Weekly update 10/22

Hello all! Sorry it has been two weeks since checking in. I promise, I will try not to make a habit of that! I really do like the accountability that checking in weekly does, I have just been SO busy!

My loss the last two weeks has been -3.8 lbs!

Happy with that number! Overall, I am still consistently losing...which is all that matters. I am actually surprised that (knock on wood) that I haven't hit a bad plateau yet. Over the past  two weeks we spent a day at Disneyland, went to a Jason Aldean concert, attended a birthday party  & visited our local Pumpkin Patch/Nut Farm. I was worried some of these things would set me off track...but if you stay focused, anything is possible! Disney is great and lets you bring food & water in, which made my life SO easy that day. They also had some decently healthy food choices as well.

Over this past weekend I hit two huge milestones...one a scale victory & the other a non-scale victory! I was in size 12 jeans, which were getting saggy in the butt. My boss likes to call me out when my jeans start to look too baggy (I try to wear them as long as possible...which means saggy butt for those around me - sorry!). But Old Navy was having a $19 jean sale, so I figured I could fork out the $19. Went in and grabbed some 10's. To my surprise they were too big. At first I was legit pissed...thinking I was in between sizes and that would mean 8's wouldn't fit yet and I would have to buy a pair of 10's and waste money on something that didn't fit me right. I decided to be brave and asked the fitting room attendant to grab me a pair of 8's. To my huge surprise - they FIT!! It has been FOREVER since I have wore single digits in pants. I can't honestly remember when I did. It is such a good feeling!! I have been holding off on buying a "good" pair jeans for so long now (I started at size 18 in May). But I think it is time. Going to wait another week or two and then go get me at least one pair of good quality jeans!

My scale victory was that FINALLY...after being stubborn ALL last week...the scale is in the 150's! It says 159.8 lbs to be exact! Ahh - goal seems so close now. On May 29th goal was 75 lbs away - it seemed like it was so far away, but here I am 5 months later and 15 lbs from goal! I know these last 15 are going to be stubborn, but I am going to stay strong & consistent & I know I will get there :) Secretly I would love to get there by my Holiday Work Party on Dec 13th. It is 7 1/2 weeks away, totally doable as long as I don't hit a plateau. And I figure my "REWARD" will be a super hot new dress for my Holiday Party!

 

It was so weird...we went to the pumpkin patch this past weekend to pick out our GIANT pumpkin for the year. We searched and searched the fields until my 4 year old found the perfect pumpkin (if there is such a thing??). My poor husband wheeled it through the field to the scale, where it weighed in at 61 lbs. As of that morning that was the exact amount of weight I have lost since starting my journey. That combined with the size 8s and the 150's actually made me tear up a little. It was so crazy seeing this giant pumpkin on this scale and seeing how hard it was for my husband to push over there.

That was me, gone. Forever. Thank God.

 

 

My food prep was super easy this week. I was SO mad at myself. I make my list/menu at work on Friday's. I left early Friday and forgot my list....so this week was kind of random, but it still got done!

Before the pumpkin patch I through some frozen chicken breast in the crockpot with a can of low sodium black beans and some salsa. Cooked on low for 8 hours. I shredded it up and then served it with some sautéed kale and either sautéed yellow squash or sautéed asparagus. My breakfast for the week was egg white muffins with avocado for 3 mornings and sprouted bread with almond butter and frozen mixed berries for two days. My snacks are hardboiled eggs, celery & almond butter and cherry tomatoes & black bean hummus. Dinners are my ShakeFX, I made some pesto Spaghetti Squash topped with chicken for two nights and did chicken sausage and bellpeppers for one night. This week I will NOT forget my list...LOL, I was pretty lost without it :(

Weekly update & belated weekly update 10/8

Hi guys!

Sorry I didn't check in last week. Things have been crazy busy! I am hosting my own challenge and try to spend any free time chatting with my challengers about how they are doing. Which, if you are wondering...they are doing GREAT! One of my challengers is down 10 lbs in 2 weeks, so awesome! I can't wait to see their final results in 2 more weeks. I love that my challengers are holding me accountable and pushing me to stay on track too!

 My loss over the last two weeks has been -4.2 lbs!

 

 

I am thinking my loss will start to slow down a bit. I am totally okay with that, I have lost 57 lbs in a little over 4 months and couldn't be happier with where I am at. However, I am not going to use that as an excuse or lose focus. I am staying on track, eating just as clean & working out just as hard. Especially during this time of year with all the Holiday temptations! Everywhere I look is PUMPKIN, PUMPKIN, PUMPKIN!! ahhhh! This is my weakness :( I love pumpkin. The end cap at Target the other day had pumpkin everything...there is pumpkin Pop-Tarts?! WTF! So...what did I do?? I headed over to the home supply area and grabbed myself a pumpkin candle and some pumpkin room spray! As soon as I got home my house smelt like a pumpkin Pop-Tart...without all the calories! awesome!

 

Over the weekend I participated in something I NEVER would of done before, especially at 220 lbs! I ran in a mud run with my company. I wasn't worried about how long it took me to complete, I just wanted to complete it. And I did! And I ran way more than I thought I would of been able to thanks to two awesome coworkers who kept me going! Here are some pictures from my adventure!
 

 

 

We also celebrated my daughters 4th birthday over the weekend with family & friends! Sweets are my weakness. I was so proud to not be tempted by the cupcakes I baked the night before or the sheet cake calling my name the day of the party....and still calling my name from my refrigerator. See, the thing is...I don't feel deprived by not having these things. I feel in control. And I love it!

My food prep was super simple & didn't go as "planned" this week. But it still got done, so that is all that matters! I did simple egg muffins with frozen spinach & egg whites for 2 days. Then grabbed some sprouted bread & mixed berries out of the freezer for 2 days. Lunch was baked chicken, sautéed brussel sprouts & yellow squash for 2 days & lean ground turkey, sautéed spinach & bell peppers for two days. I cooked up some hardboiled eggs for snacks and grabbed a stalk of celery to eat with almond butter as another snack option. I don't have a picture this week...since it happened in stages and all just sort of came together with everything else going on this weekend.

Xoxo-
Amber

 

 



Weekly Update - 9/23

Hello all -

-2 lbs this week!

I am pretty happy with that number. I had a whopping 8 lb loss the week before (my last week of  my 60 day challenge). I was worried that most of that was water weight and would return with a vengeance. Luckily it stayed away and I still managed to lose. Today marks the first day of my, Fall Back into Fitness 30 day challenge. I have a group of 9 people who have committed to eating healthy and working out for the next 30 days. I am so proud of them for taking this first step and so excited to see their results in 30 days! Never did I imagine a few months ago that I would be motivating people and leading my own challenge. I love that I have been given the opportunity to help people get healthy and feel better about themselves!

One thing I like about weight loss is setting goals & then rewarding yourself when you reach those goals. My first 20 lbs of weight loss I bought myself a pair of Tiffany earrings. Something I would NEVER have done before, but promised myself I would. I love wearing those earrings. They are a reminder of why I started this journey and just how far I have come. On July 15th I set my next goal, lose 30 lbs by October 15th...for a total loss of 50 lbs. Well I actually hit that goal last week, a whole month early. So this weekend I went out and got my reward - my first real pair of cowboy boots! It was so weird shopping for them. My feet have shrunk almost a whole size and the boots actually fit over my calves. Check out these beauties! My next BIG goal is actually my goal weight of 145lbs (total loss of 75 lbs) which is ONLY 22 lbs away. I feel like these last 22 lbs will possibly be the hardest to lose though. So I am thinking of setting a smaller goal. My small goal is going to be to lose 10 lbs on my Fall Back into Fitness 30 Day Challenge. I am thinking my reward will be a Polar Watch! I have really been wanting something to count how many calories I burn during my JNL Workouts. I would LOVE an UP Band (hint hint Santa) but for now will settle for the Polar!

Tried something new on Friday night, spaghetti squash. So easy & so yummy! Cut the squash in half, scoop out the "guts", put face up in Tupperware with about a half inch of water and microwave for 8-10 minutes. Then scrape the insides of the squash to make your "spaghetti". I will probably never use regular pasta type noodles again, why would I would I have this as an option! The full easy weeknight family recipe can be found under my recipe section!

 

Here is my run down of what is on this weeks menu! Lots of variety this week. I like to switch it up. Some weeks doing just chicken & broccoli are easy & keep me focused. And some weeks I like a ton of variety to keep me from wanting to cheat!

 

THIS WEEKS MEAL PREP

 

Breakfast -

all week: 2 egg muffins & 1/4 cup black beans

Snacks -

“cucumber sandwiches” low sodium Boars Head lunch meat & cucumber slices

hard boiled eggs

cookies & cream protein balls (see recipe on recipe tab)

Lunches -

1) Leftover spaghetti squash topped with meat sauce, sautéed spinach and fresh mushrooms (recipe in recipes tab)

2) shrimp wraps - sautéed shrimp mixed with black beans and crushed tomato, wrap in lettuce top with avocado

3) turkey meatballs over zucchini "noodles"

4) lean ground turkey mixed with bell peppers served with sautéed spinach

5) tuna salad. Mix tuna with avocado and celery. wrap in lettuce and top with cherry tomatoes

Dinner -

doing ShakeFX for 5 nights this week. The other nights we will be BBQ'ing as a family. On the menu is chicken kabobs for one nights and salmon w/ veggies the other night.

 

 

 

 

a close up of the two lunches I am the most excited about!

My tuna salad & turkey meatballs over zucchini noodles. YUM!

 

Weekly Update - 9/16

Hey guys -

Checking in! I had a big loss this week that I am very happy about. It brought me down into the 160's, which I haven't seen since high school. It was my final week of my BodyFX 60 Day Challenge. I will post final results and before and after photos later this week...but for now here is a teaser! So bittersweet that the challenge is over, but this is just the beginning for me! I am hosting my own challenge starting next Monday with a great group of people.

So I added a new snack to the rotation this week. Mainly because I was craving pumpkin and something sweet. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am obsessed with anything pumpkin. So I whipped up these bad boys during food prep this week. Ate two of them today, and let me just tell you...to die for! They taste like pumpkin oatmeal cookie dough. No lie!

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Delish-Balls

2 scoops vanilla protein powder

1 cup old fashioned oats

1/3 cup pumpkin puree

2 packets Justins All Natural Peanut Butter

1 TBSP pumpkin pie spice

1/2 TBSP cinnamon

5-10 drops vanilla stevia

 

Mix all ingredients together, roll into balls, put on wax paper and stick in the fridge for about 15 minutes. I then took mine off the paper and put in a Tupperware then back into the fridge. So good!

 

 

 

 

This weeks meal prep & menu

I am pretty excited about this weeks menu! I picked up 3 new things at Sprouts that I have been wanting to try! Chia seeds, sprouted bread (has 5 grams of protein per slice) and spaghetti squash! I will be using the bread as a "treat" once a week, adding the chia seeds to my overnight oats this week and using the squash for spaghetti.

                        

 

 

 

Here is a rundown of this weeks menu

 

 

Breakfast-

egg muffins & avocado for 3 days

overnight oats (not pictured)

slice of sprouted bread w/ natural peanut butter & 1/4 C blueberries

Lunches

4 oz 99% lean ground turkey mixed with bell pepper & 2 cups sautéed spinach for 2 days

4 oz pork chop with sautéed spinach & mushrooms

4oz chicken with asparagus

Chicken basil sausage & bell peppers

Snacks

Protein balls

hardboiled eggs

celery

raw nuts (unsalted almonds, walnuts & shredded coconut)

Dinner (not pictured)

1/2 baked sweet potato, chicken sausage and sautéed spinach

spaghetti squash with ground turkey meat sauce and zucchini Italian bread

ShakeFX meal replacement shakes 3 nights



 



Weekly update - 9/10

Hey guys!

My loss for the week was 2.2 lbs and one inch off my waist!

I am happy with this weeks results. No matter what, I know every week I can never say, "I need to push myself harder" or "I need to eat cleaner" etc. Because I am already pushing myself as hard as a can and staying on plan. I do try to do little things here and there still though. I park farther away from stores, stand up or squat at my desk more, try to cut back on the # of almond butter packets or avocados consumed in a week, try to get more sleep (LOL to that last one) ...ha!

This is my final week of my 60 Day Challenge through BodyFX. It is so bittersweet for me. Mid July my coworker told me about this opportunity. I immediately started with the excuses - I don't have time for that, that won't work for me, bluh bluh bluh. But here I am, almost 60 days later. When I set out of this journey never did I think I would be where I am today. Never did I think I would be able to go 60 days without cheese...without pasta...without a damn burrito!! Or never go more than one day without working out! I am sad that my nightly group workouts with my BodyFX crew are coming to an end. But I am so excited about the things I have learned, the strength and confidence I have gained, the weight and inches I have lost and the new friends I have made! I am so grateful that this opportunity came into my life, I am proud to be part of the BodyFX Family now and am excited about where my future is headed! As sad as I am that my nightly group workouts are ending, I am equally excited to be home again in the evenings. The last two months have been crazy on mine and my families schedule. I am ready to pick up my babies after work and head home to get in a good JNL workout via my DVD player! For this to be a lifestyle change it is now up to me to incorporate it into my life and make it work. I am so ready!

In other news, over the weekend I hit a huge milestone! For the first time since, oh...probably the day after I got married...I fit back into my wedding dress! What is funny is even though the scale says the same weight, my body is SO much different than it was five years ago. Part of that has to do with birthing two children, the other part of that has to do with working out. The past 5 years have be a rollercoaster for me, on my wedding day I was 175 lbs, 16 months later I was 250 lbs delivering my first child. All those years of ups and downs (mostly ups, let's be honest) I always said getting back down to my wedding weight was my "goal"...LOL at that! Even though I feel amazing with how far I have come, I am no where near done!

 

 

 

Real quick to wrap up my weekly update, here is a quick rundown of what is on this weeks menu! Like I said it is my last week of my 60 Day Challenge, so I am keeping it extra clean and consistent.

 

 

Breakfast

2 hardboiled eggs

Dandelion Root Tea with Lemon

Snack #1

Turkey "sandwiches"

Boars Head low sodium turkey deli meat in between cucumber slices

Lunch

4 oz chicken breast seasoned with Lemon Pepper Mrs. Dash

one cup broccoli

two cups sautéed spinach

1/2 avocado

Snack #2

Celery

Post-Workout

afterFX recovery shake

Dinner

shakeFX meal replacement shake

 

 

 

**Reminder that I will be hosting my own 30 Day Challenge starting September 23rd, if you are interested or know someone who is - contact me ASAP!

 

Xoxo,

Amber

 



Fall Back Into Fitness 30 Day Challenge!

Since July 15th I have been working with a company called BodyFX. I have had amazing results following their fitness routine, using their supplements and following a clean eating plan. I still have a ways to go before I reach my goal, if there even is such a thing?! (for me this will continue for life). But I have come a long way and am wanting to help others feel better now! Have you been wanting to lose weight, get fit and feel better about yourself...but haven't been sure where to start?! Then check out my Fall Back Into Fitness 30 Day Challenge Tab above for details!

Xoxo,
Amber

 

Hello there!

So here goes nothing!

I have had some request to start a blog. I am on a crazy ride and apparently some people want to ride along with me! I am still in shock that people are showing interest in my journey, let alone asking me for tips. On May 29th I was pushing 220.2 lbs. That day I decided to make a serious change and am down 42.4 lbs. I feel so good, my energy is through the roof, and I am gaining back confidence that I haven't had in years. I am so excited about the potential I have to transform my body and life going forward! I am about halfway to goal, and for the first time ever it feels obtainable. So bye, bye fatty!

Here is a little back story on how I created this mess...

I have always struggled with my weight...but really started packing on the lbs after I got married 5 years ago. The customary gain of, "I no longer need to squeeze into a little dress so let's F-ing eat" weight. Then I got pregnant with Baby #1 shortly after and gained a whopping 50 lbs, leaving me at my heaviest. Fast forward a few years later and Baby #2. I made it a point to only gain 20 lbs with her, lesson learned! So here I am...6 months after Baby #2 and feeling the best I have ever! Don't get me wrong...the last 3 months have been crazy to say the least. I have had to make getting healthy and fit my priority, which has been hard for me. I put myself to the side for so long, always worried about other people and never focusing on myself. So now I am doing ME! I have learned so much about myself these past 3 months. I am slowly becoming the person I always knew I could be...but wasn't sure how. I remind myself daily to not give in to cravings, to push myself harder at every workout and to stay positive! It is a constant battle, but I feel so victorious that I am winning it :)

XoXo,

Amber