Beautiful

That is the hardest part about feeling fat, I do not feel beautiful.
This picture made me laugh. I love it.

Now, I have a picture of a unicorn taped by my stationary bike to remind me that I am working hard, like this rhino, to be as beautiful as a unicorn. 

Tummy Time

I have made a decision without consulting Jocee (sorry). As my measurements are not accurate and merely guesswork each month; I have decided to only focus on my tummy region. I will take special care to make sure my measurements are accurate since the tummy is my focal point for weight loss. If I lose there, I will be losing in all of the other regions of my body. Win, win!

Here is my count.
October - 40
November - 39.5
December - 38

:) Still a tummy, but with more time, no more tummy, right?

New Month = New Measurements!!

I gave myself an extra week to lose some weight. Not sure if it was a good idea or not. Well, I haven't been as diligent this month, I've been sick and it's been hard for me to have the energy to work out.

	12/7/10	11/1/10	10/4/10	Total
Neck	12.75	13	13.25	.5
Chest	39.5	40	40	.5
Right Arm	13	12.5	13	0
Left Arm	12.75	12.5	13	.25
Waist	45.5	45.24	46	.5
Hips	44	43	43.5	-.5
Right Thigh	22.25	22.75	24	2.75
Left Thigh	22	22.75	24	2
Right Calf	14.5	14.75	15	.5
Left Calf	14.5	14.75	15	.5

So Total I've lost is 6 inches. Which isn't too bad, but I was hoping for better results. I'd better get my butt back in gear and running!! I was pretty sad to see that I'd gained in some places. I know I'm fitting into things better, but it still is frustrating to see it coming back. Well, that's why I keep track. Here's to this week!!!

Giving Thanks

It was such a joy to jog with Jocee and my sisters over the Thanksgiving holiday. On the trip, I was given an exercise ball and some ball weights. My hubby and I have been amazed by the workout we get with these seemingly simple ball exercises. Crunches are easier to do, yet are felt more rapidly. Push ups are a joke, but it is incredible to accomplish a few. The balance training, I couldn't think of a better method. I am grateful that only my husband sees me attempt to balance, but over time I know I will improve dramatically with a body to prove it. Who wouldn't want that?

Also, I saw a photo of me on a family member's blog and I am was aghast. I suppose I finally saw myself as my chunky self. It was a true wake up call for me to work out harder to lose the chunk. So, if you need further motivation, have a family member take a photo of you and post it on their blog. I certainly worked for me. :)

Such a crazy weekend!

I had such a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! I was proud of myself for not eating too much (of course it helps when you don't like most of the food served!) I had such a fun time with all my family!

 On Saturday morning, I had the chance to go running with Malea (the other blogger) and two of her sisters, my cousins! We had such a fun time, well, at least I did! We did 2 1/2 miles, it was by far my longest run, but most enjoyable. I was laughing when I showed up in shorts and a t-shirt, and they were in pants and hoodies. (In their defense, it was 9 degrees outside when I had left Beaver on Thursday morning! I figured no snow, no pants!) It was such a good run and it really kicked my butt. I hadn't been running in two, almost three weeks! Thank you so much girls!

 My best news... I fit into my size 9 pants!!! I have a favorite pair of jeans that I haven't been able to wear in about 3 years. Yesterday, I decided to brave it and try them on, just to see how much further I had to go to get them on. I was completely surprised and ecstatic when I got them on, and done up! I was so excited, I called my sisters to tell them!! I'm such a dork, but it was quite an exciting thing for me. I'm seeing some progress. They don't look great, but they fit and I could wear them to our friend's house for dinner last night. So funny how little things can just make our day!

Thanksgiving Week!

So starts the week that I've personally been dreading! I do not know how to stop eating! I LOVE food! I LOVE ham (I do NOT like Turkey), mashed potatoes, gravy, peas, and pie. My mouth is watering at the sounds of these foods! Oh, I do dread this Holiday. So my goal this Thursday is to stop eating when I'm feeling full. I will not keep eating. It's going to be so hard, but I've got to do it. Also, I will be spending the holiday in sunny St. George, so I'm going to try and go running while I'm there. It's so hard to exercise when you're surrounded by family, the last thing you want to do is leave them to go workout. I may even make my sisters go with me so I have workout buddies!

I hope you all have a GREAT Thanksgiving! I will not be posting Thursday since I will be away and it's a Holiday!

Lettuce Wraps

 I need some healthy foods to feed my family. I make a menu every week, and follow it pretty close. I just struggle coming up with things to make. So, I will give you my version of Lettuce Wraps that I have made up! These are soooo good, even my kids like them!

Ingredients:
1 Head of Iceberg lettuce (you have to use these to wrap around your food)
3 Chicken Breasts
1 Large Green Bell Pepper
1 Large Red Bell Pepper
1 Large Onion
1 bottle of Mandarin Sauce from Panda Express
Enough White rice to feed your family

I like to slice the chicken and veggies into thin strips like you would for fajitas. Then, brown your chicken. Add the veggies to browned chicken and add just enough of the mandarin sauce that it coats it. Let simmer until veggies are tender.

Now, wash your lettuce. Put rice on first, then pile on the veggies and chicken. Add just a bit of the sauce. Roll up and Eat. The kids like this because they like to play with their food anyway!

This is just one dish that I really like and like to make. It's very simple. The longest it takes is however long it takes to get your rice cooked, so about 30 minutes. Enjoy!