Caution, In Training!

The Biggest Loser Contest is over!  I lost all together 9lbs.  The past month I have started to lift weights so, I wasn't real disappointed with my total.
I have made a new goal for myself!  To run the Sunburt 5k on June 4th.  I want to cross the finish line and receive a time that I can work on improving during the summer at other 5k's.
I have never been one for running.  I ran in Jr and High school but that was more sprinting than any thing else.  I need a hobby and hopefully this will become one.
I started my training on Sunday with a walk/jog down the road for about 20min.  Yesterday I walked and ran on the treadmill for 20min.  When I jogged for 2 min. and then walked for 2min.  The lower half of my body is showing me the love today.
To make sure my training is on the right path I spoke with the trainer of triathlons.  She said that I am doing it correctly.  She recommend that I take a day off in between running days and do another type of exercise and run one day inside and one day outside.
The great thing so far is, my knees ache but do not hurt.  I hope that my knees hold out but if not I will walk the whole race.
I would like to thank every one for the accountability that you have given me.  It keeps me motivated every day.  Thank You!

I am not Missing In Action!!!

Life happened the past couple of weeks!  Working out was neglected, but diet was kept in check.
We had a death in the family, which left my very active 97 year old grandfather alone.  Things have been turned upside down for the past couple of weeks.  I have been dedicating my time to caring for my grandfather.  I should say my title has became activity director.  I have fitting work outs in when possible.
Monday morning I went and did morning Zumba and my grandfather asked what I had done that morning.  I told him that I was working out at the Lifeplex.  By the end of the day he was out signing up for his membership.  I took him in today for his first work out. He walked for five minuets and cycled for five minuets, then walks up to me "Well, you ready to go?  How much longer do you have?"  I went ahead and finished up my 20 minuets and felt very unsatisfied with my work out.  Tomorrow I am going in and working out until I feel satisfied.
I will get things balanced back out, watch me!

Woo Hoo! All My work is starting to show!

All my hard work is really starting to show!  I went shopping last week and I went down a size.  What a fantastic feeling!!!!   I also weighed in last week for The Biggest Loser Contest.  I am very happy to say that I lost 8lbs for my team.

I got very curious this morning and wanted to know the exact amount of weight I have lost from day one.  The day that I walked into Dr. Stillson's office complaining of knee pain.  So, I called the Dr.'s office and got what I weighed that day.  I am proud to say that I have currently lost 24lbs.  Another awesome feeling.  After hearing how much I have lost all together, pushed meback to the gym today.  I missed a week of working out while my husband was out of town.  I have no excuse!  Today I worked out for two hours, I feel great. 
I can't explain how good I feel physically and mentally.
Total Pounds Lost To Date: 24

My wild and Crazy Vacation that I a set a new goal for!!!

I have a wonderful friend that lives in Washington DC.  My friend from high school and I are going to Washington DC to visit the 2nd weekend in June.  The gay pride festival is going on.  We have been told that we will be on a float in the parade and at several parties over the weekend.  Wouldn't know that the float has a beach theme.  Swimsuits!!  First off, I will not wear the current suit that I have now, I call it my moomoo skirt suit!  Second off, I am not wearing a swimsuit in front of that many people!  My luck I will end up on the news on in the newspaper.  So, I set a new goal: 50lbs in 3 1/2 months.  I don't want to set an unrealistic goal, so I talked to one of the personal trainers today.  She said that I can do it but it wont be done the healthy way, and I will be miserable.  I was also told that realistically I should loose 2 lbs a week.  She suggested  a goal of 25lbs.  I will need to spend at least an hour in the gym every day.   That is not a big deal, I am usually there for two hours.  Today I bumped it up to three hours.  Two in the pool, finning, running, and working my upper and lower body.  I then did an hour of Zumba.  It's time to step my work outs up a notch!!!
Third round of injection was on Tuesday.  My right knee aches a little bit from my Monday's work out but other than that: I am doing fabulous!!!!!  I am doing so good that they start the injections on my left knee March 1st.
Over all I feel fantastic!  With a new goal in place I really have something to work forward to.
111 days until vacation!!!

Round 2

I had my second injection this week. I have very little pain in my right knee. I have some aching but nothing intolerable.  It could also be that I was able to do Zumba twice this week.  My left knee now hurts more than my right.  Yay!  I did get my hopes crushed a little!  I was hoping the stiffness that effects some of my mobility would go away with these injections but the Dr. said that it wouldn't.  I am hoping with working out and losing weight will help with that.  I am also thinking about trying yoga and stretching it out.
I have been doing awesome at the gym.  I am almost up to working out every day.  Monday I did an hour of Zumba and an hour of finning.  Tuesday I did an hour of Zumba.  Thursday an hour of finning and an hour of aqua power. 
I have been feeling great, I have had more energy, not sleeping as much.  I even put on a pair of jeans that were tight and they ended up being enough that I needed a belt to hold them up.  What a wonderful feeling!!!!!
Total -10lbs

Round 1

Tuesday was my first injection!  I was soo nervous, I had talked to someone at aqua power that said that it would hurt for the first couple of minuets and then I would be fine.  I did hurt for a minuet, it was a burning pain.  I was able to walk out with no problem.  My knee felt weird for the next couple of hours.  It was squishy.  I was really bummed when they told me that I would feel the full effect of the injections until I have received all 3.  I was hoping for instant relief.
I made it to finning on Monday and Tuesday night.  I stayed and did aqua power on Thursday.  I am back out to the gym on Monday night again for Finning.
I have a made a promise to myself.  When these injections take away my pain, I WILL BE AT THE GYM EVERY DAY!

Good Bye Pepsi!

This week I said good-bye to my Pepsi! 
I can't believe how easy it was, no headaches.  I am now a water drinker.  I have never been a water drinker but it is really starting to grow on me.
Also this week I have been working on my diet.  I never eat breakfast or lunch, I wait until dinner and then over eat.  I have been forcing myself to eat breakfast and lunch.  I have switch from white bread to wheat and white rice to whole grain.
I have really been proud of myself, changing your eating habits is not an easy thing to do.  I am not being perfect but I am making changes in the correct direction.
I haven't been working out this week like I should be.  My knees have been feeling pretty good up until this past Sunday.  I was walking around in WalMart and my right knee popped!  OMG!!!!  A whole new experience of pain.  My knee has been hurting every since but it is a different type of pain.  Today the pain feels under control and I am meeting one of The Motivated Mommas for finning and aqua power. 
Tuesday starts my knee injections.  I am starting to get nervous about the injections but I am also very hopeful.

Watch Out Here Come The Motivated Momma's

I have been feel absolutely wonderful!!! 
I went for my second opinion on my knees on Tuesday, I was given a different kind of medicine to try until my injections on Feb. 1st.  This medicine has been awesome!  I still have some pain walking down the stairs and the range of movement is limited.
The Motivated Momma's are weighed and ready to win the Biggest Winner Contest.  After weigh in, 3 of the 4 team members hit the pool for some water aerobics.  It felt great!!!  I was a little sore this morning but this evening I took my daughter and we went swimming.
Since Tuesday, I went from being depressed and since the decrease in pain my mood has done a 180 degree turn.  My outlook on things is now positive!!
I feel like I am truly blessed!

Good News Knees!

After my horrible experience with the knee specialist a couple weeks ago I went into a horrible depression.  Sleeping and sitting on the couch the majority of time and not getting anything done!  The house became a mess!  Dishes were not getting done and laundry well is several weeks behind.  To walk down the stairs was a whole new meaning of pain.
Bright and early this morning I had my second opinion!  We started off with a whole new set of X-rays! (that wasn't even considered at the last dr.)  I received good and bad news today.  My knees have deteriorating cartilage.  My right knee is at 2 and my left knee is at 4.  (I don't know what kind of measurement this is) but this is how close my knee is to being bone on bone.  My right knee is also sitting at an angle due to the deterioration.  I know this all sounds like bad news.  The bad news is down the line I am going to need knee replacement surgery.  Short term there are injections of a gel that will be injected into my knees once a week for three weeks.  The gel replaces the cartilage temporally. This method can last up to a year!  I can't believe that I will be without knee pain.
The doctor was very much for me working out.  He told me that loosing 10lbs is like loosing 30lbs to your knees.  I can't wait!
I AM BACK!!!  WATCH OUT BECAUSE HERE I COME!!

Wildflower Words

While reading Life Is Short-Wear Your Party Pants, I came across what the author called Wildflower Words.  They are the following: joyful, delightful, encouraging, challenging, hopeful, creative, insightful, playful, whimsical, relaxing, amazing, brilliant, caring, thoughtful, amusing, courageous, brave, bold, and respectful.
Words can boost your mood!  When asked how you are feeling today?  How do you answer?   I usually answer with: "I'm fine", "So-So", and "Good".  How do you feel after you answer the question with a dull, boring, and lame response?    I don't know about you but after I answer with a boring response I end up feeling only "Fine"! 
I have been trying to answer "The Question" with more energy and enthusiasm.  This is where the Wildflower words come into play.  "How are you today?" "I am in joyful mood today:"  I don't think anyone has ever answered me with anything but the dull, boring response.  These wildflower words can cheer both people involved in the conversation.  I also discovered that when you use the "fine" response the conversation drops dead right there.  Use a wildflower word the conversation continues in a positive direction.
The author asks "Think about the words you use.  Do you act like you're in a vast field of wildflowers, or are you stuck in a ditch?
Here are some ditch words: awful, terrible, horrible, always, never, hopeless, impossible.
Out of curiosity I would like to ask you to try using Wildflower Words and comment on this post with the response you receive and how you feel after using these wonderful words.


I do have to retract the comment only being answered with dull and boring responses.  I have a wonderful friend named Kyle that always uses Wildflower Words.

A Great Week Comes To An End

After a horrible to start to the week, it end fairly well.  To start off: I have lost five pounds!!!!  Yahhhh.!  I am on a team for The Biggest Loser Contest!  I found a finning buddy for Tuesday and Thursday nights.  The back specialist gave me the OK to work out.  I have done a lot of self work this week.  I have been reading: Life Is Short-Wear Your Party Pants by Loretta LaRoche.  I am just sucking the information up!  If you are looking for a good self help book this is a great and to the point book.
On a sour note: the knee specialist did not go very well at all today.  I went back to the doctor who preformed my knee surgeries.  He was running over an hour behind, he spent less than five minuets with me, told me to take Alive for the pain and to wear a sleeve brace on my knee.  I am currently on vicodine for the pain and that only dulls it.  He didn't discuss the option of arthritis he was more worried about the surgery location.  He was also leary about having me work out in the pool for fear that I might hurt the surgery area.  Feeling very disappointed I called my family doctor and we are going to get a second opinion. 
Total weight loss - 5lbs.

And We're Off: To a Horrible Start!

This is me! And this is currently how I look!

Well the first of the year is here!  It is day three of my journey.  I really wish I could say that I am off to a good start but I am not.  My husband I went away for the weekend (our weekend turned out to be a disaster),  We ate out three times and only one time did I make the correct choice of food to eat.  I realized that this will have to be an area that I really need to focus on.  I thought that part of my weight gain was due to stress eating but after the weekend we had, I didn't see this being a problem area.

The queen of excuses showed up this morning!  It was a legitimate excuse that I cancelled my first work out with my trainer.  I did a lot of walking yesterday, in the middle of the night my knee starting hurting so bad that it woke me up.  I have an appointment with the back and knee specialist this week and would like to get their release before doing any exercise that might hurt me worse.

I just know that this pain has to go away!  I will do what ever it takes to take this pain away.  Weight loss is the number one thing I can do to help with the pain.  The only problem is that the pain makes it difficult to work out.  The pool really works.  So, tomorrow I hit the pool for some kicking, running, and treading water.