Back At It!

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaack! I promise no more facebook Genghis posts, but I am going to try and continue to blog. I need the accountability. I've had a rough couple of weeks. I got sick right after the contest ended with a sinus thing and it made it hard to workout. We also went to Disney, camped, and went to a wedding in the weekends after the contest. So, I've gained a few pounds but I'm ready to lose them again.

I've been back in the gym and trying to find a new routine of healthy eating. I am missing my daily, free, healthy meal from Genghis!

I'll be going to weight watchers tomorrow so I will post my total WW weight loss and that's what will be my official for tracking my weight loss from now on.

Thank You!!!

The end of the khantest is here (After tomorrow you won't be bombarded with annoying Genghis posts! Haha). Today is the last full day and tomorrow at 10am I will have my final weigh in. But it is not the end of my journey. I still have weight to lose and it is a lifelong journey to live in a healthy way.

I woke up this morning very discouraged. I keep hitting plateaus and it frustrates me a lot. I wanted to be farther along by the end of the contest. But I have to keep my eyes on the bigger picture. I will not give up! And tomorrow for lunch I will have tacos! ;) But then, back to work!

Words can't express my gratitude to each and every person who has supported me in this journey. You are the help I needed to not give up!

The biggest thing I've learned in this whole thing is to just keep going, even when you don't feel like it. Even when the scale doesn't budge the healthy habits are still working.

This video is my reminder to myself of where I've come from and where I'm going. It's also a thank you to all of you for all the help! You are a part of making me a better person!

Inspiration Saturday

It's time for Inspiration Saturday! It's also the last week of the contest! Check out this before and after of my face- can't believe I've come so far in such a short period of time. Thanks so much for all your support!

Now back to inspiration Saturday....



 This is my friend Kelly- I met Kelly through Tom and have been inspired by watching her weight loss journey via facebook. Hope you will be inspired too!


Have you ever struggled with your weight? How did you overcome it?
Yes I have struggled with my weight! I have 3 kids and each pregnancy I kept weight on. I decided August 2011 to join Weight Watchers. It took me 8 months to reach my goal weight and then 6 weeks after that to become life time. I lost a total of 50 lbs!

 Life long habits: exercising, eating less and drinking less sweet tea and soda! I started off by walking and now I'm training for a 1/2 marathon! The hardest part for me has been to keep it off. It's easy to fall back in to old patterns. Looking at old pictures keeps me motivated to keep it off. I also want to be the best Mom I can and to stay active with my three boys!

Favorite meals or snacks?
My favorite snacks are apple slices. I eat whatever everyone else is eating...the key is portion size!

What advice would you give people who are trying to live a healthy lifestyle? My advice is " Yes, it is hard work but it is SO worth the reward! " I was a size 16 and now a 4/6!

Before:

After

TY KU Sake

Thank you to TY KU Sake for the gift of some sake in our congratulations box at the beginning of this contest. http://www.trytyku.com/

I am not really a big a drinker but from what I heard, sake may have some health benefits. It has amino acids which could help prevent cancer. It may also help increase good cholesterol. You can check it out for yourself at: http://www.learnaboutsake.com/2009/05/health-benefits-of-sake.html or http://www.organicsoul.com/perk-up-your-mood-and-your-health-the-health-benefits-of-sake/

But please drink in moderation. If alcohol is a problem for you or there is a family history of alcoholism, no health benefit of alcohol is worth it. Have some broccoli.

No Time to Exercise?

Short on time? No chance to run to the gym? Here are some quick cardio ideas:

1. Clean
2. Dance
3. Do part of an exercise video.
4. Run around with your kids
5. Go for a quick walk or jog around the block
6. Do some jumping jacks
7. Do lunges around the house
8. Go for a walk with friend
9. Wash your car
10. Jump on a bike and ride.

You can do it! If it's a priority, you'll fit it in! Check out the Genghis Grill Website- just a week and a half left!!!

"Little Black Dress"

Today's Genghis Grill Khantest challenge is to show the outfit I hope to fit into soon, my dream outfit, if you will. I wore this dress the night of our wedding rehearsal and I love it! I tried it on yesterday just for fun and it almost fits. Woohoo!!

Here's me today with the dress

Here was me with some of my beautiful and dear friends the night of my wedding rehearsal

Ultimately, I'd like to be lighter than I was at my wedding because I was overweight then too. But for now, my goal for a nice outfit would be that dress! :)

As for progress, I'm doing ok but not as well as I'd like. I had a week where I gained and then I lost a lot really quickly and now I seem to be plateaued. It seems to just go that way and that's ok. I will not be winning $10,000 but I am winning health. Even when the scale doesn't reflect my hard work, I still know that I am getting healthier.

Thanks again Genghis Grill- check out the leaderboard to see how I'm doing!

Changes.....

Day 1

Day 42

Today's challenge is to blog about physical and emotional changes I've experienced during the contest. Remember to check out the Genghis Grill website for the latest leaderboard and to build your own healthy bowl!!

As you can see in the above pictures, I've obviously made some physical changes. I still have a ways to go but I'm fitting into some of my old clothes, I got my engagement ring back on this week (it hasn't fit for a while), I have muscles. The other day I reached my right hand up to my upper left arm and thought, "Where did the rest of my arm go?". I feel strong. I feel energized. I feel physically capable of keeping up with my life. I used to be so tired every afternoon that I had to take a nap. Now, I only occasionally take one and they are much shorter. When I'm doing Zumba, sometimes I catch a glance of myself in the mirror and I almost don't believe it's me. It's been a long time since I've been this size.  More importantly, I feel healthy. I was always so aware of how overweight I was and how bad I felt. But now, I am so aware of how strong I am and how much I've accomplished. I no longer need a $10,000 motivation, it feels so good, I want to keep going. I look forward to working out- crazy right?!?!

Emotionally I still battle daily with food. I am so aware now of all the times throughout the day where I am tempted to use food as a comfort. Through the contest, I am starting to learn to change and not eat when I'm bored, excited, mad, sad, etc. I'm not perfect but I am much better.

I still feel scared that I won't make it to my goal. I worry I won't be able to maintain it. But I am hopeful. It's working so far and I really, really want to get there and stay there. It's been hard, really hard. I'm not going to lie. Having this be a contest does make it easier but there's no magic pill (that I am interested in anyways). I have to get my fanny in the gym. I have to say no to the buy one get one free Milano cookies. I have to keep right on driving past Los Rancheros. A treat now and then is ok but the majority of my decisions need to be healthy ones. No excuses, just do what needs to be done. And that is hard but I can do it and so can you. You will feel so good, I promise you!!

So, I'm getting close to pre-pregnancy weight (yeah, I know, she's 4 1/2 but I gained the same amount during the adoption as I did during pregnancy). And soon after that I'll be at wedding day weight. And so on until I reach my goal. Thankfully, my closet has clothes waiting for me. Hopefully some of them are still in style!

Join me?????