147 .. The First Step To My Next Journey

Well! Here it is! 

I weighed in today after a month of Jeff being home, a little "vacation" in itself ... Eating crap food way more than I would like to admit and not doing consistent weigh ins. Not drinking enough water and not tracking what I ate. Jeff left yesterday .. Return date unsure (29 days at Marine Combat Training, and then straight to his MOS school) so we should know when we can think about planning our wedding next month (fingers crossed). With him being gone I tend to need something to focus on and my goals are really good for that. 

So ... From December 11- January 7 I gained about 2.5lbs 

Today's weight: 147

You know what though? It's okay. I lost 15 lbs from September 16-December 11th (while Jeff was at bootcamp) and I was getting burnt out. I took about a month off, gained 2 lbs (seriously I should be thankful it was only two! I really enjoyed myself haha)

But now 147 starts me on my next journey! 

Next stop: 130lbs by April 18th (our spring break .. I'm not going anywhere I just have chosen this as a goal date)

The plan is to count Weight Watcher points, write down everything that I eat {which I hate .. But makes a huge difference in my results}, drink a ton of water and to exercise at least 3 times per week (more if I can make it work) I am also going to be doing some arm exercises with free weights at home too. 

This plan is not new. It's simply what has worked for me. Hard work and doing what I know I need to do. It's not a magic plan or a secret, it's just doing what I need to do.

So that's the plan. That's where I'm at. Another part of my plan is to post updates on Mondays here. 

I always wish I had a real "start" picture and measurements (inspired by Mama Laughlin) and so this time I did:

Left arm: 10.5"

Right Arm: 11"

Chest: 36"

Waist: 30.5"

Hips: 38.5"

Left thigh: 22.5"

Right thigh: 22"

Time Will Pass Anyway

Things change. Little by little. Day by day. Minute by minute even.
Sometimes we have crappy days and sometimes we have good days that totally rock. We have to focus on how we feel on the good days ... that's what keeps us going. Don't put off your goals and dreams just because it will take time to get there. THE TIME WILL PASS ANYWAY. I love that.

When I started this journey:
- I could not run at all. Not even 15 seconds.
- I did not WANT to go to the gym.
- I was not excited about changing my eating habits.
- I almost never drank water.

Now:
- I can run about 2-3 minutes ... slowly but I call that a win... {Intervals are my friend}
- I crave the way I feel after my work out is over.
- I have learned to eat the things I want in moderation.
- On a good day I drink 60-100 oz of water.
- I also HATE the bloated / full / crap feeling after eating crap food.. Which I can honestly say I didn't know existed before, because that's how I always ate. (It doesn't always stop me ... lol ... but I hate it)

My goals going forward:
- Flatten my tummy .. partially by continuing to eat well and then by exercise (I don't know exactly how yet, but it will include lifting some amount and some exercise with weights)
- Tone up my arms with weights
- Move from my NOW SIZE 9/10 to a size 8
- Keep my weight under my NOW WEIGHT 145 lbs
- Aim for 130 lbs by Spring Break (April 18)
- Take things one day at a time
- Take some before pictures so that I can see my progress eventually


MY ULTIMATE DREAM GOAL:
Wear a bikini on our honeymoon. I told Jeff this goal, shortly after we got engaged and I was much further from it than I am now, but I have more work to do. I am on the road to that goal. Date to be determined ... I'm aiming for December 2014 .. but we will see!

Hello 2014!

Hello 2014!

We welcomed you in to town last night with a New Years Eve party at Halle' and Cory's place.

Everything as it should be. Us. Together. 

I'm having a rough day today today though. New Years Day. Not because I'm hung over (because I'm not) .. but because I need to get my head right. I need to be in a better place than I woke up in today... to journey up this mountain everyone else is calling 2014. Everywhere you go people are saying "2014 is going to be the best year yet!" and I don't feel that way at the moment, because I know that in a few short days my fiance is going to leave for almost all of 2014. I need to get my head right and ready for that.

I Need To Focus On:

The fact that we have something strong and special,

That I knew this was coming and to quit being dramatic,

We will hopefully be planning our wedding through 2014,
We could be married by the end of this year,

Showers, registering and other fun wedding goodness to come,

That I have a whole new set of goals for this year (health/exercise and financially),

That I have an incredible family who is always right by my side .. especially when Jeff can't be,

That "happiness never decreased by being shared" and that being positive and praying are the only things that are going to help me through this,

An amazing life together is on the other side of the tough times .. and THAT is worth it.

So ... here's to focusing on THAT list ... instead of having a pity party.. because a pity party doesn't help anyone! :)

I feel better just getting my thoughts organized after writing this!

Pic Over Load ... 2013 Review + Jeffs USMC Graduation

Hey people!!
I haven't written in a long time. I know I don't even have to say why ... life get's busy, priorities change .. and really I was always just writing this for myself anyways. I think this blog will be changing as more of like a journal for myself ... anyone is clearly welcome to read it ... but now I'll talk about things that are relevant to me and my life THESE days.

Things have changed so drastically in my life since I wrote my last blog post in (cough yikes) June of 2012. Changed mostly for the better!!

WARNING: PICTURE OVER LOAD AHEAD ;) 

Since I last wrote:
- My fiance and parents and I decided to join Weight Watchers.


- Yep that's right ... I'm engaged!! My best friend asked me to marry him at Disney World in November 2012!

- Jeff finished loosing the weight he needed to join the United States Marine Corps and signed into the dep program in February 2013. They gave him his ship date to go to boot camp (September 16th)

 

- I turned 26 years old! {I can't even comprehend that}

- I lost 45 lbs total since starting Weight Watchers (Yes, this picture is more time than June 2012 - present ... but it's fun to see the progress)

- Exercising has truly become a way of life for me. While it's fun to skip it ... It's not what it used to be to me anymore. It's a necessity. I've also found a blog I love to follow: Mama Laughlin

- During said progress I took too many of {sweaty} pictures of myself .. sometimes before and sometimes after my work outs ...

 -Took a lot of pictures of things that matter ... and some that don't.

- Stayed BIG TIGERS FANS :)

-Even got on TV! (Yep, look close - that's us between those guys in the background!)

- Worked out with my guy

- Jeff worked and worked and worked on this boat ...

- I met Andy Dirks .. and got his autograph :)

GO TIGERS!

- I found my love of spin class.

- We went to the air show

- Saw Kenny Chesney at Ford Field (What whaaaat .. awesome Christmas gift!!!)

- Spent some time in the great Up North together.

 (left at about 10 or 11 pm .... yikes!)

- Went to my cousins wedding 

- Jeff signed his MOS contract (Electronic Maintenance)

- We took a LOT of pictures before he left for bootcamp in September:

 - We had goodbye parties and Jeff left for bootcamp.

 - I wrote 65 letters ... one a day ... and became obsessed with the mailbox and what it might bring to me, from Parris Island. My only way of communication with my fiance for 13 weeks.

- I kept busy with four jobs while he was gone and worked 56 hours a week: Jewelry Lady, daycare (part time), Red Bell Assistant Teacher (part time), and mentoring .... and of course going to the gym 3-4 days a week.

- I did anything and everything I could think of to keep my mind busy and positive including starting this board on my Pinterest: STRENGTH and added to it when I had hard times. 

- Hosted a totally fun 2nd Annual Favorite Things Party!

- Went to a family friend's annual Christmas Tea Party.

- I prayed more than I've prayed my entire life this year.

- ... and then I prayed some more... Prayed for Jeff's strength and safety, for God to be with him while he hurdled over anything that might stand in his way of becoming a Marine, for my strength in getting through the time without him.

 

- I found out that Jeff could possibly call me after they finished The Crucible ( their final 3 days of intense training out in the field with lack of sleep) and when my phone read "Beaufort, SC" I instantly started to cry. I hadn't heard his voice in 13 weeks and nothing will make me forget the way I felt when I answered the phone "Jeffy?" and he said "Yea"

- I traveled 1,035 miles to see My Marine graduate from Parris Island USMC Bootcamp.

- I finally got my hands on him! First shock ... and then tears ... 

- He got to show us around the base and explain some of the things they did.

-The next day, Friday December 13th, 2013 he graduated from Lima Co. and we were EXACTLY where he had dreamed of being for so many years. I am so proud of this man, words just can't explain!!!!

- We flew home a few days later and found these goofballs waiting for us at the airport!

-Went to get Scruffy and saw Grandpa ... 

- It has been incredible to have him home on leave ... We celebrated Christmas Eve ...

- And Christmas ... 

The more I think about anything and everything, the less I think anything at all has ever been a consiquence or happend "by chance". I think there is a plan for me and for us. 2013 has been a year of stress and waiting and anxiety .. but also some amazing memories and lessons that we will absolutely never forget. Things have been so  hard, but this is what we have been working towards and it will all be a good life for us in the end.

Excited to see the new life that 2014 will bring to us. We could possibly be married before the end of 2014 ... depending on the Corps ... 2014 will come with it's own challenges ... but I've learned so much this year and I know I will get through anything with my fiance, my family and God at my side.

See you next year .... and hopefully not so long in between ... no promises ;)