Bootcamp Bootie

I've lost 7 pounds in two weeks with my bootcamp coach! Woohoo! This was done with Christmas, New Years, family visits and road trips - so really, since people usually gain weight with these events, it is more like 14 pounds. I AM EMPOWERED!

I don't feel like I'm on a diet, it has been more a changing of habits.

1) Smaller, more frequent meals. I can pretty much eat what I want, I just make sure the portions are within my calorie limits. I can still get my non-fat latte's but I get a tall instead of a grande to save calories, same satisfaction! I do stay away from refined carbs and white breads and pastas. I try and get a little bit of protein at each meal, like a 35 calorie Laughing Cow light cheese wedge or a tablespoon of hummus, this helps keep my hunger in control. I'm also making sure I get lots (8 servings) of veggies and fruits everyday.

2) Always carrying a water bottle with me to stay hydrated. This has made a huge difference for me. I am pretty sure I was walking around dehydrated the last 5 years. I always felt brain foggy and tired (signs of dehydration). I have way more energy now and my head feels much clearer. Plus, your metabolism works better when you are hydrated.

3) I am waking up early (between 5:30 and 6) to exercise and I am exercising 5 to 6 days a week. At first I didn't wake up until my coach called me, now I wake up before her phone calls. This includes weight training which I have always sucked at. I can do lots of cardio, but I've always hated weights.

4) Planning ahead. I plan my workouts for the week a week in advance. On days I work, I pack my snacks and lunch for the day. We had a road trip this last weekend and I packed my veggie, fruit snacks and water for the road and found a gym I could workout at before we left. I always have a stash of nutrition bars handy too...just in case. Also, if we are going out to eat I look up the nutritional information before I order.

5) I've gone public. I've always hidden my weight loss efforts from my family and friends - except the people I live with of course. Telling them helped me a lot over the holidays because when I was offered drinks or desserts or whatever - I just said "I'm trying to lose weight so I'm gonna pass" and everyone was very supportive.

6) I love having a coach/personal trainer. She helps me through the hard stuff, not just giving me a workout program and food plan...but I can call, email, text her anytime with any questions or if I am hitting a mental block. When we were visiting family in Oregon and my grandma wanted to take us out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant (one of only two restaurants she will go to) I texted my coach - "What can I order?" and she promptly texted back with tips.

So there you go - I'm kicking bootcamp bootie.

Bootcamp

So Saturday was my first day of Mama Bootcamp and I'm sore! We did an hour and 1/2 workout with lots of core and strength training plus about 20-30 minutes of cardio. It was tough, but fun and I am totally digging this program so far.

I actually met with the owner/coach on Friday night for my intake, at a Starbuck's in the middle of a Border's book store. That meeting was kind of rushed (she was running behind), but it ended with her taking my measurements and calculating my body fat and taking before pictures. A little awkward being in the handicap stall half naked with another women sizing you up. I told her it was weird, but not as bad if she had done it in the middle of the coffee shop. I didn't cry though! Probably because we were so rushed I didn't really have time to talk about my issues.

I'm pretty stoked though, my actual coach is different than the owner. She is super fun and I think she will really help me stay on track. I told my coach that I had a hard time getting out of bed in the morning to do my workouts, so she said she would call me to get me going! So low and behold I got a call this morning at 5:30 telling me to get in gear! Pretty awesome huh? I guess this is what a personal trainer is like? Plus, she went through the bootcamp herself so she was showing me her before and after pics, which was neat to see.

Anyway, the way it works is you go to your bootcamp every week and turn in your homework (daily food logs and workout log) and they give your workout assignments for the next week. I'm suppose to stick to 1200-1400 calories a day, no refined carbs (white bread and sugar), 8 servings of fruits and veggies, and 80 - 100 ounces of water. My coach told me that you don't burn as many calories when you are dehydrated, which I didn't know! Even if you are just 2% dehydrated you would only burn 400 calories when you would normally burn 600 - what a difference!

My homework this week is to do 4 cardio sessions and 2 strength in addition to the bootcamp. I am meeting with my coach again to write out my goals - she told me I she could make me look like a Barbie if I want! HA! I would make a hilarious Barbie! Not for me.

this and that

We had a great weekend last weekend. It was my sister's birthday and we and several of her friends surprised her with a limo and a trip to some wineries close by. It was a blast...plus no kids.

I think I'm ready for Christmas, but with all the recitals, performances and Christmas shows I have been to this week it has been quite a whirlwind. I guess I'm about 90% ready, I just need to wrap and do a dry run on the stockings to make sure they are good...oh and I need to sew a couple skirts for my girls, but those are simple.

I'm caving in in my weight loss efforts. I can't do it myself. I start a boot camp class on Saturday and I meet with a coach tomorrow night for an intake to a 12 week program to try and get back in control of myself...which I really haven't been in the past four to five years. Oh, I can do okay a few weeks at a time, but the big picture is not good. Hopefully this works. After I made the call, I felt a big relief...I don't know why? I think there are a lot of emotional things going on that I'm not really aware of. I'm pretty sure I'll cry when I meet with her tomorrow, but I cry easy. I hope I don't freak her out. I'll post more after our meeting.

Quote of the week: Charlotte at Delaney's piano recital (after I've explained to her that we need to be on our best behavior so Delaney has a nice recital) with a devilish grin on her face, "I like messing things up." Hmmm, this one is going to be fun to raise.

Rocking It Char Style

Remember this ragamuffin hair style?

Well now she's sportin' this cute cut...

For a full view of her outfit. Yes, that is knee high boots with overall shorts.
She comes up with at least one new ensemble every day, but usually 3 to 4. I was telling my babysitter I need to start keeping pictures of her outfits. She replied, "Why, do you think she's actually going to grow out of it?" One of today's outfits: Strawberry Shortcake top, pants and skirt layered, soccer shin guards (no she doesn't play, they are just an accessory) and flip flops.

Its freezing cold out too, but she still manages to find the spaghetti strap tops that I've tried to hide.
The other day she had actually used a marker to give herself full sleeve "Christmas" tattoos on her arms and legs. She had to wear a short sleeve shirt because she didn't want to cover them up. It takes a lot for me not to make her change into outfits that actually match or cover up tattoos.

When I tell her "Char that is quite an outfit, you look...(pause)" She chimes in "Absolutely Adorable!" Yes, you do.

Look What Came in the Mail Today....

Which had this in it.  The Christmas Story is my favorite Christmas movie.  

Which is now prominently displayed in my front window, next to my pathetic tree ( I let my little girls decorate it by themselves so 90% of the ornaments are on the bottom foot of the tree...if they aren't playing with them...or breaking them).  Notice how the solid red bulb lights outside really accentuate the leg?  Kind of like a brothel.

I LOVE IT!

Today's Turkey

Motley Post

Guess what's cooking?  TURKEY!  If you don't get the humor in us cooking another turkey check out my last post.  To answer some questions from my last post...the new turkey cooker works great, I would have to say it was the juiciest, most flavorful turkey I've ever had.  Chuck did brine it too, so that helps, but somehow the cooker seals the juices in.  Since the new cooker is oiless I would guess it is as healthy as if it was cooked in an oven.   But just in case Chuck reads this, the fact that the turkey was fabulous IN NO WAY justifies buying 4 turkey fryers.

Thanks for all the compliments on the bathroom.  I love it too, the tub is the best as it has an overflow channel so you can fill it to the rim.  The only problem is my kids love it too so it is more of a family bathroom than a master bath...and yes Charmaine there is room for a small bed in there, but you'd have to deal with everyone traipsing through.

I have to share this snippet from Family Guy cuz this happens to me ALL THE TIME.  I don't usually lay on the bed comatose, and I usually have two of them doing this to me at once while I'm trying to have a convo with my husband or oldest daughter or trying to work...but it is a taste. 

I've been sort of silent lately on my diet and exercise.  I guess I just felt stupid because every time I talk about it, set a goal, I seem to get derailed...then I feel like I failed.  So I am still running, training, exercising, dieting and trying to look like a 22 who has never had kids...but I'm just sort of keeping my goals to myself until I actually accomplish something.  Hopefully, I will have something to brag about soon.

In other news, my dad is in Tunisia on business and he sent me these pictures that I thought were pretty cool of some ruins there.

This is an ancient toilet.  

And this is my dad sitting on an ancient toilet.  Doesn't he look cute with his little pocket protector thing...he is such and engineer. 

In case you're wondering, Tunisia is on the northern coast of Africa (the continent - just in case Sarah Palin is reading)  nestled between Libya and Algeria on the Mediterranean Sea..just south of Italy.  We're not sure what he's doing over there, probably installing some spy equipment...we think he may secretly work for the CIA.  He looks pretty covert, eh?  Since I haven't been able to travel further than Disneyland lately, this is the best I'm getting in travel pics.