Joined "SparkPeople" Today

I know it's been over a month, but I really have been busy... too busy to write. Sorry 'bout that!

I haven't gained that much of the original weight lost back, but I did gain some (1/2 of it). I will lose it again.

I quit drinking so much water... BAD Lisa, BAD!!! So today I am picking that back up again. I will take a walk later tonight and begin again in babysteps.

My problem is that I went gungo-ho and burned myself out. But... I'm back, still here... whatever you want to call it.

If you want to have a customized weight plan and team support (FOR FREE!), go to SparkPeople.com and sign up. Please put in that I (charligirl88) referred you and you should be given the option to some of the teams I belong to. Wouldn't that be fun? We could do this weight-loss, healthy lifestyle thingy together!

Have fun and healthy eating. Like me... DON'T FORGET TO DRINK YOUR WATER!!!

Still Here...

And a little sore, but that's to be expected. I did the Level 1 today and walked this morning, just to clear my head and wake me up. The smells in the early morning are glorious, especially with the orange blossoms budding. Wow.

Yesterday I had a "ick" moment. I was gardening, on my knees, and I looked down. What I saw disgusted me. My legs were like huge sausages, bulging from their casings! I don't want to be like that. I will stay on track this time.

Guess What?

I'm back!

I did Jillian Michaels Level 1. I'm starting back at the bottom, although not from the same weight as originally. Yeah. Water, Water, WATER!

It beat me up. Help me along, and we will all do well!

The past couple of weeks have been extremely hard. I lost my motivation, went on vacation, plus had my kids on Spring Break. All no-nos when you are at the beginning of losing weight. They are definitely major obstacles to overcome. But... the kids went back to school today, so I am re-scheduling myself and am on a mission to succeed.

I'm here... just a little there...

I'm here. A little off track, but slowly getting back on the horse. I gained a little bit back while on vacation (boy is that hard!), but have slowly been taking it off (and working it off) the past couple of days. I hope to be blogging like normal again. I've got to get my stuff together and get there. But I will. With my willPOWER! Yippee!

Thanks to all of you who did not give up on me and continue to visit. I will prevail!

Back On Track (Again!)

Here I am. I worked out today and have been eating wonderful delicious fruit. I'm also drinking a ton of water. All to make up for the past two weeks.

I know I didn't feel good and gave my little injury a vacation. Yes, I regret it. I guess I didn't maintain my weight as much as I thought, because boy... do I have a lot of work to do.

I am so drained from my workout today. I began back at Level 1 on Jillian Michaels' 30-Day Shred. Yes, it finally came in the mail. And yeah! It kicked my butt. I'm seriously feelin' it now. I was exhausted during the workout, but I did it. I am proud of myself. And I will keep this up.

Holler if you are here!!!!!!!!

BTW - the widget you see in the upper right hand corner is for my daughter. She is in Honors English, and they are planning an educational tour to Europe next June (2010). It pains me to see her go this far away from me, yet I know it will give her a better global understanding of the world today and the variety of cultures. I want my child to be aware and am allowing her to go. However, we need your support. You can donate money to the fund or send in your donations. Just click "CHIP IN" and it will send you to a site where you can pay via PayPal. PayPal will not charge you. But... it does charge us a small amount. We have a little over $4000 to earn by May 2010. Please help us help Renee to reach this goal. Thanks ahead of time! lisa

I'm Still Here...

I may not be doing as good as I should. That will change right now. I weighed in and have maintained my weight. My injury feels better, but between that and heel spurs, I've been barely makin' it, and I'm just so tired. Look forward to next week, when I'll be blogging and running again. Thanks for checkin' in on me.

Ho Hum...

Once again, I didn't work out. I started to, but had to stop. My tail bone was burning. So, I just walked back and forth at the swim meet I officiated today. Um... don't know how much I walked (shoulda worn a pedometer), but it was from 9am-3pm. A 10 min break. Not bad. I hardly ate anything and still am not hungry. Lots of water intake, though.

Tomorrow will be the same, only with one hour less sleep (thank you Daylight Savings Time). This is the time of year I both regret and enjoy. I like the extra daylight, but hat the losing the hour tomorrow... especially since I have to get up early. Ugh! for me.

Getting there slowly...

But that's okay. I haven't been doing the deprivation thing, so I'm okay. I'm almost back down to what I was a couple of weeks ago. Didn't exercise today either, as I fell yesterday. Hold on... I'm okay, I was just doing something stupid and stepped up on something I shouldn't have, and it collapsed on me, and I fell... on my butt... literally. But, as I came crashing down, I hit my shin on the chair I was on (as it fell over), and now I have a 6" square bruise (totally black and blue), and it hurts.

Water is good. Life is good. Sleep is good. Goodnight.

No Exercise Today...

Today will be my rest day, since I've been going and going for over 7 days. My eating has been sporatic at best, but I have been exercising. Water is my friend.

Pictures will be posted by next Monday; I just haven't downloaded yet and feel like I'm semi-neglecting this blog.

Didn't feel like writing yesterday, as I really didn't have time. I've been trying my hardest to only use the computer for a short period of time, and I've been keeping super busy. My dishes are always done!

Oops! I Forgot to Measure, Weigh & Photo Yesterday!

But... I did it today. A day late. I did put in my weight from yesterday, though.

Today I did Bob's workout. Then I ran around, like I had to for various errands. Next, I cut down all of my grape vines, weeded for an hour, and started to clip the knarly branches into kindling. Hard work.

Juan finished picking the front for me, so all I had to do was sift and sort. I also shoveled. Yikes... those muscles sure hurt from yesterday.

I am very tired. It is hard to write. I ate okay yesterday and so far today.

I'll post pics later. I lost my file on previous measures, so I can't compare. Oh well. Fresh start (again!).

Ouch! It Hurts!

My whole body is aching right now. This morning, I walked for 1/2 hour, then spent almost an hour with a pick, tearing through the tight weeds and mounds of grass. SUPER hard work for me! Now my shoulders and back are totally feeling it, and I'm not even close to being done.

As for eating? Ugh! I just want to eat and eat and eat and eat. Nothing is taming this monster. Sometimes I find myself with the will power and others, I just give in, but make the portions super small or even just a taste. I'm hungry all the time! But I am still maintaining.

I will get back outside once it cools down. Otherwise, I'm in here for the day with chores to do. I'm cleaning out my crafting areas and trying to get my mending pile free of mending. This, too, is hard work that kills my back and shoulders.

I've worked out every day for a whole week and am pretty proud of myself. Hopefully, I can keep this going. I've decided to do the cardio for another week, then go back to Jillian, unless the cardio is taken off (I hate that!) of Time Warner.

I'm drinking lots of water and just had my cup of coffee. However, I decided to limit it to two cups, as one just isn't enough, but I did cut down on the amount of sugar and cream I am using. Not much... but still a cut down.

Do You Know Why I Skipped Writing Yesterday?

Do you want to know? Even if you don't, I'm going to rant a little.

After all the hard work this past week with the cardio blasts and all the walking and still the cut-down on food and the much higher water intake... I only lost a little over 1/2 a pound. I was pretty peeved [other word inserted here]. *Sob* I don't get it.

No matter what I do, it doesn't want to come off and this isn't even down to the final 10 pounds. Oh well. I just have to roll with the punches. This is because the first 10 pounds came off so easily. Bummer. It's gonna be a long haul.

So, I wasn't in the mood to write. Obviously.

Today I feel better. My weight is the same as yesterday (I know... bad habit to jump on the scale everyday, but it calls my name!). I didn't "workout" per se, but walked for 1/2 hour, then did some MAJOR yardwork, working with taking out a whole landscape area. It was over an hour's worth of work... hard work... I sweated and sweated, and felt the good earth coming through my hands. Love it!

I'm a little tired right now. But I figured out what it is (I think). It more than likely is the prescriptions I've been taking. Apparently, I have to go through a whole lotta crap before they "start working." Hopefully this works, otherwise I'll have to go through it all over again with another set. Ugh! *sigh*

I felt so good, I took a shower and layered with my fave scent. I even put on makeup, and I'm not dressed in sweats (go figure!). My family is amazed at the transformation! lol.

Tomorrow is measurement day. However, I lost the sheet I wrote everything on, so I'll have to go back to my old Excel sheet (which was not updated the last time). Life happens, and then you throw it away. j/k. We'll see approximately how many inches I lost this month. Yippee!

Anywho, I still have lots to do today and spending it at the computer isn't part of it. Signing off for now...

Whew! I'm Exhausted.

I did more exercise today than normal. I did the CardioMax, then walked over 6 miles... not by choice. My feet and legs are killin' me!

Eating... did okay. Probably ate a larger portion or two, as I "felt" I was starving, due to my walk. I probably won't lose much weight, as I just bulked up a muscle or two. Ugh!

Don't have much to say, well because... I'M TIRED!

Water... Water...

Today I didn't drink much water. I'm a sucker for fresh beans, and I got a 2 lb. bag of Starbucks beans last night... so today I drank coffee... coffee... coffee... Yum... I was good in most other ways. Baked fish, green beans and noodles (only 1/2 cup!). Yay. I ate a couple of vanilla wafers for dessert (needed that treat!) and just strayed from the water.

Tomorrow will be another day.

Exercise? I did Bob Harper's workout again, against the screaming agony of my hamstrings and glutes. Boy did that exercise feel good and painful. I am still feeling it. My shoulders even hurt. But it's a good hurt. Don't know who I'll choose to do tomorrow morning... Jillian or Bob? Hmm...

I feel fairly good about today. I also joined The Biggest Loser League, which is a FREE service provided through NBC. (Thanks, guys!) I heard about it through my brother, who is also on his own journey through this hellacious hole of weight loss. Let's all give him some support, too. He seriously needs it, as he is in a lack-of-motivation state. Cheer him (and me!) on! With everyone's support and our own willPOWER, we can do it!!!!

Wish me luck and good POWER tomorrow!

Honestly... How Do People Do It?

I have watched what I've been eating. I may not be strict, but I've been eating WAY less than I used to. I cut out all my soda intake. I drink a ton of water each and every day. I exercise. And the weight just IS NOT falling off. I am working and working, and my body is not working for me.

Ok... enough of the rant.

Today was ok-ish. I exercised and did something different. Jillian Michaels' 30-Day Stretch is no longer available on Time Warner Cable, so I tried the Biggest Loser CardioMax. This is hosted by Bob Harper. Wow! It is bed time and I am so feeling it. It tired me out a little; I was "sweatin' like a man and breathin' like a man" as Bob says. It felt great! Although it was mostly cardio and no toning. Hmmm... maybe I'll do all cardio for a week or so and take off those pounds. I have a feeling (see above paragraph) that part of my weight issue is building of muscle mass? Uh... I sure hope so.

Eating today was alright. At dinner, I know I overdid it. But that's okay. I did not deprive myself and didn't go hog wild. Yay me!

Exhausted and going to bed. Signing off. Over and out... ZONK!