SUE's Get hot while its hot update !!

OK I just noticed that in my post I said I wanted to be in a size 10 comfortably by fall
well it is July and I am currently wearing a size 10
comfortably
I have also noticed that different brands fit differently
in my bigger sizes I was wearing mostly Just my Size brand
or Rider by Lee
I have to say it feels pretty darn good to be in a size 10

SO revised goal
be in a size 8 by the end of Summer

I am starting the 30 day squat challenge with a couple of friends on Monday (July 21st)
Join in if you want

Things have been rough here to get all my walking in
first off my fitbit tracker broke last week
I feel naked without it
I am working with the company to get it replaced

I also started a part time job for the first time in years I am gainfully employed
that took a bit of adjusting my time is not my own and my kids anymore I have days where I have to be places which is cool because I get paid and the job is enjoyable

I am also getting ready for our summer rummage sale
I have been sorting through clothes including all of my "fat" clothes Im getting rid of them
I have posted some of them on a local rummage sale Facebook page
and I will try putting them up on Ebay
cross fingers because selling those will help support my goodwill shopping habit !
and buy me a new winter coat!

Almost there

I can see that goal
it is so close
16 more lbs
and I will have hit
150lbs
I have lost 74lbs
OK 73.8 according to my ticker
I walked  in two 5K races
I am currently wearing a size 10/12 jeans
I even have a part time job now!

This feeling is amazing
I know I am still fat
but I am so much better than I was
I KNOW I am not as healthy as I could be
but
I am so much better than I was
not as a person that part is still the same
 I am still the me I was when I was fatter
 I just feel better physically

This did not happen over night
even if it feels like it did

Inspiration

I love it when people message me and tell me that I am an inspiration
I get it on Twitter a lot
I get it on Facebook
I have had people send me PMs on My Fitness Pal
and my favorite is when people in real life say it to my face!
You know why I love it?
I have always enjoyed making a difference in someones life
my desire has always been to be a positive influence
I love to make others days better
being an inspiration for them to do something more healthy with their lives
makes me feel

tall!

So here is my inspiration for you today

do something!
you do not have to keep up with me I have been at this for months
you do not have to train like an Olympian they have been at it for years
you just have to do a little bit more today than you did yesterday
make small choices daily to make a difference in YOUR life

go to bed a little bit earlier
make a healthier meal choice
move a bit more

choose water over any other drink

As these choices start making a difference in how you feel and in how you look AND in how much you weigh you will want to do more

Have a great day !!

Penny & Sue's Let's get hot while it's hot" challenge

HI ! you know me and if you do not know my friend Penny you should
it is her fault I blog here
ALSO
She writes some great books and such you look into them

Penny and I are challenging each other to
"get hot while it's hot"
we have to prepare for fall and all of the fabulous beards that will be around
and what better time to get healthy and get out there and move than

SUMMER

sunshine
gardening
swimming
walking
running
playing
outside
with
the kids

SO get off your duff ladies and gents
and make some goals !!

MY GOALS

by fall I want to be in a size 10 COMFORTABLY

I want to be able to squat double what I can now (I squat 55lbs which is not bad considering I use a weight bench and not a squat rack I have to lift them from waist high over my head to my shoulders then walk to where there is room then I can squat Im able to do this 20 times

I want to have a 45,000 step day (so far my most steps in a day was 35,000)

I want to lose another 5 inches on my waist (I am at 37 inches now)

I want to be at 150lbs by September I am currently at 177lbs

I will walk in at least 1 5K race

sleep 7 hours a night

Im sure more goals will come to me 

HOW WILL I DO THIS??

I will watch what I eat measure and weigh it
I will drink LOADS of water Im "infusing" it  flavoring it with fruit and stevia leaves
I will be outside as often as I can
I will lift either with my sons or hubs 3 times a week
I will wear my fitbit daily to track activity AND sleep
I will log my food at my Fitness Pal (if you want to friend me there let me know)
MOST OF ALL
I  will have fun !!

Short summary of Penny and her goals :

 I had a heart attack in 2010.

I lost almost 48 pounds in about 2 months--too fast! But I was scared of dying, so I overdid the diet and exercise. I was walking 5x/day, about 2+ hours per day, and eating a very low calorie diet.

Good part about it....my blood sugar came down, my cholesterol came down.

I slowly gained back about half the weight, and my blood sugar is creeping back up.

My goal is to get to the 50 pounds off mark which I almost made 3 years ago. But this time I need to do it more moderately. Just focus on eating a healthy diet, but watch portion size. Walk 2-3 times a day, and keep my overall activity level up.

Exercise/Activity: I'm working on garden projects outside, house cleaning/organizing/painting projects inside, and lots of walks.

Diet: Lots of veggies, fruits, whole grains, heart-healthy foods like salmon, blueberries, walnuts, orange veggies, etc.

I CAN DO THIS!

SO here is the idea I want people to post their goals and request a team you can be
TEAM PENNY
or
TEAM SUE
we will see how many of our individual goals we can reach by  the end of August

NOW the rules

1) DO YOUR BEST ! I was a cubscout leader for many years this is the cub scout motto DO YOUR BEST . YOUR best is not MY best It is not Joe Manganiello or The Rocks best , YOU are not Jillian!! The goals are YOUR goals we are here to help you meet those or exceed them

2) HAVE FUN It is summer the kids are out of school , it is time for baseball, picnics beach parties s'mores and fun stuff now how the heck are we gonna meet our goals and still have fun? moderate your treats , move more, eat mostly healthy. find something YOU love and do it be it gardening , walking , swimming something active . reward yourself with things OTHER than food

3) pick a team Penny and I are here we are team leaders we will taunt each other and support each other and help us meet our goals

Im sure more things will develop as we move along if you have any suggestions let us know !!

Doc check up and blood work up date

I have lost 60lbs since starting this but the biggest thing was getting the numbers under control

and here is the verdict

todays blood work

fasting BS 112
A1c 6.0

BP 138/68

I have put myself into a prediabetic state

I am still at risk for diabetes
I always will be
but this is much better

Doctors appointment in the morning

Tomorrow morning I have to have my fasting blood work done
for my 3 month check up
I am also getting felt up (checked for my lump)
and weighed
Im nervous about the blood work
Im nervous about the blood pressure
I nervous about the lump
I'll update when I know more

60lbs gone now pics included

As of today I have lost 60lbs
Spring has sprung here in the northwoods (finally)
so this means no more big heavy coats
I have had people asking me
what are you doing?
How are you doing it?
Weight watchers?  Atkins?
and the list goes on

now for some I cannot say
it is simple
I cut the crap
so I'll be polite and explain what cut the crap means and my favorite tools to do it

USE a website to log your food
I use MyFitnessPal because it has the largest already entered food database that gets confirmed by members who are also tracking their food

If you struggle with understanding it they have boards for posting questions
BE WARNED like anywhere in the world they are nice people and there are snarky people and there are jerks everyone has an opinion about what is the "best" way to lose weight and get healthy
it is overwhelming
Here is the best way
the way you can  stick to

that is it
that is the secret
find something to do that YOU can and will stick to
be that Paleo
or fasting
or atkins
or gallons of green tea
or bacon sandwiches every 10lbs lost
whatever

WHAT I DO
is I watch my sugar intake
and my sodium intake
by doing that the rest falls into place

LOG ACCURATELY
weigh and measure your food
buy a digital food scale or even a cheapo analog one
I got a digital scale for $15
I had an analog one or $5(it broke)
Get measuring cups and spoons
USE THEM every meal
KNOW what a portion size is
DO NOT LIE
the only one you are hurting when you lie in your logging is yourself
no one else gives a shit

READ FOOD LABELS
be an educated consumer
we put more thought into buying a TV than we do the food we put in our mouths
sure we would all love to eat beautiful gourmet meals with fresh organically grown ingredients
and free range grass fed meat or no meat whatever
I like crackers and no I am NOT grinding almonds into my nut thins
but read those labels make the choices that are best for YOU
for myself I need food with the lowest sodium content and lowest possible sugar content

I cannot believe Im saying this one
EAT VEGETABLES
I sneak them in I'm not a fan so I chose a few nutrient dense vegetables that I can tolerate

those are mashed cauliflower disguised as alfredo sauce
Spinach
tomatoes
avacadoes
onions
garlic
cucumbers (only diced super small and mixed with onions and Greek yogurt to top a sandwich)

yeah do not argue with me about what is a veggie those that know me are shocked Im eating those *shudder*

drink water
yes yes diet soda this diet food that tea this tea blah blah blah whatever
drink water
suck it up
drinks lots
dont like it plain?
add lemon juice

MOVE MORE
just do it
get up walk around the house
pace while on the phone
go for a walk after dinner
park far away from where you are going and walk in
take the stairs halfway up to your office or something
just get off your ass and move
you do not have to beat ANYONE just do more today than you did yesterday
and tomorrow do more than you did today

don't let some little thing derail you
by little thing I mean something outside YOU
are you physically injured or too sick to eat or move?

no?
then do it
I do not care if work is stressful
I do not care if you kid came home with a D
or if your house is messy
or you are having a bad hair day
or whatever

my mothers advice would work here
shit or get off the pot

AND
if something does derail you DO NOT let one day or two days or a week or month completely fuck you
brush yourself off and move on today is not yesterday !

YOU ARE NOT TOO BUSY to eat healthy
there are a LOT of tricks you can do to make healthy meals ahead of time
YOU are not too broke to eat better
you just have to be creative
and be a better shopper
this takes planning just like anything else you do in life

GO TO YOUR DOCTOR
know your stuff
know your numbers
you get one body
life is too short to be sick

MOST OF ALL
make it fun
find something YOU love and do it I love walking and dancing badly
I put on 80s pop music and walk on the treadmill like I am the lead singer of my own airband(if you are an 80s child you know what this is)
my goal is to be able to do this on my treadmill:

ASK QUESTIONS
keep looking for answers
do not settle

Those are todays pictures