Moving Out & Eating Healthy

I go from tons of pictures to NO pictures .. what are the chances ... ?

So ... if you've been following along my fitness journey, you might know that I lived at home with my parents while my husband was stationed in Twentynine Palms, CA... I had done the majority of losing my weight with my then fiance (before he left for bootcamp last year) and my parents. I worked out 3-4 times a week at the local LifeTime Fitness and my mom kept healthy food in the house.

You might know that I planned our wedding in approx. 5 weeks.

You might know that I've gained back some of the weight I had lost, right after the wedding for multiple reasons (being schedule, packing, traveling and moving)

You might know that I weighed 157 about a week before I left Michigan. You might not. I def. didn't want to write about that struggle on here, I'm sorry to say. Which I realize is not fair. I should write the highs and valleys.. I've also been busy too and used that as an excuse not to write it here. I wonder what the last weight I admitted to was (on the blog) ... I should look.

You might know that we recently got housing in CA so that I moved to live with my husband, Jeff!

It is very important to Jeff and I to have healthy food in the house and get "back on track" while we have a clean slate. We have an empty pantry to start with and don't want to fill it with garbage.

On our cross country road trip we ate Subway for most meals and stopped for breakfast a few times as well. We didn't buy snacks for the car (except for a few a friend gave us .. YUM). We also drank lots of water in the car and tried to stay away from sugar. Jeff did drink coffee, but he loves coffee and drinks it anyways :)

It has been one week since we got to CA. One week of living on our own and I'm proud to tell you that I was 150 lbs. this morning. I haven't worked out in 13 days I think, but the lack of snacking and eating garbage has already helped. We have been planning dinners and having a frozen meal for lunches. We also have healthy snacks in like Weight Watchers string cheese, apples, grapes and bananas. I've also been drinking a ton of water because it's so so so hot out here.

My goal is to be between 130 - 135 lbs. by the time we go home for Christmas (if we go home for Christmas ... no promises) The lowest I've been was 140 lbs. I believe. I know it's going to be tough but I need to get back into the swing of working out, find a class, burn some calories and get on the ball. That is my goal this week is to figure that part of my new life out.

That's what I'm thinking about today :)
Thanks for reading!

143 - A Bigger Deal Than I Would Have Thought

First ... we will start with a fat pic vs. now pic, because those always make me feel happy. proud. motivated. encouraged. blessed.....

 

You would think that losing 1.4 lbs wouldn't be a big deal after losing 45 lbs.

IT IS. I finally moved the scale this week ... Yep, you read that right. I am no longer at 144.4 ... after ONE .. FULL .. MONTH ... stuck there. I've been complaining and frustrated but I've finally done it.

After people telling me .. "well then that probably means that's where you should just stay, you've lost enough."

After making good choices and seeing NO results. I've moved the scale and I'm not talking about "down the hallway"

I am finally winning this war again.

THIS is the reason I'm a record player and say "just.keep.going." This is the feeling that keeps me going.

143 .. one forty three .. it's 1.4 lbs of music to my happy little ears.

Started at: 147.0 lbs
Weighed in today at: 143.0 lbs

Pounds lost: 4
Weight loss percentage:  2.72%

Total weight loss since 190lb beginning: 47.0 lbs

My work out schedule this week was:
Sunday - Zumba AM
Monday - Zumba PM
Tuesday - A quick 20 min run on the treadmill
Wednesday - Work out in the basement (zumba .. keeping my heart rate up .. weights)
Thursday - Work out in the basement (zumba .. dancing  .. weights) totally skipped spin in the AM.

Saturday - Work out in the basement (zumba .. bouncing around.. weights)


I decided that since I've been consistently doing
this arm work out with 5 lbs weights and
these work tummy/ab work outs with 5 lb weights
for three weeks (3-4 days a week) I would take some pictures and measurements.

Remember when I said, to take measurements? I've only lost 4lbs since the last time I took measurements and pictures.  I have lost 1 inch in my chest and 2 inches in my waist and .5 inch on one of my thighs (strange I know)

Upper arm left: 10.5 in (0 difference)
Upper arm right: 11.0 in (0 difference)
Chest: 35 in (-1 inch difference)
Waist: 28.5 in (-2 inch difference)
Hips: 38.5 in (0 difference)
Thigh left: 21.5 in (.5 inch difference)
Thigh right: 22 in

Look at the difference in these pictures. (please understand that I am not bragging about my progress. I am just SO excited to share that I'm actually getting somewhere .. especially since I didn't think I had been!)

January 7th to today .. February 17th

Don't see too much difference in my legs

Holy crap, could it be? A difference in my belly?!??

Less lumpy in that middle section!! No sucking in!

This week I'm off work for mid winter break. I'm hoping to get in a lot of extra work outs and classes.
Monday (today) - spin AND zumba
Tuesday - zumba AM AND treadmill PM
Wednesday - Spin PM (maybe)
Thursday - spin and maybe a night class of some sort
Friday - zumba AM
Saturday - nothing
Sunday - zumba AM

I'm also going to do my weights for my arms and belly every day this week. Yes you read that. I have extra time I'm going to make it work.

I'm really just writing this down so that I have it to look back on my plan for the week :)

Thanks for checking in!! Have you taken your pictures and measurements?

Three Weird Things I'm Doing ...

The first thing is a "No Spend February"

I read this blog, Love, Fun and Football and they did a "No Spend January" and I wasn't quite ready yet but loved the idea. They are working on paying off their student loans and it's really inspiring. Now, I don't have a student loan but we do have a wedding and a move coming up and the more I save the better.

These no spend month's are popping up everywhere and now Kym at Travel Babbles is doing one too. I've jumped on board. I actually did February 1 but I didn't think to write about it here.

So first you write out a budget. For those of you who hate the "b" word .. that means you write down all your bills, how much they are and I included when they are due. I also wrote down all my income for the month and when they would be paid out to me. [Let's get real, I didn't write anything .. it's on an Excel spreadsheet]

I'm suuuuuper lucky so living at home, so I have minimal expenses. Phone bill, car insurance, health insurance, gym membership and gas for the car. I also added in a Valentine's day gift for Jeff and shipping - but I'm planning ahead for that and have chosen a specific amount to spend.
As for income I pretty much have 1 million jobs .. so I won't even write them all out for you. You get the idea.

Drum roll please ... My savings goal for my "No Spend February": $1,300.00 $1,000
*Update ... I didn't realize that I had a "Mid Winter Break" in February when I made this goal, so that means I am out two paychecks for one week ... let's aim for $1,000.00 and see how it goes.

Yep. I'm doin it people. I'm going to save at least $1,300.00 $1,000 this month. I'm also a save-a-holic and get totally high on this kind of crap ... so this is right up my alley. I'll let you know how I do.


Second thing is trying to wear a different shirt / outfit everyday for as long as I can

Yes, I'm a freak. Yes, this means I'm keeping track of what I'm wearing. But hear me out ... I've had to get rid of a LOT of my favorite clothes since losing my 45 lbs. Things that I didn't even wear much because I always tend to wear the same handful of things. So this is why I'm doing it:

1. It's wasteful to have all those clothes and not wear them.
2. I'm hoping to have to give all my clothes away again because they're too big again so I want to wear them first.
3. I was in a rut wearing the same stuff all the time.
4. A challenge is fun.
5. Less laundry .. hollllla!

So I've been wearing different pants, jeans, skirts etc. but obviously those I have to reuse. I have more shirts and accessories than bottoms. This challenge I've given myself is Monday through Friday, as on the weekends I am mostly in sweats or work out gear.

I've successfully completed four weeks so far. I wonder how much longer I can go.

 This ap is called "Pic Cal"

Look at all the laundry I don't have to do! I have two dressers and a closet full of clothes! ha ha!

Some of my favorite outfits so far:

The third and last weird thing I've done (not really doing) is that I made a motivation board

This is mine. What do you think?

I always see these on Pinterest and think "THAT is a cool idea" .. so I finally made one myself!


Yes, I know I should get a life. HAHA!!
Actually, I am a busy person believe it or not!

Thanks for reading my weirdness ... stop by again!

Girl Scout Cookie - Weight Watcher Points & Calories by Cookie

Hey there!! It's that time of year again ... Girl Scout Cookie Season! 

Yummmmm ....I wanted to know the WW points for each cookie, so that when I made my order I wasn't making a huge mistake in sabotaging my weight loss goals.

I've done a bunch of research on the nutritional value of these delicious cookies and found out a lot more than I thought I was going to!

For example: Do you know why they have cookies that have two different names (Peanut Butter Patties vs. Tagalongs .... or Carmel deLites vs. Samoas)? It's because Girl Scout cookies are produced by two different bakeries! They actually ARE slightly different in nutritional value too.

So anyways, hopefully this will help you make a healthy order when supporting your local Girl Scout troop!!

All information provided below calculated by ME and was broken down BY COOKIE, not by serving size.. because that made the most sense to me.

Away we go ...

Pic Source

Thanks-a-lot : 2 Weight Watchers Points (75 calories)

Pic Source

Cranberry Citrus Crisps: 1 Weight Watcher Point (37.5 calories)

Pic Source

Lemonades: 2 Weight Watcher Points (75 calories)

Pic Source - Baked by ABC Bakers

Shortbread: 0.75 Weight Watcher Points (30 calories)

 

Pic Source - Baked by Little Brownie Bakers

Trefoils: 0.8 Weight Watcher Points (32 calories) 

Pic Source - Baked by BOTH ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers but the same exact nutritional values

 Thin Mints: 1 Weight Watcher Point (40 calories)

Pic Source - Baked by ABC bakers

Peanut Butter Patties: 2 Weight Watcher Points (65 calories)

Pic Source  - Baked by Little Brownie Bakers

Tagalongs : 2 Weight Watchers Points (70 calories)

Pic Source - Baked by ABC Bakers

Caramel deLites:  2 Weight Watcher Points (65 calories)

Pic Source - Baked by Little Brownie Bakers

Samoas : 2 Weight Watchers Points (75 calories)

Pic Source - Baked by ABC Bakers

Peanut Butter Sandwich: 1.66 Weight Watcher Points (53.33 Calories)

 

Pic Source - Baked by Little Brownie Bakers

Do-si-dos: 1.33 Weight Watcher Points (53.33 calories)

Pic Source -  Baked by ABC Bakers


Chocolate Chip Shortbread:  1 Weight Watcher Point (32.5 calories)

Pic Source - Baked by Little Brownie Bakers


Savannah Smiles: 1.25 Weight Watcher Points (28 calories)

Pic Source - Baked by Little Brownie Bakers


Dulce de Leche: 1 Weight Watcher Point (40 calories)

Pic Source - Baked by Little Brownie Bakers
Thank U Berry Munch:  1.5 Weight Watcher Points (60 calories)







For all nutritional facts and more details on each cookie, please visit the Girl Scout link HERE

For fun Girl Scout History since 1917, please visit the link HERE

For fun cookie facts check out HERE and HERE at the bakers websites :)



My all time favorites are Peanut Butter Patties and Thin Mints ... Jeff is a Caramel deLites guy, all day.
Let me know your faves in the comments!

Hope this helps! Happy and Healthy Cookie Snacking!!