I'm officially a Nutrisystem Nation Blogger!

I know I've been sort of mentioning this for the past few posts but it's official now -- I'm finally a Nutrisystem Nation blogger!  I'm extremely excited to have Nutrisystem as one of our sponsors for the next few months.  Hopefully with the help of the new way of eating (not diet!) I will be able to lose a considerable amount of weight to motivate and share with everyone here. :)  I'm going to be making my Wednesday Weigh-In posts into a Wednesday Weigh-In as well as a review of some Nutrisystem foods!  Can't wait to get started!

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting http://www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog

Read More

One Step Closer...

As some of you know in July I started attending college again.  Well, not actually attending...going to school via online but it's still college either way you look at it!  I've had a hard few months of working on a few introductory courses and in December started my first actual course, Introduction to Business.  Believe it or not, this course was actually very difficult!  I learned about the types of businesses, corporations, how a business runs, types of accounting, insurance/savings and a lot of other basic fundamentals of business.  Well, yesterday I took my final exam for my Introduction to Business course and got an 88!  I have an A- average, so far, for my entire course at this point.  Hopefully I can keep my average up in the A's!  

Why am I so excited about this?  I was never good in school.  Talking to my mom last night, she said I probably just wasn't motivated when I was in school, which is completely true.  I never wanted to be in school and hated my school experience. (Bullying, mostly.)  This time, I'm completely motivated, working everyday on some schoolwork and really pushing myself above and beyond to study, pass tests and ultimately, to get my Bachelors degree -- finally.  :)  I want to be a good role model for my girls and I want them to know that even though I'm a single mom and work two jobs to support them, I am able to graduate and get my degree too.  I just want to be that strong person that they can look up to in the future. (When they don't hate me!)

My next course is World Civilizations...that's going to be even more difficult (and probably boring) but I know I can conquer it just as I did my Intro to Business.  I have faith in myself this time around.

:)

Read More

Weigh In Wednesday - Self Discipline, A Gym and #NSNation

I'm actually writing this Weigh-In Wednesday post on Tuesday night.  Oops. :)  I'm going to be so busy tomorrow with working two jobs and being a mom, I won't have time to write this post!  

As of today I am down 2 more pounds.  That's a total of 12 lbs lost and I am not complaining.  I did have one small cheat dinner this past week when I went out with a friend, so I'm definitely not complaining about losing anything!  I'm actually surprised I lost 2 lbs with a cheat dinner.  Happy day!  

Contradicting my last post about exercising, I joined a gym. I'm currently going to Planet Fitness and trying to go every other day for 30-45 minutes.  I actually love going and I am so surprised.  Everyone is so friendly and helpful there, they are cheap and have free personal training sessions, it's never too busy and their hours are 24 hours during the week -- very convenient!  I'm just starting out and haven't been to a gym in quite a few years so I'm re-learning everything but I am sure I'll get myself into a normal pattern/routine eventually.  I'm proud of myself and extremely determined this time.

I finally signed with Nutrisystem Nation so they will be sponsoring me & my weight loss journey starting in February!  My food is ordered and now I just await it's arrival and the start of that plan!  Hopefully I will have the same or even better results & love the idea of having to be accountable to myself, my readers and Nutrisystem.

I can't wait.

Read More

Need to Figure out Exercise Plan

I'm already exhausted working two jobs, going to school and trying to have a social life.  Although having two jobs keeps me more on track with my diet, because I don't have time for snacking, it's just so tiring.  However I know I need to find some sort of exercise plan to do.  

For 5 years I've had a membership to the Planet Fitness around the corner from my house and only went the first year for about 4 months.  Yeah, I've been wasting $10 a month for that long.  I mean, I have the membership, why don't I go?  I can't figure out when.  I work my day job from 8am-4pm and either work my second job from 5pm-9pm, go out with friends for a few hours, spend time with my kids or just completely pass out from working so many hours.  When in the world can I fit in time to go to the gym?

I was considering getting a smaller treadmill but they are so expensive.  The cheapest one I found was from Walmart and was $250, which isn't a bad price... but where would I put it.  Back in 2007 I made a horribly impulsive purchase on QVC of a $600 elliptical.  I fell for the, "This elliptical folds up and fits right against a wall without anyone noticing it!" lie.  Well, maybe it wasn't  a lie, but I didn't think to realize they probably meant in a normal sized home it would fit against a wall.  Not a city-like two family home where the rooms are a little larger than shoe boxes.  Well, this elliptical sat in our living room for nearly a year before we finally found someone to buy it from us.  I used it a few times but it was HUGE!  It was such an eyesore in our living room.  

Planet Fitness is a 24/7 gym but I can't bring myself to go before bed, I feel I'll be too hyped up to sleep.  Getting up earlier in the morning sounds even more exhausting, I'm not a morning person!  Along with the membership I also have Wii Fit, Dance Dance Revolution and EA Sports for the Wii, I could possibly do that but then my kids want to play with it and I end up having to give in to them.  It's so damn difficult to figure out how to exercise with my schedule.  I'll probably end up going back to Planet Fitness, once I can find the time to fit it in, but I just had to write this all down -- it was driving me crazy!  I really wish I had a friend who could go to PF with me, it would definitely motivate me more.

What do you do for exercise?

Read More

The Older You Get, The Tougher it is to Lose Weight...

...by then your body and your fat have become very good friends.

I actually found that quote online quite a while ago and I remember laughing hysterically about it.  However, it is true.  Even though I feel ancient sometimes I'm really not old, I'm 27 (and  3/4) years old but feel like I've been dieting all my life.

My diet started on January 2nd and I feel like the weight is taking a while to come off this time.  It's a little frustrating for me but I also have to realize that losing weight slower is the healthier way to do it.  I've lost almost 10lbs at this point and can't complain too much if I really think about it.  That's 10lbs in about 3 weeks, which seems like a healthy rate of weight loss for someone just starting out.  I just feel frustrated because I really want to be thin and feel like it's never going to happen.

What am I doing for a diet?  Well, I tried low carb about a year ago and while that worked great for me, I felt hungry all of the time.   I'm currently following a low calorie plan by eating Lean Cuisine, Smart Ones and Weight Watchers means while also making my own food.  I'm trying to currently stay under 1200 calories a day, which is working for me.  I considered doing Nutrisystem but dismissed it as it was too expensive for me.  Thankfully, Nutrisystem contacted me and asked if I wanted to review their system at the end of February, so that is coming up and I'm very excited to start writing about being a Nutrisystem Blogger!  Keep looking out for my Nutrisystem posts because I'm completely excited to promote such a great plan and a great company! 

I'm going to be weighing in weekly on Wednesdays and posting my feelings, thoughts and progress on here.  I'm actually very excited and feel like I'm going to have to be accountable to each and every reader of my blog.  (Let me think that, please! lol) 

So, why exactly am I losing weight?  I'm losing weight for myself and for my kids.  I don't want to not run around outsite with them because I can't breathe, I don't want to be ashamed of going to the beach or waterpark with them because I hate putting on a bathing suit, I don't want to be called the "fat mom" anymore.  I'm also doing it for my own health; I was diagnosed with diabetes a few months ago and was told that if I ate the right way I might actually be able to control my diabetes without medication.  I also am trying to control my gallbladder and gallstone issues too.  After a horrible attack that put me in the ER overnight over the summer I realized that eating everything like I had been at that time was causing me to be uncomfortable and sick.  I just want to be healthy and not have to have surgery!  (I also may be losing weight to impress someone as well...but that's between you and me. lol)

Good luck to everyone else who is trying to lose weight and get in shape! You can do it!

Read More