Motivate Me Monday

Sometimes presentation is everything!!

I really want to eat more beautiful fruits and vegetables this week!

Some of those did make me hungry!

Fill the plate half with veggies!

This is the final and 4th week of The 4Wk Challenge 

my 3rd week was my worse one yet- 

gained .6  :(

Cheers

Jackie

No I don't run- but Jackie does

Well as I was getting ready to clean up some magazines and paperwork at home -

like always I breeze through my magazines and save any articles I want to keep.

I came across this ad and thought of my 4Wk Challenge partner Jackie!

I know the weather has been bad for outside running and I really feel for her as we are on Week 3 and it has NOT been easy with weather and all.

How much easier would it be if the sun was shining and we didn't have to wear our winter coats?

Well- we just make adjustments. 

So this post is for Jackie- Hang in there!

Spring will show up I just know it

Here's some eye candy Jackie! 

I LOVE this outfit- Could see Jackie in this taking her kids pics 

Loft Jeans- Old Navy shirt

Had to throw this up as well.......digging the links!

Oh and the nails!

It's been so nice to know someone else out there is trying real hard these 4Wks to kick start them self like me.

I've know Jackie since we were wee girls.  Although we may have never been close friends- she is someone who would be there for you- that's a pretty amazing quality!   I'm so lucky to have a friend like Jackie- she had been there for me from before my breast cancer and during that time I know she prayed for me and it helped me SO much. 

She is truly one of those people who only gives off goodness and joy. 

4Wk Challenge Week 2 Done

Why is it that everything can't be good all at the same time.  I mean I may get my bed room organized finally and then my office area is BAD!  The laundry all done, but the sink is loaded!  My hair is done, but my eyebrows need shaping......it's never ending.  Right?

I'm having the same problem with eating and exercising.  This 2nd week was going good Monday- I had something come up with Lucas and I was able to switch my gym time around- GREAT!  Then Tuesday as I was parking for Pilates I had a fender bender in the parking lot which resulted in missing my pilates appointment....which lead to me buying some yummy peanut butter snack I should not be eating!  BUT thankfully the dogs found the bag and ate them before I did even more damage!  Ahhhhhh

So I was sometimes bad with my eating, but I made sure not to eat after 7.  I wanted to cook at least 1 low fat meal, but didn't make it.

I'm still loving my lunch bag.  This weekend I was working on moving out of my old house (still) and I packed healthy snacks which actually helped me.  I also still love my water bottle no matter how many times I leave it at the gym and have to drive back to get it.  I felt like this past week I was a scatter brain.

I did lose a pound and I'm feeling good.

Tomorrow morning I MUST get up and do my bikini workout!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I have a very busy week coming up, but I must get prepared with food and a good workout schedule.  I'm a bit nervous about it, but there are plenty of times to fit in some sort of workout I just have to do it.

I wonder how Jackie is doing- probably better than me.  I bet she got out and ran thanks to the couple of nice days we've had. 

At the gym my trainer had me do 2 new exercises and 1 I couldn't even do- I was so embarrassed and frustrated!  The other one was so hard too- something with the balance- I usually have good balance, but I did have a headache and wasn't feeling 100%.  Maybe you'd like to try these:


Bench Split Squats

Place one foot on top of a bench or physioball and the other foot forward in the split squat position. With bodyweight or dumbbells in hand squat down on one leg. The weight should be in the heel, shoulders back, chest up, and abdominals engaged. The key to this lift is to maintain perfect posture through the spine throughout the movement. Perform three sets of 10 reps each leg.

Step-Up - With a Flat Bench

Stand directly behind a flat bench. With one foot on the bench, to assume starting position, be sure to keep feet shoulder width apart. As you exhale, step up on the bench and be sure to use your quad muscle to bring your body upward. Be sure that your knee does not extend over your foot as you step on the bench. Once your body is above the bench, lower your body as your inhale and repeat the pattern with the other leg. This exercise can be done by alternating the legs on the bench or doing a set one leg at a time. For added resistance, hold a weight in each hand when performing this exercise.
My trainer was having me do this with weights, but I couldn't keep my form so we ditched them.  

Some motivational images to get me going

oh brother

4Wk Challenge Update

Well right from Day 1 of the Challenge it has been a Challenge. 
Day 1 was a Snow Day
and the rest of the week I ended up with a nasty cold.......and then came the water in the basement!

I was good about my servings of fruits and veggies, but my other stuff was hard and I didn't do so well.  It was really hard to not eat after 7 especially when we don't get home till 6:30. 

I couldn't get my butt out of bed to do my bikini workout, but i did make more of an effort to move and do a DVD when I could.  I did finally get Zumba fitness and so far I really enjoy it.  I did attempt to go to a cardio class, but then we had to work on my old house and that didn't work out.  

I did drink more water than usual and I did lose a pound or 2 so I have been watching and being more careful.  I am noticing that I did need to go down a jean size at The Loft!!!  I was wearing size 10.....now I'm down to size 6....yoo hoo.  I really need to do more this coming week.

What helped me this week?

Packing up fruit and veggies ahead of time

Having a lunch bag

My water bottle I love

Lent and thinking about Jesus and really respecting my body   

Lent also started which actually has helped me.  Sometimes I think about Jesus and everything he went through and I find it inspiring.  I also decided that during lent I would really think about what I'm putting in my body.  I want to treat my body like a temple the way I should.       

Cheers

I'm loving oranges these days!

It's Monday!

Well Monday proves that no matter what you plan - someone else may have different plans.  God threw a blanket of white snow on us!  WOW  Everything is pure and white again.

This Monday is the start of the 4wk Challenge- Mondays can be great because it's back to a schedule and the kids are at school.  Well not this Monday.  The Challenge is still on and I'm thinking of Jackie this morning as she is at home today with all 4 of her adorables!  There will be some adjustments made, but I'm sure she will be fitting in her water, fruits and veggies as hard as it may be with a full house?  You can check out Jackie's beautiful children at her blog-Jackie's Journey. 

Do kids make it easier for us to stick to something when they are around?   

Well today I am home and it may be good for me because I might get to do even more exercise than I planned- we'll see.  Lucas is home and he's pretty much easy- it's just keeping him off the TV/game that is the work for me.  The good thing about the kids is that they can give reason to go out and enjoy the show with them and get some exercise in while doing it.

Being home I should be able to cook a good dinner for all of us.

I don't how Jackie handles goodies when grocery shopping, but with a family you have to buy them goodies?  Well I do and yesterday while shopping I bought them these-

Being the brat that I am I couldn't leave the store without buying myself something for myself so I bought a box of Weight Watchers Cakes-  Here's the comparison-

Mine is WAY cuter- right?  lol

That's how I handle goodies!

   
Rain -- Snow -- or Shine.....we will plow through our Challenge today.

Go Maggie Go

Good Luck today Jackie!

4 Week Challenge - Ready Set Go!

OK- I got 1 email -YEAH!

I'm super excited so I'm going to get right down to it!

Here is my before:

(no Karl is NOT doing the Challege)

I love his butt picture below. 

lol 

Oh my goodness- ugh.

My exercise goals are I will get up 6 mornings a week to do Bikini Ready Fast - I choose that because it claims results in 4wks. 

I will also do every night- a 20minute YogaBooty or YogaAb before bed along with my 8min abs. 

AND I will also commit to Cardio 4x a week- choices being kettle bell, step, zumba or cardio machine.  This seems like a lot, but we're only going for 4wks so I think it's gonna be good.

I know I'm going to run into problems with giving up couch/bed time - I hate to do it BUT it's only 4wks!

My MOTO is "You have to Pay to Play"  I know that if I want to have a decent vacation in the sun I need to really work on getting my self looking and feeling good.

Food goals- I will commit to Fruit and Veggies- 4 servings a day.  No eating after 7pm- only water or tea.  I'm going to journal all my food.  Again no eating after 7- really hard if I plan to go out or something.  I'm gonna need help with that one.  

My dear classmate and friend from way back Jackie is also doing the Challenge 

Here's her before:

My fitness plan: to complete some type of workout everyday... and try to get out and run 3-4 miles at least 4 X a week for now.....

tone up and firm up!!!

My food plan: to eat better throughout the day.... I am bad... I tend to not eat regular meals during the day.... I don't eat anything until afternoon and then it's just something quick to snack on. I want to eat ONLY fresh fruits, veggies or a yogurt during the day... and then a good healthy dinner..... I am thinking if I eat better throughout the day... I will be able to sustain myself and feel more energized!!! And this is a BIG one.. I need to drink more water. This is so beneficial to everyone... but I am supposed to REALLY stay hydrated w/ water... I had kidney surgery 2 years ago and this is something I am really supposed to make sure I do to make sure that kidney of mine stays healthy... drink LOTS of water... and I have really neglected doing that.

Monday it's on!