-3

Drum roll please... if you have been keeping track that is 15lbs. total that I have lost. O K girls I am so excited to be able to say that, but my celebration is bitter sweet. I want everyone to be having success, and so far, well let's just say I'm speechless. I want to be able to give wonderful words of encouragement to inspire everyone, but I sort of feel like I'm on a bragging spree when I post, which is so not me. It's hard to lose weight, I am so painfully aware of that, but that is what we have all expressed the desire to do. I don't want to sound like I am chastising any one, because if you know me I am all about the sweet(personality, that is). This week I encourage all of you to look into your life and pick one thing that is going to help you this week be able to post some sort of negative loss. My goal is to keep a food journal. I have been looking at labels recently when I am about to eat, and trying to count calories in a very broad sense, trying to make sure my measurements are equal to a serving. I've decided to start writing it down so I can see exactly how many calories I am consuming. Some days I worry that I have gone overboard on limiting myself to too few calories, and I am curious to find out by keeping track. In the long run I know that limiting yourself, and consuming not enough to fuel your body can have it's bad side. Here's the thing, I think people in general, myself included start losing a few pounds and then they are like "Wow maybe if I eat a little less then I will lose even more, faster" If any one watches the Biggest Loser like I do then you will know that the players always get into trouble when they start feeling this way. I've heard that keeping a food journal greatly increases your odds of succeeding. This same trick is used in budgeting. When you have a visual of how much you eat then you can look back and adjust where needed. It's going to be a lifestyle change, and it's a hard one to make. Aubrey and I have had the discussion of whether or not it's possible to be that women who orders the healthy meal instead of the gooey cheesy dish. How much we currently love the way we eat. I was watching Valerie Bertanelli on The Doctors this week, and she said that her best suggestion is to ask your self "Is my body worth it, is my health worth it" whenever she is faced with a temptation. Really is that chocolate cake going to do me the good I need in the long run. They also looked at common snacks and what their calorie and nutritional value is. How many of us grab a handful of potato chips a few times during the day, or a big helping at lunch. For Valerie it was jalapeno poppers. They showed in comparison that you could eat almost an entire table worth of fresh fruits and veggies for the same calories as a plate full of chips. I don't have to tell you about the nutritional differences, I'm sure you all get the picture. So in answer to the discussion Aubrey and I had about whether or not it is possible to be that women and change our eating habits, I say yes it is, and ask myself" Is my body worth it, is my health worth it?" It will be hard, and we will allow ourselves cheats here and there, lets just make sure they are few and far between. Having said that I cheated yesterday at my Aunts funeral and ate some yummy potatoes and the most delicious piece of chocolate cake. Maybe they tasted extra good because I knew it was only for that day, and I wouldn't cheat again for awhile. And I still lost weight. I had originally thought about naming this blog "I can do it, and you can do it, lets lose the weight together". There you are, I have been doing it, please be inspired to do it too. Leave a comment on what your goal will be this week, a goal that you know should help you to take off at least one pound this week.
(Gwen steps off her high horse) Good luck in the coming week, I love all of you for helping me make it this far, you really do make it possible for me to want this as much as I do.
New gym shoes $60.00
Workout video $20.00
Treadmill $700.00
Your support Priceless

Okay, I just found out another friend had gastric bypass and she looks amazing. Skinny-minnie. She said she knows that it is just a tool and that she has to change for good or gain the weight back. She also said she feels great and is less tired. I wonder again, is this what I need? I honestly don't know the answer. Can I take the risk when I have eight kids? Will I die much younger if I don't get the weight off? Life is hard sometimes.

I am not doing so good with eating. I want fast food. I want quick and easy and warm and yummy. I am tired. I am achy. Whine, whine, whine. :)

To be positive, I did go walking tonight. But another setback. I have had many times over the years times when I am walking or running and my legs start itching like crazy. I have to stop and get in the bath immediately. It is not just a little itch from sweat. I found out it is an allergic reaction. More research has been done and they have found it is an allergy that manifests when working out. I did take ibuprofen and all my vitamins, including cranberry pills, right before I went running. The article I read said ibuprofen is a common problem. It can cause you to pass out and can be very serious. But when it is itching that bad, you can't keep going. Anyway, I am going to pay attention to what I eat and meds and time it right and see if that works.

I won't give up, even if I have to slow down right now. Change is always possible and hope is always there.

Vitamin update ...

I have had a crazy busy week, so my exercise and healthy eating haven't been the best. I remain at my starting weight, which is up 2 pounds from two weeks ago. Sigh. My celebratory dinner at Olive Garden and brownies afterward just weren't a great idea the day before weigh-in day. (However, completing our adoption was sure reason to celebrate! :)

In any case, I did do a LOT better at taking my vitamins.



The result? I am AMAZED at the difference they make. I didn't even remember to take them every day, and yet I started waking up 10-15 minutes before my alarm went off. This from a person who HATES mornings. I have NEVER been a morning person, and yet I have been awake every morning before my alarm went off feeling ready for the day. Here I am before 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning posting this. Seriously, go to Costco and get these vitamins!!!

My goal for this week is to eat healthier. I started last night by passing on a shake ... I lose my kitchen this week to our remodel, so hopefully that won't hinder my healthy eating TOO much!

I am trying so hard to stay positive and motivated. We have all had a stomach bug. Luckily it hasn't turned into vomiting yet, just the other fun stuff. The baby is spitting up/vomiting though. I am feeling so weak and tired. I have an autoimmune disease and I either get sick more often than everyone else or it hits me harder. It is so hard to tackle life when I feel like this. I have just been playing catch up whenever I start feeling good, but I have had to slow down in so many areas of my life. Hard for me to do, because I love getting things done. I have also not eaten so well this week. I have been thinking about gastric bypass. It is so tempting. A woman in my ward had it done and went from a 26/28 to a size 10 in a year. She is now doing triathalons. It makes me wonder, is that what would work for me. Money is tight and that has held me back so far. But maybe we could finance it if is the answer. Then I think of all the stories I have heard of people dying. I would rather do this on my own, I just get scared that I can't sometimes. I am trying to focus on small steps. Let's hope next week is better.

-2

This week I lost 2lbs. How do I feel about this? Great!! It doesn't compare to my 5 lb. week, but I knew that I would slow down a bit after that first initial loss, but I am happy with 2 lbs. This week the temptations came flying at me from all sides. My sister Danielle was here from Cedar City from Thursday to Monday. There is something about my mom's house and my family that can get me eating. This is so unfair because the rest of my family somehow manages to stay thin. On Friday night we decided to have a girls night in and late night for our daughters. Danielle's idea was to have a dessert night and have all types of yummy delicious tempting foods. I talked her out of that one. Her next suggestion was a make your own pizza dinner, this I could work with. I remember a great little suggestion from Biggest Loser I think, you make your pizza on a whole wheat pita or flat bread wrap. I will share my recipe at the end. Danielle still managed to sneak in some treats by playing the candy bar game, I'm proud to say I did not have a candy bar. My mom made cake, and as good as it smelled I went to the freezer and had a Skinny Cow truffle bar instead. The next night was a BBQ for my grandma's 75 birthday. I did eat a hamburger, but filled the rest of my plate with veggies. There was a wonderful salad called a cookie salad with pudding and cool whip and all sorts of fattening things. Funny thing is I didn't even see it until my sister asked me if I had tried it. I will admit to eating one tiny little piece of birthday cake. Family get togethers have always been a weakness for me. All the wonderful foods in one place just waiting to be tried, and usually a table devoted just for desserts. Things have got to change and I think I started in the right direction this weekend. One last note, I slacked a little on my sprints this week, I just wasn't feeling it, but I promise to repent and get back on track this week. I think they really do help. Oh and one more last thing, C.J. and I went to lunch on Monday and we shared nachos, probably not the best food choice, but we did have fun.
Good Luck to everyone this week. I'm glad Aubrey found the time to join us in posting, she amazes me with what a great mom (eight children WOW) she is. I'm happy for Jenn that Paul got a new job that is benefiting her in more than one way, and for the support she receives from her husband. I promise Denise that we will work harder on being able to make it 3 times a week for sure, even if it means going a little earlier before our husbands leave to work!?!?
P.S. if you know of anyone else who would like to join us have them send me an email at gwenmauldin@yahoo.com

Pizza
1 FlatOut bread (I've tried the whole wheat and sundried tomato, I prefer the whole wheat)
Small amount of pizza sauce
Sprinkling of cheese
Yellow Squash, Zucchini, Peppers, Onions, Spinach (pretty much any veggie you want)
Minced Garlic (optional)

Bake in over at 425 for 7 minutes

Starting Over AGAIN...

Okay ladies, I am headed to get on my treadmill this morning. I always find Mondays good days to start over. With my husband starting his new job today, and my being able to give my notice now, I feel energized and motivated. I'm going to walk MWF this week (with the intervals) and get out the P90X (best kick your butt workout on DVD)and do the beginner version TR. Wish me luck. I'm glad I'll be home and not working until midnight anymore and hopefully can get back at least to my pre-work body. FYI-I'm currently at 188:(. Also, my hubby is on board with me as he has gained back some weight and the DR wants to put him back on diabetes meds. (He was previously diabetic, but lost a lot of weight and reversed it). Wish us both luck.

Okay, I am making myself stop and write this. I just had my eighth (yes, I said eighth) baby a month ago. I have all eight children home for the summer. I am nursing every two to three hours. I am also in the middle of a major whole house organization. On top of that I have to cook from scratch to be able to afford to feed all eight children. Things are a bit crazy right now. I was at my heaviest weight when I got pregnant. I gained 55 pounds. The good news is that 15-20 of that was water. (It was not a fun pregnancy.) I have lost 45 pounds in 4 weeks. So that leaves me 10 pounds heavier than my old highest weight. It is time to get serious. I went to Costco and stocked up on wonderful fruits and veggies. I am walking for one hour with a friend. I am going to work up to doing 45 minutes on the eliptical. I can do this. After being basically immoble for months during this pregnancy, I am ready to gain my body back. I want a body that moves and works. I will do this!