I had so much fun challenging myself to the Tone It Up #150bysummer goal (I exceeded it by 5 miles and logged 155 miles) that I didn’t want to see it end right when summer is just starting.
For me, summer is the time that I get in lots of daily workouts, because:
it’s something I can do by myself or with friends
it gets me outdoors enjoying the beautiful weather
it’s very inexpensive
it fills my time off in a very productive way
I love the way I feel while/after I’m working out
This morning on FB, Kandis TIU, who is a huge supporter of the entire TIU Community, made an adorable chart for tracking our cardio miles. She purposely made it blank at the top so that we could edit it and use it for our own purposes. So, I thought I’d put out a summer challenge that we can all do together.
Bella’s Summer Challenge: #150byBacktoSchool
The way the TIU miles work is simple. If you can count miles, like when you’re walking or running, do that. If you’re biking, you’re supposed to divide your mileage by 3 (so if you biked for 12 miles, you’d only count 4 miles into your totals). If you’re doing a class or some other form of cardio, 1 mile = 10 minutes of intense cardio.
Since I was able to do 155 miles in the 8 weeks of the Bikini Series (and that was with me taking about a week and a half off), I figured we should all be able to log 150 miles in the 8 weeks between now and the time I go back to school, August 15th (my first teacher workday). I’ll be using Instagram/Twitter to keep myself accountable, using the hashtags: #150byBacktoSchool and #BellasSummerChallenge. Be sure to tag me @bellablogger on Instagram or Twitter so that I can see how well you’re doing. And because I love incentives, I’ll be doing a small giveaway for the people who log the most miles/check in often.
Use the chart above and mark off your miles each day, along with a pic of you doing the activity, and a cool quote, if you’d like. My favorite apps to jazz up photos are Rhonna Designs, A Beautiful Mess, and InstaPic Frames. I’ll post my favorites each week on this blog, along with my totals so far so that we can encourage each other.
I’ve been so excited to write this post, and couldn’t wait to find a few spare moments to do it. The week before last, the POPSugar MustHave Box for June arrived on my doorstep. As a POPSugar Select Blogger, I love getting perks like this!
One of the best things about subscribing to the POPSugar MustHave Boxes is that excitement of not knowing exactly what you’re going to get, but knowing that the box is going to be filled with things you’re going to love. This box for June completely exceeded any expectations I had.
My eyes popped as soon as I opened the paper and revealed Emily Giffin’s newest novel, The One and Only! This has been on my To Read list on Goodreads for months, and to have it as the first thing I saw in the June box was a great way to begin the unveiling! Giffin’s writing is engaging and easy, perfect for a summer beach book.
Next up were these sassy, lemon-scented wet wipes from You Smell soap. I haven’t tried them yet, but I think they’re going to be a really refreshing way to clean up on the go. I have them in my “on the go” bag in the trunk of my Beetle convertible, so they’ll be ready when I need them.
This next item is my favorite of the whole box. I’d never heard of SachaJuan before, but after using this body lotion, I have found my go to scent for summer. (I wish they made a body spritz or perfume!). This Shiny Citrus scent is so clean and light, and has notes of jasmine and grapefruit. The lotion itself is a thin consistency so that it sinks into the skin quickly, and doesn’t leave you feeling “gloppy.” I love it! So much so that the shower gel is on my birthday wishlist. This product is a great example of why I like the POPSugar MustHave boxes – I discovered something that I absolutely adore, and would’ve never found on my own.
The Turkish Towel was the next item I unwrapped from the box, and I actually used it last Friday when I went to the movies. This towel is great because you can use it double-duty. It’s a good size for lying at the beach, on a picnic, etc, but it’s so pretty that it works well as a wrap on a breezy summer night. Which is exactly how I used it on Friday. The weight is perfect to throw over your shoulders, and the color is so pretty, and goes well with lots of outfits. This is another item I popped into my “on the go” bag so that I’m ready for whatever adventures this summer brings.
Since I’m still on a weight loss journey and don’t really indulge in potato chips, I shared this bag with my nieces, who absolutely loved them. My sister liked that they were all natural. When I saw these lollies hair ties in the MustHave box, it was like POPSugar had read my mind. I really needed some new pretty ones, now that my hair is finally long enough to pull back in a ponytail. These are so perfect for workouts, bike rides, or anytime I want to get my hair out of my face. I already have one in my makeup bag and one in the “one the go” bag. Last but not least, there was a $15 voucher from Native Union, which sells “geeky gadgetry.”
This POPSugar MustHave box was filled with so many goodies, and definitely well worth the price of a subscription. If you’d like to get it for yourself, I can offer readers my special POPSugar Select Blogger coupon code to get $10 off of a 3-month subscription. Here are the coupon details:
Code: JUNESELECT10
Type: Save $10 on a 3-month subscription
End Date: 6/30/14
Let me know in the comments which item you’re most looking forward to!
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Disclaimer: POPSUGAR provided me with a complimentary POPSUGAR Must Have box. The opinions I have shared about the box are my own and POPSUGAR did not tell me what to say or how to say it.
I want to apologize for disappearing from the blog without any warning. It wasn’t my intention, but life just got so hectic there at the end. The end of this school year seemed especially busy for some reason. But it all turned out fantastically well, and I’m so happy to be enjoying Day 2 of summer vacation. I have so much to update that I almost don’t know where to start. I guess I’ll do a bit of a weekend update, and then take it from there.
Friday was my last teacher workday, which is always a nice, easy way to end the school year. I was out of there by noon, and then spent the next several hours vegging out on the couch. My sister and I went to go see The Fault in Our Stars, which I really enjoyed. I loved the book, and the movie did a great job with staying true to it. The actor playing Augustus Waters was phenomenal. It was a great way to kick off the summer.
Saturday was all about sprucing up my yards. My dad came over at 9am, and he and I worked until 3:30, stopping only briefly at 2pm to eat a quick lunch.
We started off transplanting groundcover from the backyard to the front. This plant grows prodigiously, so I thought it would be a great way to thin out the backyard groundcover and fill in some spaces in my front yard. It worked really well, and once it settles in and takes root, it will look great. I’m not sure if it shows up, but this plant has tiny hot pink flowers that bloom during the summer. (That bush in the middle of the photo was already there – I’d purchased those back in April to replace two diseased bushes that I’d had the gardeners remove. Even though I’m a renter, I don’t mind purchasing this kind of thing to make the house look good, because I get a lot of enjoyment out of a pretty yard. Plus, I can dig the bushes up if I ever move).
Next, my dad and I headed to OSH to buy hoses, sprayers, planters, spliters, potting soil, etc. You can see the soaker hose (black hose) in the photo above. $153 later, we had plenty of essentials. Once the groundcover grows a bit more it will hide the hose, which will look better. The soaker hose is cool because you can turn it on and leave it for 10 minutes and it slowly waters the groundcover. After OSH, we headed to Summerwinds, the best nursery in our area. I bought lots of full sun annuals and flowers for the hanging pots I’d bought on a whim at OSH ($77). Before we headed home we realized we had nothing to hang the pots I’d bought, so we made a quick pit stop in Ace to buy chain, light bulbs (a few bulbs had blown out that I needed my dad’s help to reach), and some hooks to hang the pots ($35). Whew! My summer garden was going to look beautiful, but it was expensive, at $265! Much of that expense was the planters and hoses/sprayers, all of which I can keep, so it doesn’t make me feel quite as bad. Plus, I consider this a gift to myself every summer, because I’ll spend my entire vacation (and beyond) enjoying the way my yards look.
When we got back, it was time to get to planting. Sofi absolutely loved that my dad and I were in the backyard, playing in the dirt. LOL. We started with the terra cotta planter, because that was going in the front yard, and I wanted it to look perfect. The inspiration for all of this planting were these pots that my parents surprised me with when I got back from Hawaii:
My mom had found the planters when she was out shopping, and from there it became a family affair. My dad found the cement tiles to anchor them to, my niece picked out the Martha Washington geraniums, and my dad planted them. When I got home and saw them, I was so happy! I knew I needed to fill in the dirt (with the groundcover from the backyard), and move my huge terra cotta planter from the back to the front.
I love the way the terra cotta planter turned out! I found this great ficus ivy for the front, which will eventually hang down. I knew I wanted big blooms, and when my dad found those large zinnias, I knew they would be perfect. I can’t wait for it to fill in.
I hated the hose I had in the front yard, because it was really inflexible and always kinked up. The hose holder was also falling off the wall, so it was time to replace all of that, especially since we were buying the soaker hose and splitter anyway.
I had no idea you could even put a splitter on a hose. My dad knows so many tricks!
I love the black scroll work on this hose holder, and I really like that the hose blends into the background. They only had a 50-foot hose in this color, so I have way more hose than I need. My dad said we could cut the hose to make it the length I want, so that’ll be a mini project for another day.
Now the front looks really good:
The only thing I want to add are some small solar lights, because I think they’ll look really nice and add the perfect bit of twinkle.
Now it was time to tackle all the pots for the backyard. If money was no object, all of the my planters in the back would be terra cotta, too, but since I have other things I want to buy this summer, I’m using these plastic planters that mimic terra cotta. They look sort of cheap, but they’re okay for now. Eventually I’ll replace them. I think the backyard looks really happy now:
These sun-loving annuals are bright and happy, and I love the mix of colors. They go well with my roses and my hydrangeas, which are looking so pretty:
I’d had this New Guinea impatien in one of the other pots, but moved it to this great watering can planter in a shady spot of the garden. We had a couple flowers left over, so I planted them in with my mint plant.
The impulse purchase yesterday were these hanging pots. My sister has a couple of hanging pots in her back patio, and I really like the way they looked. And then when we were at OSH yesterday, I saw these planters, and fell in love. They were pricey, at $17.99 each, but I knew I was going to splurge on them, because they’d add so much to my patio. I absolutely love the way they turned out, and can’t wait for them to grow and start falling over the edges of the pots.
All in all, it was a long, tiring day, but very worth it for the end product. I definitely want to have lots of people over this summer, so that everyone can enjoy the beauty of this garden.
Sunday my plan is to go on a 2- or 3-mile walk with my mom this morning at 8:30, and then spend the rest of the day cleaning the house. It is in desperate need of a major cleaning. I’m talking top to bottom and every room in between. I let it go over the past month, and I want to start out the summer with a clean house. One thing I love about summertime is that once the house is clean, I can tackle cleaning it a bit at a time – bathrooms one day, floors another, dusting a different day. Once it’s spotless, keeping up with it isn’t a big deal, and insures that the house always looks immaculate. My reward for all the hard work in store today is going to be a bit of a binge watch of Orange is the New Black. I’ve watched the first episode of Season 2 already, but I love watching a bunch of them in a row, so that’s the plan for later this evening.
All in all, I’m starting summer in wonderful way – beautifying the house and gardens.
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I have a bunch of blog posts swirling in my head, so get ready for an onslaught of writing from me over the next few days:
getting back on track with my food & exercise routine
PopSugar MustHave Box reveal/review
20-mile bike ride adventure
Diamond Head hike adventure (yes, two months later!)
As you guys know, I’ve been loving the ToneItUp‘s workouts since mid-January. I’ve done them 5 days a week, every week since I began, only missing while I was on vacation in Hawaii. (If you haven’t checked them out, I highly recommend you do. It’s completely free, and they have a fun community, full of supportive, motivating people who cheer on every workout you post about).
They’re about to launch their new #bikiniseries this coming Monday, which will run for 8 weeks, until the official start of summer. Karena and Katrina put so much into the daily workouts they design, and the best part is, the whole thing is free. All you need to do is sign up for the #bikiniseries and you’ll get reminder emails, weekly workouts, fun giveaways, yummy recipes, contests, etc.
I like the approach that Tone It Up takes toward living a healthy lifestyle. Not only do they include workouts and nutrition, but they also concentrate on mindset. Take yesterday’s challenge, for example:
The challenge asked participants to create their own summer must-do list. Beyond workouts and eating right, what were things that we wanted to make sure to fit in this summer? I loved this! Any time I can make a list and get creative with my summer plans, I’m all for it! As a teacher, lots of people ask me, what do you do all summer long? My answer is always the same – anything I want to! 🙂 This summer, I really want to concentrate on enjoying each and every day. I didn’t include all of my plans on my list, but I did include most of the things I’m hoping to do:
The photo I used is one that was taken for me by a Danish tourist while I was riding my bike at Kailua Beach on Oahu. She worried that I would be upset that so much of it was in the shadows, but I assured her that I actually liked the way it turned out. It was the perfect photo to use for this assignment because it has an artsy feel right off the bat. I like the way I’m in silhouette with the bike, but the ocean and the beach are in the bright sun in the background.
I thought I’d elaborate a bit on each of these summer plans…
Mid-morning swims: One of my favorite parts of summer is being able to swim at the pool at my parents’ townhouse complex. More often than not, if I get there by 10:30 or 11, I have the entire place to myself, and I’m free to swim laps to my heart’s content. Sometimes my dad and I meet there and swim together, and it’s a nice way for us to connect with each other as we update each other on the latest family happenings while we’re drying off in the sun. It’s also a great time for me to be alone with my thoughts and just let go of all worries and stress. Swimming really soothes me, and I can’t wait to start my almost-daily swims.
Daily doses of laughter: Whether it’s retelling a funny story, joking with my nieces, or watching Sofi do something goofy, I want to appreciate all the little moments of laughter that are part of my daily life this summer. Laughter is good for the soul and the spirit, and I want to make sure I’m enjoying it all the time.
Hawaii-themed party: Since I had such a fun time in Hawaii, I figured it would be fun to have a party with a Hawaiian theme. I’m still deciding if I’ll combine it with a Silpada party that I’m planning to have, or if it will be more of a traditional party. Either way, I have plenty of fun outfits to choose from.
Coffee chats: I live really close to Starbucks (doesn’t everyone?!), so close in fact, that I can walk there with ease. It’s become a habit with three or four of my friends that we meet up there and catch up about all that’s going on in our lives. It’s the perfect place to get together because I can get a calorie-free passion iced tea, or a caffeine kick with an iced cinnamon dolce misto. As far as I’m concerned, coffee is the perfect drink any time of day, so it fits well with a more carefree summer schedule.
SF (and SJ) Giants games: I love supporting my Giants, and plan to go to as many games as I can afford to this summer. One that I know I’ll go to is the Italian Night at the Giants, where a really large group of family and friends all get together. It’s so much fun! The tickets at AT&T Park are expensive, so lately my friends and I have been opting to go to the SJ Giants games. Not only are they ridiculously inexpensive (less than $10 per game), but they’re a lot of fun. Very family-friendly, with lots of activities for the kids to participate in between innings. My friend Di and I are even signing up to do the Giant 5K, which gets us into the game the evening of the race. I’m actually going to an SJ Giants game this Friday with my sister and nieces, which will be tons of fun. Bring on the baseball!!
Going on dates!: I’m actually really looking forward to this one. Assuming of course there are men to go on dates with. I was only on Match.com for about 2 months back in November/December, and I have to say, I was pretty underwhelmed. I got lots of winks, emails, and nudges, but when it came time for the guys to just make the move and ask for my number so we could move it to the next level of texting/talking on the phone and then hopefully soon afterward meeting up, they never pulled the trigger. Even when I directly said, “here’s my number, I’d love to figure out a time for us to meet up for coffee or something.” They disappeared quick. I’m not one to go into a long and drawn out relationship online via email, or text, for that matter. If you’re interested, you think I’m cute, you want to get to know me better, then let’s do that – let’s meet up and see if we hit it off. Because we can have all the chemistry in the world online, we won’t know if we’re really going to be attracted to each other until we meet up. I’m hoping that this time of year will be easier to connect than it was around the holidays. One of the major takeaways I had from my trip to Hawaii was that I’m really ready to be in a relationship, even a more casual one. Hopefully I have a bit of romance in store this summer.
Leash-free beach trips: Last summer I had a blast taking Sofi to a lesser-known beach where she could run off leash. We have the best time when we go – she loves running along the shore, but is afraid to get too close to the water, so I don’t have to worry much about the waves taking her. We both get in a great walk, we get some sunshine, and I get to read and relax. What could be better? Besides just that particular dog-friendly beach, I also hope to hit the other local beaches often this summer.
Long walks w/ Sofi: I take Sofi on walks almost every single day, but in the summer it’s so nice to be able to wake up and take a nice, long walk before the temperature heats up too much. I love exploring all the different streets around my neighborhood with Sofi. She loves when I find new places for our walks, so that’s definitely on my to-do summer list.
Reading: I’m not off to the best start so far this year in terms of my reading goal on Goodreads, but I did get quite a bit of reading time in when I was on vacation in Hawaii. My goal for the summer is to fit in at least an hour a day of reading time. I enjoy reading so much, and I want to make it a priority during the time of year when I have so few responsibilities pulling my focus from the things I enjoy.
Riding roller coasters: This is a huge one for me! It will definitely be its own blog post when it happens because it will be a major NSV. I love going on roller coasters – the wilder and faster the better. I haven’t been on one in I can’t even remember how long because of the time that I got on one and almost had to get off because the safety bar wasn’t going to close. I pleaded with the kid running the ride to let me stay on it, and he did. After that I only got bigger and knew that roller coaster were way out of reach. I didn’t ever want to risk the embarrassment of being asked to get off before I was able to ride the ride. So, this summer I plan on going to Great America and the Santa Cruz Boardwalk to ride as many roller coasters as I can. Can’t wait!!
Family BBQs: I love grilling any day of the week, but getting together with my family and friends and sharing a meal as easy as BBQing is something really look forward to. Sometimes it’s as simple as bringing my meat over to their house for an impromptu BBQ; other times it’s a more planned affair, like for Father’s Day or 4th of July. Either way, I can’t wait to fire up the grill and get cooking!
Cocktails: Summertime is a great time to relax and let go a bit. While I usually only drink on special occasions because the alcohol has empty calories, there is something to be said for enjoying a nice glass of white wine or a Swirl (local peeps will know what time talking about) with friends. Any afternoon or evening becomes more of a celebration when you add a cocktail.
Bike rides: I love riding my cruiser around, and now that more of my friends have bikes, too, I hope to get out and go on rides all summer long. Half Moon Bay, Morgan Hill, and everywhere in between. I love the freedom I feel when I’m riding my bike, the sun shining on my face, the wind in my hair. There’s nothing in the world like it.
Backyard lounging: I have this great Adirondack chair that I bought a few years ago that’s nicely weathered now. I adore sitting in it and enjoying the peace and serenity of my backyard. Looking at the garden and seeing the flowers and trees. Watching Sofi cavorting in the grass. Reading, listening to music, or just trying to keep cool on a warm night. Sounds perfect to me.
There are a lot more things I could add to my list, but I’ll save those up until I have enough to create an entirely new one. This was such a fun exercise, and I’m really glad the Tone It Up girls gave this assignment. It put me in a great mood and gave me some inspiration to get through these last weeks of my school year.
Now that you’ve read my list of how I’m going to create my summer, I’d like to challenge you to write your own list. Either in the comments or by joining the TIU challenge. Post a pic on Instagram with your list. Tweet about it. Write your own blog post. It was a fun activity that really put me in the mindset to enjoy myself this summer, and I can’t wait to read about your plans.
Summer’s here! Which means that fun in the sun is a daily way of life. Getting outside and getting active is easy, and it’s on my agenda for each and every day this summer. Being on summer vacation means I don’t have any of the workaday responsibilities that can get in the way of my plans. Now that I’ve had the VSG surgery, achieving my weight loss goals is only a matter of time, and this summer is going to be HOT. Sunday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the weekend, and will give me a positive goal to begin each new week. I’m not on a diet, I’m establishing a lifestyle – my new life. My Sunday progress updates will be called Sizzlin’ Summer Weigh-Ins.
Week 11 marks the last week of summer (for me). Starting tomorrow, I’ll be at school everyday getting my room/curriculum ready, attending teacher development meetings, and getting back to the swing of school. I tried to make the most of this last week, and had a great time at the beach with Sofi on Friday (check out my Instagram to see the photos). I also gave it my all with my workouts this week, but I’ll go into that in a bit. First things first…
So, how’s the scale looking?
I weighed in this morning at 241.0, which is a loss of 0.2 pounds this week, and a loss of 36 lbs since surgery!!! I’ve lost a total of 74 pounds from my highest weight. I am disappointed that my weight has basically stalled this week. It’s not for lack of effort in eating or in working out. There are a few other factors at work here – I have my period for the 2nd time this month (my hormones are going crazy with this quick weight loss) and I’ve lost consistently for 11 straight weeks post op, plus the 38 lbs I lost pre-op. I shouldn’t be surprised at this stall – everyone else I know who’s had WLS hits a stall at some point or other. Most people hit theirs around the 3rd or 4th week, so I guess I’m lucky that I’m hitting mine at 11 weeks. One thing I’m not going to do is freak out. I know this is temporary, and that I will turn it around. I’m just looking at it like my body is taking a well-deserved rest.
What’s not taking a rest is my workout schedule. This week I went to vinyasa yoga with my sister, tried C25K, continued with the 30-Day Squat Challenge daily, kept working out on with my hybrid trainer, went to my first Zumba class since surgery, and walked along the ocean with Sofi. I took two rest days, which I think are going to become more and more important as school begins. The main thing is, I enjoyed my workouts, and making them fun is how I keep at them. I’m even beginning to look forward to them and miss them on my off days. I love this fitness person I’ve become.
My food was on point this week, too. I’ve been making sure to get in at least 60-75g of protein, as my program recommends. I’m also trying to keep my carbs low – around 50-60g. My calories are right around 800. I see other WLS peeps on MFP who get in 80g+ of protein, which I find amazing. Normally, my instinct would be to make some sort of change in my diet if I didn’t see numbers I liked on the scale, but I’m not going to do that this time. I know I’m doing everything right, and I like the mix of protein, veggies, fruits, and carbs that I’ve been eating. I think this is real progress for me.
The challenge of the upcoming week is going to be keeping up with the routine I’ve built this summer now that my schedule will be much more impacted with school. I know I can do it. It’s going to be about not letting myself slack on workouts, even as the days get busy. Working out is, at most, an hour or so out of my day, and I know I can make it a priority.
Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!
Summer’s here! Which means that fun in the sun is a daily way of life. Getting outside and getting active is easy, and it’s on my agenda for each and every day this summer. Being on summer vacation means I don’t have any of the workaday responsibilities that can get in the way of my plans. Now that I’ve had the VSG surgery, achieving my weight loss goals is only a matter of time, and this summer is going to be HOT. Sunday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the weekend, and will give me a positive goal to begin each new week. I’m not on a diet, I’m establishing a lifestyle – my new life. My Sunday progress updates will be called Sizzlin’ Summer Weigh-Ins.
Week 10 was busy! I was out and about with friends, working out on my new hybrid elliptical/recumbent bike, spending time with family, participating in the 30-Day Squat Challenge, and just enjoying these last days of summer. I’m trying to pack as much fun into these remaining weeks as I can. Which is not to say that the fun ends once school begins, because I have lots of fun things planned for after school starts back up. Plus, I’ve learned how to balance work and life and enjoy myself as much as possible each day.
So, how’s the scale looking?
I weighed in this morning at 241.2, which is a loss of 2.2 pounds this week, and a loss of 35.8 lbs since surgery!!! I’ve lost a total of 73.8 pounds from my highest weight. My reaction to this week’s loss is mixed. I’m really thrilled that I’ve lost 35 pounds in the 10 weeks since surgery. I cannot remember the last time I lost 35 pounds in 10 weeks, so that’s really impressive, especially for a person who has struggled on the scale like me. But on the other side, I put in so much work this week in exercise, and ate so well (high protein, low carbs, plenty of water), that I expected to see a bigger loss on the scale. But I do have to say, I have never hit a stall since my surgery, which is not something most people can say. I’ve consistently lost weight for 10 weeks, and even though each week’s loss is a bit less than I’d like, I’m still really happy with my overall result.
I think the NSVs are even more exciting right now. I’ve gone through my entire closet twice this summer, the most recent time was on Friday. I’ve collected 5 huge, black garbage bags full of clothes to donate, all of which are too big. Friday I was trying on clothes for school, and I’m such a dork that I’ve already picked out my outfits for each day of the first week of school. 🙂 I’m really liking the way the clothes are looking on me now, and while it’s sad to say goodbye to some of my favorite outfits that are literally falling off my body, I’m looking forward to adding to the wardrobe eventually and filling it with new outfits in a much, much smaller size. (I’m really straining myself not to give into my inner shopaholic and buy some new clothes for school. I have plenty of outfits for now, and I really want to resist buying too many pieces that are just going to get too big very quickly).
These Bermuda shorts/pedal pushers have been tucked away in my closet for over 5 years, because I’ve been too big to fit them. Well, I tried them on yesterday, and they fit! And that top used to be too tight around my hips for me to wear, but it’s swimming on me now (I’m not sure if you can tell how billowy it is in the picture).
I keep telling myself that it’s OK if I repeat outfits in order to conserve fashion funds for the time when they really count – when I get closer to goal. In the past I’ve really overstuffed my closet full of clothes, so much so that I could go over a month and a half without repeating an outfit for school. Which is cool and all, but not as much as a priority for me right now. Plus, not buying new clothes until it’s absolutely necessary, like when they’re falling off of me, is going to make me get creative with the way I put outfits together, so I’m going to take it on as a challenge.
Summer’s coming to a screeching halt at an alarming pace! The week after this one I have to be back for registration, teacher development days, and the first teacher workday. And then on August 19th the kiddos return and we have the first day of school. It’s all coming up so quickly. But I’m excited to get back. This year is sure to be the best yet, for so many reasons.
But before that school bell rings, I have this last true week. Minus Monday, where I’ll be at school all day for various meetings. I have lots of fun planned, including a midday walk with my sister at Shoreline Lake Park, an Italian-heritage SF Giants game with the extended family and some friends, and a tapas party at my parents’ house. Among a few other fitness-related items that I’ll blog about as I complete them. I’m bound and determined to make this week one to remember!
Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!
Summer’s here! Which means that fun in the sun is a daily way of life. Getting outside and getting active is easy, and it’s on my agenda for each and every day this summer. Being on summer vacation means I don’t have any of the workaday responsibilities that can get in the way of my plans. Now that I’ve had the VSG surgery, achieving my weight loss goals is only a matter of time, and this summer is going to be HOT. Sunday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the weekend, and will give me a positive goal to begin each new week. I’m not on a diet, I’m establishing a lifestyle – my new life. My Sunday progress updates will be called Sizzlin’ Summer Weigh-Ins.
Week 9 is in the books, and I’ve got to say, it was like a week of Wednesdays: not as bad as a Monday, but not as exciting as a Friday or Saturday. Just kinda meh. But all weeks can’t be birthday weeks + the 4th of July, right? It was just that nothing was particularly thrilling about the week, but it wasn’t a bad week, either. Just so so. Then again, it was a week that I was on vacation, got to decide what I wanted to do, and didn’t have a lot of responsibilities, so I really can’t complain.
So, how’s the scale looking?
I weighed in this morning at 243.4, which is a loss of 2.6 pounds this week, and a loss of 33.6 lbs since surgery!!! I’ve lost a total of 71.6 pounds from my highest weight. The loss this week is fine, but I know I could’ve done better. I didn’t really push myself in my workouts this week, and there were a couple of days that I didn’t get all my water and/or vitamins in. I didn’t have any missteps per se, but as I said before, it was just sort of a blah week.
But the week ahead is sure to be anything but blah. I’ve got some fun activities planned, including today’s walk with FaveCousin at Shoreline Lake Park. The park has a 5-mile loop, so I’ll definitely hit my 10,000 steps today, not to mention taking in the gorgeous views and catching up with FC. I have quite a few other fun things going on this week, but I’ll save those for future posts.
Even though I didn’t do anything to make this week more than ordinary, something pretty extraordinary happened – I’ve lost over 70 pounds. I’m really proud of myself! I feel so far from that frustrated woman who didn’t know how she could get herself out of the cycle of losing and gaining the same 3 pounds. The desperation and frustration I felt then was quelled only by my own determination. No matter how hard it was for me, I never lost hope, I never doubted my ability to get here. Here. In a quiet week where nothing significant was marked on the calendar. Here, where progress photos are showing major changes. Here, in the present where all that past perseverance paid off.
What I’m learning in this journey is that there will be weeks that are just ok when nothing particularly terrible happens, but nothing fantastic either. I guess weeks like this past one are sort of like resting weeks that help me appreciate the truly amazing weeks by comparison. Fair is fine sometimes, but if I want to achieve my goals, I have to do more to make them happen. I don’t want to get comfortable in complacency, because that’s not the type of life I want to lead. I know that once school begins, I may have more weeks that are just so-so, but it will be up to me to make them better. The way I approach this weight loss is the way I want to live the rest of my life – to the fullest whenever possible.
Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!
Summer’s here! Which means that fun in the sun is a daily way of life. Getting outside and getting active is easy, and it’s on my agenda for each and every day this summer. Being on summer vacation means I don’t have any of the workaday responsibilities that can get in the way of my plans. Now that I’ve had the VSG surgery, achieving my weight loss goals is only a matter of time, and this summer is going to be HOT. Sunday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the weekend, and will give me a positive goal to begin each new week. I’m not on a diet, I’m establishing a lifestyle – my new life. My Sunday progress updates will be called Sizzlin’ Summer Weigh-Ins.
Week 8: I can’t believe that it’s been two months since my surgery. In some ways it feels like I’ve been living this new life forever, but then in other ways time is flying by. This week I made good progress on my Summer Bucket List. I took a 5-mile walk with my cousin around the Presidio of San Francisco on Thursday and then on Friday, Ani and I went to Vasona with the pups for a nice, long walk. This week my schedule is very open, so I’d like to cross at least one other place off my list.
So, how’s the scale looking?
I weighed in this morning at 246.0, which is a loss of 2.2 pounds this week, and a loss of 31 lbs since surgery!!! I’ve lost a total of 69 pounds from my highest weight. I’m really satisfied with this weight loss because last week I had an almost 4-lb loss and last night I went to Tinkerbell’s house for her birthday party. I watched my food, but let’s just say I had more than my fair share of Skinnygirl margaritas. It never fails to amaze me that I can go to a party and indulge the night before a weigh-in and still see great results on the scale. I know a lot of it has to do with the hard work I’ve put in all week, but I can guarantee that pre-surgery I wouldn’t have seen a loss like this. (Mostly because pre-surgery I would’ve eaten a lot more than I did).
Last week I set an end-of-summer goal of getting to 235 by August 11th. I’m still going to aim for that number, but I’m not sure if I can pull off 4 lbs per week for these remaining 3 weeks. So I think I’m going to amend the date and try to get to the goal by August 18th. That date is actually closer to my 3-month post op date, and a heck of a lot more realistic. And you know what, that’s just fine. I like having a goal to shoot for, and if it takes me an extra week to get there, that’s still amazing progress in my book.
My plan for the week is to continue to enjoy each day of this week. It’s been an amazing summer so far, and I just want to continue to appreciate the joy I’m finding in everyday.
Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!
Summer’s here! Which means that fun in the sun is a daily way of life. Getting outside and getting active is easy, and it’s on my agenda for each and every day this summer. Being on summer vacation means I don’t have any of the workaday responsibilities that can get in the way of my plans. Now that I’ve had the VSG surgery, achieving my weight loss goals is only a matter of time, and this summer is going to be HOT. Sunday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the weekend, and will give me a positive goal to begin each new week. I’m not on a diet, I’m establishing a lifestyle – my new life. My Sunday progress updates will be called Sizzlin’ Summer Weigh-Ins.
Week 7 is ending a really high note. Including this week, I have four full weeks left of summer before my school responsibilities (registration, professional development days, teacher welcome day) kick in and then school begins. I really want to fit in as much “summer” as I can, and there are a few local places in the Bay Area that I’d love to visit before reality strikes. Things like walking the Golden Gate Bridge, visiting Muir Woods again to see how I’ve progressed, and riding my bike around Vasona, just to name a few spots. I guess it’s my Summer Bucket List. If you have any other ideas, please leave them in the comments. I’m looking for ideas where I can see the beauty of the Bay Area and do something active at the same time.
So, how’s the scale looking?
I weighed in this morning at 248.2, which is a loss of 3.8 pounds this week, and a loss of 28.8 lbs since surgery!!! I’ve lost a total of 66.8 pounds from my highest weight. The thing that’s so great about this week’s loss is that it’s coming directly after a 4.2-lb loss last week AND after a week in which I ate almost all of my meals out. I was in an unfamiliar environment, totally shook up my routine, and still made it work. I’m really proud of myself! I did exactly what I set out to do last week, and to be honest I’m really amazed at it all.
Specifically for this week, I’m going to get in great workouts, keep the protein high and carbs low, and go to at least one Summer Bucket List spot.
Since I have 4 weeks left before my schedule isn’t my own anymore, I think it’s time to set an end-of-summer goal. By August 11th I’d like to be at 235 lbs or less. That would be 13 lbs in 4 weeks, which seems completely on par with my weekly average. It would also mean that I’ll have lost 42 pounds over the summer and 80 pounds overall. Now THAT would be fantastic!
Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!
I have about a month of summer vacation left, and I plan to eek all the excitement out of these last weeks as possible. I haven’t been to the pool in over a week, and I miss it, so I plan on doing much more swimming while I still have the time. In fact, I really want to focus on trying one new fitness activity per week: using a spinning app I bought to get on a spin bike at the gym and give it a whirl, going to a Zumba class for the first time since surgery, getting back into Hot Hula in August, trying one of the weight training classes (like BodyPump), and maybe even Body Combat, if I’m feeling really adventurous.
I know this is supposed to be about summer, but today I had a meeting with some of the administrators from school, and I was able to see my schedule for next year. I’m happy to report that I once again have a 3rd period prep, which means that I have the last period of my “A” day off. Just like last year, I plan on leaving early enough so that I can get to the gym before the masses.
Tomorrow my sister and I are headed to SeaScape Resort with the doggies. I love going there, because it’s a semi-private beach that allows dogs to go off leash. Plus, it’s absolutely gorgeous there. I’m looking forward to a long walk in the sand with the waves lapping my feet. I also love watching the dogs run far ahead and then come back; they get so tired by the time we’re through. It should be a fun day.
I just started watchingFriday Night Lights, and I’m in the middle of quite a marathon. I love this show! I’ve always loved football, and of course I enjoy the whole high school aspect, plus I love the sense of school pride the show displays. I’m just beginning Season 2, and I’m enjoying the character development.
I recently started reading the behemoth 11/23/63 by Stephen King. It’s 849 pages, which is really daunting because I have it in it’s full, heavy hardcover glory. I’ve never been a huge fan of Stephen King’s horror, but I love his other fiction, like Shawshank Redemption and The Body, which is the novella that Stand By Me is based on. I’m enjoying the writing, and I’m really intrigued by the topic. I’ll keep you posted.
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I had so much fun challenging myself to the Tone It Up #150bysummer goal (I exceeded it by 5 miles and logged 155 miles) that I didn’t want to see it end right when summer is just starting.
Bella on the Beach 