What's the Secret?

Okay, so after much thought, I have decided to document this journey I've been on.  I've had so many people ask me "What have you been doing?!?" So this is where I'll try and document it all.  Let's start back on January 6th 2012.....

Good Morning World - hello scale that I purchased last night that I really don't want to step on.  Please be nice to me because I really feel down on myself after seeing some hideous NYE pics from Josh's show.  Seriously how in the world could I let myself go THAT far and how in the world did I not see it in the mirror?  Here we go.....HOLY SHIT!  That has got to be wrong.  2XX.4. Once I've made it to goal, I'll reveal that beginning weight.  Right now I'm not ready!!  At that point I was either about to have a heart attack because I'm seriously the heaviest I've ever been in my life (even at 40 weeks pregnant with both kids) or I'm going to have a heart attack because I'm just in serious shock.  As if the size 22 jeans (that were getting tight) weren't a huge red flag that my ass was expanding more and more everyday!  Okay so breathe....it's not 300.  But it is damn near close enough.  Again - wanting to beat the fat cow in the mirror - HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO YOURSELF?  Serious reality check.  But guess what - you are going to participate in the biggest loser contest at work so lets get all the notes you made from the past few weeks, all the Pinterest recipes and lets get to the grocery store.  It's time!!  Guzzle your last sip of Dr. Pepper, Heather.  That part of your life is about to be history!

Here was my first shopping list:

Chicken, Fish, Turkey
Fresh Asparagus, Frozen Broccoli, Frozen Cauliflower, Frozen English Peas
Egg Whites or Egg Substitute
Turkey Bacon
Fat Free Cheese Slices
Fat Free Mayo
Whole Wheat Bread
Bananas, Strawberries, Blueberries, Apples
Instant Oatmeal
Fat Free Skim Milk
Fiber One Bars (90 Calorie Bars)
Panko Bread Crumbs
Reduced Fat Peanut Butter
Light Mozzarella String Cheese
Splenda Sugar Substitute
Whole Grain Brown Rice
Fat Free Yogurt
Water Bottle (a big one!)
A high cardio workout tape (ended up with Leslie Sansone 5 mile walking DVD)

So shopping trip makes you already feel good because the basket is full of really great good for you food.  No one is looking at me like..."OMG...Becky....Did you see the size of her BUTT?!?"  "Why in the world would she be buying frozen pizza and Dr. Pepper"  "She must not own a mirror!" NOPE!  My basket is full of items that are about to change my figure and my life!

Saturday Jan 7th - I started my healthy life journey and here I am today!  50 lbs lighter!  How did I do it?  Let me break it down for you:

1.)  5 AM to 6 AM (4 to 5 times per week) 1 hour of Cardio (Leslie Sansone 5 Mile DVD)

I couldn't make it through the first mile on the very first attempt.  I have now made it through all 5 miles!  I SWEAT like a whore in church and I am not ashamed of it.  This gets my heart rate going and she paces so well that you can actually keep up.  Love the toning bands as well.  I give it 2 thumbs up!!

2.)  WATER!!  Lots and Lots of Water!!  I have a 75 oz water bottle and I drink every single drop of it (and sometimes more post workout)  Found mine at Walgreens:

3.)  EAT SIX TIMES PER DAY! I stay within 1200 calories per day:

• I start off with Great Value Instant Oatmeal (Apples & Cinnamon) with 1 packet of Splenda Sweetener.  
• Followed up by a mid morning snack - usually a banana or apple slices with 1 tablespoon of reduced fat peanut butter.
• Lunch is usually a Weight Watchers Smart Start lunch, sometimes a subway sandwich if I didn't bring my lunch.
• Mid Afternoon Snack is Triscuit Crackers with 1 wedge of Laughing Cow Cheese, Yogurt, String Cheese, Fiber One 90 Calorie Bar, or Fruit.  
• Dinner consists of Chicken, Fish, or Turkey - usually grilled or baked.  I eat a protein, a starch (brown rice, sweet potatoes) and a veggie (steamed broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, etc.)
• Late Evening Snack - small bowl of special k cereal, fiber one bar, or any other snack food from the list above that I haven't had that day)

Of course I change it up and when we are out to eat, I order grilled meats or low calorie choices from the menu.  I ask for wheat tortillas at Mexican restaurants and skip the chips and queso.  It is hard - no doubt but I know that I will feel better and look better if I just skip it.  Plus your food will be there before you know it - you can wait it out.  WILLPOWER! 

I don't beat myself up on the weekends and try to eat like an insane OCD diet freak.  I just don't do IHOP at 3 in the morning.  I nearly had a panic attack this past weekend when Josh insisted that we HAD to stop because he was about to starve and would not live if he didn't get to eat.  I couldn't find the wheat pancakes and almost lost my mind.  IHOP is the Devil.

I'm not sure if I've given great pointers but what I do know is that the first month of my "new healthy lifestyle" brought the scale down 20 lbs.  I am positive that it was because I quit the Dr. Pepper addiction and introduced my body to water.  I was the type of person who hated water, it was boring, I wanted and needed my Dr. Pepper to get through my day.  I was like a crack addict but addicted to the sweetness and the 23 flavors (which one of them might be crack - who knows?!?) For gosh only knows how many years I had been filling my veins full of the sweet syrup sludge that is Dr. Pepper.  Think about it...you take the carbonation out - what do you have?  Syrup!  No wonder I couldn't lose weight?  Hey Stupid-Here's your sign!  I also believe that eating 6 small meals per day kick-started my metabolism and I was no longer "Starving" my body.  I didn't eat that much as a big girl.  But my body never knew what was going on because it was storing everything I ate and drank.  I was starving my body of healthy food and nutrients that I needed to BURN Fat.  I was being very ugly to myself.  Would you feed your kid nothing but crap and sugary drinks and think they would be healthy for very long? Of course not!  You would have CPS called on your for being an unfit parent.  I was being unfit to myself and that is so sad.  I should have been nicer to myself all those years.  

Another thing that I do is log everything I eat and all my activity/exercise into an app on my smartphone.  I use an app called LiveScape.  I love it and it's so easy to use!  Here is an example of my activity a few days ago:

By logging in what I am consuming I am held liable for what I am doing.  The last person you want to let down is yourself so this app works great for me.  It also tracks my weight loss and BMI.  It's great!!  Always log your food in so you don't have to 2nd guess yourself when it comes to how many calories you have left to consume.  You won't go over this way and you won't beat yourself up.  You can also log major restaurant foods and namebrand foods in and it automatically calculates everything.  Seriously the best thing ever invented, IMHO!

So here's the before and after - to date:

It is really remarkable.  I still look in the mirror and know I have work to do, but dayum girl - you lookin' good!

It is so exciting and satisfying to know that I DID THIS.  If I can do it - anyone can do it!!  The poster below is 100% True.  I am 20 weeks in and the compliments have not stopped.  Feels so good!!

'