week end weigh in

This has been one of the most emotional weeks I have had in my weight loss thus far! As you know, We had our final weigh in this past Monday night for our Biggest Loser Challenge. Let me back up to two weeks ago. I started off by cutting my calories to 1200 a day and attempting to burn 3000 calories a day. Well some days I hit that goal and some I didn't. I never ate over my intake but didn't always hit 3000. Some days I did and when I didn't I was right around 2800! That consisted of running almost everyday as well as an hour of weight lifting/workout video. My 1200 calorie intake was nothing but great food for me....that meant absolutely NO sweets, NOTHING greasy, REALLY I FELT LIKE I COULD EAT BARELY....ANYTHING! haha!! Sunday before the weigh in I went for a run and I was anticipating running 6 miles and as I was running I felt so good and determined that I went for 10 miles! I finished  9.3 all because of a nasty blister that started appearing on my foot in my last two miles. I felt a huge accomplishment even with the 9.3 and can't wait to add to that distance. So with all this said.....Monday came and the results.....

I CAME IN SECOND....WINNING $100!

 I did end up losing 13 pounds in two weeks!

I have to admit I cried....selfishly my feelings were crushed. I thought for sure I was going to win first place. I know I know...."I should be grateful for second" yes I am HOWEVER....I REEEEAAAAALLLLYYYY wanted to win!!! I am truly one of the most competitive people out there, which some of you know!


So this post needed to come today and not Monday, because it would have said a lot of other things. I have been able to move past my disappointment and remember I am still working on a goal. Even though that challenge is over, I still have a journey to complete. Today I weighed in at 160.6. Officially losing 46.4 pounds since December 26th. That of course has been after my "rewarding" Yes I ate a few too many cookies and a frappaccino in the last two days. Today is a new day and I will enjoy those things, but only in moderation.

Last week I told you that I won tickets to The Biggest Loser Finale?! It was so much fun!! What a wonderful experience that I got to have with Noah. To top it off we got called to sit in the very front row! I got to see all my favorite past contestants...Olivia, Hannah, Courtney, and even Sam and Stephanie, who met on the show and are now married! It was so neat. I asked Mark and Buddy why they left the show and they said they aren't allowed to talk about it yet, but I can't wait to hear! They were so nice and I could tell there were absolutely no hard feelings for either of them!

I have actually reevaluated my goals and I want to lose 14.4 more pounds to hit 145. I am very happy with what my body looks like now and I know those last 15 will be just toning up my body. I hope to get into a size 7 jeans...which I have no idea what size I am now because I have yet to go shopping. Lots of dresses for now :)

Weekend weigh in

WOW! What a week in my weight loss journey! 9 weeks ago I started a "Biggest Loser" group to try and get encouragement from other ladies that too wanted to lose some weight. Oh yeah and I wanted to try and win some money for losing this weight. I figured I am only doing this once, so I better make it good! We have only one week left and there is some pretty heavy competition, that's for sure. So this week I knew that I needed to step up my game, if I wanted a chance at winning our $400 grand prize.

At the beginning of the week I read on Jillian Michaels facebook that "if you are a woman trying to lose weight, you should eat only 1200 calories a day." Everywhere you look there are different amounts that are suggested to you, and since I began losing weight I have just followed the recommended amount that myfitnesspal suggested. So I dropped my calories from 1350 to 1200. It actually wasn't too hard, just one less snack a day really. Then I upped my workout intensity. I took the advice of a friend and began using more weights. I am not a huge fan of just standing around in a gym lifting free weights and counting reps. So I started using the P90X CD's. They are really good. The guy is a goof ball, but you can turn him down ;) My goal was to hit 3000 calories burned each day. Even though I only hit it a few times, it definitely pushed me to do better each day.

So what's my result? I lost exactly 7 pounds! I am so excited. I really feel like an actual contestant on the Biggest Loser show! They lose big numbers a lot and I always think, "How do they do that?" Well I realized there can be no cheating! Even with eating the right amount of calories, it needs to be the right kind of food. Some healthy snacks that I prefer are apples, carrots, dry almonds, lowfat cottage cheese, kiwi's, and sometimes nature valley bars.

Speaking of the Biggest Loser game show.....guess who got tickets to see the LIVE FINALE????? Oh ya ME! I was overjoyed when I got the email. I applied for them and got em! Look for me on t.v tonight...haha. I will have a darker fuscia dress on. I follow a lot of the past ladies on Instagram and they have been a huge inspiration to me and to think I might get to thank them?!

I can't forget the biggest milestone I hit this past week. I finally lost 40 lbs.! Oh ya I was stoked. It took me 4 months to do so and that averages to about 10 lbs per month. That meant I got new shoes.... I had my eye on a pair of Nikes that were on sale at Kohls. I went to try them on and was super disappointed because of the way they fit. The were really wide at the top part of my foot and knew that would annoy me. So I started looking at their Asics because that was my second choice.  I knew I wanted to get them from Kohls because Kohls will take back used shoes. I didn't want to spend money on shoes and get stuck with them if I didn't like them. Kohls also has tons of coupons. My shoes were usually $75 and they were on sale for $55 then I had a $10 off coupon and a 20 0r 30% off as well. So I paid $39 with tax. I am always on a mission for a great deal, and that to me was a great deal!

So I currently stand at 163.2. My goal is huge this week and I am not sure if I will hit it, but I am going to try....10 pounds here I come!

week end weigh in

This week I must have hit a place my in weight loss journey that has got me recognized. I have had the sweetest compliments from friends about how good I am looking. As much as the words make me feel good, it also reminds me to be humble. I love feeling good and looking good because I am losing weight, but I want to make sure that I focus on the reason I started this journey in the first place. That is to be a good role model to my children and to be VERY frank!! To still wipe my own bottom at the age 80! Haha TMI...I know, but I am serious!


I continue to pray that God keeps me grounded reminding me that when you are smaller in body statue, that can lead to smaller clothes, and with that inappropriateness. I am first and foremost a daughter of God and second a wife to an amazing husband. Both to which I need to respect and that happens by respecting myself with what I wear and how I present myself in public. Women's bodies can be very powerful in this sin driven world and I don't ever want to contribute to that!


With that said, this week has been a bit challenging but yet successful. I started keeping a journal just to allow me to really see the work I am putting in. I am down to 170.2 this week allowing me to lose another 3.6 pounds! I have only 3.2 pounds left to lose to hit 40 pounds! I am so excited but man it feels like I have been hovering around 40 for like 4 weeks! I can't wait though.

weekend weigh in

One word.....Vacation! It is amazing to me how much our lives revolve around food and family, food and fun, food and vacations! We just got back from a wonderful trip to Arizona to see Noah's brothers and their families. As much as I planned my food before we went, it was inevitable that I was going to fall short of my calories in and calories out. Fortunately my amazing sister in law help me prepare by getting me a pass to her gym. I do not use a gym nor have I been to one in over a year...and that was just once! I used to belong to a local gym but found that I was wasting a lot of money because I would just eat right through my workouts.
So more schedule went a little like this.....
Thursday morning before we left, I did a Jillian workout, then Friday we headed to the gym for an hour long spin class. Biked 20 miles! Then I ran on the treadmill for a mile and did a few run downs.

That night we enjoyed my favorite...Mexican Food! So I talked Noah and his brother Ryan into going for a run. I think we did right around 2.5 miles. Then Saturday came and I didn't get in a workout except the 2 mile walk to get frozen yogurt! mmm!  Sunday we walked around while watching Ryan and his mother in law Trisha complete a triathlon. That was so neat. I have never been to anything like that before and I had to hold myself back from jumping in the water with them. I found something I want to do....that's for sure! They gave me so much inspiration to do something like that. I am looking for a biathlon to start and then hopefully move onto a tri by adding the biking. I want to make sure that I enjoy it before I spend the money to buy a bike. Okay that's what Noah wants me to do...you know I would just buy the bike if it were up to me!

So back to my schedule. We again ate some yummy Mexican food before we hit the road to see Noah's grandpa, who was 3 hours away. Once we got settled in I went for a three mile run. I was feeling so crummy from the food that I had put into my body. It was not all terrible but just the Mexican food alone was enough for me to be uncomfortable. Sad because it is my favorite!

Needless to say we had a wonderful time and I came home 3 pounds heavier. I do think it had a lot to do with all the driving and being away from home. Today when I woke up I was back down to my pre vacation weight.
I am stepping it up even more to finish out our last three weeks of this competition. I REALLY want to win! I need to eat the same but burn 3000 calories a day to lose 5 pounds per week for a total of 15 more pounds of weight before our final weigh in! I am determined!


Here are some pictures of my family at the triathlon

Weekend weigh in

I have been extremely busy, stressed out, and you know "moody" all over the place this week! Yep it has just been one of those weeks! However with eating whatever I wanted yesterday for Easter... Of course with a little portion control, I still managed to lose 1.4 pounds this week. Now it is all excuses why I didn't hit my 3 pound goal, but I am just saying goodbye to last week and taking the 1 pound weight loss joyfully! Focusing on today!

I am kicking things into high gear because I only have four weeks left of my biggest loser challenge and I really want to win this baby! I keep telling myself "calories in, calories out!" it really is that simple!

I did accomplish running 6 miles today! It felt amazing, until I hit the last mile. My body started to go numb in weird places. One of my middle toes, and arch of my foot. Then my hip felt like a Barbie doll hip, like it was going to be snapped out of the socket because A mean little kid that was ripping it out... Haha nope no little kid! Just me trying to finish the goal I gave to myself the night before. I ran it in 1 hour and 10 minutes.

I am at 171.8 and I only need to lose another 4.8 pounds to get those running shoes and man there are way too many choices. That is for sure! I did hear about a nearby store that guarantees all of their shoes for a whole year though. So if I run with them and decide I don't like them, then I can exchange for a different pair.

My goal will be to tell you that I have accomplished losing 40 pounds next week. Five pounds... I can do five pounds! Oh wait I'm going on vacation! Ah well this is a lifestyle now so I gotta make it work!

New adventure

A few weeks ago I was asked to write on a fabulous blog called Coffee with Christ. It consists of 7 ladies, all in different walks of life. Each lady has a day that they get to share what God has placed on their hearts. I am so excited yet nervous to begin something like this. As you know I have a passion for teenage girls and even though these are women writing, the majority of the readers are 18-25. This opportunity gives me the chance to share more about purity and courting through God's eyes. I will be sharing on here what I write over there each week, however feel free to come by and check out the much more talented group of writers though. It's at coffeewithchristdevotional.blogspot.com!

Here was my first post

"Hi Ladies,
   I am so excited to be joining this amazing cast of ladies who I have been inspired by in my walk with God. I am the momma of the group...yes quite literally! I am not only a momma to three beautiful children but I am also pushing 30 this year! Funny I thought 30 was old, but now that I am almost there...I have realized I am not shrivelling up and dying. Phew!
  I would love for you to head over to the Testimonies page and read more about myself and my family.


   I am always excited about what God is doing in my life. Even if it's hard, I tried to be excited. It just means He is still chiseling away and making me more like Him. Today I wanted to share something that has been somewhat of a trial for me the last year and I have yet to write about it on my personal blog, not really knowing how to share without maybe hurting someone. I can be vague on here and hopefully encourage anyone who may be or have gone through a similar situation.


   I will just start by saying that God's command "that you love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12 Is not always easy to live out. I find it extremely easy to love the ones that love me, right?! It is another story when someone doesn't love you, or better yet refusing to be apart of your life. I have some family members that have chosen to not be in my life because of a choice that we (my husband and I) made. Without going into detail we felt and still feel today that we made the best decision for all parties involved and it somewhat broke up our relationships. Some I expected, but others have put me into complete shock and heart break. So as far as love goes, it seems easier to continue to love those who love me and move on. EXCEPT God says in Matthew 5 verse 46-47 "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?"
   As Christians that means we are Christ followers. Following Christ means that we must act and live out lives that reflect obedience in Him. How can we stand apart from the world when we conform to it by acting just like it?
   I have learned that even though it may be hard or at times painful, I have to remember that God forgives all. I must be willing to forgive and have open arms waiting for them when they are ready to be apart of my life again, even if I have felt wronged. I teach my children all the time that God does not judge us on how others treat us, rather He judges us on how we react to the way they treat us. We must react in a loving way. Not tit for tat, eye for an eye. We must love like Christ loves! We must answer to the Lord for decisions that we make, and that includes the way we treat people we don't like.
  Now I am not saying that you must beg and overwhelm them with messages to love you, I am simply saying that making sure they know that you are ready when they are. You love them and waiting to be a loving relationship with them, when they are ready.
It might also include having healthy boundaries up with people who continually hurt you. You might need to love then at a distance, but loving them period is the key!
I am so grateful that Gods love for me never fails. I am a complete mess and make bad decisions constantly. Where would I be without his love and forgiveness? If God can forgive me for all the millions of things I do, how can I not forgive someone for something they've done?!"

Hope you enjoyed... I will be writing every Sunday...hope to see you there!

week 14

What a wonderful week! I have absolutely fallen in love with running! I never thought I would say those words, but I have! I'm not sure if I've shared this before but last year I so desperately wanted to run... Be a runner! My shins were in so much pain that I had to stop running all together. Well I let my body heal and 9 months later tried again. Now I could have started before that I know, but it was the holidays and I was happy being unhealthy and eating whatever I wanted... Well not really, but you get the point!

I started again this past January and my shins no longer hurt and my body wanted it just as badly as my heart does. This past week I have past a milestone by running 4.5 miles. My friend Rachael helped me accomplish that goal. She too has lost a ton of weight by running. 63 pounds to be exact! Maybe I can get her on here to share some of her story?!

Today I ran another 4.3 miles averaging a pace of 8.37 minutes per mile. I am finding that I am running faster outside then when I run on the treadmill. I am actually not enjoying the treadmill at all, however I am grateful for it when we have those crazy days of wind that no one wants to go out in.

I have been running in a pair of Nike shoes that I have had for about 3 years. I have only used them for wearing, not exercising, until recently when I ran for the first time ( the second time ) and realized that they didn't hurt my shins, legs or anything. They have a ton of comfort. Well because they are 3 years old, they obviously are looking a little tore up and now that I am running more and more I would love to get some new shoes. Noah made a deal with me that he would buy me new shoes when I lose a total of 40 pounds! Well I am so close I can taste it!! I only have 7 more pounds to go. I have been researching shoes a lot and I am torn. I am open to any suggestions that you may have ;) I am partial to Nike. Most research that I have found confirms to me that they are the best running shoe for the best price. And because I have enjoyed my Nike's that I have now...I am a little superstitious about them.

I can't wait until this Friday to have our very first and maybe only Biggest Loser challenge. Stay tuned for pictures... I can't wait to share!