Skin for thought

So one stop on my health journey is facing the fact of SKIN. Yes, skin. Never thought about all the skin that would be left over after losing 100 lbs. And keep in mind I still have 50 more to go. 

It kinda depresses me. And is kinda gross. And I kinda don't wanna talk about it. But I know that I cant be the only one. Skin. uggg....I wish I could just pinch you and pull you tight and cut off the rest.
 Its almost like a reminder. Hey girl......you left me....hanging.....you used to keep me full of pizza and pb and j sandwiches. Ice Cream and Cake. Cookies and Snickers. And don't forget the Doritos! And you stopped all that. And now look at me. Just hanging around. All wrinkled. But I wont let you forget about me. When you get all happy and want to clap your hands, I will be sure to clap your arm pits with you. When you think you are going to do a jumping jack, I'll be there just swaying back and forth. Oh, and you want to do a burpee, sure, don't forget me! I'll be back here just moving all around cheering you on. UGGGG. 

And not just my legs, my arms, my belly....its my face too. Yes. The face. The one thing that is hard to hide. I have wrinkles way more than ever. I feel like I have aged so much in the past 2 years. Not by the way I feel but the way I look. And what is this hanging out under my chin?! Really.....was my neck and face that fat! I guess it was. 
So until I am able to do something about it, I will try my best to remember what it used to be full of. FAT. And that I have worked so hard to get rid of that. And yes I tone, I do weights all that jazz. But when there is that much fat removed and there was that much skin stretched out, there is very little you can do other than have some plastic surgery. So maybe one day. Maybe I'll even start a skin fund. That sounds nice, right?......or creepy one  :) 

I think I can, I think I can.....

On this long journey to health sometimes the scale gets stuck. It can get discouraging, but I know in my heart I will not give up. I may get down in the dumps a day, maybe 2, maybe a week. But then there is something that nudges me and tells me to keep pressing on. I remind myself why I am doing it. Its not to look good, its not to wear a hot bathing suit ( would never happen anyway lol ), its not to wear tight jeans or short skirts. Its to be a more healthy Amy. Its to live longer to serve the Lord, to raise my child, to love my husband. To take care of my grandmother and mother as they age. To enjoy life with Miles. I want him to hike and bike with me. So its more than just losing "weight", its living LIFE! 

One way to not focus on the scale number is to try on a pair of clothes that may not fit just yet. Clothes will always be honest to you. The buttons will scream, the stitching will stretch and beg for mercy. So here is a pair of pants that a friend handed down. I am not focused on the size either. Because they are the same size of the jeans I wear daily and they fit just fine. But as you can see these DO NOT. They are hugging, very tightly may I add, to my problem area. The part that is weighing me down! BUT I am working on it! I am toning and watching my calories and hoping, that come summer time I will slide these pants on with ease and confidence. So pull out maybe something you have not been able to wear, or go check out a consignment shop and pick up something that you can see yourself wearing in 6 months, or ever 3 months. And see the changes. 

Hoping to update this post with a side by side of them fitting nicely by spring/summer time!

Goals~ Will be Reached! 

Year in Review.

Good Bye 2013! 

Wow......Another year is coming to an end. 

Am I proud of my accomplishments this year? ABSOLUTELY.

Have I lost all the weight I wanted....NOPE......

Do I keep pushing forward....YEP......

I will not give up this fight.

 I have not taken off more than a week at a time going to the gym or getting in a work out. I continue to eat well, with some slip ups. I know where I can improve. I still have 50lbs I want to lose. And I really want to reach that goal in the up coming year. Its going to be very hard. The weight isn't just  dropping off now. I am having to work hard for ever pound I lose.

Goals accomplished in  2013 :

* I have lost 40lbs.
* I ran my 1st 5k in May, 2nd. The second one in Aug and my third    one in Oct.
* I beat my 1st 5k the 2nd  time by 9 mins
* I went from size 20 to size 14 jeans.
* My endurance is twice as long as last year. 
* I bought a size LARGE coat, not XL...LARGE!
* Did I mention lab work? Yea, cholesterol is down over 50 points 
   my triglycerides went from 151 to 53!

What has helped me this past year?

A great Health Coach! 

If you don't have one or think that you cant afford one, please look in it to before turning it completely down. You may can do just a couple of months to help you learn the basics and get a jump start. But being able to ask questions and learn how to eat the right way and NOT diet is worth it. I will never diet. Diets fail. Eating clean is more than just losing weight. Its building a better body from the inside out! 

So please feel free to check out Carol Nees on Facebook or here is her Website Carl Nees if you are local ( Spartanburg SC). You will be glad you did :) 

Also going to a great gym has helped me too. 

I dont think everyone HAS to have a gym. I did. I didnt have enough motivation to get out on my own and do it. I found a great gym that offered group classes. This was the key! Again going to a gym with a room full of equipment is great for some people. I knew that was not for me. I needed to be accountable and I needed to learn how to work out too. Doing a group class with instructors has made the difference for me. Please feel free to check out my gym too. They offer a free week so you can come and take all the classes you want and see if its right for you! Here they are on Facebook~~Spartanburg Athletic Club or you can check out their website here ~~~ Spartanburg Athletic Club

This year I also started a little  private "get fit" group on Facebook. Its so fun to be able to talk to my friends and hear their accomplishments and support each other! If you would like to join, check it out! Carolina Fit Friends

So here are a few photos of the past year. Can't wait to see what this year brings! 

Here I am buying my last pair of Lane Bryant Jeans. Size 14. The smallest they make. The sad part is, this throws me out to the wolves to find another good jean. Also it seems Lane Bryant runs a size bigger, so I have to shop for 16 at other stores. So this is a little bitter sweet, their jeans just fit a big booty so well!

Me trying on "skinny" jeans. Not to shabby....ehhhh still thinking about it.... I didn't buy them though......maybe next time :) Last year I would have NEVER even thought to try on a "skinny" jean! So maybe this year I will buy them ;)

Here I just ran 3 miles on the treadmill! That is huge for me!! I am still working on doing that outside, because it totally different! 

Here is what a year can do. I am awful at taking pics of myself, and I come from a family that is allergic to cameras. So there are never holiday pics unless I take them, which means I am not in them : / 

Here is another fun one! I had to wear those horrible scrub pants for years. These are 3x and were the biggest I could find unless I ordered online. Once I found some 4x. So I refused. I would SQUEEZE in these pants and wore them. 

Here is Miles at 3 and 4. At his birthday party. I hope to be able to be at many many many more. That is my reason is getting healthy. I want to see my son grow up and have children of his own one day. 

Color Run was a blast! I had some great friends that went with me! I ran this one in 38 mins. I think it was all the adrenaline! 

I love to look back at pictures, it really reminds me of how far I have come and where I need to go. I am happier, healthier and love life way more than I ever have. 

My goals for 2014 

To reach my goal of 150 lbs. That will be half of me! 

To be stronger, more athletic. 

To actually RUN a whole 5k outside. Running on a treadmill and running one outside are very different. 

Just continue to be awesome ;)

I hope that I can encourage and inspire anyone that feels there is no hope and they are destined to be over weight and unhealthy. I know I felt that way for many many years. There is a way. It can be done. Will I be on the cover of magazines, NO. Will be on TV, NO. Does everyone care, No. I am doing it for me and for my family, so I can be around to take care of them. To live a long life to serve the Lord as He would have me too. 

 I was always somebody, I was always beautiful and loved. But now maybe I can live a longer, healthier  and happier life!

I am excited at who I am becoming. Bring on 2014! 

Color Vibe 2013!

This was so much fun!! I was really nervous though. There were like 3 thousand runners. They let us go in waves of maybe several hundred. I clocked myself and was right at 40 mins. But that was me slowing down for crowds and picking up my 3 yr old the last 2 tenths of a mile. It was a fun day!

Still fighting the fight. Boy does the journey get tiresome. I feel like giving up sometimes. But then I look back at pictures are even my post here and I see that I cant do that! I cant go back to that person.
I am 195 today. Not a big change. But I know I feel better and and much stronger. So its not going to get me down.
I am fighting strong to be 179 by Jan 1st. I really hope I can focus on this and make it real. I know with my birthday coming up, Thanksgiving and Christmas, this is going to be a challenge. But I have to make this real. This has to happen.

Been awhile since I posted! Wow. I started a new fit group on Facebook. If you are reading this and would like join us, please do!
Click here : Carolina Fit Friends Just send a request and I'll be more than happy to add you to our private group.
I love the group on Facebook. Its more interactive than this blog post. I feel like more people are benefiting from it. So come join us!
Well my weight is about the same. Still hadnt got under that 200 mark! Uggg I'm at 202.8! So trying really hard now that life is slowing down and getting more on a schedule. My little man started 3k and I have the mornings to get done what I need to, like this blog! :)
I sign up for another 5k. What am I thinking! Its called the color vibe. Still not a runner. I can job out the whole 5k on the treadmill, which is a big mile stone for me! But as far as doing it outside. Just cant do it. I can do sprints, but mainly its walking.
I started using this awesome app, its called Runkeeper. Its free too. But it really helps me time myself and it maps you out, which I find really cool. So far I can go the same distance 10 mins faster!
So here is to a new start and new changes. My goal till the end of the year, get off 20 lbs. Once I that I will start another new goal.
I am wearing 16 pants too! Well some, depends on who makes them. Seems like I was still in 18s when I last blogged. So ready to get down to 10-12.
OH yea and big news! I was the featured member at my gym this week.
Click here to read My article.

My 1st 5k !

So running is something I wish I could do. I am so not built for it. Short legs and a big caboose! But I can do my fat girl jog! I can do it for almost a mile and half on the treadmill. Which running outside is a different story. I feel like I am going to fall!!
So this past Saturday I sign up to run a 5k for a charity  An orphanage in the Dominican Republic. So not only do I get to use this to set goals to be a better me, I am getting to help others.
My friend Shannon went with me. She turned the big 4 0 this year ( but looks FABULOUS!) and wanted to start running too.
We had made a pack that no matter what the other person could do, we were ok with leaving each other so that we would have our best time.
Well we got to talking! And talking! We talked the whole way!! We did run a little , and I mean a little. But we had some great conversations!
We finished with 47.43 ( I think I got the seconds right). Which I think is just fine for our first 5k.
We are wanting to try for the Color Vibe next and I would love to be able to do the 10k at Cooper River next March. So let the training begin!

Also, my husband got a pic of my backside ( not my good side) and I was surprised! Its not near as big as it used to be, nor as big as I thought. We don't have full length mirrors in the house, so I really never look back there! lol