Week - 15 - Saturday - Ladies Night Out

Good Morning everyone,

The men in our life group went to Promise Keepers last night and today so the wives decided to have a ladies night out. We had dinner at Olive Garden and then went to see The Devil Wears Prada. I enjoyed spending time with the ladies so much. It is so great to have friends to share with and just be with! We were able to relax and just enjoy ourselves. No husbands, no children. Man that felt good!

I've had a really good week with exercise and my eating, but I've only lost 3.5lbs in 2 weeks. I'm trying not to get frustrated because I have been losing that in a week. But never fear, I'm not giving up, even if I've slowed down a bit.

Week - 15 - Thursday - Leslie Pair

We had a great speaker tonight at our Tanner weekly meeting! Leslie is a personal trainer for Gold's Gym in Carrollton as well as does training from her home and in clients' homes.

The topic for tonight was "being STUCK!" Leslie was such an incredible motivator. She encouraged VARIETY, VARIETY, VARIETY and when you are stuck add a little more. She said if you were walking add interval training using the mailbox concept. When yhou get to a mailbox go a bit harder and when you get to the next go back to your normal pace. She asked each of us how we were working out and gave encouragement to everyone. She really encouraged me to keep going and not to give up, even when it seems nothing is going on. Make mini changes and it really can be effective.

GO GREEN TEAM - all of our team was there tonight listening to this motivation. Green Team - lets take this and run with it. Lets immediately use this high and lose some weight & inches for August 10th.

Time for Bed! 5:00 comes awfully early.

Week - 15 - Wednesday - Great Morning Walk

Hello everyone. So sorry I've been bad about the blog these past 2 weeks. I'm still on the wagon and all is going well.

Janine and I have been walking at least 3 or 4 mornings a week at 5:15am and that is going well. The one morning this week we did not walk I went to the gym instead! I am also still working out at the gym in the evenings as well. It was a great morning to walk today. It was finally a bit cool and it felt great!

My trainer David stopped me last night as I was starting my workout and was giving me a few pointers and ideas to change things up and I really appreciate that. He said he had noticed weekly changes in me and that really made me feel good. His encouragement was exactly what I needed to hear last night. Thanks David! It is amazing how everytime I'm a bit frustrated or discouraged God throws someone in my path to keep me going! Thanks God! I really had a good workout last night and it felt good! What a stress reliever.

Don't forget to check out the Tanner Website (link to the right) and see all of the contestants month 3 reports. We are all doing well and each one of us has already won. I enjoy going to the meetings to see the changes in each person. It is amazing and exciting and it inspires me to keep going.

Week 14 - Tuesday - Warm Swim

Well, I decided to ditch the gym tonight and go swimming with Emily. She has been wanting to go for a while and we have not had time so I promised her we'd go. We had a good time racing across the pool, giggling, hearing all about cheerleading. She can almost do her back handspring on the floor and they are learning to do aerials. She said it is tons of fun. I am worn out now after having Em hang all over me at the pool. We had a good time.

I'm still tired and need to catch up on my sleep. Barry gave me a bed time of 9:30 wich is in 24 minutes and I've got to go get all my stuff together for tomorrow. Janine and I are walking in the morning.

Week - 14 - Monday - Sleepy

Good Morning!

Janine and I continued our 5:15am walking this morning after a break over the weekend. I did not get into the bed last night till after 11 so I'm a bit tired. I worked on my house for 4 hours on Saturday and then probably 1.5 hours yesterday and I feel like I've made little progress. It is incredibly frustrating trying to get it all done, be an attentive mom, wife, focus on my weight loss, keep my house in barely function order, wash clothes (which I might add I did not have time for yet this weekend), yard work and workout. It can be very overwhelming!!!! How do people do it well and still have time left over without paying someone to help? I feel like I have 3 full time jobs right now and I am not rating well on any of them. I get so overwhelmed I don't want to do any of it! I am so tired today- Mentally and physically.

Enough feeling sorry for myself! I actually was able to shop yesterday while Emily was at a birthday party at the mall. I bought a pair of slacks (2 sizes smaller), 2 shirts and a sleeveless sweater all for $50.29. I was pretty proud of that. I've even already gotten a compliment on my shirt this morning and it is only 8:19am.

Week 13 - Thursday - Weigh-in #3 (HALF WAY)

Last night we had weigh-in #3. I was really nervous because I wanted to do well and it has been a long month with Barry travelling 2 of the weeks which meant less exercise for me. I was certain I had lost very few inches too and I did not want to disappoint anyone.

Before we found many inches we had lost we each had to put on the Fat Vest. In the vest they added the weight we had already lost. I was amazed (pictures hopefully coming soon - I forgot my camera) at what an increditble difference it was. No wonder I feel better! That was a huge motivator to keep me going and to show me how far I've come. It was so heavy I pulled my ankle a bit and almost cried from the difference it really made. Thanks Kelly - what an awesome idea!

Then we had to do a team challenge. We had to do a wall squat and stay there. The team to go the longest won. I have to admit I was the first one down. Let me know I've still got a long way to go!

First number is for this month next number is total the for 3 months.

Weight Lost

10.40 lbs - 29.00 lbs

Inches Lost:
Bust 2.00 - 6.00
Waist 4.50 - 8.00
Hips 3.00 - 5.50
Thigh .25 - 3.25
Bicep 1.00 - 1.50
TOTAL 10.75 - 24.25

Percentage Weight Lost
3.96% - 11.06%
Percentage Inches Lost
5.91% - 12.81%
Total Percentage Lost
9.87% - 23.87%

Week -13 - Wednesday - Early Morning Walk

I finally did something this morning that I have been wanting to do for a while. I got up at 5:00AM and went for a walk with Raven. Of course, the only reason I actually got out of bed was because I met Janine at the driveway to walk. Had I not committed to her I would have been still snoozing and calling and waking up her house was not an option! I'm glad I had her to hold me accountable! It is so much easier having someone walk with you. We talked and walked for 40 minutes solid! I had no idea it was that hot that early in the morning and we were back home before I knew it. I was hot, sticky and out of breath, but I would have been happy to keep on going. I've also had a great day so far too. I've been very productive and happy. A bit sleepy too!

Just one day till weigh-in~ OH MY!

Week 13 - Tuesday - Friends

Have I told ya'll lately how much I appreciated you? You guys put up with me talking about workouts, worrying about weigh-ins, listen to me talk about what I am eating and put up with me every day when I show you how loose my pants are getting. I could not do this without ya'll. Thank you very much!

I have been concentrating on the outside for 3 months now and I had a 4 year old boy this week at church make me a picture and his mom told me he made it for the prettiest lady he knew with the gold hair. I was incredibly flattered! I knew he was sincere and children do not focus as much on the outside like we do. He really made me feel great! It also reminded me how much children do pay attention to those around them, even those people that they only see a few minutes each week! Watch out - you may be influencing a child! Ooops - back to the subject - I don't want to be so focused on the outside that I forget about the in.

I'm excited, Janine and I are going walking in the morning at 5:15 am! I usually start my day alone until I get to work so it will be nice to spend time with a friend, exercise and laugh a bit! Of course I may be calling someone on the way home tomorrow to keep me awake since it is now 10:15pm. I suppose I should head to bed! Good Night!

Oh yeah - Tammy - congrats on the car. You are going to love it!

Week 12 - Wednesday - BOOOM!

We had a great time last night shooting off fireworks with Janine & Kurt. I had no idea grown men could giggle like little girls until I saw them with those fireworks. It was great to see. The kids absolutely loved it.

I promised pictures of Maris - What a cutie she is!














This is neice number 3 for me!

If ya'll have not tried the Margaritaville products you are missing out. The shrimp is awesome and tonight we had the BBQ Chicken and it was outstanding! I really enjoyed it! Yum yum.

Oh yeah, I am down 25.5 lbs according to my scale at home. Yippeee

Week 11 - New Addition - Maris Bria Hopper

My sister finally had her daughter this morning at 3:30am! She weighed in at 8lbs 9.5oz. What a sweety she is too. We went up this afternoon to see her and she is doing great and Becky & Kevin are proud parents. I took a few pictures that I will post later. Emily was especially fascinated with her and would have held her all day if we had let her, even though I knew her arms were getting tired.

Week 11 - Saturday - He's Back

Yeah, Barry is back from all of his traveling. I'm happy that he is home!

I also met with the Dietician, Melissa, this week. It was exciting to hear her say I was doing well. She encouraged me to choose a wider variety of foods as well as not to be afraid to try something new. She changed my protein from 160 perday to 140 and my carbs from 120 to 140. Hopefully all will be well and I'll continue to lose weight.