Updates!

Since its been over a year since my last post, here is an update:

Ryan and I got married! Everything went off without a hitch and it was the most wonderful week of my life. Im a huge advocate of destination weddings because you get to spend a week with the nearest and dearest to you, instead of just one day.

Work has changed a lot. I am still with the O&G company, however I had moved projects and now I am in the corporate side. This role is a new one for me and Im still spending time figuring it and my new team out.

The weight loss was a losing game for me so in July 2014, I made the decision to have a Vertical Sleeve Gastronomy (VSG) performed. This is when they remove a portion of your stomach to aid in weight loss. I paid privately and had my surgery preformed in Mexico as the wait in Canada is almost 4 years! Since then, I have lost a total of 86 pounds and have another 50 to go before I reach my first goal.

The decision to have such a drastic surgery was not an easy one. My husband was unsure of it, along with many friends and family members but I knew that if I didnt do this for myself, and now, I may not be around much longer. My depression and physical ailments were getting the best of me and despite being newly married, I couldn't find joy in anything. I felt like my life was a dark tunnel that I just kept going further and further down. I will admit that the surgery and weight loss associated have been amazing and lifted my spirits, there were a lot of counseling and therapy sessions to ensure I was making the right decision, but to also help my find my spark in life again.
Being 86 pounds down is fantastic and I am so thankful every day that I was giving this second chance at life.

Just keep going

Right off the cusp of my good month of losses in January, I've started to lose motivation. I don't know why, I was seeing great results and with the number on the scale slowly decreasing, it would keep anyone's head in the game. Except mine. 

Those old, sneaky habits were coming back. I missed one workout for a late dinner with Ryans family and then I had a migraine another day and next thing I knew, it had been 3 days without doing anything physical! This was definitely NOT what I signed up for and I needed that reminder. In comes my coach like a fairy godmother to remind me of how bad I wanted this and while I thought she would be pissed, she was supportive and wanting to know if there was something she could do. Her pep talk got me back into it. It seems like a common theme for me though. I make great strides in the right direction and then just stop. I'd like to figure it out one day but I think it will include more therapy and right now, I'm just trying to find 25 minutes to work out in my day!

So... If you're like me and need a little

Motivation, feast your eyes on these...

Sunday, Sunday

I can't believe February is already here but at the same it, it feels like

Christmas vacation was ages ago! This means we are one month closer to the wedding!

This last week I only lost .8 of a pound (boo!!) but that makes my total loss for January 7.5lbs. Not quite the 10 I wanted but I'll take it! 

My anxiety has been really bad lately. All I want to do is stay home and be with Ryan and Kilo. I'm not sure where this feeling has come from but I hate it because it makes me skip out on plans with friends and family and while Ryan likes hanging out with me, I'm sure he doesn't want to be attached to me. 

One of the plus sides to not wanting to be social means we got a ton of stuff done today and I got my meal prep going on. 

The things I've made so far:

Protein balls

Homemade salsa

Breakfast pancakes for the week

Lunches

And Ryan is currently whipping up some homemade burgers for dinner. 

I love productive Sundays. Now to finish laundry and get my workout in!

Tuesdays with Shaun T

Due to my raging migraine yesterday I didn't start my T25 Alpha program. I was super bummed because I was looking forward to adding something else into the mix. So today, after laying in a dark room taking migraine meds, I decided I felt well enough to pop that DVD in a give my all for 25 minutes. 

A few realizations: 

1) the cardio I was doing pales in comparison to the cardio that Shaun runs you through!

2) I am very uncoordinated. I always thought I had a grace in the way I moved, fluidly for lack of a better word, but that is wrong!! My balance/coordination is horrible!

3) I need to invest in a serious sports bar. Between the lunges and jumps, I almost knocked myself out! 

4) I am stronger then I thought but I have a long road ahead. And while I was doing the workout, I was watching the clock, but now that I'm done, I feel great! It's only gunna get better and easier, right?! 

That's a wrap!

It's finally Saturday! It feels like it's taken forever to get here!! 

My week was crazy busy at work. My counterpart is on holidays so what is normally busy became chaotic. I think I clocked in about 55 hours!

I picked up my wedding dress yesterday (!!) and it fits and it's beautiful. Being able to see myself in a dress that fits properly and that is mine really made me feel like a bride. It's starting to hit home that this is real and it's happening soon!

On to the good stuff! Down 3.4 lbs this week which puts my total loss at 6.7 since the beginning of January. I'm so close to my 10lb goal for February 1st. I just gotta keep going. 

So, 2 NSV's (non scale victories) I had this week was wearing a dress a size smaller and it being loose and wearing a pair of jeans I had banished to the back of my closet!!

Here's to another successful week!

Sunday funday?

The weekend is on its way out and for me that means doing all the chores and errands for the upcoming week. It is Sunday but I wouldn't necessarily call it a 'funday'. I don't understand how people can go out and drink while watching football and still make it to work the next morning? Maybe it's just me but the consumption of alcohol does not go with Sunday. To each their own!

First off, I'm down 3.2lbs this week. I haven't taken measurements yet but I'm excited! Another push to stay focused and motivated this week!!

Yesterday we crossed more wedding stuff off the list (Ryans suit and the groomsmen's outfits have been picked and ordered!), started getting everything together for centerpieces and started working on music selections. We capped the day off by going to The Laugh Shop with one of our good friends and then hit the casino for an hour (everyone left with money in our pockets!) before calling it a night at 10.30! 

I have a double ear infection which has definitely put a damper on how I'm feeling today so once I get all my tasks done, I may try to wander over to the health campus for something to help. 

I'm also going to make our favorite protein balls! They are simple and consist of PB, honey, oats, and seeds and are perfect for that afternoon slump! 

I have a feeling this week is going to be crazy busy with lots of OT since my counterpart will be out of the office so I need to prepare as much as I can so I'm successful! 

Feel Good Friday

This week seems to have gone quickly, although thinking back to Monday, it feels like it was ages ago!
Not too much has happened this week to report on so I thought I would list the top 5 things that made me feel good this week and I'm thankful for.

1) I started with my coach and worked really hard on my meal planning and keeping my numbers down and I feel more energetic and less hungry. Two small things I learned from this: It is REALLY hard to drink at least 100oz. of water a day and second, trips to Starbucks dont do anything to help you, despite being soy and sugar free. I guess that relationship is going to have to end.

2) I had a meeting with my Dad regarding wedding stuff and the outcome was great! Ryan and I are spending an extra week in Mexico for our honeymoon (!!) as a gift from my Dad and his wife and we have an amazing opportunity on the radar for the next year and a half or so that is really exciting!

3) I'm between sizes. Normally, this would piss me off, but because my clothes are too big, I'm happy about that. Its given me that extra push to keep going.

2) STATurdays. I owe my weekly weigh in to my coach on Saturdays (get the joke?) so it forces me to be really mindful over the weekend when usually I was only giving a good effort Monday to Friday. I would suggest to anyone who has dificulty staying on track over the weekend to take measurements or do their weigh in on a Saturday or Sunday mornng so that you are forced to be mindful.

1) Hot pink nails. I was following the trend of the neutral or dark tones because of the weather and maybe its because of the balmy tempuratures outside but I felt that I needed something. It's definitely perked my mood!