Check in!

So Just a quick note, I am down to 178.2! Wahoo!!! I love it. I know that I have gained muscle (watching the weight lifting going up) and clothes are fitting better. I will take measurements on Friday or Saturday and let you all see my progress. I think I will post a picture or two as well. Things have been crazy since the new semester started but I finally have a good schedule down *I think*. I also changed to a new workout from bodybuilding.com. And my new favorite website is SimplyShredded.com. The articles on womens' fitness are fab! Anything is possible, when you put your mind to it.

weight loss

I am excited to announce that I have lost 3 lbs but the bigger news is that I have dropped a pant size!! I have to admit that I started working out in Mid December I took the week of Christmas off.

Simple Balsamic Salad Dressing

Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
whisk together ingredients until salt dissolve. I threw in a 1/4 cup of red onion. Serve with salad mix or favorite greens (i would recommend to use two head of lettuce or cut recipe down) If not using dressing right away cover and refrigerate, shaking or whisking again before use. I also like to chop up a red onion to mix in the salad.

My workout routine

I am sure some are wondering what I am going to do for my workout. A Few years ago I worked out with a personal trainer. In six weeks I went from a size 16 to a size 8. It was amazing, then I decided to get prego and have another baby. I carry a notebook and a pen to write down my workout. There are a ton of free printable workout sheets on the internet. For me I always lose them, so it is nice to just keep my notebook in the car where it is handy when I get to the gym. You should start your workout with stretching (I never do) to prevent injury. I do five to ten mins of warm up to get those muscles going. I like the bike but you can do whatever you want. I then do a routine of weightlifting, about 45 mins worth. I do three reps of 15. If I am able to do all three reps of 15, I put a star by it so that next time I know I go up in weight. If you have never done machines at your local gym, look around, watch how other correctly use the machine and don't be afraid to ask. Many seasoned weightlifters are happy to help a time or two but don't be annoying. There are some great workout plans on bodybuilding.com. I personally like Jamie Easton or Jennifer Nicole Lee. I will probably be switching to one of their programs in a few weeks. I also allow myself to rest between reps for one minute. It helps your muscles recover. I focus on working out all the muscle groups every session. After I am done lifting, I finish out with 20-45 minutes of moderate cardio. I like the elliptical. The key with cardio is to keep your heart rate down in the fat burning zone. I must admit the idea took me a little by surprise, but when I understand that I am not just losing weight but trying to tone my body. The last time I want to do is burn all the muscle that I am trying so hard to gain. I workout every other day between 3-4 days a week. One time about a perfectionist like me is I tend to do all or nothing, but with working out you don't need to do seven days a week. You can over train your body and not make any progress. Water, water and more water. Make sure you have plenty of water, for every half hour of working out you need 8 ounces of water. Making sure you are hydrated throughout the day helps ensure success. Your body needs a certain amount of water just to function but did you know you also need water to burn fat? So hydrate up! On one last note, protein, eat protein within one hour of working out. I never said it would be easy, only worth it.

Happy New Year

Today is New Years and time for resolutions that most of us won't keep. So I suppose it might be silly but my resolution is to keep my resolutions. I guess that since this is my first blog post I should start it with a bit of background about myself and why I am choosing to do this. I am a mom of five fantastic kiddos and full time college student. You may call me Niki. When I was younger, slimmer, and invincible; weight was never a problem for me. I didn't have to workout, could eat as much delicious guilt food as wanted and generally didn't care about overall health. In life we tend to have ah-ha moments, where something has affected us to the point we can no longer look at the world we live in the same. In my case (I'm thick headed) the idiot stick has struck more than once. Sometimes we all need reminding of where we are going in life. The first came when after my third daughter I developed a thyroid condition and went from my normally slender 125lbs to 200lbs in what seemed overnight. I developed depression and really struggled to understand how this happened. While I really tried to diet and lose weight, nothing really seemed to stick. (I did have two more children that helped things along). Up until this point, weight loss and working out were about looking good and nothing to do with physical wellness. That didn't come until 2011. Upon the birth of my adorable, last and fifth baby, I suffered a huge medical crisis. Three weeks after my new baby was born I was admitted to the hospital for five pulmonary embolisms. (blood clots in my lungs). I was started on blood thinners right away. As I battled for my life, I had a great deal of time to think about taking my life for granted and I wanted that to change. I remember feeling like Rocky, ready to fight and get going. I had to realize a hard lesson that change doesn't happen in an instance but by steady progress. The first time out of the hospital bed with the occupational therapist, with the goal of walking down the hallway and back. I made it to the next door while almost passing out. Over the next three months, I worked very hard at just regaining the strength to take care of my kids and home. Once I had gotten that down, I started classes at the local swimming pool doing water aerobics. I felt embarrassed to be treading water with old ladies. But I knew I was headed somewhere. I joined the gym and started just walking on the treadmill 10 mins a day. I would get light headed and threw up a time or two but I knew I could do this. I had been given a second chance and I wasn't going to waste it. During this time, I went to the doctor to get my thyroid condition stable, found out I had polycystic ovarian syndrome (which makes you gain weight right on your belly. Sweet!), metabolic syndrome (score!) and a rare genetic condition called Ehlers Danlos (which makes your muscles get weaker over time). (I will post more information on these conditions later.) Well, I sure have the deck stacked against me but one thing that I have learned to that we have to keep going and never give up. The one thing that always held me back was my eating habits. I love food, I could drizzle chocolate syrup down my face and smother myself in it (okay that sounds wrong...). I am addicted to sugar, I love it and it loves me, so much it likes to hang around in fat rolls on my waist. (ultra sexy!). So, while some people think the number 13 is unlucky, to me I know it is going to be a great year because I am going to have to courage to change. To stop letting fear of failure be in my way. To stop saying I can't but I will Because that is the future I want for myself. So to start things off I am going to post the unthinkable, a picture of me in a swimming suit (cringe) and my measurements for all of you (double cringe), so you can see my progress on this journey. So my resolution is to eat healthy, get strong and learn to love myself. Love ya all! Be bold and be COURAGEOUS! My stats right now 5'8 184lbs waist 43 hips 42 I can't believe I am sending these photos into cyberspace....