing with you my journey of weight loss.  Whether you're battling the baby weight or just trying to get fit and healthy, these weight loss tips and strategies I will be sharing will work for anyone.  While I was in college I worked hard to finally reach my ideal weight, something I'd never been able to do in the past.  I learned a lot in the process but I know that it works.  I've done it and I'm ready to do it again... and keep it up.  It will be a lot of hard work but it will be so worth it in the end.

So I hope that you join me!  I'd love to hear your goals and problems.  I have hard days too... Oreos are my downfall... I'll be sharing all of these with you and hopefully we can get through this battle together!  I'll be back soon so until then think of your own health goals....fitness, weight loss, handling stress better... whatever you are working towards write it down and lets lose it!