Weight Lifting = Weight Gain.....

........temporarily! How do I know this?

 Last week, I decided to crank up my results for weight loss by adding weight lifting. I went to the gym with my hubby, walked about 20 min on the tread mill and then headed to the weight room for a few exercises using my legs and stomach muscles. I felt great! It was fun to be with my hubby and doing something good for myself.

What happened next through me for a loop!

STIFF, STIFF, STIFF!!!! YES! Throughout the rest of the day my legs became weaker and rubbery feeling. By the next day, boy, they started to ache and my thigh muscles felt really solid! Saturday morning, I jumped on the scales and to my horror, I had put on 2 1/2 lbs.

YIKES! Are you kidding?  I had continued to eat healthy, limited snacks, no evenings eating etc so where in the world was the weight coming from?

Water Retention. I have since learned that when a person starts building muscle it is not uncommon for the muscles to hold onto water to aid in the healing process and recovery. OK ... I get it but now I am in a dietbet that ends next Tuesday and I need to lose another pound not gain 2 1/2.

Needless to say, I was a bit stressed! I am competitive with myself (which is why I like diet betting) and I did NOT want to lose my money ($25) which I had put up for the bet. So.....I drank and drank and drank water. I didn't exercise and allowed my body to recover. It took days to work through the water but finally the day I was suppose to weigh in, it started to release the water. Whew! What a relief and what an experience.

I am learning a lot about my body through this weight loss process. I feel in awe at all a human body can do and I have a tremendous amount of respect for its abilities.

I was starting to entertain the idea of defeat when I weighed in and found that I had indeed reached my goal. What a great victory and relief. I am now down 15 lbs from where I started. I have quite a ways to go still in regards to weight loss but this week has also made me realize that it is really not all about the scale! I have heard people say that before and didn't quite "get it" like I do now.

Here's to another successful week of health!

Woo Hoo!

Wow! I did it! I am so excited. I have just won another dietbet! These games are really keeping me going and they are fun! I actually passed up my traditional chocolate buttercream filled egg from Sees this year and you know what? I survived.....and thrived because I weighed in Monday morning and discovered I had exceeded my final goal this week by .5 lbs. I am going to take this all the way!

I AM NOT PERFECT AND I WILL PERSIST!

Wow! It's Tuesday! Still going strong.....

Uh....

Well, actually, the past few days have been a bit more challenging! The night time goal of not snacking, well, confession, (gulp), has been overlooked a bit........

BUT....

TOMORROW is a new day,

right?

And that is what this is all about anyway. Getting myself focused and refocused however many times and long it takes to get myself down to where I want to be!



Old habits die hard, I know however, I like what Michael Jordan has to say about persisting....


"I've failed over and over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed!"

It is late so I am off to bed! ;o)

I won $$$$ just for losing weight.....

<---BLASTING BLUBBER

http://www.dietbet.com/#video-player

...and I am so excited. Last month I started a few dietbet games. I invested $90 and I have made $58.72 now! I liked this investment because I am investing in me. It has been a lot of fun and really helped keep me focused on my goals.

Here is the link on how this all works if you are interested in joining in on the fun. I want to create a group of "Blubber Blasters" in the near future. Would love to have anyone join me who wants to!

Exercise - Confession - still haven't started! Ugh! BUT....

TODAY IS REALLY THE DAY AND FROM THIS DAY FORWARD. Ok, I'm not perfect! I knew I would write about my ups and downs. So, I am writing this one so I can celebrate tomorrow when I see this post and pat myself on the back for doing this!!!!! ;o)  (Why is this so hard for me? Or better question....I wonder how much weight I will lose this week by adding exercise to my daily regimen?)

Well, here's to a great day!

I've BLASTED 10 1/2 lbs these past 4 weeks!

When I came across this picture last month I could sooo relate to this! It was finally time to tell myself  to -

GET READY -
GET SET -
AND GO!!!

And now, I am down 10 1/2 lbs and I have been focusing on this for 4 weeks now,

HOORAY!

It is time to BLAST these extra pounds once and for all! I am making some changes that are long overdue. For instance -

BLAST - My nighttime snacking is becoming a thing of the past. I use to tuck in my 4 younger kiddos and off I would head to the kitchen for dessert!

BLAST - I am also drinking WAY more water. This was very hard at first, but it is getting easier.

BLAST - I am working on what I tell myself! I am a bit shocked at what I discovered once I really started to focus on this!

One thing I know I have to get consistent about is exercising. I am still having a hard time making this a daily commitment. I get up and get going with the best intentions but still seem to have a  hard time fitting it in.

So.......

For the next week, I am going to -

BLAST - excuses and commit to exercise EVERY SINGLE DAY! EVEN IF IT IS ONLY FOR 10-15 MIN. I want to find a way to implement this since I really believe this is something that will help me in the long run not only lose weight but maintain my weight loss as well as helping me to feel stronger and healthier.

I am going to use this blog as a journal for myself to record what I am doing and to keep myself accountable. I am very excited to take this weight loss all the way! I know it will take me from now to the fall to get all the way down to what I want to be but I am more determined and committed than ever and ready to take this step.

THIS video has been extremely inspirational to me. I have watched it over and over and each time something new jumps out at me. I love the message at the end about rituals and so like I said before, for the next week, I am going to focus on making exercise one of mine!