You are here: Home / Archives for weight loss

FREE 7 Day Pass at Curves!

April 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This year, be the star in your own Success Story. Every day, women who thought they couldn’t get fit find out that they can at Curves. Burn up to 500 calories with our 30-minute workout, which combines strength training and cardio for a workout that works your entire body, from head to toe. It works every major muscle group and gives you results that last. Now’s the time to take the first step toward YOUR success.

* New guests only. Offer not based on any enrollment. Not valid with any other offer. Some restrictions may apply. Valid only at participating locations in the US and Canada. ©2012 Curves International, Inc

Click on the banner to get your FREE pass.

Filed Under: Hot Deals, weight loss Tagged With: ,

House Remodeling Projects

May 11, 2011 By 8 Comments

I can’t believe I haven’t posted in so long. I was going to start another blog about my weight loss journey, but that hasn’t happened yet. I will say the main reason I haven’t posted in so long is I’ve been remodeling my house. We are in the midst of multiple house projects including painting, new floors, plastering drywall, ripping out old and trying to make new items fit. We also had our house leveled, which is great, but now many of our doors have to be shaved or door latches readjusted so doors will shut again. I’m also kicking myself for not doing some before/after pictures. I’m cutting out old drywall around door cracks. My husband wasn’t sure if I could handle fixing all of the crumbling drywall above the tub where we ripped out an old cabinet. I have proved him wrong, and you can’t even tell there were big chunks of drywall missing exposing the wood beneath it. All I can say is the internet, google, and youtube are your friends in diy projects like this.

On the flip side, I have also spent countless hours planning and shopping. I do enjoy all the shopping, but I don’t always enjoy making all the decisions. I can be extremely indecisive plus I love getting a bargain. When I would find something I liked, then I would worry that I could get a better deal somewhere else. I solved that problem by downloading a free app to my iphone to price compare called Shop Savvy. It also lists all the local & online stores with the cheapest price listed first. That cool app has saved me time plus I know if I’m getting a good deal or not. I love technology.

The other reason I haven’t done any blogging is I’m still trying to get my son all the help he needs. That has been an ongoing struggle with the school and doctor. The doctor finally came to the conclusion that my son does struggle with major anxiety along with the autism. The doctor thinks he has more Asperger’s syndrome coupled with anxiety plus the Sensory Disorder. Trying to find a good balance of medications to help him has been very hard. He was having lots of trouble in school at the beginning of the year. He had three different teachers in a matter of two months. Not good for a child who resists any change especially in his routine. That has been a fight at the school along with fighting with the doctor my son needed to be put on an anti-depressant. I hate medicating him, but I knew in my heart he needed to be put on one. Right after Christmas, the doctor agreed with me and was put on Zoloft. He has been doing so much better. He is now making straight A’s again, and I’m curious to see how he did on the ileap. His teacher thinks he did extremely well.

With the summer coming, I’m looking to make some big changes with his diet like I did with mine. I have been struggling some with my weight loss for the last several months. I gain a couple and then lose them. I will save that for another post. All in all, life has been very hectic so I tend to forget about the blog when I get very busy with other projects. I am excited to share pictures and my experience with these projects. I have to share here since my husband refuses to go on Renovation Realities with me. I know we would have the highest rated show ever since I do have a bit of a temper. Ok, so that is a tad of an understatement I admit. I am a bit of a perfectionist so it’s better that I’m doing most of this work myself. I do enjoy having an ipod on this phone since I love to sing while I’m plastering and sanding.

Filed Under: family life, ramblings, remodeling, weight loss Tagged With:

Money Saving Tips on New Wardrobes

October 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

When you begin to lose weight, most of the time you don’t even think about how you might need a new wardrobe. This can be the case, not once but several times, if you have a good bit to lose. It can be quite costly but it doesn’t have to be. I love to shop so I’ve made it into more of a challenge to buy nice quality clothing at discount prices. There are many ways to acquire your new clothing whether it be new or used. I hope these tips will help.

Shop your local thrift stores. Some thrift stores have sale days which can save you as much as half off their tag price. I have even shopped at thrift stores that have bag days where you can put as much as you can in a bag for a set price. Many times you can find clothes with store tags still attached. My local thrift store has many clothing priced at $2 each even with store tags. I have scored many great deals this way.

Yard sales can also offer some great bargains. I have seen many clothes with tags attached for a fraction of retail. I usually find mall brands like Gap, Old Navy, NY&Co, Limited, but I have also seen some designer brands. This will greatly depend on the area you are shopping. I have gotten some real bargains over the years.

Clearance sales is the most obvious way to score deals on department store clothing. I love shopping at the end of a season. Many times I have found winter clothing on summer clearance racks and vice versa. I have even found last seasons clothing on clearance racks and those are usually heavily discounted. Always keep your eyes peeled for stores that offer an extra % off on clearance racks. I have walked out paying $2-4 for clothes that were $20-50 originally.

Consignment stores are also a good place to find some good deals. These stores are usually more expensive, but you will pay a lot less for career clothing, suits, special occasion dresses, and even nicer coats. Some stores do offer coupons or have designated discount days to save even more.

Talk to friends or family members. You might be surprised while chatting with someone that they could be getting rid of clothes that would be perfect for you. Many people get rid of clothing after either gaining or losing weight. Some people have gotten together to have clothing swaps. This is perfect in tight times to get new clothing for yourself while helping out a friend or family member. I know that some church groups do this and if not maybe start one in your area.

Check the classifieds or even Craig’s list/Freecycle. People are always selling clothing (many times brand new or hardly worn) which can be a great savings to you. Of course you can buy clothes off the internet like Ebay. I have seen several forum or yahoo groups where members can sell their items similar to an online yard sale. They will post pictures and you pay through Paypal. There is a certain amount of trust you instill which can be a little scary for some people. Speaking of the internet, why not try Facebook if you have an account. You could post if you are looking to sell or buy clothing from your friends. That might be a better way of either asking or offering people a certain size without offending.

Filed Under: saving money, Shopping, weight loss

I am 90 Pounds Smaller!

August 16, 2010 By 11 Comments

I have to apologize again to my readers for not posting more often. My son started school last week, and I have had a lot on my plate lately. I won’t get into all the details, but I will say life is keeping me busier than usual. I am proud to say that I have been continuing to lose weight. I am now a size 14/Large which is very exciting. I have lost so many inches, that I don’t have an accurate total, and I am down 90 pounds! I haven’t felt this great in many years. My outlook on life is extremely positive and I feel unstoppable. I am doing things that I never thought I could. I don’t limit myself anymore like I did in the past. I know I can handle any challenge that comes my way. If I don’t at first, then I will keep trying until I can.

I started at the very end of August on this weight loss journey not sure where it would lead me. I’m just so happy that I haven’t quit, and I am continually improving my habits. I now eat whole foods, with very little convenience food, drink water or herbal teas, and exercise six days a week. I do take Sunday off for a nice rest. I have also started taking 2 tablespoons coconut oil daily plus I drink Sunrider teas. I am now following more of a Belly Fat Cure plan as of the last three weeks. I find it helps me to eat more fiber and really cut back on my sugar and carbohydrate intake. My belly has started flattening more plus I can see more definition in my abs. I am doing a hybrid program of Beachbody Turbo Fire and Chalean Extreme. I am in the third week of the Push phase, and I can’t believe how heavy I can lift. I am lifting a minimum of 12 pounds up to 25 pounds! I feel so much stronger, and my arms are starting to show definition which is great. I can also see more definition in my legs. These are all things I really want to post more about, but not sure if many people would want to read about my weight loss journey in this blog. Or should I start a blog just for weight loss? I feel like most readers want to read about saving money and frugal living so just wondering what I should do. This is one reason why I haven’t posted anything. I would love to hear what you think.

Filed Under: family life, ramblings, weight loss Tagged With:

My Second Weight Loss Step- Switch to Good Foods

June 30, 2010 By 1 Comment

My second weight loss step was to switch out my bad foods for good ones. This one I still work on, but I am eating so much healthier. It wasn’t hard and I love trying new recipes. I didn’t go through my pantry and throw everything out. I know some nutritionists and diet “experts” recommend this but I don’t. Instead I switched one bad food for a good one slowly. It was much easier to make small changes rather than those sweeping drastic ones. I really feel that is why so many people end up on a perpetual diet their whole life. I’m a southerner and cajun so I LOVE food! I love fried catfish, cornbread, desserts, gumbos, and more. I know how hard it is change those eating habits for life.

My first food I changed was bread. I was eating honey wheat bread, which was better than white bread, but I still needed to find a healthier bread. I had tried different types of multi-grain breads before finding my dark German wheat bread. It’s very tasty with a good fiber content but low carbohydrates. I’m not a low carb diet, but I still try to eat moderate amounts. I stopped using vegetable oil and switched to olive oil. We also stopped frying foods, and we now saute, grill, or broil. The hardest switch for me was eating brown rice instead of white. I really resisted this change and didn’t make it until about four months ago. I actually love how it tastes with beans. We don’t eat much rice anymore. I have since discovered wild rice that I really enjoy eating. I’m still hunting for quinoa but my local store doesn’t sell it. I need to go to Whole Foods soon and stock up on some items I can’t get at my store.

One change I really indulge on weekly is my Fage Greek Total Yogurt. Yes I eat the full fat version, but I only eat 1/4 of a cup at a time with fresh fruit like berries. It’s so delicious and creamy that it’s more of a treat. I actually look forward to that snack in the middle of the day. I did switch to dark chocolate by finding a good quality chocolate that had three ingredients. The best part was I can pronounce them all, and it has 70% cocoa content. I break the bar into 12 small pieces and have one of them daily at the end of the day as a nice treat. I haven’t had any chocolate or real sugar in over 30 days. I just don’t crave it anymore. Losing weight doesn’t have to be hard and can be quite enjoyable. Take it slowly and try new foods.

Filed Under: health, weight loss

My First Weight Loss Step- No More Soft Drinks

June 22, 2010 By 8 Comments

I’m going to post my baby steps in how I have managed to lose over 75 pounds in the last 10 months. I’m doing it slowly, but for me this is a lifestyle change and not a diet. The first step I took was to quit drinking all soft drinks. I still needed my caffeine fix so I switched to regular iced tea. I don’t believe in artificial sweeteners so I used regular sugar but much less of it. I would make a gallon of tea and add a 1/2 cup of sugar. That wasn’t very sweet at all. I also increased my water intake. I didn’t feel like I was depriving myself. The best part was I started saving money by not spending $40-50 a month on soft drinks. Making a couple of gallons a tea weekly is so much cheaper. I was spending about $5 a month on tea and sugar. I did wean myself off the sugar by decreasing how much sugar I added. Once I got used to the 1/2 cup then I cut it down to a 1/4 cup. After a couple of months I was using no sugar at all. I just squeeze a little lemon juice in it which helps. If I eat out, then I either order iced water or unsweet tea with lemon. I do occasionally drink a soft drink, but maybe like once a month to every 2-3 months. The desire to drink them often is gone. I prefer to drink herbal tea now with no caffeine on a daily basis. The best part was I lost 6 pounds in 10 days by not drinking soft drinks. That gave me great motivation to continue losing weight.

The main reason I quit drinking soft drinks was for health reasons. I was suffering from heartburn on a daily basis. I kept thinking it was the red sauces, but once I quit drinking cokes, then my heartburn went away. It was amazing! Many people will drink diet drinks since it has no calories, but it still has all those awful ingredients and colors. Most people know that coke will eat away acid on a car battery. Well imagine what those same drinks are doing to your insides? Many people drink 2-3 a day! I find it quite scary, and that just reinforced my desire to quit drinking them. It’s a major step that many people feel that they can’t do it. I will say not only will your body thank you, but so will your pocket book.

Filed Under: health, saving money, weight loss

New Year Update!

February 25, 2010 By 3 Comments

I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve neglected my blog for the last several months. So much has happened that I couldn’t possibly blog about it all. It turns out my son is not bi-polar and we also ruled out several other disorders. Apparently he is now considered PDD (pervasive development disorder), and he does have Sensory Integration Disorder. He is doing much better since his doctor put him on Intuitive. He’s on 3mg daily which has really helped with his anxieties and behavior.

I finally did something about my anxieties in October. I was so ashamed to admit how anxiety ridden I was to my friends and family. A couple of close friends strongly suggested I get on a medicine like Lexapro to help me. I agreed to talk to my doctor and she put me on Zoloft which I’ve been since October. What a difference it has made in my life. I felt so much better after the second week and the worst side effect was being drowsy. A month later that has pretty much went away. I am now in control and have conquered all of the anxieties I was experiencing plus I was able to help my son. I feel like a new woman and like my old self before all this started. I lost my youngest son to Spinal Muscular Atrophy and he was 5 months old when he earned his wings. We decided to stop having more children since it was possible for it occur in the next baby. We had our oldest which is more than many couples. I would have panic attacks in his final weeks and they continued for a few more weeks. It started with one fear that multiplied to several more over the next few years. I kept telling myself it was ok and that I could handle it. But I really couldn’t and became a person who hated leaving the house. I would also stress about having to travel. It was controlling my life, and I even went to therapy which helped some, but the medicine was what I really needed. I’m just glad I stopped ignoring the problem and got the help I desperately needed. My life is so much better, and I love driving again. I enjoy getting out again.

I also started losing weight at the same time. I had really let myself go after I lost our baby. I became depressed and eating was how I comforted myself. I was gaining weight before kids, but I really packed it on after kids. I will write another post about my weight loss journey that I am still on, but I just wanted to write a little about what I’ve been doing the last few months. I plan to write about how eating healthy doesn’t have to be so expensive. I am getting healthier again and exercising daily. It feels good to take care of me first so I can take care of my family. As women we always neglect ourselves and put everyone else first. How can we help others if we don’t help ourselves first? Many of us are also trying to be super woman by doing it all. I can’t and I am no longer ashamed to ask for help when I need it. I enjoy getting some alone time to pamper myself or just go in my bedroom to read quietly. My family knows the rule that when I’m in my bedroom with the door closed it’s my time. If you aren’t bleeding, on fire, or dying then don’t bother me.

Filed Under: family life, health, weight loss Tagged With:

Don’t Gain Weight This Holiday Season

November 19, 2008 By Leave a Comment

The holidays are fast approaching and we all know what that means. Lots of delicious food but fatty and starchy foods like rolls, stuffing, pies, and much more. That’s just the start with Thanksgiving. There will be even more eating and lots of candy and cookies during the Christmas season. Let’s not forget all the treats that will still hang around even after the first of the year. So get a jump with diet pills to help keep off those excess pounds. Starting an exercise program now will also make it easier to lose any weight you may gain. Skip those second helpings as your pants will thank you.

Filed Under: Christmas, family life, Holidays, weight loss Tagged With: ,