Weeeeell....

I didn't work out today. I have work 5-10 then I work 7-2:30. And it's 4:09 PM....it's not gonna happen...well it could...like a short one....if I start now....Shame on me for not starting sooner.

On the other hand- I did get some things done today, like all my dirty laundry is washed, dried, folded and put away, I balanced my check book, paid some bills.

I made a calendar of  all the things that need to happen in a month (laundry, ironing, cleaning, paying bills, grocery shopping- yes- it needs to go on the list. If you PLAN and shop once a week you can save a lot of $)

I also made of list of apartment needs and pantry needs.....and I am KICKING myself for not sending some of our stuff down here before moving. I didn't realize how much wasn't going to make it in the car ride down here -_-; oh well. Live and learn, right?

Well, gonna go to a short work out. Something is better than nothing!

I find I need to "re-dedicate" myself everyday

I love eating what i want, when I want- which is pretty much all the time. If I don't commit to being healthy everyday....well, I cheat. The only person stopping me from getting the kind of body and living the kind of life style I want is me. And man, am I a hurdle or what!

I've found this great blog, this woman and her husband are amazing.

After reading over her blog, my goal for this week is to make a schedule and keep to it....yikes! I need to include working out, cleaning, eating healthy, working at Panera and at home. And of course, spending quality time with Chris.

If you're looking for motivation in getting fit, yummy healthy recipes,  and an over-all amazing blog- Julie's blog is it! ---> http://www.pbfingers.com/

I worked out this around 11 after pulling myself out of bed. (Jillian's No More Trouble Zones) Can you believe that this is Julie's morning routine?

5:30 a.m. Wake up 5:45 a.m. Arrive at the gym and workout 7:15 a.m. Take Sadie on a walk 7:35 a.m. Shower 7:45 a.m. Get ready 8:05 a.m. Make breakfast and take blog photos 8:25 a.m. Blog 8:45 a.m. Leave for work 8:55 a.m. Arrive at work

Getting up and working out lately has not been an easy thing to do, as for the past 3 days I have seriously lacked energy. Even laying in bed at night, I can barely move. It sucks. Maybe I should try drinking coffee....but Lord knows I HATE the stuff.

Before working out at 11 I had a 1/2 cup of Honey Nut Cheerios, 1/2 cup of milk topped with blueberries. May not sound like much, but it was filling! After my work out I had a over-easy egg with a piece of toast- no added butter or cheese.

If I'm going to push myself to work out when I'd rather sleep in, I don't want to ruin it with cheese and more butter. The sandwich tasted great anyway, even without the adding calories

I'm going to try to blog everyday, even if it's a short post. It will help me be accountable to myself (because who wants to blog about how they slacked off all day?) And I hope it will help me stay motivated by seeing the progress I've made. Of course that was the whole idea of blogging in the first place, I just suck at the follow through. But that is going to change!

Now I'm off to get some things done, mainly going to the bank. Fun stuff, right? (:

RESULTS- gotta love em!

A few months before I left for NC I found this amazing pair of gray slacks that I loved but they were SO stickin' tight on me! I'm talking standing up it hurts to have them buttoned and you can forget about me keeping them buttoned when I sit down. But they were so cute- I HAD to have them.


I knew I was going to work out and eat better when I moved, so I bought them (ok, actually my Mom did- thanks mom). I called them my "motivational cute work slacks" Today, I was organizing all my clothes in little cubbies today and found those slacks....and after almost chickening out, I decided to try them on....and guess what!!! They fit perfectly! :D Super  happy face!!! I still have more pooch to get rid off, but I think they should still fit. :D I WAS SHOCKED- and needless to say, super duper happy. 


The rest of this is just my normal ramblings, if you're interested you can read it ^_^  


So as of late I have working off and on, and eating well on and off. I find I have trouble keeping myself motivated, but I worked out yesterday morning At Planet Fitness with my mother-in-law on an elliptical.


At first, I thought "Oh, the elliptical, that looks easy! Let's go!"


My second thought? These machines are evil machines from that movie, The Terminator. Because In 15 minutes, I was huffin and a puffin, and I felt like the a granny wolf could blow me down.


Feeling down right sick, and extremely dizzy, I ended up sitting down for the rest of the time and stretching. I only burned 100 calories. And to ME- that was A LOT. 


Do you know how many calories are in 2 tablespoons of natural Jiffy Peanut Butter? Well let me tell you. 190!


I burned enough calories to burn off one stickin tablespoon of peanut butter. ONE! Needless to say, I was mad. Not with Hannah or Maria. 


If I'm being honest, I was mad at myself. How did I let myself get this out of shape??? This is a girl who graduated from basic combat training (yeah, by the SKIN of my teeth, but I did it) 


I used to be able to run 2 miles in 17 or 18 some minutes....now when I do 15 minutes I feel like I want to die? Unacceptable.


In any case, I knew I needed to keep working out. This was good for me, even if I felt like crap. And that's putting it nicely (the feeling the crap part)


This morning, my mother-in-law invites me to work out again on the elliptical. At this point the word 'elliptical' is a dirty word in my book.


I know I want to work out- but there's no way I want to face that evil machine again. 


So I said "Oh, I'm going to work out with Hannah today, we're going to do one of the new Jillian DVD's"


Patting myself on the back for escaping the evil machine....Hannah says "Well why don't you do the gym this morning, we can work out again tonight?". 


If looks could kill....haha. Anyway, needless to say I was trapped. I got changed, and drove with Maria to the gym.....the entire time dreading what was to come. 


I told myself I would do 20 minutes, 5 more minutes that I did last time because Hey- Imma champ! Yes, you can shake your head and laugh. That's what I'm doing!


I ended up looking down at the time keeper after 26 minutes, and didn't feel that horrible awful painful "OH Good Lord, I'm gonna hurl!!!"...or you, know, pass out and die. Yes....that's how I felt. No, I was not being over-dramatic ;-P Ok.....maybe a little. 


Either way, the feeling of "oh, Im ok, not feeling like I'm gonna die" was unexpected. 


So I figure to myself, well, surely by 30 minutes I will be at that point of wanting to die, so let's go for 30 minutes.


30 minutes passed, and I was extremely sweaty and my chest kinda hurt. Now I know why people bring those mini towels with them. But I remembered that chest pain from basic, and just pushed past it. I was on my way to 300 calories, and I knew 10 more minutes and I'd make it!


Well 41 minutes, and 3.58 miles later I had burned 300 calories! 


I got that second wind runners talk about, and it actually....get this....felt good. I wanted to keep going. Not because I had to. But because I wanted to. What an AWESOME feeling! 


Maria measured my stomach last week and I found out that I have lost an inch and 3/4! 


(Mind you, that's bye-bye weak fat hello muscle. I'm not starving myself, I eat when I'm hungry, I just eat smart. Instead of a ton of ramen and bread and pasta and Taco Bell and Five Guys and McDonald's and...well, you get the point) 

I'm really happy with how I'm improving, and plan to continue. I need to find a way to stay consistent and motivated...I know it takes practice. 

Chris will be here tonight, so I'm super excited to see him! And I may get to see Alyssa tonight as well- we haven't seen each other sense we graduated from Basic Training in Aug. of 2009! 

So as cheesy as it sounds, I've got a feeling that tonight's gonna be a good good night!! =D 

12 more days!

...and I'll have my husband back! And he'll finally be done with school!!! He's been working hard, and I'm so proud of him.

I'm looking forward to the next chapter in our lives, building our life here in Charlotte and putting down roots. I can't wait to find an apartment and saving up for a home of our own. I'd like to do that now but with needing a 20% down payment it will just have to be something we work for. ^_^

I'm so happy with the progress I've made....making healthy choices with food and working out (yey for avoiding putting on pounds now that my metabolism is slowing down :P) It hasn't been easy but I've had the support of my family, Kondik's, Hudson's, and Ebert's.

I've been learning new recipes that are delicious and healthy, finding out how to make things on a tight budget. Who knew you can eat so healthy and yummy on a tight budget!? I'll have to post more on this later. This life style change is something I've wanted sense I was 16 but never had the knowledge or know-how to really do it. (ok, motivation is a big thing too, and I've found that!) Thank you Maria, for giving me a hand in all of this. She hasn't forced me to eat healthy, but has taught me how to. It's still up to me to avoid the fatty-yummy foods, but I'm doing it!

No one can force you to change. You have to be willing to do it, then you have to DO it. But it really has helped, having everyone behind me and guiding my path. I have so much to learn, and I'm so excited! I like myself as a person, and everything I've been offered will only help me build on the foundation that I've already created. 

Oh- and I LOVE my new job. It's really challenging me as I am surrounded by sweets and am offered free samples every time I turn around b/c I'm a new employee. Who turns down free food? lol. But I think it's great because it's pushing me to learn self-control- something that I seriously lack.

Well, I really want to write more but I should get ready for bed. I work at 7 AM so I'm up at 6. So more later =)

Day 19- at this point I'll post when I can =)

I got a JOB! Yey! Panera Bread hired me as a cashier, and you have to love an employee discount on great food! I start tomorrow morning. Got some new shirts just for work as they only allow polo shirts.

I also got a job offer from Party City and two job interviews (which I didn't go to) from Sprint and Bi-Lo (a Southern grocery store).

I worked out tonight (Hannah bailed but oh well) and I really pushed myself. So I feel very satisfied.

Oh, and guess what? I've lost an inch and three quarters off of my stomach! I want to clarify AGAIN- I am not one some crazy diet trying to loose weight. I am trying to get rid of fat and build core strength/muscle.  I'm eating healthy food and often, in good portions. I'm going about this in a healthy way ^_^  But Good Lord do I miss SUGAR!

Now that I'm done working out I'm hungry- so I'll have some low-fat vanilla yogurt covered blueberries as a treat! Then i should really get to bed as I have work at 8 AM and it's already 11:26 :P

Day 13- yes, I am horrible at keeping up on this =(

So I worked out today- hard. And tonight, I'm planning on working out again?

Because I've been a slacker and haven't worked out the past two days and haven't been eating the best. You know, a little banana bread, some chocolate, yadda yadda. Ugh. Today kicked my butt but by then end, it felt good.

I've tried salmon, and sweet potato.

For those of you who don't know I'm very squiemish about fish...and when I was little, at Thanksgiving, my Grandpa Hudson made me try sweet potato and I pretty much threw up at the kitchen table.

Yeah, NOT my finest moment. Well, I liked the salmon and even though I wasn't crazy about the sweet potato, it was still ok. Hey, I'm working on it! ;-D

I'm going to keep up with eating healthy and working out- Oh and guess what! Interview with Party City and Sprint, Monday and Tuesday. Excited! And I expect to hear from Panera Bread and Aldi's by Monday- also very exciting!

Well that's all for now, I need a shower!

Day 8

No real motivation to post as it as late and it's been a long day.

Suffice to say, i ate healthy today and worked out.

Yesterday was good- ate out but ate well. I'll write more later.  

It's late now- the next day so here's what happened. My in-laws wanted to go to Buca- a great family Italian place where you guy your food on family sized plates. We got Alfredo pasta, marsala chicken, and an amazing salad that had these nuts on them that were sprinkled with cinnamon. The majority of what I ate was salad, then chicken and a small amount of pasta. It's possible to eat out and not ruin a healthy lifestyle.

That's it for now, as I really should post about today, but today will wait until tomorrow. lol.

Day 6.

     Gotta be honest, today was kinda a blur.  Got up and had breakfast- Cherios's with fresh cut strawberries-no need to add sugar like I used to because it's already sweet! 


Yes, I used to POUR sugar aaaall over my Cherio's. 


Yes, It's a miracle I don't weigh 200 pounds, I know. 


     I'm trying to eat something "raw" with every meal now. Still learning how eating raw is better for your body, more on that in another post. 


I also try to drink cold water with every meal b/c it helps you burn more calories as the body has to warm up the water before using it- who knew!  Plus, our bodies are made up of mostly water to begin with, so it's good for you either way.


Hannah made some oatmeal- and I just had to have some! I adore all things with butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Well this smelled heavenly! It had nutmeg and cinnamon in it, a TBL of sugar but we split it, but is still better for you! I also had some Kiwi to hold me over until dinner. 

     Afterwards I cleaned my room REALLY fast because the electrician was (supposed to anyway) going to be in there.

I did some computer work to earn a little extra cash, and other stuff. But now a whole lot.


      Hannah and I did our work out this afternoon- Jillian's DVD 30 Days To Shred. 


Very intense as far as cardio goes but it didn't work my muscles as hard as the other DVD did. Good thing is, I don't get as sore as I did the first couple of time which is amazing. (note, the next morning after this post, the 8th, my legs and upper back were sore)

     We've decided to do 3 day increments- 

• Day one Jillian's No More Trouble Zones
• Day two jog on the trail
• Day three Jillian's 30 Days To Shred

     That way we work on our troubles zones and get some cardio in, all without it getting too monotonous. 


For dinner we had grilled chicken, cut up baked yellow potatoes (a little salt/pepper, no butter added) and salad.  


     It had spinach, peppers, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, sprouts, avocado, dried cranberries, granny smith apples and almonds. Those of you who know what a picky eater I used to be are most likely having a heart attack. Please, just don't send me your medical bills! ;-D


     There was also corn on the cob- which I only had about an inch of. Yes, an inch, lol. But it tasted good and I felt better about having a small bite instead of a whole cob. 


I will admit to this being my cheating day- but only because I was forced! Ooookay, not really but you get my point!

     Hannah and her friend Becca invited me to the movies and they INSISTED that I have some popcorn.

     I was told that the little bit of corn I had and the potatoes didn't count as a cheat...... And then I had a couple of MnMs....sadly it gets worse! My in-laws took us out to eat at the Waffle House (can you believe I've never been there before? at least I'm pretty sure I haven't...)

     I had an egg, sausage and cheese roll up and a bite of Hannah's waffle (you know, just so I can say I've had a Waffle House Waffle.... not b/c it looked amazing covered in syrup and a little butter ;-p  see, now you can come back down from that heart attack you were having before, right? haha)

     Well, all in all I'm ok with today. But no more cheating for a while! This isn't a diet, but it is a lifestyle change.That means no more eating crappy food all the time.

      My metabolism is slowing down & I really don't want to put on anymore weight. I want a great body, and I want to treat it right. I've felt great these past 6 days and I'm really starting to enjoy it. Maybe not in the midst of Jillian telling me "ok, no break, another set of donkey kicks!" but the feeling afterwards and how I feel throughout the day is worth it.

I need to remember to post pictures later (salad, body, DVD's, trail, picture of "it's not a diet, it's a life style, etc.) and recipes of foods I'll be making. This part is basically just a reminder for me, lol.

I'll keep posting, now that I have a reader/encourager! Thanks MaKenna!!!!

(yes, encourager is not a word but I'm using it!)


The rest is for me so I can track what I've ate :-)


Bowl of Cherio's- one large stawberry

Breakfast: A small bowl of oatmeal (cinnamon, nutmeg, a little butter, TBL sugar, vanilla, pinch of small) that was split with Hannah

Snack: One kiwi

Lunch: One small chicken breast, 4 small bites of potatoe (little/pepper salt only) and Maria's salad.

Cheat: About 2 cups of buttered popcorn, and two mnm's.

Dinner (cheat-ish): One egg/cheese/saussage wrap, and a bite of waffle covered in syrup and some butter.

Also- bottle of water with workout/lunch. Cup of water at Waffle House. And a "Spark" energy drink

Day...well, let's call it day 5. Yep, it's day 5

On Tuesday (3rd), Hannah and I did our first workout to Jillian's DVD No More- I wanted to die. And her workouts are NO joke. My legs felt as if they were made of concrete blocks everywhere...and as embarrassed as I am to admit to this- I had to crawl up the stairs!


Wednesday, we went for a walk on the trail. I must post pictures! Very beautiful. The trail- not me! I was huffin and puffin when we started into a jog...I'm so out of shape :( I wore oversized shorts and an oversized t-shirt, but it worked! At least I have workout shoes and now I even have workout- my in-laws bought them for me, thank you guys!

Thursday, we did the DVD again...which I was not looking forward to. Who would when you have to use your arms to brace yourself to sit down or have to crawl up stairs? Yes, at this point I was still crawling.

But I did it anyway- and boy am I glad!!!

Why, you may ask, would I be glad to put myself through 40 minutes of torture? Well, the first time I did the DVD I must have stopped for water 4 or 5 times.

This go around- I only stopped TWICE and when I through we had one more circuit to go- we were DONE! All that was left was cool down and I was so happy! After the workout my legs felt a lot better- for about 20 minutes....Then they went back to feeling like concrete :( 


Friday, Hannah decided she wanted to eat ice cream and watch a movie...so I went to the gym with my inlaws. And ugh...I'm not a fan of gyms. It doesn't matter if there are "judgment free zone" signs all around...I still feel like people are looking at me and saying "she only lasted *insert pathetic time here*  on that machine? Please, that's pathetic"   


Now I know this is most likely all in my head, but I think I'll stick to my treadmill until I have more core strength. Most of the machines are still too hard for me to do with the added weight. 


In between all of this working out, I've been eating healthy! I've tried kiwi, a spinach salad with apples, avocado, dried cranberries, yellow peppers, sprouts, feta cheese and tomatoes. I even had a piece of whole wheat bread, natural peanut butter and BANANAS. For those of you who know me well- I used snub my nose at bananas. But now, I like them. At least in small amounts :) 


So today, I feel a millions times better. My rib area is still a little sore- well I guess I'm a little sore all over but that's ok. Cerio's and fresh cut strawberries on top have become a staple breakfast more me- soooo yummy. I think I'm going to get Hannah to workout with me, then maybe I'll have a piece of whole wheat toast with peanut butter and bananas ^_^


Well, that's all for now! Pictures and more in the next updates, I promise. Also- they won't be as long ;-P

Where I Am

A little bit about me....

I turned 21 this year, and am still seeking direction for where I want to take my life. 

I want my interpreting degree in ASL and am looking to finish my schooling now that I'm in near the right schools. 

My husband is finishing school and will be done by August. 

And I've moved down to South Carolina where I am living with his parents and sister, Hannah. 

I'm getting involved with a business that my father-in-law is partnered with and I'm pretty excited! 

I've started working out with Hannah.
These work outs are kicking my butt, but I want a body like hers! 

She has a 8 PACK- not a gross 

"oh that is WAY too much for a girl".

It's like those pictures you see on Pintrest and say 

"oh I want a body like THAT"

I want to have a great marriage, and fit and sexy body, I want to be happy, successful and yes- rich! 
yes, I said sexy. :P

I want to travel the world and make a difference. 

I want to learn how to play the piano, flute, sew like a pro and shoot amazing photos. 

I'm done wishing and wanting, I'm going to achieve my dreams.  I want to look back at this post and see it as my turning point. 

This is the day that changed everything.