Jan 17th -Updates!

Hey guys and gals!

Sorry I’ve been MIA. I’ve been enjoying a long weekend. I’ve been sticking to my diet for the most part. I had a couple slips. But hey, if you can’t enjoy a cheat here or there, you’re setting yourself up to fail. Or at least that’s what I’ve been told. I’ll accept it!

I have swapped my usual cheat days for an extra Skinny Cow chocolate truffle bar or low-cal junk food, so there’s that. We’ve been trying recipes from eatyourselfskinny.com

Last night, we tried the Veggie and Cheese stuffed shells. I’m pretty sure we did it wrong, because there was way more carrot than there needed to be, but it was still pretty tasty. Highly recommend. So good.

So let’s talk exercise. I was supposed to have a meeting with a trainer today. That didn’t happen. Shit happens, ya know. It’ll be rescheduled soon. Now. What is your favorite exercise? Personally, I love yoga. But I also love leg press. I don’t know about you, but most of my strength comes from my legs. I love the zen feeling after yoga. It balances out my stress level and allows me to relax. Try it, if you haven’t. It’s good for any weight, age, etc.

What is your favorite exercise or way to relax?

Jan 12 – Gym? Gym.

Hey all!

I’ve been slacking on this whole blogging thing again. But I’ve been super busy. (That’s good, right?)

I’m officially 98% over that horrible cold. I’m averaging about 5000 steps a day and climbing. I’m attempting to break my relationship with the elevator. Let me tell you, that one is hard.

But good news! With the help of a friend, I am stepping out of my comfort zone and joining a gym. Gonna go work out with strangers. If you’ve ever been body-shamed… you know how hard this is. I’m even looking into their group fitness classes! (You don’t know me, but with social anxiety and being an introvert, this is a HUGE deal…)

I’m pretty stoked, if you can’t tell. I’ll update soon!

Jan 10th – Cheat day

Hey guys!

Sorry, I went MIA for a few days. Been dealing with this cold. Went back to work yesterday. It’s been rough. On the plus side… I’ve lost two pounds and kept them off so far!

Broke my diet for a really unhealthy cheeseburger for dinner though. I had 700 calories banked from walking all day at work, so I figured it’s acceptable to treat myself.

I’ve had a caffeine headache all day. Withdrawals are hard..

I’m about to take some Tylenol PM and go to sleep. Just wanted to check in and let y’all know I haven’t given up!

Jan 7th – Still sick

Hi guys!

So. I’m still sick. I have more energy than I did yesterday, though. Which is good, because I weighed myself today.

I have officially reached my heaviest weight. 276.2 pounds. I’m officially morbidly obese. That is really hard for me to say. So something needs to change.

So let’s talk about exercise. It’s way too f&@!ing cold outside for me to walk/jog. And as a struggling college kid with unreliable transportation, I can’t afford a gym membership or to get to the college’s rec center. So what am I going to do?! Well, I recently discovered that Comcast has fitness OnDemand. They have yoga, Biggest Loser workouts, and a bunch more. So yoga is going to be my warm-up and cool-down each day. I’m going to check out the actual workouts and work my way through them, provided my cat and dog will stay out of the way.

I have a FitBit (if you do too, we should be friends!) that will track my steps throughout the day at work. I plan to walk and drink a SlimFast shake during my 30-minute lunch break.

I’ve said these things before, but I’m truly dedicated this time. To put it bluntly, I don’t want to die, and my currently lifestyle is slowly killing me. Sorry, got a little dark there, but it’s true.

So let’s do this! Let’s get off our butts and lose this weight.

My ultimate goal is 100 pounds right now. But I’m looking at smaller steps. 10 pounds. (I refuse to do “before” pictures until I reach 30 days of consistent diet and exercise.)

What are your goals?

Jan 6th – My sick day

Hi guys!

I really hope y’all are managing to avoid this plague that’s sweeping through the US. It’s either a horrible cold or flu. While I’d rather not be sick at all, I’m glad I got the cold. The site’s kind of a mess right now; which is fitting, because so am I. I’ll fix it up when my brain isn’t so fuzzy from Sudafed.

Just wanted to let y’all know what I’m up to today and share a tasty recipe. I’ve discovered I like 100% whole wheat bread more than I enjoy white bread. (Weird, considering my love of Sara Lee white bread…) I guess I got over my childhood belief that it tasted like cardboard! While enjoying my PB&J, I’m fueling a couple of my addictions: Perfectly Posh and Lularoe. Lordy. I need to stop, but they’re so great. (I’m a Posh consultant if you need a hookup. I’m in a TON of ‘roe groups on Facebook if you need a hookup there.)

Anyways. Back to what you’re here for. Recipes, tips, etc… Y’all probably don’t want my life story!

Tonight, for dinner, a super easy recipe – Maple Balsamic and Herb chicken

Sounds difficult, right? It’s not! It’s super easy. Most of the recipes I’ll be sharing over the next few days will be from Eat Yourself Skinny. Kelly, the author, does a great job of breaking down nutritional values and even includes Weight Watchers points. Her recipes sound difficult, but they’re easy and delicious. Check her out! (More links to recipe pages and fitness and stuff on the Resources page as I discover them!

Here’s the recipe:

Easy right? Try it out sometime! Now, I’ve shared the healthy stuff… I’m going back to my unhealthy addiction to leggings and bath products. (My Perfectly Posh site)

Challenges…

Time to get a little deep…

I am twenty-five years old. I have medical issues that play a major role in this adventure..

Mental health:
I was diagnosed with depression at twelve; Bipolar Disorder (Bipolar II) came at sixteen, along with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).My medications can cause weight gain. There are some days when just getting out of bed is an accomplishment. I have impulse control issues on manic days. I’m hoping, with the help of the ever lovely Mike, exercise can become therapeutic. We’ll see.

Physical health:
I’m a clumsy person. I have sprained my left ankle and both of my knees. I have strained my tailbone. I constantly have cuts and bruises. (So if you see them in pictures, don’t worry! I got into a fight with an inanimate object, not Mike!) I smoke. I don’t really drink though! Having a whole lot of chest has given me back problems. I suffer from PCOS, which can cause weight problems. The birth control I’m on, you guessed it!, can cause weight gain. I’m obese. I get winded going up stairs. So things will start out very basic until this changes. Bear with me. I’m trying.

Family history:
I’m at risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, low thyroid, cervical cancer, degenerative disc disease, and more. I need to change things while I’m young enough to repair the damage of done and prevent these.

I’m going to try to post every day. If you see that I haven’t posted in a while, use the contact feature to yell at me to get back on here.

What are some challenges you face?

Who? What? Where? When? How? Why?

Hello!

I bet you’re wondering what the site is and all that. Let’s start with the basics..

Who: Steph (and sometimes Mike), check out our About page for me details
What: Exercises, recipes, personal blog posts about this new adventure
Where: We’re located in Normal, IL. We’d love to know where you are!
When: NOW! Or whenever I’m not sleeping.
How: Through dedication, support, teamwork, and research.

And now for the big question… Why?
Well, I recently did some tests. I have high blood pressure. I’m obese. I’m basically pre-diabetic. I am not the me I want to be. Honestly, I’m terrified for this lifestyle change. However, I’m strong and I can do this. I want people to see me do it and hold me accountable for my goals. I’ve always believed if people know your goals, you’re more likely to accomplish them. They won’t let you fail. They want you to succeed, too.

And I would like for you to join me on this adventure so we can succeed together.