Makeover Monday: A New Me!

See this smile on my face?  It's not there anymore.  This was before I started the Insanity workout.  I'm pretty sure my results are crap, but I'm going to post them anyway.  That way I can come back here and compare every now and then.

Switch Kick - 67
Power Jack - 50
Power Knee - 86
Power Jump - 30
Power Squat - 8
S*icides - 13
Push Up Jacks - 15
Agility - 22

Since my birthday was last week, I decided I had better start taking care of myself for real.  I'm not getting any younger, after all.  And lately I've heard these commercials on the radio that say "If you're thinking about having a baby in the future, you need to start preparing your body now..." Thank you, wake up call!

I usually do OK with the workout portion, but I really struggle with the eating right part of being healthy.  I have an insatiable sweet tooth.  I seriously eat something sweet after almost every meal.  And sometimes dessert *is* dinner!  So I'm going to be spending much more time on Pinterest checking out all the sites and blogs where they take something delicious and fattening and turn it into something much less horrible for you.  Hey - anything to spend more time on Pinterest!

What have you done to take better care of yourself?  What are some of your go-to recipes?  Please share!

*SJ*

Weight Loss Update

A while back, I talked about wanting to lose weight (don't we all?) and what I was going to do to make that happen. So, here's the update:

1) I started the Couch to 5k running program four weeks ago. I slacked off when we went to San Antonio, so I started over again. Now I'm on week 2. During the program, you start as a non-runner and gradually work your way up until you can run a full 5k (about 3 miles). After I finish this program, I'm going to train for a 10k, and I hope to run a half-marathon (13.1 miles) for my birthday in September.

2) I've also been weight training with a couple of friends. I'm doing a lot of reps at a lower weight so I build tone instead of bulk. I can already see more definition in my arms, although I have a long way to go. Also, my thighs, which I get from my mother, are shrinking!

3) Of course, none of this would make any difference if I didn't change my diet. Working in a restaurant, I have plenty of unhealthy, albeit tasty, food options. I've tried to stick to our low-carb lunch option, steak, or salads. The hardest part is not drenching everything in Ranch dressing! I have a MAJOR sweet tooth, so when I eat at home, I do allow myself a mini Reese's peanut butter cup (yes, just ONE) after each meal. I think it's important not to deprive yourself too much when making changes. I know it just causes me to get frustrated and give up easier. I also try to start each day with a smoothie or a bowl of fruit.

For another take on losing weight quickly, check out this blog article, here, by Stephanie Klein. She's one of my guilty pleasures. Fair warning, though, some of her thoughts are quite provocative.

What goals are you working on? Feel free to share your progress!

*SJ*

Resolution

So there I am, sitting in the hairdresser's chair. It's 10:00 in the morning on a Saturday. She has just combed out my curly hair, and has gone to mix my color. I glance up, and staring back at me from the mirror is an aging, fat Puerto Rican with gray hair sticking out in all directions.

It's then I realize that I have let myself go. It happens to most of us, at one time or another, I suppose. But this time I have let myself go too far. Funny how we can almost talk ourselves into believing we're doing ok. But I think I've known for a while how unhappy I've been with myself. So I resolved to do something about it.

Thursday was my first weigh-in for Weight Watchers. It was, in a small way, a good day for me. It was the last day that I will see that number when I step on the scale. My resolution is to lose 28 lbs. The Weight Watchers program is 14 weeks. If I average 2 lbs per week, I will be at my goal by July 10. Stay tuned for updates.