Timeline of Insantiy

This is how is started:

1985-Jazzercise with my Aunt

1987-Watched Dirty Dancing, remembering my Aunt saying she will not eat the rest of the week so she can look like Jennifer Grey

1989-Wake up at 5a before school to work out with Gilad and watch BodyShaping while getting ready

1990-Started the fat free craze

1991-Got involved in Color Guard and started losing weight...people noticed.

1992-Still eating fat free and not losing

1993-Starved to get lean for Prom...weight 109 GOAL!

1994-Worked at Fast Food restaurant and would eat baked potatoes because they did not have fat

1995-Started College...need I say more

1997-Partying Wed, Thurs, Fri, and Sat. Alcohol, alcohol, alcohol....I got up to around 135 during this time and was CHUBBY!

1999-Preparing for marriage. Living off of Hamburger Helper and fish sticks but running 3 miles 4x's a week. Got to 115! I felt great at my wedding :)

2002-Starting binging purging. Nothing else would work but this definitely did. WOULD NOT recommend it. Who knows what kind of damage I did to my system.

2005-Still working out. Thought I was eating right now. Bowl of cereal in the morning w/ banana, yogurts and granola bars, and a sensible dinner.

2007-Dreambodies. Wow, I learned SO much this year. If I would have only known how to eat in 1987.

2009-Still staying leaner and healthy even though what I see in the mirror is still the chubby girl who has always struggled.

Throughtout these years there is one thing that I have done consistently and that is work out. I LOVE to be in motion! My workouts have more meaning now though. I understand so much more about my body.

I'm starting to believe in the "chemical consumption" ruining the health and storing fat. My mom will be my test subject until i'm mentally prepared to venture on my own.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMA!

Today is my mom's 56th b-day. I made her a sugar free pudding pie :) I'm helping her get healthy. We do aerobics together on Tuesdays, Thursday and one day on the weekend and have SO much fun!

So i've never done this but i'm thinking about putting some of that non permanent coloring in my hair?? I can't remember the color but i'm feeling spunky? Yay or
nay?



I went to my grandparents house yesterday to help my grandpa send how his pacemaker is working over the phone! Technology people! This way he doesn't have to go to the hospital and have it checked. It makes me feel good to help old people. I also love to hear their stories even though I hear my grandma's EXACT same one 5 mins apart :( The weird thing is she had made green beans and potatoes and told me that these are the potatoes you brought me last week. Some things she remembers and others she doesn't. Like she'll tell me something and 5 mins later she tells me the same thing. Of course my mom does this too and then I just say Alzheimer's mom? LOL! It's really NOT funny in our family though EEK!

This morning I jumped out of bed and had a GREAT 60 mins cardio session! In just a bit I have a chest crit. LOVE doing chest!!!


When you add a new pretty blog background don't forget to delete your old one!!...just sayin ;)

Fun With the Fam!

So we couldn't let the beautiful weather go to waste! We took Boomer to the Canal downtown Indy and it was gorgeous! I had already walked her this morning for 50 mins so we just did a leisure walk and she was spent LOL! My girl is getting old. It's so nice to be more relaxed about not having a set schedule. Boomer walk up to a shade tree and Mike and I noticed she needed to rest. We just laid under the tree and relaxed for 20 mins. I'm usually all high strung and have to keep moving but let me tell you it felt GREAT to just chill! I can tell Mike was happy too. I didn't ONCE mention how okay we need to get home so I can workout.

Then we walked by a coffee shop. I got myself a cafe americano, Mike an iced tea, and Boomer a water which she lapped up like she had just walked through the desert. The best part was it was only $3.65 and tasted WAY better than Starbucks(sorry Kelly O). The lady even asked if Boomer wanted ice or not LOL! I told her no ice ;)


Our old apartment...man it's been FOREVER since we lived there it seems.

I don't know what was wrong with me last week but I was beat down. I wouldn't wake up until 7:30a and then I just didn't feel like doing ANYTHING. My stomach had been upset all week and it was all I could do to get on the treadmill and do my weights. I am one who LOVES to workout so I was really discouraged. This morning I woke up at 6a and fixed Mike's lunch and got on the treadmill and had a GREAT workout! I guess I had just hit a wall but i'm feeling better now :) My weight is still at 120 but I can't give up. What good would that do?

Time of Firsts

So yesterday I thought I would go and get a library card. I haven't had one since elementary school. If I want a book I just buy it. Now since i'm unemployed I need all the freebies I can get! This morning i'm going there because they are having a volunteer fair. Next week i'm already volunteering for the Easter Seals. I just NEED to do something and feel useful again :) It's nice being able to workout whenever but I thrive for structure. Volunteering will be a good networking tool also so i'll keep that in mind.

I also went and got some tomatoes from the Farmer's Market yesterday. I was going to go to Kroger but thought I bet there produce is WAY better...I was right.

My weight is still around 120. Gaining and losing that same ounce. It's really getting frustrating but since i've got a lot of time to focus i'm seeing how stupid that is. I'm just not gonna worry about it. If it happens it happens. I'm eating my meal plan and doing the workouts and extra cardio so if my body isn't cooperating it's not the end of the world. Some people compete because they LOVE the competition. I compete to keep myself in shape and to hang out with my friends. This show I don't think any of my friends are doing anymore so what's the point? I'm not giving up though...I still have that goal of 115 that I want to happen NOW LOL! Trust me, I was watching my husband eat 2 cheeseburgers last night drooling. Pizza the night before and Haagen Daaz. I'm sure he lost 5 lbs from it.

Speaking of him...he's doing a mini marathon next weekend! His goal is under 1:30:00. I'll keep you posted!

Mmmm...Java

Still around....

I'm still plugging away. I'm about over the bad turkey I ate thank goodness! Weight loss has stopped and it's frustrating but I just keep thinking about the warm weather and short shorts I want to wear this summer.

Dear Body,

I know it's part of nature for a woman to have fat on her hips and lower stomach. I know this is for reproductive purposes but remember what i've told you all along? If you didn't have kids by the time you were 30 then you wouldn't have them. Well you'll be 34 this year so there is no need to hold on to the hip and stomach fat okay? There will not be any little gingerkids running around. I appreciate you trying to protect me but i'll be okay without that. Thanks for listening and I have a little over 5 weeks so HURRY UP and burn it off! I don't even care about the butt fat because Mike likes it. If you want to dispense it to my bony shoulders so maybe I could grow some muscle there that would be just fine. Or my toes, I don't care if they are big. Thanks again.

Sincerely,

aj

p.s. Sorry for the bad turkey I fed you last night

Ageing and Bargain Shopping

Mike and I went to buy new running shoes yesterday. I really didn't plan on it since I don't have income coming in yet but what a deal we got! He bought Adidas and I bought New Balance. Both of them were $74.99, buy one get one 50% off and I had a 20% off coupon. So it ended up being around $60! He bought them so it didn't cost me a thing and my feet felt so much better on the treadmill this morning :)

I plan to grow old gracefully. I do things to try and prevent it like moisturize etc...and I have since my early 20's. I also use to be a tanning bed junkie and I know that didn't help the cause any. What got me thinking about this is I saw a movie last night and Helen Hunt is looking really old. Then I thought...well she is getting old. That is how you are suppose to age. No one in Hollywood looks like my grandma and that's not reality. I will do everything to keep my body healthy and protect my youthfulness but I will not go to extremes. That also reminds me that I got carded on the cruise ship! I was so happy :) I didn't even get any alcohol but they said you can't be in the club unless you're 21! HA!

Really, how would you like to be remembered? Growing old gracefully or doing anything you can and then turning yourself into a mess?

6 weeks out...maybe....

Hey Everyone! I've had a great week of weight loss! I lost 7.2 lbs in 5 days. This morning I weighed 119.2. I've looked back at the last shows and my weight at 6 weeks out has been.

115.0 - 2007 1st show
123.4 - 2008(attempt at 2nd)
117.2 - 2008 2nd show
114.4 - 2008 3rd show

So i'm gonna keep plugging away and see what happens. I said if I was 120.0 at 6 weeks out i'll give it a go so i'm going :) I'll send in my application for the show on 5/19/09. I'll know for sure if i'll be ready by then or not. I'm really not gung ho about this show to be honest with you. I mean I was on a freaking cruise at 8 weeks out for pete's sake. I'll do my best though...i'm not a quitter!

I feel great right now! My body is looking better and I don't have "carb face" LOL! Love that term ;) My ultimate goal is to be 115 and enjoy life. That doesn't mean I eat pizza etc...but that I can relax and eat a salad from a restaurant without feeling guilty. Yes, I told you all I have mental problems HA! I had it all figured out after my 2nd show last year. I was eating some treats on the weekends and still maintaining at 113. Then I did my show, gained to much after that, Thanksgiving came, Christmas, cold weather, you all get the point. Parts of me wonders what I can do with my physique if I do get to 115 and don't do the dry out and gain TONS of bloatedness after a show hmmmmm....that'll be my next journey.

Book Review and Loss

I'm down 6 lbs since coming back from the cruise!!! WOO!

I am not a regular reader and I usually get bored half way through and lose interest. So at the airport I picked up "Where Are You Now?" by Mary Higgins Clark. I read it in 1 day! Now i'm reading "Hold Tight" by Harlan Coben and I can't put it down! I'm excited to see how it ends.

I sent in my application for IUPUI and it's a waiting game now. The prerequisites that I need to take are very common classes and since i'm behind on enrolling I'll find out in 6-8 weeks if I can take them. If not I will have to wait until next Spring to get started on my certificate...that would suck. I know by that time I will have another unsatisfying job because i'm impatient.

I loaded some pictures -------------------- to the right.

I'm back!

Wow what an awesome time. Cruising is always awesome for us. This time our friend Brandon,his wife Tami and their daughter Kierra, Mike's parents and our oldest niece Chelsea went and we all had a blast. The weather was amazing and the ship was the best. Mike and I have been on that one before and we new we loved it. Now i'm back to reality. My unemployed life LOL! I'm going to IUPUI today to possibly enroll for the medical coding course.

Oh, 1 small detail you all are wondering i'm sure ;) I gained 4 lbs :) I'm proud of myself. Sure I overdid it a few times but considering I can gain 2 lbs in a day from just drinking water I think I did an excellent job!

I SAW A WHALE!! I'm talking a real one, sure I saw a bunch of whales on the ship..WOW! I was on the exercise bike and looking out at the ocean and saw it back come out of the water and then it's tail!! I yelled oh wow and look at my HR monitor and it shot way up LOL! Speaking of the bike....I never realized how good of a cardio you can get on that thing. Sure i've taken spin classes before but I was on it for an hour and drenches in sweat.

I'm not 100% sure about the show because I'll need to see how my body is doing. I don't feel like killing it right now. I'll admit it, it's hard work. I do want to get to 115 though so i'll be pushing as hard as ever!!

-----------------------------------
Okay now it's Tuesday and i'll actually post this this time. I weighed this morning and i'm down 3 lbs!! I'm still sodium logged though but that will go away.

I'll upload some pics soon and put them on my side bar.

Before Cruise Bloat

To the left is me at 8 weeks out! YIKES! I'm gonna have some serious work to do when I get back. I'm hoping Tony has the miracle diet prepared LOL! The one on the right was taken 2-20-09. So I guess i've made some pretty good progress in that short time. Who else really eats 35,000 cals 8 weeks out from a show LOL! Oh boy, you'd think i'd of learned my lesson from last year...NEVER! I like to live on the wildside!

Hold on to your hats folks....this is gonna be a bumpy ride!!!

p.s. There is only a 2 lbs difference in these photos(note to self, quit letting the scale effect your mood).

Girl Crush

I've always loved Ali Larter and now I see she has a new movie coming out! Looks like one of those "already been done" but i'll still see it if she's in it :)

Obsessed

Who Is My Competition?

I had no clue that I could actually do this. This was by far the easiest yet hardest prep. Easy because my body was a fat burning machine. Hardest because I had no idea what to expect.



Oh boy, sodium load and deplete did NOT work for me. On another note, running on incline worked my bootay!



This is the leanest i've ever been. 28 days NO carb(only for the comp pic above). By that I mean 0! Not even lettuce. The nicest thing about this though is I didn't have to do much cardio. I also was lean when I started because of the September show. Note to self: Stay lean year round and preps aren't as stressful.

I'm in competition with myself. I'm doing this for no other goal than to feel my best and watch my body transform. Even if Monica Brant was doing this up coming show I would still do it.

Now the pressure is on because of my cruise. I keep mentioning that don't I? ;)

Changing It Up

Man, today I woke up and I was bloated and gassy and it was odd. So instead of getting immeditately on the treadmill I decided to eat and do my "morning routine" so that my stomach would feel better. So now my day is all off schedule.

I did my chest workout at 8a, typically I do weights now at 1p. This means my PWO shake is off and now my eating is off LOL! This is something that would have freaked me out a few weeks ago but pfft...who cares. I took Boomer on a walk today. I planned on 3 miles but only got 2 because I had to pee. So now i'll take her for another one since the weather is AWESOME today.

Instead of getting on the treadmill I popped in a Cathe DVD. I don't have the luxury of changing up cardio equipment since a treadmill is all I own. I do have TONS of step tapes though. WOW! What a workout! It was a nice change of pace and I think I burned more calories doing it. I had my HRM on but I think the battery is dying and it doesn't work as well. I've worn that thing out HA!

Now i'm going to my mom's around 4p and doing more aerobics...it's fun with her :) Tonight i'll do even MORE cardio watching ANTM. It seems like a lot but I feel guilty just watching TV so if i'm on the treadmill while doing it then i'll feel better.

I'm really trying to mentally prep myself that a cruise DOES NOT mean go on a wild eating spree. I really need to do what I did in '07. I ate but not like I did last year. I'm trying to focus on relaxation, warm weather, and just the movement and sound of the ocean ahhh..can't wait. At the same time i'm freaked out! I'm still a mental case about my weight and body.