My Summer

Well summer is over. It's been a good one. I quit worrying so much about my number on the scale and started focusing more on how my clothes were fitting. I started taking some core classes at the gym instead of all cardio. The treadmill and eliptical can get darn boring. I actually wore a pair of shorts a few weeks ago that I had been saving for about 7 or 8 years. I can wear them now! And I bought a new swimsuit and love how I look in it. I've still lost about 25 lbs but I'm in a size 12 - down from a size 16 a year ago at this time. Feeling pretty good! This month will mark a year since I made my lifestyle change. This summer we also found out the hubby has Type 2 diabetes. Soooo I've been on a quest to get the family eating healthier. It's working but it's a constant struggle. Mady doesn't like most of it but I figure if she at least sees us eating healthy she might change her opinion about what is good. I can remember being 14 and not liking alot of the good food. Hey I know this post is kind of boring but at least I did one.

Man I'm not very good at this blog thing yet.  But I'm going to try and get better.  We have a trip planned in April to Puerto Rico.  I've been on a weight loss mission since September 2012 and I've lost 21 lbs.  But about 2 weeks ago I kind of stalled out.  So last week I didn't go to the gym at all.  Today I started back up and am really going to try and zap out another 10 lb loss by our trip.  That would put me at 168 lbs.  Not where I want to be at permanently but I'm determined.  My clothes are fitting much better but they are size 12s and 14s.  When I started back in September I was almost busting out of a size 16 (scary). 

Some of the things I'm looking forward to this summer after losing weight?  Let me give you a little list...

putting on a tank top and not having a big protuding tummy
shorts that fit again
sundresses that don't make me look like a house
more energy
a side view of me riding my motorcycle that doesn't have my tummy hanging over my jeans
a new belt (my XLs are too big now)
looking HOT in my motorcycle vest (last year I could barely keep the darn thing buttoned)
buying a new bathing suit

I love summer veggies so I hope my diet will keep getting better too!  Stay tuned....

Funerals

We went to a friend's funeral this past Saturday.  He was also a coworker of Vega's whom he worked with closely every day for at least the last 6 years.  He was only 44.  He had a wife and two children and already two grandchildren.  I've experienced death before...my grandparents and mostly people who were elderly.  But this friend who died last week was only 44 and it was unexpected.  It's a feeling I've never experienced before.  It's very weird.  You still expect this person to be here and he's not.  You've had conversations with this person who had dreams and goals similar to anyone else's.  He was looking forward to a life not yet lived.  So you go to think about him and have to tell yourself, "Oh he's gone".  It's just a very weird feeling.  But it really makes you think about your own life and if you were to leave this earth before you've achieved a long life.  And I also think he wasn't ready yet.  Or at least if he was he had to prepare rather quickly.  He developed an illness that wittled away at his life for about 10 weeks until he didn't have the strength to fight anymore.  I don't have very good answers about death but I do know that I am now going to consciencely cherish every moment I have in this life because now I realize it can be gone all too soon.

Wedding

Well he popped the question and we are getting married in September.  We are really excited.  But we have both been married before and have already been together for almost 6 years.  So we are asking ourselves "What is our wedding budget?"  Man the pressure out there to put on a big wedding is strong! And a wedding can break your budget really fast.  So we are trying to keep it simple but nice.  But every couple of days I run into someone that will say something like "Who's doing your flowers?"  And I'm thinking..."Me?"  I can go to the grocery store the day before the wedding and buy some beautiful flowers, cut them, and wrap the stems in twine and walaa - I have my boquet.  And I can buy some green floral tape and pretty much do the same thing for a boutineer for the groom (which he could probably care less about anyway).  So there...I probably just saved myself at least $500.00.  Besides we are having an outdoor wedding and reception so nature pretty much takes care of the flower problem anyway.  And I'm not making everyone in my wedding spend a fortune on dresses either.  Simple...they can shop for their own dresses - they just have to be navy blue.  That way they don't have a dress they only wear once to a wedding.  It's something they picked out for themselves - it's just in a color I chose.  And really since it's an outdoor wedding and reception tuxes aren't really necessary either.  I think nice navy blue pants with a white shirt and navy/green tie would be quite handsome and comfortable.  And they can keep it for future use instead of paying $130.00 for a tux they have to return.

For now I'm really trying to shop smart for the wedding....I will keep you posted how its going.

Early morning workouts...

How you keep your body fit over the years changes.  When I was 10 I can remember playing outside all day and never getting tired.  At 21 I had just had my first baby and was in panic mode because I felt like my body had been invaded.  By 25 I was working out and running 3 miles a day after work and really beginning to feel normal again.  My second child came along at 28 and everything is a blur after that.  I was so busy being a mom and wife that I never had time to get back in shape.  Fast forward to today and I'm now 49.  After raising 4 kids (the last one is now 12) I am finally making a "lifestyle change" and putting fitness as a higher priority in my life.  Back when I was 25 and running I would workout after work.  When I was in my 30's I would try and workout on my lunch hour.  After the gym I was using closed I tried walking at lunch with coworkers.  It helped but it just wasn't enough.  I joined the YMCA and started going after work.  Too stressful.  My family still wants dinner cooked and I was picking up fast food after my workout (kind of defeats the whole workout thing).  So two weeks ago I decided to hit the gym at 5am and knock it out early.  It's working great!  But after two weeks it seems like I'm losing steam.  I'm so tired!  I'm even taking a vitamin B1 every day.  I'm really trying but it's sooo dang hard!